8th November 2008

Branch Line Society
Tour to North Blyth

Locos Used 66101 & 66232
Stock Used 5322+5350+1863+3110+4962+5040+6310

Route:
1Z66 : Finsbury Park to North Blyth Alcan
1Z67 : North Blyth Alcan to Finsbury Park

Loco(s) Route
66232 Finsbury Park - Potters Bar - Stevenage - Huntingdon - Peterborough - Grantham - Newark North Gate - Retford - Loversall Carr Jn - Down West Slow Line - Decoy South Jn - Dn/Up West Slow No. 1 - Doncaster - Shaftholme Jn - Temple Hirst Jn - Colton Jn - Holgate Jn - York Yard North Jn - Skelton Jn - Thirsk - Longlands Jn - Northallerton - Durham - Durham Down Loop - Birtley Jn - Low Fell Jn - Royal Mail Terminal
66232 (1) Low Fell Royal Mail Terminal - Norwood Jn
66101 (2) Norwood Jn - King Edward Bridge South Jn - King Edward Bridge North Jn - Newcastle - Heaton South Jn - Benton North Jn - Newsham North Jn - Bedlington Jn - West Sleekburn Jn - Marcheys House Jn - Ashington Jn (Dn Lynemouth)
66232 (1) Ashington Jn - Marcheys House Jn - Winning Crossing Jn - Cambois - Battleship Wharf (end of line)
66101 (2) Battleship Wharf - Cambois 'Bridge WSB-4' (2m 47ch)
66232 (1) Cambois - Blyth Alcan (Stop Board) (3m 22ch)
66101 (2) Blyth Alcan - Cambois - Winning Crossing Jn - West Sleekburn Jn - Bedlington Jn - (4) Newsham North Jn
66232 (1) Newsham North Jn - Bedlington Jn - Choppington - Hepscott Jn - Morpeth North Jn - Chevington Down Loop - Wooden Gate DPL - Alnmouth - Berwick-upon-Tweed Down Goods Loop
66101 Berwick-upon-Tweed Down Goods Loop - Crag Mill Up Loop - Alnmouth - Wooden Gate UPL - Chevington Up Loop - Morpeth North Jn - Morpeth Up Loop - Morpeth - Benton Jn - Heaton North Jn - Heaton UGL - Chillingham Road Jn - Heaton South Jn - (via Up & Dn Slow) - Newcastle - King Edward Bridge South Jn - Durham - (reverse of outward route) - Doncaster (5) - (via Dn/Up West Slow No. 1) - Decoy South Jn - Flyover West Jn - (5) Bessacarr Jn - Finningley - Gainsborough Trent Jn - Saxilby - Lincoln - Metheringham - Sleaford North Jn - Sleaford Avoider - Sleaford South Jn - Spalding - Werrington Jn - Peterborough - (reverse of outward route) - Finsbury Park

Notes :
(1) 66101 on rear.
(2) 66232 on rear.
(3) North Blyth time slot included Battleship Wharf and the Alcan Import Berth, but NR computer could not show both separately.
(4) Originally timed to reverse at Bedlington Jn, but it was later discovered that this was not a signalled move for a 'long' train. An amended timetable was produced with variations between North Blyth Alcan & Chevington Down Loop, (the original timings are shown in brackets).
(5) Booked route was: Doncaster [P3] - (via Up East Slow Line) - Black Carr Jn - Bessacarr Jn.

