17th ( - 18th) June 1979

F + W Railtours
The Doncaster Derby

Locos Used 20066, 20162, 37178, 37294, 45076 & 47497
Stock Used 14096+TSO+TSO+TSO+TSO+TSO+TSO+RBR+RUO+FK+BSO+BSO (lettered A-H, J-M respectively)

Route : 1Z56 throughout

Loco(s) Route
45076 Exeter St Davids – Taunton – Bridgwater - Bristol Temple Meads
37178 + 37294 Bristol Temple Meads – Filton Jn - Bristol Parkway – Westerleigh Jn - Yate - Standish Jn - Gloucester Yard Jn - Gloucester
37178 + 37294 Gloucester - Barnwood Jn - Cheltenham Spa - Abbotswood Jn - Norton Jn - Worcester Shrub Hill – Droitwich Spa - Stoke Works Jn - Barnt Green – Kings Norton - ??? - Birmingham New Street
20162 + 20066 Birmingham New Street – Water Orton – Nuneaton avoiding line – Leicester – Loughborough – Sheet Stores Jn – Derby – Ambergate Jn - Chesterfield – Dore – Sheffield – Attercliffe Jn - Shepcote Lane Sough Jn - Tinsley Yard – Treeton North Jn - Rotherham – Mexborough – Doncaster (1)
20066 + 20162 Doncaster – (via ECML) – Peterborough
20066 + 20162 Peterborough – Stamford – Oakham – Melton Mowbray – Leicester – Nuneaton avoiding line – Water Orton – Birmingham New Street
37178 + 37294 Birmingham New Street - (reverse of outward route) - Gloucester
37178 + 37294 Gloucester - (reverse of outward route) - Bristol Temple Meads
47497 Bristol Temple Meads - (reverse of outward route) – Exeter St Davids

Notes :
(1) For works visit.
(2) Gordon Lacy comments: A chance of having a run with class 20s 'at design maximum speed' (75mph) was always inviting!  Markham summit was breached at a credible 61.5mph before touching 76 past Carlton.  Although the Newark 'pathing' stop was not required, a 30mph pws at Newark Crossing still made the subsequent climb to Stoke Summit hard work.  Any hopes of a fast run 'down the hill' were dashed, however, as the train was put 'slow road' all the way to Peterborough!
(2) The on-the-day letter stated that, 'due to the fuel shortage' the motive power had been amended to be 2x Class 37s from Bristol to Birmingham (& return) with the Exeter - Bristol section to be handled by 'any engine(s) available at Newton Abbot'.

Sources : Ian Monkton, Gordon Lacy (on train Doncaster to Peterborough only)
& The F&W/Pathfinder Archive
Photo Review


37178 & 37294 at Worcester Shrub Hill (photo: Mike Morant collection)


20162+20066 arriving at Doncaster's platform 8 - the rear of the train can be
 seen still passing St. James' Bridge! (photo: Gordon Lacy)


Timings (Advertised & Booked)
(from Gordon Lacy & The F&W/Pathfinder Archive)

Advertised Timings and Fares

Location Adult Fare Advertised (out) Advertised (rtn)
Exeter £6.95 07.00d 23.15a
Taunton £6395 07.32d 22.36a
Bridgwater £6.95 07.52d 22.16a
Bristol Temple Meads £6.50 08.35d 21.41a
Bristol Parkway £6.50 08.49d 21.28a
Gloucester £6.50 09.40d 20.32d
Cheltenham Spa £6.50 09.50d 20.22a
Worcester Shrub Huill £5.95 10.25d 19.55a
Birmingham New Stereet £5.95 11.15d 19.05a

Notes:
No reduction for children
Limited 1st class seats available at a £1.50 supplement
Admission charge to BREL Doncaster: 60p Adult, 30p Child (9-16 years)

Advertised Route
Exeter - Taunton - Bridgwater - Bristol -= Gloucester - Cheltenham - Worcester - Lickey - Birmingham - Nuneaton (Flyover) - Leicester - Toton Yard - Chesterfield - Treeton Jn's - Tinsley Yard - Aldwarke Jn - Mexborough - Doncaster (stay) - Mexborough - Rotherham - Sheffield - Chesterfield - Derby - Burton - Birmingham then return as outward

Motive Power Requested

From - to Requested
Exeter to Birmingham & return 1x class 37/1 & Class 31 in multiple
(amended to 2x Class 37, stated in the ticket letter)
Birmingham to Doncaster & return 2x class 20s
(or a Class 56, stated in the ticket letter)

Booked Timings

Miles Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn) Miles
0 Exeter St Davids 07.00d 01.15a 644.41
19.72 Whiteball 07/21 00/53 624.49
30.60 Taunton 07.30a ~ 07.32d 00.38a ~ 00.40d 613.61
42.25 Bridgwater 07.45a ~ 07.46d 00.24a ~ 00.25d 601.16
55.68 Uphill Jn 07/58 00/12 587.53
77.41 Bristol Temple Meads 08L18a ~ 08L23d 22L42a ~ 22L52d 566.00
83.28 Bristol Parkway 08.33a ~ 08.35d 23.30a ~ 23.32d 560.13
87.78 Westerleigh Jn 08/41 23/25 555.43
110.36 Standish Jn 08/58 23/08 533.05
117.47 Gloucester 09R08a ~ 09R21d 225R44a ~ 22R58d 525.74
124.09 Cheltenham 09.30a ~ 09.32d 22.30a ~ 22.33d 519.32
142.07 Abbotswood Jn 09/48 22/13 501.34
146.03 Worcester Shrub Hill 09p55a ~ 10p05d 22.03a ~ 22.16d 497.38
151.64 Droitwich 10/13 21/54 491.57
155.68 Stoke Works Jn 10/19 21/48 487.53
161.44 Barnt Green 10/32 21/42 481.77
166.19 Kings Norton 10/37 21/35 477.22
171.66 Birmingham New Street 10L55a ~ 11L07d 21L09a ~ 21L20d 469.44
179.55 Water Orton 11/18 20/55 461.55
192.25 Nuneaton Abbey Jn 11/40 20/32 449.05
208.39 Wigston North Jn 12/02 20/13 432.71
211.54 Leicester 12/10 20.05 ~ 20.07 429.56
218.45 Syston South Jn 12/17 19/58 424.65

 

Miles Location Booked
224.23 Loughborough 12/23
232.27 Sheet Stores Jn 12/30
238.41 Spondon 12/39
241.03 Derby 12.43 ~ 12.45
250.78 Ambergate Jn 12/58
260.77 Clay Cross South Jn 13/08
265.15 Chesterfield 13/12
? Dore 13/21
277.35 Sheffield 13.28 ~ 13.30
277.71 Nunnery Main Line Jn 13/32
279.18 Attercliffe Jn 13/37
280.29 Shepcote Lane South Jn 13/39
? Tinsley Yard ??/??
282.49 Treeton North Jn 13/51
285.57 Rotherham 13/57
288.17 Aldwarke Jn 14/01
291.16 Mexborough 14p07a ~ 14p17d
298.52 Doncaster 14.30a ~ 17.00d
316.00 Retford 17/18
334.41 Newark 17.36 ~ 17.47
349.11 Grantham 18/03
354.41 Stoke Tunnel 18/12
372.59 Helpston Jn 18/26
378.20 Peterborough 18R34a ~ 18R54d
383.40 Helpston Jn 19/02
390.14 Stamford 19/10
400.15 Manton Jn 19/28
403.76 Oakham 19/33
415.27 Melton Mowbray 19/44
424.41 Syston East Jn 19/57

Timings continue in first table.

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