29th February 1992

538 Railtours
The Liverpool Street Leapfrog

Motive Power 33116 + 4TC units 410 & 417
Formed, in order: 33116 + 410 [76288+70859+70812+76287] +417 [76302+70860+70826+76301]

Route : 1Z36 throughout (SR headcode 98)

Loco Route
33116 London Waterloo - Clapham Junction - New Malden - Surbiton - Weybridge - Addlestone - Virginia Water - Staines - Feltham Jn - Hounslow - Old Kew Jn - Kew East Jn - South Acton Jn - Acton Wells Jn - Acton Canal Wharf Jn - Dudding Hill Jn - Cricklewood Curve Jn - West Hampstead Thameslink - Carlton Road Jn - Junction Road Jn - Upper Holloway - Harringay Park Jn - South Tottenham - Tottenham South Jn - Coppermill Jn - Clapton Jn - Hackney Downs - Bethnal Green - Liverpool Street
33116 (1) Liverpool Street - Bethnal Green - Hackney Downs - Seven Sisters - Lower Edmonton - Bury St. Jn - Enfield Town
33116 Enfield Town -Bury St.Jn - Lower Edmonton - Seven Sisters - Seven Sisters Jn - South Tottenham - Woodgrange Park - Barking - Upminster - Shoeburyness
33116 (1) Shoeburyness - Pitsea - Tilbury East Jn - Tilbury Riverside
33116 Tilbury Riverside - Tilbury West Jn - Grays - Ockendon - Upminster - Barking - Fenchurch Street
33116 (1) Fenchurch Street - Limehouse - Gas Factory Jn - Bow Jn - Stratford - Ilford - Gidea Park - Shenfield - Wickford - Southend Victoria
33116 Southend Victoria - Wickford - Shenfield - Ilford - Stratford - Channelsea Jn - Lea Jn
33116 (1) Lea Jn - High Meads Jn - Temple Mills East Jn - Coppermill Jn - Brimsdown - Cheshunt - Broxbourne - Ware - Hertford East
33116 Hertford East - Ware - Broxbourne - Cheshunt - Bury Street Jn - Lower Edmonton - Seven Sisters - Hackney Downs - Bethnal Green - Liverpool Street (2)
33116 (1) Liverpool Street - Bethnal Green - Reading Lane Jn - Dalston Jn - Canonbury West Jn - Finsbury Park - Alexander Palace - Bowes Park
33116 Bowes Park - Alexander Palace - Finsbury Park - Kings Cross Freight Terminal Jn - Camden Road East Jn - Camden Road Jn - Gospel Oak - West Hampstead - Kensal Green Jn - Willesden Jn High Level - Acton Wells Jn - South Acton Jn - Kew East Jn - Old Kew Jn - Hounslow - Feltham - Staines - Virginia Water - Addlestone - Weybridge - Surbiton - Clapham Junction - London Waterloo

Notes :
(1) Loco propelling.
(2) Booked round trip to Chingford was cancelled (see comments below).
(3) Alan Osborn comments: A more appropriate name for this tour should have been West Hampstead Leapfrog bearing in mind it omitted the Pick Up at West Hampstead Thameslink and on the return failed to stop at West Hampstead North London I understand this was an error in the crew working notice timings which failed to show the West Hampstead calls.
(3) Many of the adverts in the railway press for this railtour were incorrectly dated 29th February 1991!

Source : Simon Bennett

Photo Review


417 at the rear departing Surbiton (photo: Steve Guess)


33116 at Tilbury Riverside (photo: Duncan Jennings)


Tour Review
(by Nigel Benning)

This was an excellent tour, starting from London Waterloo and making a round tour of the London area visiting a number of branches, before returning to Waterloo. I travelled up from Bournemouth for the tour but, as the first service from Bournemouth would not reach Waterloo in time, I drove to Southampton Parkway to catch the 06:00 service from here. Whilst waiting on the platform for this service, the empty stock for the tour thundered through the station, on its way to London from Bournemouth depot (which is about two miles from my house!).

I joined the tour at Clapham Junction, the tour already being 14 minutes down at this point, and we headed off on a circular route for Liverpool Street. Passengers hoping to join the tour at West Hampstead Thameslink had a fright as the tour neglected to stop there as advertised, necessitating a mad dash to Liverpool Street to pick the tour up there instead. On the return, the set down stop at West Hampstead North London Line was also omitted forcing an extra stop at Willesden Junction High Level. Oops!

Included in the tour was a visit to the now closed Tilbury Riverside station. It being February 29th, I purchased a 'Permit To Travel' ticket from the machine at Tilbury Riverside as a memento, only to find the date printed as March 1st !

