The Lochalsh Highlander tour and more, April 2014
Thursday April 24th 2014
Leighton Buzzard High St around 0640 was the unlikely starting point for me and Tony Ewer before joining the bus to Aylesbury. A busy green bubble 55034 was then joined for a rattle and roll across the Chiltern foothills. A short wait on a now bright morning then the trusty, ultra reliable “Banbury commuter” regular 67023 worked hard leaving Risboro on the too brief climb to Saunderton bank.
A long fester at Wycombe before 67013 was joined for a good thrash in comfy former Wrexham and Shropshire” luxury mk IIIs North to Snow Hill with Jed joining us at Dorridge. A “Daytripper” was purchased and the usual crop of units, the required shacks of Lye and Langley Green were raked in plus 67010, 67012 and 67018. Jed keeping us company on the 67’s. 350112 powered us North to Crewe where we ventured out to sample the 24 hour MacDonald’s here, a unique experience! .
67023 powers out of Wycombe with the 0744 Banbury – Marylebone “commuter” a turn this loco did day in day out, what a machine!
67013 at Birmingham Snow Hill with the 1045 ex Marylebone
Friday April 25th 2014
Crewe from 2330 to 0130 was surprisingly busy with some freight including 60007 on a coal train, 90020 on 1S25 Sleeper and a “ronnie” on a booked Pendo drag. The tour arrived around 0115 and we joined our allotted coach B in a rake of 11 coffins but a generator coach right behind 37259 and 37423 reduced the thrash. On departure at 0135 i found an empty bay and dossed out completely missing the Carlisle photo stop. Not long after 6am the lowland locals began to join the tour at the likes of Wishaw and Larbert so i returned to my booked seat for more doss.
A Perth photo stop was a busy one, but on leaving Blair Athol my attempts to get a door vestibule were thwarted by many tractor men enjoying the noise. A good bit of snow survived on the Dalwhinnie hills, the mighty Cairngorms lost in mist. It was good to be on a proper train North of Inverness the Beauly Firth and Ben Wyvis as magical as ever. We arrived in a grey but dry (rare!) Kyle and 1430 with just 90 minutes to enjoy the fresh air.
Phots of the power, than me and Tony marched the Skye Bridge but the tight timings meant we could only climb up to the mid way summit, impressive enough mind. On our return we were rewarded with sea otters nedding around on the shore near Isle Ornsay. Food was raked in and around 1610 we returned East. More doss followed as unfortunately the Highland line was in darkness. After Wishaw the last of the lowlanders had left so we could stretch out and enjoy the 4 cans of Stella they had left behind.
The Lochalsh Highlander, Friday April 25th 2014
A straightforward Crewe-Kyle out and back run via the Highland line with almost 26 hours of action behind 37259/37423.Stock was 11 Mk IId/e “coffins”. Good atmosphere throughout, helped by fine weather West of Dingwall. With our Scottish contingent bailing by Wishaw there was “plenty room” to stretch out for the return overnight run. A bargain at £99
1Z51- Compass Tours Itinerary
Crewe 0140, Preston, 0238, Carlisle 0355/0450, Wishaw 0622, Holytown, Mossend E, Mossend Yd, Coatbridge C 0643, Cumbernauld 0654, Larbert 0709, Stirling 0721, Dunblane 0730, Perth (last stop) 0810/0830, Aviemore 1024/1029, Inverness Rose St 1121/26, Dingwall 1210, Achnasheen 1311/18, Kyle 1433
Kyle 1618, Achnasheen 1729,Dingwall 1828, Inverness Rose St 1853/1855, Kingussie 2000/2016, Perth 2140/2152, Mossend Yd, Motherwell, Wishaw 2338, Carlisle 0049/56, Preston 0213/19, Crewe 0304
Tour noses at Perth, during a booked pathing stop
37259 and 37423 rest at Perth after an overnight slog from Crewe
Fair bit of snow on the rolling Eastern Drumochter hills nr Dalwhinnie
Over the years a fair few will have waved/flailed or gawped at the “German Soldiers Helmet” (on the left) rock formation nr Schold
The summit is passed!
At the blocks at Kyle
The traditional view of Kyle with MV Hebridean Express at the quay
The late Tony Ewer on the Skye bridge
37423 and 37159 waiting the return South
All over after 1200 miles of action, its just after 3am with 37423 and 259 about to erupt out of Crewe with the emcars
Saturday April 26th 2014
A Crewe terminating time of 0315 was a bit rancid but after another MacDonald’s sortee we returned to the station to see and hear 90029 absolutely scream through non stop at high speed with 1M11 sleepers. As daylight set in we photted the recently arrived 60s on shed and a 20/57 combo on a down flask.
