15th September 2007

Railway Touring Company
The Atlantic Coast Express

Locos Used 67015 & steam : 34067 'Tangmere'
Stock Used 35518(1)+5341+1813+3119+3149+3069+3066+1671+3121+3120+17015

Route:
1Z82 : London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids
1Z83 : Exeter St Davids to London Waterloo

Loco(s) Route
34067 (2) London Waterloo - Clapham Junction - Hounslow - Staines - Chertsey - Woking - Basingstoke - Andover - Salisbury - Warminster - Westbury
67015 Westbury - (via Frome avoiding line) - Castle Cary - Taunton - Exeter St Davids - Exeter Central - Honiton - Yeovil Junction - Yeovil Pen Mill - Castle Cary - Frome avoiding line - Westbury
34067 (2) Westbury - (reverse of outward route) - Staines - Richmond - Clapham Junction - London Waterloo

Notes:
(1) 35518 only in consist when 34067 was hauling the train.
(2) 67015 on rear.

Source : John Clifford (on the train throughout)

Tour Review
(by John Clifford)

When this tour was first advertised it was to steam hauled by 34067 from Waterloo to Exeter St Davids. The return was to be diesel back to Yeovil Junc, then 34067 to Waterloo. Because of the problem with the A30 bridge near Sherborne & because Network did not have a path for steam over the route it was altered to steam Waterloo - Westbury & back & diesel Westbury - Exeter - Westbury.

On the day there was some good running but a stop was made near mp123 between Salisbury & Westbury as a bird had flown between the engine & train & has dislodged one the pipes. Cautious running ensued to Westbury.

The return from Exeter was delayed due to a late running Exmouth train being allowed ahead. An extra stop had been arranged for Exeter Central but confusion reigned as the staff at Central said they knew nothing of it causing some passengers to make a quick journey back to St Davids. We slowed for both Hewish & Crewkerne crossings after a stop at Chard Junction suggesting a signalling problem. The departure from Westbury was also delayed to allow a Southampton train to go ahead & by a freight train shunting. The engine slipped before Upton Scudamore bank so a slow plod to the summit ensued. However, some brisk running allowed the train to be only slightly late back.

Finally, the train was named in commemoration of the train which ran until 1964 from Waterloo to several destinations in Devon & Cornwall. The comment was that it did not reach the Atlantic nor did we see any Coast. It was certainly an Express!

John Clifford

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
London Waterloo 07.12d 07.16   20.35a 20.37½
Nine Elms Jn 07/18 07/24   20/30 20/31
Queenstown Road 07/19 07/25   ? ?
West London Jn ? ?   20/26 20/27
Clapham Junction 07/23 07/28   20/24 20/25
Barnes 07/29½ 07/33½   20/16 20/17
Brentford 07/37 07/39  
Hounslow 07/43 07/42  
Richmond   20/08½ 20/08
St. Margarets   20/04 20/04
Twickenham   20/03 20/02
Twickenham Jn   20/01½ 20/01½
Feltham Jn 07/50 07.46 ~ 07.49½   19/56 19/59½
Feltham 07/52 07/54½   19/54 19/58
Staines 08/01 08/00   19/45 19/52½
Virginia Water 08/09 08/09   19/37 19/44½
Addlestone Jn 08/17 08/19   19/27 19/36
Byfleet Jn 08/22 08/22   19/25 19/34½
Woking 08.34a ~ 08.37d 08.33½ ~ 08.37   19.16a ~ 19.18½d 19.26 ~ 19.28
Woking Jn 08/38½ 08/39   19/15 19/24½
Pirbright Jn 08/45 08/46½   19/09½ 19/16
Farnborough 08/50 08/50½   19/05½ 19/13
Fleet 08/54 08/54   19/02 19/10½
Basingstoke 09.07a ~ 09.10d 09.09 ~ 09.12   18w36a ~ 18w51d 18.42 ~ 18.58
Worting Jn 09/17 09/19   18/33 18/37
Overton 09w25 ~ 09w36 09.29½ ~ 09.44   ? ?
Andover Jn 09/50 09/58   18/13 18/15
Salisbury Tunnel Jn 10/06 10/12   17/55 17/57
Salisbury 10.11 ~ 10.16 10.17 ~ 10.18   17/52 17/54
Wilton Jn 10/20 10/24   17/49 17/51
Wishford 10/26 10/29½   17/42 17/47
Wylye 10/31 10/34   17/37 17/42½
Upton Lovell 10/39 10/46½   17/32 17/38½
Warminster 10/46 10/54½   17/23 17/32½
Westbury 11L02 ~ 11L28 11.07½ ~ 11.33   16L42 ~ 17L11 16.52 ~ 17.17½
Fairwood Jn 11/32 11/36½   16/34 16/45
Clink Road Jn 11/34 11/40   16/29 16/42½
Blatchbridge Jn 11/36 11/41½   16/26 16/41
Witham ? ?   16/22 16/38½
Castle Cary 11/48 11/50   16/14 16/30½
Somerton 11/55 11/56  
Athelney 12/01 12/02  
Cogload Jn 12/04 12/07  
Taunton 12/08 12/11  
Tiverton Parkway 12/21 12/20  
Tiverton Jn 12/23 12/21½  
Cowley Bridge Jn 12/33 12/30  
Yeovil Pen Mill   15/58 16.11 ~ 16.13
Yeovil Junction   15/53 16.06 ~ 16.06½
Chard Junction   15/36 15.41½ ~ 15.43
Honiton   15*13½ ~ 15*19 15/24
Pinhoe   14/59½ 15/10
Exmouth Jn   14/57½ 15/08½
Exeter Central   14/55½ 15.04 ~ 15.06
Exeter St Davids 12.35a 12.33½   14.53d 15.00


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