The tour began with a fight for seats at London Bridge with me bagging coach 14002 in green 4 EPB 5001. All over blue 5176 completed the “end of an era” consist. Our coach of an already “full” tour was swelled by many pay on the day brigade so it was a 3 abreast wedge for the next 12 hours. with 20 “physical needs” breaks and a sociable atmosphere the wedge was soon forgotten.
Our 0900 departure visited a closed Cannon Street, then Blackfriars and onwards to the atmospheric Addiscombe branch. The physical needs breaks took on a new dimension here with mass pissing in the undergrowth as the lack of toilet facilities at many SR stations saw much steam generated! From Orpington fast country running took us to rare EPB haunts like Redhill where 33202/47704/47705 were stabled between van turns. Fast running ensued to Strood, Sittingbourne, and Sheerness.
Back at Bromley North the sun put in a late appearance and 5001/5176 looked really impressive on the long straight platform, every door open rush hour style. Leaving Waterloo we ran parallel and then overtook a departing Eurostar to everybody’s amusement. Kensington Olympia was the last rare haunt for a 4EPB visited and the last steam stop of the day. After a last South London deviation and just 3 minutes down, we entered Charing X at 2023 for the last ever time, with sad farewells. A classic cranks day out, good fun and a sense of history as well.
The route – some big track with at least the Elmers End -Addiscombe gone for ever
| London Bridge – London Cannon Street |
| London Cannon St – Metropolitan Jn – London Blackfriars |
| London Blackfriars – Loughborough Jn – Brixton – Stewarts Lane Jn – London Victoria |
| Victoria – Stewarts Lane Jn – Longhedge Jn – Clapham Junction |
| Clapham Junction – Longhedge Jn – Factory Jn – Crofton Road Jn – Nunhead – Lewisham – New Beckenham – Addiscombe |
| Addiscombe – Woodside – New Beckenham |
| New Beckenham – Beckenham Jn – Shortlands – Bickley – Petts Wood – Orpington – Sevenoaks – Tonbridge – Tonbridge Post Office Platform |
| Tonbridge Post Office Platform – Tonbridge – Godstone – Redhill |
| Redhill – Godstone – Tonbridge -Paddock Wood – Maidstone West – Aylesford – Strood – Rochester Bridge Jn – Gillingham – Sittingbourne |
| Sittingbourne – Kemsley – Sheerness |
| Sheerness – Kemsley – Western Jn – Newington – Gillingham – Strood – Gravesend – Dartford – Sidcup – Bromley North |
| Bromley North – Grove Park – Hither Green – Lewsisham – Nunhead – Cambria Jn – Linford Street Jn – Nine Elms Jn – Waterloo |
| Waterloo – Nine Elms Jn – West London Jn – Latchmere Jn – Kensington Olympia |
| Kensington Olympia – Latchmere Jn – Longhedge Jn – Factory Jn – Crofton Road Jn – Nunhead – Lewisham – Hither Green – Sidcup – Crayford Spur B – Crayford Creek Jn – Plumstead – Charlton – London Bridge – Waterloo East – London Charing Cross |
Phots of the “End of an Era” Railtour
EPBs at Victoria for the very last time, 5176 and 5001 look good
For atmosphere Addiscombe simply ouzed it, 5001 and 5176 at the blocks on this now closed branch from Elmers End
Woodside the only intermeadiate station on the Elmers End – Addiscombe branch sees 5176 and unusual crowd scenes
The pipes are connected between 5176 and 5001 at New Beckenham where the tour took the rare branch track to Beckenham Jn
Deep in Kent heres 5001 and 5176 with the semaphores at Aylesford
With the weather improving all doors are open rush hour style on 5001 and 5176 at Bromley North as the farewell tour draws to a close……
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