6th August 2011

NENTA Traintours
The
West Countryman

Locos Used 47804 & 47826
Stock Used 9496+6000+6103+99327+1201+3352+3313+3431+99678+3350+3326

Route :
1Z88 : Norwich to Minehead
1Z89 : Minehead to Norwich

Loco(s) Route
47826 (2) Norwich - Diss - Stowmarket - Ipswich - Manningtree - Colchester - Chelmsford - Stratford - Channelsea North Jn - Navarino West Jn - Canonbury West Jn - Camden Road - Gospel Oak - Willesden Junction HL - Acton Wells Jn - Acton Main Line - Southall - Slough - Twyford - Reading - Didcot Parkway - Swindon - Wootton Bassett Jn - Chipenham - Bath Spa - North Somerset Jn - Bristol Temple Meads - Bridgwater - Taunton - Norton Fitzwarren - Bishops Lydeard - Minehead
47804 (3) Minehead - (reverse of outward route) - Norwich

Notes :
(1) NENTA’s brochure billed this as 'A West Countryman Festival' however the literature on the train, and the headboard proclaimed it as 'The West Countryman'. Off train options were a shuttle DMU to Norton Fitzwarren Steam Fair or change to West Somerset Steam service.
(2) 47804 on rear.
(3) 47826 on rear.
(4) Alan Chilestone comments: A good trip with a slightly early arrival at Bishops Lydeard. However the train was help here so that it could pass a WSR train at Crowcombe. We were further delayed on the approach to Williton by 'A lineside equipment failure'. After a short time we were allowed through under a green flag. On departure from Diss on the return it was obvious that 47826 was providing power, pushing from the rear! I don't know how long this had been the case, but for most of the stops from Stratford onwards, the start had not been the smoothest.
From about Manningtree or Ipswich they became smoother and more comfortable for the passengers. We stopped in the country between Stow and Diss, I looked out to see a green signal, whether this had just cleared I don't know but we made a slow and steady start, much like the one at Stowmarket and the subsequent one at Diss. When departing Diss, the guard blew the right away, the driver of 47804 sounded a horn then made a very slow and steady start.

Source : Alan Chilestone (joined/left the train at Diss)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Alan Chilestone)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Norwich 05.34d ?   00.23a ?
Diss 05.54a ~ 05.57d ?   23.57a ~ 00.01d 23.58 ~ 23.59
Stowmarket 06.10a ~ 06.13d ??.?? ~ 06.16   23.35a ~ 23.39d 23.34 ~ 23.36
Ipswich 06.27a ~ 06.30d ??.?? ~ 06.33   23.19a ~ 23.23d 23.18 ~ 23.20
Manningtree 06.41a ~ 06.43d 06.41 ~ 06.47   23.02a ~ 23.06d 23.04 ~ 23.05
Colchester 06.53a ~ 06.56d 06.58 ~ 07.00   22.47a ~ 22.52d 22.47 ~ 22.53
Marks Tey 07.05a ~ 07.21d 07.09 ~ 07.19 [UL]   - -
Witham 07.34a ~ 07.49d ??.?? ~ 07.48   22.28a ~ 22.31d 22.31 ~ 22.32
Chelmsford 07.59a ~ 08.02d ??.?? ~ 08.02   22.16a ~ 22.19d 22.16 ~ 22.18
Stratford 08.21a ~ 08.34d ??.?? ~ 08.34   21.42a ~ 21.47d 21.44 ~ 21.46
Channelsea North Jn 08/37 08/37   ? ?
Navarino Road Jn 08/48 08/41   ? ?
Canonbury West Jn 08/53 08/44   ? ?
Camden Road 09/00 08/49   ? ?
Gospel Oak 09/05 08/52   ? ?
Kensal Green Jn 09/18 09/08   ? ?
Willesden Junction HL 09/22 09/13   21/02 21/01
Acton Wells Jn 09/25 09/16   20/58 20/58
Acton Main Line 09/28 09/22   20/56 20/55
Southall 09/36 09/26   20/47 ?
Airport Jn 09/39 09/29   20/42 ?
Slough 09/52 09/36   20/33 20/32
Maidenhead 10/00 09/47   20/28 ?
Twyford 10/08 09/59   20/23 ?
Reading 10/16 10.16 ~ ??.??
[centre road]
  20/18 20/17
Didcot Parkway 10/31 10/32   20/04 ?
Swindon 10/50 10/55   19/46 19/45
Chippenham 11/02 ?   19/32 19/33
Thingley Jn 11/03 11/09   19/31 ?
Bath Spa 11.16a ~ 11.20d 11.17 ~ 11.20   19.15a ~ 19.19d 19.16 ~ 19.18
Bristol Temple Meads 11.35a ~ 11.48d 11.35 ~ 11.49   18.59a ~ 19.02d 19.01 ~ 19.03
Worle Jn 12/05 12/06   18/41 18/47
Bridgwater 12/18 12/17   18/30 18/35
Cogload Jn 12/24 12/22   18/25 18/30
Taunton 12.29a ~ 12.33d ??.?? ~ 12.29   18.16a ~ 18.19d 18.23 ~ 18.24
Norton Fitzwarren Jn 12.38 ~ 12.40 ??.?? ~ 12.37   18.09 ~ 18.11 18/08
Bishops Lydeard 12.52a ~ 12.54d 12.46 ~ 13.21   17.55a ~ 17.57d 18.05 ~ 18.07
Minehead 14.10a (14.40)   16.55d 17.00


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