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Best Railtour ever

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GRALISTAIR

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Hey guys, sorry if this is posted elsewhere, what was the best Railtour you ever went on and why. Mine was the DAA Anglo-Scottish Freighter May 1985
Double Headed NB Class 25s out of London Marylebone to start via Claydon NE etc. Plenty of freight lines, loads of good haulage. Had a pair of slow speed control fitted class 26s in Scotland. I travelled from Preston to London to catch the Railtour and returned to London and then travelled back.

Wonderful.
 
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scoope

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The Swindon Ambassador 2 from Bolton right into Swindon works.2nd April 1983 Hauled by 40035 then 45012. We had to walk to the station at Swindon for the return leg. It was my last major visit to Swindon. This was the most remembered railtour however my best trip was in August 1981 when I bought a week long Railrover and covered the country.
 

GRALISTAIR

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The Swindon Ambassador 2 from Bolton right into Swindon works.2nd April 1983 Hauled by 40035 then 45012. We had to walk to the station at Swindon for the return leg. It was my last major visit to Swindon. This was the most remembered railtour however my best trip was in August 1981 when I bought a week long Railrover and covered the country.

I remember the advertised tour. Class 40 were all the rage then. I was never a big fan though I did log >2000 miles behind D200 (sorry 40123). And you knew the Peaks would not last long. Sounds like a great tour though.
 

NIMBUS

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"Ballymoss" to Bristol TM and back on the aborted "Deltic Ranger" railtour in February 1978 - then "Meld" on the rerun three weeks later.
 

12CSVT

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Tiberius Kirk - 23rd to 25th July 1999.

37013 + 37165 Northampton to Mossend
37023 + 37114 Mossend to Fort Wiiliam / Fort William to Tulloch (where 37023 failed)
37114 Tulloch to Crianlarich / Crianlarich to Oban / Oban to Crianlarich
37114 + 37116 Crianlarich to Rugby

Mega milage, especially from 37114 which did heroics by hauling load 12 over most of the West Highland line alone.
 

GRALISTAIR

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OMG - I am jealous - Class 76 - Tommy Haulage
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Tiberius Kirk - 23rd to 25th July 1999.

37013 + 37165 Northampton to Mossend
37023 + 37114 Mossend to Fort Wiiliam / Fort William to Tulloch (where 37023 failed)
37114 Tulloch to Crianlarich / Crianlarich to Oban / Oban to Crianlarich
37114 + 37116 Crianlarich to Rugby

Mega milage, especially from 37114 which did heroics by hauling load 12 over most of the West Highland line alone.

Winner of the 2011 mileage competition with 51,694 miles 51 chains
Wow - not bad getting close to my 1984 number -though I was helped by a 14 day All-Line Railrover, plus plenty of run-abouts, Railtours and business trips Preston-Euston
 

Whistler40145

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1. CFPS's The Silver Jubilee when 40145 broke the non-stop record between Liverpool Street & Norwich.

2. The Class 37 Group's Settle Syphons with the rather weathered pair of 37058+37059 & then 37051+37057 freshly painted in EWS livery doing a ton south of Doncaster & getting checked outside Peterborough.


---
I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?5kkjom
 

QJ

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Mine was the DAA Anglo-Scottish Freighter May 1985

Disqualified for having a 47555 hauling the train on the overnight sections. :cry:


I have had the fortune (had being the operative word as railtours aren't cheap these days) to enjoy many railtours home and abroad. A number were memorable for various reasons; destination, rare track or motive power (the thrash innit), incidents and the like).

One of my favourites was the Western Whistler organised by F&W with my favourite class of loco to my home city. The start from a photo stop at Totnes towards Rattery being etched in the memory.

http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/820919fw.htm

No doubt not counting for this thread but abroad Desperate Railtours railtours in Austria would take some beating for atmosphere, track, incident and loco haulage. Just a pity the last advertised tour was cancelled because of the weakness of the Pound sterling against the Euro. I would have cleared virtually all of the OeBB rare branches and spurs (not counting the tunnel at Innsbruck) if it had run.

Further afield a railtour lash up from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles consisting of 21 coaches hauled by a UP 4-6-6-4 Challenger and three E8 diesels via Las Vegas was impressive as was a circular railtour from Beijing to Beijing that included five days of 2-10-2 QJ haulage including a cab ride.
 
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NIMBUS

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2. The Class 37 Group's Settle Syphons with the rather weathered pair of 37058+37059 & then 37051+37057 freshly painted in EWS livery doing a ton south of Doncaster & getting checked outside Peterborough.

