1st July 2007

Past Time Rail
The Bright 'n Breezy

Locos Used 47815, 47832 & steam : 76079
Stock Used 35508(1)+5366+5292+1863+5322+3125+3124+17015

Route:
1Z79 : Taunton to Brighton
1Z80 : Brighton to Taunton

Loco(s) Route
47815 Taunton - Weston-super-Mare avoiding line (4) - Bristol Temple Meads
76079 Bristol Temple Meads - Bath Spa - Trowbridge - Westbury - Warminster - Salisbury - Dean - Romsey - Redbridge - Southampton Central - Netley - Fareham - Cosham - Havant - Chichester - Barnham - Worthing - Hove
76079 (2) Hove - Preston Park
47832 (3) Preston Park - Brighton
76079 (2) Brighton - Preston Park
47832 (3) Preston Park - Hove
47832 Hove - (reverse of outward route) (5) - Bristol Temple Meads - Weston-super-Mare - Taunton

Notes :
(1) 35508 in train Bristol Temple Meads to Brighton only.
(2) 47832 on rear.
(3) 76079 on rear.
(4) Booked via Weston-super-Mare, but ran via the avoiding line.
(5) Due to attach 31128 at Salisbury to rear for rest of journey but it is believed this did not happen.

Source : John Clifford (on the train from Bristol Temple Meads [out] to Salisbury [rtn])

Tour Review
(by
John Clifford)

This was a tour which changed a few times from being advertised until it ran. It started out as being called "The Pompey Local Standard" & was due to run from Minehead to Portsmouth & Southsea LL with the steam section being Bristol TM to Portsmouth & S & back to Salisbury. Because the resignalling work in the Portsmouth area has overrun it was diverted to Brighton & became "The Bright 'n Breezy". Incidentally, the resignalling work was due to be done in Feb. 2007 but as I write this (July 2007) the latest estimate for completion is Oct. (hopefully 2007!)

When the tickets arrived there was a letter saying that Network Rail had had great difficulty in timing the train due to the recent adverse weather conditions. A late notice engineering possession had been put in place on the up & down relief lines between Norton Fitzwarren & Taunton meaning that the train could not be timed from Minehead until after 0800 which would mean we could not get to Brighton at all. Thus the train started from Taunton. Due to the pathing problems there would be a shorter layover time at Brighton than anticipated & on the return 76079 would haul the train only Brighton to Preston Park.

On the day we heard that there had been a points failure at Norton Fitzwarren & that the train had left Taunton 68 min late. The Weston stop was omitted to make up time, passengers being carried to Bristol by HST. We left Bristol 52 min late behind a Cardiff - Portsmouth train. The engine was driven with some vigour & this, combined with smart work at the water stops, a slack schedule & good operating saw us claw back all the lost time. We could have been even earlier at Preston Park had we not caught up a stopping train along the south coast. Incidentally, we were held at signals between Hawkeridge & Westbury to allow the Portsmouth train to get ahead. This meant we did not stop in Westbury station & got a good run at Upton Scudamore bank.

John Clifford

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from
John Clifford)

Location

Booked Actual   Booked

Actual

Taunton

08.10d [P2] ?   21.41a

?

Taunton East Jn 08/13 ?   21/39 ?
Cogload Jn 08/18 ?   21/35 ?
Bridgwater 08/23 ?   21/30 ?
Highbridge & Burnham 08/28 ?   21/25 ?
Uphill Jn 08/33½ ?   21/20 ?
Weston-super-Mare 08*37 ~ 08*43 DIV   21*12 ~ 21*17 ?
Worle Jn 08/47 ?   21/09 ?
Parson Street 08/58 ?   ? ?
Bristol West Jn 09/00 ?   20/53 ?
Bristol Temple Meads 09L02a ~ 09L20d [P3] 09.50 ~ 10.12   20.47a ~ 20.52d ?
Bristol East Jn 09/23 10/15   20/45 ?
North Somerset Jn 09/24½ 10/17   20/44 ?
Bath Spa 09.42a ~ 09.44d 10.30½ ~ 10.32   20.32a ~ 20.34d ?
Bathampton Jn 09/49 10/37   20/29 ?
Bradford Jn 10/03 10/48   20/16 ?
Westbury 10/13 11/09   20/09 ?
Warminster 10/26 11/16½   20/04 ?
Upton Lovell 10/36 11/22   19/58 ?
Wylye 10/43 11/27   19/52 ?
Wishford 10/50 11/32½   19/48 ?
Wilton Jn 10/56 11/36   19/43 ?
Salisbury 11w00a ~ 11w17d [P4] 11.40 ~ 11.55   19L19½a ~ 19L39½ 19.19 ~ ??.??
Tunnel Jn 11/20 11/59   19/16 19/16
Dean 11/33 12/10   19/07 19/08½
Romsey 11/43½ 12/19½   18/59 19/02
Redbridge 11/52 12/27½   18/52 18/55½
Southampton Central 11/57½ 12/32   18/47 18/51
Northam Jn 12/01 12/34   18/45 18/47
St. Denys 12/17 12/37   18/40 18/45
Netley 12/27 12/45½   ? ?
Bursledon 12w32 ~ 12w47 12.49 ~ 12.57   ? ?
Swanwick 12/52 13/03   ? ?
Fareham 12/59 13/09   18/16 18/18
Cosham 13/09 13/17   18/09 18/10
Cosham Jn 13/10½ 13/18   18/08 18/09½
Farlington Jn 13/12 13/18½   18/07 18/08½
Havant 13/19 13/23   18/03 18.04 ~ 18.05
Chichester 13/33 13/36½   17/54 17/50
Barnham 13/48 13/46   17/48 17/43½
Ford 13/53 13/50½   17/42½ 17/39
Arundel Jn 13/56 13/52   17/40½ 17/38
Angmering 14/03 13/56½   17/37 17/34
West Worthing 14/10 14/02   17/33 17/30½
Worthing 14/13 14/03½   17/32 17/29½
Shoreham-by-Sea 14/22 14/14   17/27 17/25
Hove 14L30 ~ 14L46 14.28½ ~ 14.40   17L11 ~ 17L21 17.11½ ~ 17.19½
Preston Park 14.53 ~ 15.06 [P1] 14.48 ~ 15.00½   17.00 ~ 17.07 [P1] 17.02 ~ 17.06
Brighton 15.14a [P7] 15.06   16.54d [P8] 16.54


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