Ron Kosys
A short break from work for a quick look at Warminster station on 6th June 1984 produced a few photographs, including this one of the Merehead to Eastleigh hauled by 56055.
Pity the sun didn’t play ball. Still a super photograph Ron, many thanks.
Bridge rail from Mulberry Pit, near Ruthernbridge
Andrew Jones
My neighbour Peter Wilson, a retired tea planter, recently found this length of rail in his garden and I wonder if any members could forward any information about it.
The profile is of a type called Bridge Rail. It weighs approx 10 pounds per yard, so is unlikely to be anything to do with the mainline from Wadebridge to Bodmin, which was initially laid with rail weighing 35 pound per yard.
I have attached a photograph of the rail which is drilled every yard and I am not sure if the if the sleepers would have been as standard practice or running parallel with the rail as was the norm in broad gauge.
I think it more likely that the rail came from Mulberry Pit, just south east of Ruthernbridge.
I have included a rail from my proposed 7 ¼ gauge railway to give an idea of the size of the Bridge Rail, which I intend to lay through our woodland for about half a mile.
Having lived at Grogley for 35 years and hoped that steam trains would by now pass our property, after my trackbed campaign in the early 80’s, I have no option but to try and lay my own line on the other side of the river as time will eventually run out!
Unfortunately Diane thinks that because I am an engineer it can be done for no expense….fingers crossed 2020 will bring some sort of railway back to the valley!
Best wishes to all at the Cornwall Railway Society and a very happy new year!
(hopefully the new government will see the sense in re opening the Okehampton to Bere Alston route, now that would be a brilliant Christmas present!)
Andrew and Diane
Brian Pibworth


If you want to know anything which doesn't seem to be recorded elsewhere the best avenue I find is to ask Roger Winnen, He has a mass of pictures and a lot of gen.
Using the picture from Mike Roach, next but one above, and measuring the track gauge of 4' 8.5 inches and marking this on a sheet of paper then 'pacing' it out along the length of the tank I find it to be about 14'. We do not appear to have a picture taken end on of the tank however the picture below shows 'yours truly' plus somebody; Using my leg in the picture above and measuring from my 'current knee; with a tape measure the height of the tank would seem to be almost exactly 2'. I recall that the tank was about 2' wide and from Rogers picture below which is slightly oblique this would appear to be the case.
The shortest day of the year occurs when the Earth's axis rotate leaving the North ... The winter solstice will occur around 4.19am in the UK on Sunday and there - good to get that over with isn't it?