THE LOCOMOTIVES set to haul Vintage Train’s ‘Mayflower’ tour tomorrow (Friday, September 27) have been confirmed as organisers revealed that not everyone could be accommodated on the now fully-booked special, writes Neil Gordon.
Two heritage class 20 diesel locomotives, numbers 20189 and 20142, will haul the train between Birmingham and Bristol and back, while Castle class steam engines 7029 Clun Castle and 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe will work the tour between Bristol and Plymouth, and back to Bristol.
Organisers Vintage Trains said demand for places on the ‘Mayflower’ was so great that they were not able to accommodate everyone wanting to travel, and a waiting list opened in the event of a rerun.
Timings for Friday’s trip have also been confirmed with the train set to depart Birmingham New Street at 6.34am and call at Barnt Green at 6.56am.
The train passes Bromsgrove non-stop at 7.05am.
Arriving at Bristol East Depot at 9.13am the two steam engines will replace the diesel locomotives here. The train then makes a brief call at Bristol Temple Meads at 9.44am before departing for the main event – the mainline run between Bristol and Plymouth behind two Castle class steam locomotives.
At Plymouth passengers will have around three hours’ leisure time before rejoining the train in time for its 4.32pm departure and return journey back to Bristol.
In Bristol locomotives 7029 and 5043 will be removed at the expense of the diesel engines, with the class 20s returning the train to Birmingham. The tour leaves Bristol Temple Meads at 8.38pm, passes Bromsgrove at 10.15pm before calling at Barnt Green at 10.21pm and Birmingham New Street at 10.46pm.
