20th September 2020

Meldon Dam
Mike Roach

Hi Roger and Keith Hope you are both well. One picture for Sunday 20 September please when it will be 50 years old. It was taken on 20 September 1970 and shows the reconstructed deck of Meldon Viaduct. A short distance upstream of the viaduct is the Meldon Dam built 1970 - 1972 of mass concrete. The aggregate for the concrete was sourced from Meldon Quarry alongside the dam site and would have been needed in huge quantities. The deck of the half the viaduct was rebuilt to take the lorries carrying the aggregate  to avoid public roads and is seen just after completion of the new deck. Regards Mike Roach.

Meldon Viaduct - the downside cnverted for road traffic. 20th September 1970. Copyright Mike Roach.

Many thanks indeed Mike. The question is will this viaduct or its replacement ever carry trains again as part of the restored Dawlish avoiding route.?

An interesting picture taken earlier in 1970 shows the down line still in position and the former up line having been cut on the approach to the viaduct. Note also the signals still in position on the far side of the viaduct. Copyright.

Let's enjoy another of Mikes photographs taken in June 1964 as a down service leaves the viaduct. Copyright Mike Roach. Note the catch point to derail any unfortunate runaways.

From Mikes collection - many thanks again.
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Meldon Memories
Graham Mann

Hi Keith Maybe a bit of interest for some of your readers. Just looking at the Meldon Viaduct pictures in your Meldon Dam feature which took me back to the early eighties when I was tasked to renew all the longitudinal timbers on the old up line. During the renewal the weather most of the time was horizontal freezing rain and we were all wondering why we were renewing these timbers at a cost of 2-3k per timber for what was then just used as a Headshunt and it wasn’t many years later I was back again severing access to the viaduct and creating a curved head shunt avoiding the viaduct, seemed such a waste of money. Regards Graham Mann

Thanks for that Graham - the 'Good Old Days' !!!

The 'Beds' pauses at
Camborne
Mark Lynam

​Good evening, Last night (18th September 2020)  I got a photo of Direct Rail Services liveried 57306 on the up beds at Camborne, which I don't think has made a visit for some time. 57306 at Camborne working 1A50 2145 Penzance to London Paddington.  Thanks, Mark Lynam

57306 heads the sleeper - the 'Up beds' calls at Camborne on the 18th September 2020. Copyright Mark Lynam

Many thanks Mark - a crystal clear picture. One wonders were there any passengers?

South Marston
Ken Mumford

South Marston as 800023 passes on an up service on the 19th September 2020 Copyright Ken Mumford,

Kathryn worked as a paramedic for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation (SWAST) for 16 years and passed away aged 41 on her 41st birthday the 18th April 2017, after a battle with melanoma. 800023 was named in her honour.

Seen at South Marston. 60062 'Stainless Pioneer' 19th September 2020. Copyright Ken Mumford

Many thanks Ken.