2nd May 1994

Hertfordshire Railtours
The Big E

Locos Used 20118, 20131, 37796, 37799 & 37896
Stock Used 4909+5027+4925+5037+1832+5042+4956+4959+4986+17159

Route :
1Z20 : Paddington to Exeter St Davids
1Z37 : Exeter St Davids to Paddington

Locos Route
20131 + 20118 London Paddington - Slough - Reading - Southcote Jn - Newbury - Bedwyn - Woodborough - Lavington - Heywood Road Jn - Hawkeridge Jn - Trowbridge - Bradford South Jn - Bradford-on-Avon - Bathampton Jn - Bath Spa - Bristol Temple Meads - Highbridge - Bridgewater - Cogload Jn - Taunton - Tiverton Parkway - Cowley Bridge Jn - Exeter St Davids (1)
37799 + 37796 + 37896 Exeter St Davids - Cowley Bridge Jn - Tiverton Parkway - Taunton - Cogload Jn - Castle Cary - Blatchbridge Jn - Clink Road Jn - Fairwood Jn - Heywood Road Jn - Lavington - Woodborough - Bedwyn - Newbury - Southcote Jn -Reading - Slough - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) For visit to open day. On the same date, Pathfinder ran a tour to Exeter from York. This used the 37's for the outward leg and the 20's for the return.
(2) Nigel Benning comments: This tour was run to coincide with the Exeter Railfair event. It was scheduled to hauled by 3 x 20's on the outward run, but BR Telecoms had sent 2 of its 4 Class 20's into works for repainting ready for a naming ceremony, so we had to make to with 2! Due to a freight train failure on the outward run, instead of taking our planned route via Castle Cary, we were diverted from Heywood Road Junction (Westbury) via Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads. This resulted in a 50 minute late arrival at Exeter St. David's.
(3) Tony Howell comments: the locos were originally intended to be 20131 and 20 128, both in BRT  livery. On the day before the tour 20128 popped a spring out on one of the bogies approaching Cheltenham spa and the loco was then dumped on the shed at Gloucester. Crewe Control was advised. They were in a panic to get another chopper for the Saturday, gladly they got 20118 and everything went well.

Sources : Alan Costello, Dave Burbridge & Brian Garrett

Photo Review


The 20's arrive into Paddington station (photo: Nick Blyth)


Headboard on, ready to go... (photo: Nick Blyth)


The 37's, led by 37799, at Exeter St Davids (photo: Nick Blyth)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(provided by Nigel Benning)

 

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
0.00 London Paddington 08.33d ?   20.30a ?
1.68 Ladbroke Grove 08/37 ?   20/26 ?
5.51 Ealing Broadway 08/42 ?   20/13 ?
9.01 Southall 08/47 ?   20/09 ?
18.31 Slough 09.00a ~ 09.01d ?   19.51a ~ 20.00d ?
24.14 Maidenhead 09/09 ?   19/47 ?
30.76 Twyford 09/16 ?   19/41 ?
35.73 Reading General 09.23a ~ 09.25d ??.?? ~ 09.26   19.33a ~ 19.35d 19.43 ~ ??.??
37.57 Southcote Jn 09/29 ?   19/30 ?
53.01 Newbury 09/44 ?   19/17 19/26
66.24 Bedwyn 09/57 ?   19/07 19/16
78.68 Woodborough 10/10 ?   18/57 ?
88.01 Lavington 10/20 ?   18/49 ?
94.40 Heywood Road Jn 10/26 10/35   18/44 18/54
96.77 Fairwood Jn 10/28 DIV   18/41 ?
100.19 Clink Road Jn 10/32 DIV   18/39 ?
102.21 Blatchbridge Jn 10/34 DIV   18/36 ?
115.10 Castle Cary 10/51 DIV   18/24 18/36
137.50 Cogload Jn 11/14 ?   18/06 ?
142.63 Taunton 11/20 12/07   18/02 18/16
156.67 Tiverton Parkway 11/37 12/22   17/48 ?
172.13 Cowley Bridge Jn 11/53 ?   17/35 ?
173.33 Exeter St. Davids 11.56a 12.46   17.32 17.48


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