WESTERN REGION: 11.25am KINGSWEAR-PADDINGTON
(THE TORBAY EXPRESS)
Engine: Castle class 4-6-0 No 5024 Carew Castle
Load: 10 coaches, 341 tons tare, 370 tons full,
2 coaches added at Exeter, making
12 coaches, 401 tons tare, 435 tons full
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miles sch m/sec m/hr
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0.00 TORQUAY 0 0:00
0.85 Torre 4:13 17
1.74 mp 218.25 (summit) 6:58 20
3.58 Kingskerswell 9:37 56
59
4.80 Aller Jc SB 10:51 56
5.91 NEWTON ABBOT 11 12:22 30*
9.49 mp 210.5 17:03 52
11.07 TEIGNMOUTH 18:55 49*
48*
13.84 DAWLISH 22:18 51*
15.49 Dawlish Warren 24:12 55
17.54 Starcross 26:24 56/54*
21.30 Exminster 30:04 65
22.99 mp 197 31:38 68
25.34 Exeter St Thomas 33:36 60
26.09 EXETER ST DAVIDS 35 35:14
----- -- -----
0.00 0 0:00
1.26 Cowley Bridge Jc 3 3:19 36
3.39 Stoke Canon 6:22 47
7.17 Silverton 10:55 53/51
8.36 Hele & Bradninch 12:16 55
12.59 Cullompton 16:41 59
14.79 Tiverton Junction 19:11 51
16.56 Sampford Peverell 20:58 59
19.16 Burlescombe 24:00 46
19.90 Whiteball SB 24 24:58 44
23.67 Wellington 28:22 82
26.90 mp 167 30:42 84
28.79 Norton Fitzwarren 32:04 81
30.76 TAUNTON 32 33:34 79
33.22 Creech Jc SB 34 35:24 77
35.52 Cogload Jc SB 37:16 73/72
38.70 Athelney 39:55 74/72
42.66 Curry Rivel Jc SB 43:13 72
43.75 Langport East 44:02 69
45.84 Long Sutton 45:53 64
61
47.95 Somerton 47:58 66
70
51.28 Charlton Mackrell 50:55 64
53.56 Keinton Mandeville 52:52 72/74
56.16 mp 117.5 (Alford) 55:07 72
58.30 CASTLE CARY 60 56:59 67*
59.88 mp 128 58:25 64
61.78 Bruton 60:17 53/55
63.38 mp 124.5 62:09 49/50
64.38 mp 123.5 63:26 45
65.23 Brewham SB 64:46 39
67.09 Witham 66:46 60
71.17 Blatbridge Jc SB 73 70:19 72/73
73.20 Clink Rd Jc SB 75 72:05 65
73
76.49 Fairwood Jc SB 77 74:54 64
78.87 Heywood Rd Jc SB 79 77:05 67
82.06 Edington 80:00 65/67
86.57 Lavington 83:55 70/66
56
92.37 Patney & Chirton 92 89:43 59
94.60 Woodborough 91:57 61/60
98.14 Pewsey 95:20 66/64
61
100.92 Wootton Rivers 97:58 65
103.37 Savernake 102 100:22 59
104.86 Grafton Curve Jc 101:48 64*
107.04 Bedwyn 103:44 69
111.92 Hungerford 108:26 54*
115.98 Kintbury 111:24 67
119.28 Enborne Jc SB 115:22 62
120.36 NEWBURY 121 116:21 67
64
123.88 Thatcham 119:30 68
126.72 Midgham 122:03 66
128.67 Aldermaston 123:45 65
132.17 Theale sigs 34*
135.70 Southcote Jc SB 132:02 53/46*
136.56 Reading West 133:23 37*
sigs 0*
137.48 READING GENERAL 136 136:40
139.46 mp 34 (Sonning) 139:43 47
142.45 Twyford 141 143:05 60
146.96 mp 26.5 (Waltham) 147:19 67
149.22 Maidenhead 147 149:16 70
151.01 Taplow 150:47 71
152.51 Burnham 152:03 70
155.02 SLOUGH 152 154:16 68
157.24 Langley 156:15 66
158.72 Iver 157:37 65
160.25 West Drayton sigs 48*
162.56 Hayes & Harlington 161:54 56
164.39 SOUTHALL 160 sigs 53*
166.11 Hanwell 165:36 60
167.74 Ealing Broadway 167:09 63
169.20 Acton sigs 53*
170.18 Old Oak West Jc 169:52 easy
172.21 Westbourne Park 170 172:39
sigs
173.46 PADDINGTON 175 176:10
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Date: Friday 5th September 1958
dep: Torquay 12.02pm..2 Late
arr: Exeter St Davids 12.37..2 Late
dep: Exeter St Davids 12.46..6 Late
arr Paddington 3.42..7 Late
By Paignton it was all seats taken, by Torquay the
corridors were full. At Exeter hundreds more were
waiting, and 2 extra coaches were put on the back. So
it was 435 tons and 6 minutes late away. What followed
I regard as the my finest Castle run. possibly the
best run I recorded on the Western Region.
We ran unchecked for 131 miles (another record) and 5
of the 6 minutes lateness had been pulled back, but
we got signals at Theale, and then we were stopped
outside Reading station, and more checks from West
Drayton onwards, so the crew's efforts were undone,
and we were 7 mins late into Paddington.
Net time I calculate as 167.6 minutes, 62.1 mph.
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