13th February 1999

Pathfinder Tours
The York Experience/Yorkian Gargoylian

Locos Used 31452, 31468, 47475, 47762 & 60018
Stock Used 17015+4956+4939+4949+5005+4998+1658+3115+3107+1696+3150+3148

Route :
1Z31 - Westbury - York
1Z45 - York - York (via Monk Bretton)
1Z46 - York - Westbury

Locos Route
47762 Westbury - Bath Spa - North Somerset Jn - Filton Jn - Bristol Parkway - Yate - Cheltenham Spa - Worcester - Bromsgrove - Barnt Green - Bordesley Jn - Landor Street Sidings
31452 + 31468 Landor Street Sidings - Bordesley Jn - Lifford Curve - Selly Oak - Birmingham New Street - Landor Street Jn - Water Orton - Kingsbury Jn - Tamworth - Burton-on-Trent - Derby - Chesterfield - Beighton Jn - Masborough Jn - Swinton Jn - Mexborough - Doncaster - (via ECML) - York
31468 + 31452 (1) York - Church Fenton - Milford Jn - Ferrybridge North Jn - Pontefract Monkhill - Crofton East Jn - Oakenshaw South Jn - Cudworth North Jn (2)
60018 (3) Cudworth North Jn (2) - Oakenshaw South Jn - Calder Bridge Jn - Turners Lane Jn - Altofts Jn - Castleford - Milford Jn - Church Fenton - York
31468 + 31452 York - Church Fenton - Milford Jn - Ferrybridge North Jn - Pontefract Baghill - Moorthorpe - Swinton - Holmes Jn - Wincobank Jn - Sheffield - Dore Station Jn - Chesterfield - (reverse of outward route) - Water Orton - Landor Street Sidings
47475 Landor Street Sidings - Landor Jn - Birmingham New Street - Selly Oak - Barnt Green - (reverse of outward route) - Westbury

Notes :
Tour ran as "The York Experience" for passengers de-training in York for the day and "The Yorkian Gargoylian" for those staying on board for a bash round Yorkshire.
(1) 60018 on rear.
(2) Advertised to Monk Bretton (Redfearns) but actually reversed at about former Cudworth North Jn (in reality only a short distance from Monk Bretton).
(3) 31452 & 31468 on rear.

Source : Gary Thornton (joined/left train at Barnt Green)

Tour review
 (by Gary Thornton)


47762 arrives at a misty Barnt Green station.

This tour was yet another with something for everyone - loco bashers, track bashers and "normals" who just wanted a day out. Originating at Westbury, the train would run through to Birmingham with a RES Class 47 where it would be changed for a pair of Fragonset Railways recently restored Class 31's. These would take the train onward to York where, after a short break, a run around some relatively rare non-passenger track was on offer (with a Class 60 top-and-tail). Once back at York to pick up those who went exploring, the 31's were to return us to Birmingham where the 47 would take over again for the remainder of the run home.

In order to get all the days locomotives it was necessary to join the train at Barnt Green or an earlier stop. Information on Spoon-gen, oops sorry, on Rail-gen, on the Friday evening suggested 47798 "Prince William" might be the rostered motive power to Birmingham. As this loco, one of the "royal pair", was a required haulage it was an easy decision to head for Barnt Green to pick the tour up. In the event another message first thing on the Saturday revealed the booked spoon to be 47762. As this one was also required, I kept to the original plan.

I met up with one friend in the car park at Barnt Green and we were soon joined by a few more familiar faces. Yet more turned up on a couple of local trains from Birmingham that turned up before our train did. Pretty well on time at 9.20am in rolled 47762 complete with a large "Yorkian Gargoylian" headboard. I said a temporary farewell to my colleague as he was in coach G and I was in F. The stock was a bit mixed and my coach turned out to be the 3rd one in the formation and I joined another friend who had got on at Droitwich Spa. He had already worked out the days moves. 47762 was to take us to Saltley where the peds would be added and we would reverse direction to get to Birmingham New Street via the Lifford Curve and Selly Oak. At York the peds would change to our end of the train and the 60 (rumoured to be 60100) would be attached to the other end. This was pleasing as we would be at the front from York to Monk Bretton and then all the way home.

As we pulled to a stop just past Saltley we noted a mixture of spoons and cheeseburgers on shed - for the record I noted 47033, 47145, 47296, 47344, 47360, 47827, 66038, 66062 & 66069. 60014 was also present, shunting a freight train in front of the depot. With the 31's on we headed back in the direction we'd just come from but the we turned right to traverse the relatively little used Lifford curve (Tony who I was sat with needed it but I'd done it back in 1986 during the "Operation Proof House" diversions). Arrival into the gloom of New Street was at 10.42, almost 20 down.

On leaving New Street we took the Derby line, passing Saltley depot (again). The run was pretty impressive with the 31's being given the chance to show us what they could do. At this stage we had not actually seen them, though word had reached us to confirm they were in fact 452 & 468, both in Fragonset colours. An operational stop in Derby station was a bit longer than anticipated - apparently the guard didn't have a green flag with which to wave the train away!

