9th September 2016

GB Railfreight
GBRf 15 (Day 2 of 4)

Locos Used 09002, 09009, 66707 'Sir Sam Fay Great Central Railway', 66735, 73961 'Alison' & 73964 'Jeanette'
Stock Used 35469+3325+3304+3386+3356+3390+3364+1200+5961+6158+5998

Route :
1Z15 : London Kings Cross to Whitemoor Yard
1Z16 : Whitemoor Yard to Peterborough Virtual Quarry
1Z17 : Peterborough Virtual Quarry to Norwich
1Z18 : Norwich to Great Yarmouth
1Z19 : Great Yarmouth to Harwich International

Loco(s) Route
73961 + 73964 (1) London Kings Cross - Finsbury Park - Alexandra Palace - Gordon Hill - Hertford North - Stevenage - Hitchin - Letchworth - Royston - Shepreth Branch Jn - Cambridge - Ely - March - Whitemoor Jn - Whitemoor Yard [Reception Road]
09009 (2) Whitemoor Yard [Reception Road] - Whitemoor Yard [Opposite Control Tower]
66735 + 66707 (3) Whitemoor Yard [Opposite Control Tower] - Whitemoor Jn - March West Jn - Whittlesea - Peterborough - Eastfield Jn - Peterborough Virtual Quarry
73961 + 73964 (1) Peterborough Virtual Quarry - Eastfield Jn - Peterborough - Whittlesea - March - Ely West Jn - Ely North Jn - Brandon - Thetford - Wymondham - Norwich
66707 (3) Norwich - Brundall - Acle - Great Yarmouth
73961 + 73964 (1) Great Yarmouth - Berney Arms - Reedham - Brundall - Whitlingham Jn - Trowse Jn - Diss - Stowmarket - Ipswich - Manningtree North Jn - Manningtree East Jn - Harwich International

Notes :
(1) 66707 on rear.
(2) 09009 piloting 09002+66735+66707 with 73964+73961 on rear.
(3) 73964+73961 on rear.
(4) John Clifford comments: This was the second day of a four day (and one overnight) tour to celebrate fifteen years of operation by GB Railfreight. The original advertised route from Kings Cross was via Welwyn Garden City. After Thetford the route was Yarmouth via the Wensum curve, then back to Norwich and pick up the route on the Great Eastern main Line (GEM) from there. There was originally a final leg from Harwich to Stratford but this part was transferred to the overnight working to Edinburgh. On the day we left on time and likewise were on time at Belle Isle. For the rest of the day we were always late. On the Hertford Loop we caught up the late running 09.03 Moorgate - Hertford North. Then we had to be held at Langley South Jn to let the 10.00 Stevenage - Moorgate come up. The track layout here means that a train reversing at Stevenage has to come back up the down slow line at cross to the up Hertford line at this point. This waiting got us behind the 09.52 Kings Cross - Cambridge which we should have preceded. At Whitemoor the plan was to attach the two Class 09s to the train to haul it in Whitemoor yard. Due to a misunderstanding only the leading loco was powering. Prior to this 66735 had been attached to get the loco to Peterborough. Both 66’s powered the train on the Whitemoor - Peterborough leg. Being late we were held at Peterborough East for the late 08.52 - Liverpool – Norwich. We moved forward to the next signal to wait for the late 11.27 Stansted - Birmingham to go past.  At Peterborough we learned that the wires had come down at Ranskill again (it had happened earlier in the week) so the East Coast Main Line was in some disarray. We reached the Virtual Quarry at Peterborough and left 66735 behind. Back at Peterborough station we were still late so we waited for 09.52 Liverpool - Norwich to go. At Ely North Jn we stopped for the 13.40 Norwich - Cambridge to go past, then, on going forward to Norwich, we caught signals off the 14.12 Cambridge - Norwich. At Trowse Jn we were held again and saw the 14.40 North Walsham - Harwich tanks go up the G.E.M.L. It had been decided that the train would be watered at Norwich instead of leaving straight away. We left behind the 16.40 Norwich - Yarmouth and were checked by it. At Yarmouth the plan was to leave at 18.30 but we were slightly later than this. We came to a halt on the G.E.M.L. at M.P. 105 for reasons that I did not discover, and there was some slow running on the Harwich branch. Then train then formed the overnight working to Edinburgh.


