34053 Sir Keith Park – Timing Log

Below is a log of a run made by Sir Keith Park in BR service.

07:08 Basingstoke to Waterloo, 8th January 1965


Load: 10 coaches - 318 tons tare / c. 365 tons gross (full and standing)
Crew: Driver Harris & Fireman Shalbourne of Basingstoke
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Distance   Station Schedule Time Speed
0.0   Woking 0.00 0.00  
2.7   West Byfleet   4.40 54
3.9   Byfleet & Newhaw   5.55 65
5.2   Weybridge   7.09 67
7.25   Walton   8.59 70
8.4   Hersham   9.55 72
9.9   Esher   11.13 72
11.0   Hampton Court Junction   12.06 71
12.3   Surbiton   13.11 71
14.6   New Malden   15.05 69
17.1   Wimbledon   17.16 69
18.7   Earlsfield   18.48 67
20.4   Clapham Junction 23.00 20.40 40* SR / 54
23.0   Vauxhall   25.05 39
24.3   Waterloo 30.00 27.26  

Out of 104 runs from Woking to Waterloo on this train in 1964-65 this was easily the fastest actual start to stop time I recorded (the next fastest was 28.04 mins).

Most speeds I noted at the time were slightly higher than shown but I have rounded them down a shade to be more accurate based on the distance and average speed between timing points.

It was remarkable to get such a clear run into the capital at the height of the rush hour and the crew produced an excellent run with a loco which seems to have been in fine fettle at the time.

By chance the return run that same evening on the 17:09 Waterloo to Basingstoke was behind 34046 Braunton also now preserved!