Six Bells Junction

Notes :
(1) Was booked to change locos in Bescot U&DGL, but unable to do so as there was a freight train in the loop whose driver had been delayed as Birmingham New Street had been evacuated after a gas leak in one of the tunnels.
(2) 66525+66528 on rear.

Sources : Gary Thornton (joined/left the train at Birmingham International)
& Nick Bartlett (joined/left the train at Didcot Parkway)

Tour Review
(by PRAR)

With no tours of any consequence over the Summer, the Pieces of Eight was the first tour of the Autumn Season. It was a bit of a shock when the alarm went off at 0415! It was also a bit of a shock when Dan (my lift) appeared shortly after... We successfully negotiated various automotive routing perils to find the stock already in when we to arrived at Reading. 66039 (first scratch of the day) at the helm.

I was pay on the day, but the seat next to Dan was available so I was allocated that one. Reading was departed on time, and little did we know of what was to follow. For the Quail brigade the first point of salivation was the shuffle via the Moreton Cutting crossovers to pass 66141. We crossed from the reliefs to the mains and then back, effectively looping '141 on the reliefs. You may ask why we weren't on the down main in the first place, the answer lies in the mind of the signaller (who is unavailable for comment).

Picking up at Didcot and Banbury we took the centre roads at Leamington and headed for Birmingham International. A gen call confirmed that various large and/or bearded bashers had been spotted getting 390s in.

Arrival at International brought forth the first hint of a farce unrolling in front of us. New Street South Tunnels were shut owing to a gas leak. New Street station itself was still open but this would soon change. We were routed via the Aston - Stechford line so perhaps we would slip past unaffected. Fat chance! We slipped out of International on time, and took the right fork at Stechford. Good progress was made, and by Perry Bar North Junction the miracle of pathing time made us 11 minutes early. One signal section south of the final pick up at Thame Bridge Parkway we ground to a halt. The PA sprang into life announcing our peril. Although we were good to go, and our replacement locos were waiting at Bescot. There was a slight problem with a freight train occupying the reversible goods loop at Bescot where the change was due to take place. The driver of said inter-modal was at New Street which had just been evacuated...

As we waited, a procession of Virgins went by. Tucked in amongst them there were Freightliners and 150s. After an hour of this there was a toot from the front end and we slipped into Tame Bridge 39 minutes late. Our final crop of passengers boarded, having waited patiently for the train, with it visible just off the platforms. The freight train driver had arrived by cab.

At Bescot we took the platform line, and turned right towards Walsall. 66525+66528 were waiting in the up goods loop. We were hoping for a 57, but with Freightliner's ongoing loco and driver shortages two 66s were going to have to suffice. In light of the circumstances having to move the loco change to Stafford counted as getting off lightly. The 66s followed on behind and at Stafford there was a photo opportunity with red and green sheds side by side.

'039 came off, and '525+'528 dropped on. Stafford was departed about 15 late, the loco change having extended the booked pathing slot slightly. Talk then moved to whether we would manage to traverse the Gresty Lane Curve. Taking the Down Independent Fast at Basford Hall made it difficult for NR to deny us the curve, and finally after turning left at Salop Goods Junction the hurrah went up. We had made it. The PA announced that we were the first loco hauled charter to traverse the curve, the BLS having taken a 101 round the curve in 2001 (7th & 14th December).

Having accomplished the primary objective the rest of the day, the sun and alcohol started to take their toll. The rest of proceedings were interspersed with sleep! We completed our lap of the midlands, taking in Shrewsbury and the Oxley chord. Back at Strafford we were routed into the Royal Mail platform. As usual at mail terminals we were trapped on the train by the higher than normal platform. A selection of late running services went past whilst the driver ran the 66s round.

Leaving Stafford we headed south and crossed over to take the curve off the WCML round the back of Lichfield Trent Valley and up towards Burton-on-Trent. At Burton we were greeted by the sign of 60003+60040 waiting on the curve from the Ivanhoe Line. With only the single island platform at Burton we were routed into the reversible goods loop to perform the attachment. The 60s came onto the rear and the 66s were left attached, it being easier to drag them back to Bescot than find a driver and path for them from Burton.

The Ivanhoe line through Coalville has a very low passenger speed limit, the timings being set for somewhere in the region of 20mph. This is fine for observing the various freight installations and industrial archaeology en route, however pressure ventilated stock relies upon travelling at a moderate speed for it's airflow. Things were starting to get uncomfortably warm.