With further good running, York was reached almost bang on schedule - we'd have been early except that the usual railtour rules applied on approach to York - approach station, stop, wait for a few local trains to pass, then proceed to the platform. The route from Derby was via Chesterfield, Beighton, Rotherham, Doncaster then by ECML. Nothing much of note en-route except maybe the collection of locos at Masborough Steel Terminal - 08514, 37707, 56039, 56061, 56112 & 66049. Oh yes, and the usual collection of Class 50's were observed as we passed Booths scrapyard in Rotherham.


Smoky Peds - 31468 and 31452 at York.

Once in York I met up with a few more friends who were just doing the Yorkshire circular tour. Latest gen was that 60100 had failed and as a result 60018 was now our trailing loco. We watched the peds being run round to the other end of the train and by the time we'd got our photos, 60018 was on the other end. The afternoon jaunt took us back south from York and past Ferrybridge (all 6 EWS 59/2's were spotted - 59201 at Milford Sidings and the other 5 at the rail workshops at Ferrybridge). Our final destination was Monk Bretton on the former Leeds to Sheffield mainline. Our train was the first train for some time to traverse this line, although EWS have plans to re-introduce traffic over the line in the future. We stopped at the groundframe before the branch so, for me at least, there was no new track travelled over as I'd done the mainline back in the 1970's when it was still fully open. 60018 then hauled us back to York via Castleford.

Having suffered the usual railtour stagger over the non-passenger track, our arrival back into York was about 15 minutes down. Just time for a couple of photos and to say goodbye to those who were leaving the train before our booked departure time. We were given "right away" bang on time but only moved a few feet before the brakes came on. A second attempt was made to leave which was marginally more successful as we got a couple of coach lengths before the brakes again came on. After a few minutes some problem with the stock was identified and soon it was rectified and we were on our way. Now we were towards the front of the train we had a much better idea how the 31's were performing. Much noise and clag confirmed they were indeed being given a fair thrashing and progress was again quite swift. Our progress was halted at Moorthorpe to let a Virgin X-Country HST past which we caught up with at Sheffield station. It got the road ahead of us but we were despatched soon after. The climb from Sheffield station to Bradway Tunnel (mostly at 1 in 100) was quite superb and the peds seemed to take it in their stride. Once over the summit speed quickly rose again.

Before long we were back at Saltley where the veteran machines gave up the train to 47475 "Restive" - well remembered by many as the Trans-Pennine liveried spoon from the early to mid-1980's. A short while later and we had deposited out Birmingham passengers at New Street station and were through the city suburbs to Barnt Green where I too said my goodbyes. As the train left it was less than 10 minutes behind schedule, not too bad really.

Verdict : Superb day out for Class 31 lovers and an interesting route. Although I didn't score any required track, I did require all 5 locos for haulage (much to the amusement of my friends on board)!


Timings (Booked and Actual)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Westbury 06.20d ?   23.09a ? 121.52
4.03 Trowbridge 06.28a ~ 06.30d ?   22.59a ~ 23.01d ? 117.49
5.24 Bradford Jn 06/33 ?   22/56 ? 116.28
7.27 Bradford-on-Avon 06.37a ~ 06.39d ?   22.51a ~ 22.53d ? 114.25
14.46 Bathampton Jn 06/49 ?   22/42 ? 107.06
16.62 Bath Spa 06.53a ~ 06.56d ?   22.36a ~ 22.38d ? 104.70
23.54 Keynsham 07.06a ~ 07.08d ?   22.26a ~ 22.28d ? 97.78
27.41 North Somerset Jn 07/15 ?   22/20 ? 94.11
27.64 Dr. Days Jn 07/17 ?   22/18 ? 93.68
28.61 Stapleton Road 07/19 ?   22/16 ? 92.71
31.61 Filton Jn 07/23 ?   22/12 ? 89.71
33.00 Bristol Parkway 07.25a ~ 07.32d ?   22.08a ~ 22.10d ? 88.52
37.50 Westerleigh Jn 07/38 ?   22/01 ? 84.02
38.73 Yate 07/40 ?   21/58 ? 82.59
45.63 Charfield 07/46 ?   21/52 ? 75.69
59.08 Standish Jn 07/58 ?   21/42 ? 62.44
65.18 Gloucester Yard Jn 08/04 ?   21/36 ? 56.34
66.05 Barnwood Jn 08/05 ?   21/35 ? 55.47
71.48 Cheltenham Spa 08.12a ~ 08.15d ?   21.23a ~ 21.26d ? 50.04
78.59 Ashchurch 08/27 ?   21/15 ? 42.73
89.46 Abbotswood Jn 08/36 ?   21/05 ? 32.06
90.28 Norton Junction 08/39 ?   21/04 ? 31.24
93.33 Worcester Shrub Hill 08.44a ~ 08.51d ?   20.57a ~ 20.59d ? 28.19
99.12 Droitwich Spa 09.01a ~ 09.03d ?   20.47a ~ 20.48d ? 22.40
103.27 Stoke Works Jn 09/10 ?   20/41 ? 18.25
105.40 Bromsgrove 09/13 ?   20/38 ? 16.12
108.03 Barnt Green 09.19a ~ 09.20d 09.22 ~ 09.23   20.32a ~ 20.34d 20.41 ~ 20.42 12.49
114.11 Kings Norton 09/27 09/31   20/22 20/34 7.41
119.26 Bordesley Jn 09/35 09/39  
119.52 St. Andrews Jn 09/38 09/40  
  Selly Oak   20/19 20/32 5.27
  Birmingham New Street   20.08a ~ 20.12d 20.25 1.76
120.10 Landor Street Jn 09/42 09/41   20/03 20/15 0.31
120.41 Landor Street Sidings 09L44a 09.43   20L01d 20.14 0.00

