29th March 1975

Wirral Railway Circle / Plymouth Railway Circle
The Western Sunset

Locos Used 1036 'Western Emperor' & 1052 'Western Viceroy'

Route :
1Z58 : Plymouth to Derby
1Z16 : Derby to Plymouth

Loco Route
1036 Plymouth - Totnes - Newton Abbot - Exeter St Davids
1036 Exeter St Davids - Exeter Central - Honiton - Axminster - Yeovil Junction - Yeovil Pen Mill - Castle Cary - (via Frome avoiding line) - Westbury
1052 Westbury - Bradford South Jn - Bradford West Jn - Bathampton Jn - Bath Spa - North Somerset Jn - Dr Days Jn - Stapleton Road - Filton Jn - Bristol Parkway - Westerleigh Jn - Yate - Gloucester Yard Jn - Barnwood Jn - Cheltenham Racecourse - Toddington - Honeybourne - Stratford on Avon - Shirley - Landor Street Jn (2) - Water Orton - Tamworth - Wichnor Jn - Burton-on-Trent - Stenson Jn - (2) Derby
1052 Derby - (3) - Birmingham New Street - (3) - Barnt Green - Stoke Works Jn - Droitwich Spa - Worcester Shrub Hill - Norton Jn - Abbotswood Jn - Cheltenham Spa - Barnwood Jn - Gloucester Yard Jn - Standish Jn - Yate - Westerleigh Jn - Bristol Parkway - Filton Jn - Stapleton Road - Bristol Temple Meads
1036 Bristol Temple Meads - Worle Jn - Bridgwater - Taunton - Exeter St Davids - Newton Abbot - Totnes - Plymouth

Note :
(1) This was the last railtour over the route from Cheltenham via Honeybourne to Stratford-upon-Avon before closure.
(2) Route confirmation between Landor Street Jn & Derby required - however, believed as shown above.
(3) Route confirmation required either side of Birmingham New Street.

Sources : Trevor Cockram (on train from Exeter St Davids and Birmingham New Street),
Chris Horsham (on the train throughout) & Trevor Lee

Photo Review


1052 arrives into Bristol Parkway (photo: Gordon Lacy)


1052 pauses at Birmingham New Street (photo: Bernard Mills)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Chris Horsham)

Location Booked Actual
Plymouth 07.15d 07.15
Totnes 07.45a ~ 07.47d 07.49 ~ 07.50
Newton Abbot 08.03a ~ 08.05d 08.03 ~ 08.05
Dawlish 08.19a ~ 08.21d 08.19 ~ 08.21
Dawlish Warren 08/23 08/24
Exeter St Davids 08.36a ~ 09.05d 08.38 ~ 09.05
Exeter Central 09/09 09/08
Exmouth Jn 09/11 09/10
Pinhoe 09/13 09/12
Feniton 09.25a ~ 09.40d 09.23 ~ 09.38
Honiton 09.50a ~ 10.02d 09.46 ~ 10.01
Chard Jn 10/17 10/16
Crewkerne 10.25a ~ 10.26d 10.23 ~ 10.25
Yeovil Junction 10.35a ~ 10.36d 10.36 ~ 10.38
Yeovil Pen Mill 10.41a ~ 10.42d 10.43 ~ 10.45
Castle Cary 10/57 10/59
Blatchbridge Jn 11/11 ?
Clink Road Jn 11/13 ?
Fairwood Jn 11/16 ?
Westbury 11.19a ~ 11.32d 11.23 ~ 11.36
Bradford ?? Jn 11/40 11/53
Bathampton Jn 11/52 ?
Bath Spa 11.56a ~ 11.58d 12.10 ~ 12.12
North Somerset Jn 12/11 12/23
Dr Days Bridge Jn 12/13 12/24
Filton Jn 12/20 ?
Bristol Parkway 12.22a ~ 12.24d 12.37 ~ 12.38
Westerleigh Jn 12/30 12/45
Charfield 12/37 ?
Standish Jn 12/46 13/01
Gloucester Yard Jn 12.53a ~ 12.54d ?
Lansdown Jn 13/03 13/13
Cheltenham Racecourse 13.08a ~ 13.18d 13.18 ~ 13.26
Honeybourne WL Jn 13/48 13/51
Evesham Road Crossing 14/00 14/03
Stratford-upon-Avon 14.02a ~ 14.43d 14.05 ~ 14.44
Shirley 15.08a ~ 15.18d 15.08 ~ 15.17
Derby 16.17a ~ 16.33d 16.14 ~ 16.36
Birmingham New Street 17.20a ~ 17.25d 17.20 ~ 17.25
Barnt Green 17/41 17/39
Bromsgrove 17/44 17/42
Stoke Works Jn 17/46 ?
Droitwich Spa 18/00 17/57
Worcester Shrub Hill 18.09a ~ 18.23d 18.08 ~ 18.23
Norton Jn 18/27 18/28
Abbotswood Jn 18/29 18/30
Cheltenham Spa 18/45 18/49
Gloucester Yard Jn 18.53a ~ 18.54d ?
Standish Jn 19/01 ?
Charfield 19/11 ?
Westerleigh Jn 19/18 ?
Bristol Parkway 19.24a ~ 19.26d 19.22 ~ 19.25
Filton Jn 19/28 ?
Bristol Temple Meads 19.37a ~ 19.45d 19.43 ~ 19.54
Yatton 20/03 20/06
Uphill Jn 20/05 ?
Bridgwater 20/16 20/22
Taunton 20.28a ~ 20.30d 20.30 ~ 20.31
Whiteball Tunnel 20/43 ?
Exeter St Davids 21.02a ~ 21.05d 21.02 ~ 21.05
Dawlish 21.19a ~ 21.21d 21.19 ~ 21.20
Newton Abbot 21.34a ~ 21.36d 21.30 ~ 21.32
Totnes 21.49a ~ 21.51d 21.46 ~ 21.47
Plymouth 22.25a 22.19


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