25th January 2019

Loram rail grinder at Okehampton
Part 3  David Ellis

Having reformed at Meldon, C2101 head back Sampford Courtenay via Okehampton to continue test work for another week prior to its departure back to Derby.

C2101, heads into Okehampton from Meldon. Photo Copyright, David Ellis.

C2101, passing through Okehampton heading for Sampford Courtenay to resume test work. Photo Copyright, David Ellis.

80 years ago today
at Yelverton
Mike Roach

Mike Roach writes :-  On Wednesday 25 January 1939 the driver and the fireman of the 4.51pm from Yelverton to Princetown train failed to check the starting signal was at clear before setting off in a snowstorm, drove into the engine release siding and crashed the locomotive through the buffers. The loco was small wheeled prairie tank number 4402 of Laira Shed and it came to a stop at a crazy angle part way down the embankment. The GWR pulled out all the stops and the next train to Princetown ran as normal at 7.00pm that same evening. The signalman contributed to the accident by not resetting the points to the main route as soon as the shunting manoeuvre was completed to allow 4402 to change ends. The appalling weather also contributed to the accident because visibility was poor.
                     Regards, Mike   Many thanks indeed Mike.
PS Delighted to see that Maurice Dart has started to contribute photos to the website. Maurice has a picture of 4402 on its side after the accident on page 24 of his booklet "Great Western Small Prairie Tanks" published in 1996 

Yelverton 4406 on loan from Taunton 2.51 Yelverton to Princetown. Copyright Ian Lane. Mike Roach collection N.B. This picture already appears else where in the Princetown branch section but note the points under the train which had not been reset and led to the accident above.

Yelverton From the OS 25 inch map of approx. 1908. Courtesy National Museum of Scotland.

Yelverton station layout. From the OS 25 inch map of approx. 1908 Courtesy National Museum of Scotland. An enlargement from the above map, 4402 would have landed just beyond the end of the headshunt for the turntable access.

Unsung Celebrity 
at work
Guy Vincent

High Speed Power Car 43056 'The Royal British Legion' arrives at Westbury leading the 1A89 1533 Taunton-Paddington semi-fast service on the afternoon of January 23rd.     Bar the memorable blue nameplates, carried since May 2010, this power car has led an almost anonymous existence since commencing work with FGW (now GWR) in April 2009.   However, this was the first PC delivered to the Eastern Region of British Rail as part of set 254001 for service on the East Coast Main Line out of King's Cross.   Class 254 HST sets differed from the class 253's by having an extra coach included in the formation, eight rather than seven on the Western Region.  43056 was delivered new on July 5th 1977 and carried the name 'City of Bradford' between 1983 and 1997.  It would be nice if this one could spend time paired with 43002 before both units are removed from service, and even better if a home in preservation could be found?   Besides it's notable history the name surely warrants some form of preferential treatment is due to this workhorse, now into it's 5th decade of front line service?

                          Guy V           Many thanks Guy

Westbury 43056 1A89 1533 Taunton to Paddington 23rd January 2019 Copyright Guy Vincent

Westbury 43056 1A89 1533 Taunton to Paddington 23rd January 2019 Copyright Guy Vincent

Westbury 43056 Nameplate 23rd January 2019 Copyright Guy Vincent

Carbis Bay
Maurice Dart

The last 3100 Class at Carbis Bay. Picture from the Maurice Dart Collection

Roy Hart adds :- 
This is a nice picture of one of what became the 44XX class. They came to Cornwall brand new in 1905/6 and Penzance had one (3109) St Ives one (3103) and Helston one (3102). Most of them left Cornwall by 1912, when they were renumbered 44XX. This dates Maurice's picture to 1906-12. Some of this class returned in later years, the last one in Cornwall left Penzance in 1943.

Roy

Thanks Roy