20th April 2024

UK Railtours
The Neasden Nonsense

Route :
1Z20 : Tonbridge to Aylesbury Vale Parkway
1Z21 : Aylesbury Vale Parkway to West Ealing
1Z19 : West Ealing to West Ruislip Sig.ME594
1Z22 : West Ruislip Sig.ME594 to West Ruislip LUL
1Z23 : West Ruislip LUL to London Victoria
1Z24 : London Victoria to Tonbridge

Notes :
(1) John Clifford's comments: When this tour was first advertised it was to enter the HS2 site at West Ruislip. Although, initially agreed, permission to enter the site was withdrawn shortly before the tour. The original route was to be as shown to West Ruislip arrive at 13.42 (via Aylesbury Vale Parkway), then HS2 site, West Ruislip Sig.ME594, depart at 15.08, then as shown. In the time not spent in the West Ruislip area we were able to get to West Ealing and back.
We set off from London Victoria almost on time and were stopped in the Stewarts Lane area for a reason that I did not discover. Then we went onto the West London line and followed the 09.19 Clapham Junction - Stratford. We were booked to go via via Willesden SW Sidings with a pathing stop there. However we made the stop at Acton Wells Jn, where we had to wait for the 09.31 Richmond - Stratford and the 08.59 going the other way to pass. Briefly we travelled along the Great Western Main Line, then diverted onto the Greenford branch. In the Ruislip area we stopped a couple of times, so that the 10.07 London Marylebone - Oxford could get ahead. The 10.07 had a number of stops so our progress along the Chiltern line was slow. At Princess Risborough we crossed on to the Aylesbury line. Slow progress again as we were behind the 09.52 London Marylebone - Aylesbury. There were no service trains to Aylesbury Vale Parkway on this day due to engineering works. We were able to spend some time here. We then set off to Gerrards Cross to cover the Turnback Siding. This duly done we waited for the 12.34 Aylesbury - London Marylebone to pass and were then signalled onto the down line to do the cross-over at the London end of the station. The next move to took us to West Ruislip. Here as mentioned above, we could not do the HS2 site. There was a wait at West Ruislip for our path. While there we saw the 13.25 ex High Wycombe and the 12.04 & 12.13 ex Birmingham New Street pass. Eventually we started for West Ealing for a rare visit to the Bay platform (a rare visit for a 'Hastings' DEMU). Unfortunately the doors could not be opened as the train was too long for the platform. After this we returned to West Ruislip to cover the country-end crossover there. Thus achieved, we set off on a circular route back to West Ruislip via Wembley and Neasden Jn. There was a pathing stop at Acton Canal Wharf but we carried on and made the stop at Acton Wells Jn. Here we noticed the 14.46 and 14.59 Stratford - Richmond pass. A further stop at Acton West saw the 15.30 Heathrow Terminal 4 to Abbey Wood and the 15.17 Abbey Wood to Reading pass. We continued on to the connection to the Ruislip Underground Depot. After this short diversion we continued up the Chiltern Main line to Greenford to cover the two sides of the Greenford triangle which had not already been done. The next objective was Hayes & Harlington Bay Platform. There was a pathing stop at Drayton Green, which was not taken. Instead we stopped at Hanwell Jn. An up train passed us, but I was unable to work out what it was. We pressed on, but were stopped out Hayes & Harlington station to let the 17.29 Reading - Abbey Wood to pass. We got into the Bay Platform and reversed to go back up towards London Victoria. There was the briefest of stops at Acton Wells Jn to let the 18.17 Richmond - Stratford go ahead. The stop at Willesden SW Sidings was also brief, but then we stopped at Mitre Bridge Jn as the 16.48 Colnbrook - Grain empty tanks was booked in front of us. Our journey up the West London Line was slow as we were following the 18.06 Stratford- Clapham Junction. Nevertheless we were running early and continued thus, arriving at London Victoria 5 minutes early. I enjoyed this day covering some of the nooks and crannies of the rail network. A final thought, is that we passed Drayton Green five times!

DEMU 1001 at Aylesbury Vale Parkway (Photo: Nick Bartlett)

Sources : John Clifford & Nick Bartlett (both on the tour from/to London Victoria)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford & Nick Bartlett)

Timings continue in first table.

Associated E.C.S. Workings

5Z20 : (1001) : St Leonards T&RSMD to Tonbridge

5Z24 : (1001) : Tonbridge to St Leonards T&RSMD

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