14th May 2020

Laitys Road bridge
Leslie Curnow

200509a A Class Class HST approaches Laitys Road overbridge between Angarrack Viaduct and Gwinear Road on 9th May 2020. Copyright Leslie Curnow.

200509b a farm track crosses Laitys Bridge and the former Hayle Railway alignment a short distance up the lane. Copyright Leslie Curnow.

200509c The Network Rail notice. Copyright Leslie Curnow

200509d With Gwinear Road Station in the far distance hidden by trees a Penzance bound service approaches Laitys Road overbridge on the 9th May 2020

Thanks Leslie

Nightime at
Exeter (2)
Paul Barlow

Two Class 33s with a Ballast Train in Platform 4 at Exeter St David's Copyright Paul Barlow

​ Many thanks Paul

Mid summers day
Exeter
Bill Elston

Just for interest I've attached 3 shots of 47033 on a Glasgow to Paignton and return working at Exd and Cockwood respectively
taken on 20th June 1998.
Take care, Bill Elston.

47033, arrives at Exeter St Davids 20th June 1998 Copyright Bill Elston

47033, on the return run seen at Cockwood. 20th June 1998 Copyright Bill Elston

The nameplate on 47033. 20th June 1998. Copyright Bill Elston.

Many thanks for your mid summers pictures Bill.

St Erth Footbridge
Steve Martin 

​ Steve Martin writes :-  Here are the two photos as requested. If put side by side or one over the other - the visual difference is clear. The mockup of the proposed footbridge doesn't include openings on the over bridge part and the stairs, but it does fill its purpose of demonstrating the size and visual impact that the proposed monolith will have.

Best regards, Steve  

St Erth station - how it currently looks. Model by Steve Martin . Copyright /

St Erth station - how it might look with the new footbridge structure placed on Steve Martin's model of the station. Copyright.

If you would like to comment on this intrusion into the scene at St Erth station please write to Network Rail with your comments.  Also see the drawings of the impact in yesterdays news.

Portreath Incline - 
An appeal

 I do not know if you can help me but a number of our members from the Runcorn and District Scale Model Boat Group, based in Runcorn, Merseyside are developing a project to build a working diorama  of Portreath Harbour and the incline. We have managed to obtain really useful information about this area from various websites, your own included. I have also visited the harbour on a number of occasions to obtain photos etc.
One part of the project is to build the Engine House that controlled the drawing of the ore wagons up and down the incline.
One item of detail that we would like to obtain some information on is the configuration of the winding arrangement at the top of the incline. How would the rope/wire from the winding drums at the engine house be located such that they could be attached to the wagons without obstructing the rails. It maybe that there would be located beneath the rails a pulley arrangement driven from the engine house but I am not certain if this is correct.
I was wondering if your Society would have any detailed information on this area of the incline. Any information or any details of where such details could be found would be very much appreciated.
I hope you do not mind me contacting you in this manner but hopefully you may be able to help in this matter.
Thanking you in advance
David Booth

This question was referred to our very good friend Alan Harris who kindly replied :- There is that superb article contained in the magazine British Railway Journal Issue number 33 dated Autumn 1990 which contains 23 pages appertaining to the Portreath Branch, you have a copy of this magazine. Copies of it sometimes appear on Ebay quite cheaply and I think it would pay Mr. Booth to try to obtain a copy.
Any other help would be much appreciated. 

​From Roy Hart - our expert out in Rangoon.
Alan Harris is spot on with his advice: the article is by Roger Carpenter and is beautifully researched and illustrated.ISSN 0265 4105.
However, the article, despite showing photos of the engine from the 1930s, does not explain that this was the second engine at Portreath Incline. A glance at the engine building shows that it is much too big for the apparatus within - in fact it resembles a traditional Cornish engine house. This is because it began life housing a beam engine with large flywheel and drum for the rope. The engine was known as the 'Lady Bassett'.
The beam engine was replaced by the smaller, rotary affair around 1895 (no date seems to be recorded). Any model depiction would therefore depend on the period to be represented.The building was much modified over the years, most notably the addition of a water tank on the roof in the 1890s.

Roy

Many thanks to Roy and Alan,