Black Five Steams Through Sussex This Saturday 22nd June 2019
A steam train will be travelling through Sussex this Saturday 22nd June 2019.
The excursion train, run by operator Steam Dreams Tour London Victoria & Hastings, will run from London Victoria down through the Brighton Mainline, to the sunshine coast that is Eastbourne.
The train will set down passengers at Eastbourne for those wanting to explore the nearby town center and beach with an almost 3 hour break. Following set down at Eastbourne, the train will continue to Hastings, also a 3 hour leg stretch, where Hastings beach is just a 5 minute walk.
According to the Steam Dreams website, passengers can also enjoy a visit to Bodiam Castle and Kent & East Sussex Railway from Hastings.
The rail tour will be hauled by one of William Stanier’s LMS Black Five locomotives, most likely locomotive 44871. Constructed between 1934 and 1951, the Stanier Black Fives have a reputation for being do-anything and go-anywhere engines. A total of 842 locomotives were built; making them one of the most numerous classes of British steam locomotives ever built.
Full timings
Seems to be both a 5Z38 and a 5Z39, not entirely sure which will run but I’ve posted 5Z39 below. Here are both links incase one runs and the other doesn’t
Southall to Victoria (diesel) ECS
https://live.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/551884/22/06/19
https://live.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/551885/22/06/19
Train 5Z39 runs SO from 22/06/19 to 22/06/19 Type STP Diesel Loco Timed at 060mph Operator WR WEST COAST RAILWAY COMPANY (22244008) Southall Wcr 0844 Southall 0854-0904 Southall East Jn 0905 West Ealing 0909 Acton West 0912 Acton Main Line 0915 Acton Wells Jn 0918 Willesden S.W.S. 0921-0926 Mitre Bridge Jn 0931 North Pole Jn 0932 Kensington (Olympia) 0935 West Brompton 0938-0942 Latchmere Jn 0947 Longhedge Jn 0952 Stewarts Lane Jn 0956 Grosvenor Bridge Jn 0957 London Victoria 1001
Note that for the above, whilst arriving into London Victoria the same time, there is a path that leaves Southall slightly different time. Following arrival into Victoria, the following is worked.
Victoria to Hastings via Eastbourne (steam) PAX
https://live.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/559597/22/06/19
Train 1Z39 runs SO from 22/06/19 to 22/06/19 Type STP Diesel Loco Timed at 060mph Operator WR WEST COAST RAILWAY COMPANY (22244008) London Victoria 1030 Grosvenor Bridge Jn 1032 Voltaire Road Jn. 1036 Brixton 1038 Herne Hill 1043 Tulse Hill 1047 Streatham 1053 Streatham Common 1055-1100 Selhurst 1109 Windmill Bridge Jn 1114 East Croydon 1116-1119 South Croydon 1121 Purley 1127 Stoats Nest Jn. 1128 Redhill 1139-1144 Earlswood (Surrey) 1146 Gatwick Airport 1152 Three Bridges 1156 Balcombe Tunnel Jn 1159 Copyhold Jn 1205 Haywards Heath 1210-1215 Keymer Jn 1219 Plumpton 1224-1232 Lewes 1244 Southerham Jn 1246 Berwick 1253 Polegate 1257 Willingdon Jn 1301 Eastbourne 1306-1331 Willingdon Jn 1336 Pevensey & Westham 1341 Bexhill 1354 Bopeep Jn S.B. 1358 Hastings 1403
Hastings to Hastings Park Sidings (diesel) ECS
https://live.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/559598/22/06/19
Train 5Z40 runs SO from 22/06/19 to 22/06/19 Type STP Diesel Loco Timed at 075mph Operator WR WEST COAST RAILWAY COMPANY (22244008) Hastings 1408 Hastings Park Sidings 1410
Hastings Park Sidings to Hastings (steam) ECS
https://live.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/559599/22/06/19
Train 5Z41 runs SO from 22/06/19 to 22/06/19 Type STP Diesel Loco Timed at 060mph Operator WR WEST COAST RAILWAY COMPANY (22244008) Hastings Park Sidings 1645 Hastings 1648
Hastings to London Victoria via Tonbridge (steam) PAX
https://live.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/559600/22/06/19
Train 1Z41 runs SO from 22/06/19 to 22/06/19 Type STP Diesel Loco Timed at 060mph Operator WR WEST COAST RAILWAY COMPANY (22244008) Hastings 1700 Bopeep Jn S.B. 1704 Mountfield Tunnel 1716 Robertsbridge 1720-1730 Wadhurst Tunnel South 1742 Wadhurst 1745 Strawberry Hill Tunnel 1750 Tunbridge Wells 1754 Wells Tunnel Jn. 1756 Somerhill Tunnel 1805 Tonbridge 1808 Godstone 1834 Nutfield 1840-1912 Redhill 1917-1921 Stoats Nest Jn. 1929 Purley 1930 South Croydon 1936 East Croydon 1938-1941 Windmill Bridge Jn 1943 Selhurst 1944 Streatham Common 1954 Streatham North Jn 1955 Balham 1957 Clapham Junction 2001 Pouparts Jn 2003 Longhedge Jn 2007 Stewarts Lane Jn 2010 Grosvenor Bridge Jn 2013 London Victoria 2016
Not entirely sure why there’s 2 outbound and 2 return ECS but just incase one runs and the other doesn’t here’s two links
Victoria to Southall (diesel) ECS
https://live.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/559601/22/06/19
https://live.rail-record.co.uk/rail/liverail/train/559602/22/06/19
Train 5Z42 runs SO from 22/06/19 to 22/06/19 Type STP Diesel Loco Timed at 075mph Operator WR WEST COAST RAILWAY COMPANY (22244008) London Victoria 2047 Grosvenor Bridge Jn 2050 Stewarts Lane Jn 2053 Longhedge Jn 2056 Latchmere Jn 2059 West Brompton 2103-2105 Kensington (Olympia) 2108 North Pole Jn 2113 Mitre Bridge Jn 2115 Willesden West Londn Jn 2117 Willesden No7 2120-2126 Acton Canal Wharf 2131 Acton Wells Jn 2133 Acton Main Line 2136-2141 Acton West 2145 West Ealing 2148 Hanwell 2149 Hanwell Bridge Loop 2151-2212 Southall East Jn 2213 Southall 2215-2225 Southall Wcr 2235
The train, which initially comes from West Coast Railway’s depot in Southall, departs London Victoria at around 1030. Following, a slow run south passing East Croydon at approximately 1115, then through the Redhill line passing Redhill at 1135, arriving into Eastbourne at 1305. The train will then head to Hastings for 1400 where presumably it will stable in Hastings Park Sidings for filling with water.
Passengers that departed the train at Eastbourne, will be transferred by other means, from Eastbourne to Hastings where the train will depart at 1700. The train then runs up via Mountfield and Tunbridge Wells, passing Tonbridge and back on the mainline at Redhill (1910) for a 1940 pass at East Croydon, and a 2020 arrival back into London Victoria.
The train will be diesel hauled between Eastbourne and Hastings, so that the Black Five is leading again from Hastings to Victoria via Tonbridge.
Whilst this excursion is advertised as steam hauled, no guarantee or warranty can be made about the availability of a Black Five due to nature and tenancy to fail beforehand.
We will post the confirmed live train times actual timings here once we have them, most likely a couple of days beforehand.
Author: matt
Owner of Rail Record