The tour ran mostly to time during the day until a point's failure at Channelsea Junctions (Stratford) caused a one-hour delay (RST). The tour reversed at this point instead of taking its planned route and a later scheduled visit to the Chingford branch was later omitted in order to get the tour back on time. [A comment from Nick Lawford of 538 Railtours : It is true we were late, but we were not going to cut Chingford until something else happened. The train crew workings were extremely complex. We had 2 sets of drivers (one for SR traction, one for AR route) and likewise 2 sets of guards, route and stock. The problem was that certain combinations of crews were diagrammed to be relieve at LV before Chingford trip and others at LV after Chingford. Our late running would have caused one of the crew - who was already on the train and due to come off at LV after Chingford - to have run over his maximum allowed hours if he continued to work. CON-trol was trying to find another crew, but in the mean time, the relief crew that had been poised to relived the train on return from Chingford had arrived,, but would also over run their hours if we continued as booked. At one point the tour even had the road for departure to go to Chingford, but reluctantly I had to agree to omit it.] As a result, an on time departure was made from Liverpool Street and the tour finally ended up being 30 minutes early back at Clapham Junction (where I left the tour).

538 Railtours planned further branch tours, but these never materialised due, I believe, to the organiser moving to Europe for work purposes. And I still need the Chingford branch! [Nick Lawford : That is true. I had to stop doing any more because of that.]

Nigel Benning

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Robin Addison, Alan Sheppard & Nigel Benning)