Despite being fitted for multiple working, there are few trains where pairs of 60s are actually used. The upshot of this is that when 60s are asked to work in multiple they have a habit of objecting. Things weren't quite at the one loco going forwards one loco going backwards stage, but it did seem that '040 was having a sulk in second position. '003 was doing a steam loco impersonation at the front. 90% of the tour must have scratched these locos, only the main 60 men having covered them on their previous workings in the last century.

(These were: 60003 Hull - Doncaster on 2/10/1994 with the Paragon Paradox, 60040 Waterloo - Salisbury on 14/11/1992 with the Solent & Wessex Wanderer.)

Coming off the Ivanhoe line we got a bit of speed up and the cooling breeze woke many from their slumbers. We headed off for the new Nuneaton flyover - passenger track - but a new configuration for many. Heading west we took the Sutton Park line at Water Orton, heading for Bescot again.

Coming into Bescot we were routed into the Up Goods loop, opposite side of the line to the reversible loop we were denied earlier in the day. More red pen for the Quail boys, if only they had an up to date to map to apply it to. Both pairs of locos were removed and 66208 (last scratch of the day) was attached for the run back to Reading. First set down came at Tame Bridge, some 60 chains from the loop.

As usual with the home run on a tour the main interest was how early we could get back. The final reckoning was just 5 minutes early back at Reading, although at points we had been as good as 15 minutes up.

Some people will complain about the lack of 57 or missing out on the first loop at Bescot, but basically the tour did what it set out to and must be regarded as a success. Hopefully the rest of the autumn tours will be to the same standard. The question of how many people will produce just for 66s remains to be seen.

PRAR

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(booked courtesy of Pathfinder Tours)
(actual times from various including Gary Thornton, Alan Sheppard, Nigel Benning & Nick Bartlett)

M.C	Location	Booked	Actual	Booked	Actual	M.C
0.00	Reading	06.22d	06.22	21.30a	21.23	104.23
17.12	Didcot Parkway	06.40a ~ 06.43d	06.41 ~ 06.43 [P3]	21.09a ~ 21.11d	20.57 ~ 20.58 [P4]	87.11
17.76	Didcot North Jn	06/46	06/46	21/06	20/48	86.27
27.43	Oxford	06/56	06/55 [DT]	20/56	20/38 [UT]	76.60
30.34	Wolvercot Jn	07/00	06/59	20/53	20/35	73.69
39.23	Heyford	07/08	07/09	20/45	20/28	65.00
45.14	Aynho Jn	07/15	07/14	20/38	20/23	59.09
50.18	Banbury	07.22a ~ 07.28d	07.23 ~ 07.29	20.29a ~ 20.32d	20.15 ~ 20.18 [P3]	54.05
58.78	Fenny Compton	07/40	07/38	20/20	20/06	45.25
70.27	Leamington Spa	07/51	07/48 [DM]	20/07	19/56 [UM]	33.76
75.01	Kenilworth	07/57	07/54	19/55	18/48	29.22
79.61	Coventry	08.03a ~ 08.08d	08.01 ~ 08.08 [P3]	19.44a ~ 19.47d	19.41 ~ 19.44 [P4]	24.42
90.37	Birmingham International	08.23a ~ 08.27d	08.24 ~ 08.27 [P2]	19.22a ~ 19.30d	19.20 ~ 19.30 [P5]	13.66
94.70	Stechford	08/35	08/33	19/15	19/14	9.33
97.63	Aston	08/53	08/39 [P1]	19/08	19/08 [P2]	6.40
100.05	Perry Barr North Jn	09/00	08.43 ~ 08.45	19/01	19/04	4.18
103.43	Tame Bridge Parkway	09.03a ~ 09.05d	09.53 ~ 10.01 [P2]	18.53a ~ 18.56d	18.58 ~ 18.59 [P1]	0.60
104.23 0.00	Bescot U&DGL // UGL	09L12a ~ 09L50d	10/06 (Bescot)	18L13a ~ 18L47d	18.23 ~ 18.56 [UGL]	0.00 75.72
1.06	Pleck Jn	09/55	10/09	18/08	18/19	74.66
1.73	Walsall	0958a ~ 1005d	10/11 [P1]	18/05	18/17 [UM]	73.79
2.43	Ryecroft Jn	10/07	10/13	18/03	18/16	73.37

