14th July 2021

Yeoman Highlander on route learning
Roger Salter Roger Aston Andrew Keast Mark Lynam
Ross Griffiths Leslie Curnow & Roger Winnen

59103 Yeoman Highlander climbs in the heat haze to Apex Sumit. Copyright Roger Aston

59103 Passes under Apex Bridge. Copyright Roger Aston

GBRf first crew training run with 59003 seen at Carn Brea working 0Z61 0904 Plymouth to Penzance. Copyright Mark Lynam

0Z61 09.04 Plymouth Penzance 59003 Yeoman Highlander on route learning crosses Hayle Viaduct. Copyright Roger Salter

210714a 59003 Yeoman Highlander arrives at Penzance on a route learning trip. Copyright Roger Winnen

210714b 59003 Yeoman Highlander at Penzance on 14th July 2021. Copyright Roger Winnen

Returning from Penzance the 11.29 to Plymouth with 59003 Yeoman Highlander at Rosvidney. Copyright Roger Salter

59003 at North Crofty Junction with the return working 0Z62 1129 Penzance to Plymouth. Copyright Mark lynam

59003 & Saltash Station fencing removal. Copyright Ross Griffiths

Hello again all, A couple of shots from earlier today, 59003 passing through Saltash with the 1129 Penzance - Plymouth route learner and one of the station building with the security fencing finally removed and some, er, 'heritage' fencing in place? Or maybe that's yet to come! Another step forward in the wonderful restoration of this building. Best regards, Copyright Ross Griffiths

59003 Passing Carlyon Bay on the second run - the 14.37 Plymouth to Penzance. Copyright Andrew Keast

59003 passing through Chacewater on afternoon downward run. 14th July 2021. Copyright Roger Aston.

59003 clears Chacewater and heads for Scorrier on the afternoon downward run. 14th July 2021. Copyright Roger Aston.

Hello Roger Enclosed is photo of 59003 passing Camborne on a Wednesday on the 16:30 from Penzance light engine movement. It passes an IET that has stopped on the down line even on a Wednesday. Copyright Leslie Curnow

57310  Pride of Cumbria 
The Night Riviera
Mark Lynam

ROG 57310 "Pride of Cumbria" is seen at Penzance shortly before departing on the Night Rivera sleeper 1A50 2145 Penzance to London Paddington on Wednesday 7th July 2021. Copyright Mark Lynan

Thanks Mark

36th anniversary of the return of steam to Devon
Dawlish
Clive Smith

5051 Earl Bathurst and 4930 Hagley Hall round the sea wall by Langstone Rock at Dawlish Warren with the 15.20 Newton Abbot - Paddington charter on the 14th July 1985. The return of steam to Devon in 1985 and later to Cornwall was to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Great Western Railway.

Regards
Clive Smith

DAWLISH. Return of steam to Devon. 14th July 1985 Copyright Clive Smith

Many thanks Clive - something to remember.
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Experiences and history on the
Class 153's
​Guy Vincent

In recent weeks several of the pictures from Ron Kosys have shown class 33s on Cardiff-Portsmouth duties during the final few months of operation.  I saw most of these pass by my then place of work in Bradford on Avon and might even have been travelling on some as I used to buy weekly Wessex Rover tickets and accumulated many thousands of 'loco miles' during the period leading up to their replacement by new class 155 'Sprinter' sets from Monday 17th May 1988.  Incidentally I recently read that the first class 155 vehicle, later converted to a single car and renumbered 153302, has just been sent for scrap.  153302 was with Wessex Trains and later FGW and carried the black Devon and Cornwall promotional livery but went off-lease in December 2006 before moving to East Midlands Trains.  It was acquired by TFW who had it dismantled for spares at Worksop, Notts before reportedly sending the bodyshell for disposal.   153s were never that popular with traincrew in my area as they were very sluggish due to each vehicle weighing just on 41 tons with only a single 285hp engine for power.  Despite their weight they were often prone to slip on damp rails and there was always a 50/50 chance of you working in the cramped 'small end' cab added during the conversion to a single car unit.       In the picture I've added of 153305 and 153361 at Bristol TM working the 0721 Cardiff on 8th July 2017 both small cabs are leading so sadly the odds climb to 100% guaranteed!   See how the exhaust was relocated away from the end of the vehicle to emerge just above and behind the door.

Bristol TM 153305 & 153361 00721 BTM-CDF 8th July 2017. Copyright Guy Vincent.

Thank you Guy for a  most interesting 'write up' and history for which we are most grateful. As usual, no details spared.
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GBRF 59
Keith Turley

Another rare visitor to the West Country today 13th July 2021.
GBRF class 59/0 No.59003 'Yeoman Highlander' worked the OZ60
11:12 Eastleigh East Yard to Plymouth light engine move seen passing Stoke Canon.
Possibly a driver refresher or route learning trip.

