22nd January 2022

Westbury
Martin Scane

A trip up to chilly Wiltshire today. I’ll be returning from Bristol tomorrow.
I had 30 minutes to wait at a very quiet Westbury.
Here’s s lone 70 looking rather lonely in the up yard. I liken the 70s to the old Southern Q1s (ugly ducklings to my eyes).
And a pair of 66s waiting with stone empties on the freight road adjacent to platform 1. Not the easiest of places to take a photo! Regards Martin

Westbury 70 809 21st January 2022. Copyright Martin Scane

Westbury 66121 21st January 2022. Copyright Martin Scane

Many thanks  Martin -   we'll see what you see tomorrow.
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Stranger at
Laira
Stephen Widdowson

PWM 652 later renumbered 97652 seen at Laira 20th June 1987 built by Ruston & Hornsby at Lincoln in May1959 and allocated to Bristol Bath Road but worked at Taunton. This was a group of five engines completed for the Western Region mainly for departmental services. The first loco PWM 650 was built in 1953 and delivered by road to Swindon. This engine is now under restoration at the Heritage Shunters Trust, Rowsley, Derbyshire. PWM 652 was scrapped in 1990, although being bought by Vic Berry of Leicester it never made it to that location and was cut up at Laira Copyright Stephen Widdowson

Grateful thanks to Andy Dunican for supplying the relevant information on this class of motive power. Many Thanks Andy.

Many thanks Steve for supplying the photograph
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Rare Workings & Train Heating
Paul Barlow

Rare class 25 working A very under exposed shot of Haymarket based 25011 working to Exeter, on the 1612 Bristol to Plymouth 4B10 parcels train. 25011 was remove

Two other shots of departmental  class 24 train pre heat units. I never ever saw these in use.

All the best, Paul.

Very rare visitor indeed.

A very under exposed shot of Haymarket based 25011 working to Exeter, on the 1612 Bristol to Plymouth 4B10 parcels train. 25011 was removed at Exeter and Laira based 25155 took the train forward to Plymouth. 25011 went on to work the 1930 Exeter to Paignton. The 4B10 often produced unusual locos but this was the rarest I every saw. Copyright Paul Barlow.

Train heating locos.

TDB968008 ex 24054 Newton Abbot shed. 30th March 1978. Copyright Paul Barlow

TDB968009 ex 24142 at Laira. 20th September 1978. Copyright Paul Barlow.

Rare pictures indeed - many thanks Paul.
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Yesterdays Question - Todays Answer.
Mike Roach - Guy Vincent

Mike queried why the lines in the Carmarthen / Pembroke Dock & FIshguard areas are shown dotted.- or different to the rest of the map. The answer comes from Guy Vincent.

  To answer Michael L Roach's query regarding the broken lines on the GWR route map between Carmarthen, Whitland and Pembroke Dock.  This is a route served by Transport for Wales with GWR only providing a small number of services during the summer period, usually from mid-May to late September. Many thanks Mike and Guy - now we know.