We've got a packed 'news' post for you all today - many thanks to all of our contributors! If you have a photo or story you think our readers may be interested in, please drop us an email - [email protected]
Cornwall Signal Upgrades with
Castles and Clays
Part Two
Roger Winnen
Castles and Clays
Part Two
Roger Winnen
240219j Par Station looking east towards Lostwithiel. Copyright Roger Winnen
240219k On arrival at Lostwithiel we see work in progress for a Station Car Park together with new signals being controlled from the Exeter Panal. Copyright Roger Winnen
240219kk Lostwithiel Station Building. Copyright Roger Winnen
240219l The new car park being built on former land on the Branch Patform to Fowey and the clay sidings. Copyright Roger Winnen
240219m The junction signal on the down for the branch on the left and the main line to Par straight ahead. Copyright Roger Winnen
240219n 66143 on clay from Goonbarrow seen arriving at Lostwithiel Copyright Roger Winnen
240219o 66143 seen running around at Lostwithiel. Copyright Roger Winnen
240219p The clay now leaves Lostwithiel for Fowey. Copyright Roger Winnen
240219q The signal is pulled off for the Fowey Branch. Copyright Roger Winnen
240219r The Network Rail Class 150 unit stands in Plymouth Park Siding this being the 0345 from Derby Network Rail to Plymouth. Copyright Roger Winnen
240219s Also on the through road at Plymouth was this tamping machine. Copyright. Roger Winnen
Freshford Track Renewal Job - 17 & 18 February 2024
Day 2
Guy Vincent
Freshford Track Renewal Job 17 & 18 February 2024
Day 2 Sunday 18th February 2024
Day 2 saw the job continue through to completion. Heavy rain had set in from around 1730hrs the previous evening and continued throughout the night. As a result of this in the 2 hours I was at Freshford the adjacent meadowland steadily disappeared under dirty brown water from the swollen rivers Avon and Frome that converge just yards to the south of the railway.
Prior to my arrival 3 of the 4 engineers trains had left the site for Westbury. First was 66551 with 6Y44 due off at 0840 and this ran to Exeter Riverside, changed ends and headed back east to Westbury (see Dave Tozer's photo published on 19th). Second to leave was 6Y43 led by 66589 (this had brought in 6Y44 but attached to the rear of 6Y43 at the site to haul it away solo to Exeter Riverside for run-round and continuation back to Westbury. However, 66589 failed at Bristol Temple Meads so 66952 was commandeered from the rear of the next train, 6Y42, led by 66506. This loco too had transferred from one train to another, leading 6Y43 in then at site attaching to the rear of 6Y42. The pair double-headed from Bristol to Taunton where they ran-round and went on to Westbury. The final train to leave was 6Y41 with the old track sections and this became the first train over the new stretch of line - carrying the track displaced during the works.
6Y44 0840 Bathampton Jcn - Westbury via Bath Spa, Worle, Exeter Riverside (r/r) and Castle Cary 66551
6Y43 0931 Bathampton Jcn - Westbury via Bath Spa, Worle, Taunton (vice Riverside) and Castle Cary 66589 66952
6Y42 1040 Bathampton Jcn - Westbury via Bath Spa, Worle, Taunton & Castle Cary 66506. 66952 on rear (only to BTM, used to rescue failed 66589 on 6Y43)
6Y41 1200 Bathampton Jcn - Westbury via Bath Spa, Worle, Taunton (r/r) & Castle Cary 66556 & 66563 tnt
Day 2 Sunday 18th February 2024
Day 2 saw the job continue through to completion. Heavy rain had set in from around 1730hrs the previous evening and continued throughout the night. As a result of this in the 2 hours I was at Freshford the adjacent meadowland steadily disappeared under dirty brown water from the swollen rivers Avon and Frome that converge just yards to the south of the railway.
Prior to my arrival 3 of the 4 engineers trains had left the site for Westbury. First was 66551 with 6Y44 due off at 0840 and this ran to Exeter Riverside, changed ends and headed back east to Westbury (see Dave Tozer's photo published on 19th). Second to leave was 6Y43 led by 66589 (this had brought in 6Y44 but attached to the rear of 6Y43 at the site to haul it away solo to Exeter Riverside for run-round and continuation back to Westbury. However, 66589 failed at Bristol Temple Meads so 66952 was commandeered from the rear of the next train, 6Y42, led by 66506. This loco too had transferred from one train to another, leading 6Y43 in then at site attaching to the rear of 6Y42. The pair double-headed from Bristol to Taunton where they ran-round and went on to Westbury. The final train to leave was 6Y41 with the old track sections and this became the first train over the new stretch of line - carrying the track displaced during the works.