20302 and 57301 at Crewe with a down flask working
47790 looking good at Crewe
Tony was moaning about me picking a 0850 departure ex Crewe advance but how was i to know we wouldnt be hours late…. The rest of the day saw more 67’s and units before a bus from Haddenham to Aylesbury and another from there to Leighton ended a tiring but enjoyable Kyle day trip.
67010 powers out of Bicester with the 1355 Birmingham SH – Marylebone
Sadly writing up these expanded notes in 2022 it is depressing that the 2 familiar bashers that are mentioned in the text are no longer with us, RIP both Tony and Jed….
Moves and gen 2404-260414
24/4/14 Th
3387 150-0645 L.Buzzard – Aylesbury LB-AY
55034 0744 Aylesbury – P.Risboro AY-PR
67023 0744 Banbury – Marylebone PR-HW
67018 0609 Kidderminster – Marylebone
67010 0638 Stourbridge Jn – Marylebone
67010 1015 Marylebone – Birmingham MS
67013 1045 Marylebone – Birmingham SH HW-BSH
67013 1312 Birmingham SH – Marylebone BSH-DO
172333 1346 Dorridge – Worcester DO-SO
172332 1327 Stourbridge Jn – Stratford SO-DO
172338 1403 Stratford – Stourbridge Jn DO-SO
67012 1315 Marylebone – Birmingham MS SO-MS
172219} 1440 Whitlocks End – Kidderminster MS-ST JN
172340}
172336 1525 Kidderminster – Whitlocks End ST JN-CH
172337 1426 Stratford – Stourbridge Jn Lye CH-LY
172337 1557 Stourbridge Jn – Stratford Langley G LY-LG
172342 1526 Stratford – Stourbridge Jn LG-SJ
139001 1655 Stourbridge Jn – Stourbridge SJ-ST
139001 1700 Stourbridge – Stourbridge Jn ST-SJ
172334 1653 Stourbridge Jn – Leamington SJ-DO
67010 1647 Marylebone – Birmingham MS DO-MS
67013 1715 Marylebone – Kidderminster MS-RR
172333} 1837 Worcester – Birmingham SH RR-BSH
172344}
172331 1917 Witlocks E – Stourbridge Jn BSH-JQ
07 (tram) xxxx Wolverhampton – S.Hill JQ-BSH
67012 1815 Marylebone – Kidderminster BSH-GB
158818 1607 Aberystwyth – Bir Int’l GB-NS
90035 1903 Euston – Birmingham – caped
67018 1847 Marylebone – Kidderminster MS-BSH
172339 1946 Worcester – Dorridge BSH-MS
350112 2136 Birmingham – Liverpool NS-CR
25/4/14 Fr
90020 2115 (24/4) Euston – Inverness
60007 coal – Crewe
37259} 1Z50 0140 Crewe – Kyle “Lochalsh Highlander” CR-KY (596.26m)
37423}
5955 – via Preston, Carlisle, Wishaw, Mossend E, Mossend, Perth, Rose St
08742 – Mossend
Otters-Kyle!
37423} 1Z51 1608 Kyle – Crewe Rtn Railtour KY-CR (596.26m)
37259}
via Rose St, Aviemore, Perth, Mossend, ML,Wishaw, Carlisle, Preston
67022 1M16 2046 Inverness – Euston
26/4/14 Sa
90029 1M11 storm non stop thru Crewe!
350240 0822 Liverpool – Birmingham CR-NS
67018 0910 Kidderminster – Marylebone MS-SO
172103} 1012 Birmingham MS – Marylebone SO-DO
168219}
165021 1032 Leamington – Marylebone DO-MS
172215 1055 Kidderminster – Dorridge MS-DO
168217 1036 Marylebone – Birmingham SH DO-SO
67010 1106 Marylebone – Birmingham MS SO-MS
172337 1258 Birmingham MS – Kidderminster MS-SH
168217 1312 Birmingham SH – Marylebone SH-MS
67010 1355 Birmingham MS – Marylebone MS-BI
168002 1412 Birmingham SH – Marylebone BI-HA
5436 280 – 1440 Oxford – Aylesbury HA-AY
3263 150 – 1640 Aylesbury – M.Keynes AY-LB
end
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