2nd February 1985

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
Great Eastern Pullman

Locos Used 86007, 86316 & 86324
Stock Used 583+540+545+500+548+502+549+543+554

Route :

Loco Route
86007 London Liverpool Street - (via GEML) - Shenfield - Billericay - Wickford - Rayleigh - Southend Victoria
86324 Southend Victoria - (reverse of outward route) - Shenfield
86324 Shenfield - (via GEML, Colchester Goods lines) - Hythe - Thorpe-le-Soken - Clacton
86316 Clacton - (reverse of outward route) - Colchester - (via GEML) - London Liverpool Street
86007 London Liverpool Street - Bethnal Green - Clapton Jn - Tottenham South Jn - South Tottenham - Seven Sisters - Brimsdown - Cheshunt - Broxbourne Jn - Bishops Stortford
86007 Bishops Stortford - (reverse of outward route) - London Liverpool Street

Notes :
(1) This was possibly the first use of the Class 86's on a passenger service over these routes. The stock for this excursion was the 'Manchester Pullman' stock, which may also have been its first time over these lines. Jeremy Hartill comments: A very different tour, most civilised. According to the program this was the first ever AC loco hauled train on the GER. We also got in 3 out of 4 of the 86's there.  The Pullman service was coffee and biscuits on the run out to Southend, a drinks service from there to Clacton, lunch was served from Clacton to Liverpool St and  more drinks to Bishops Stortford and back. Morning coffee and lunch was included in the trip. On the whole there was not much fast running and we had a lot of signal checks but 86324 managed 100mph after Chelmsford. Also the final run back to Liverpool St was very fast for the Cambridge line. 86007 went through Harlow at 90 and 87 after Broxbourne. The 24.3 miles to Tottenham Hale took 20 min and we were in Liverpool St in just over 32 min.


86007 on arrival at Southend Victoria (photo: Michael Croxford)

Sources : David Hills, Michael Croxford & Jeremy Hartill

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Jeremy Hartill)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Liverpool Street 08.55d 08.57   13.48a 13.54
Bethnal Green ? ?   13/45 13/45
Stratford 09/01 09/05   13/41 13/42
Gidea Park ? ?   13/31 13/34
Shenfield 09/11 09/16  
Wickford 09/27 09/32  
Southend Victoria 09.41a ~ 10.20d 09.47 ~ 10.27  
Wickford 10/34 10/37  
Shenfield 10.44a ~ 11.01d 10.48 ~ 11.02   13/25 13/27
Chelmsford 11/10 11/14   13/13 13/19
Witham 11/10 11/20   13/06 13/07
Marks Tey 11/26 11/25   13/00 13/00
Colchester 11/35 11/38 [GL]   12/54 12/55
Hythe 11/41 11/43   12/50 12/51
Thorpe-le-Soken 12/00 11/56   12/35 12/38
Clacton 12.07a 12.08   12.28d 12.31

 

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Liverpool Street 14.03d 14.10   15.41a 15.40
Bethnal Green 14/06 14/13   15/37 15/35
Clapton Jn 14/13 14/20   15/27 15/30
Tottenham South Jn 14/15 14/21   15/25 15/28
Brimsdown 14/20 ?   15/17 15/24
Cheshunt 14/23 ?   15/13 15/21
Broxbourne 14/25 ?   15/10 15/19
Bishops Stortford 14.40a 14.47   14.58d 15.08


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