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Cromptons to Exeter |
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| By 1985 the English
Electric Class 50's were well established on the Waterloo to Salisbury
and Exeter services. The Class 33 Cromptons, which had worked the line
for several years, now worked the Waterloo to Salisbury Semi fasts, with
one or two workings beyond Salisbury. In the 1985 Summer timetable,
there was a Summer Saturday 8.37am Waterloo to Exeter which was,
together with it's return working, was booked a 33. I drove to
Rugby and picked up one of the overnight sleepers to Euston.
And so at Waterloo, I found 33020 at the head of an 8 coach train. I had no problem finding a seat on the milepost side of the train (the left). We were away 2 minutes late at 8.39am, and had a clear road until Winchfield, where we were put on to the relief line. Taking just under 49 minutes to Basingstoke, we were away again at 9.30am. But at Worting Junction, we took the Southampton line not the Salisbury one. Engineering works meant that we would be travelling via Southampton and Romsey, before regaining the usual route at Salisbury. So we were bound to be late into Exeter, though with several return services to choose from, no problems were expected. 33020 continued, calling at Sherborne, Yeovil Junction, Crewkerne, and Chard loop, where we had a 19 minute wait for an up train. Then stops at Axminster, Honiton, Feniton, Whimple, and Pinhoe, before our arrival at Exeter Central at 1.21pm, and Exeter St Davids a few minutes later. Our maximum speed on the journey from Waterloo was 84mph near Winchester Junction. |
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So I waited for the next service back to Waterloo, which hopefully would
be the return working for 33020. But 33020 vanished into the sidings,
and did not return. In fact the next up train turned out to be the
heavily delayed 10.50am Penzance to Brighton, which finally arrived at
3.23pm, with a pair of 33's up front, 33008 Eastleigh, and 33052
Ashford. By the time the locos had run round, it was 3.38pm before we departed. Stops were at Exeter Central, Pinhoe, Whimple, Feniton, Honiton, Axminster,Crewkerne, Yeovil Junction, Sherborne, Gillingham, Tisbury, Salisbury, with arrival at Southampton at 6.06pm, 86 minutes late on the old schedule. The locomotives worked vigorously throughout, the maximum speed being 88 mph below Seaton Junction. At Southampton, I said goodbye to the Cromptons, and headed back to Waterloo, then over to Euston for the next service to Rugby. I reached home at about 11pm, after a long, but interesting day. |