15th February 2019

Test Trains in Exeter
​ Alan Peters

A couple of pictures of the NMT and UTU 4 hauled by 37025 in Exeter New Yard on Valentine's day 2019, UTU 4 would normally be stabled in Riverside Yard but the yard is currently closed due to flood defence scheme.
Many Thanks Alan.

HST and 9702 remote train operating vehicle in Exeter New Yard. Copyright Alan Peters.

HST and 37 025 Inverness TMD in Exeter New Yard. Copyright Alan Peters.

The Transport Minister visits Dawlish to announce a funding package for the Dawlish Sea Wall
This was Dawlish yesterday
Roger Winnen

190214a A 158 unit on the 12.48 Exeter to Paignton service passing through Dawlish. Copyright Roger Winnen

190214b The 10.33 IET Paddington to Paignton service calls at Dawlish. Copyright Roger Winnen

190214c A Class 66 heads the stone train from Burngullow to Bow. Copyright Roger Winnen

190214d 43153 Heads the 10.00 Penzance to Paddington through Dawlish. Copyright Roger Winnen

190214e Names on trains will soon be a thing of the past as a 158 unit is seen at Paignton. Copyright Roger Winnen

Valentines Walk - Bude
Andrew Jones

Diane and I visited Bude today (14th February) . The weather was spring like with blue skies and 14 degrees.
Finding evidence of railways in Bude, gets more difficult by the years, but I remember as a child in 1958 witnessing an N class Maunsell crossing a river bridge with a few wagons destined for the  Bude Wharf.
Back in those days my parents arrived on holiday in our 1946 Standard 8 drop head, but the suitcases were delivered by rail!
I have attached a photograph of that very same bridge taken today. There is an explanation board at the site with some local history, which I have also attached.
Much of the trackbed to Halwill is still intact with a viaduct between  Marhamchurch and Titson and two viaducts at Holsworthy.
There have been local meetings to promote reinstatement of this once busy holiday route, but this would be conditional on a connection via Halwill and Okehampton.
                               Best wishes Andrew 
​Many thanks Andrew. One can only hope concerning reinstatement but it would be a major major job - there is the bridge over the old A30 near Okehampton for instance.

Bude wharf branch 1 The Bridge 14th Feb 2019 Copyright Andrew Jones

Bude wharf branch 2 Information board 14th Feb 2019 Copyright Andrew Jones

Bude Wharf Information Board - detail. 14th February 2019. Copyright Andrew Jones.

Silver roofed 47's
Clive Smith

The first picture shows 47115  ready for departure from Newton Abbot carriage sidings on the 24th May 1981 with an ECS to Teignmouth that would form the 18.08 return ADEX to Clacton. The running lines and fuelling point of the depot can be seen in the background. 47115 was a Stratford depot allocated loco at the time and sported the distinct 'silver' roof that was a trademark of that depot in the late 1970s and early 80s. At a time of uniform standard blue livery any deviation was usually frowned upon by BR . The depot broke ranks in 1977 with their famous union jack and silver roof liveried pair of class 47s that they produced to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee of that year. Although the originals did indeed sport silver painted roofs the subsequent examples the depot produced were more of a grey or even a dull white. There is a lot of debate, particularly amongst modellers, as to what type of grey was actually used. Was it the grey paint used for BR  blue and grey coaches or some other hue ? Pictures from the time do show colour variations but these could be due to dirt and oil or the sun shining. Not quite fifty shades of grey but certainly a few more than one. 47115 entered traffic  in September 1965 as D1703 and was withdrawn in April 1991 and cut up in. December 1995 . This loco was one of the five designated class 48s when TOPS classification was introduced at the end of the 1960s. When built, D1702 to D1706, were fitted with a Sulzer 12LVA24 power unit . The experiment was not deemed a success, and they were converted to standard 47s in Crewe Works between February and November 1970, replaced by the more familiar 12LDA28C.

Newton Abbot Silver roof 47115 24th May 1981 Copyright Clive Smith

The second picture shows 47565 at Plymouth with the 10.35 Newquay - Paddington on the 6th June 1981. Introduced to traffic as D1620 in September 1964 and later renumbered 47039, it was withdrawn in February 2000 and cut up in February 2004.  The loco was allocated to Stratford  in October 1980 and converted to ETH and renumbered 47565. The depot set about applying their trademark roof colour and probably before the paint was dry it was re-allocated to Laira in April 1981. Just over a year later it was re-allocated to Landore but it would appear that the 'silver' roof lasted until at least 1984 judging by the various pictures online.

Plymouth Silver roof 47765 6th June 1981. Copyright Clive Smith

As a spotter in the late 70s there was always a frisson of excitement at  westcountry stations as a silver roofed 47 appeared in the distance as Stratford locos were rare and often a 'cop' or 'line in the book' be it the classic Ian Allan ABC book or the new Platform 5 . A regular sighting for me for a while was always the weekly bitumen tanks from Ripple Lane to Exeter City Basin. If anyone has any pictures of this train with one of these distinct 47s  or even any  31s or 37s ,please send them to the website as a follow up this piece and the excellent City Basin feature in the February pages.

                 Regards  Clive Smith         Many thanks Clive