6th March 1993

Branch Line Society
The Bicester & Kineton Explorer

Locos Used 37261, 47532, 47578 & 47833 'Captain Peter Manisty RN' (running as D1962)
MoD locos 271, 274, 275, 277 & 278

Route :

Loco(s) Route
47578 Crewe - (via WCML, Trent Valley) - Rugby (1)
47532 Rugby - (via WCML, Weedon) - Willesden WL Jn - Mitre Bridge Jn
47833 Mitre Bridge Jn - Willesden SW Sidings - Acton Main Line - Ealing Broadway - Slough - Reading - Didcot Parkway
47833 (2) Didcot Parkway - Oxford - Bicester COD GF
37261 (3) Bicester COD GF - Bicester Exchange Sidings
271 + 275 Bicester Exchange Sidings - Arncott Yard
271 + 275 Arncott Yard - Bicester Exchange Sidings
47833 (2) Bicester Exchange Sidings - Bicester COD GF
37261 (3) Bicester COD GF - Oxford
47833 (2) Oxford - Banbury - Kineton Exchange Sidings
274 + 277 (4) Kineton Exchange Sidings - Kineton Platform - `A`Loop - Kineton Platform - `B`Loop - Kineton Platform
278 (5) Kineton Platform - Marlborough Loop to LC
274 + 277 Marlborough Loop LC - Kineton Platform - `B` Loop - Kineton Platform
274 + 278 Kineton Platform - Kineton Exchange Sidings
47833 (2) [Kineton Exchange Sidings - Kineton Down Loop]
37261 (3) [Kineton Down Loop - Kineton Down Main Line]
47833 (2) [Kineton Down Main Line - Kineton Up Main Line] - Banbury - Oxford - Didcot Parkway
47833 Didcot Parkway - (reverse of outward route) - Mitre Bridge Jn
?47833? Mitre Bridge Jn - (reverse of outward route) - Rugby - Coventry - Stechford - Aston - Bescot - Bushbury Jn - Stafford - (reverse of outward route) - Crewe

Notes:
(1) 47578 failed at Rugby.
(2) 37261 on rear.
(3) 47833 on rear.
(4) 278 on rear.
(5) 274 + 277 on rear.
(6) David Miller comments: The tour was advertised as starting from Watford Junction, but participants could travel on the stock from and to Crewe, Stafford or Rugby for a £10 supplement. Hence two tickets were issued, the red one being valid between Crewe and Watford Junction only despite saying Bicester North.

Sources : Paul Griffin (joined/left the train at Oxford), Jeff King (joined/left the
train at Ealing Broadway) & David Miller (on the train throughout)

Photo Review


47833/D1962 on arrival at Didcot Parkway (photo: David Miller)


MOD 277+274 at Kineton (Burton Dasset) platform (photo: David Miller)


David Miller's tickets for the tour.


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Jeff King, Dick Franklin & David Miller)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Crewe 05.40d ?   00.29a ?
Madeley 05/49 ?   00/21 ?
Norton Bridge 05/55 ?   00/12 ?
Stafford 05.59a ~ 06.01d ?   23.54a ~ 00.05d 00.12½ ~ 00.14
Bushbury Jn   23/41 00/03
Portobello Jn   23/38 ?
Bescot Jn   23/33 ?
Aston   23/23 ?
Stechford   23/10 ?
Birmingham International   23/05 ?
Coventry   22/54 ?
Colwich 06/07 ?  
Lichfield Trent Valley 06/13 ?  
Nuneaton 06/25 ?  
Rugby 06.43a ~ 06.45d ??.?? ~ 07.33d   22.37a ~ 22.39d 23.11 ~ 23.12
Weedon 06/55 ?   22/15 ?
Hanslope Jn 07/03 07/52   22/07 ?
Bletchley 07/09 08/01   22/01 ?
Tring 07/18 08/21   21/53 22/29
Watford Junction 07.28a ~ 07.30d 08.32 ~ ??.??   21.41a ~ 21.42d 22.00 ~ 22.02
Wembley Central 07.52a ~ 07.53d 08.44 ~ ??.??   21.31a ~ 21.31d 21.46 ~ ??.??
Mitre Bridge Jn 07L59 ~ 08L14 09.01 ~ 09.16   21L10 ~ 21L25 21.19 ~ 21.41
Willesden SW Sidings 08/18 09/20½   21/06 ?
Acton Wells Jn 08/21 ?   21/03 ?
Signal OO222 08*24 ~ 08*34 09.20 ~ 09.22   - ?
Acton Main Line 08/37 ?   20/58 21.08 ~ 21.10
Ealing Broadway 08.40a ~ 08.42d 09.27½ ~ 09.30½   20.53a ~ 20.55d 20.59 ~ ??.??
Slough 09/01 09/43   20/41 20/47½
Twyford 09/12 09/53   20/33 20/36½
Reading 09.17a ~ 09.19d 10.00 ~ 10.03½   20.22a ~ 20.27d 20.25½ ~ 20.28½
Didcot Parkway 09L37a ~ 09L50d 10.19½ ~ 10.29   19L52a ~ 20L02d 19.59 ~ 20.07½
Oxford 10.06a ~ 10.08d 10.42 ~ 10.44   19.41d 19.45
Bicester COD GF 10*35a ~ 10*41d 11.09 ~ 11.36  
Bicester COD 10.46a 11.20  
visit to Bicester COD (Arncott actual time: 12.11d)  
Bicester COD 13.00d 12.48?  
Bicester COD GF 13*06a ~ 13*12d ?12.35 ~ 12.48?  
Islip 13/24 ?  
Oxford 13.38a ~ 13.45d 13.38½ ~ 13.44½   19.39a 19.44
Aynho Jn 14/03 14/08½   19/20 ?
Banbury 14/11 14.13½ ~ 14.15   19/14 19.17 ~ 19.18
Fenny Compton 14.20a 14.31   19.02d 19.05
visit to Kineton CAD site


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