This article was last modified on Saturday 19 July 2014
Hastings Diesels Limited’s 58th public railtour was from Hastings to Crewe, via the West Coast Main Line. As with our Weymouth trip a year ago it sold out in record time, with Club Class accommodation proving to be in especially high demand.
Our train, in the hands of enthusiastic and able drivers, proved equal to the demands of the West Coast Main Line; even though we had been given tighter timings than should have been the case on the way back, we only fell to 10 minutes late and gradually clawed that back thanks to an excellent run. With some recovery-time built in to our schedule, we were back on time by Watford and stayed within a minute or two all the way to Hastings.
The train was formed thus: 60118-60501-69337-70262-60529-60116, with motor coach 60118 Tunbridge Wells leading upon departure from Hastings.
The publicity leaflet, timings and map of the railtour route remain available. The actual running-times as reported through TRUST have also been published.
Various photographers have taken video-footage depicting this railtour and have uploaded it to YouTube; the following are links to some starting-points but do not represent a definitive collection:
BloodAndCustard carries a photographic report of the day’s events as seen by a member of the train’s staff; recommended reading!