28th September 1952

H.T.S. Bailey, A.F. Pegler & L.J.W. Smith
Centenaries Express

Loco Used 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley'
Stock Used 10 coaches

Route :

Loco Route
60007 09.15d London Kings Cross - (via ECML) - York
60007 15.05d York - Church Fenton - Knottingley - Doncaster - Retford - Lincoln - Boston - Spalding - Peterborough - (via ECML) - London Kings Cross

Notes :
(1) Run marked the centenary both of the opening of the 'Towns Line' from Peterborough, through Grantham and Newark, to Retford and also the opening of King's Cross terminus. Schedule to York  195 minutes, actual 193.40, net time 179 minutes.

Source : David Whittaker (from contemporary sources) & John Debens

Photo Review


From The John Debens Ticket Collection


60007 at Kings Cross in the morning (photo: The John Debens Collection)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Debens)

Webmasters note: Booked times are derived from the scheduled times given in the timing sheet...if you find any miscalculations then please let me know! A footnote states that the 19.30 Hitchin to Cambridge will depart at 19.35 so as to connect with the railtour...not according to my calculations it didn't...!!

Miles Location Booked Scheduled (mins) Actual (mins.secs) Speed (mph)
0.0 Kings Cross 09.15 0 0 0
2.6 Finsbury Park ? - 5.52 ?
5.0 Wood Green ? 5.0 8.40 57
10.1 Greenwood SB 09/29 14 ? ?
12.7 Potters Bar ? ? 17.00 51
17.7 Hatfield 09/37 22 22.03 62
23.5 Woolmer Green SB ? ? 27.45 59
28.6 Stevenage ? ? 32.21 71
31.9 Hitchin 09/50 35 35.00 82½
58.9 Huntingdon 10/12 57 55.30 70
62.0 Leys ? ? 59.15 70
63.5 Abbots Ripton ? ? ? ?
67.4 Connington SB ? ? ? ?
76.4 Peterborough 10/28½ 73½ 72.02 30
79.5 Werrington Jn ? ? 76.15 60
88.6 Essendine ? ? 84.0 73
92.2 Little Bytham ? ? 87.0 87½
97.1 Corby Glen ? ? 91.28 65
100.1 Stoke SB ? ? 94.17 60½
105.5 Grantham 11/01½ 106½ 101.30 [15mph PWS]
109.7 Barkston South Jn 11/05 110 107.01 74
120.1 Newark 11/14 119 115.42 65
131.3 Dukeries Jn ? ? 125.32 72
133.5 Markham SB ? ? ? ?
138.6 Retford 11/31 136 131.55 63
156.0 Doncaster 11/50½ 155½ 157.20 5 [20mph PWS]
160.2 Shaftholme Jn 11/55 160 163.40 63
174.4 Selby 12/12 177 175.45 [15mph PWS]
188.2
0.0		 York 12.30a ~ 15.05d 195
0		 193.32
0		 0
10.7 Church Fenton 15/19 14 15½ ?
16.7 Burton Salmon 15/27 22 ? ?
19.2 Ferrybridge 15/34 29 ? ?
19.7 Knottingley 15/36 31 27¾ ?
30.3 Shaftholme Jn 15/58 53 ? ?
34.5
0.0		 Doncaster 16.04½a ~ 16.09½d 59½
0		 54
0		 0 [5min stop]
17.4 Retford 16/32 22½ 33 sig stop
26.4 Trent Jn 16/46 36½ ? ?
35.1 Sykes Jn 16/56 46½ 52½ ?
42.6
0		 Lincoln 17.08a ~ 17.15d 58½
0		 68
0		 0 [7min stop]
9.3 Bardney 17/31 16 ? ?
17.0 Coningsby [Jn] 17/42 27 ? ?
31.0 Boston 18/01 46 50½ ?
45.4 Spalding 18/21 66 68½ ?
58.8 Werrington Jn 18/40 85 ? ?
61.9
0		 Peterborough 18.48a ~ 18.53d 93
0		 96
0		 0 [5min stop]
17.5 Huntingdon 19/12½ 19½ 21 15
44.5
0		 Hitchin 19.38a ~ 19.40d 45
0		 38½
0		 0 [2min stop]
6.9 Knebworth 19/50 10 ? ?
14.2 Hatfield 19/57 17 18 45
19.2 Potters Bar 20/04 24 24 ?
26.9 Wood Green ? ? 35 25
29.3 Finsbury Park ? ? 39¼ ?
31.9 Kings Cross 20.20a 40 48 0


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