20th June 2022

Eye-eye - what's going on here?
Penzance
Matthew Bradley

​I write with reference to a photograph (enclosed), which appeared on your website as part of a short feature ‘Penzance Then And Now’ by Chris Bellett 18/6/2022. The 1970 photograph in question showing a Class 52 ‘Western’ at Penzance Station Platform 3 buffer stops; also shows a mineral wagon with a person removing what looks like coal onto an adjacent trolley. Just wondered if any of your members remembered anything about this activity 52 years ago? Kind regards, Matthew Bradley.

Penzance 1970 query re circled operation. Copyright Chris Bellett

An enlarged and tweaked copy. It's a pity the 'Joe Bloggs' has managed to remain almost completely hidden behind the platform 1 sign.

Thanks for your query Matthew, we'll pass your query on to Chris Bellett and see what he says - perhaps its standard domestic quality coal for the waiting room and ticket office fires. Well spotted anyway.

Within minutes Roy Hart 'comes in' from Rangoon with the following valuable information - many thanks Roy.
Dear Keith,
This is domestic coal for rail purposes. All offices, shunters' cabins, C and W examiners, and every signal box had stoves. In the case of boxes, either a stove built into the rear wall (as was once the case at Par  -note the chimney breast at the rear of the box) or a free-standing one, with oven. Every box required a regular delivery of coal and, in many cases, of water too.  In Cornwall Largin, Probus, Gwinear Road, Treverrin, Pinnock Tunnel and several others, relied on regular deliveries of large cans of drinking water (usually arriving on the engine bufferbeam of a local freight) and of coal for heating and cooking. In summer primus stoves were used for cooking.
In the age of the microwave etc., this is now mostly forgotten! At Penzance, the buffers would be the only safe place to stable the wagon.

Roy

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New Devizes station
Keith Jenkin

Devizes population approx. 12,000 has been without direct rail access since the branch between Holt Junction and Patney and Chirton closed 18th April 1966.  A proposal for a new Devizes station  is being considered – the location would be on the A342 road at Clock Inn about seven and a half rail miles west of Pewsey and three rail miles east of Westbury. The former Devizes branch turned away from a parallel run alongside the main line between here and Patney and Chirton ( C1966) to head for Devizes. The new station would be approximately two and half  miles south of the centre of Devizes.

Google Earth Street view does us proud as an up IET passes the site - viewed from the A342 road bridge. Courtesy Google Earth Street View.

Image of New Devizes station site looking towards Westbury. The porposed station might be on the other side east of this bridge. Courtesy Google Earth Street View.

And now to an old view of Devizes station taken on the last day of the branch which was at one time on the main line route SW.

Devizes station on the last day of operation. Looking towards Hold Junction. Copyright Keith Jenkin.

Looking towards the GW main line and Patney and Chirton the line passed through a tunnel - later used as a rifle range. 16th April 1966. Copyright Keith Jenkin.

Looking again towards Holt Junction. Devizes on the last day. 16th April 1966 Copyright Keith Jenkin

The quite considerable station at Devizes was ideally situated in the centre of the town. The site is now a car park.
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Near Honiton
Clive Nye -
​ a class 33 fan continues.

33101 & 056 near Honiton with the 09.10 Brighton to Exeter St Davids. 19th August 1978. Copyright Clive Nye

Many thanks Clive
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