25th March 2006

Pathfinder Tours
The Redmire Rambler

Locos Used 50031 'Hood' & 50049 'Defiance'

Route:
1Z27 : Cardiff Central to Redmire (3)
1Z28 : Redmire to Cardiff Central

Loco(s) Route
50049 + 50031 Cardiff Central - Newport - Bristol Parkway - Cheltenham Spa - Abbotswood Jn - Stoke Works Jn - Barnt Green - Selly Oak - Birmingham New Street - Landor Street Jn - Water Orton - Kingsbury Jn - Tamworth - Burton-on-Trent - Derby - Ambergate Jn - Chesterfield - Tapton Jn - Beighton Jn - Rotherham Masborough - Aldwarke Jn - Swinton - Moorthorpe - Pontefract Baghill - Milford Jn - Church Fenton - Colton Jn - York
50031 (1) York - Thirsk - Northallerton - Northallerton Reversing Siding
50049 (2) Northallerton Reversing Siding - Ainderby - Leeming Bar - Leyburn - Redmire
50031 (1) Redmire - Leyburn - Leeming Bar - Ainderby - Northallerton Reversing Siding
50049 (2) Northallerton Reversing Siding - Thirsk - York
50031 + 50049 York - Colton Jn - Hambleton North Jn - Temple Hirst Jn - Shaftholme Jn - Doncaster - Mexborough - Swinton - Aldwarke Jn - Holmes Jn - Meadowhall - Sheffield - Heeley Up Passenger Loop - Dore Station Jn - Chesterfield - (reverse of outward route) - Cardiff Central

Notes :
(1) 50049 on rear.
(2) 50031 on rear.
(3) NR TRUST timings only gave 1Z27 as far as Ainderby and 1Z28 from Ainderby.


50031 & 50049 are captured as they pass by Rother Valley Country Park
heading towards Beighton Junction (photo: Glyn Brocklesby)

Sources : various

Tour Review
(from Mark Harrington)

You know how it is. The combination of mortgage, partner and the family dog don’t leave much scope to do railtours. Especially if you live in Darlington, where tour pick ups are rarer than home wins. So the attraction of a legal, two hour spin on a Pathfinder tour, within the confines of the Wensleydale Railway, was not to be sniffed at. Even the rain stopped as I drove the twenty miles to Leeming Bar, for a civilised early afternoon jaunt in the path of the 12.35 DMU, replaced by two 50s and a lengthy set of ex-Virgin Mk2s. As expected, the Class 110 coughed into the station from Redmire and parked up for the duration. Here is where things started to fall apart. Does this sound familiar? The 12.35 departure was now put back to 13.10, due to York Station being unable to accommodate three railtours at once, especially where a top ‘n’ tail move was to be done. The return trip from Redmire now included an hour break at Leyburn, where no doubt ‘The Sandpiper’ pub would have its hand pumps tested to destruction. So what was it to be? I had to pick ‘er indoors up as the train was booked back at Leeming Bar. Not risking the wrath of a cross-armed partner and a cross-legged dog, I formulated a cunning plan worthy of the great Baldrick. Buy a single to Bedale, and get the bus back! Let’s just say that single ticket sales from Leeming Bar to the nearby town were as rare as emissions from rocking horses, and to all credit the ticket office confirmed it would be stopping there, and the price was £2-15p. Sorted!

Around 13.15, 50049 came into sight and rolled through Leeming at walking speed so the train wouldn’t foul the crossing, well, sort of. There was a disappointing turn out of locals to do the 50s to Redmire I am afraid to say, although only six seats were available. Anyway! Another five minutes passed and eventually 50049 sauntered away. The on-board commentator welcomed us aboard and announced we would shortly be crossing the A684 road. Correction! We thrashed across the A684 crossing at Aiskew, as I relished the sound of a 50 working hard from a door window for the first time in years. The commentary fell silent for a few minutes, as the scenery on this section comprises of back gardens and cars dumped at the rear of motor dealers. Just as I was getting as comfortable as I ever would be, I decided to move forward as the photography opportunities at Bedale would be minimal. Wine was just being served in the Posh-ex front end, a pity no spare glasses were on the go! A quick leap onto the platform, and that was that. Just over five minutes of aural pleasure, as some might say. Both 50s were duly photographed and I reflected on the fact I may well have been the first person to do Leeming to Bedale on a loco hauled train since 1954, when passenger services ceased until DMU’s returned in 2003. Hellfire!

