12th October 1980

R.P.P.R.
The Mayflower

Locos Used 47050, 50023 'Howe' & 50035 'Ark Royal'
Stock Used 9x mark 2 coaches
DMU Used Set P470 (51328+59509+51313) + Set P480 (51327+51312)

Route : 1Z30 throughout

Traction Route
50035 London Paddington - Slough - Twyford - Reading - Southcote Jn - Basingstoke - Salisbury - Templecombe - Yeovil Junction - Exeter Central - Exeter St Davids
50035 Exeter St Davids - Newton Abbot
DMU as listed Newton Abbot - Heathfield (Gulf Oil Siding)
DMU as listed Heathfield - Newton Abbot - Plymouth
DMU as listed Plymouth - Lipson Jn - Mount Gould Jn - Plymouth Friary (Turnchapel Branch Jn)
DMU as listed Plymouth Friary - Cattewater Jn - Cattewater Branch (Cromwell Road LC)
DMU as listed Cromwell Road LC - Cattewater Jn
DMU as listed Cattewater Jn - Plymstock Branch (almost to points for Oil Depot)
DMU as listed Plymstock Branch - Cattewater Jn - Plymouth Friary
DMU as listed Plymouth Friary - Mount Gould Jn - Lipson Jn - Plymouth - St Budeaux Jn - St Budeaux Ferry Road
DMU as listed St Budeaux Ferry Road - Bull Point Branch
DMU as listed Bull Point Branch - St. Budeaux Ferry Road - Liskeard [P1] (2)
DMU as listed Liskeard (Looe Branch platform) [P3] - Moorswater Sidings
DMU as listed Moorswater Sidings - Liskeard [P3] (2)
DMU as listed Liskeard [P2] - Plymouth - Tavistock Jn
DMU as listed Tavistock Jn - Tavistock Yard (West End of Through Siding to Marsh Mills Branch) (3)
DMU as listed Tavistock Yard - Newton Abbot
47050 (4) Newton Abbot - Exeter St Davids - Bristol Temple Meads
50023 Bristol Temple Meads - Bath Spa - Chippenham - Swindon - Didcot - Reading - Twyford - Slough - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) Tour tickets allowed tour participants who missed main train from Paddington to use service trains to reach Plymouth.
(2) Passengers had to detrain between platforms at Liskeard. Train ran as 5Z30 without passengers.
(3) The severe curve out of Tavistock Yard, Plymouth was too great for the DMU and as the buffers were fully compressed and the wheel flanges were riding up onto the rail, the train inspector stopped the special. The track to Marsh Mill was therefore not traversed.
(4) 47050 used in lieu of 50035 which had been re-diagrammed elsewhere, 50023 was found at Bristol Temple Meads to continue journey to London.
(5) Timings at Liskeard were issued, but with the comment 'You may have to detrain at Liskeard....', times are therefore shown below, albeit as E.C.S (shown in red).
(6) Contemporary reports comment that this was the 45th, and last ever, RPPR railtour. Operations ceased due to increasing charter prices, the unavailability of BR resources, and a lack of enterprise and cooperation by BR in supplying interesting motive power.

Sources : Andy Pullar, PRAR, Ian Bowskill, Kevin Driscoll, Keith Hayward, Ian Umpleby & Colin Marsden
Photo Review


50035 at Exeter St Davids on the outward leg (photo: David Lodwick)


Set P480 nearest camera on the Plymstock Branch (photo: Bernard Mills)


