19th December 2019

The Winter Storms at Dawlish brings chaos to services

Dawlish was closed today to IET/Voyager traffic due to the weather.  Two IETs were affected by the weather, as follows:
802013 working 1C75, 09:37 Paddington - Paignton failed at Dawlish, revived at 13:05 and departed as 5C75 to Newton Abbot.
802001 working 1A82, 09:15 Penzance - Paddington hit by a wave at Dawlish and failed at Starcross.
1C76, 10:04 Paddington - Penzance cancelled at Exeter St Davids, these two IETs (802022/2017 I believe) now running south as 1Z99 to Starcross to rescue the errant 802001 on 1A82.
802003 on 1A84, 10:15 Penzance - Paddington, terminated at Newton Abbot, now returning with 802013 as 1Z76, 12:30 Newton Abbot - Penzance.
In addition, the following services were also cancelled in part or throughout:

1V41, 06:42 Birmingham New Street - Paignton (terminated Exeter St Davids)
1V42, 06:10 Derby - Plymouth (terminated Exeter St Davids)
1S45, 09:27 Plymouth - Aberdeen (Plymouth - Exeter St Davids)
1S47, 08:37 Penzance - Glasgow Central (restarted from Exeter St Davids)
1M41, 10:14 Paignton - Manchester Piccadilly (restarted from Bristol TM, see 1V47 below)
1V46, 06:45 York - Plymouth (from Exeter St Davids), restarted as 1M49 from Exeter.
1M49, 11:50 Plymouth - Manchester Piccadilly (Plymouth - Exeter St Davids, see above)
1V47, 08:05 Manchester Piccadilly - Paignton (terminated Bristol TM, probably used to run 1M41, see above)
2F18, 12:20 Paignton - Exmouth (terminated Newton Abbot)
1V48, 06:40 Newcastle - Plymouth (terminated Exeter St Davids)
2T18, 12:23 Exmouth - Paignton (terminated Exeter St Davids)
2T19, 12:57 Exmouth - Paignton (terminated Exeter St Davids)
1A86, 13:13 Plymouth - Paddington (Plymouth - Exeter St Davids)

 Information extracted with many thanks from SW-SWRG & Realtime Trains

Hayle
David Prout

Dave Prout writes :- I have recently obtained a Great Western Railway book for Hayle Station, titled Cartage Instruction Book.
It contains a reference to a Motor Driving Certificate for an A S Thomas in 1943. It's an interesting book and can you provide more information on the attached ?

Regards, Dave Prout.  Many thanks for your query Dave - can anybody advise further?

Hayle Cartage Instruction Book 1 Copy from David Prout.

Hayle Cartage Instruction Book 2 Copy from David Prout.

Newport
Ron Kosys

17th April 1984
At this time the Port Talbot to Llanwern iron ore circuit was worked by pairs of Class 56’s.
56041 and 56050 can be seen passing through Newport station heading for Llanwern with a loaded train, and later passing Ebbw Junction heading once again for Port Talbot with the empties.
Note the former Ebbw Junction mpd on the left..  Many thanks Ron.

56041 + 56050 passing through Newport station. Copyright Ron Kosys.

56041 + 56050 passing Ebbw Junction Newport. Note the former Ebbw sheds on the left. Copyright Ron Kosys

Blue Power Cars
Clive Smith

Somewhat unexpected as I was expecting 43172 Harry Patch and blue 43191 on blue stock on the same diagram as per the previous day. They went down from Bristol to Penzance in the morning and returned on the 10.50 Penzance - Cardiff Central only for the train to change sets at Plymouth. Now the train is a green rake with FGW blue power cars at each end. 43196 at the front and 43161 at the rear and with 43196 reportedly with bad wheel flats. Does this now mean the demise of celebrity 43172 ? 

        Regards,  Clive Smith.   We hope we don't lose Harry Patch..               

43196 leads crossing the River Plym at Marsh Mills. 18th December 2019, Copyright Clive Smith

Praise from afar.
Brian Willis

Hi Keith, my annual thanks to you and the team of photographers that make my day with all the pictures  of trains and particularly Cornwall which bring back all the ‘good old days’ in my memory.  It’s a pleasure to read your postings every day.
Brian Willis, Gig Harbor, WA.
Many thanks Brian - readers look up Gig Harbour on Google Earth. It's thanks to all our contributors really for without them the site would be nothing. Happy Christmas to One and All.