17th May 2022

17/5/2022

Tonights Excitement
The Weedkiller
David Tozer & Roger Salter

A rare opportunity to photograph the weedkiller train in daylight.
66790 and 66752 top and tail the 1843 3Q98 Exeter (Riverside N.Y) to Exeter Riverside (N.Y.) via Plymouth.
Dave

The weed killer near Dawlish Warren. Copyright Roger Salter

Thanks to David & Roger

Great Western Railway
at Pinhoe
David Tozer

Gents,
A couple of photos taken at Pinhoe this evening(16 May) of the 1631 2L92 Barnstaple to Axminster with unit 158951. This was the first day of the new operation.
When was the last time a through service ran from Barnstaple to Axminster.
Dave

Thanks David

A Peak at Totnes
Michael Forward

Hello Roger, I enjoyed your pictures from 1976,interesting to see the sidings and wagons at Drump Lane,Redruth. Here is a picture of 45141 with the 09.18 Penzance to Leeds, at Totnes on 12 August 1985 Note the South Devon Railway train at Totnes which they ran into at that time .Best wishes and thanks, Michael. Copyright Michael Forward

Thanks Michael

Up all night for the
Weedkiller
Mark Lynam

Last night (14th/15th May) saw GBRf 66790 + 66752 working on the Newquay, Looe and Falmouth branch lines on weedspraying duties. Below are a few photos taken on the branch lines.
Thanks,
Mark Lynam

1. 66790 on arrival at Newquay at 22.44 on 15th May working 3Q98 2140 St Blazey L I P to St Blazey L I P via Newquay, Looe & Falmouth.. Copyright Mark Lynam

2. 66752 on the other end at Newquay before departure at 22.50. Copyright Mark Lynam.

- and let there be light!!

3. 66752 at Coombe Junction Halt at 01.25 on 16th May, the only station in Cornwall with no lighting, luckily I have my own portable battery lights. Copyright Mark Lynam.

4. 66790 at Falmouth Docks at 04.10 on 16th May. Copyright Mark Lynam

Full marks Mark for your efforts - providing your own lighting - amazing. Not many people at Combe I wouldn't think!! Many thanks.

Peaks at
Exeter St Davids
Clive Smith

After the successful appearance of two peaks D4 and D182 at the recent Swanage Diesel Gala here are two pictures from forty years ago when they were regular performers on the inter-regional trains. Just five months to go and we should hopefully see the return of a peak to the main line in Devon for the first time since 2006 with 45118's charter visit to Paignton in October.
Regards Clive Smith

Exeter Peaks 45041 arrives with the 1M23 11.40 Paignton - Nottingham on the 22nd May 1982. Copyright Clive Smith.

Exeter Peaks 45114 waits to depart Exeter St Davids on a Saturday with The Cornishman. The 1E21 the 10.21 Penzance to Bradford Exchange on 23rd January 1982 Copyright Clive Smith.

Many thanks indeed Clive for your memories and pictures of forty years ago.

Gara Bridge
A query from
Michael Robinson

Dear Friends,
Thank you very much for the brilliant photographs by Mike Roach of the Kingsbridge branch
I am interested in photographs of Gara Bridge Station and I have found a few but they all lack people I mean more than one that is. I just love the setting on Gara Bridge station, I have a layout plan of the station at
Gara Bridge but are there any plans of the station buildings or the station masters house.
Do we have an details of the station masters at Gara Bridge and the people who manned the signal box.
I just want to do some future research on the building in particular and the people who ran the line
If you can help that would be great.
Kind regards, Michael Robinson Chartered Surveyor

Gara Bridge station in August 1963. A delightful station ins a delightful setting. Copyright Mike Roach

The signal box and crossing Gara Bridge. April 1963 Copyright Michael L. Roach

Gara Bridge. 5573 pulls away heading for Kingsbridge in June 1961. Copyright Michael L. Roach.

Can anybody help please. Many thanks for your query Michael - lets hope we have some replies and contacts. Many thanks too to Mike Roach for letting us use his photographs.

