D1015 tour program for 2025

[12LDA28C]

Not open for booking yet but maybe of interest to some on this forum, UKR are running a Paddington - Newquay tour on Wednesday 30th July featuring D1015 'Western Champion' which will lead the train from Bristol Temple Meads. The train will be operated by WCRC and feature 47 haulage from Paddington to Bristol, Newquay to Plymouth and Bristol back to Paddington with the 'Wizzo' in charge from Bristol to Newquay on the outward then Plymouth back to Bristol on the return.

Another tour by Vintage Trains featuring D1015 to Plymouth is taking place on the 10th May.

DIARY DATES 2026 – UK Railtours

www.ukrailtours.com

Wednesday 30th July – Newquay
We visit what is undoubtedly Cornwall’s most famous seaside holiday resort with one of our most requested locomotives, D1015 Western Champion. We take the Western back to its traditional roots with this rare opportunity to traverse the Newquay branch like the Merrymaker trains of old. Our train runs from London Paddington with some routeing variation on outbound and return.

The South Devon Explorer | Vintage Trains

This May we return to Plymouth, with guest locomotive, D1015 ‘Western Champion’ hauling the South Devon Explorer over the rails it once ruled in the 1960s and 1970s.

vintagetrains.co.uk

This May we return to Plymouth, with guest locomotive, D1015 ‘Western Champion’ hauling the South Devon Explorer over the rails it once ruled in the 1960s and 1970s.

The train will depart from Birmingham New Street, via the Chilterns and the Great Western Mainline into Bristol Temple Meads. From here D1015 will be unassisted by another locomotive for the run down to Plymouth and back over the South Devon Banks and the seawall at Dawlish.

After a few hours in Plymouth, the train then returns to Bristol, stopping at Totnes for a return trip through the scenic Dart Valley of the South Devon Railway to Buckfastleigh, which is the first time a ‘Western’ will have been seen on this branch line since D1023 ‘Western Fusilier’ was at Buckfastleigh in 1990.

 

[Iskra]

Presumably, it’s also covering the triangle at Laira depot too, which may interest some. Although it remains to be seen whether passengers will definitely be on board at that point.

An interesting and evocative tour and one that I’d definitely be doing if I lived anywhere near the pick up points.

 

[Cowley]

Presumably, it’s also covering the triangle at Laira depot too, which may interest some. Although it remains to be seen whether passengers will definitely be on board at that point.

An interesting and evocative tour and one that I’d definitely be doing if I lived anywhere near the pick up points.

Would the 47 be in charge back to Plymouth with them swapping ends there? That’s what happened when I did a tour to Newquay behind D1015 years ago (it was a 66 on the back that time).

 

[AnthonyRail]

Interested to know why Wednesday

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Mar 2025 ==

A class 52 on the blocks at Paddington would vexatious sight I'd love to see.

 

[Kite159]

Interested to know why Wednesday

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Mar 2025 ==

A class 52 on the blocks at Paddington would vexatious sight I'd love to see.

The original Saturday date clashed with another tour or event.

Probably is easier to path on a weekday on the mostly single track Newquay branch when there isn't as many direct trains from London

 

[Harpo]

Presumably, it’s also covering the triangle at Laira depot too, which may interest some. Although it remains to be seen whether passengers will definitely be on board at that point.

Possibly to turn the entire train instead of a double run-round? Not good for those at the rear end of a rake of coffins.

 

[RGM654]

Presumably, it’s also covering the triangle at Laira depot too, which may interest some. Although it remains to be seen whether passengers will definitely be on board at that point.

An interesting and evocative tour and one that I’d definitely be doing if I lived anywhere near the pick up points.

Where is it suggested that the train will do anything at Laira? Are the relevant curves OK for passenger trains?

 

[MiNi]

Where is it suggested that the train will do anything at Laira? Are the relevant curves OK for passenger trains?

Obviously it's assumed that it will be the 47 to Lipson junction and Laira area. Around and the Western leading there after.

 

[31160]

Of course it could just do a double run round in Plymouth station, if it is doing the triangle would it not say as such because that would attract some bookings I suspect

 

[Phil G]

Why would the Western not be on it the whole way? It's not like a steam engine needing coal and water....

 

[JonathanH]

Why would the Western not be on it the whole way? It's not like a steam engine needing coal and water....

I'd imagine it is too much of a nuisance to get it from Kidderminster to Southall, to be in the right place for the early start from London.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

Is it a very brief in/out visit to Newquay? I understood that the branch upgrades were running behind schedule meaning the second platform at Newquay isn’t available for use yet?

 

[JonathanH]

Is it a very brief in/out visit to Newquay? I understood that the branch upgrades were running behind schedule meaning the second platform at Newquay isn’t available for use yet?

Yes, the break is reported to be at Plymouth instead of Newquay.

 

[nanstallon]

The original Saturday date clashed with another tour or event.

Probably is easier to path on a weekday on the mostly single track Newquay branch when there isn't as many direct trains from London

I believe that all the necessary trackwork is nearing completion, but that the intended hourly service on the Newquay branch cannot operate until later in the year because the signalling isn't going to be ready in time for the originally intended May timetable change.

