Saturday 27 May 2023

This is the third train in our successful series of Panorama tours designed by our friend Ian Loveday.  Named Powerful Panoramas, each of these special charter trains will make a circular trip allowing guests to admire the Great British scenery through the carriage window in the utmost comfort.  To add additional interest each trip will offer a combination of visiting a popular British city for an off-train break, routing via some rare non-passenger connections or loops and each train will feature at least one powerful freight locomotive for part of the journey. 

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IMPORTANT UPDATE!

With thanks to Haltermann Carless, GBRF and NR we are delighted to announce that after many months of the planning our POWERFUL PARKESTON PANORAMA railtour will now, subject to the usual operational caveats, cover the Carless curve at Harwich!

 This section of track has not seen a passenger train for over twenty years, so be sure not to miss this extremely rare opportunity.  This Panorama tour now has more rare track in the itinerary than many of our Forgotten Tracks tours but with the benefits of a scenic land cruise and an excellent break location all thrown in!

 If you are a fan of rare track and rare traction book now as there aren’t many seats left.

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After previously visiting Leeds and Nottingham, this time we are heading for wonderful Norwich!  Norwich is always extremely popular with our customers because it is a glorious fusion of the modern and historic, one complementing the other. Like any great city its centre is easy to walk around and has a river at its heart. As well as being the most complete medieval city in the UK, with a stunning Norman Cathedral and Castle, it has a flourishing arts, music and cultural scene, superb independent as well as High Street shopping, quaint covered market, lively restaurants, bars and heritage that is a delight to explore. Our late-lunchtime visit will give around an hour and a half to have a stroll and perhaps a picturesque lunch!

Norwich combines urban and rural to stunning effect

Panoramic views of all three East Anglian counties will be brought to your window as we circle through Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.  We will literally glide across the Fens in airconditioned comfort passing rural landscapes and beautiful sights such as the Isle of Ely.  With mid-summer being just a few weeks away, we are hopeful of beautiful weather for our passage and we will keep the sunlight all the way back to London.

Our extended return journey gives a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the best in onboard dining. Our Executive Head Chef Graham Osborne will be designing a very special menu themed around the region of East Anglia. Following departure from Norwich we enjoy canapes and a glass of prosecco before our four-course dinner, featuring delicious locally sourced produce, is silver-served at your seat by our attentive front of house team led by Chief Stewards Paul Brooks and Julie Osborne.

Traction wise, this charter will be hauled by two of GB Railfreight’s powerful Class 66 freight locomotives and with the kind agreement of our Freight Operating Company (FOC) we have requested that a locomotive that hasn’t worked a passenger train before, though please be understanding that this will be very much down to operational availability on the day.  And, of course, those interested in rare lines will not be disappointed, we are working hard behind the scenes to provide the opportunity ride on some rails that rarely see a passenger train and our aim again is to deliver something ‘new’ for everyone on board…

Photo credit to Gareth Bayer

Once again we believe this tour will provide something for all interests so please join us for a fantastic day out.

As promised we’ve got more information about our route for the day! Whilst some details are still to be confirmed, we can confirm the following plan (subject to the GLAs being issued):

Stevenage PU > Potters Bar PU > Finsbury Park PU > Canonbury > Stratford PU > Ilford Down Avoider > Gidea Park Stabling Sidings > Shenfield > Ingatestone Down Passenger Loop > Chelmsford Down Passenger Loop > Colchester Down Goods > Ipswich > Claydon Down Goods Loop > Bury St Edmunds > Ely Up Goods Loop > Brandon Down Goods Loop > Thetford > Norwich (Break) > Trowse Down & Up Loop > Stowmarket Up & Down Goods Loop > Ipswich > Manningtree East Junction > Harwich Freight Sidings > Colchester > Chelmsford > Shenfield > Ilford Up Pass Avoiding > Stratford SD > Up Channelsea Loop > Canonbury > Finsbury Park SD > Potters Bar SD > Stevenage SD

There will be no pay on the day or part fares available on this tour.  All non-passenger lines are subject to Goods Line Authorities being issued and operational circumstances on the day of operation.

First Class Dining includes The Great British Breakfast, a light lunch and a special locally themed four course dinner preceded by prosecco and canapes . A buffet car is available.

Station	Depart	Arrive
Stevenage	06.49	22.48
Potters Bar	07.10	22.23
Finsbury Park	07.32	22.05
Stratford	08.10	21.33

TIMINGS NOW CONFIRMED.