11th October 2019

Indoor Meetings Programme: 2019/20
Don't forget that tomorrow sees the second of this seasons indoor events.
Saturday 12th October at 6.30PM.
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21 years as Signalling Inspector/Incident Officer Cornwall and Devon by Steve Heginbotham.  With recent improvements to signalling after years of rationalisation, now is the right time to learn from Steve some of the events and changes he has seen.
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For details of the venue location please click here.

Activity at Plymouth
Leslie Curnow

Good Evening Roger
I nearly quoted Plymouth North Road but that would be telling my age when the beloved steam engines were in charge.
Now there is a transition from HSTs and DMUs to Hitahchi and the beloved conversion of HSTs to Castle 2 + 4s where 43041 St Catherine's Castle arrived from Penzance.
I decided to see the evidence and progress of this transition and was pleased to see that the Castles have taken most control of the regional services have seen seven Castles during the afternoon of which one was not converted and in the original First Blue colours.  
Other that the Hitachi trains on the London Paddington trains of which there were at least three  9 cars sets which should have been the case for all of them, there was only one 158 which left late for Penzance to not being able to close one of the doors.
The surprise was the Cardiff  to Penzance running as a 150 two car, surely this should be a Castle. Perhaps its waiting the arrivial of the remaining sets being converted at Wabtec at Doncaster.
The Gunnislake was  a 150 but they are slowly disappearing fortunately and confined to branch lines.
Cross Country were out in force with three 7 car HST sets and a double 220 set as an eight car. Running short trains to the north and Scotland is beyond belief as we have seen previously.

191010a 66160 and 66168 on the RHTT at Plymouth. The grim is terrible and surely due for the Car Wash but pointless at the moment. Copyright Leslie Curnow

191010b 66121 on the Burngullow to Exeter Riverside eventually bound for Bow in London. Copyright Leslie Curnow

191010c 2 Castle Class HSTs at Plymouth. sitting in Platform 4 is a Penzance bound 2+4 car unit still with slam door stock numbered 43160 Sir Moir Lockhead OBE. Copyright Leslie Curnow

191010d Todays railways at Plymouth with a Great Western IET standing in Platform 4 A Cross Country Voyager in Platform 6 and a Cross Country HST standing in Platform 7. Copyright Leslie Curnow

Many Thanks Leslie

Cements at
St Budeaux
Clive Smith

70808 passes the long  closed Royal Albert Bridge box in St Budeaux with the 06.25 Moorswater  - Aberthaw cements  although it left at its usual 07.55. The plan was to photograph it at Hemerdon. I had an appointment in Saltash at 10.15 but thought the cements would be out of Liskeard by its usual booked 08.50. However this hadn't happened by 09.15 so I gave up and left home for the 25 minute drive to Saltash. The cements' whereabouts were still gnawing away at me and I pulled over into the Tamar Bridge car park at the Devon side to check Real Time Trains again on the off chance it might be passing in the next 20 minutes. I didn't need to check my phone  as I could see it powering over the Cornwall viaducts from my car window. Grabbing my camera I ran on to the Tamar Road Bridge to take  a photo of it from there only to find a sign saying 'Footpath closed 25th September to March 2020'. I then had to run back across the car park to the Normandy Hill overbridge which is where the photo was taken from. Definitely not my first choice of location as this previously good spot is now too overgrown and the two bridges backdrop has been lost for sometime. The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry as the saying goes. 

Regards, Clive Smith.   You had quite an exciting start to the day Clive - still the cat caught the mouse in the end - well done. 

St Budeaux. Royal Albert bridge box with 70808 on the 'Cements' - taken on the 10th October 2019 Copyright Clive Smith.

HST Renumbering
Bill Elston

Continuing in the Castle Class HST vein, I was at Taunton Station today (10th October 2019) while the 12.04 dep. to Cardiff was ready to leave when it dawned on me that the running number of 43005 had been moved the nose end (its normal position). Traces of its original position being fairly clear.
I understand that the running number has to be applied to a fixed part of the bodywork, and not a door, for example.
Cheers, Bill.
​Many thanks for your observations and report Bill. Any further comments from anybody?  

43005 looking very smart at Taunton on the 10th October 2019. Copyright Bill Elston.

43005 obviously in the wrong place - on a door. Attempts have been made to remove it. 10th October 2015. Copyright Bill Elston.

An early October report from
Craig Munday   Part 1

Hi Keith
 Hope you are well. It's been a varied few weeks with box shifts, out as MOM & also starting the Autumn programme. Manually sanding Treesmill (Par), Bodmin area & ST Germans to supplement the RHTT which has been out & about once more with 66160/168. 
Cheers Craig. 
​As usual a wonderful selection of pictures - especially the dramatic one at Roskear Junction in the early morning.  Many thanks to you Craig. 

Veteran class 37, 37521 stands in the oil sidings at Penzance after over night testing. It returned late from Penzance that evening. 2nd October 2019. Copyright Craig Munday

A cracking afternoon to capture 66055 crossing St Austell viaduct with clay bound for Fowey. 2nd October 2019. Copyright Craig Munday.

Also on the 2nd October 2019 a second Gover shot is an HST with 43172 Harry Patch leading. Copyright Craig Munday.

Moving on another day now. Quite an incredible shot at Roskear Junction. Remnants of storm Lorenzo whipped up the winds and a treat was this startling sunrise over the crossing at Roskear Jn. 3rd October 2019. Copyright Craig Munday.

Daylight now at Roskear Junction. The weather brightened up during the day and a Castle class HST heads east with 43040 leading. The power car yet to receive the Castle nameplates. 3rd October 2019. Copyright Craig Munday