A personal anniversary picture
Liskeard 1
Roger Geach
Liskeard 1
Roger Geach
Time flies - it's 47 years ago today that Roger Geach, a Western fan took this everyday picture of a Western in service, wonderful machines - very popular with the enthusiasts. Roger a Liskeard man born and bred now lives up north at Retford,
Very few wait on the platform to witness 1034 Western Dragoon arriving with the 1M74 14.00 Penzance to Birmingham at Liskeard 11th January 1975. Copyright Roger Geach.
Many thanks Roger, memories of the 'good old days'.
Westerns in Wiltshire and Somerset
Hugh Austen
Hugh Austen
750420a D1001 Taken at Hawkridge Junction on 20th April 1975 with a railtour from, I believe Bristol Temple Meads to the East Somerset Railway at Cranmore. Note the semaphores,signal box and telegraph poles all now gone. Copyright Hugh Austen
750810a D1062 sat at Swindon shorn of nameplates on 10th August 1975. The headboard being held by three enthusiasts was 'The Red Dragon'. Copyright Hugh Austen
750420b D1048 Western Lady heading west at Fairwood Junction with a Paddington-Penzance working on 20th April 1975. Copyright Hugh Austen
750607a D1030 Western Musketeer heading through the beautiful station of Castle Cary with a Penzance Paddington train 7th June 1975. Copyright Hugh Austen
751101 D1033 Western Trooper. I remember this as being a very cold and miserable day as D1033 heads west pass the next signal box at Clink Road Junction Frome. Copyright Hugh Austen
Many Thanks Hugh, these Westerns bring back many memories.
A sad event at
Newport
Guy and Charlotte Vincent
Newport
Guy and Charlotte Vincent
Charlotte witnesses three HST Power Cars on their last journey - to the scrap yard.
Newport 37611 heads the sad procession of 5Q76 on the 1oth January 2022 passing through Newport - not far to go now. Copyright Charlotte Vincent
Newport 43079 and 43070 5Q76 10.01.2022 Copyright Charlotte Vincent
Newport 43053 43079 43070 5Q76 10.01.2022 Copyright Charlotte Vincent
Good evening Keith / Roger
As predicted late last year the disposal of redundant HST power cars has started with three former Great Western-operated examples being taken on their final journey to Newport Docks today. Loco 37611 with barrier coach 6340 hauled PC's 43070 43079 and 43053 from Long Marston via Worcester, Cheltenham and Lydney and were caught by Charlotte passing non-stop through Newport at 15,36hrs. It is likely that by the coming weekend this trio will have been shredded and dispatched abroad for recycling as the processors, Sims Group, are known for their speed of rolling stock destruction.
43053: New to Old Oak Common as part of set 253026 in June 1977. Transferred to Neville Hill, Leeds in October 1982 (for use on the Midland Main Line) and then to Craigentinny (Edinburgh) in January 2007 for use on the East Coast Main Line. In December 2008 re-engining was undertaken at Brush Loughborough (Paxman Valenta replaced by a new MTU unit), moved to Great Western fleet in April 2009. 43053 carried three different names: 1) County of Humberside (04-1984 to 04-1994 with a gap of 7 months July 1990 - Feb 1991 un-named) 2) Leeds United (04-1994 to 10-2004) 3) University of Worcester 10.03.2010 until withdrawn from GWR fleet in March 2019.
43070 new to Heaton (Newcastle) December 1977 as part of ECML set 254008. Based at Laira from May 1998 as part of the Virgin Trains HST fleet but made redundant with the arrival of the new Voyager fleet in 2003. Later received Midland Mainline livery and named 'Rio Pathfinder'. Operated by Cotswold Rail and painted in their silver livery Nov 2005. Aug 2006 off-lease and after re-engining with new MTU unit it joined the FGW fleet in Sept 2007. Named The Corps of Mechanical and Electrical Engineers at Paddington on 16th Oct 2007. Off lease June 2019 following introduction of new class 800 fleet and stored.
43079 new to Heaton in February 1978 as part of ECML set 254012. To Laira in May 1998 for Virgin Trains use. Following a spell with MML (Project Rio, named Rio Venturer) and re-engining it was added to the FGW fleet in Feb 2008. Into store in June 2019 following arrival of IET fleet.
With regards
Guy Vincent
As predicted late last year the disposal of redundant HST power cars has started with three former Great Western-operated examples being taken on their final journey to Newport Docks today. Loco 37611 with barrier coach 6340 hauled PC's 43070 43079 and 43053 from Long Marston via Worcester, Cheltenham and Lydney and were caught by Charlotte passing non-stop through Newport at 15,36hrs. It is likely that by the coming weekend this trio will have been shredded and dispatched abroad for recycling as the processors, Sims Group, are known for their speed of rolling stock destruction.
43053: New to Old Oak Common as part of set 253026 in June 1977. Transferred to Neville Hill, Leeds in October 1982 (for use on the Midland Main Line) and then to Craigentinny (Edinburgh) in January 2007 for use on the East Coast Main Line. In December 2008 re-engining was undertaken at Brush Loughborough (Paxman Valenta replaced by a new MTU unit), moved to Great Western fleet in April 2009. 43053 carried three different names: 1) County of Humberside (04-1984 to 04-1994 with a gap of 7 months July 1990 - Feb 1991 un-named) 2) Leeds United (04-1994 to 10-2004) 3) University of Worcester 10.03.2010 until withdrawn from GWR fleet in March 2019.
43070 new to Heaton (Newcastle) December 1977 as part of ECML set 254008. Based at Laira from May 1998 as part of the Virgin Trains HST fleet but made redundant with the arrival of the new Voyager fleet in 2003. Later received Midland Mainline livery and named 'Rio Pathfinder'. Operated by Cotswold Rail and painted in their silver livery Nov 2005. Aug 2006 off-lease and after re-engining with new MTU unit it joined the FGW fleet in Sept 2007. Named The Corps of Mechanical and Electrical Engineers at Paddington on 16th Oct 2007. Off lease June 2019 following introduction of new class 800 fleet and stored.
43079 new to Heaton in February 1978 as part of ECML set 254012. To Laira in May 1998 for Virgin Trains use. Following a spell with MML (Project Rio, named Rio Venturer) and re-engining it was added to the FGW fleet in Feb 2008. Into store in June 2019 following arrival of IET fleet.
With regards
Guy Vincent
Hello again Keith,
Further photos of today's condemned trio taken in better times.
Guy Vincent
Further photos of today's condemned trio taken in better times.
Guy Vincent
43053 on the Dawlish sea wall heading a Paddington-bound service on 6th August 2012 Copyright Guy Vincent.
43070 trails a diverted Paddington-bound train in the Avon Valley near Limpley Stoke on 24th April 2016. Copyright Guy Vincent
43079 at Bristol Temple Meads at the head of the 1200 Paddington departure 9th May 2017. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Many thanks Guy and Charlotte.
St James Park
Paul Barlow
Paul Barlow
Paul also noted the significance of the HST Power cars going for destruction and shows one in brighter days.
43053 43069 0700 Penz- Paddington and 142001 on ECS to form 1030 Exeter central to Paignton at St James Park Halt 26 March 2011 Copyright Paul Barlow.
Many thanks Paul.