16th February 1991

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
The County Durham Explorer (125 Special)

Tour cancelled, due partly to heavy snow in the week prior to the tour running, but also stock availability.

Route :

HST Advertised Route
as listed London St Pancras – (via MML) – Leicester – Erewash Valley? (assumed) – Sheffield – Pontefract Baghill – (via York avoiding line, ECML) – Longlands Jn – Boroughbridge Road Jn – Northallerton East Jn – Eaglescliffe – Billingham (rev) – Norton north curve – Ferryhill – Raisby Hill (rev) – Ferryhill (rev) – Leamside – Pelaw – Newcastle High level Bridge – Newcastle – King Edward Bridge – Sunderland – Hartlepool – Eaglescliffe – (reverse of outward route) – Skelton Jn – York – ??? - Sheffield – then as outward (assumed) – (via MML) – London St Pancras

Notes :
(1) Howard Parker comments: Earlier in the week before the trip was due to run, there had been significant snow falls across the country resulting in many operation problems across the network.  The letter sent by Hertfordshire on 12th February indicated uncertainty as to which lines, both for the tour and those in the south east that passengers would use to join the tour, would be re-opened in time. The main reason, however, was that the entire fleet of mark 4 stock (and presumably class 91s) had been temporarily withdrawn from service (snow issues?) and every possible HST set had been moved to the ECML. Hertfordshire fairly soon made arrangements to add the Leamside line to 3 further tours as the Leamside line was due to close imminently. These were the Edinburgh & Bridges (9th March), Hills of the North (23rd March) and another Hills of the North (6th April).

Source : Howard Parker

Timings (Advertised Only)
(from Howard Parker)

Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)
St Pancras 07.35d 21.50a
St Albans 07.50d 21.25a
Luton 08.00d 21.15a
Bedford 08.20d 20.55a
Wellingborough 08.35d 20.40a
Leicester 09.05d 20.10d
Sheffield 10.00d 19.10a


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