 

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Landor Street Sidings 09L59d 10.12  
0.31 Landor Sreet Jn 10/01 10/15  
0.69 St. Andrews Jn 10/03 10/16  
1.15 Bordesley Jn 10/07 10/18  
5.62 Lifford East Jn 10/12 10/26  
6.07 Lifford West Jn 10/15 10/27  
7.57 Selly Oak 10/18 10/30  
11.08 Birmingham New Street 10.25a ~ 10.31d 10.42 ~ 10.45  
12.53 Landor Street Jn 10/36 10/49  
? Landor Street Sidings ??/?? 10/50   19L46a 19.57 121.79
18.59 Water Orton 10/41 10/54   19/36 19/48 116.24
22.54 Kingsbury Jn 10/46 10/59   19/31 19/45 112.59
28.35 Tamworth 10/52 11/03   19/26 19/37 106.48
35.63 Wichnor Jn 10/59 11/09   19/17 19/29 99.20
41.26 Burton-on-Trent 11/05 11/14   19/12 19/23 93.57
47.43 Stenson Jon 11/14 11/19   19/07 19/17 87.40
52.27 Derby 11*19a ~ 11*30d 11.25 ~ 11.44   18*58a ~ 19*00d 19.07 ~ 19.10 82.56
62.70 Ambergate Jn 11/42 11/56   18/46 18/52 72.63
72.28 Clay Cross South Jn 11/51 12/08   18/38 18/41 62.55
76.38 Chesterfield 11/55 12/11   18/33 18/36 58.45
85.66 Beighton Jn 12/08 12/22  
92.42 Masborough Jn 12/24 12/31  
94.61 Aldwarke Jn 12/27 12/33  
96.77 Swinton 12/29 12/36  
98.26 Mexborough 12/34 12/37  
103.31 Hexthorpe Jn 12/40 12/43  
105.32 Doncaster 12c50a ~ 12c52d 12.47 ~ 12.49  
108.51 Shaftholme Jn 12/57 12/55  
118.51 Temple Hirst Jn 13/04 13/02  
124.30 Hambleton North Jn 13/10 13/06  
  Dore Station Jn   18/24 18/27 50.15
  Sheffield   18*11a ~ 18*17d 18.16 ~ 18.19 46.25
  Nunnery Main Line Jon   18/08 18/13 45.68
  Wincobank Jn   18/02 18/06 43.13
  Holmes Jn   17/58 18/02 41.22
  Aldwarke Jn   17/55 17/58 38.25
  Swinton   17/52 17/56 36.09
  Moorthorpe   17/44 17/47 28.18
  Pontefract Baghill   17/27 17/35 21.20
  Ferrybridge North Jn   17/15 17/32 19.16
  Milford Jn   17/11 17/23 15.07
  Church Fenton   17/07 17/16 10.58
132.34 Colton Jn 13/18 13/12   17/01 17/12 5.41
137.75 York 13L24a 13.25   16L54d 17/04 0.00

 

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 York 14L02d 14.06
5.41 Colton Jn 14/09 14/13
10.58 Church Fenton 14/15 14/19
15.07 Milford Jn 14/22 14/25
19.16 Ferrybridge North Jn 14/27 14/34
19.75 Pontefract Monkhill Goods Jn 14/29 14/37
20.70 Pontefract Monkhill 14/30 14/40
27.15 Crofton East Jn 14/41 14/53
28.29 Oakenshaw South Jn 14*44a ~ 14*45d 15/00
34.26 Monk Bretton Redfearns 15r01a 15.27

 

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 Monk Bretton Redfearns 15r16d 15.33
5.77 Oakenshaw South Jn 15*31a ~ 15.33d 15.52 ~ 15.53
6.42 Oakenshaw Jn 15/36 15/58
7.10 Calder Bridge Jn 15/37 16/01
7.60 Turners Lane Jn 15/38 16/03
11.02 Altofts Jn 15/42 16/08
13.60 Castleford 15/45 16/11
19.52 Milford Jn 15/54 16/20
24.01 Church Fenton 16/00 16/24
29.18 Colton Jn 16/10 16/29
34.59 York 16L21a 16.36

All distances, in miles and chains (M & C), are taken from the tour booklet. No attempt has been made to verify the mileages given.

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