Today would see me go on my second complete tour (well most of it!). Starting at Tamebridge Parkway the tour would head through Devon and into Cornwall. We joined at Birmingham New Street at 0600 as we couldn't get to Tamebridge Parkway in time. The tour was £79.50 from all pick up points and this is why tried to join it as far North as possible.
The main haulage traction was a pair of DRS Class 37s. Doing this honours was 37087 and 37194 both winners for haulage. 37087 with a split headcodes box was at the front. For the reversals a DBS 66 was on the back. This was to be added during the tour but operational issues meant it was attached from start to finish. 66135 was winner for both sight and haulage for me but I was a minority!
So we set off South bang on time. Pick up points at Barnt Green, Cheltenham Spa, Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton and Exeter were all made on time. There was a break for pathing at Newton Abbot and Plymouth so photos were taken.
From Plumouth it was non stop through to Goonbarrow for the route into the China Clay siddings. The climb through Luxulyan Valley bought the best out of the 37s so far. The 66 took us out and back to St Blazey. We went through St Blazey and under the mainline into Par harbour. We went beyond the Network Rail limit which is apparently the furthest any tour has gone before.
The 37s then pulled us back out the short distance back past St Blazey Depot. The 66 then took us to Lostwithial. From here the 37s took us down the Fowey branch.
Another reversal saw the 66 take us back up through Cornwall and onto the Friary Sidings past Laira. So that the 37s now did most of the work we got back onto the mainline via the Devon Speedway which goes through Laira.
The next challenge for the 37s was Hemerdon. A line speed of 60mph at the top is normally no problem for HSTs and Voyagers. The 37s were going 50mph at the bottom. When we hit the top we were going 20mph with the speed hovering just above most of the way through the climb. The sound was fantastic! The 66 was dead jn tow too! I'm more than certain that the Lickey would have been the same but we wouldn't know as we had to get off at Bristol for our train home.
Anyway, the last two bits of new track would come in the form of Alphington Road (last bit of action for the 66 as it reversed us into the siding) and being routed through Exeter Riverside.
Throughout the whole tour timings were pretty much bang on. In fact for a lot of timing points we were early. We arrived into Bristol parkway in plenty of time for the trip home. Long day but very much worth it.
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