7th April 1985

British Rail (W.R.)
(Merrymaker Excursion)

Loco(s) Used

at least 47613
Stock Used 5041+3824+4864+13343+17007+3766+3754+3764

Route : 1Z26 throughout

Loco Route
47613 Weston-super-Mare – Worle Jn – Bristol Temple Meads – North Somerset Jn - Bath Spa - Bathampton Jn - Chippenham - Swindon - Reading - Slough - Ealing Broadway - Old Oak East Jn - Kensington Olympia - Latchmere Jn - Longhedge Jn - Factory Jn - Herne Hill - Bromley South - Swanley - Chatham - Faversham - Herne Bay - Margate - Ramsgate
47613? Ramsgate - (?reverse of outward route?) - Weston-super-Mare

Notes :
(1) Adrian Nicholls comments: I used this BR Merrymaker excursion as a means of getting home to Maidstone off the F&W Eireann Counties Crusader tour so no return details I am afraid. I think it safe to say 47613 worked back although there was another ADEX the same day from Aberdare to Ramsgate running as 1Z27 but I doubt they swapped locos for the return to the Western Region. It was a typical Easter Bank Holiday weekend (i.e. wet and cold) lord knows what possessed BR to run an excursion from one seaside town to another on the other side of the country and suffice to say it wasn’t well loaded. I Think there was a no extra charge add on for passenger to use service trains between Ramsgate and Canterbury West if they so desired.


47613 on arrival at Ramsgate (photo: Adrian Nicholls)

Source : Adrian Nicholls (joined Bristol Temple Meads, left Ramsgate)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Adrian Nicholls)

Location Booked Actual
Weston-super-Mare 07.15d ?
Yatton ??.??a ~ 07.25d ?
Bristol Temple Meads 07.45a ~ 07.46d 07.45 ~ 07.46
Keynsham ? 07/52
Bath Spa 07.59a ~ 08.00d 07.58 ~ 08.01
Chippenham 08.12a ~ 08.13d 08.13 ~ 08.15
Wootton Bassett Jn ? 08/25
Swindon 08.31a ~ 08.32d 08.31 ~ 08.34
Didcot Parkway ? 08/52
Reading ? 09/04
Maidenhead ? 09/12
Slough ? 09/16
Southall ? 09/23
Ealing Broadway ? 09c26 ~ 09c27
Old Oak East Jn ? 09/36
Kensington Olympia ? 09/40
Factory Jn ? 09/48
Herne Hill ? 09/52
Bromley South ? 10/01
Swanley ? 10/07
Meopham ? 10/14
Chatham ? 10/26
Gillingham ? 10/32
Sittingbourne ? 10/41
Faversham ? 10/49
Herne Bay ? 11/00
Margate ??.??a ~ ??.??d 11.10 ~ 11.14
Broadstairs ? 11/18
Ramsgate ??.??a 11.29


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