24th December 2019

Christmas Eve

Class 802 014 at Hallenbeagle. By Mick House.

Wishing all of our members, contributors and visitors to the website a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Mick House.

991227a Wishing you a Happy Christmas, the Mousehole Christmas Lights of 1999. Copyright Roger Winnen

Hello Clive Many Thanks for forwarding this picture to us on Christmas Eve

Class 56 to 
Carne Point
Craig Munday

​Hi Keith,
Another Railvac move brought another class 56 to the Duchy, this time Colas 56049. The livery brightened up a drab landscape and brought an early Christmas present to many photographers. The Railvac had been working on the Fowey branch, and was stabled at Carne Point. This brought the "Grid" to Fowey, the first visit for the class. 

I arranged with Ian to grab a shot from his field overlooking Carne Point. So late in the year (shortest day yesterday) I was taking a risk light wise. The loco was 20 late from Lostwithiel due to a couple of issues, which meant by 09.35 the whole of the Sawmills area and river was lit. The light held and the loco looked splendid (if a little lost) in the creek below. The loco drifted past the CDA shunt wagons and it provided a glimpse of what could have been if Colas had gained the clay contract through the years. 

The light faded for departure, so I headed off to Factory Bridge near Treviddo. Chris the farmer was moving the wire across the field so his hungry sheep could devour the turnip crop. They made a nice feature for the shot. Chris's quad bike is also visible. The light sadly evaded me here too, but a record shot was taken.

All the best to all reading and contributing to the CRS.

                         Craig Munday       . Many thanks Craig

56049 very nearly at Carne Point. 23rd December 2019 Copyright Craig Munday

With the trackwork at Carne Point very nearly in the shadow of the hill , 56049 stands out wonderfully. 23rd December 2019 Copyright Craig Munday

56049 having collected the railvac is seen at Factory Road bridge 23rd December 2019. Copyright Craig Munday

56060 On a trip working from Merehead
Ron Kosys

56060 has just passed Fairwood Junction and is heading for Westbury with a ‘trip’ working from Merehead. By now a cloudy 11th August 1988 this is almost certainly a train destined for ‘somewhere’ but a brake van is included, after which there is  a number of wagons of varying types probably for repair at Westbury. Copyright Ron Kosys

Christmas Eve 1999
Roger Winnen

991224a The ECS of the Royal Mail behind two Class 47s departs for St Blazey on 24th December 1999. Copyright Roger Winnen

991224b 43101 The Irish Mail being the rear power car on the 09.22 service to Edinburgh. Copyright Roger Winnen

991224c A cloud of smoke from the Virgin service as it leaves Penzance. Copyright Roger Winnen

991224d Great Western fag parket livery HST from Long Rock Depot to Penzance to form the next service to London Paddington. Copyright Roger Winnen

Recent Photographs and a Happy Christmas
from Clive Smith

A few photos of activity over the last week and a golden oldie with some snow. I would like to thank Keith and Roger for all their hard work and efforts in running a magnificent website.  Merry Christmas to them and Valerie and all the contributors and readers and a Happy New Year to everyone. Clive Smith

 Rainy day blues. 43010 leads the 11.29 Truro - Cardiff Central into Ivybridge station on the 18th December 2019. The train had started at Truro rather than Penzance due to signalling problems. The rear power car is blue 43161 . Copyright Clive Smith

) In dreadful light on the 19th December blue 43010 arrives at platform 5 with the 10.50 Penzance - Cardiff Central which would terminate at Exeter St Davids. The saving grace of this picture is the reflected front of the HST in the platform puddle. I would like to say this was all planned but I was more concerned with staying dry under the platform canopy. Only later did I see the reflection I'd accidentally caught.
Copyright Clive Smith

An hour after I should have left Plymouth at 12.49 from platform 5 with the two blue power cars I was on platform 4 being directed to an awaiting taxi to take me home to Ivybridge due to the lines at Dawlish being blocked by the two wave-struck IETs.. This photo is of the 11.50 from Penzance headed by 43154. The rear was 43194. Blue 43161 is still on the abandoned 10.50 Penzance - Exeter which did eventually leave 109 minutes late but not with me on it. Copyright Clive Smith

Exeter St Davids 20th December 2019. A soon-to-disappear pacer 143 and a hanging-on-in there FGW blue liveried 150. This is the 08.38 Paignton - Exmouth formed of 143603 and 150238.
Copyright Clive Smith

Finally a blast from the past with some rare sunshine and even rarer snow. Not sure on the date or train but it is 50006 passing Mutley in early 1986. Copyright Clive Smith

Many Thanks Clive and a Happy Christmas to you!

Purton Common
Ken Mumford

Arriving at the foot crossing at Purton Common (which is just north of the site of the former Purton Station) I have chosen what I consider the three best train photos taken during my hour or so stay.

 5-car IET train running on diesel power.heading for Swindon. Copyright Ken Mumford.