I'd forgotten about that one. There was some absolute hellfire running that day. I've just referred back to the itinerary and my notes and we hit 106 between Retford and Newark and 109.5 down Stoke Bank. :oops:
 

eastwestdivide

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Disqualified for having a 47555 hauling the train on the overnight sections. :cry:
QUOTE]

Briiliant memory - yes that was the only bad bit. They wanted EH for the ON- could have put a pair of 31/4 on though.

For those of us in the aircon Mk2 corridor first (aka coffin), having the aircon on was a blessing, dispersing the smells of 12 sweaty feet and 12 sweaty armpits.
I've still got some photos of the Anglo-Scottish Freighter, 25s at Marylebone, 47555 at Worksop, 20s in Scotland round some curve in Ayrshire I think. Anyone want to see them? Take a few days to get hold of them though.
 

garnon

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For those of us in the aircon Mk2 corridor first (aka coffin), having the aircon on was a blessing, dispersing the smells of 12 sweaty feet and 12 sweaty armpits.
I've still got some photos of the Anglo-Scottish Freighter, 25s at Marylebone, 47555 at Worksop, 20s in Scotland round some curve in Ayrshire I think. Anyone want to see them? Take a few days to get hold of them though.

It was one of my early (and best) tours - and would love to see any images you can find.
Thanks Darren
 

GRALISTAIR

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Yes I was in the aircon firsts - were they Mark 2F - Definitely NOT 2dS - could have been Mark 2es - 2Fs rings a bell
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I still think the slow speed control class 26 pair in Scotland was humungous - only 26001-26007 were SSC fitted IIRC
 

eastwestdivide

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Better late than never, here's some photos from the Anglo Scottish Freighter, which Six Bells Junction (at http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/840504da.htm) gives as 4th-6th May 1984 (not 1985 as in the OP). That also tallies with my slide numbering system.
Anyway, 25s at Marylebone, Aylesbury and Wellingborough, 47555 at Worksop, 26s at Edinburgh and 20s in Ayrshire I think.
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Bevan Price

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All my best are from the steam era. Hard to pick a favourite, but my first was Edge Hill - Liverpool Riverside - Edge Hill - Canada Dock - Alexandra Dock - Bootle Jn - Aintree - Altcar & Hillhouse - Aintree - Ormskirk - Rainford - St. Helens - Widnes South - Garston Dock - Liverpool Lime St - for £1.
 

RIPDuke

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"Ballymoss" to Bristol TM and back on the aborted "Deltic Ranger" railtour in February 1978 - then "Meld" on the rerun three weeks later.

My Grandad passed away recently and he was the driver on the rerun. I am happy you found this one to be the best railtour, my grandad obviously done a great service for you that day. He was known as Duke to all his railway mates.
 

GRALISTAIR

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Better late than never, here's some photos from the Anglo Scottish Freighter, which Six Bells Junction (at http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/840504da.htm) gives as 4th-6th May 1984 (not 1985 as in the OP). That also tallies with my slide numbering system.[/IMG]

Just home in the UK. Checked my logs - YOU ARE CORRECT. 1984
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
RCTS were never known for loco bashes but on 8th June 1985 they did "The Buxton Belle" Started of with 73002+73003 on diesel power from Waterloo to Brent Curve. Then 45113 took over to Toton. From there it was 20116+20103 to Sheffield and then 37065 (off Thornaby - quite rare) all the way to Buxton Single Line Access road. 47240 was the bonus haulage to Buxton station then 40122 into Man Pic. 85001 from Man Pic to Willesden No 7 and there it was the Electro-diesels back to Waterloo.
 

yummy125

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It seems to me - track bashes are easier than loco bashes these days. During the 1980's a really good railtour could have 10+ loco's.

The Plant Invader 1984 run by RESL was my first class 58 haulage and 56 haulage.

I own the below plaque of "The Plant Invader" railtour which sits under my tv:

IMAG0742-1.jpg


56011 1Z?? ???? London Waterloo - Doncaster The Plant Invader Railtour between Brent Junction - Toton
58010 1Z?? ???? Doncaster - London Waterloo The Plant Invader Railtour between Sheffield - ?
58010 1Z?? ???? London Waterloo - Doncaster The Plant Invader Railtour between Toton - Tinsley

More info on the Railtour:

http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/80s/840728re.htm

Locos Used 20054, 20093, 33020, 33028, 33031, 33039, 56011 & 58010
Stock Used SR air braked boat train set

Route : 1Z69 throughout

Loco(s) Route :
33028 + 33031 London Waterloo - Clapham Junction - Brent Jn
56011 Brent Jn - St Albans - Bedford - Kettering - Oakham - Loughborough - Toton
58010 Toton - Trowell Jn - Chesterfield - Darnall - Tinsley Freight Yard
20054 + 20093 Tinsley - Rotherham - Doncaster - Mexborough - Sheffield
58010 Sheffield - Derby
56011 Derby - Leicester - Market Harborough - Wellingborough - (fast line?) - Bedford - St Albans - Brent Jn
33020 + 33039 Brent Jn - Barnes - Clapham Junction (1)

Notes :
(1) Train terminated at Clapham Junction due to sticking brake blocks.


