16th July 1988

Hertfordshire Railtours & British Rail (Watford Area)
Lancashire Witch

Locos Used 31443, 45107, 47417, 85009 & 85011
Stock Used Booked for set EN100, load 13

Route : 1Z27 throughout

Loco(s) Route
85011 London Euston - (via WCML) - Rugby (1) - Coventry - Birmingham International - Stechford - Aston - Perry Barr North Jn - Bescot - Bushbury Jn - Stafford (1)
45107 Stafford - Norton Bridge - Madely Jn - Basford Hall Jn - Salop Goods Jn - Sydney Bridge Jn - Sandbach - Alderly Edge - Wimslow - Mauldeth Road - Manchester Piccadilly - Oxford Rd - Salford Crescent - Bolton - Lostock Jn - Wigan Wallgate - Southport (2)
45107 Southport - Wigan Wallgate - Wigan Station Jn - Springs Branch Jn - St Helens Central - St Helens Jn - Earlstown West Jn - Winwick Jn - Warrington Bank Quay - Acton Grange Jn - Weaver Jn - Northwich - Altricham - Deansgate Jn - Skelton Jn - Northenden Jn - Hazel Grove High Level Jn - New Mill South Jn - Chinley - MP170 (3)
31443 + 45107 MP170 - Edale - Grindleford - Dore West Jn - Sheffield
47417 Sheffield - Chesterfield - Alfreton - Toton Centre - Loughborough - Leicester - Wigston North Jn - Narborough - Nuneaton
85009 Nuneaton - (via WCML, Trent Valley & Weedon) - London Euston

Notes :
(1) Tour was originally routed from Rugby via the Trent Valley line to Stafford but a derailment at Tamworth a few days beforehand forced the diversion between Rugby and Stafford as shown on the outward journey.
(2) Visitors to Southport Transport Museum during the break there were able to travel behind 24081 which operated a two coach 'special' working for tour visitors.
(3) There were problems with 45107 a mile West of Edale (milepost 170) - the train got going after 2½ hours with arrival at Sheffield 2h 50m late, 31443 having been called up as assisting engine. Originally due to go via Tinsley Yard from Sheffield but route amended due to late running.

Sources : Michael Trower (on the train throughout), Alan Costello, Duncan Jennings & Nick Blyth

Photo Review


The headboard being fitted to 85011 at Euston (photo: Nick Blyth)


24081 on the special working at Southport Museum (photo: Nick Blyth)


31443 and the errant 45107 on arrival into Sheffield (photo: Paul Blyth)


47417 on the other end of the train for the journey home (photo: Paul Blyth)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Michael Trower)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Euston 07.43d 07.44   21.50a ? 522.67
5.65 Willesden Junction 07/49 07/50   21/43 ? 517.02
17.35 Watford Junction 07.58a ~ 07.59d 08.00 ~ 08.07   21.29a ~ 21.30d 23.47 ~ ??.?? 505.32
31.53 Tring 08/10 ?   21/18 ? 491.14
46.46 Bletchley 08/22 08/27   21/08 3/28 476.21
49.65 Milton Keynes Central 08.26a ~ 08.27d 08.30 ~ 08.31   21.04a ~ 21.05d 23.23 ~ 23.24 473.02
56.47 Hanslope Jn 08/34 ?   20/58 ? 466.20
69.56 Weedon 08/43 ?   20/47 ? 453.11
82.40 Rugby 08/54 08/56   20/38 22.58 ~ 23.00 440.27

 

