The Really Good Positioning Move

Saturday 26th April 2025

A positioning move akin to a full day tour. Enjoy a Saturday behind class 37 traction travelling the length of the country as we move our carriages ready for the eagerly awaited “East Anglian Freighter” rail tour the following day. We are delighted to be able to operate our train with SRPS’s superb class 37 locomotive, 37403 “Isle of Mull”.

Our day starts at Carnforth and instead of travelling south we head inland towards Settle Junction where we join the line that takes us through the Yorkshire towns of Skipton, Keighley and Shipley as we head toward the metropolis of Leeds. We skirt the city via Whitehall Jn and Engine Shed Jn and weave our way to our second pick up point, Wakefield Kirkgate.

Progressing south, our proposed route takes us through Barnsley and then Meadowhall before a further pick up opportunity at Sheffield.

We travel via Derby, pausing to pick up passengers, and Burton on Trent before arrival at Birmingham New Street where we will be providing a lunchtime break of approximately 90 minutes whilst our train recesses to Kings Norton to have class 20’s attached to the consist.

Our route from Birmingham New Street will proceed behind 37403 through both the outskirts of the Cotswolds and the Chilterns as we head through Leamington Spa and Banbury before diverging left at Aynho Junction. Once the domain of diesel multiple units, the Chiltern line has benefited from substantial upgrades in recent times and we can expect a spirited run through Bicester and Princes Risborough before the gradients either side of High Wycombe.

Our journey into London is via the Greenford line towards Acton Wells Jn. We pass over the West Coast Main Line towards Gospel Oak before reaching Navarino Road Jn. From here we take the often requested Grahams Road Curve before reaching our tour’s final destination, London Liverpool Street, where once again a class 37 will rest ‘on the blocks’. We expect to reach the Capital by early evening. For those wanting a last blast behind the class 20 locomotives up the gradient at Liverpool Street, we will be running the train in passenger service as far as Stratford.

This is a one way positioning tour and passengers must make their own onward travel arrangements. The route described has been bid to Network Rail but, as always, is subject to alteration up to and including the day of travel. We are currently investigating the possibility of a further positioning move on Monday 28th April from London to the Midlands and the North West, and we will share more on this as soon as possible.

Our train will be operated by Rail Adventure and is expected to be hauled by 37403 throughout except as noted above.

Timings Now Confirmed.

There are no First Class Dining or Junior fares on this train. A buffet car serving hot and cold drinks and snacks will be available.  

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