Ticket and Railtour Leaflets from 1977 Onwards

W51450 seen at Wadebridge on the 'Camel Train' 6-5-78

W51588 at Wadebridge on the 'Camel Train'. 6-5-78

The Lea Valley Railway Club ran two return trips from Plymouth to Wadebridge and back on Saturday 6 May. Although not the last train to visit the branch, it was one of the last. The unit we travelled in was W51579 + W59264 + W51588

The Camel Train Leaflet

20029 & 20028, on the Freightliner Railtour, waits at the now closed New Holland Town station after arriving from Bristol, initially behind 37183 and 31175/235 19-4-80

The Freightliner Railtour leaflet

Severnside Railtours ran a special through the Midlands up to the now closed New Holland Town station on the 19 Apriil 1980. Motive power was 31235+31175 20028+20029

24082, complete with wreath!, on the Merseyside Express at Ruabon for the photostop 14-1-78 If you're interested I've put 2 MP3 clips of the 24's on the internet. The first clip has them coming to halt before accelerting away again. The second clip is of them departing Bedford. Use the 'clickable' link to these files in the scrolling info box on the bottom right of the home page !

The Merseyside Express leaflet

On a cold, misty Saturday 14 January 1978, the DAA Railtour Society ran the final Class 24 loco hauled passenger train to run on BR. The tour, hauled by 24082 and 24133 left St Pancras and eventually ended up in Liverpool. BR kept back 3 locos for the trip before withdrawal. 2 for the trip and one spare.

Woodhead trip leaflet

The LCGB ran a DMU railtour from Crewe to Crewe out via the Woodhead route and back via the Hope Valley. Travelled in M56339.

Yorkshire Rover leaflet

�3.95. Thats all it cost to get haulage by a pair of 25's from London St Pancras via freight lines around Sheffield, to York, and back to St Pancras via Knottingly etc. How much would a similar tour cost today with a pair of 66's !

The Three Way Special railtour leaflet.

The guard blows the whistle; the driver starts to climb into the cab as panic siezes you as its suddenly a long run back to the footbridge, over and back down onto the platform to get back on to the train before it leaves without you.... 76049 at Guide Bridge during a photo stop on the return leg of the 'Three Ways Railtour' 14-10-78

The Thompson B1 Loco Society ran a long trip from London Marylebone to Manchester out via Nuneaton, Sheffield, Manchester, Lincoln, Ipswich and into London Liverpool street. A mammoth 15 hour tour with locos 31273 25040 40018 40024 40067 76049 providing the power

The Pines Express leaflet

Through no fault of the organisers, this train rapidly became a bit of a disaster. Origonally booked for a class 40, this had to be turned down due to non being available and also the nearest class 03 to Weymouth was Bristol, so that wasn't going to happen either. But the train never made it to Weymouth. It started off fine. We travelled to Bath and then around the freight loop at Avonmouth, back to Bath and then onto Westbury for a trip to Radstock. By now the train was running extremely late and by the time we got to Yeovil they stopped thre train and took it straight back to London. We had to make our own way back to Bristol.... The re-run was advertised for a special price of 90p but we had had enough and didn't bother. The loco was a class 47

The Mancunian leaflet. On Saturday 20 May 1978, the D1041 Preservation Society ran an excellent railtour from Cardiff to the freight only lines around Manchester. One highlight was travelling on the section from Woodley Jct to Northendon Jct, passing underneath the viaduct at Stockport. The locos for the trip were 37244+37285 84010 40109 08670

84010 at Birmingham New Street waiting to couple to the front of the 'Mancunian' railtour. 20-5-78

40109 on the centre road at Stockport as it waits for 84010 to come off the front off the 'Mancunian' railtour so that we can proceed round some freight lines around Manchester. 20-5-78

40109 at New Mills Central on 'The Mancunian' railtour on 20-5-78. In those days the train was stopped, everybody got off and were allowed to access the track as seen in the picture. A few whistles from the guard and everybody jumped back on board and off we'd go again. Whilst taking this picture 2 x class 40's on a light engine movement came up and were stopped at the signal just behind us here. Must find the photo ....

40042 & 40106 at New Mills Central, stopped at the signal, as the participants of the 'Mancunian' railtour take pictures of 40109. 20-5-78

The Western Final� leaflet

Ticket for the Western Final� railtour that ran from Exeter to York and back. The trip wasn't entirely without incident as the train hit a cow that had wandered onto the track near Charfield, north of Bristol. Apparently the brake pipe, which was broken in the impact, was mended with the aid of a penny!! The journey continued without any more problems. The loco for the trip was D1023 WESTERN FUSILIER. If you're interested, I've put an MP3 sound clip of the Western Final� leaving Cheltenham 29 years ago. The quality may not be good but there you go.. Use the 'clickable' link to this file in the scrolling info box on the bottom right of the home page !

37697 and 37417 at the front of the 1Z28 'Severn Taff Cruncher' railtour at Fishguard Harbour. 37280 & 37137 just visible at the other end of the train. 18-1-92

Severn - Taff Cruncher leaflet

Odd name for a railtour. 37697 + 37412 and 37280 + 37137 provided the haulage to Fishguard and back from Gloucester.

Got to Kings Cross one day to find the station staff throwing these away. Had to keep one !!

The Garw Growler Railtour leaflet

An excellent trip to some of the then remaining freight only branches. This one had 37902 37427 top 'n tailing.

Yet another of the mini tours run by the Monmouthshire Railway Society. This one ran very late but all branches were acheived. Haulage provided by 37402 37258

Crewe works open day for 1977

Did this a couple of times when we caught a BR excursion to Kent.

One of the BR tickets for an excursion to Grange including a trip on Lake Windermere.... or a trip back to the West Coast Main Line to se what came through!

A special, DMU railtour from Lostwithial down to Fowey and back in the late 90's

Gloucester had an open day on the 4th August 1991 and a few trips were run. This one was to Sharpness topped and tailed with a pair of 20's & 33's

And this one to Westerleigh with 56038 & 37891 at one end, and 37040+37520 at the other

Be nice if they still did this. Might stop you being searched under suspicion of being a trainspotter!

One of the local Scout groups organised a trip to York and back. Best part was when 55004 raced us to Challoners Whin jct on the departure from York. Pictures are in the Type 5 section on this site.....

10 August 1979.

One of the last open days at Swindon Works.

For �9.50 you could buy a ticket from Bristol to any station in Devon and Cornwall, valid for a day. Fairly expensive at the time but good value all the same

50011 87003 at Carlisle on the Citadel Express Railtour. 31-10-81

50011 took us to Carlisle and back via the Settle & Carlisle.

All Line Railrover ticket

Eastern Region Railrover ticket

A trip from Bristol to Eastleigh with 9F 92203 from Westbury to Eastleigh for the open day, followed by D1072 WESTERN GLORY from Eastleigh to Didcot, for a quick visit, before the Western took us back to Bristol.

A special platform ticket was issued at Westbury for the occasion of the 9F attaching itself to our train

The leaflet for the record breaking run to London

In 1977, BR decided to try and run a train that would average over 100mph between Bristol and London using of the then brand new HST units. We were lucky and got a seat and paid our �3.75. The record was broken easily and so we entered the record books !!