30th December 1981

Lea Valley Railway Club
Worcester & Branston Pickler

Loco Used 45120
Stock Used 21247+16081+15942+15657+1500+3033+25719+16058+15947+16060+35120

Route : 1Z24 throughout

Loco Route
45120 London St Pancras - (via MML) - Wigston North Jn - Coalville - Branston Jn - Lichfield - Walsall - Darlaston Jn - Portobello Jn - Wolverhampton
45120 Wolverhampton - Dudley Port -Soho North Jn - (1) - Birmingham New Street - Proof House Jn - Aston - (1) Perry Barr North Jn - Bescot - Bescot Curve Jn - Wednesbury - Dudley - Stourbridge Junction - Kidderminster - Droitwich Spa - Worcester Shrub Hill
45120 Worcester Shrub Hill - (2) - Droitwich Spa - Stourbridge Junction - Dudley - Wednesbury - Bescot Curve Jn - Bescot - Perry Barr North Jn - Soho East Jn - Soho South Jn - Birmingham New Street - Proof House Jn - Landor Street Jn - Water Orton - Kingsbury Jn - (2) Wichnor Jn - Burton-on-Trent - Stenson Jn - Sheet Stores Jn - Loughborough - Leicester - Market Harborough - Wigston North Jn - (reverse of outward route) - London St Pancras

Notes :
(1) Was booked to run Soho North Jn - Perry Barr North Jn.
(2) The routing of the train from Worcester Shrub Hill was changed on the day. The train was supposed to run from Droitwich Spa via The Lickey, Camp Hill, Sutton Park, Walsall (reverse), Hednesford, Rugeley, Stafford (reverse), Lichfield and Wichnor Jn. David Sheppard adds: My recollection of the day was that it was very wet and that shortly after the tour passed through the Walsall area for the first time, the line flooded! This blocked the booked return route and, with the rain continuing and more flooding reported, there was concern about which, if any, route may be available for the tour to traverse. The consequence was that the booked route was abandoned and the train returned from Worcester by the alternative route as given. Alan Osborn confirms;
a) Line flooded between Soho Jn and Perry Bar Jn - Tour diverted via New Street and Aston, this receded to allow this route to be taken on a latter part of the tour.
b) Line flooded at Blackwell  so train had to return back via Dudley (service train passed in Dudley area similarly diverted).
c) Line then flooded at Walsall so was forced to divert again missing the booked route via Rugeley, Stafford and Lichfield Trent Valley, instead routed via New Street (via Perry Bar and Soho which was now passable) thence via Water Orton to regain booked return route.

Sources : Richard Szwejkowski (joined/left train at Kettering), LASERman (joined/left train at Luton),
Andy Pullar, PRAR, David Sheppard & Alan Osborn

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Ken Baldwin, Alan Rintoul, Alan Osborn & LASERman)

Miles Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual Miles
0 St Pancras 07.30d 07.32   19.21a 20.38 439½
? Finchley Road 07/37 ?   19/14 ? ?
7 Hendon 07/40 ?   19/08 ? ?
20 St Albans 07/50½ 07/54   18/56 ? ?
30¼ Luton 07.59a ~ 08.01d 08.01 ~ 08.04   18.44½a ~ 18.46d 20.07 ~ 20.09 ?
? Bedford North 08/21 08/21   18/28 19/49 ?
56¾ Sharnbrook 08/26 08/25½   18/21½ ? ?
65 Wellingborough 08/33 08/32   18/12 19/32 ?
72 Kettering 08.39½a ~ 08.41d 08.39 ~ 08.41   18.03½a ~ 18.05d 19.23 ~ 19.25 ?
? Desborough North 08/49½ 08/50   17/57½ ? ?
83 Market Harborough 08/53 08/54   17/52 19/11 ?
89 Kibworth 08/58½ 08/59   17/47½ 19/07 ?
? Wigston North Jn 09/08 09/06   17/41 19/00½ ?

