school excursion trains 1983/1984

[truckman060473]

as a youngster i remember going on two train trips in primary school. 1983 was to Clifton Down station, and a then by bus on to Bristol zoo. 1984 trip was to Westbury with a bus on to Longleat safari park. The trains laid out were 14 corridor coach mk1's hauled by a class 47. the train started from Carmarthen with a large number of schools involved. more stops at kidwelly for more children to board. i was just wondering how all this was organised? did the schools get together and book a large train with British Rail for these excursions? a 14 coach train was never a normal working out of Carmarthen in the early 80's

 

[yorksrob]

I can remember as a cub scout all the cubs of Ashford district went by train to London to see the Royal Tournament at Earls Court. This was a rake of CEP's and I'm pretty sure the train was cubs only so would have been specially organised. I'm not sure how it was booked but presumably if you paid enough and were prepared to go at a time when there was spare rolling stock (and a path) anyone could do it. Later when I'd graduated to boy scout, I was chatting to some of the cub leaders who confided that although the trip went well, it had been nervewracking trying to keep the various packs of cubs together on the tube!

 

[truckman060473]

i wonder too where a 47 + 14 mk1's would stable for the day when we all got off at Clifton Down. sidings near Bristol TM perhaps? where would the train have run round?