11th July 2023

50042 Triumph working on the first diesel driver experience course of the year

Mark Lynam

50042 running around the clay wagons at Bodmin Parkway.Copyright Mark Lynam

50042 at Bodmin General shortly before working 13.40 Bodmin General to Boscarne Junction. Copyright Mark Lynam

50042 on the return working approaching Bodmin General working 14.10 Boscarne Junction to Bodmin General. Copyright Mark Lynam

On a shunting move from Platforms 1 to 2 at Bodmin General. Copyright Mark Lynam

50042 now on Platform 2 after shunting in a brief moment of brightness. Copyright Mark Lynam

Nice to see you Mark on tour last Saturday
Many Thanks Roger

Summer at Saltash
Ross Griffiths

The sun is just brightening the scene as 57603 TintagelCastle leads the Sleeper into Cornwall. at Saltash. It's the 6th of June2023. Copyright Ross Griffiths

It's MazeyDay and Class47s cross CoombeViaduct to head for Saltash station and the Royak Albert bridge. Copyright Ross Griffiths

43188 heads the 14. 18 Plymouth to Penzance seen here at Wearde just west of Saltash. 7th July 2023. Copyright Ross Griffiths

A real splash of colour as 66244 heads the 14.16 Burngullow to Exeter Riverside at Saltash. 6th July 2023 Copyright Ross Griffiths.

Many thanks indeed Ross, an excellent selection of Saltash scenes.

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Midford
Michael Forward

Hello Roger,I hope you had an enjoyable day at Bodmin,nice pictures.Good to see 5552 back there again. Here is a picture of Midford(S&D) viaduct taken on 24July 1992.I was standing near to the trackbed of the Limpley Stoke line and it evoked memories of that wonderful shot at the start of ‘The Titfield Thunderbolt’ film. Thanks, all the best, Copyright Michael Forward

50020 at Oxford
Michael Forward

Roger, here we see class 50020 ‘Revenge’ approaching Oxford 0n 8 July 1986 with the 14.17 from Paddington.(The loco. was scrapped six years later.) Copyright Michael Forward

Down sizing.
Andrew and Diane Jones

Dear Keith and Valerie,
My apologies for a long gap in our contributions. After 40 years of many happy memories at Grogley we have decided to down size. (it comes to us all in the end!)
Diane and I, had hoped to see the Wadebridge railway reinstated but the success of my 1980’s campaign to save the route to some extent has hampered the return of trains.
During a recent meeting of our Book Circle which marked the 100th book, we decided to read ‘The Diary of a Bookseller’ by Shaun Bythell.
Shaun runs a book shop in Scotland.
One of the many facts to immerge was that railway enthusiasts are keeping books alive accounting for a high proportion of his overall profits.
Given that a large selection of railway periodicals are formed of photographs and rely on nostalgia as their main ingredient, this fact posed a number of questions and a lively debate!
Continuing the Nostalgia element I have attached some photographs of the now dwindling HST fleet in happies times, when we all took the railway scene for granted.
Much has been reported concerning the replacement 800 series and their poor comfort levels and drab livery.
In my opinion, first class travel has been compromised, cramming more and more passengers into tight formations with no regard to the end user. Railways need to modernise but some aspects have been clearly overlooked. The HST design was not broken so why the need for replacement given that the south west is not, if ever scheduled for electrification.
At least we all have our memories of a wonderful design consigned to history prematurely and a feeling of dejavu……..Riddles and Bulleid rest in peace.
 
Very best wishes,   Andrew and Diane.

Mid 90's Lostwithiel as we like to remember complete with sidings. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.

Mid 90's Lostwithiel coasting down the grade with my favourite livery. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.

Mid 90's Molinnis Crossing holding back 4,500 hp. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.

Mid 90's sleepy Bugle is woken up, Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.

Mid 90's the long staight to Goonbarrow Junction. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.

Dear Andrew and Diane.
Many thanks for your long letter and views taken in the 'golden years of the Mid 1990's'.
I certainly agree with all your sentiments - as you say the HST design didn't need mending.
I presume that you are looking for somewhere smaller elsewhere other than Cornwall - no need to say where but we'd all like to keep in touch and very sincerely hope that you will find more material for us to include in our columns wherever you move to - you have kept is very well supplied to date.
Wishing you the very best of luck in your searches and an extended and happy future.
Best regards, Keith and Valerie.

For S & D Fans
Simon Howard

Michael Roach’s account of Evercreech to Highbridge is very moving and this John Betjeman documentary on iPlayer will add sight and sound to Michael’s account:
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03495yn/lets-imagine-a-branch-line-railway-with-john-betjeman
 

Thanks Simon - I well remember John Betjemans broadcast - it was that which sparked my interest and sent me on journey from Bath Green Park to Broadstone and back to Highbridge on the very last day in 1966. We look forward to Michael's continued travels.

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​1962 Part 32.
  Deviating from the S &D
  Michael L. Roach

A last look at the Forder Valley link road.
Some of you have enjoyed my occasional diversions into road building and the construction of a mile of single 24-foot carriageway which I worked on in the Spring of 1962 in the Forder Valley. Plymouth. At its eastern end the new road joined the A38 close to the River Plym (and not far from Marsh Mills Station) at a new roundabout. For most of its length the road had no raised kerbs or gullies. The surface water drained off the road on one side into a “french drain”. One reason for choosing this style of drainage was the very poor longitudinal gradient of just 1 in 400. The edge of the road was delineated by a 12 inch (305mm) square insitu flush kerb. The top was finished with fine concrete made of white cement to reflect the light from car headlights in the dark as there was no street lighting other than at the roundabout.
   
MLR / 28 June 2023
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7011 Ready-mixed concrete is about to be poured into the 12-inch gap between two sets of steel road forms to make the flush kerb. The date is 18 April 1962. Copyright Michael L. Roach.

7012 The concrete came from the RMC Plant on the eastern side of Plymouth at Moorcroft Quarry. At the time there were just two plants in Plymouth. The other was on the western side of the city near the Torpoint Ferry slipway. Copyright Michael L. Roach.

7163 Here we are looking west along the new road from the middle of the new roundabout. The car is an Austin A40 and the lorry is believed to be a Seddon. Note the Tecalemit factory on the right. The date is 22 June 1962 and the roundabout has just opened to traffic. Copyright Michael L. Roach.

7164 Looking west again with the FVLR on the extreme left. The car is pre-war and there were still a lot around in 1962. The Bedford lorry has delivered beer barrels to a distribution depot in Union Street and is now returning to the Starkey, Knight and Ford Brewery at Tiverton with the empty barrels. The firm was acquired by Whitbread the same year i.e 1962. Copyright Michael L. Roach.

7166 Looking in the opposite direction towards the bridge over the River Plym and Marsh Mills railway station. There is remarkably little traffic heading out of Plymouth on the A38 at 4.05pm on a Friday afternoon. Copyright Michael L. Roach.

Many thanks Michael, what memories - and a memory you've got - all the details nothing spared.

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