9th December 2006

Compass Tours
The Festive Scotsman

Loco Used 47703
Stock Used 2xFM Rail Mk2 + 9xVirgin Mk3 & Virgin DVT 82101

Route:
1Z47 : Preston to Aberdeen
1Z48 : Aberdeen to Preston

Loco Route
47703 Preston - Lancaster - Tebay - Carlisle - Lockerbie - Carstairs South Jn - Lanark Jn - Law Jn - Motherwell - Mossend South Jn - Mossend North Jn - Whifflet South Jn - Cumbernauld - Greenhill Lower Jn - Carmuirs West Jn - Falkirk Grahamston - Polmont - Winchburgh Jn - Dalmeny Jn - Inverkeithing - Kirkcaldy - Thornton North Jn - Ladybank - Cupar - Dundee - Arbroath - Montrose - Aberdeen
47703 Aberdeen - (reverse of outward route) - Preston

Notes :
"Due to a recent major incident of vandalism and equipment theft occurring at the storage sidings opposite the main Oxley train depot and the subsequent issues created by that, FM Rail were unable to provide an adequate number of MK2 carriages to form this charter to Aberdeen. Virgin Trains, having learned of there being a 'crisis' and the urgent need of a replacement for the set, and with very little time left to spare, very kindly stepped in and provided their last MK3 loco hauled 'cover' set (which is booked to be spare at weekends) for use on this charter.

47703 was then sent overnight on the Friday before the charter with 2 of FM Rail's remaining 'spare' MK2s from Derby (1 MK2 RFO + 1 MK2 FO) and the engine + 2 MK2's were shunted onto the Virgin DVT set at Wembley during the early hours of Saturday morning, creating enough seating capacity to carry every passenger who was booked on the charter (which had been 'full' for a few weeks), then the 47 ran with the 12 vehicles ECS to Preston where it arrived 'just in time' to work the charter.

This all took a great amount of organising, co-operation and effort for all the individuals involved so a massive thank you is owing to them and the team at Virgin Trains who allowed it all to be possible, on behalf of the the train's organisers and the passengers who had booked on the charter".


47703 is seen coupled to the DVT at Aberdeen (photo: 'Bigbird')

Source : various including Compass Tours

Timings (Booked Only)
(from Compass Tours)

Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)
Preston 04.40d [P2] 21.20a [P5]
Lancaster 04*58a ~ 05*02d 20.55a ~ 20.59d [P4]
Morecambe South Jn 05/05½ 20/53
Carnforth UPL - 20*15 ~ 20*48
Carnforth North Jn 05/08½ 20/12½
Oxenholme : Lake District 05*20a ~ 05*24d [P2] 19.51a ~ 19.53d
Tebay 05/41½ 19/38
Penrith North Lakes 06*04a ~ 06*08d [P2] 19.16a ~ 19.18d
Carlisle 06*29a ~ 06*37d [P1] 18*51a ~ 18*53d [P4]
Gretna Jn 06/46½ 18/42
Kirkpatrick Sig. MC 863 06/50½ -
Kirkpatrick Sig. MC 862 - 18/38½
Lockerbie 07/02½ 18/27
Beattock 07/13½ 18/17
Beattock Summit 07/31 18/09½
Abington 07/38 18/01
Carstairs South Jn 07/51 17/48½
Carstairs 07/51½ 17/48
Lanark Jn 07/55½ 17/44
Law Jn 08/02 17/33
Motherwell 08/06½ 17/28
Mossend South Jn 08/10 17/25
Mossend North Jn 08/12 17/24½
Mossend 08/18 17/24
Whifflet South Jn 08/20 17/21
Coatbridge Central 08/23½ 17/14
Gartsherrie South Jn 08/25 17/12
Garnqueen North Jn 08/31 17/11
Greenfaulds ? 17/07½
Cumbernauld 08/42½ 17/05½
Greenhill Lower Jn 08/47½ 16/58½
Carmuirs West Jn 08/50 16/55½
Carmuirs East Jn 08/51 16/52
Falkirk Grahamston 08/55½ 16/49
Grangemouth Jn 08/58½ 16/48
Polmont Jn 09/03 16/44
Linlithgow 09/11 16/38
Winchburgh Jn 09/16 16/33
Dalmeny Jn 09/27 16/16
Inverkeithing 09/32 16/05½
Burntisland 09/42 15/56½
Kirkcaldy 09/49 15/48½
Thornton South Jn 09/55 15/44½
Thornton North Jn 09/56 15/43½
Markinch 09/58½ 15/42
Ladybank 10/04 15/36
Cupar 10/12½ 15/29
Leuchars 10/20½ 15/23½
Tay Bridge South 10/27½ 15/18½
Dundee Central Jn 10/33½ 15/13½
Dundee 10*34½a ~ 10.38½d [P4] 15*08a ~ 15*12d [P1]
Camperdown Jn 10/41½ 15/05
Carnoustie 10/51½ 14/58
Arbroath 10/59½ 14/53
Usan 11/09½ 14/41
Montrose 11/11 14/39
Laurencekirk 11/22½ 14/29½
Stonehaven 11/34 14/18
Aberdeen 11.55a [P7] 13.43d [P7]


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