BIG DAY TODAY at
St Blazey
Craig Munday
St Blazey
Craig Munday
Hi Keith
A historic event today at St Blazey depot. The work to restore the turntable to working use by MP Kernow has reached a successful milestone with the testing of two wagons, and then a 126 ton class 66. All went well and it is hoped for interesting visitors in the near future!
All the best, Craig.
A historic event today at St Blazey depot. The work to restore the turntable to working use by MP Kernow has reached a successful milestone with the testing of two wagons, and then a 126 ton class 66. All went well and it is hoped for interesting visitors in the near future!
All the best, Craig.
Two wagons used to test the turntable at St Blazey. 22nd April 2023. Copyright Craig Munday.
66131 goes for a spin on St Blazey turntable.(1) 22nd April 2023. Copyright Craig Munday.
66131 goes for a spin on St Blazey turntable.(2) 22nd April 2023. Copyright Craig Munday.
An exciting event - bodes well for the future - many thanks Craig.
Resignalling at Exeter in 1985
Paul Barlow
Paul Barlow
Some pictures from 1985 when Exeter St Davids was shut for remodeling and installation of MAS signals.
Exeter Central became the principle station for a few days and Exmouth junction a stabling point and refueling point.
Hope they are of interest
Paul Barlow
Exeter Central became the principle station for a few days and Exmouth junction a stabling point and refueling point.
Hope they are of interest
Paul Barlow
1985_04_28.43189 43138 1253 Exeter Central to Newcastle. Copyright Pauk Barlow
1985_05_05.43189 43138 1253 Exeter Central to Newcastle and 50038 on an ECS. Copyright Paul Barlow
1985_05_05 Exmouth junction temporary stabling point 31273 43003 and 43043 50034 runs up from Exeter Central
Nailsea & Backwell Station in 1967
Michael Bussell
Michael Bussell
Nailsea & Backwell Station is on the Bristol Temple Meads – Weston-super-Mare line, built by the Bristol & Exeter Railway that was later absorbed into the Great Western Railway. The station, located on an embankment, opened on 14 June 1841 as plain ‘Nailsea’. ‘& Backwell’ was added to its name on 1 May 1905, dropped on 6 May 1974, and restored on 2 May 1977. I visited on 30 April 1967, and was able to photograph the buildings as they then stood. These I believe dated from the 1860s, replacing the original buildings that, like the platforms, had been of timber rather than masonry to minimise the surcharging effect of their weight on what is quite a high man-made embankment. Sadly, the main station building on the north side of the line, of two storeys entered at ground level and giving access to the up platform, was demolished in the 1970s, in its turn to be replaced by a mean ‘bus shelter’ on the platform – a wanton destruction of a fine stone building, and giving the lie to the phrase ‘customer care’. (It also reminds me of the Biblical saying which can be paraphrased as “every judgement judges the judges”.)
Visible in several of the photos is the former engine house of the Amberlands colliery, on the south side of the line. The colliery had closed as long ago as the middle of the 19th century, but survived as a fine ruin, a landscape feature more reminiscent of Cornwall than of Somerset, before it too was pulled down, in 1974.
Photos taken 30 April 1967.
Visible in several of the photos is the former engine house of the Amberlands colliery, on the south side of the line. The colliery had closed as long ago as the middle of the 19th century, but survived as a fine ruin, a landscape feature more reminiscent of Cornwall than of Somerset, before it too was pulled down, in 1974.
Photos taken 30 April 1967.
1 A distant view of the station from the north. From left to right can be seen the footbridge; the Amberlands engine house; the main station building, a small goods shed, and a signal box – all on the up platform. (A small waiting shelter on the down platform is not seen in this view, as it is beyond the main building.) Copyright Michael Bussell.
2 The main station building from the west, built of stone like the base of the platform-level goods shed just visible nearer the camera. Copyright Michael Bussell.
3 The main station building from the east, with the platform level timber goods shed (on its stone base) and the signal box just visible beyond. Copyright Michael Bussell.
4 Looking east from a few yards beyond the previous viewpoint is seen the footbridge linking the two platforms. The girders in the foreground support the up platform over Station Road beneath, the railway tracks themselves being carried by a stone arch bridge. Copyright Michael Bussell.
5. A view east along the up platform towards the footbridge, with the platform frontage of the main building in the foreground. Copyright Michael Bussell.
6 The timber waiting shelter on the down platform. Copyright Michael Bussell.
7 A view across the tracks from the west end of the up platform shows the long-abandoned Amberlands colliery engine house, which was to be demolished a few years after my visit. Michael Bussell.
8 Looking westwards from the footbridge (with apologies for the camera shake). Copyright Michael Bussell.
9 The maker’s nameplate on the footbridge establishes its date: E FINCH & Co LIMTD ENGINEERS 1907 IRONFOUNDERS &c CHEPSTOW. Copyrigh Michael Bussell.
10 The main station building, the Station Road arch bridge and down platform girders, and the footbridge, seen from the south. . Copyright Michael Bussell.
Many thanks indeed to Michael Bussell for sending us the results of his research and photographs from 1967.