A tour ticket, courtesy of Brian Halford.

Sources : Alan Costello & PRAR

Timings (Booked Only)
(from PRAR)

M Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn) M
0.00 Waterloo 08.00d ??.??a ???.??
2.81 Queenstown Road 08/04 ??/?? ???.??
3.93 Clapham Junction (WL plat) 08.07a ~ 08.09d 21.12a 392.14
7.09 Barnes 08/15 21/07 388.98
9.43 New Kew Jn 08/20 21/02 386.64
9.98 Kew East Jn 08/23 20/59 386.09
10.72 South Acton Jn 08/25 20/57 385.35
12.50 Acton Wells Jn 08/28 20/54 383.57
15.44 Dudding Hill Jn 08/32 20/50 380.63
16.48 Brent Jn 08L34a ~ 08L54d 20L28a ~ 20L48d 379.59
17.51 Hendon 08/58 FL 20/24 378.56
30.32 St Albans City 09.10a ~ 09.11d 20.06a ~ 20.08d 365.75
40.67 Luton 09.22a ~ 09.23d 19.49a ~ 19.51d 355.40
50.73 Flitwick 09/32 19/37 345.34
??.?? Bedford South Jn 09/39 SL ??/?? ???.??
60.35 Bedford Midland 09.41a ~ 09.43d 19.24a ~ 19.26d 335.83
??.?? Bedford North Jn 09/45 FL ??/?? ???.??
70.18 Sharnbrook 10/00 19/17½ 236.00
75.68 Wellingborough 10.09a ~ 10.11d 19.06a ~ 19.08d 320.50
81.24 Kettering Jn 10/19 SL 18/59 ML 314.94
82.55 Kettering 10.22a ~ 10.24d 18.48a ~ 18.57d 313.63
85.50 Glendon North Jn 10/29 18/41 SL 310.68
- Market Harborough - 18.29a ~ 18.30d 302.71
- Kibworth - 18/23 296.75
- Wigston North Jn - 18/16 289.75
- Leicester - 18.08½a ~ 18.10½d 286.60
- Sheet Stores Jn - 18/03 265.91
- Spondon - 17/43 259.80
- London Road Jn - 17/39 257.37
- Derby - 17L23a ~ 17L38d 257.18
- Ambergate Jn - 17/09½ 247.27
100.77 Manton 10/45 - -
104.03 Oakham 10/49 - -
115.82 Melton Mowbray 10/59 - -
125.59 Syston East Jn 11/10 - -
125.80 Syston East Jn 11/12 - -
133.07 Loughborough 11/21 - -
140.69 Trent 11/28 - -
141.82 Trent Jn 11/29 - -
142.82 Toton Centre 11L32a ~ 11L47d - -
155.35 Pye Bridge Jn 12/04 - -
???.?? Morton 12/09 - -
163.63 Clay Cross South Jn 12/16 17/00 237.17
167.74 Chesterfield 12/20 16/55 233.04
- Dronfield - 16/51 227.77
- Dore - 16/48 225.04
- Sheffield - 16L31a ~ 16L41d 220.79
- Wincobank Station Jn - 16/24 217.54
177.08 Beighton Jn 12/32 - -
178.45 Woodhouse Jn 12/36 - -
181.82 Darnall 12/42 - -
184.38 Shepcote Lane 12/47 - -
185.62 Tinsley Express Frieght Yard 12L52a ~ 13L02d - -
186.77 Treeton North Jn 13/10 - -
189.53 Rotherham 13/15 16/22 215.33
192.03 Aldwarke Jn 13/19 16/18 212.83
195.40 Mexborough 13/26 16/11 209.46
200.43 Hexthorpe Jn 16/05 16/05 204.43
202.43 Doncaster 13.38a 16.00d 202.43
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---





I also went on this Class 50 Tour in 1992:

D400 & 50007 Sir Edward Elgar head south through the Lune Gorge at Dillicar with the returning Rail / Network SouthEast Carlisle to Waterloo 'Carlisle Fifty Farewell' railtour on 11 April 1992

D400_50007_Dillicar_1992.jpg
 
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