M.C	Location	Booked	Actual
4.49	Bloxwich	10/12	10/19
11.55	Hednesford	10/30	10/29
15.55	Rugeley Town	10/45	10/35
17.15	Rugeley Trent Valley	10/52	10/39 [P1]
20.01	Colwich	10/55	10/43
26.36	Stafford	11/07a ~ 11*12d	10L51 ~ 11L27 [DS] [P6] [DS]
31.65	Norton Bridge	11/18	11/33
42.67	Madeley	11/27	11/43
49.09	Basford Hall Jn	11/36	11/50 [DFI]
50.53	Crewe Gresty Lane	11/52	12/00
54.39	Nantwich	11/57	12/04
59.02	Wrenbury	12/02	12/08
68.59	Prees	12/12	12/17
71.77	Wem	12/15	12/20
80349	Harlescott Crossing	12/25	12/28
82.57	Shrewsbury	12/35	12/33 [P7]
93.02	Wellington	12/48	12/44 [UM]
97.77	Madeley Jn	12/55	12/54
103.34	Cosford	13/00	12/59
110.38	Oxley	13/10	13/07
111.21	Stafford Road Jn	13/14	13/09
112.32	Bushbury Jn	13/25	13.13 ~ 13.15
126.09 0.00	Stafford	13L43a ~ 14L05d [U&DGL]	13.31 ~ 14.33 [U&DGL]
6.35	Colwich	14/14	14/42
12.12	Armitage	14/20	14/47
17.15	Lichfield HL Goods Loop Jn	14/28	14/54 [D&UGL]
17.34	Lichfield TV Jn	14/32	14/55
21.30	Alrewas LC	14/40	15/00
22.44	Wichnor Jn	1445a ~ 1456d	15/03
28.07 0.00	Burton-on-Trent	15L06a ~ 15L26d [UGL]	15.10 ~ 15.38 [UGL]
0.70	Birmingham Curve Jn	15/33	15/41
6.43	Moira West Jn	15/51	15/59
10.43	Lounge Jn	16/05	16/11
14.25	Mantle Lane TC	16/18	16/22
15.17	Coalville Jn	16/22	16/25
17.36	Bagworth Jn	16/29	16/32
29.65	Knighton Jn	16/48	17/08 [DM]
31.39	Wigston North Jn	16/50	17/12
42.70	Hinckley	17/02	17/28
47.09	Nuneaton	17c08a ~ 17c10d	17.35 ~ 17.37 [P6]
57.53	Whitacre Jn	17/25	17/39
60.38	Water Orton	17/31	17/53
61.68	Park Lane Jn	17/35	17/56

Locos Used	60003 'Freight Transport Association', 60040, 66039, 66208, 66525 & 66528
Stock Used	21272+3140+3107+3098+1863+5322+5009+4927+4902+5278

Loco(s)	Route
66039	Reading - Didcot Parkway - Didcot North Jn - Oxford - Banbury - Leamington Spa - Coventry - Birmingham International - Stechford - Aston - Perry Barr North Jn - Bescot (1) - Walsall - Ryecroft Jn - Cannock - Hednesford - Rugeley Trent Valley - Colwich - Stafford
66525+66528	Stafford - Norton Bridge - Madeley - Basford Hall Jn - Crewe Gresty Lane - Nantwich - Shrewsbury - Wellington - Telford - Cosford - Oxley - Stafford Road Jn - (via Oxley Chord) - Bushbury Jn - Stafford [U&DGL]
66528+66525	Stafford [U&DGL] - Colwich - Rugeley Trent Valley - Lichfield HL Goods Loop Jn (via down & up Goods loop) - Wichnor Jn - Burton-on-Trent [UGL]
60003+60040 (2)	Burton-on-Trent [UGL] - Birmingham Curve Jn - Coalville - Bagworth Jn - Knighton Jn - Wigston North Jn - Hinckley - Nuneaton - Abbey Jn - Water Orton (down slow) - Park Lane Jn - Sutton Park - Ryecroft Jn - Walsall - Bescot [UGL]
66208	Bescot [UGL] - Perry Barr North Jn - Aston - Stechford - Birmingham International - (reverse of outward route) - Reading