18th December 1999

Pathfinder Tours
The Scratching Santa

Locos Used 47150, 47303, 56090, 58019, 60088 & 66014
Stock Used 3107+3115+3131+3148+4991+5005+4938+4956+1832+21246+4949+4939+5037+6311

Route :
1Z36 : Reading - Wrexham General
1Z37 : Wrexham General - Reading

Loco(s) Route
58019 Reading - Didcot Parkway - Oxford - Leamington Spa [P2] - Small Heath South Jn - Bordesley Jn - St. Andrews Jn - Birmingham New St. [P9] - Soho South Jn - Perry Barr North Jn - Bescot - Walsall - Cannock - Rugeley - Stafford
66014 (1) Stafford - Bushbury Jn - Stafford Road Jn - Oxley DGL
56090 (1) Oxley - Telford - Shrewsbury - Wrexham [P3] - Dee Marsh Jn - Dee Marsh Reception Sidings
60088 (2) Dee Marsh Reception Sidings - Dee Marsh Jn - Penyffordd - Wrexham General [P3]
56090 (1) Wrexham General [P2] - Chester - Helsby - Acton Grange Jn - Arpley Jn - Latchford Sidings
47303 + 47150 Latchford Sidings - Arpley Jn - Acton Grange Jn - Crewe (Up Fast) - Crewe South (Up Slow) - Stafford
58019 (3) Stafford - Wolverhampton - Birmingham New St [P5]
47769 Birmingham New St - (reverse of outward route) - Reading

Notes :
(1) 60088 on rear.
(2) 56090 on rear.
(3) 58019 was failed at Birmingham New St on the return run, 47769 substituted.

Sources : Richard Hughes (on the train throughout) & Alan Sheppard

Tour Review
(by "prObLem cHilD")

START TRANSMISSION

...........................................................................

.....namE....."The scRatcHing sanTa"
orGaniser.....patHFinder toUrs
.daTeline.....satUrDay 18tH deCemBer 1999
%...c0deS.....1z36 / 1Z37
geNerat0r.....pr0bLem ch1lD

<file/open>

early 2 rise. fast car : gti. birmingham international.
spooned 2 new street. (841). breakfast @ mc d's. grease : plastic not food.
full not satisfied want sleep####

58019 arr. grey, dud. rubbish - straight to donny carr please.
north...soho...bescot (neds liven)...walsall...rugeley...awake. v bored.
wcml - stafford. bone off. delay.
while waiting. cordless jug 45110 (peak?!) through north on past-ex.
we future-ex. was rear now front 66014. shed. dud. 2nd path. also fat-stuff.
was front now rear. 60088. winner. things looking up. here we go.

shed towards wolves. but turn left. then right: oxley chord.
stop in loop. next to depot. shed off. quite enough. thank you.
56090 on front. 60 still on rear.
loadhaul grid. yorkshire grid. dud grid.
telford. shrewsbury. stop. platform. go. wales...
wrexham then left. dee marsh: off main. reverse.
now scoop 60. back to wrexham. all off. approx 1 hour late. 1 hour break.

wrexham:
2 x real units on bidstons. dud. both flagged. into town. hungry: food.
mc d's wedged. onwards. chippy wedged. onwards. burger ching.
pick. purchase. take away. enjoy? - not sure.
station. eaten. waiting. cordless peak again: south this time.
us: north. delayed dep. grid 90 again.

through chester. goods line. towards warrington. 60 still on rear.
turn off past yard. neds liven. down. latchford sidings.
locos off. was rear now front: spoons!
multi spoons. 47150 + 47303. back past yard.
wcml. up fast. crewe: slow not stop. centre road storm. neds liven.
outside stafford. wait. wait. wait.
into station. stop. draw up. spoons off.
150: flr green. not req.
303: (was thornaby). flr branded grey: name. scoop.
bone on. same bone. wait. wait. wait. wait. wait.

58019. wolves passed. new street.
announcement: bone off: spoon on. wait. watch.
bone off. spoon on. 47769: back out. new wheelsets.
trudge off. need international. tour? no. unit. dusty bin. (422).
back to car. fast. home. shut down.

