Excursions by British Rail

[Tallpaul70]

Hi All,

I am looking for information about excursions run by BR between 1955 and 1965 from Bedford to destinations including Kew(for Kew Gardens) and Windsor for a trip on the Thames.

I remember going on such excursions from Luton with my parents but the details I have are sketchy.

I would like to replicate such excursions on my WR mainline layout but lack details of Locos (black 5s maybe?) or timings and for the Windsor trip exact itineries. For instance I remember a Windsor trip and passing Runnymede on the Thames boat trip, but was this a round trip or did we leave the river elsewhere and rejoin our train that had travelled from Windsor while we were on the river?

I guess similar excursions were run from other locations so details of such trips would be of interest.

Many thanks
Regards

Paul

 

[30907]

Not much help, I appreciate, but as Runnymede is much nearer Staines than Windsor I suspect you did a one-way cruise to or from Staines.
In that case, for operating simplicity the excursion train would very likely have run to Windsor and Eton Riverside via the Dudding Hill line and Brentford, with the loco being serviced at Feltham in between.

 

[Spartacus]

If you don't know dates it might be a bit of a long trawl but there's a lot of tours on here: https://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/trf/trfindex.htm

 

[DerekC]

I recall going on exactly that sort of excursion as a school trip in about 1955-6. Unfortunately not from Bedford, though. Mine ran from the Lea Valley (we got on at Cheshunt) picking up school contingents at each station and then went (as far as I can remember) via the Tottenham & Hampstead line to Gospel Oak, North London Line to Acton Wells and thence via the GWML to Windsor. It was comprised of old corridor stock (probably LNER) and I remember being disappointed because it had an N7 in charge, but whether that ran through to Windsor I can't tell you. As to timings I have no real idea, other than that it must have been a reasonably early start to allow travel time, walking time (I think we walked past or through Windsor Castle) and boat trip as well, then back in time for tea (well, bed anyway).

Hope that might trigger a few thoughts.