17th April 2016

UK Railtours
The Tarka Tourer - 125 Special
(125 Special No. 169)

HST Used 43128 & 43165 'Prince Michael of Kent'
Stock Used 44074+42233+42313+42232+42570+42231+40801+41162

Route :
1Z17 : London Paddington to Barnstaple
1Z18 : Barnstaple to London Paddington

HST Route
43128 + 43165 London Paddington - Acton Main Line - Southall - Slough - Maidenhead - Twyford - Reading - Southcote Jn - Newbury - Bedwyn - Heywood Road Jn - [Westbury avoiding line] - Fairwood Jn - Clink Road Jn - [Frome avoiding line] - Blatchbridge Jn - Castle Cary - Cogload Jn - Taunton - Exeter St Davids
43165 + 43128 Exeter St Davids - Crediton - Eggesford - Barnstaple
43128 + 43165 Barnstaple - Eggesford - Crediton - Exeter St Davids
43165 + 43128 Exeter St Davids - (reverse of outward route) - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) John Clifford comments:  This was a rare working of an HST to Barnstaple. There was an optional coach trip to the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway at Woody Bay. Here they were using Bagnall 0-4-2T No. 3023 'Isaac' to haul trains. Their train consisted of coaches 11+16+7+17. On the day, the outward journey made an additional stop at Newbury for reasons that I did not discover.  Approaching Taunton we were checked by the late running 07.58 Paddington - Penzance via Bristol. Similar checks were encountered approaching Tiverton Parkway & Exeter St Davids. However, arrival at Barnstaple was just a minute late. On the return journey, there was a lengthy stop at Newbury to allow the 15.00 Penzance - Paddington to pass. However, it had encountered a problem near Kintbury, so we waited the half hour and then set off with nothing having passed us.


43128 leads the outward leg of the tour at Berkley Marsh, near Frome
(photo: Guy Vincent)

Source : John Clifford (joined the outward leg at Reading, returned to Paddington) & Guy Vincent

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
London Paddington 08.37d [P8] ?   20.43a [P10] 20.42½ [P10]
Ladbroke Grove 08/40½ [RL] ?   20/39½ [RL] 20/37½ [RL]
Acton West 08/44 [DR] ?   20/36½ [UR] 20/34 [UR]
West Ealing ? ?   20/33½ [UR] 20/32 [P4] [UR]
Southall 08/46½ [DR] ?   20/32 [UR] 20/29 [P4] [UR]
Heathrow Airport Jn 08/48 [DR] ?   20/29½ [UR] 20/26 [UR]
Dolphin Jn 08/57½ [DR-DM] ?   20/15½ [UM-UR] 20/19 [UM-UR]
Slough 08.59a ~ 09.02d [P2] [DM] ?   20.10a ~ 20.14d [P3] [UM] 20.10½ ~ 20.12 [P3] [UM]
Maidenhead 09/07½ [P1] [DM] ?   20/06½ [P2] [UM] 20/06 [P2] [UM]
Twyford 09/11 [P1] [DM] ?   20/03 [P2] 20/02½ [P2] [UM]
Kennet Bridge Jn 09/14½ [DM] ?   20/00 [UM] 19/59 [UM]
Reading 09.17a ~ 09.24d [P7] [WL] 09.16 ~ 09.24 [P7] [WL]   19.56a ~ 19.58d [P10] 19.54½ ~ 19.57 [P12]
Oxford Road Jn 09/27 09/26   19/51½ [UFM] 19/52 [UFM]
Southcote Jn 09/28 09/27   19/50½ 19/50½
Newbury 09/38 09.38½ ~ 09.40 [P1]   19*08 ~ 19*39 [P2] 19.08 ~ 19.39 [P2]
Bedwyn 09/46½ [P1] 09/51 [P1]   18/56½ [P2] 18/57½ [P2]
Woodborough 09/55 09/59½   18/47 18/49
Lavington 10/00½ 10/05   18/41½ 18/44
Heywood Road Jn 10/05½ 10/09 [AL]   18/37½ 18/39½
Fairwood Jn 10/07 10/10½   18/36 18/37 [AL]
Clink Road Jn 10/09 10/12½ [AL]   18/33 18/34
Blatchbridge Jn 10/10½ 10/14   18/32 18/33 [AL]
East Somerset Jn 10/13 10/16½   18/29½ 18/30½
Castle Cary 10/19 [P2] 10/23 [P2]   18/23½ [P1] 18/25 [P1]
Somerton GF 10/25½ 10/29   18/17 18/18
Athelney LC 10/31 10/35   18/11½ 18/11
Cogload Jn 10/34 10/39   18/09½ 18/09
Taunton 10/40 [P3] 10/47 [P3]   18/05 [P4] 18/05 [P5]
Norton Fitzwarren 10/41½ 10/49½   18/03½ 18/03
Whiteball 10/47½ 10/56   17/57½ 17/57
Tiverton Parkway 10/52 [P1] 10/59 [P1]   17/54½ [P2] 17/55 [P2]
Tiverton Loop 10/54 11/00 [ML]   17/53½ 17/54
Cowley Bridge Jn 11/02½ 11/13   17/44½ 17/45
Exeter St Davids 11.05a ~ 11.12d [P6] 11.16½ ~ 11.22 [P6]   17.35a ~ 17.42d [P6] 17.35 ~ 17.42 [P6]
Cowley Bridge Jn 11/15 11/25   17/32 17/31½
Crediton 11.24 ~ 11.27 [P2] 11.32 ~ 11.33½ [P2]   17.24 ~ 17.25 [P1] 17.23 ~ 17.24 [P1]
Eggesford 11.53 ~ 11.55 [P1] 11.55 ~ 11.59½ [P1]   16.58 ~ 17.00 [P2] 16.58 ~ 17.01 [P2]
Barnstaple Junction 12.24a 12.25   16.30d 16.33


Associated E.C.S. Moves

5Z17 : (43165+43128) : Old Oak Common Depot to London Paddington
5Z18 : (43128+43165) : London Paddington to Old Oak Common Depot

Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)
Old Oak Common Depot 07.35d 21.39a
Old Oak Common East 07/44 21/31
Ladbroke Grove 07/47 21/21
London Paddington 07.51a [P8] 21.16d [P10]

5Z17 : (43128+43165) : Barnstaple to Exeter St Davids
5Z18 : (43165+43128) : Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple

Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)
Barnstaple 12.31d 16.23a
Eggesford 12.59 ~ 13.01 15.53 ~ 15.55
Crediton 13.24 ~ 13.25 15.21 ~ 15.22
Cowley Bridge Jn 13/32 15/14
Exeter St Davids 13.35a [P6] 15.11d [P6]


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