13th August 2018

A HST Gala on the Newquay Branch today
Andrew Triggs & Roger Winnen

To bring back the boardmasters from the weekends festival at Newquay, The Great Western Railway laid on 7 HSTs from Newquay to London Paddington however one train was the rerouted 10.49 Penzance to Paddington replaced by a sprinter to from Penzance to Plymouth.
Departures from Newquay were 07.30 09.23 10.55 12.42 15.07 17.03 18.55

180813a The 1Z41 09.23 Newquay to London Paddington at Chaple Crossing near Quintrell Downs. Copyright Andrew Triggs

180813a The 09.23 Newquay -Paddington departs Par. Copyright Roger Winnen

180813b The 1Z42 10.55 Newquay to Paddington passes Luxulyan. Copyright Andrew Triggs

180813b Approaching Middleway Crossing is the 10.55 Newquay Paddington. Copyright Roger Winnen

180813c 43070 43056 working the 1C74 09.03 Paddington to Newquay seen at Middleway. Copyright Andrew Triggs

180813f It's the Happy Hour at Newquay crowds line the platform awaiting for us to disembark from the 09.03 from London Paddington and returning at 15.07 to Paddington. Copyright Roger Winnen

180813g Not a happy face amongst the crowd on Newquays only platform. Copyright Roger Winnen

180813d 1Z44 15.07 Newquay to London Paddington viewed from the Treffry Aquaduct. Copyright Andrew Triggs

Steam -
​Aller Junction
Clive Smith

Following on from Julian Stephens'  photo of the July 1985, a second attempt to get a steam passenger train to Plymouth, here is my contribution of that ill-fated 'Great Western Limited' of 7th July. Less than two miles  miles further back down the line at Aller Junction at 17.55, 5051 Earl Bathurst and 4930 Hagley Hall pass by untroubled with the 09.02 Paddington to Plymouth railtour. At least the spectators here were not disappointed. A good job I had not remained in Plymouth for this one !
What a superb place Aller Junction was for  lineside photography with its box, semaphores and perfectly located overbridges. The second picture shows 50044 Exeter on the 17.27 Paignton to Paddington . How the scene has changed with colour aspect signalling, track rationalisation and the recent building of the A380 South Devon Link Road.
I haven't been to Dainton bank for a few years. I wonder if the entrepreneurial farmer who owns the field most photographers frequent still comes around with his bucket charging £1 admission ? 

           Regards  Clive Smith        Many thanks indeed Clive.

Aller Jct. 5051 Earl Bathurst and 4930 Hagley Hall 7th July 1985 Copyright Clive Smith. Just try to count the spectators - apart from lineside they are also looking over the wall.

50044 Exeter on the 17.27 Paignton to Paddington 7th July 1985. As Clive says, this was an excellent spot with the four tracks. The box and access are over a bridge no longer there. The good old days!. Copyright Clive Smith

Just the Ticket!
Promotional Offer 
​ A chance, once in a lifetime!

I found this ticket amongst my very limited collection.
As can be seen this was a very special offer, presumably to get people back on trains, and it certainly did that!
What an excellent offer - perhaps take the family, two adults and two children to Plymouth for a day out. 
We did a day trip to Plymouth, followed by one to Exeter and another to London.
However it became obvious that one could use the ticket as a single and go, well, anywhere. It didn't say that you had to come back the same day!
So on the 28th May 1981 we caught a train to Paddington and then continued, using the same ticket from Kings Cross to Edinburgh. (The ticket inspector commented that he'd never seen so many green tickets in his life!!)
The next day we purchased another 'green ticket' from Edinburgh to Oban. We saw for the first time the wonderful scenery of Scotland (and in those days one could hang out of the window and enjoy the air and the view to the full).
All good things come to an end and on the third day we again purchased a green ticket for £5 and came home via the West Coast route.  What a wonderful weekend for just £15.
If only this offer could be repeated, I guess that whoever thought up this offer never got any  promotion!!  But many thanks for the experience. K.J. and family.

Lostwithiel
John Cornelius

Lostwithiel Level Crossing John Cornelius

A study of the box. Note 'Hoods' lie in the sidings. Copyright John Cornelius