Network Rail test train (1Q15) heading for Swindon running about 15 minutes late. Leading locomotive en route to swindon was COLAS FREIGHT 37.219.   At Swindon it reversed. Copyright Ken Mumford

 At Swindon it reversed and headed back up to Gloucester running about 15 minutes late with 37.612 leading..  I could have got the whole train in my third photo BUT I would have had the brightly shining sun lighting up the wrong sdie of the teain. Copyright Ken Mumford

With many thanks Ken wishing you
A Happy Christmas

56049 on route to Cornwall
Clive Smith

Colas 56049 is 0Z26 08.00 Doncaster CHS - Par Chapel Sidings light engine movement. This grid will return the next day hauling a Railvac from Fowey. Weather forecast is looking good for the south west . Sunset in Ivybridge was 16.13 and the 56 was bang on time at 16.05. Best I could manage in the conditions. Fingers crossed for some good photos on Monday. Copyright Clive Smith

Cornish driver Dave Pond powers Colas 56049 on the 6X56 10.40 Fowey Dock Carne Point  - Bescot Sidings Railvac movement at Hemerdon Summit . A rare break in the incessant rain and dull skies of late was welcome but the sun here was intermittent but thankfully we did get a break as the 56 came up the bank. Copyright Clive Smith

With many thanks Clive wishing you a
Happy Christmas

Bristol Parkway
Phil Smith

Catching the last rays of the sun. 43090 heads a Virgin train leaving Bristol Parkway in 2001. Copyright Phil Smith

​Hello Keith and the CRS have a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year thank you for all the help, a great web site.  A special mention please to Andy Bond for the diagrams of the HST's  I'm been after and still hunting Cheers to you all  Phil Smith from Bristol.

Christmas Quiz
Boundary Marker

Walking in Tavistock in Crease Lane I came across this boundary post quite away off the alignment. Is the a story behind its position? The post stands where the road meets the property in the distant in the second image looking down Crease lane from the overbridge. I was surprised to come across it there so far off the formation.

 Google earth coordinates
Lat 50.5445142214,        Long 4.15769618637 (LSWR boundary post
 

View one

Crease Lane, Tavistock. View Two.

Paul Burkhalter replies - many thanks Paul. :- ​I would hazard a guess that it could indicate the Limit of Deviation of the original Act of Parliament. When seeking powers to construct the railway, a wide swathe of land either side of the centre line would be included to allow some ‘wiggle room’ when finally designing the route. Happy Christmas to all in CRS. Paul Burkhalter.  

Merehead
Ron Kosys

Ron writes - 11th August 1988 was spent in the Merehead area.
56045 arrives at Merehead with a train of fairly new Tiphook bogie hoppers.  Many thanks Ron.

56045 Merehead 11th August 1988 Copyright Ron Kosys

A note on Bridge Rail
Roy Hart

Bridge rail was standard on the GWR for the latter period of the broad gauge. It was laid on longitudinal baulks of timber separated by steel ties. You will find the perfect illustration of bridge rail on the Didcot Railway Centre Facebook page. Keep scrolling down and you will find a lovely shot of a broad gauge train passing Worle Junction (Weston super Mare). The track in the foreground is shown in great detail. Bridge rail was already being replaced by bullhead when the gauge was converted in 1892, but lengths of it survived well into the 20th century. Remnants of bridge rail were used to make cattle pens, fence supports, covering culverts and supporting notice boards all over the system. You will not find a mile of track in Cornwall today without pieces of bridge rail in evidence!

    Roy Hart,                    Thanks Roy, All the best for the festive season.

Pencarrow Watertank.
Keith Jenkin.

Brian Pibworth was asking if anybody from the CRS had been on a railtour up the Wenford Branch passing the Pencarrow water tank. Luckily I was on one it was hauled by a class 03 diesel, the date 10th September 1966. The passengers had started out the day  aboard a DMU bearing the headboard -  'Two Rivers Tour' first of all this ran from Liskeard down to Moorswater and back before journeying on to Par. From there we went to St Blazey where we reversed. We then formed probably what was the last passenger train ever to traverse the Par to Fowey Direct route via the Pinnock Tunnel, We continued up alongside the River Fowey (the first of the two rivers) from Fowey to Lostwithiel making a stop en route at Golant. Then on the main line to Bodmin Road from where after two reversals our DMU travelled to Boscarne Junction. Here an 03 shunter plus a massive train of brake vans waited to convey us to Wenford. Going up the branch we paused at the Watering facility but of course had no need of it. Our leisurely progress up the branch was halted for a short while for a 'pasty and tea stop'. Apologies for the quality of the pictures, although a Cornishman my interest in railways had previously been very limited and on that day I knocked up quite a few miles of previously unknown track. Keith Jenkin

Seen from Boscarne Exchange Platform our special awaits its full complement off the DMU to proceed to Wenford. 10th September 1966, Copyright Keith Jenkin.

The Two rivers tour makes leisurely progress on the Wenford branch alongside the upper reaches of River Camel. Passengers rode where they chose - so much for Health and Safety. Nobody died or was injured!! 10th September 1966. Copyright Keith Jenkin.

The 03 stopped a little way past the Pencarrow Tank for a few minutes. We had time to wander up to the front. 10th September 1966. Copyright Keith Jenkin.

A view of the headboard carried on the train. The Pencarrow water tank is some distance back. Copyright Keith Jenkin. 10th September 1966.

The 'Two Rivers Railtour stands at the Wenford Terminus. 10th September 1966. Copyright Keith Jenkin

The 'Two Rivers Railtour' back at Dunmere junction awaits permission to proceed to Boscarne. Note the well polished metals of the line to Bodmin North. 10th September 1966. Copyright.

This collection poor as it might be, brings to my mind the song  'Those were the days, my friend - we thought they'd never end'!  But unfortunately they did!!!