Freight Line Charter Frenzy on October 22nd!

A couple of new freight line tours have been announced to take place this month making this Autumn somewhat of a freight line frenzy!

More Autumn Freight-Line Tours

In addition to The Branch Line Society and Pathfinders’ other Autumn charter trains operating over non-passenger lines, two more trips have been announced by UK Railtours and Spitfire Railtours respectively.

The latter runs its third ‘Routes and Branches’ trip on October 22 and after being denied access to the St. Albans Abbey Branch by engineering work a few months ago, makes another attempt to take a very rare loco-hauled service to St. Albans Abbey from Watford Junction.

The train leaves from Paddington and before Watford, will visit south coast freight lines to Hamworthy and Fawley before visiting Waterloo. It then runs via Clapham and Weybridge to St. Albans Abbey being powered by two West Coast Railway class 37s in top and tail mode.

Welsh Witch Train?

UK Railtours is running a charter train on the same day from Paddington aiming for the Vale of Neath line to the Opencast Mine at Cwmgwrach, which seems to be literally translated from Welsh as 'the Valley of the Witch'.

‘The Witch Train’ runs via The Severn Tunnel to Court Sart Junction near Port Talbot and leaves the passenger network for several hours while it takes in the 'Neath Loop' and the docks area of Swansea including Burrows Sidings.

The twelve mile long Cwmgwrach branch re-opened last year and is a railway location steeped in history with the remnants of many railways to be seen from the train (leaves permitting). Following the 12 mile branch line the train covers a ten mile branch from Neath & Brecon Junction to Onllwyn.

The train’s return journey is via Jersey Marine and the Swansea District Line rejoining the passenger network at Morlais Junction and back to London as outward.

External Links

• UK railtours
• Spitfire railtours