M.C Location Booked Actual
93.79 Coventry 09.08a ~ 09.24d 09.12 ~ 09.31
109.08 Stechford ? ?
112.01 Aston ? ?
118.60 Bescot ? ?
125.45 Bushbury Jn ? ?
139.22 Stafford 09L33a ~ 09L45d 10.36 ~ 10.54
144.51 Norton Bridge 09/51 ?
155.53 Madeley Jn 10/00 ?
161.75 Basford Hall Jn 10/09 ?
163.03 Sorting Sidings North 10c12 ~ 10c13 11.21 ~ ??.??
164.55 Sydney Bridge Jn 10/18 ?
168.29 Sandbach 10/25 ?
181.00 Alderley Edge 10/36 ?
182.44 Wilmslow 10/38 ?
190.39 Mauldeth Road 10/45 ?
191.76 Slade Lane Jn 10/46 ?
194.21 Manchester Piccadilly 10c50 ~ 10c52 12.03 ~ 12.06
194.64 Oxford Road 10/54 12/08
195.13 Deansgate 10/55 ?
195.64 Ordsall Lane Jn 10/58 ?
196.32 Salford Crescent 11/02 11/16
198.18 Agecroft Jn 11/05 ?
205.36 Bolton 11/13 ?
208.25 Lostock Jn 11/18 ?
212.04 Crow Nest Jn 11/24 ?
215.12 Wigan Wallgate 11/31 12/42
231.22 Meols Cop 11/58 ?
232.35 Southport 12.05a ~ 14.45d 13.05 ~ 14.47
233.48 Meols Cop 14/51 ?
249.58 Wigan Wallgate 15c12 ~ 15c14 15.14 ~ 15.17
250.06 Wigan Station Jn 15/17 ?
251.15 Springs Branch Jn 15/20 ?
258.45 St Helens Central 15/35 ?
260.17 Sutton Oak Jn 15/40 ?
260.59 St Helens Junction 15/42 ?
263.40 Earlestown West Jn 15/48 ?
265.07 Winwick Jn 15/52 ?
268.43 Warrington Bank Quay 15/56 ?
270.30 Acton Grange Jn 15/58 ?
276.32 Weaver Jn 16/02 ?
279.79 Hartford LNW Jn 16/07 ?
280.64 Hartford CLC Jn 16/10 ?
283.24 Northwich 16c16 ~ 16c18 ?
289.37 Knutsford 16/26 ?
296.23 Altrincham 16/38 16/46
296.78 Deansgate Jn 16/41 ?
297.31 Skelton Jn 16/45 16/48
300.71 Northenden Jn 16/51 ?
307.34 Hazel Grove HL Jn 17/00 ?
312.63 New Mills South Jn 17/08 ?
315.26 Chinley 17/14 ?
321.13 Edale 17/25 ? 17.32 ~ 20.13 ?
331.46 Grindleford 17/34 20/24
335.16 Totley Tunnel East 17/42 ?
336.20 Dore West Jn 17/43 ?
336.78 Dore Station Jn 17/44 ?
340.68 Sheffield 17.51a ~ 17.53d 20.42 ~ 20.46
343.34 Brightside Jn 18/00 DIV
344.45 Shepcote Lane Jn 18/04 DIV
347.03 Treeton South Jn 18/16 DIV
350.20 Beighton Jn 18/22 DIV
359.48 Chesterfield 18/35 ?
363.58 Clay Cross South Jn 18/38 ?
? Morton 18/41 ?
371.79 Pye Bridge Jn 18/46 ?
384.42 Toton Jn 19/03 21/37
385.23 Meadow Lane Jn 19/05 DIV?
387.42 Ratclifffe Jn 19/08 DIV?
394.32 Loughborough 19/13 ?
402.00 Syston South Jn 19/27 ?
? Leicester North Jn 19/35 ?
- Leicester - 22.04a ~ 22.09d
? Leicester South Jn 19/40 ?
410.07 Wigston North Jn 19/45 22/15
413.54 Narborough 20/00 22/20
424.60 Midland Jn 20/14 22/33
425.57 Nuneaton 20L16a ~ 20L26d 22.35 ~ 22.44

Timings continue in first table.
Timings from Stechford to Southport were all marked with '#' in the booked timing sheet and the following statement applied;

# Special Note: Following a derailment at Tamworth earlier in the week, the Trent Valley Line north of Nuneaton has been closed for repairs. This has necessitated the diversion of this tour at very short notice, via Bescot. Original timings north of Stafford are shown, but we will inevitably run later on the outward journey. Departure from Southport will be 'on time'. Passengers joining at Nuneaton will be conveyed to Coventry on the 09.00 service (retimed to 09.06) where this tour will be held for a few minutes to connect.

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