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

I believe that all the necessary trackwork is nearing completion, but that the intended hourly service on the Newquay branch cannot operate until later in the year because the signalling isn't going to be ready in time for the originally intended May timetable change.

Cant use the new infrastructure if Goonbarrow-Newquay is still being worked on a one-train working basis with staff!

 

[Sulzer451]

Interested to know why Wednesday

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Mar 2025 ==

A class 52 on the blocks at Paddington would vexatious sight I'd love to see.

Pointless day to run a tour in my opinion, most people are at work, I'd have to take 2 days holiday which is a no no for me so not going to bother..

 

[JonathanH]

Pointless day to run a tour in my opinion, most people are at work, I'd have to take 2 days holiday which is a no no for me so not going to bother..

On the contrary, some other people may have their weekends full with other activities, and welcome a weekday tour, even if they have to take a day's holiday.

This has been moved from a weekend date precisely because it was deemed that some of the market might be on another tour on the original weekend date.

 

[Bessie]

Pointless day to run a tour in my opinion, most people are at work, I'd have to take 2 days holiday which is a no no for me so not going to bother..

Anyone who can remember a Western running on the mainline is long retired so a midweek trip makes perfect sense.

 

[Wuggie Norple]

For those wanting to experience some Western mainline thrash on a train with opening windows, on a Saturday, there is the Vintage Trains trip from Birmingham New Street to Plymouth and back on 10th May. Includes a run up to Buckfastleigh and back on the return journey. I’m booked. NB Enthusiast Class already sold out.

The South Devon Explorer | Vintage Trains

This May we return to Plymouth, with guest locomotive, D1015 ‘Western Champion’ hauling the South Devon Explorer over the rails it once ruled in the 1960s and 1970s.

vintagetrains.co.uk

 

[Gwr12345]

For those wanting to experience some Western mainline thrash on a train with opening windows, on a Saturday, there is the Vintage Trains trip from Birmingham New Street to Plymouth and back on 10th May. Includes a run up to Buckfastleigh and back on the return journey. I’m booked. NB Enthusiast Class already sold out.

The South Devon Explorer | Vintage Trains

This May we return to Plymouth, with guest locomotive, D1015 ‘Western Champion’ hauling the South Devon Explorer over the rails it once ruled in the 1960s and 1970s.

vintagetrains.co.uk

'Enthusiast class' sounds like a great idea! I'd never heard of it, but it sounds like the best of both worlds. Enthusiasts get the sound of the loco, and normals don't have to deal with the some time erratic behaviour of enthusiasts!

 

[Harpo]

NB Enthusiast Class already sold out.

It appeared to sell out in about a day or so, long before anything else, contrary to assertions in a thread about coffins on tours that hardly anyone wants to hear a loco.

 

[renegademaster]

It appeared to sell out in about a day or so, long before anything else, contrary to assertions in a thread about coffins on tours that hardly anyone wants to hear a loco.

The Rivera coffins have an opening window coach normally placed before loco.
I haven't seen ukrailtours sale it specifically yet, probably because they can't be sure if they'll get the Ex-Rivera set or the maroon West Coast one ahead of time.

 

[DelW]

Anyone who can remember a Western running on the mainline is long retired so a midweek trip makes perfect sense.

That's a rather sweeping assertion. The Westerns were withdrawn between May 1973 and February 1977, so someone aged 65 now (so one year below state pension age) would have been around 16 or 17 when they were withdrawn, which would be within most people's memory. And of course some people work on beyond state pension age too (I went on to 67).

I'd agree that many of UKR's typical clientele are retired though, which makes midweek trips viable.

 

[D Williams]

I'll come along and give it a wave at Goss Moor.

 

[Phil G]

'Enthusiast class' sounds like a great idea! I'd never heard of it, but it sounds like the best of both worlds. Enthusiasts get the sound of the loco, and normals don't have to deal with the some time erratic behaviour of enthusiasts!

Is the Western on it from Birmingham as the wording is a bit ambiguous as it sounds like that might be from Bristol only

 

[Wuggie Norple]

Is the Western on it from Birmingham as the wording is a bit ambiguous as it sounds like that might be from Bristol only

My guess is that the VT class 47 will be on the back from Birmingham to Bristol and then shadow (or precede) the train to Plymouth and back, possibly also dragging the train back to Totnes from Buckfastleigh. Then at Bristol it will re-attach to the rear for the run back to Brum.

While the 47 is in the consist, it will be able to (and hopefully will) provide ETH.

 

[Haywain]

Yes, the break is reported to be at Plymouth instead of Newquay.

While the empty train tootles off to the Laira triangle to turn round?

 

[Ashley Hill]

In response to some comments above we still have two drivers at my depot who worked on Westerns as young secondmen. One (ex OOC) also worked on the Blue Pullman. Both now well into 50+ years service.

 

[Ash Bridge]

In response to some comments above we still have two drivers at my depot who worked on Westerns as young secondmen. One (ex OOC) also worked on the Blue Pullman. Both now well into 50+ years service.

Never would have imagined that, especially so the Blue Pullmans which if memory serves correct were withdrawn in May 1973?

 

[Class15]

I might well be on this. Anyone else?