9th July 2010

Railway Touring Company
The Dorset Coast Express

Route :
1Z96 : Kensington Olympia to Yeovil Junction
1Z97 : Yeovil Junction to Weymouth
1Z98 : Weymouth to Waterloo

Notes :
(1) 47760 on rear.
(2) Reported as the first visit of a 'Royal Scot' to Dorset. Originally scheduled to depart from London Victoria however with 30777 also due to depart from Victoria (for Swanage) it was decided to start this tour from Kensington Olympia instead.
(3) Paul Green comments: There was a delay at Yeovil Pen Mill station of just over half an hour due to a passenger being taken off the train feeling unwell. On the return, there was a booked water stop in Southampton Up Goods Loop, but this was taken at Eastleigh station instead. This may have been due to the fact that 30777 was in the Goods Loop as we passed by. There was also a booked crew change at Southampton Central, but again, we sailed straight through the station non stop. I presume the crew change took place at Eastleigh station. I can also confirm that 47760 assisted in parts with the train at the rear from Weymouth to Dorchester up the bank on the return as I was in the last coach. The train arrived in platform 3 at Weymouth, not platform 2, but did depart from platform 2.
(4) John Clifford comments: when this one was first advertised the engines were to be: 34067 'Tangmere': Victoria - Weymouth & 70000 'Britannia': Weymouth - Waterloo, both ways via Bournemouth. Both engines were undergoing overhaul. On the outward run we were delayed at Wilton Jn by debris on the track & by the poorly passenger at Yeovil Pen Mill. On the return run we run up the fast line from Basingstoke until Farnborough where we were  diverted to the slow line, then back to the fast line after the station. After Clapham Junction there were a couple of signal stops which caused a late arrival at Waterloo.

Sources : Nigel Benning, Neil Kearns & Paul Green

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Nigel Benning, Neil Kearns & John Clifford)

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