The Branch Line Society has announced that it is running The Hanson Hanse rail tour on Saturday, 25 May 2024 to Kings Lynn for its annual Hanse Festival.

The tour starts from Eastleigh and will be top and tailed by Class 50 No. 50008 Thunderer and a single Class 20 locomotive, with Thunderer at the front on departure from Eastleigh. During the journey, there will be a charity raffle with all proceeds donated to Martin House Hospice.

Highlights of the tour include both the Wallers Ash loops, Dawley Goods Loop, Hanwell Goods Loop, Harringay Curve, Kings Cross suburban platform, Royston Loop, Coldham Lane Loop, Ely West Curve, March Down Goods, March Up Goods, Bishops Stortford Up Loop, Broxbourne Up Loop, High Meads Curve and Junction Road Junction to Carlton Road Junction.

Onboard there will be a snack Bar offering a limited range of drinks, snacks and light refreshments.

As an alternative to travelling to Kings Lynn where there will be a two-hour lunch break, passengers get off at Ely for a four-hour break for a visit to its magnificent cathedral, or one of the many bars and restaurants around the Great Ouse and the marina.

Indicative routing and timings for the tour are:

• Eastleigh P3 (PU 07.03) – Wallers Ash Loop – Basingstoke P4 (PU 07.35) – Reading P13 (PU 08.03) – Slough P5 (PU 08.27) – Dawley UGL – Hanwell Goods Loop – Ealing Broadway P4 (PU 09.04) – Willesden Junction High Level – Gospel Oak – Harringay Curve – Hornsey K440 Signal (RM) – Up Flyover – London Kings Cross P10 (PU 10.27 / RM) – Gordon Hill – Hertford North – Hitchin Flyover – Royston Loop – Cambridge – Coldham Lane DGL – Ely P1 (SD 12.28) – Kings Lynn P1 (SD 13.05)
• Kings Lynn P1 (PU 15.05) – Ely West Curve – March Down Goods – March West Jn (RM) – March Up Goods – Ely P2 (PU 16.57) – Cambridge Through Line – Bishops Stortford Up Loop – Harlow Town P1 (photo stop) – Broxbourne UPL – Tottenham South Jn – Temple Mills East Jn – Stratford P11 (SD 19.30) – High Meads Curve – High Meads Loop – Temple Mills East Jn – Tottenham South Jn – South Tottenham – Junction Road Jn – Carlton Road Jn – West Hampstead Dn Hendon – Cricklewood Curve Jn – Dudding Hill Jn – Acton Wells Jn – Ealing Broadway P3 (SD 20.30) – Slough P2 (SD 20.50) – Reading P8 (SD 21.08) – Basingstoke P2 (SD 21.42) – Wallers Ash Loop – Eastleigh P3 (SD 22.21)

Fares for the tour are £189 for First Class, non-dining or £129 in Standard Class, with a £64.50 reduction for Accompanied under 18s. There is no surcharge for anyone who is not a Branch Line Society member.