27th September 1969

Gilks-Grenside
The Gilks-Grenside Educational Special No. 6

DMU Used 3-car class 123

Route : 1A54 (?throughout?)

DMU Route
as listed Clapham Junction - New Kew Jn - Kew East Jn - Neasden Jn - (1) - Neasden South Jn - Aylesbury - Quainton Road - Claydon LNE Jn - Bletchley - Northampton - Kelmarsh - Market Harborough - Knighton South Jn - Desford - Coalville - Moira West Jn - Leicester Jn - Burton-on-Trent - Stenson Jn - Derby
as listed Derby - Spondon - Sheet Stores Jn - Trent Jn - Loughborough - Syston North Jn - Syston East Jn - Melton Mowbray - Oakham - Manton Jn - Corby - Kettering - (via MML) - Silkstream Jn - Dudding Hill Jn - Acton Wells Jn - Kew East Jn - New Kew Jn - Clapham Junction

Notes :
(1) Chris Totty comments: There was a bit of shunting at Neasden, the train came round from Neasden Jn to Neasden South Jn, then reversed over the junction with the GC main line, and the crossover for those interested in these things, reversed again and then proceeded via Harrow on the Hill to Aylesbury - try and do that today!
(2) Chris Totty comments: At Derby coaches took us to Crich Tramway Museum, my records show I travelled on Sheffield 189 and Leeds 180 but I imagine that there were a few trams in services that day. Coaches brought us back to Derby.
(3) Published information on this tour in a book by John Gilks, one of the tour organisers, gave the following comments and explanations for delays experienced on the day; At the time I thought it was a novel idea to charter an Inter-City DMU for our tour into London Midland territory, but I was to regret it for apparently only Western Region drivers knew how to handle the units. I had also not been advised that the new Trent Signal Box was to be commissioned that day, with consequent disruption to normal services and the use of the Goods lines south of Trent Jct. with inevitable delays due to speed restrictions. Hence the driver from Reading booked to take us home was caught up in the muddle and we left late from Derby. Booked via Oakham, we had to go that way because I was staying the night there. The look on the faces of Alan and Harry - who officially shared responsibility with me for running our Specials- when they realised that they had to take over the running of the late train was an education to me as to the amount of hard work I had previously undertaken as a matter of course.

Source : Chris Harley, Chris Totty & Tony Saville

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Chris Totty)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Clapham Junction 09.15d (Windsor Side) 09.24   21.50a 23.24
Point Pleasant Jn 09/20½ 09/29   ? ?
Barnes 09/26 09/34   21/44 [SL] 23/13
New Kew Jn 09/31 09/40   21/39 23/04
Kew East Jn 09/34 09/42   21/36 23/02
South Acton Jn 09/37 09/44   21/33 23/00
Acton Wells Jn 09/41 09/50   21/28 22/55
Neasden Jn 09c46 ~ 09c48 09.54 ~ 09.57   21/18 22/51

 

Location Booked Actual
Neasden Jn 09c46 ~ 09c48 09.54 ~ 09.57
Neasden South Jn 09/52 10.00 ~ 10.09
Harrow-on-the-Hill ??.??a ~ 10.00d ??.?? ~ 10.13
Watford South Jn 10/08 10/20
Rickmansworth 10/10 10/21
Chalfont & Latimer 10/17 10/26
Amersham 10/20 10/29
Aylesbury 10/34½ 10.42½ ~ 10.43½
Quainton Road 10p47a ~ 10p52d 10.54 ~ 11.01
Claydon LNE Jn 10/57½ 11/10
Bletchley 11c22 ~ 11c24 11/29
Roade 11/36 11/43
Middleton 11/39 ?
Northampton 11c43 ~ 11c46 11.53 ~ 11.54
Kelmarsh 12/15 12/21
Clipston & Oxenden 12p24a ~ 12p29d 12.28 ~ 12.33
Market Harborough 12/34 12/39
Kibworth 12/43 12/46
Wigston North Jn 12/50 12/52
Knighton South Jn 12/52 12/54
Desford 13/03 13/09
Coalville 13/24 13/29
Moira West Jn 13/36 13/45
Leicester Jn 13/47 14/00
Burton-on-Trent 13/49 14/01
Stenson Jn 13/56 14/07
Derby Midland 14.05a ~ 18.15d 14.14 ~ 18.42
London Road Jn 18/16 18/43
Spondon Jn 18/20 18/46
Sheet Stores Jn 18/27 18/55
Trent Station North Jn 18.29 ~ 18.33 18.57 ~ 19.00
Trent Jn 18/35 [SL] 19.02 ~ 19.06
Loughborough 18/51 20.05 ~ 20.16
Syston North Jn 19/02 20/28
Syston East Jn 19/04 20/29
Melton Mowbray 19/16 20/39
Oakham 19/29 20.52 ~ 20.53
Manton Jn 19/32 19/57
Glendon South Jn 19/44 21.09 ~ 21.25
Kettering 19/49 21/31
Kettering Jn 19/51 [FL] 21/32
Wellingborough 19/57 ?
Sharnbrook Summit 20/04 ?
Bedford North Jn 20/15 21/47
Flitwick 20/25 21/56
Luton 20/37 22/04
St Albans City 20/47 [SL] 22.21 ~ 22.22
Silkstream Jn 21c07 ~ 21c09 22.41 ~ 22.45
Dudding Hill Jn 21/13 22/48

Timings continue in first table.

 Back to "The Railtour Files"