The Anniversary Aggregate Railtour, Sat Jan 6th 1990

The Anniversary Aggregate Railtour, Sat Jan 6th 1990

Organiser: BRC&W Type 3 Pres Group (their first tour)

Headcode:  1Z33

Stock: 4TC’s 8001, 8018 and 8023

Power: 33050 and 33051

                                                6/1/90 Sa The Day’s moves

321430 0426 Euston-Northampton                                                                            LB-MK

86241  0115 Holyhead-Euston (no roarer today then!)                                              MK-EU

50007  0652 Waterloo-Exeter                                                                                     WA-WO

33050} 0643 Salisbury-Hastings Railtour                            (via Hastings)             WO-CJ

33051}

1801    2022 Wivelsfield-Victoria                                                                              CJ-VI

321408} 2152 Euston-Rugby                                                                                     EU-LB

321430}

Things could only get better at Woking around 0730 on a dark, damp Saturday morning as i watched 50007 splutter off West and around 8am, proper power in bulled up immaculate, Railfreight construction liveried beasties in 33050 and 33051 arrived. The stock was load 12 made up of 3 x 4TC units, not the best stock for a long day tour perhaps.

The driver receives run round instructions at Angerstein Wharf with 33050 and 33051 looking good on January 6th 1990

The first exotic bit of track was the very short branch to Angerstein Wharf where we all bailed out onto the gravel rich terminal floor to watch the Crompton’s run round.  The Lee Spur took us from the Lee line to Grove Park then a left prong at Chislehurst Jn took us onto the main line through Swanley before the again, short Cliffe Brett Marine branch. As we tottered along this marshy area several wildfowlers were disturbed from shooting the local ducks by cries of “murderers” from our train! All good natured banter.

Again we all bailed out at Cliffe and several of us climbed high gravel banks for a better phot of the now top and tailed power. I don’t think such activity would be permitted on a tour today!    

Photted from the top of a high gravel bank 33051 poses at Cliffe Brett Marine yard on January 6th 1990

Serious mileage followed through Kent and towards Hastings but the early January darkness made it, to be honest, a bit boring not helped by the trapped no atmosphere factor on board. So getting back to Clapham around 2115 it was a relief to get off and get home. An enjoyableish tour, decent power and some rare branches but a bit too long for many….