We had real concerns about making the tour at Bedford as it involved a plus 6 at Bletchley off a regular late runner onto the 0642 Bletchley – Bedford a regular caped train for a plus 10 onto the tour! The unit was only 3 down off Leighton (a shock) so 150141 was made which ran right time. On arrival at St Johns there was a minor flap as there was some Network Rail Bert there who we feared would cape our train there due raindrops on the track.
1015 rolled into Bedford right time where we joined 3 of Bedford’s finest. A Railtour first, we believe in a Western hauled tour down the branch albeit in heavy rain. An unannounced photo stop at Bletchley due the 15 minute pathing stop there. The Maybach music on the WCML was very muted as we followed an all stations cart, 37884 was on the old Stonebridge Park LHS, then a rareish freight curve onto the Incline down to Acton main line.
On the GW mainline progress was again slow with a looping at Newbury Racecoarse but a bit more lively running ensued out Pewsey way. At Westbury we bailed to do various leaps, i did the 45 minute hike to scratch Dilton Marsh. I was last there in 1978 when the halt was little more than a few planks, and no trains were due, 9 punters boarded 158745 at the heavily rebuilt but still very short platformed “Marsh” today, that would have been unheard of in 1978!
1015 had a 45 minute layover on return from Cranmore and I like many others stood near the loco taking in the idling Maybach sounds, instantly transforming us back to 1970’s Padd or Temple Meads. Sunday April 14th 1974 remains etched on my memory, the day i cleared my Westerns for sight, when 1015 returned on an afternoon Weymouth train…..!!!
All to soon departure time arrived but once the inane PA announcements had temporarily finished , from coach E (the 3rd coach back) we could hear nothing from up front. This was despite some fast running, storming through Chippenham and Swindon at great haste. We swung onto the Oxford line at Didcot West like many Western hauled stone trains from the 70s. We were slowed near Oxford but once clear of Oxford Parkway we sped at 90 ish Eastwards before easing to join the Chiltern mainline at Bicester before storming South again.
In evening sun a “Wizzo” up front threading through classic wooded Chiltern hill scenery was perhaps a personal best for me anyway. Easing up passing the horrendous HS2 building scars in NW London we rejoined the WCML and once again we staggered North behind a unit on the two track WCML railway Network Rail inflict on us every Saturday night from 2000.
A bellow through Leighton then my luck held as i made the plus 2 cross platform leap at Bletchley onto the unit to be home by nine. A reasonable day out, good company, good loco but many negatives that may see this being my last UK Railtours trip until they get some Mk I’s or early mk IIs., hopefully with no “PA”! too.
Organiser…UK Railtours
Headcode..1Z77 o/w, 1Z79 r/t
Power..1015 “Western Champion”
Load..10 Mk II d/e…17105, 3333, 3356, 1657, 3304, 3390, 1200, 5929H, 6176, 5961
Route o/w.. (East Midlands Parkway) – Bedford – Bletchley – Acton anal Wharf – Acton – Reading – Newbury – Westbury – (Cranmore )(extra ching)
Route r/t..(Cranmore) – Westbury – Melksham – Swindon – Didcot W – Oxford – Bicester – P.Risboro – Greenford – Acton – Acton Canal Wharf – Wembley C – Bletchley – Bedford – East Midlands Parkway)
Timekeeping – right time (‘cart horse’ timings o/w)
Ching £130, additional £15 rip off excess for Westbury -Cranmore
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Highlights
1/ making the tour at Bedford! 2/ Wizzo on Bedford – Bletchley line 3/ Many old Western stone train haunts 4/Fast running on return , storming through Swindon at 80mph, plus much fast running Oxford – West Ruislip
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Farces
1/Rancid Mk II cofin stock, little thrash heard. 2/Inane, far too frequent PA announcements incl “do not look out of the window”!! 3/ Very slow “carthorse timed” outward leg. 4/stagger on both legs of WCML. 5/ arrogant stewarding…
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Weather – very wet am, sunny pm
Photo stops – Bedford, Bletchley, Westbury
Score 6.5
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1015 arrives right time at Bedford
1015 awaiting her departure time from Bletchley, the UK railtours headboard was removed here
Quality spelling
37884 stabled at a murky Wembley LHS
66309 was attached at Westbury to assist with the run round, the shed worked the emcars only though
Nice light, nice loco, 1015 with the return tour at Westbury
1015 gets the road from Bletchley for Bedford
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Leighton Lists 