Departing from Eastleigh our festively decorated train, appropriately hauled by a pair of Class 33 ‘Crompton’ locomotives, picks up further through Hampshire and Wiltshire to Filton Abbey Wood. With all our passengers on board, sit back and relax in your comfortable seats as we pass through the Severn Tunnel before joining the picturesque Welsh Marches all the way through to our destinations of the day.

Option A – Shrewsbury 12:00-17:15

Passengers wishing to alight here will enjoy a break of around five hours to explore the festively decorated town, birthplace of Charles Darwin, or have a wander around Shrewsbury Castle.

Option B – Chester 12:55-1610

On leaving Shrewsbury, soon enough we arrive at Chester where passengers can enjoy a magical time (around three hours) at the Christmas Market with over 70 traditional wooden chalets wrapped around a sparkling Christmas tree in the heart of the city near to the Cathedral.

All too soon passengers are welcomed back onboard to continue the magic with our Premier Dining passengers enjoying a four course Christmas Dinner, silver served at seat.

ON BOARD FEATURES INCLUDE:

– Reserved seats aligned with the carriage windows
– A printed excursion and journey guide for everyone
– A travelling licensed buffet with refreshments, including alcoholic and soft drinks 
– The Premier Dining service includes The Great British Breakfast, Elevenses and four course festive Evening Christmas Dinner
– Cheerful, friendly and helpful Pathfinder Stewards!

This rail charter has been devised to try to cover as many freight lines, loops and locations as possible in the West Midlands, featuring ‘rare track’. And, given the reduced daylight hours at this time of year, all within a shorter day, and with central joining points that make it easy to reach – a sociable day out for a pre Christmas social!

The requested motive power is Top & Tail DBC Class 60s but, due to low class numbers in service, on the day DBC may require to substitute a Class 66 for one of them.

From Gloucester we make our way via Worcester and Kidderminster into the Black Country, with a final joining point at Birmingham Snow Hill. Sidings, Goods Loops and the branch to Kineton MoD (NR Limit) feature either side of an hour or so’s lunch break at Banbury before a return to Birmingham, this time non stop through New Street station.

More Goods Loops and reversal in the Wolverhampton Logistics Terminal take the train by way of Bescot to Stafford, where a reversal in the RMT platform allows traversal of the now little used Oxley Chord, and yet further Goods Loops before a final return to Birmingham New Street and the joining points of the morning.

Pathfinder are forever indebted to our friend, and yours, Ian Loveday. Ian devises and helps with many enthusiast excursions, often advising and assisting with access to heavily sought after lines. So, with more heavy influence on this charter, we thought it would be fitting to include his name in the title!

With thanks to the Tarmac Group, DBC and GBRf, after much work in the background, we are delighted to announce the addition of more mega rare track to the itinerary of this tour.  This train will now feature a (first for a passenger train?) visit to the Reservoir stone terminal sidings at Banbury.

(Updated 9/11/2023) The requested route is now: GLOUCESTER, CHELTENHAM SPA, WORCESTER SHRUB HILL, Kidderminster DGL, STOURBRIDGE JUNCTION, Stourbridge DGL, Rowley Regis UGL, BIRMINGHAM SNOW HILL, Up & Down Small Health Goods, Caledonia Yard, Up & Down Small Heath Goods, Tyseley Up Through Siding, Dorridge UPL, Leamington Spa UCV, Fenny Compton UGL, Banbury DGL, Banbury Reservoir Sdgs – BANBURY (Break), Fenny Compton DGL, Kineton Branch NR Limit, Leamington Spa DCV, Hatton DGL, Dorridge UDGL, Bordesley DGL, Birmingham New Street (non-stop), Wolverhampton Logistics Centre, Dudley Port Up Goods, Bescot Stadium, Bushbury DGL, Stafford RMT, Oxley Chord, Wolverhampton, Bescot Stadium, Bescot DGL, Aston, BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET, Rowley Regis DGL, STOURBRIDGE JUNCTION, WORCESTER SHRUB HILL, CHELTENHAM SPA, GLOUCESTER

ON BOARD FEATURES INCLUDE:
– Reserved seats aligned with the carriage windows
– A printed excursion and journey guide for everyone
– A travelling licensed buffet with refreshments, including alcoholic and soft drinks 
– A Gricers Grill will be available on board 
– Cheerful, friendly and helpful Pathfinder Stewards!