 

Miles Location Booked Actual
97½ Knighton South Jn 09/11 09/10
? Saffron Crossing 09/17 09/13
? Desford Sidings 09/43 09/42
107 Bagworth 09/51 09/52
? Mantle Lane 10/03 10/01
? Moira West 10/27 10/25
? Birmingham Curve Jn 10/47 10/44
? Branston Jn 10/50 10/47
? Wichnor Jn 10/56 10/53½
? Lichfield TV Jn 11/04 11/04
139¼ Lichfield City 11/08 11.08~ 11.14d
145 Norton Jn 11/14 11/25
148¼ Ryecroft Jn 11/19 11/31½
148¾ Walsall 11c21 ~ 11c23 11.34 ~ 11.37
149¾ Pleck Jn 11/25 11/41
150¾ Darlaston Jn 11/29 11/42½
153¾ Portobello Jn 11/33 11/48
155¾ Wolverhampton 11.38a ~ 11.49d 11.59 ~ 12.14
161¼ Dudley Port 11/56 12/23
? Galton Jn 11/59 12/29
166¼ Soho North Jn 12/01 12/36
166½ Soho East Jn 12/02 DIV
168½ Perry Barr West Jn 12/05 DIV
- Birmingham New Street DIV 12/43½
- Proof House Jn DIV 12/46
- Aston DIV 12/51
? Perry Barr North Jn 12/06 12/58
173¼ Bescot 12/11 13.09 ~ 13.11
173½ Bescot Curve Jn 12/12 13/14
175¼ Wednesbury 12/15 13/21
176¼ Great Bridge 12/17 13/24
178½ Dudley 12/23 13/29
182½ Kingswinford Jn 12/31 13/36
184½ Stourbridge Junction 12c38 ~ 12c40 13/39
191¼ Kidderminster 12/48 13/52
195 Hartlebury 12/52 13/55
200½ Droitwich Spa 13*03 ~ 13*10 14.05 ~ 14.09
? Tunnel Jn 13/18 14/16
206 Worcester Shrub Hill 13.20a ~ 13.35d 14.18 ~ 14.35
? Tunnel Jn 13/39 14/42
211½ Droitwich Spa 13/42 14/51
213½ Stoke Works Jn 13/48 DIV
- Kidderminster DIV 15/03
- Stourbridge Junction DIV 15/20
- Dudley DIV 15/31
- Wednesbury DIV 15/40
- Bescot Curve Jn DIV 15/48
- Bescot DIV 15.50 ~ 16.54
- Perry Barr North Jn DIV 17/02
- Perry Barr West Jn DIV 17/03
- Soho East Jn DIV 17/08½
- Soho South Jn DIV 17/09
- Birmingham New Street DIV 17.22 ~ 17.30
217¾ Bromsgrove 13/51 DIV
219¾ Blackwell 13/59 DIV
221¼ Barnt Green 14/03 DIV
226¼ Kings Norton 14/08 DIV
230 Camp Hill 14/16 DIV
231¼ St Andrews Jn 14/18 DIV
- Grand Jn DIV 17/32
231½ Landor Street Jn 14c20 ~ 14c22 17/34
233¾ Bromford bridge 14/26 ?
? Castle Bromwich Jn 14/33 ?
- Water Orton DIV 17/40
- Kingsbury Jn DIV 17/43
- Tamworth DIV 17/47
236¾ Park Lane Jn 14/35 DIV
247½ Ryecroft Jn 14/53 DIV
248 Walsall 14.55a ~ 15.05d DIV
248½ Ryecroft Jn 15/07 DIV
257½ Hednesford 15/25 DIV
262¼ Rugeley 15/32½ DIV
265 Colwich 15/37 DIV
267½ Milford & Brocton 15/39 DIV
271½ Stafford 15.52a ~ 16.13d DIV
? Whitehouse Jn 16/17 DIV
? Colwich 16/20 DIV
? Armitage 16/24 DIV
? Lichfield 16/29 DIV
? Lichfield TV Jn 16/35 DIV
? Wichnor Jn 16/42 17/53½
301½ Burton-on-Trent 16/48 18.03 ~ 18.06
307½ Stenson Jn 16/59 18/14½
319¾ Sheet Stores Jn 17/19 18/33
320½ Trent Jn 17/17 18/34
328 Loughborough 17/23 18/41
? Syston South Jn 17/29 18/46½
340½ Leicester 17.34a ~ 17.36d 18.51 ~ 18.56

Timings continue in first table.

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