A Minibus Tour to the Tamar Valley and the Heathfield Branch
Saturday 4th September 1976
Roger Winnen
Saturday 4th September 1976
Roger Winnen
760904aa Brentor Station. Copyright Roger Winnen
760904e Gunnislake Old Station. Copyright Roger Winnen
760904zf Heathfield Station with Keith Jenkin Kevin Jenkin Gordon Dobbs and Maurice Blair in the doorway. Copyright Roger Winnen
Eastleigh Visit
Guy Vincent
Guy Vincent
Good evening Keith
On this fine summer-like day we headed off to Eastleigh for a few hours 'trainspotting' in the hope of catching a couple of previously unseen locos. First on my list was former 'Royal' shunter 08629. This was once based at Wolverton Works and for some years carried the deep claret livery used on the Royal Train. Sadly this is no longer the case and it now wears a blue / white / green colour scheme applied during the ownership of Knorr - Bremse. Fortunately the shunter made a couple of trips through Eastleigh station and I was able to take some photos. Also shunting in the yard was 08683 which was caught from the road bridge to the east of the station.
Outside the former works were two vehicles from IET set 800026. Presumably these are awaiting modifications to the body /frames as part of the ongoing programme being carried out here on behalf of the manufacturer.
Back to the station for the highlight of the afternoon, recently rebuilt 69006 on the daily 4Y19 1230 Mountfield Sidings - Southampton Western Docks empty Gypsum bogie hoppers. Running right to time and in perfect autumn light the loco is now hopefully good for another twenty-plus years service after being completely stripped to just a bodyshell and then re-equipped with new power and traction equipment. The loco's original identity was 56128, built at Crewe Works in 1983 and officially withdrawn in 2005 after a long period in storage. It was actually sold for scrap and moved to Booth's yard in Rotherham for cutting up but fortunately in 2018 a reprieve came when it was bought for spares and then entered the class 69 rebuild programme for GB Railfreight. Money well spent in my opinion!
Finally, class 153 unit 57385 which has been converted for use by Network Rail for carrying out infrastructure monitoring and assessments. This is kept in the sidings next to the station when not in use.
Regards
Guy Vincent
On this fine summer-like day we headed off to Eastleigh for a few hours 'trainspotting' in the hope of catching a couple of previously unseen locos. First on my list was former 'Royal' shunter 08629. This was once based at Wolverton Works and for some years carried the deep claret livery used on the Royal Train. Sadly this is no longer the case and it now wears a blue / white / green colour scheme applied during the ownership of Knorr - Bremse. Fortunately the shunter made a couple of trips through Eastleigh station and I was able to take some photos. Also shunting in the yard was 08683 which was caught from the road bridge to the east of the station.
Outside the former works were two vehicles from IET set 800026. Presumably these are awaiting modifications to the body /frames as part of the ongoing programme being carried out here on behalf of the manufacturer.
Back to the station for the highlight of the afternoon, recently rebuilt 69006 on the daily 4Y19 1230 Mountfield Sidings - Southampton Western Docks empty Gypsum bogie hoppers. Running right to time and in perfect autumn light the loco is now hopefully good for another twenty-plus years service after being completely stripped to just a bodyshell and then re-equipped with new power and traction equipment. The loco's original identity was 56128, built at Crewe Works in 1983 and officially withdrawn in 2005 after a long period in storage. It was actually sold for scrap and moved to Booth's yard in Rotherham for cutting up but fortunately in 2018 a reprieve came when it was bought for spares and then entered the class 69 rebuild programme for GB Railfreight. Money well spent in my opinion!
Finally, class 153 unit 57385 which has been converted for use by Network Rail for carrying out infrastructure monitoring and assessments. This is kept in the sidings next to the station when not in use.
Regards
Guy Vincent
Eastleigh Station Sidings 08629 17th October 2022. Copyright Guy Vincent
Eastleigh Station Sidings 08629 17th October 2022. Copyright Guy Vincent
Eastleigh Works Two from 800026 17th October 2022. Copyright Guy Vincent
Eastleigh 69006 (ex 56128) 4Y19 1230 Mountfield Sdgs-Soton Western Docks 17th October 2022. Copyright Guy Vincent
Eastleigh 57385 (Network Rail) 17th October 2022. Copyright Guy Vincent
Many thanks guy - as usual superb photographs and masses of information.
Didcot
Phil Smith
Phil Smith
47817 powers along at Didcot in 1998 Copyright Phil Smith. For further details please see below many thanks to Chris Bellett.
Many thanks Phil.
An update on the above photograph from Phil has been received from Chris Bellett - we are benefiting from his extensive knowledge.