Source : Alan Sheppard

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Alan Sheppard, LASERman & Colin Ward)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Finsbury Park 05.55d [P6] [SL2] ?   22.51a [P1] ?
Alexandra Palace 06/01 [SL] ?   22/48 ?
Potters Bar 06/10 ?   22/36 [P1] ? 
Welwyn Garden City 06/18 [P3] ?   22/26 [P1] ?
Digswell Jn 06/19 ?   22/25 [SL] ?
Woolmer Green Jn 06/21 [SL] ?   22/23 ?
Stevenage 06.24a ~ 06.27d [P4] 06.25½ ~ 06.30   22.16a ~ 22.18d [P1] 22.13½ ~ 22.15
Hitchin 06/31 06/35   22/11 [P1] 22/06½
Sandy 06/41 06/45   21/56 21/52
Huntingdon 06/55 [P2] 06/56½   21/37 [SL] 21/36
Connington South Jn ? ?   21/29 ?
Holme LC 07/04 07/05   ? ?
Peterborough 07.11a ~ 07.13d [P4] 07.14 ~ 07.16   21.14a ~ 21.20d [P2] [FL] 21.11 ~ 21.14½ [SL]
Werrington Jn ? 07/21   21/09 [SL] 21/02
Tallington Jn 07/21 07/25  
Stoke Jn 07/33 07/37  
Grantham 07/38 [P2] 07/41½  
Claypole 07/46 07/49½  
Newark North Gate 07/51 [P1] 07/53½  
Newark Flat Crossing 07/52 07/54  
Retford 08/06 08/08  
Loversall Carr Jn 08/17 [WSL] 08/19  
Spalding   20/49 20/44
Sleaford South Jn   20/27 20/20½
Sleaford North Jn   20/25 [UA] 20/15
Pelham Street Jn   20/00 19/44½
Lincoln Central   19*50 ~ 19*58 [P5] 19/43½ [Up Middle]
West Holmes Jn   19/47 19/41½
Gainsborough Lea Road   19/27 19/23
Gainsborough Trent Jns   19/25 19/21½
Bessacarr Jn   19/05 19/00½
Black Carr Jn   19/03 DIV
Potteric Carr Jn   19/02 DIV
Decoy South Jn 08/19 08/21   DIV 19/59½
Decoy North Jn 08/21 [WSL No.1] 08/23   DIV 19/58½
Doncaster 08.27a ~ 08.29d [P8] 08.33 ~ 08.35½ [P4]   18.57a ~ 18.59d [P3A] [ESL] 18.50 ~ 18.54 [P4] [WSL No.1]
Shaftholme Jn 08/36 08/39½   18/53 18/40½
Temple Hirst Jn 08/43 08/47   18/44 18/33½
Hambleton North Jn 08/48 08/53   18/39 18/29
Colton Jn 08/55 [LSL] 09/00   18/32 18/22
York Yard South Jn 09/02 09/04½   18/25 18/15½
Skelton Jn 09/05 [SL] 09/07   18/20 18/09
Tollerton 09/14 09/16   18/08 18/00½
Thirsk 09/25 09/27   17/54 17/48
Longlands Jn 09/32 09/33   17/47 [SL] 17/41
Northallerton 09.34a ~ 09.36d 09.34½ ~ 09.36   17.43a ~ 17.45d 17.38½ ~ 17.39½
Darlington 09/48 [DML] 09/50   17/30 [UML] 17/24
Ferryhill South Jn 09/58 10/01   17/13 17/14
Tursdale Jn 10/00 10/03   17/11 ?
Durham 10.07a ~ 10.09d [P2] 10.10½ ~ 10.11½   17.00a ~ 17.02d [P1] 17.03 ~ 17.05
Durham Sig. TY357 10*11 ~ 10*23 10/13½  
Birtley Jn 10/35 [SL] 10/23   16/52 16/54½

 

Location Booked
(original Booked)		 Actual
Low Fell Jn 10/40 10/29
Signal T.217 ? 10.31½ ~ 10.42
Low Fell Royal Mail Terminal 10L43 ~ 11L05 10.45 ~ 10.57½
Norwood Jn (Up Carlisle Line) 11.09 ~ 11.15 11.06 ~ 11.08
King Edward Bridge South Jn 11/18 [SL] 11.14½ [US]
Newcaslte West ? 11c16 ~ 11c17
Newcastle Central 11/21 [P3] 11/20
Heaton South Jn 11/24 11/23
Benton North Jn 11/27 11/28½
Newsham LC 11/43 11/46½
Bedlington North LC 11/50 11/54
West Sleekburn Jn 11/52 11/56½
Marcheys House Jn 11/53 11/57
Ashington Jn 11.58 ~ 12.06 12.06½ ~ 12.10½
Marcheys House Jn 12/11 12/17
Freemans LC 12/16 12/19
Cambois 'Bridge WSB-4' (2m 47ch) ? 12.27 ~ 12.30
North Blyth Alcan 12.24 ~ (3)
Battleship Wharf (3) 12.38½ ~ 12.41½
Cambois 'Bridge WSB-4' (2m 47ch) ? 12.50 ~ 12.53
North Blyth Alcan ~ 12.48 (~12.54) 12.57 ~ 12.59
Freemans LC 12/57 (13/04) 13/07
West Sleekburn Jn 13/00 (13/08) 13/11
Bedlington North Jn 13/04 (13.11~) 13/25
Newsham North Jn (4) 13.11 ~ 13.17 13.23½ ~ 13.28
Bedlington North Jn 13/22 (~13.19) 13/35
Hepscott Jn 13/29 (13/27) 13/45
Morpeth North Jn 13/31 (13/29) 13/53
Chevington Down Loop 13*39 ~ 13*40
 (13*37~13*38)		 14/07
Wooden Gate Jn 13*48 ~ 14*02 14/17½
Alnmouth for Alnwick 14.03a ~ 14.05d 14.21 ~ 14.22½
Belford LC 14/19 14/38
Berwick-upon-Tweed 14/32 14/51½
Berwick-upon-Tweed DnGL 14L35 ~ 14L54 14.53 ~ 15.03½
Berwick-upon-Tweed 14/56 15/04½
Crag Mill Up Loop 15*11 ~ 15*13 15.22 ~ 15.24½
Belford LC 15/14 15.25½
Alnmouth for Alnwick 15.29a ~ 15.31d 15.42 ~ 15.43
Wooden Gate Jn 15*33 ~ 15*35 15/48
Chevington Up Loop 15*45 ~ 15*46 15.59½ ~ 16.05½
Morpeth North Jn 15/58 16/17
Morpeth Up Loop 16*00 ~ 16*21 16.18½ ~ 16.23
Morpeth 16/23 16/25
Heaton North Jn 16/38 [GL] 16/40
Heaton South Jn 16/41 [SL] 16/42½
Newcastle East ? 16c47½ ~ 16c48
Newcastle Central 16/46 [P4] 16/48½
King Edward Bridge South Jn 16/48 16/50

Timings continue in first table.

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