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Southern Belle Railtour |
The Windsor Reversible line was used to reach platform 18 at Waterloo, where generous recovery time (15 minutes from Linford Street to Nine Elms!) resulted in arrival one minute early. Punctual departure was also via the Windsor Reversible line, to West London Junction, where the train branched right onto the Sheepcote Lane curve. This spur has seen use by regular passenger services, but the tour was almost certainly the first electric passenger train. Following a pathing stop at Latchmere Junction the tour made use of the reversible signalling, running in the down direction on the up West London line to Kensington Olympia. The 7:55 Brighton to Watford Junction, unit 377206, was running parallel on the down line. There was another mis-routing at Kensington, where the train was signalled into platform 3. Although the line is reversible, trains greater than three cars cannot reverse on the up line at Olympia. It would have been an unexpected novelty to have had to reverse at Uxbridge Road, but the mistake was spotted in time, the route reset and the train crossed over to platform 2 after the Watford train had departed. The Southern route was taken to Clapham Junction, whence rather slow progress was made through the suburbs via Mitcham Junction. Fitting extra trains into the intensive service, even off-peak, on many lines can be difficult and delays are inevitable. A signal stop gave passengers in the Vep the opportunity to study the old LBSCR station at Epsom. With a Waterloo departure waiting in platform 2 at Dorking, the tour was routed via the down loop. Faster progress was made south of Dorking. |
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Waterloo Platform 18, more accustomed to Windsor Line trains, and 1698 is at the buffer stops. The Cep was at the head of the outward tour for all but the Waterloo to Kensington Olympia leg. photograph by Scot Bearford |
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Just time for a quick photograph of 1866,
now the front of the train, though as at most stations on the tour the train fills the
length of the platform, so no good camera angles to be had. photograph by Ron Strutt |
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Kensington Olympia Southern's 4 Cig leading the 12 car formation into platform 2 at Kensington Olympia, note the "Lymington Flyer" headboard. photograph by Colin Duff |
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Southeastern Trains' 4 Cep awaiting the
driver to change ends during the reversal at Kensington Olympia - next stop Clapham
Junction. Note that the platform length well exceeds that of this train! photograph by Colin Duff |
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Mitcham The tour is about to cross Eastfields Road level crossing, just before Mitcham Junction. photograph by Clive Fairchild |
| Working Timetable: 1Z11 05.56 Ramsgate to Weymouth Waterloo Vauxhall Nine Elms Jn Queenstown Rd West London Jn Latchmere Jn Kensington O Latchmere Jn Clapham Jn C Balham Streatham N Jn Streatham S Jn Mitcham Jn Sutton Epsom Leatherhead Dorking |
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RAMSGATE -
WATERLOO | DORKING - BROCKENHURST | BROCKENHURST - WEYMOUTH | WEYMOUTH | WEYMOUTH - WOKING
WOKING - ROCHESTER | ROCHESTER -
RAMSGATE - LONDON BRIDGE | LONDON BRIDGE | SLAM DOOR SUNSET INDEX
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This page updated
15th April 2006 by Colin Duff. |
