14th August 1960

R.C.T.S. (London Branch)
The Greyhound Rail Tour

Locos Used 3737, 6326, 31768 & 30718
Stock Used Main train: 6x coaches
Easton Branch: 3x Bullied coaches

Route :

Loco(s) Route
31768 London Waterloo - Woking - Basingstoke - Salisbury
30718 Salisbury - Gillingham - Yeovil Junction
30718 (2) Yeovil Junction - Yeovil Pen Mill
30718 Yeovil Pen Mill - Dorchester - Weymouth (3)
3737 (3) Melcombe Regis - Portland - Easton
3737 Easton - Portland - Melcombe Regis (3)
30718 (4) (3) Weymouth - Dorchester - Wareham - Wimbourne - West Moors - Fordingbridge - Salisbury
31768 Salisbury - Basingstoke - Woking - London Waterloo

Notes :
(1) The six coach train, weighing approximately 200 tons was diagrammed for some tight timings which proved a little too much for the two 4-4-0's used, not because the locomotives were found wanting, rather outside events led to challenging delays. In the Clapham area a signals failure and a severe check whilst crossing from the local to the main created a poor start. A relaying slack at Earlsfield following by trouble with 31768's firebox door jamming increased the delays. West of Salisbury the special caught up with a local, so reigning in any chance to fully stretch 30718's legs. Heavy rain on the return leg again prevented the maximum being reached. On the last leg from Salisbury the timetable proved just too much for 31768, despite best efforts Waterloo was reached fifteen minute late.
(2) Loco ran tender-first.
(3) Passengers walked between Weymouth & Melcombe Regis stations (and vice-versa on the return). The round trip to Easton was sold separately to the main tour at a cost of 4/0d
(4) Banked from Weymouth Jn to Bincombe Tunnel by 6326.

Sources : David Hills & John Clifford (compiled from contemporary reports) & David Pearson

Photo Review


31768 on arrival at Salisbury (photo: David Pearson)


30718 is readied to depart Salisbury (photo: David Pearson)


30718 on arrival at Yeovil Junction (photo: David Pearson)


Two shots of 3737 at Easton (photo: David Pearson)


David Pearsons tickets for this tour.


From The John Debens Ticket Collection


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Bluebell Railway Museum & Bruce Nathan)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Waterloo 10.00d 10.00   20.13a 20.28½ 144.21
3.71 Clapham Junction 10/07 10/11   20/06 20/21 140.50
7.17 Wimbledon ? 10/18   ? 20/14½ 137.04
13.26 Hampton Court Jn 10/18 10/25   ? 20/08½ 130.95
24.61 Woking Jn 10/29 10/36   19/46 19/57 119.60
50.23 Worting Jn 10/53 11/01   19/23 19/31 93.98
66.29 Andover Junction ? 11/16   ? 19/08½ 77.92
82.48 Tunnel Jn 11/23½ 11/32   18/49 18/49 61.73
83.56 Salisbury 11.26 ~ 11.45 11.34½ ~ 11.44   18.36 ~ 18.46 18.35 ~ 18.46 60.65
112.15 Templecombe ? 12/22  
122.69 Yeovil Junction 12.45 ~ 12.55 12.46 ~ 12.57  
124.34 Yeovil South Jn 13/00 13/07  
124.80 Yeovil Pen Mill 13.03 ~ 13.13 13.09 ~ 13.17  
137.61 Maiden Newton 13.35 ~ 13.38 13.44½ ~ 13.46  
- Tunnel Jn   18/33 18/32 59.57
- Alderbury Jn   ? 18/25½ 55.67
- West Moors   ? 17/46½ 37.26
- Broadstone   17.29 ~ 17.34 17.34 ~ 17.34½ 30.23
- Wareham   ? 17/19½ 21.75
145.66 Dorchester Jn 13/55 13/57½   16/58 17/01 6.50
152.36 Weymouth 14.05a 14.08½   16.45d 16.44½ 0.00
0.00 Melcombe Regis 14.30d ?   16.07a ? 7.55
3.78 Portland 14.48 ~ 14.49 ?   13.48 ~ 13.49 ? 3.57
7.55 Easton 15.07a ?   15.30d ? 0.00


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