Hi Keith, Hope all is well?
With reference to this mornings website photo page (Tuesday 18 October), I can tell from the signal numbers that the photograph is taken at the East end of Didcot (Parkway) station, with the train traversing the avoiding line towards Oxford and the platforms behind the photographer. Hope that explains that one!
Kind Regards, Chris Bellett Retired S&T Engineer, CRS Member
With reference to this mornings website photo page (Tuesday 18 October), I can tell from the signal numbers that the photograph is taken at the East end of Didcot (Parkway) station, with the train traversing the avoiding line towards Oxford and the platforms behind the photographer. Hope that explains that one!
Kind Regards, Chris Bellett Retired S&T Engineer, CRS Member
Many thanks Chris - hope you are well. too.
PEMBROKE COAST EXPRESS
1960
Michael L Roach
1960
Michael L Roach
A memorable day out.
Mention of the Pembroke Coast Express a couple of times recently made me dig out my records of my one-and-only trip on this named train and it was a really memorable trip engrained in the memory for ever more. My introduction to the South Wales Main Line was on Saturday 27 August 1960 soon after moving to Cardiff earlier that month. I made a day trip to Swansea in the company of a friend who joined me at Bridgend Station, It was a day of mist, drizzle and persistent light rain. We arrived at Swansea High Street (mileage 216m 08c) at 1.30pm on the 8.55am from Paddington to Pembroke Dock and Neyland, hauled by 5004 “Llanstephan Castle” of Landore Shed with 13 coaches in tow. The train had been banked from Neath General Station to Skewen East Box by a pannier tank in the 8400 series. We did not go far from the station because of the dreadful weather. The chosen train back to Cardiff was the 3.45pm which had started its run at Pembroke Dock at 1.05pm and was The Pembroke Coast Express. The train was nominally non-stop to Cardiff in 70 minutes so my friend chose a different train and missed what was to follow. The PCE was hauled by Britannia 70016 “Ariel” of Canton Shed and of Laira Shed earlier in the 1950s. The train crawled out of Swansea High Street at 3.50pm and was obviously in great difficulties getting a grip on the greasy rails in the drizzle which had turned heavier. The train continued like this for seven minutes before the driver gave up the struggle and stopped at Hafod Junction distant signal to await help. This came in the shape of rear-end assistance from a pannier tank and after just over six minutes we were off again with the help continuing for just under five minutes with the banker dropping off at Landore Station (mileage 214m 63c). We only travelled a couple of miles before slipping to a halt again on a rising gradient of 1 in 91 at milepost 212. The guard and fireman walked off to get help which took a lot longer to arrive this time in fact just over 32 minutes and was again rear-end assistance which helped the train to start easily and the banker soon dropped off. After two episodes like this the driver was taking no chances and the train stopped at Port Talbot Station to attach pannier tank 9736 in front of the Britannia. 9736 spent the whole of its BR career from 1948 until withdrawn in June 1961 at Duffryn Yard Shed. There was a five minute signal stop at Margam and then the duo attacked Stormy Down bank but the time taken would suggest that speed was not very high – 20 mins to cover the 6 miles to Stormy Down Box where the pannier tank came off leaving the Britannia to soldier on alone. There was one more summit to surmount at Llanharan but the gradients were more gentle and the last 24½ miles from Stormy Down to Cardiff General were reeled off in 34 minutes at an average speed of 43 mph. The train arrived at Cardiff at 6.21pm and had taken 151 minutes to cover the 46 miles from Swansea instead of the 70 minutes allowed.
MLR / 17 October 2022
MLR / 17 October 2022
What a fantastic record you have made Michael - such detail, and kept for 62 years. Well done, it is very much appreciated.
Teigngrace
Peter Murngahan
Peter Murngahan
Morning Keith,
Following Roger's feature on the Heathfield branch, you might be interested in these pictures taken at Teigngrace last month, on a visit to the nearby Stover Canal basin.
Best wishes, Peter
Following Roger's feature on the Heathfield branch, you might be interested in these pictures taken at Teigngrace last month, on a visit to the nearby Stover Canal basin.
Best wishes, Peter
Teigngrace Halt, nature taking over 5th September 2022. Copyright Peter Murnaghan
Slightly optimistic sign at Teigngrace crossing 5th September 2022 Copyright Peter Murngahan.
Southern terminus of the Hay Tor Granite Tramway, beside the Stover Canal Basin, Teigngrace 5th September 2022 Copyright Peter Murnaghan.
Back now 34 years - Teigngrace - the Devon Ranger. 4th September 1988. Copyright Roger Winnen
Many thanks Peter for your item and pictures - I hope that the trolley at Stover is securely clamped down.