18th December 2007

Steam Dreams
The Cathedrals Express

Locos Used 37248 & steam : 34067 'Tangemere'
Stock Used 35518+5222+1840+5216+13440+9392+99350+5236+1961+5249+5237

Route:
1Z96 : London Victoria to Eastleigh
1Z97 : Eastleigh to London Victoria

Loco(s) Route
34067 (1) London Victoria - Stewarts Lane - Clapham Junction - Selhurst - East Croydon - Redhill - Reigate - Dorking (Deepdene) - Guildford - Ash - Wokingham - Reading - Basingstoke - Micheldever - Wallers Ash Down Loop - Winchester - Eastleigh
34067 Eastleigh - (reverse of outward route ) - Winchester - Micheldever - (reverse of outward route) - London Victoria

Notes :
(1) Banked by 37248 from Victoria to Grosvenor Bridge.

Sources : John Clifford

Tour Review
(from John Clifford)

When this tour was first advertised it was booked to be hauled by 30777 "Sir Lamiel" but this was found to be out of gauge (Winnersh Triangle was the main problem being a fairly new station). 34067 was substituted. Pick-up stops & set-down were shown as Redhill, Deepdene & Guildford. When the tickets arrived the Deepdene had been omitted giving a non-stop run Redhill - Guildford both ways.

On the day the run down to Redhill was achieved with no problems, the schedule allowing for our following other trains. The Deepdene stop had been put back into the schedule & this proved to be our undoing. The engine was slipping on the departure from Redhill requiring the use of sand. On the climb to the top of Gomshall bank the engine was slipping again so eventually the sand ran out. We were climbing the bank at an ever slower pace but at least were still moving till we got about half a mile from the top where we stopped. With a superb piece of enginemanship our driver managed to coax the engine to the top of the bank, albeit in fits & starts.

Arrival at Guildford was 46 late where the sand boxes were filled & the following 2 GW trains passed. We left 66 late & after a water stop at North Camp we got to Reading & were held in platform 5 where we were passed by, inter alia, an empty HST & an empty stone train. After this, the run was uneventful although we were routed via platform 4 at Basingstoke before getting to the down fast line. Arrival at Eastleigh was 97 late.

On the return it had been decided that we would not stop at Deepdene. All was going satisfactorily till the water stop at Shalford. We needed more time than had been allowed so left there late. The time allowed to pass Gomshall was 8 mins, the engine slipped a few times, especially on the road crossings so we took 13. Past experience on steam trips over this line has shown that 12 mins is needed for this section but the allowance is often only 8 so time is lost. Any way we continued to Victoria getting there just over half an hour late.

Despite the problems I enjoyed the day. It was great to see a master craftsman (our driver) at work.

John Clifford
Timings (Booked and Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
London Victoria 09.42d 09.43   21.38a 22.09
Battersea Pier Jn 09/46 09.45 ~ 09.46   21/36 22/04
Stewarts Lane 09/54 09/48   21/31 22/03
Longhedge Jn 09/58 09/50   21/26 22/01
Pouparts Jn 10/00 09.53 ~ 09.58   21/25 22/00
Clapham Junction 10/02 10/02   21/23 21/57
Balham 10/07 10/07   21/19 21/54
Streatham Common 10/10 10/11   ? ?
Selhurst 10/15 10/17   21/14 21/47
Windmill Bridge Jn 10/23 10/27   21/13 21/44
East Croydon 10/25 10/28   21/12 21/42
South Croydon 10/27 10/29   ? ?
Purley 10/34 10/35   21/08 21/34
Stoats Nest Jn 10/35 10/37   21/07 21/32
Redhill 10.47a ~ 10.49d 10.48 ~ 10.50   20.57a ~ 20.59d 21.19 ~ 21.21
Reigate 10/54 10/56   20/54 21/12
Dorking (Deepdene) 11.01a ~ 11.02d 11.05 ~ 11.06   20.46a ~ 20.47d 21/05
Gomshall 11/09 11/49   20/39 20/58
Shalford 11/16 11/56   20w18 ~ 20w31 20.20 ~ 20.45
Shalford Jn 11/17 11/59   20/16 20/17
Guildford 11.19a ~ 11.21d 12.05 ~ 12.27   20*03a ~ 20*12d 20.05 ~ 20.13
Ash 11/31 12/42   19/48 19/49
Aldershot South Jn 11/33 12/45   19/46 19/47
North Camp 11w34 ~ 11w48 12.48 ~ 13.05   19/43 19/44
Blackwater 11/55 13/12   19/33 19/36
Wokingham 12/03 13/20   19/19 19/21
Earley 12/09 13/25   19/13 19/15
Reading Spur Jn 12/12 13/30   19/10 19/11
Reading New Jn 12/18 13/33   18/56 19/09
Reading 12/19 13.37 ~ 13.49   18/55 19/06
Southcote Jn 12/22 13/56   18/48 18/54
Bramley 12/32 14/06   18/39 18/43
Basingstoke 12/40 14/16   18/31 18/36
Worting Jn 12/46 14/21   18/27 18/31
Wallers Ash Loops 12*57 ~ 13*05 14.34 ~ 14.36 -
Winchester 13.12a ~ 13.14d 14.46 ~ 14.50   18.02a ~ 18.07d 18.04 ~ 18.08
Shawford Jn 13/19 14/54 -
Shawford ? ?   17/57 17/57
Eastleigh 13.25a 15.02   17.50d 17.49


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