2003 Main Line Steam Tours

Here's a brief schedule of all the steam locomotives coming through my home town Basingstoke (Hampshire) during 2004.

As you can see, Basingstoke receives lots of steam locomotivies, so this page is updated 'Frequently' to supply accurate information. I will try update the page before or on the day of the tour to supply accurate information. If there are no times and you want them in advance e-mail stephen.newell@steamland.com and ill try to get them for you.

The way to use the tours sheet is simple, the 'Date of tour' is the date when the Mainline steam tour is taking place. The 'Motive Power' is the steam locomotive hauling it (noted by the number the loco currently carries - see table below tours sheet for loco details). The 'route' is where the locotive will be travelling with the excursion. 'Time in at Basingstoke (There)' is when the locomotive will be travelling through Basingstoke Station on its outward journey, and 'Time in at Basingstoke (Back)' is when the locomotive will be travelling through Basingstoke Station on its inward return journey. When there is a ' - ' in one of the boxes it shows that the locomotive will not be travelling through Basingstoke Station on either the outward or inward journey. The Timmings are given in the 24 hour clock, and are the stated times issued for 'Basingstoke station' by EWS or Railtrack. The trains are all expresses and don't stop at Basingstoke Staton unless stated. The 'Tour Opperator' is the company that orgainises and plans the excursions. (see 'Tour Opperators' below tours sheet) Other notes; If there are any changes made on the day regarding the tour, notes will be added to speciffy afterward. The Italic writing at the top of the page eg. 'The Branch Liner' is the name of the express the locomotive is taking.

Date of Tour (2003)	Motive Power	Route	Time in at Basingstoke (There)	Time in at Basingstoke (Back)	Tour Opperator
Wed 31st Dec/ Thurs 1st Jan	4472	Victoria - Basingstoke - Romsey and return	20.27 Ran nearly 1 hour late.	23.39	VSOE
Sat 10th Jan	4472	Victoria - Southampton Docks & Return	12.50	18.34	VSOE
Sat 28th Feb	73096	Cathedrals Express Exeter Victoria - Weymouth & Return (Postponded from Dec 29th - revised intenery)	09.26 Water-stop at Overton (Hants) a. 09.38 d. 09.51	19.40	SD
Wed 3rd Mar	4472	Victoria - Salisbury - Bath - Newbury - Victoria	10.51	-	VSOE
Wed 28th April	73096	Cathedrals Express Salisbury and Yeovil	12.28	19.52	SD
Wed 12th May	73096	Cathedrals Express Bath and Bristol	Via Newbury	19.27	SD
Wed 26th May	73096	Cathedrals Express Bournemouth & Weymouth	09.54	20.50	SD
Sun 6th July	Tangmere 34067 'Running as Winston Churchill, (34051) Battle of Britain class	CANCELLED The D-Day Anniversary Special Victoria - Portsmouth & Return	-	-	TS Ltd
Sun 6th July	34067	CANCELLED The Overlord Express Victoria - Portsmouth & Return	-	-	VST Ltd
Wed 9th June	4472 60009	Intenery change - route both outward and inward via Newbury Victoria - Westbury - Newbury - Victoria	-	-	VSOE
Sun 4th July	34016/73096	CANCELLED Engineering Work Cathedrals Express Exeter & Return	-	-	SD
Fri 9th July	73096	Cathedrals Express Bournemouth & Weymouth	09.54	20.50	SD
Wed 14th July	73096	Cathedrals Express Bath & Bristol	Route Via Newbury	19.27	SD
Wed 21st July	73096	Cathedrals Express Bournemouth & Weymouth	09.54	20.50	SD
Tues 3rd Aug	34016	CANCELLED Cathedrals Express Bournemouth Weymouth	?	?	SD
Thurs 5th Aug	73096	Cathedrals Express Salisbury & Yeovil	12.30	19.52	SD
Wed 11th Aug	34067	Victoria - Westbury - Newbury - Victoria	(?)	-	VSOE
Wed 18th Aug	73096	Cathedrals Express Bournemouth Weymouth	09.54	20.50	SD
Thurs 26th Aug	73096	Cathedrals Express Bath & Bristol	-	19.27	SD
Wed 1st Sept	34027 (running as 34045 Ottery St. Mary)	Cathedrals Express Bournemouth Weymouth	09.54	20.50	SD
Sun 5th Sept	34027 (running as 34045 Ottery St. Mary)	Cathedrals Express Victoria - Exter & Return	09.10	21.07	SD
Wed 29th Sept	73096	Cathedrals Express Bath & Bristol	-	19.27	SD
Sat 2nd Oct	34027 (running as 34045 Ottery St. Mary)	Victoria - Southampton E Docks and return.	12.10	18.34	VSOE
Wed 6th Oct	73096	CANCELLED Cathedrals Express Salisbury & Yeovil	-	-	SD
Sun 7th Nov	34016/73096	Cathedrals Express Victoria - Exeter	09.36 (At worting junction) a. 09.42 d. 10.03 -SEE HERE-	21.27 was running 30 minutes EARLY!!!	SD
Sat 27th Nov	34016/73096	Cathedrals Express Bath & Bristol	?	?	SD

Now that the Flying Scotsman has been sold to The National Railway Museum, York, 4472 will no longer be using the southern rails any more. However she still has her boiler certificate and is steaming on the northern mainline rails! For this reason VSOE are using sustitute engines such as 60009, Union of South Africa, 34067, Tangmere, and 34027 Taw Valley, running as 34045 Ottery St. Mary, (dont ask why!!!).There may be short notice cancellations. As the re-build of 35027, Clan Line nears completion, she will continue the VSOE's steam Special Contracts.

All steam tours that start with 'Cathedrals Express' leave from either London Victoria or London Waterloo. Click here for details or email @ stephen.newell@steamland.com

(list of the locomotives scheduled to pass through Basingstoke during the course of the year)

Any other information e.g. the full route, compleate journey timing sheets or general information, e-mail stephen.newell@steamland.20m.com and I will try my best to help you.

A big Thank You to www.uksteam.info for a lot of the information provided!

Number	Name	Wheel arr.	Class	Railway	Find out more about the loco at...
60800	Green Arrow	2-6-2	V2	Ex. LNER	National Railway Museum
4472 /60103	Flying Scotsman	4-6-2	A3	LNER	Flying Scotsman Railways
60009	Union of South Africa	4-6-2	A4	Ex. LNER	Somerset & Dorset Railway
35005	Canadian Pacific	4-6-2	Merchant Navy	Ex. Southern	Watercress Line & Steamdreams
34016	Bodmin	4-6-2	West Country	Ex. Southern	Watercress Line & Steamdreams
34027	Taw Valley	4-6-2	West Country	Ex. Southern	-
34067	Tangmere	4-6-2	Battle of Britain	Ex. Southern	Wessex Trains
71000	Duke of Gloucester	4-6-2	8P	BR	Duke of Gloucester Society
76079	-	2-6-0	4MT	BR	-
73096	(was 73080 - 'Merlin')	4-6-0	Standard 5	BR	Watercress Line & Steamdreams