Saturday May 15th 1993 moves
321420 0434 Euston – Northampton L.Buzzard-Northampton
310111 0620 Northampton – Birmingham Northampton – Coventry
158860 0648 Coventry – Nuneaton Coventry – Nuneaton
31302} 0500 Carnforth – Windsor “Merry Wives” RT Nuneaton – Mitre Bridge Jn
31304} (via Northampton, Bletchley Fly, Oxford, Acton W)
33023 0500 Carnforth – Windsor Railtour Mitre Bridge Jn – Addiscombe
(via Ken O, Factory Jn, Lewisham, Elmers End)
56031 0500 Carnforth – Windsor Railtour Addiscombe – Windsor + Eton Riv
(via Elmers End, Lewisham, Factory Jn, Clapham Jn,
Twickenham, Staines)
31302} 1550 Windsor – Carnforth Rtn RT Windsor + Eton – Clapham Jn
31304} plus 2 cross platform onto………………….!
56059} 1520 Angerstein Wharf – St Pancras Rtn “Cattle Grid” RT
47820} Clapham Jn – St Pancras
(via Kew, Cricklewood E)
321422} 1824 Euston – Northampton Euston – L.Buzzard
321421}
An early start, i was the sole passenger joining the 0524 unit off Leighton to Northampton. At Wolverton Steve Chapman joined as our 321 screamed over Hanslope, Already in was a “proper unit” in 310111 the booked unit class power for the 0620 Northampton – Brum. With the heat blasting out we struggled not to fall asleep in the ambient comfort of the 310 unit as we had to bail at Cov!
From Cov 158860 took us to Nuneaton for a plus hour onto the tour. 15 down coal sector 31302 (a winner) and 31304 arrived with the “Merry Wives” Railtour and a good crowd joined. A Steamtown rake of 11 mk i’s was soon settled into, we were down the back. On getting the tour brochure both me and Steve frownded at the editorial wibble moaning about the tour being rerouted Claydon – Oxford – Acton rather than Quainton Road and the Chiltern main line, big track that!
31304 and 31302 at the West End of Bletchley flyover with the long demolished chimneys of Newton Longville brickworks as we head towards Oxford on May 15th 1993
We were stopped for a 20 minute crew change on Bletchley flyover, plenty time to take in the splendid scenery! As we toddled along at the booked pedestrian pace near Winslow some horse riders in the field alongside decided to race us!, smiles all round. Once on the main line at Oxford now 50 down, the goyles put in long spells of seriously fast running lifting the spirits of those aboard once more.
The late Tony Ewer catches 31302 and 31304 passing the then surviving platforms at Verney Junction, 2 weeks before this section closed to all traffic
Up the bank at Acton Wells then we swung onto the NLL at Mitre Bridge Jn where the by now rare weekend Crompton 33023 took over for an enjoyable 19 mile jaunt round South London including Kenny O, Factory Jn, Lewisham, New Beckenham and Elmers End before a rare loco hauled run down the atmospheric Addiscombe branch. Phots of 33023 here and the winning 56031 forwarding power from Addiscombe back to Elmers End, Lewisham, Factory Jn, Clapham, Staines and into Windsor and Eton Riverside about an hour down.
33023 at Addiscombe with the tour, a rare loco hauled venue
Required 56031 awaits to join the tour at Addiscombe, the unit stabling sheds are behind the throbbing beast
The 31’s about to return North from Windsor and Eton Riverside
A half hour break at Windsor saw tense scenes on the returning tour as we departed 30 down from Windsor with 31302/31304 powering once more. This meant we were on a minus 20 onto the Hertfortshire Railtours “Cattle Grid” tour with 56059 at Clapham Jn. Steve tried to make out “he wasnt that bothered” to the flapping states opposite, oh yer Steve a winning grid about to be missed.
Well we didnt pass the tour en route to Clapham and a good 150-200 bailed off the Peds at Clapham Jn. Then one of those moments those present will never forget as 2 minutes later 56059 rounded the corner and after a minor flap that she wasnt going to stop, the 150-200 desperados all boarded the grid tour! The “Cattle Grid” tour seemed pretty empty as we all found seats (reasonable £10 excess) and enjoyed the huge sense of relief we had made the minus 20 “connection”. We were routed via Kew East, Acton Wells and Cricklewood East curve back to St Pancras for a quick grid phot on arrival.
Quite a relief to make this at Clapham!!!!56059 on the blocks at St Pancras with the Cattle Grid tour
Then it was a stroll down the Euston for 321422/421 home, a brilliant day was over for us….
A good few leapt from St Pancras to Paddington for a tram to Reading to rejoin the “Merry Wives” tour. Unfortunately a suicide and guard issues saw the tour delayed up to 70mins on the return run…
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