<file/close>

.........
pr0bLem cHilD
#RESpeCT 2 NOBODY#
...........................................................................
END TRANSMISSION


Photo Review


56090 & 60088 between Hope & Penyffordd, on the journey down to
 Dee Marsh (photos: John Cowlishaw)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Alan Sheppard)

M.C Location Booked Actual Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Reading 06.54d ? 21.53a ? 122.25
17.12 Didcot Parkway 07.12a ~ 07.14d ? 21.33a ~ 21.35d ? 105.13
17.76 Didcot North Jn 07/17 ? 21/31 ? 104.32
- Hinksey North - - 21*13 ~ 21*20 ? 95.53
27.43 Oxford 07.29a ~ 07.31d ? 21.08a ~ 21.10d ? 94.62
30.34 Wolvercot Jn 07/35 ? 21/04 ? 91.71
39.23 Heyford 07/43 ? 20/50 ? 83.02
45.14 Aynho Jn 07/47 ? 20/43 ? 77.11
50.18 Banbury 07.52a ~ 07.54d ? 20.34a ~ 20.37d ? 72.07
58.78 Fenny Compton 08/02 ? 20/25 ? 63.27
70.27 Leamington Spa 08.14a ~ 08.17d 08.28a ~ 08.30d 20.12a ~ 20.14d 21.17a ~ 21.20d 51.78
76.16 Hatton 08/27 08/38 20/01 21/07 46.09
82.77 Dorridge 08/35 08/44 19/53 20/56 39.28
90.61 Small Heath South Jn 08/50 08/50 19/44 20/45 31.44
92.13 Bordesley Jn 08/57 08/51½ 19/41 20/42 30.12
92.39 St. Andrews Jn 08/58 08/52½ 19/40 ? 29.66
94.10 Birmingham New Street 09.05a ~ 09.08d 09.07a ~ 09.13d 19.30a ~ 19.34d 20.10a ~ 20.34d 28.15
96.01 Soho South Jn 09/13 09/21 19/26 ? 26.14

 

M.C
Location
Booked Actual
98.72 Perry Barr North Jn 09/19 09/27
103.29 Bescot Stadium 09/24 09/35
105.03 Walsall 09/28 09/39
105.53 Ryecroft Jn 09/30 09/43
107.59 Bloxwich 09/35 09/48
112.69 Cannock 09/42 09/55
114.58 Hednesford 09/47 09/59
120.25 Rugeley (Dn. Fast) 10/01 10/08
123.13 Colwich (Dn.Slow) 10/04 ?
129.46
0.00		 Stafford [P6] 10L18a ~ 10L38d 10L22a ~ 11L05d
13.57 Bushbury Jn 10/51 11/23
14.68 Stafford Road Jn 10/55 ?
15.30*
0.00		 Oxley (Down Goods Loop) 10L59 ~ 11L22 11L29 ~ 11L46
7.20 Cosford 11/33 11/57
13.71 Telford Central 11/40 12/04
17.52 Wellington (Shropshire) [P2] 11/48 12/09
27.77 Shrewsbury [P4] 12/00 12.24 ~ 12.28
46.01 Gobowen 12/22 12.55 ~ 13.03
58.17 Wrexham General [P3] 12*36 ~ 12*54 13.24 ~ 13.52
65.09 Penyffordd 13/09 14/06
71.19 Dee Marsh Jn 13/19 14/16
(71.59)
0.00		 Dee Marsh Reception Sidings 13.25 ~ 13.32 14.22 ~ 14.30
0.40 Dee Marsh Jn 13/36 14/33
6.50 Penyffordd 13/52 ?
13.42 Wrexham General [P3] 14.06a ~ ECS 15.06 ~ ECS
0.00 Wrexham General [P2] ECS ~ 16.07d ECS ~ 16.14d
10.24 Saltney Jn 16/20 16/29
12.15 Chester (Up & Down Goods) 16/27 16/35
14.68 Mickle Trafford 16/33 16/39
19.45 Helsby 16/38 16/46
23.16 Frodsham Jn 16/43 16/51
28.30 Acton Grange Jn 16/48 16/57
30.22 Arpley Jn 16/53 17/00
(30.62)
0.00		 Latchford Sidings 16L55 ~ 17L22 17L10 ~ 17L45
0.40 Arpley Jn 17/24 17.52 ~ 17.55
2.32 Acton Grange Jn 17/28 ?
8.11 Weaver Jn 17/34 ?
15.62 Winsford S.B. 17/41 ?
24.48 Crewe (Up Fast) 17/52 18/21
32.54 Madeley 18/02 ?
43.56 Norton Bridge 18/14 ?
49.05
0.00		 Stafford [P6] 18L20a ~ 18L51d 18L57a ~ 19L33d
13.57 Bushbury Jn 19/07 19/35
15.31 Wolverhampton [P3] 19/12 19/51
20.71 Dudley Port 19/19 ?
24.36 Galton Jn 19/24 ?

Timings continue in first column.

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