25th November 1978

Railway Pictorial Publications Railtours
The Welsh Wonder

Route : 1Z08 throughout

Notes :
(1) 46001 added at Reading due to failure of one of the 25's (though Clive Barlow suggests neither 25 failed, just that both were on low power).
(2) Jonathan B. Juby comments: I was on this train from Paddington to Blaenavon, Uskmouth, Bargoed and Cardiff.  Because it was almost 2 hours behind schedule there, those who wanted were allowed to travel back to Paddington on a service train, and I had to take advantage of this as I had to get home to Frinton-on-Sea in Essex that night, and I wasn’t sure if I would have been able to had I stayed aboard.  (The official timings you have published suggest not). I understood that one of the 25s was not working, though that was not first hand.  Certainly the progress towards Reading was slow, and it wasn’t promising when the guard opened our compartment door to see if we were as cold as he was, commenting that he wouldn’t be staying aboard (before the Slough stop).  Obviously by the time 46001 had coupled on at Reading we had completely lost our path, so were 40 minutes late at Swindon, and lost more time awaiting a service train from Westbury (hauled by 33011) towards Bradford-on-Avon.  By Severn Tunnel Junction we were about 80-90 minutes late (I didn’t record the time, but my first note there was at 12.32, compared with a schedule from 11.02-11.12). The sun shining on 20188 at Blaenavon in the picture on your listing didn’t last – within 5 minutes it was snowing! Had we been on time, we should have seen the line to Bargoed during daylight one way. As it was, it was about sunset at Uskmouth, and dark both ways to Bargoed.  I am sure we did go there, but after dark it could have been anywhere!

Sources : Alan Costello (information taken from RPPR Railtour Pictorial Booklet) & Clive Barlow

Photo Review

20188 leads 20044 on the late running 1Z08 heading towards Blaenavon,
trundling along at 15mph between Pontnewydd and Cwmffrwdder Halt.
(photo: Gordon Lacy)

20188 & 20044 on arrival at Blaenavon (photo: Peter Brabham)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Clive Barlow & Bill Lynch)

Timings continue in first table.

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