73964+73961 on arrival at Norwich (photo: PRAR)

Source : John Clifford (on the tour)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual
London Kings Cross 09.19d [P2] [FL] 09.19 [P1] [FL1]
Belle Isle 09/21 [DF] 09/21 [DF]
Holloway South Jn 09/23 [DS] 09/24 [DS]
Finsbury Park 09/25 [P7] [SL1] 09/26 [P7] [SL1]
Alexandra Palace 09/30 [P4] 09/31 [P4]
Gordon Hill 09/38 [P3] 09/41 [P3]
Hertford North 09/53 [P2] 09/54½ [P2]
Langley South Jn - 10.03½ ~ 10.10½
Langley Jn 10/02 [DS] 10/16 [DS]
Stevenage 10/03 [P4] 10/17½ [P4]
Hitchin 10/09 [P2] [DCF] 10/22 [DCF]
Letchworth 10/14 10/27 [P2]
Royston 10/26 [P2] 10/36 [P2]
Shepreth Branch Jn 10/39 10/49
Cambridge 10.44a ~ 10.47d [P7] 10.58 ~ 10.59½ [P7]
Coldham Lane Jn 10/50 11/03
Ely Dock Jn 11/06 [DL] 11/15½ [DL]
Ely 11/07 [P1] 11/17 [P1]
Ely North Jn 11/11 11/20
March 11.24 ~ 11.25 11/40½ [P2]
Whitemoor Jn 11/28 11.42 ~ 11.43
Whitemoor Yard 11L35 ~ 12L06 11L49 ~ 12L11 [Reception Road]
Opposite Control Tower - 12L16 ~ 12L27½
Whitemoor Jn 12/11 12/29
March West Jn 12/14 12/30
Whittlesea 12/23 12/39½ [P1]
Peterborough East Jn 12/30½ [DM] 12.47 ~ 12.53 [UM]
Peterborough Sig.P799 - 12.55 ~ 12.58
Peterborough 12.34a ~ 12.37d [P4] 13.00½ ~ 13.13 [P4]
Eastfield Jn 12/40 13/16½ [Down Arrival]
Peterborough Virtual Quarry 12.45 ~ 13.10 13.21 ~ 13.40
Eastfield Jn 13/16 13/46 [Up Departure]
Peterborough Sig.P??? - 13.46 ~ 13.49½
Peterborough 13/20½ [P4] 13.52½ ~ 13.54 [P5] [ML]
Peterborough East Jn 13/24 13/57
Whittlesea 13/32 14/04 [P2]
March West Jn 13/41 14/13½
March 13/41½ 14/14 [P2]
Ely West Jn 13/57 14/31
Ely North Jn 14/00 14.33 ~ 14.36
Brandon 14/12 14/56 [P1]
Thetford 14/20 15/05 [P1]
Attleborough 14/35 15/20 [P1]
Wymondham 14/41 15/26 [P1]
Trowse Jn 14/52 15.37 ~ 15.43½
Trowse Swing Bridge 14/53 [C] 15/46½ [D]
Thorpe Jn 14/53½ 15.48 ~ 15.48½
Norwich 15.03a ~ 15.18d [P2] [W] 15.50½ ~ 16.44½ [P1] [A]
Thorpe Jn 15/21 16/45½
Whitlingham Jn 15/24 16/50
Whitlingham Sig.TB5 - 16.52 ~ 16.55
Brundall 15/32 17/04
Acle 15/40 17/16 [P2]
Great Yarmouth 15.54a ~ 18.17d [P2] 17.27½ ~ 18.38 [P4]
Berney Arms 18/28½ ?
Reedham 18/37 18/54
Cantley 18/43 18/58 [P1]
Brundall 18/51 19/03½ [P1]
Whitlingham Jn 19/00 19/10
Trowse Swing Bridge  19/06 19/19 [UM]
Trowse Jn 19/07 19/20
MP105 - 19.28 ~ 19.30
Diss 19/30 19/43½ [P1]
Haughley Jn 19/46 19/54
Stowmarket 19/49 [P1] 19/56 [P1]
Europa Jn 20/02 20/05
East Suffolk Jn 20/03 [UM] 20/06 [UM]
Ipswich 20/05 [TL] 20/08 [TL]
Halifax Jn 20/06½ 20/09½
Manningtree North Jn 20/16 20/21
Manningtree East Jn 20/17 20/22
Mistley 20/20 20/24
?? - 20.32 ~ 20.34
Parkeston Goods Jn 20/30 20/42
Harwich International 20.33a [P1] 20.45½


