The Southern Mariner Tour, Sunday Dec 12th 1993
Organiser – Pathfinder
Headcode – 1Z60
Ching – £35
Load 11 MkII/I ab
Power
59002} 0930 Bristol – Brighton “Southern Mariner” Railtour Bath – Eastleigh
56054}
60053 0930 Bristol – Brighton “Southern Mariner” Railtour Eastleigh – Preston Park
09026 0930 Bristol – Brighton “Southern Mariner” Railtour Preston Park – Brighton
73106 1500 Brighton – Bristol “Southern Mariner” Railtour Brighton – Newhaven Marine
37194 1500 Brighton – Bristol “Southern Mariner” Railtour Newhaven M – Victoria
56047 1500 Brighton – Bristol “Southern Mariner” Railtour Victoria – Woking (fail)
33202 1500 Brighton – Bristol “Southern Mariner” Railtour Woking – Salisbury
56054 1500 Brighton – Bristol “Southern Mariner” Railtour Salisbury – Bath
A fast car courtesy of Steve Chapman with Northampton Bob and Mick (Bob sadly died in 2023) got us to Bath with just a few minutes to spare, before the exotic 59002 and 56054 rolled into Bath. A good start 2 newies, but before we had sat down we were gripped, desperate or what! We were to later find out that pay on the day punters were being chinged £75 (the tour ching in gyppo class was £35), all rather nasty so near Christmas Mr Wattts.
Swinging onto the Avon valley proper the rains set in and were to last on and off all day. It was one of those December days where it never really got light which is probably why i only took one phot. 56054 put on a spectacular smoke display leaving Salisbury, the tour atmosphere was upbeat but not buzzing, despite the varied power on offer.
60053 took over at Eastliegh so it was a slow, largely silent run along the Coastway route to Preston Park station. Here a fair few howels of anguish (including me) when dud 09026 was attached to the tour for the 1.32 mile drag into Brighton. 09026 had been raked in by me and many more when she and other 08”s worked the “Laverstock looper” specials in 1986.
A quick chippie and pub visit in Brighton helped improve spirits more although common 73106 was a rather dull ED for the Brighton – Newhaven Marine leg.
Newhaven Marine in the dusky drizzle seemed a bleek place, largely out of use then by boat trains but, still on occasions, upmarket specials using the ferries. This helped to explain the grand piano on the long island platform. 37194 another newie! was attached here to snarl and growl through Lewes and eventually Clapham Junction before London Victoria was briefly visited. We were at the right end to hear the rather rare i was told 56047 put to work, hard, on leaving Victoria, boy did she scream!
When the booked Woking crew change dragged on, hearing the news that the “grid had burst” the whole train disembarked to view proceedings. The grid failed apparently due an “air leak” or “low coolant” who knows for sure, but “as we”d all had it now” we cared not!. In 1994 there was always a long line of locos stabled just South of the station in sidings off the down main. It was dark but we could hear a “Crompton” chattering away, and dear old 33202 emerged from the gloom to cheers the eighth engine on the tour! 33202 didnt dissapoint on having a good class 1 run over the “mule” to Salisbury, i later heard somebody cleared their Cromptons that day with 33202 , a nice early Christmas present.
It was disappointing to see 33202 removed at Salisbury and the mornings grid in 56054 attached for the thrash over Salisbury Plain and back to Bath. After watching 56054 scream off Bath it was back into Steve”s car, the M4 and home beckoned.
A hugely enoyable tour, especially in hindsight , 5 new locos for me (37194, 56047, 56054, 59002 and 60053) but it was that “slim” that stole the show, what a machine!!
Phot from the Day
09026 at the Brighton blocks with the enjoyable Southern Mariner tour on December 12th 1993
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