A cracking tour from Pathfinder, superb!
Power…33029/33207, 47802 idling on rear Organiser…Pathfinder
Headcodes…1Z74/1Z75/1Z76
Consist – 12 mk IId/e – 9526, 5985H, 5961, 5998, 6067, 6024, 1657, 3314, 3325, 3364, 3356, 3333
33029 and 33207 bring the Verney Venturer tour into Nuneaton around 10am on February 15th 2024
Route O/W – (T.Meads – New St) – Nuneaton – Rugby – Northampton – Bletchley Flyover – Verney Jn – Bicester Village
Route R/T – Bicester Village – South Jn – Princes Risborough – Wembley Stadium – Neasden Jn – Acton Canal Wharf (run round) – Dudding Hill – Brent Curve Jn – St Albans – Luton – Bedford – Corby – Melton Mowbray – Leicester – Nuneaton – (New St – Bristol TM)
Timekeeping – right time Cost – £135
Highlights
1/ Coach A TSO 5985 had opening hopper windows, much thrash could be heard!
TSO 5985 with hopper windows for added thrash value, i expect UK Railtours will add a supplementary fare to travel in this one!
2/ Bletchley Flyover and onwards to Bicester (first public train since reopening)
3/ Neasden semaphores, box, backwater
4/ Hendon flyover – Midland Merrymaker memories from the 1978
The current and 1978 (with 25243 on an electrification train) Hendon Flyover views
5/ Rasping thrash leaving Luton and Bedford
Farces
1/ OTT stand clear of yellow line enforcement at Nuneaton prior to the tour
2/ Swanbourne station house landmark demolished
Blot on the the landscape, HS2 at Twyford (near Claydon)
3/ WCML a farce (yet again) on return
Rating …9
Weather…Cold and wet all day
Photo stops …Nuneaton, Bicester Village
3 views from a soggy Bicester Village, 47802 on the rear of the tour, Bicester Yard where the Cromptons ran round and with 33207 leading bringing the tour back into a soggy Bicester Village
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