PLYMOUTH-BIRMINGHAM: 3.55pm PLYMOUTH-MANCHESTER (1M31)
Engine: Class 47 No 47854 Womens Royal Voluntary Service
Load: 7 coaches, 234 tons tare, 250 tons full
( 245 tons full to Exeter)
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miles sch m/sec m/hr
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0.00 PLYMOUTH NORTH ROAD 0 0:00
1.94 mp 244 (Laira Jc) 3:30 64
3.94 mp 242 (Plympton) 5:22 62/68
5.44 mp 240.5 6:52 49
6.69 mp 239.25 (Hemerdon) 8:35 41
8.44 mp 237.5 (Cornwood) 10:23 62
11.59 Ivybridge (New) 13:28 59
13.94 mp 232 (Wrangaton) 15:48 61/60
16.29 Brent SB 17:56 66
18.44 mp 227.5 (Rattery) 20:01 61
20.44 mp 225.5 (Tigley) 21:59 61
23.13 TOTNES 27 25:49
----- -- -----
0.00 0 0:00
1.81 mp 221 2:57 57
3.31 mp 219.5 4:30 60
4.81 mp 218 (Dainton) 6:16 43
6.81 mp 216 8:24 61
7.56 mp 215.25 (Aller) sigs 35*
8.73 NEWTON ABBOT 12 11:24
---- -- -----
0.00 0 0:00
3.58 mp 210.5 4:11 76
5.16 Teignmouth 5:43 59*
7.93 Dawlish sigs 52*
9.58 Dawlish Warren 10:20 75
11.63 Starcross 11:57 77/76
15.33 mp 198.75 (Exminster) 14:50 83
17.08 mp 197 16:22 90
19.26 Exeter St Thomas 17:38 easy
20.18 EXETER ST DAVIDS 22 19:13
----- -- -----
0.00 0 0:00 (avge)
1.25 Cowley Bridge Jc 2:12
3.70 Stoke Canon LC 4:24 66.8
7.15 mp 186.75 (Silverton) p.w.s 50*
8.39 Hele LC 8:47
12.58 Cullompton 11:49 82.9
16.55 Tiverton Parkway 14:33 87.1
19.90 mp 174 (Whiteball) 16:53 86.1
23.66 Wellington 19:14 96.0
26.26 Bradford LC 20:47 100.6
28.86 Norton Fitzwarren FB 22:22 98.5
30.76 TAUNTON 27 24:39
----- -- -----
0.00 0 0:00
2.89 mp 160.25 (Creech S M)) 3:37
4.64 mp 158.5 (Cogload) 4:52 84.0
8.64 mp 154.5 (Fordgate) 7:35 88.3
11.55 BRIDGWATER 9:29 91.9
14.14 mp 149 (Dunball) 11:12 90.5
17.83 HIGHBRIDGE 13:39 90.4
20.64 mp 142.5 (Brent Knoll)) 15:29 91.9
25.08 Uphill Jc RR 18:23 92.4
28.02 Worle Jc OB 20:19 91.2
31.00 Huish LC 22:18 90.2
32.80 Yatton 23:29 91.2
36.72 Nailsea 26:02 92.2
38.86 Flax Bourton Land
Slip 0*
43.86 Bedminster 43:50
44.75 BRISTOL TEMPLE MEADS 37 46:27
----- -- -----
0.00 0 0:00
1.04 Lawrence Hill 2:21
1.62 Stapleton Road 3:09 43.5
4.38 Filton Abbey Wood 6:08 55.5
4.80 Filton Junction sigs 0*
5.86 BRISTOL PARKWAY 8 10:32
---- -- -----
0.00 0 0:00
4.62 Westerleigh Jc 5:51
6.20 Yate (New) 8:24 37.2
stop 0*
10.60 Wickwar Tunnel N 17:59
12.79 Charfield GF 19:47 73.0
17.95 mp 108 (Berkeley Rd) 22:59 96.7
20.56 Cam & Dursley 24:31 102.1
24.61 Olds End LC 26:54 102.2
27.18 Haresfield Xg 28:29 97.4
31.20 mp 94.75 (Tuffley Jc) 30:51 101.9
sigs 0*
38.64 CHELTENHAM SPA 34 40:37
----- -- -----
0.00 0 0:00
1.66 Morris Hill LC 2:25
7.24 Ashchurch 6:15 87.3
9.38 Bredon 7:34 97.5
12.13 Eckington FB 9:14 99.0
16.67 Wadborough LC 12.01 97.9
17.95 mp 68.75 (Abbotswood Jc) 12:49 96.0
24.55 Dunhampstead LC 17:04 93.2
31.32 BROMSGROVE 22:00 82.3
33.45 mp 53.25 (Blackwell) 24:04 61.8
34.88 Barnt Green 25:37 55.3
37.51 Longbridge 27:36 79.5
38.55 Northfield 28:18 89.1
39.96 Kings Norton 29:27 73.5
41.03 Bournville 30:42 51.3
42.13 Selly Oak 31:44 63.9
44.54 Five Ways 34:56 45.2
45.46 BIRMINGHAM NEW ST 49 38:21
----- -- -----
Date: Tuesday 2nd March 1999
dep: Plymouth North Rd 3.55pm..R Time
arr: Birmingham New St: 7.51pm..6 Late
A day of torrential rain was causing flooding of the Exe
and Culm valleys, but we got through OK. But at Flax
Bourton the cutting had collapsed and the track was awash
with mud and water. We were fortunate to get through with
only 10 minutes delay. Away from Bristol only 7 minutes
late, the storm intensified and we were stopped again
before Wickwar Tunnel; reason not known, but no doubt
weather related. Timing became difficult with the rain
lashing against the windows. The driver was clearly intent
on making up time, for we averaged 100 mph plus over the
13 miles, Berkeley Road to Tuffley, only to suffer a dead
stand for signals outside Cheltenham. 16 minutes late away,
we were clearly going to be late into Birmingham; but more
superb running, with some recovery time to help, got us in
only 6 minutes late, in 38 mins 21 sec from Cheltenham.
Interestingly, some five minutes after we had arrived, the
New Street station announcer was apologising for the late
arrival of the Plymouth to Manchester service, which was
expected in approximately 6 minutes time.
Summary of running: schd net
(PT)
23.13 Plymouth-Totnes 27 25.8
8.73 Totnes-Newton Abbot 12 11.0
20.18 Newton Abbot-Exeter 22 18.8
30.76 Exeter-Taunton 27 23.7
44.75 Taunton-Bristol T M 37 33.9
5.86 Bristol T M-Parkway 8 8.5
38.64 Parkway-Cheltenham 34 32.6
45.46 Cheltenham-Birmingham 49 38.3
------ --- -----
219.51 216 192.6 68.4 mph.
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