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 Waterloo 07.38d [MFL] 07.53d
3.74 Clapham Junction 07.46a ~ ??.??d 07.59 ~ 08.00
9.62 New Malden 07/52 [SL] 08/09
12.03 Surbiton 07.59a ~ ??.??d 08.13 ~ 08.14
19.12 Weybridge 08/08 08/23
20.71 Addlestone 08/12 08/26
24.65 Virginia Water 08/23 08/32
28.78 Staines 08.33a ~ ??.??d 08.39 ~ 08.40
30.31 Feltham Jn 08/42 08/48
31.29 Hounslow 08/44 08/50
34.68 Old Kew Jn 08/51 08/55
35.30 Kew East Jn 08/53 08/56
36.10 South Acton Jn 08/56 08/58
37.76 Acton Wells Jn 09/01 09.01  ~  09.07
38.36 Acton Canal Wharf Jn 09/03 09/09
41.33 Dudding Hill Jn 09/08 09/14
42.17 Cricklewood Curve Jn 09/14 09.16 ~ 09.17
43.36 West Hampstead Thameslink 09.21a ~ ??.??d 09/24
45.23 Carlton Road Jn 09/24 09/35
46.00 Junction Road Jn 09/27 09/38
47.08 Upper Holloway 09/28 09/39
48.23 Harringay Park Jn 09/31 09/41
49.77 South Tottenham 09/34 09/48
50.01 South Tottenham East Jn - 09/48
50.43 Tottenham South Jn 09/37 09/51
51.10 Coppermill Jn 09/39 09/53
51.23 Clapton Jn 09/42 09/54
53.06 Hackney Downs 09/44½ [FL] [SL] 09/56
54.74 Bethnal Green 09/48 10/00
56.04 Liverpool Street 0951a ~ 1009d 10.03 ~ 10.13
57.14 Bethnal Green 10/12 10/17
59.02 Hackney Downs 10/16 10/20
61.52 Seven Sisters 10/21 10/25
64.49 Lower Edmonton 10/30 10.30  ~  10.33
65.24 Bury Street Jn 10/31½ 10/34
66.59 Enfield Town 10.36a ~ 10.50d 10.37 ~ 10.50
68.14 Bury Street Jn 10/54½ 10/52
68.69 Lower Edmonton 10/56 10/54
71.66 Seven Sisters 11/02½ 11/02
71.72 Seven Sisters Jn 11/03 11/02
72.05 South Tottenham West Jn - 11/07
72.09 South Tottenham 11*06 ~ 11*11 11/07
? South Tottenham East Jn ? 11.07a ~ 11.12d
78.29 Woodgrange Park 11/21 11/23
79.71 Barking 11c26 ~ ??c?? 11/26
87.49 Upminster 11/35 11/35
95.18 Laindon 11/42 11/42
98.71 Pitsea 11/46 11/47
108.04 Southend Central 12/03 12/03
111.69 Shoeburyness 12.12a ~ 12.22d 12.12 ~ 12.22
115.54 Southend Central 12.28a ~ 12.29d 12.28 ~ 12.29
124.67 Pitsea 12/39 12.41 ~ 12.43
134.74 Tilbury East Jn - 12/57
135.34 Tilbury Riverside 1254a ~ 1318d 12.58 ~ 13.18
135.73 Tilbury West Jn - 13/19
138.09 Grays 13/22 13/23
142.80 Ockenden 13/27 13/36
145.58 Upminster 13/32 13/42
153.36 Barking 13/39 13/50
159.04 Limehouse 13/48 [FL] 13/59
160.78 Fenchurch Street 13.53a ~ 14.08d 14.03 ~ 14.09
162.56 Limehouse 14/12 14/14
163.55 Gas Factory Jn 14/14 14/16
164.37 Bow Jn (LTS Timing!) 14/17 [EL] 14/18
164.37 Bow Jn (GE Timing!) 14/20 [EL] 14/18
165.51 Stratford 14/23 14/20
168.76 Ilford 14/27 14/28
175.09 Gidea Park 14/33 14/35
? Gidea Park Jn ? [ME] [EL] 14/35
181.64 Shenfield 14/42 14/43
190.48 Wickford  14/58 14/54
203.07 Southend Victoria 15.17a ~ 15.38d 15.07 ~ 15.45
215.46 Wickford 15/51 16/01
224.30 Shenfield 16/03 16/15
231.05 Gidea Park 16/10 16/23
237.18 Ilford 16/16 16/29
240.43 Stratford 16c24 ~ ??c?? 16.34
241.05 Channelsea Jn 16/28 16/37
- Carpenters Road North Jn ? 16.37 ~ 17.24
- Hackney Wick/Lea Jn (Up Line) DIV 17.27 ~ 17.30
241.21 High Meads Jn ? 17/31
241.65 Temple Mills East Jn 16/31 17/35
244.33 Copper Mill Jn 16/44 17/43
250.20 Brimsdown 16/52 17/49
253.40 Cheshunt 16/56½ 17/52
256.56 Broxbourne 17/01 17/56
257.74 Broxbourne Jn 17/03 17/58
258.30 Rye House 17/04½ 17/59
261.57 Ware 17/10 18/04
263.58 Hertford East 17.14a ~ 17.30d 18.07 ~ 18.17
265.59 Ware 17/34 18/22
269.06 Rye House 17/39½ 18/28
269.42 Broxbourne Jn 17/43 18/29
270.60 Broxbourne 17/45½ 18/31
273.76 Cheshunt 17/50 18/36
279.14 Bury Street Jn 17/57 18/42
279.69 Lower Edmonton 17/58 18/43
282.66 Seven Sisters 18/04 18/48
285.36 Hackney Downs 18/09 [SL] 18/53
287.24 Bethnal Green 18/13 18/56
288.34 Liverpool Street 18.16a ~ 18.24d 19.00a
289.42 Bethnal Green 18/27 [SL] [FL] DIV
295.18 Hackney Downs 18/30½ DIV
292.72 Clapton Jn 18/36 DIV
298.67 Chingford 18.48a  ~  18.55d DIV
304.62 Clapton Jn 19/07 DIV
306.22 Hackney Downs 19/09½ [SL] [FL] DIV
308.10 Bethnal Green 19/13 DIV
309.20 Liverpool Street 19.16a ~ 19.27d 19.28d
310.30 Bethnal Green 19/30 19/31
311.75 Reading Lane Jn 19/34 19/35
312.19 Navarino Road Jn - 19/36
312.75 Dalston Jn 19/44 19/37
313.65 Canonbury West Jn 19/47 19/40
315.07 Finsbury Park 19c53 ~ 19c55 [SL] 19.43 ~ 19.45
317.44 Alexandra Palace 20/05 19/50
318.21 Bowes Park 20.11a  ~  20.21d 19.52  ~  19.56
318.78 Alexandra Park 20/27 [SL] 19/58
321.35 Finsbury Park 20c32 ~ 20c33 20/02
323.12 Kings Cross Freight Terminal Jn 20/38 20/09
323.46 Camden Road East Jn 20/43 20/10
323.71 Camden Road 20/46 20/14
325.10 Gospel Oak 20/49 20/17
326.75 West Hampstead NLL 20.54a ~ ??.??d 20/22
329.17 Kensal Green Jn 20/59 20/31
329.39 Willesden Jn HL 21/00 20.32a ~ 20.33d
330.24 Acton Wells Jn 21/03 20/35
332.11 South Acton Jn 21/05½ 20/37
332.71 Kew East Jn 21/11 20/40
333.33 Old Kew Jn 21/13 20/40
336.72 Hounslow 21/18 20/45
337.70 Feltham 21/20 20/49
342.04 Staines 21.29a ~ ??.??d 20.54 ~ 20.55
346.17 Virginia Water 21.37a ~ ??.??d 21.02 ~ 21.03
350.11 Addlestone 21/42 21/09
351.70 Weybridge 21.46a ~ ??.??d [SL] [FL] 21.15 ~ 21.16
357.55 Hampton Court Jn 21/53 21/23
358.79 Surbiton 21.55½a ~ ??.??d 21.25 ~ 21.26
361.20 New Malden 21/59 21/29
363.63 Wimbledon 22/01 21/32
367.08 Clapham Jn 22.06½a ~ ??.??d 21.36 ~ 21.37
371.02 Waterloo 22.13a ~ ??.??d 21.45


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