6Y44 0840 Bathampton Jcn - Westbury via Bath Spa, Worle, Exeter Riverside (r/r) and Castle Cary 66551
6Y43 0931 Bathampton Jcn - Westbury via Bath Spa, Worle, Taunton (vice Riverside) and Castle Cary 66589 66952
6Y42 1040 Bathampton Jcn - Westbury via Bath Spa, Worle, Taunton & Castle Cary 66506. 66952 on rear (only to BTM, used to rescue failed 66589 on 6Y43)
6Y41 1200 Bathampton Jcn - Westbury via Bath Spa, Worle, Taunton (r/r) & Castle Cary 66556 & 66563 tnt
Photo 8. 18.02.2024 Looking north with new rails being welded to existing track. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Photo 9. 18.02.2024 Looking south at new track. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Photo 10. 18.02.2024 A further look at the welding operation. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Photo 11. Tamper / liner DR73905 carries out final alignment. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Photo 12. Tamper detail DR73905. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Photo 13. Tamper and on-track plant used for levelling off excess ballast. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Photo 14. On-track plant with rapidly rising river and floodwater in the valley. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Photo 15. 66556 and 66563 top and tail on 6Y41 crawl through the station following departure of the tamper. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Photo 16. 6Y41 old track panels on the new line. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Photo 17. 66563 at the rear of 6Y41 departing for Westbury via Taunton. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Photo 18. A photo dated 29th January 1984 showing the last renewal of track here. This is the track now displaced. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Many thanks Guy for this comprehesive report, I have found it very interesting and I hope that our readers have, too.
St. Agnes & The Goss Moor in 1944
Phil Hadley
Many thanks Phil for sharing this with us, it's well worth a watch.
Par & Lostwithiel
Mark Lynam
Good evening Keith/Roger/Jon,
Yesterday (20.02.24) I had a visit to Par and Lostwithiel to get some shots of the trains and semaphores before they go.
Thanks, Mark
Yesterday (20.02.24) I had a visit to Par and Lostwithiel to get some shots of the trains and semaphores before they go.
Thanks, Mark
57603 on the sleeper crew training run at Par working 5Z70 0702 Penzance T.& R.S.M.D. to Exeter St Davids. Copyright Mark Lynam.
150266 arrives at Platform 3 with 2N03 0915 Newquay to Par. Copyright Mark Lynam.
Following a bridge strike 43004 arrives at Par about 20 minutes delayed working 2P08 0850 Penzance to Plymouth. Copyright Mark Lynam.
43186 arriving from the East working 2C11 1015 Plymouth to Penzance. Copyright Mark Lynam.
From the overbridge 43098 working 2C65 1042 Plymouth to Penzance. Copyright Mark Lynam.
At Lostwithiel, the last down castle set around that time of day 2C68 1142 Plymouth to Penzance with 43189 leading. Copyright Mark Lynam.
66143 creeps past with 16 JIA wagons bound for Fowey Docks - 6G09 1236 Goonbarrow Junction Dbc to Fowey Dock Carne Point. Copyright Mark Lynam.
A drive up to Restormel, with a period of hazy sunshine as 57603 heads back West working 5Z71 1255 Exeter St Davids to Penzance T.& R.S.M.D. Copyright Mark Lynam.
Finally back to Lostwithiel to see 43004 working 2P17 1350 Penzance to Plymouth. Copyright Mark Lynam.
Thank you very much, Mark - a cracking set of photos.
Summertime HST
Paul Barlow
Hello Keith
Another HST picture from last summer.
Kind regards
Paul
Another HST picture from last summer.
Kind regards
Paul
43239 43303 passes Exeter Riverside on the 0606 Edinburgh to Plymouth 1V50 15 August 2023. Copyright Paul Barlow.
Thanks Paul - another unique and now unrepeatable image from the drone.
Goonbarrow Junction
A Semaphore Stronghold
Jon Hird
Viewed through a long lens from Molinnis Crossing, Bugle, FGW Blue 150219 slows for the signalman at Goonbarrow Junction working a Newquay - Par service. It's understood that the semaphores here are to survive the resignalling program. The remains of the former Carbis branch can be seen to the right of the image. Copyright Jon Hird.