Mark Harrington

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Mark Harrington & Brian Ovington)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Cardiff Central 05.58d ?   22.59a ? 277.23
? Marshfield 06/06 ?   22/51 ? ?
11.60 Newport 06.12a ~ 06.14d ?   22.35a ~ 22.37d ? 265.43
? Severn Tunnel Junction 06/24 ?   22/25 ? ?
? Severn Tunnel West 06/25 ?   22/24 ? ?
? Pilning 06/30 ?   22/19 ? ?
? Patchway 06/35 ?   22/14 ? ?
33.33 Bristol Parkway 06.40a ~ 06.42d ?   22.04a ~ 22.11d ? 243.70
? Westerleigh Jn 06/47 ?   21/58 ? ?
? Yate 06/49 ?   21/54 ? ?
? Charfield 06/54 ?   21/46 ? ?
53.79 Cam & Dursley 07.00a ~ 07.01d ?   21.36a ~ 21.38d ? 223.24
? Standish Jn 07/07 ?   21/32 ? ?
? Gloucester Yard Jn 07/12 ?   21/26 ? ?
? Barnwood Jn 07/14 ?   21/25 ? ?
72.01 Cheltenham Spa 07.21a ~ 07.23d ??.?? ~ 07.23   21.17a ~ 21.20d 21.35 ~ ??.?? 205.22
? Ashchurch 07/31 ?   21/10 ? ?
? Abbotswood Jn 07/39 07/42   21/03 ? ?
? Stoke Works Jn 07/48 ?   20/55 ? ?
? Bromsgrove 07/50 ?   20/53 ? ?
106.72 Barnt Green 07.57a ~ 08.01d 07.59 ~ 08.01   20.46a ~ 20.48d 21.03 ~ 21.05 170.31
? Longbridge 08/07 ?   20/43 ? ?
? Kings Norton 08/12 08/11   20/40 20/57 ?
? Selly Oak 08/17 08/17   20/36 ? ?
117.45 Birmingham New Street 08.29a ~ 08.33d 08.26 ~ 08.33   20.21a ~ 20.27d 20.44 ~ 20.47 159.58
? Proof House Jn 08/36 ?   20/16 ? ?
? Landor Street Jn 08/38 ?   20/14 ? ?
? Water Orton 08/45 08/44   20/07 20/32 ?
? Kingsbury Jn 08/49 ?   20/04 ? ?
? Tamworth High Level 08/54 ?   19/56 20/26 ?
? Wichnor Jn 08/59 08/59   19/50 ? ?
? Burton-on-Trent 09/03 09/04   19/45 20/15 ?
? North Stafford Jn 09/08 ?   19/40 ? ?
? Stenson Jn 09/09 09/10   19/40 ? ?
158.64 Derby 09.18a ~ 09.20d 09.18 ~ 09.23   19.31a ~ 19.33d 20.01 ~ 20.04 118.39
? Ambergate Jn 09/31 09/36   19/22 19/50 ?
? Clay Cross South Jn 09/40 ?   19/14 ? ?
? Chesterfield 09/43 09/48   19/11 19/34 ?

 

M.C Location Booked Actual
? Tapton Jn 09/45 ?
? Beighton Jn 09/55 ?
? Masborough Station Jn 10/04 ?
? Aldwarke Jn 10/08 ?
? Swinton 10/10 10/09
? Moorthorpe 10/16 10/16
? Ferrybridge North Jn 10/25 ?
? Milford Signal Box 10/32 10/34
? Church Fenton 10/40 10/39
? Colton South Jn 10/48 ?
? Colton Jn 10/49 10/49
239.43 York 10.55a ~ 11.14d 11.06 ~ 11.45
? Skelton Jn 11/17 ?
? Tollerton Jn 11/26 ?
? Thirsk 11/36 12/08
? Longlands Jn 11/44 ?
289.39 Northallerton 11c46 ~ 11c48 12.17 # 12.24
270.52
0.00
Northallerton Reversing Siding 11.51 ~ 11.56 12.28 ~ 12.37
? Ainderby 12.15a ~ ??.??d ?
? Leeming Bar 12p35a ~ 13p05d 13.15 ~ 13.21
? Bedale 13/10 ?
? Leyburn 13/40 ?
22.14
0.00
Redmire 13.50 ~ 14.20 14.27 ~ 14.46
? Leyburn 14.30a ~ 15.30d 15.12 ~ 15.42
? Bedale 16/00 16.16 ~ 16.18
? Leeming Bar 16/05 16.26 ~ 16.28
? Ainderby ??.??a ~ 16.20d ?
22.14
0.00
Northallerton Reversing Siding 16.35 ~ 16.42 17.00 ~ 17.11
1.13 Northallerton 16c45 ~ 16c46 ??/??
? Longlands Jn 16/48 ?
? Thirsk 16/54 17/23
? Tollerton Jn 17/02 17/34
? Skelton Jn 17/10 ?
31.09 York 17.13a ~ 17.36d 17.48 ~ 18.32
? Colton Jn 17/43 ?
? Hambleton North Jn 17/50 ?
? Temple Hirst Jn 17/55 ?
? Shaftholme Jn 18/02 ?
? Doncaster 18/08 18/54
? Hexthorpe Jn 18/11 ?
? Mexborough 18/17 ?
? Swinton 18/20 19/11
? Aldwarke Jn 18/23 ?
? Holmes Jn 18/27 ?
? Wincobank Jn 18/29 ?
? Nunnery Main Line Jn 18/34 ?
82.08 Sheffield 18.36a ~ 18.42d 19.24 ~ 19.26
84.28 Heeley Up Passenger Loop 18*48 ~ 18*59 ?
? Dore Station Jn 19/03 ?

Timings continue in first table.

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