13. The MKT railtour-09.10.77

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1977 > 13. The MKT railtour-09.10.77
The first of two subsequent Sunday visits to Fairwood Junction just west of Westbury to see railtours. This first one was for the MKT Railtour organised in association with the DTG. A fine autumn morning saw two class 40s lead the railtour from Paddington to the South Devon Railway and back. I cannot remember how we got there but I seem to remember that it could have been my dad as there was a row about him being held up because the railtour was late running?
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Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.

Class 47, unidentified up LE, Fairwood Junction Taken with permission of the signalman in Fairwood Junction signal box, an unidentified class 47 runs light engine off the mainline in towards Westbury. Notice the Elm trees behind the line that have died as result of Dutch Elm disease that ravaged the species during the 1970s.
40081 & 40084, outward leg of the MKT Railtour, London Paddington-Kingswear (1Z35), Fairwood Junction With Fairwood Junction signal Box catching the autumnal sunlight 40081 and 40084 bring the outward leg of the MKT Railtour from Paddington to the South Devon Railway's terminus at Kingswear out of Westbury and on to the mainline. As is pretty common with railtours (then and now), it was running nearly an hour late. The railtour ran to Castle Cary, south to Yeovil, then taking the L&SWR route to Exeter and beyond.
40081 & 40084, outward leg of the MKT Railtour, London Paddington-Kingswear (1Z35), Fairwood Junction Running nearly an hour late, 40081 and 40084 are way off their beaten track as they rejoin the south west mainline at Fairwood Junction near Westbury. With an enthusiastic wave from a a gricer in the front coach, the train heads off to Castle Cary, Yeovil, Exeter, Paignton and Kingswear running as 1Z35.
Class 50, unidentified down working, from Fairwood Junction signal box After the KKT railtour had passed, I was invited into the signal box. As it was a Sunday morning there was very little traffic about but I did manage to capture this class 50 on a down working from London Paddington. It is seen coming out of Westbury and about to rejoin the mainline that is to the right more commonly known as the Westbury cut-off. Interestingly, this cut-off was not constructed by the GWR until relatively late in 1933 to relieve pressure on Westbury station and to speed up timings to the West Country.
Nameplate, 47077, stabled, Westbury MPD On the way back from seeing the MKT railtour at Fairwood Junction I took a quick tour of Westbury depot. As it was a Sunday there were no staff about so I was able to wander about with impunity; how things have changed! This image shows one of Western Region's named class 47s. It was named at London Paddington less than a month after it was released into traffic in March 1965 by Ray Gunter, Minister of Labour in Harold Wilson's government. Gunter himself was a former railwayman and union leader who died six months prior to this picture being taken. However, 47077 lives on now as 47840 preserved on the West Somerset Railway and still carrying its 'North Star' name.
Driver s desk, class 47, Westbury MPD The opportunity to cab a class 47 was taken at Westbury Depot as it was a quiet Sunday morning. The layout of the driver's desk is clear in this image. Unfortunately, I do not have the actual number of this particular engine.

Images 1-6 of 6 displayed.