Severe Delays
From -Cornwall Live
From -Cornwall Live
Trains in Cornwall and Devon were severely disrupted this morning with many journeys terminated early or cancelled all together. This is after the attempted theft of signalling cables preventing trains from being able to run safely.
It has affected both the Cross Country route from Penzance to Newcastle and the Great Western Railway between Bristol Temple Meads, Exeter St Davids, Plymouth, London Paddington and Penzance. Delays were expected on both lines.
The incident occurred at 7.18am this morning (March 17) and disruption can be expected until 12.30am. Customers are advised to check their journey on National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner before travelling.
The attempted theft occurred between St Austell and Truro.
It has affected both the Cross Country route from Penzance to Newcastle and the Great Western Railway between Bristol Temple Meads, Exeter St Davids, Plymouth, London Paddington and Penzance. Delays were expected on both lines.
The incident occurred at 7.18am this morning (March 17) and disruption can be expected until 12.30am. Customers are advised to check their journey on National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner before travelling.
The attempted theft occurred between St Austell and Truro.
No doubt Roger will have an 'On the spot report' as he was intending to travel today.
Class 60 Devon & Cornwall Railways
David Tozer & Roger Winnen
David Tozer & Roger Winnen
Gents,
For possibly the first time a Devon & Cornwall loco hauling freight wagons in Devon with and equally rare appearance of a Class 60 in this part of the West Country:-
6Z53 11:18 Oxford Banbury Road to Newton Abbot Hackney Yard via Melksham hauled by 60055 'Thomas Barnado'
Returning home from Exeter St David's on the 16.15 departure to Penzance we ran into problems in Cornwall, being held outside of Liskeard for 10 mins, for an eastbound service to pass followed by a unit crossing over from the down to the up line before we could enter the station. After leaving St Austell we were held at Burngullow then 12 mins down and running slow, stopping on Truro Viaduct, then Truro Station 18 mins down, a number of stops on route to Redruth & Camborne then 16 mins down, then followed a crawl being held at Penponds, Gwinear Road at walking pace and a signal on the approach to Hayle Station running 30 mins late. Penzance arrival was at 19.50 27 minutes late.
All this was the result of a attempted theft of signal cable between St Austell and Truro
For possibly the first time a Devon & Cornwall loco hauling freight wagons in Devon with and equally rare appearance of a Class 60 in this part of the West Country:-
6Z53 11:18 Oxford Banbury Road to Newton Abbot Hackney Yard via Melksham hauled by 60055 'Thomas Barnado'
Returning home from Exeter St David's on the 16.15 departure to Penzance we ran into problems in Cornwall, being held outside of Liskeard for 10 mins, for an eastbound service to pass followed by a unit crossing over from the down to the up line before we could enter the station. After leaving St Austell we were held at Burngullow then 12 mins down and running slow, stopping on Truro Viaduct, then Truro Station 18 mins down, a number of stops on route to Redruth & Camborne then 16 mins down, then followed a crawl being held at Penponds, Gwinear Road at walking pace and a signal on the approach to Hayle Station running 30 mins late. Penzance arrival was at 19.50 27 minutes late.
All this was the result of a attempted theft of signal cable between St Austell and Truro
220317a 60055 Working the Oxford to Hackney Yard empties passes through Exeter St David's. Copyright Roger Winnen
220317b 60055 Thomas Barnado of Devon & Cornwall Railfreight works through Exeter St Davis's this afternoon. Copyright Roger Winnen
220317d A telephoto lens shot of 60055 at Exminster, in the background is the City of Exeter. Copyright David Tozer
220317c 60055 Thomas Barnado seen at Exminster. Copyright David Tozer
HS2 Stone on the move
Guy Vincent
Guy Vincent
Somerset & Wiltshire are now seeing a noticeable increase in heavy aggregates traffic bound for London and the Home Counties, much of this being destined for construction of the controversial HS2 route between London to Birmingham.
Besides Merehead and Whatley, quarries at Tytherington, Machen and Stancombe (near Flax Bourton) are all sending out trainloads of stone with additional waste ballast coming from Network Rail's Westbury Recycling plant. To get an idea of how much traffic is now running simply look at Realtime Trains and pick a location such as Heywood Road or Bathampton Junctions where most trains will pass through.
Guy Vincent
Besides Merehead and Whatley, quarries at Tytherington, Machen and Stancombe (near Flax Bourton) are all sending out trainloads of stone with additional waste ballast coming from Network Rail's Westbury Recycling plant. To get an idea of how much traffic is now running simply look at Realtime Trains and pick a location such as Heywood Road or Bathampton Junctions where most trains will pass through.
Guy Vincent
1) 66006 and 66066 waiting to depart from Westbury with 6Z85 1724 Westbury-Little Kimble (located on the Princes Risborough-Aylesbury line). This is a newly created construction site with loaded trains from Tytherington and Westbury generally running late afternoon loaded and returning empty the following morning. DB Cargo have contracts for this and are sensibly using pairs of class 66 locos working in multiple, see photos of the jumper cable between them. This train was loaded with heavy ballast type material in 77 tonne box wagons numbering over 35 in total, basically the train occupied the entire length of the Down Reception line! 14th March 2022. Copyright Guy Vincent.
2) 60055 on DCR's 6Z34 1457 Bristol Freightliner Terminal - Willesden DC Rail Sidings conveying stone from Stancombe Quarry near Flax Bourton to the west of Bristol. This is moved approximately 10 miles by road and transferred into these box wagons for onward transit. 14th March 2022. Copyright Guy Vincent.
66006 & 66066 Multi-Working 14th March 2022. Copyright Guy Vincent
Close up view - 66006 & 66066 Multi-Working 14th March 2022. Copyright Guy Vincent
Many thanks Guy.
Buckhorn Weston
Paul Barlow
Paul Barlow
50028 Tiger 14.10 Waterloo to Exeter emerges from the west end of the 742 yard long Buckhorn Weston (Gillingham) tunnel. 19th October 1986 Copyright Paul Barlow.
Many thanks Paul - like 'Tiger' bursting from a cage!