Regards Keith Turley.  See next item.

59003. Stoke Cannon - Eastleigh to Laira. 13th July 2021. Copyright Keith Turley

Many thanks Keith.
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Class 59 Route Learning
Cornwall
Barry Jones

Dear Keith and Roger,
In case you haven’t already realised, the scheduled GBRf route-learning in Cornwall booked for tomorrow has been extended to include extra trips tomorrow and on Thursday before returning from Plymouth to Eastleigh on Fri.
59003 worked down to Plymouth today (13th July 2021) on 0Z60 1012 Eastleigh East Yard to Plymouth - photographed at Cheston (near Wrangaton).

Best wishes, Barry

Class 59 59003, seen at Cheston near Wrangaton (0Z60 10.12 Eastleigh East Yard to Plymouth), 13th July 2021. Copyright Barry Jones

Many thanks Barry.
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The 59 again at
Daveys Cross
Clive Smith

A rare visit west of Exeter for one of the original sheds. 59003 was built in 1985 for Foster Yeoman and started work on the Mendip stone trains in 1986. It was transferred to DB in Germany in 1997 where it changed operators and stayed until 2014 when it returned to the U.K. This is a crew training run and was 0Z60 10.12 Eastleigh Yard - Plymouth and the 59 will make further trips to Penzance. Photographed by the line from a field at Daveys Cross between Ivybridge and Bittaford.  Thankfully no ovine or bovine interruptions, just the  grass growing around me.

Regards, Clive Smith

59 003 seen at Daveys Cross en route to Laira. 13th July 2021. Copyright Clive Smith.

Many thanks Clive for the picture and the history too. Much appreciated.
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Remember Inge Aston
Roger Aston

Roger Aston writes :- Out of our area but loosely connected to todays run. You may remember Inge from her presentation at members evening in 2018

I enclose a pictures of my wife Inge when she drove 59 003 (under instruction from driver) 7km to DB exchange siding in Brandenburg in 2007. At that time loco had number 29 003 and was with Heavy Haul Power International (HHPI). Highlander had to go for maintenance, Inge brought back a class 66.
Best regards, Roger.

Inge Aston driving 59003 at Brandenburg in 2007. Copyright. Roger Aston.

Inge Aston driving 59003 at Brandenburg in 2007. Copyright. Roger Aston.

Many thanks to Roger for reminding us of a very pleasant and informative evening given to us by Inge in 2018. And of course many thanks to Inge as well.

​No doubt you'll join the rest seeing 59 003 somewhere today.

Crewkerne
Paul Barlow

33002 waits at Crewkerne with the 15.00 Waterloo to Exeter. 10th May 1980. Copyright Paul Barlow.

Thank you Paul.
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Remodelling at
Bristol East Jct
Driver Alan Peters

An eight week possession has started to completely remodel the whole of the Eastern approach to Bristol temple Meads, starting with the replacement of the Up and Down Relief lines and the Up and Down Filton lines, this enables trains to run through Bristol Temple Meads using the Up and Down Main lines with a reduced service some using the Rhubarb curve and reversing at Bristol East Depot including Cross Country services.


The view from platform 5 which is currently closed whilst remodeling work takes place 12/07/21

The view from platform 5 which is currently closed whilst remodeling work takes place 11th July 2021. Copyright Driver Alan Peters.

A view taken from the closed platform 5, the signals have been disconnected and platform 3 has already been lifted along with the Up through line, 11th July 2021. Copyright Driver Alan Peters

Colas Rail 70812 draws it's train of empty Falcon wagons forward to be loaded with spoil, the train originated at Westbury as 6F02 running via Taunton and will return to Westbury running via Bristol Parkway and reversing at Swindon on 11th July 2021 Driver Alan Peters

Looking back from Bristol Barton Hill depot with the Up and Down relief lines lifted, note the new signal gantry already installed. Colas Rail 70812 is stood on the Up Filton with the Falcon wagons now loaded with spoil on 12th July 2021 Alan Peters

Many thanks indeed Alan for your 'on site' reports.
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Old Magazines
Christine Simmonds

Christine writes :-   
I have some spare copies of our magazine from 2019 and 2020.  Now we are not going to shows, I have more left over.   Before I scrap them, I thought I might ask members if any of them want one or more of the mags.  Could you put a message on the website to say I have the following magazines available:  if anyone wants one can they contact me?
 
I have Spring : Autumn :  Winter from 2019   and Spring and Autumn from 2020
 
I won’t charge anything for them, I’d be glad to get rid of them
 
Many thanks. Christine.

Please note and contact Christine.
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