Associated E.C.S. & Light Engine Workings

08/09/16 : 
0Z15 : (66707 + 73961 + 73964?) : Tonbridge West Yard to Ferme Park

Location Booked
Tonbridge West Yard 21.45d
Tonbridge 21.48 ~ 21.53
Sevenoaks 22/02
Orpington 22/12
Petts Wood Jn 22/14
Bickley Jn 22/23
Shortlands Jn 22/30
Bellingham 22/33
Nunhead 22/38
Crofton Road Jn 22/41
Denmark Hill 22/42
Voltaire Road Jn 22/47
Factory Jn 22/49
Longhedge Jn 22/52
Latchmere Jn 22/56
Kensington Olympia 23/04
North Pole Jn 23/09
Mitre Bridge Jn 23/11
Willesden Junction HL 23/14
Kensal Green Jn 23/15
Gospel Oak 23/24
Junction Road Jn 23/27
Upper Holloway 23/30
Harringay Park Jn  23/33
Harringay 23/42
Ferme Park Reception 23.47a

09/09/16 : 
5Z15 : (66707 with 73964 + 73961 on rear) : Ferme Park to London Kings Cross

Location Booked Actual
Ferme Park Reception 08.26d  
Hornsey Sig.K440 08.28 ~ 08.38  
Harringay 08/44  
Finsbury Park 08/47  
Holloway South Jn 08.50 ~ 09.00  
Belle Isle 09/02  
London Kings Cross 09.04a [P2] 09.06 [P1]

5Z19 : (73961 + 73964 with 66707 on rear) : Harwich International to Parkeston S.S.

Location Booked Actual
Harwich International 20.39d [P1] 20.59
Parkeston S.S. 20.44  

10/09/16 :
0Z?? : (66707 + 73961 + 73964?) : Harwich International to Tonbridge Yard

Location Booked
Harwich International 12.00d
Parkeston Goods 12/02
Manningtree 12/13
Colchester 12/22
Marks Tey 12/28
Witham 12.39 ~ 12.49
Chelmsford 13/00
Shenfield 13/12
Gidea Park 13/19
Ilford 13/25
Forest Gate Jn 13/27
Maryland 13/29
Stratford 13/31
Channelsea Jn 13/32
Lea Jn 13/32½
Navarino Road Jn 13/37
Canonbury Jn 13/40
Westbourne Road Jn 13/45
Camden Road East Jn 13/47
Camden Road Jn 13/48
Gospel Oak 13/55
Kensal Green Jn 14/09
Willesden Junction HL 14/10
Acton Wells Jn 14/13
South Acton Jn 14/20
Kew East Jn 14/22
Kew New Jn 14/24
Barnes 14/28
Clapham Junction 14/37
Longhedge Jn 14/41
Factory Jn 14/45
Voltaire Road Jn 14/49
Denmark Hill 14/53
Crofton Road Jn 14/56
Nunhead 15/02
Bellingham 15/10
Shortlands Jn 15/15
Bickley Jn 15/21
Petts Wood Jn 15/26
Orpington 15/29
Sevenoaks 15/39
Tonbridge 15/49
Tonbridge Sig.AD2038 15.51 ~ 15.55
Tonbridge 15/57
Tonbridge Yard West 16.00a


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