The return working of the Cogload Climber between Hastings and Exeter Central. The outbound trip headed from Hastings to London using the line between Bromley South and Brixton to connect to Kensington Olympia and the Great Western Mainline. After a run to Reading and down the line to Taunton over Cogload Junction and on to Exeter Central.
The return trip used the West of England Mainline to Salisbury via Yeovil Junction. Then from Salisbury, the tour headed to Eastleigh via Romsey and the single line though Chandler's Ford. From Eastleigh the tour headed to London Waterloo up the South Western Mainline before heading back to Hastings via Bromley South and the usual route to Hastings.
On the way between Eastleigh and London Waterloo, the tour passed Winchester where I saw it pass just north of the station.
The coaching stock for the One Way Wizzo tour was already at Paddington from UK Railtours' The Harbourmaster from the day before so the only positioning movement for this tour was for D1015 to arrive into London from the Severn Valley Railway.
D1015 had a couple of minutes stop in Platform 13 at Reading before heading onto London Paddington.
Due to the ECS movement using the slow lines from Reading, it was possible to overtake D1015 on approch to Maidenhead using 1L50 Cheltenham Spa to London Paddington.
At London Paddington, GB Railfreight 57303 was waiting with a rake of blue Mk2 coaches ready for D1015's arrival.
At 13:23, D1015 arrived and was coupled up to the coaches. The crowd gethered at the end of Platform 1 was larger than I have seen for many steam tours so D1015's return to mainline passenger use has been well received.
Much of the excitement for D1015's return was that it was at London Paddington where the Westerns departed for the west before their withdrawal in the 1970s.
As 13:52 approached, the platform cleared of most of the crowd as passengers boarded ready for departure.
At 13:52, D1015 departed for Bescot Yard and Birmingham New Street.
The tour used the slow lines between Slough and Reading, so it was possible to overtake again to arrive at Reading before it using 1C84 London Paddington to Penzance.
At 14:41, the tour passed Reading platform 13 without stopping.
Farnborough (Main) was the first place I saw Clan Line hauling its first tour since 2022.
Using the connection to Farnborough North and the line to Reading, it was possible to get ahead of Clan Line while it got to Bath via Salisbury. At Salisbury, it stopped to take on water so there was time for the walk to Farnborough North and then the journey to Bath via Reading.
After arriving at Bath, 35028 waited for a few minutes to allow for photos before departing.
After the wait, Clan Line headed to Bristol East Depot to be serviced and turned ready for the return trip.
I followed it to Bristol where it was planned to come into Temple Meads station after turning at Lawrence Hill. The turning move was delayed, so I headed back to Bath before it happened, just in case an alternative turning route had been used.
Clan Line with the Belmond set is too long for the platforms at Bath Spa so Clan Line was beyond the end of the station when it stopped. This did allow for a great view down the viaduct as 35028 departed for Salisbury, where it took on water for the rest of the return trip.
It was then possible to get ahead of it using the Great Western Main Line to Reading and then South Western Railway to Egham. As it was well into the evening by this time, the steam was condensing well creating a giant cloud above as it passed.
About half an hour after Clan Line departed for London, Railway Touring Company's Bath and Gloucester Steam Express on the return journey to London Paddington via Bath and Newbury.
This tour used West Coast Railway's Mark 2 coaches so 44871 stopped within the length of the platform. This allowed for a good look at the recently painted smokebox door number plate and the depot allocation plate.
After a few minutes wait to pick up passengers, 44871 departed for London.
On the rear was Class 47 support locomotive 47746 "Chris Fudge 29.7.70 - 22.6.10".
