15th May 2004

NENTA Traintours
Canterbury & Romney Explorer

Loco Used 47355 & 47709

Route:
1Z47 : Norwich to Canterbury West
1Z87 : Canterbury West to Norwich

Loco(s) Route
47355 (1) Norwich - Trowse Jn - Wymondham - Thetford - Ely - Waterbeach - Cambridge
47709 (2) (3) Cambridge - Ely - March - Whittlesea - Peterborough (3)
47355 (1) (3) Peterborough - Huntingdon - (3) Hitchin - Stevenage - Potters Bar - Finsbury Park - Freight Terminal Jn - Camden Road - Gospel Oak - Willesden Junction HL - Mitre Bridge Jn - Kensington Olympia - Longhedge Jn - Factory Jn - Denmark Hill - Nunhead - Shortlands Jn - Orpington - Sevenoaks - Tonbridge - Paddock Wood - Ashford International - Canterbury West - Minster - Sandwich - Dover Priory - Folkestone Central
47709 (2) Canterbury West - Minster - Sandwich - Dover Priory - Folkestone Central - Saltwood Jn - Ashford International - (reverse of outward route) - (4) Shortlands Jn - Sydenham Hill - Herne Hill - Factory Jn (4) - (reverse of outward route) - Norwich

Notes :
(1) 47709 on rear.
(2) 47355 on rear.
(3) Diverted from booked route via Royston owing to a fatality at Foxton. Train was further delayed as Royston passengers were told to travel to Stevenage to pick up the railtour....but the train didn't stop there. A wait at Finsbury Park was required for the Royston passengers to catch-up!
(4) Was booked to have been reverse of outward route.


Simon Pedley captured 47355 at Folkestone Central.

John Clifford comments: At Folkestone there was an option to visit the RH&DR. We were divided into 2 groups, A & B, but because of the late arrival in Folkestone neither group did exactly what had been originally planned.

Group A: The plan was coach to Hythe, train to Dungeness, then coach back to Folkestone but what they did was coach to Hythe, only to find that the intended train had gone so coach on to New Romney, train to Dungeness (hauled by diesel 12 "John Southland"), coach back to New Romney with the choice of train back to Hythe (hauled again by diesel 12) & coach back to Folkestone or coach all the way back to Folkestone from New Romney.

Group B: The plan was coach to New Romney, a short break, then coach on to Dungeness, train to Hythe & coach back to Folkestone. What we did was coach to Dungeness, train to New Romney (hauled by steam 8 "Hurricane"), a short break, train to Hythe (hauled by diesel 14 "Captain Howey") then coach back to Folkestone.

Sources : various including Simon Pedley, John Clifford & Peter Paget

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from various including John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Norwich 06.20d 06.22   22.30a ?
Trowse Swing Bridge Jn 06/22 ?   ? ?
Trowse Jn 06/23 06/25   ? ?
Wymondham 06.39a ~ 06.42d ?   ? ?
Attleborough 06.50a ~ 06.52d ?   ? ?
Thetford 07.08a ~ 07.10d 07.08 ~ 07.11   ? ?
Brandon 07/18 ?   ? ?
Ely North Jn 07/31 07/36   ? ?
Ely 07.34a ~ 07.37d 07.38 ~ 07.43   ? ?
Ely Dock Jn 07/39 ?   ? ?
Coldham Lane Jn 07/52 ?   ? ?
Cambridge 07.57a ~ 07.59d 08.23 ~ 08.33   ? ?
Shepreth Branch Jn 08/06 DIV   21/32 ?
Royston 08.20a ~ 08.30d DIV   21.16a ~ 21.18d ?
Letchworth 08/43 DIV   21/05 ?
Ely DIV 08/47  
Ely North Jn DIV 08/50  
Peterborough DIV 09.56a ~ 10.01d  
Huntingdon DIV 10/19  
Sandy DIV 10/32  
Hitchin 08.48a ~ 08.50d 10.48 ~ 10.49   20.59a ~ 21.01d 22.34 ~ 22.35
Stevenage 08/56 10/56   20/55 22/28
Woolmer Green 09/00 11/02   20/52 22/25
Digswell Jn 09/02 11/04   ? ?
Welwyn Garden City 09/05 11/05   20/50 22/22
Potters Bar 09/17 11/11   20/44 22/15
Alexandra Palace 09/29 11/16   20/27 22/05
Finsbury Park 09/35 11.19a ~ 12.00d   20/07 22/01
Holloway South Jn 09/37 12/03   20/04 21/59
Freight Terminal Jn 09/41 12/06   20/01 21/57
Camden Road East Jn 09/47 12/09   ? 21/51
Camden Road 09/49 12/10   ? 21/49
Gospel Oak 09/53 12/14   ? 21/46
Kensal Green Jn LL 10/10 12/27   ? 21/39
Willesden Junction HL 10.12a ~ 10.13d 12.28 ~ 12.28   ? 21.35 ~ 21.37
Mitre Bridge Jn 10/16 12/31   19/31 21/33
North Pole Jn 10/17 12/32   19/30 21/32
Kensington Olympia 10/21 12/34   19/26 21/27
Latchmere Jn 10/26 12/38   19/20 21/23
Longhedge Jn 10/28 12/40   19/18 21/22
Factory Jn 10/30 12/41   19/16 21/20
Voltaire Road Jn 10/31 12/42   19/15 21/19
Brixton   DIV 21/16
Denmark Hill 10/35 12/47   19/11 DIV
Crofton Road Jn 10/36 12/48   19/10 DIV
Nunhead 10/38 12/50   19/08 DIV
Herne Hill   DIV 21/15
Beckenham Junction   DIV 21/09
Shortlands Jn 10/45 12/57   19/01 21/08
Bickley Jn 10/48 13/02   18/55 21/02
Petts Wood Jn 10/50 13/04   18/49 21/00
Orpington 10.53a ~ 10.58d 13.09 ~ 13.09   18/47 20/57
Sevenoaks 11/09 13/20   18/38 20/48
Tonbridge 11/18 13/26   18/28 20/35
Tonbridge (loop?) 11.20a ~ 11.37d 13/27  
Paddock Wood 11/43 13/32   18/21 20/23
Headcorn 11/56 13/42   18/11 20/14
Ashford International 12/11 13/56   17/59 20/07

 

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Canterbury West 12.30a ~ 12.35d 14.16 ~ 14.21   16.36d ?
Minster 12/49 14/40   16/51 ?
Sandwich 12/57 14/47   17/02 ?
Deal 13/02 15/00   17/10 ?
Buckland Jn 13/14 15/15   17/22 ?
Dover Priory 13.16a ~ 13.18d 15.17 ~ 15.19   17.24a ~ 17.26d ?
Folkestone Central 13.30a 15.33   17.38a ~ 17.43d 19.49 ~ 19.52
Saltwood Jn   17/49 19/58

Timings continue in first table.

RH&DR Timings (Group B)

Loco Location Booked Actual
8 Dungeness 16.35d 16.46
8 Romney Sands 16/50 16.59a ~ 17.01d
8
14
New Romney 17.00 ~ 17.35 17.09 ~ 17.39
14 St Marys Bay 17/43 17.46a ~ 17.47d
14 Dymchurch 17/50 17.51a ~ 17.54d
14 Hythe 18.10a 18.10


Back to "The Railtour Files"