13th November 1999

Pathfinder Tours
Wessex Royale

Route :
1Z42 : Crewe to Weymouth
1Z92 : Weymouth to Crewe

Notes :
(1) 33103 on rear.
(2) Mike Harries comments: 33103 was at the rear of the train throughout the steam section, and because 6024 had problems it had to assist – on most starts from a stand, it seemed. There was a move to declare the King a failure at Brockenhurst, but it was decided that the shunting moves necessary to get the 33 to the head of the train would cause too much of a problem to other traffic. The King was left with its support coach at Weymouth. It was later reported that not all of the damage caused by water carried over in September had been found and repaired, and that one of the valves had failed (see: Midland Devonian, 5th September). When I joined at Stratford-upon-Avon I noticed that when 6024 was to move onto the train, it seemed to be necessary to set back a little, it did not seem to start in forward gear. I was in the coach next to the diesel, and it seemed it assisted on most starts and on banks; the King seemed to be fine when actually running. The stop at Andover delayed a service train; there are no crossovers, so it could not use another platform. The smokebox door was found to be burned here, to add to the problems. On the return, we did not get away quite as quickly as had been hoped ('We MUST get away at 18:00'), and we passed a service train at Maiden Newton at 18:44 – 18:47 – the service train was due to leave at 18:33, so we would not have delayed it if we had indeed got away at 18:00 – and we passed another at Yeovil Pen Mill at 19:06 – 19:07; it had been due away at 19:00
(3) Originally uploaded as 33109 in error (33109 did not return to mainline use until early 2000 according to Guy Vincent)

Sources : Mike Harries (joined at Stratford-upon-Avon)
& Guy Vincent (on return leg from Weymouth to Swindon)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Mike Harries & Guy Vincent)

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