The transition from
Steam to Diesel
John Roberts

Keith, I’ve developed an interest in the steam to diesel transition which is not well-collated in the public press. Your item on 28th April about the last steam railtour from St Blazey inspired me to start some research. It’s work in progress so firstly via our news page can I ask folks to contribute the last steam and first diesel services on each of the Cornish lines. The last all-steam year would have been 1957, as the first Warships and NBL2s entered service in January 1958 and January 1959 respectively, and the first Cl 118s arrived in April 1960. The CRS website well-documents the closure of St Ives shed in September 1961 and the last steam service to St Ives on 10th August 1962. Penzance shed closed to steam on 10th September 1962 but the steam timetable probably continued for another year until the last through Riviera to St Ives on 7th Sep 1963. Did any steam cross the Tamar during that time? What were the last rostered turns, apart from railtours?
Sadly I wasn't a member of any railway societies at the time but, apart from the few enthusiast specials culminating in the final run on 3rd May 1964, I don't recall anything in the West Briton. Maybe BR wanted to keep it as quiet as possible to avoid any union backlash. Does anyone have any contemporary press cuttings?
CRS Steam to Diesel transition 1958-68 (1)
Secondly, for Features no 2223 I've listed all the WR Steam Shed closures. I've also included all the sub-sheds within the West of England. You will note that the end of steam broadly moved from west to east and then north, with the transition largely completed within the five-year period from 1961 to 1966. Note also that around this time there was some regional reorganisation with sheds being renumbered, or temporarily closed for conversion to diesel and reopening with a different designation, while in the Midlands WR allocations were combined with or displaced by LMR sheds.
WR Sheds - dates of closure to steam
Caution is required, eg Laira is quoted elsewhere as allocation withdrawn Oct 63 and officially closed Oct 64. Even though a shed may have had no steam allocated, locos from other sheds may have visited for servicing. Other sites quote the official closure of Laira as 13th Jun 65 when the access lines were disconnected.
Newton Abbot Division
PZ - 83G - 10th Sep 62.
St Ives - Sep 61, last steam 10th Aug 62, SB cl 7th Sep 63, Electric Token introduced 28th Jun 56, Viaduct rebuilt Apr 1955.
Helston - Dec 61?
TR - 83F - Mar 62.
SBZ - 83E - 28th Apr 62.
Bodmin - Apr 62.
Moorswater - Sep 61, last steam to Looe 9th Sep 61.
LA - 83D - 84A - Apr 64?
Launceston - Dec 62.
NA - 83A - 1st Apr 62.
Kingsbridge - Sep 61.
EXE - 83C - Oct 63.
Tiverton Jn - Oct 64.
TN - 83B - Oct 64.
Bridgwater - Jul 60.
Bristol Division
WEY - 82F - 71G - 70G - 9th Jul 67 (WR section closed around mid-63).
Bridport - Sep 66?
YEO - 72C - 83E - Jun 65.
YEO - 82E - 71H - 5th Jan 1959.
WES - 82D - 83C - Sep 65.
SPM - 82B - 13th Jun 1964.
BRD - 82A - 12th Sep 1960.
SDN - 82C - Oct 64.
London Division
OXF - 81F - 3rd Jan 66.
DID - 81E - Jun 65.
RDG - 81D - 4th Jan 65.
SLO - 81B - 1st Jun 64.
SHL - 81C - 3rd Jan 66.
PDN - 81A - 22nd Mar 65.
Worcester Division
GLO - 85B - 1st Jan 66.
HFD - 85C - 86C - 2nd Nov 64.
WOS - 85A - Dec 65.
KDR - 85D - 84G - 2P - Aug 64.
Wolverhampton Division
BAN - 84C - 2D - 3rd Oct 66.
LMTN - 84D - 2L - 14th Jun 65.
TYS - 84E - 2A - 7th Nov 66.
STB - 84F - 2C - 11th Jul 66.
SRD - 84A - 9th Sep 63.
OXY - 84B - 2B - Mar 67 (WR allocation w/d c65).
WLN - 84H - 2M - 10th Aug 64.
SALOP - 84G - 89A - 6D - 6th Nov 67 (WR allocation w/d c66).
CNYD - 84J - 89B - 6C - 5th Jun 67 (WR allocation w/d c66).
CHR - 84K - 6E - 10th Apr 60.
BHD - 6C - 8H - 6th Nov 67 (WR allocation w/d c60).
Oswestry Division
BCN - 89B - 88K - 31st Dec 62.
MCH - 89C - 6F - 5th Dec 66.
OSW - 89A - 89D - 6E - 18th Jan 65.

We are most grateful to you John for the results of your extensive research and hope that our readers will see fit to put pen to paper and provide more information. More details on the diesel fleet tomorrow.

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17th May 2022

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