P470 leads off the Looe line connection at Liskeard (photo: David Lodwick)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Kevin Driscoll & Ian Umpleby)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
London Paddington 07.05d 07.06½   23.12a ?
Southall 07/20 ?   22/59 ?
Slough 07.27a ~ 07.29d 07.27 ~ 07.28   22.48a ~ 22.50d ?
Maidenhead 07/36 07/34½   22/43 ?
Twyford 07/41 07/40   22/38 ?
Reading 07.47a ~ 07.48d 07.45 ~ 07.48   22.30a ~ 22.32d ?
Southcote Jn 07/50 07/52½  
Basingstoke 08.05a ~ 08.06d 08.08 ~ 08.10  
Salisbury 08c43 ~ 08c45 08.40½ ~ 08.45  
Sherborne 09/31 09/30  
Yeovil Junction 09/36 09/35½  
Chard Jn 09/54 09/50  
Honiton 10/07 10x04½ ~ 10x12  
Pinhoe Crossing 10/20 10/22½  
Exeter Central 10/23 10.27 ~ 10.30½  
Didcot   22/17 ?
Swindon   21c56 ~ 21c58 ?
Chippenham   21/38 ?
Bathampton Jn   21/27 ?
Bristol Temple Meads   21c08 ~ 21c10 20.55½ ~ ??.??
Worle Jn   20/42 20/37
Bridgwater   20/16 20/24½
Taunton   20/04 20/13½
Whiteball Tunnel   19/54 20/05½
Exeter St. Davids 10.26a ~ 10.40 10.33½ ~ 11.00½   19.31a ~ 19.33d 19.46 ~ 19.47½
Dawlish Warren 10/40 11/13   19/19 ?
Newton Abbot 11.02a 11.25   19.08d 19.25½

 

Location Booked Actual
Newton Abbot 11.15d 11.29
Heathfield (Gulf Oil Siding) 11p32 ~ 11p45 11.50 ~ 12.02½
Newton Abbot 12.02a ~ 12.17d 12.23½ ~ 12.27½
Totnes 12/30 12/39
Brent 12/43 12/48
Hemerdon 12/55 12/57
Lipson Jn 13/00 13/02½
Plymouth 13.03a ~ 13.11d 13.05½ ~ 13.23
Mount Gould Jn 13/18 13/29
Plymouth Friary 13.23 ~ 13.28 13.32 ~ 13.36½
Cattewater Jn 13/31 13.39½ ~ 13.40½
Cattewater Branch 13.38 ~ 13.43 13.45½ ~ 13.55½
Cattewater Jn 13.50 ~ 13.55 14.00 ~ 14.02½
Plymstock 14.00 ~ 14.05 14.06 ~ 14.18
Cattewater Jn 14/09 14/21½
Plymouth Friary 14.12 ~ 14.17 14.28½ ~ 14.40½
Mount Gould Jn 14/20 14/44½
Lipson Jn 14/23 14/46½
Plymouth 14c26 ~ 14c27 14.51 ~ 14.53
St Budeaux Jn 14/31 15.00 ~ 15.03
St Budeaux Ferry Road 14.32 ~ 14.37 ?
Bull Point Branch 14.42 ~ 15.04 15.11 ~ 15.22
St. Budeaux Ferry Road 15*09 ~ 15*14 ?
Saltash 15/19 15/31½
St. Germans 15/25 15/37½
Liskeard [P1] 15.37a 15.50½
DMU then ran ECS to the Branch Platform (as 5Z30)
Liskeard 15.42 -
Liskeard Branch Jn 15.47 ~ 15.49 -
Liskeard Branch Platform 15.51 -
Passengers then rejoined DMU
Liskeard Branch Platform 15.56d [P3] 16.06½
Liskeard Branch Jn 15*58 ~ 16*03 ?
Coombe Jn 16/09 16.13 ~ 16.14
Moorswater 16.14 ~ 16.19 16.22 ~ 16.33
Coombe Jn 16/24 16.38 ~ 16.38½
Liskeard Branch Jn 16*31 ~ 16*36 ?
Liskeard Branch Platform [P3] 16.38a 16.45
DMU then ran ECS to the main Platform (as 5Z30)
Liskeard Branch Platform 16.42 -
Liskeard Branch Jn 16.44 ~ 16.46 -
Liskeard 16.52 -
Passengers then rejoined DMU
Liskeard 16.57d [P2] 17.01½
St. Germans 17/07 17/11
Saltash 17/13 17/16
St. Budeaux Jn 17/17 17/19
Plymouth 17c22 ~ 17c24 17/24
Lipson Jn 17/27 17/26½
Tavistock Jn 17.31 ~ 17.36 17.29½ ~ 17.31½
Marsh Mills Branch 17.41 ~ 17.55 17.46½ ~ 18.09½
Tavistock Jn 18*00 ~ 18*02 18.15 ~ 18.26
Hemerdon 18/10 18/33½
Brent 18/24 18/38
Totnes 18/32 18.59 ~ 19.07
Newton Abbot 18.47a 18.20½

Timings continue in first table.

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