Looe Branch 1961
Michael L. Roach
Michael L. Roach
LOOE BRANCH 1961 – PART 1 Michael L. Roach
Sunday Service
The summer of 1961 was the last one that the branch trains from Liskeard to Looe would be hauled by a steam locomotive. The train would normally consist of two corridor coaches hauled by a Prairie tank in the 4500-4574 or 4575-5574 series from St. Blazey Shed. The branch locos would spend the night at Moorswater on the outskirts of Liskeard, which was a 2-road subshed of St. Blazey. The Sunday service in 1961 consisted of six trains each way which had been the norm for a number of years; the following year the Sunday service dropped to five trains each way operated by a diesel multiple unit. There was no Sunday service in most of the Winter timetable except that trains did run for two or three Sundays adjacent to the Summer timetable in late-May and mid-September. My first visit to the Looe Branch in 1961 was on Sunday 4 June 1961 when I went to Causeland to watch the 4.35pm from Liskeard to Looe call at the Halt. The loco ran around at Looe and then waited from 5.05 to 6.30pm when it returned to Liskeard. The trains were hauled by 2-6-2T number 5518 of St. Blazey Shed that day. When the shed was closed to steam at the end of April 1962 the loco was put into store but later it was reinstated and worked from Gloucester Shed until it was withdrawn in May 1964 and scrapped.
MLR/6 May 2021
Sunday Service
The summer of 1961 was the last one that the branch trains from Liskeard to Looe would be hauled by a steam locomotive. The train would normally consist of two corridor coaches hauled by a Prairie tank in the 4500-4574 or 4575-5574 series from St. Blazey Shed. The branch locos would spend the night at Moorswater on the outskirts of Liskeard, which was a 2-road subshed of St. Blazey. The Sunday service in 1961 consisted of six trains each way which had been the norm for a number of years; the following year the Sunday service dropped to five trains each way operated by a diesel multiple unit. There was no Sunday service in most of the Winter timetable except that trains did run for two or three Sundays adjacent to the Summer timetable in late-May and mid-September. My first visit to the Looe Branch in 1961 was on Sunday 4 June 1961 when I went to Causeland to watch the 4.35pm from Liskeard to Looe call at the Halt. The loco ran around at Looe and then waited from 5.05 to 6.30pm when it returned to Liskeard. The trains were hauled by 2-6-2T number 5518 of St. Blazey Shed that day. When the shed was closed to steam at the end of April 1962 the loco was put into store but later it was reinstated and worked from Gloucester Shed until it was withdrawn in May 1964 and scrapped.
MLR/6 May 2021
5518 calls at Causeland Halt on 4 June 1961 with the 4.35pm Sundays Liskeard to Looe train. Copyright Mike Roach.
5518 leaves Causeland at about 4.52pm 4th June 1961. Copyright Mike Roach.
5518 returns with the 6.30pm Looe to Liskeard train seen from Trussel Bridge which carries the B3254 road. 4th June 1961. Copyright Mike Roach.
Many thanks indeed Mike - treasured memories. Pt. 2 soon.
Upton Pyne
Paul Barlow
Paul Barlow
25155 on a Meeth to Exeter clay train Upton Pyne. 3rd April 1980. Copyright Paul Barlow.
And again at Upton Pyne. 33001 heads the 16.08 Exeter to Barnstaple 3rd April 1980. Copyright Paul Barlow.
Many thanks Paul.
At home and away
Driver Alan Peters
Driver Alan Peters
I have been lucky to be working locally at Okehampton on the class 56 which has now gone back after the relaying of the Dartmoor Line in record breaking time, I am now working on another project in Reading as Colas are testing the GWR Class 769 'Flex' units for mileage accumulation, these former BR Class 319 units are now Tri-mode being fitted with a Mann diesel engines and will be used on the Reading to Gatwick services. For testing purposes the units have initially been cleared to work between Maidenhead and Swindon, so flying up and down the Great Western Mainline makes a change from a slow ballast train at Okehampton.
Before heading away from home to work in Reading an opportunity to walk the dog around Respryn woods, where the view of the Cornish Mainline has been opened up with the vegetation clearance, an unidentified Castle Class HST passes with 2C27 the 14:17 Plymouth to Penzance in the welcome sunshine on 15th May 2021. Copyright Alan Peters.
I have been lucky to be working locally at Okehampton on the class 56 which has now gone back after the relaying of the Dartmoor Line in record breaking time, I am now working on another project in Reading as Colas are testing the GWR Class 769 'Flex' units for mileage accumulation, these former BR Class 319 units are now Tri-mode being fitted with a Mann diesel engines and will be used on the Reading to Gatwick services. For testing purposes the units have initially been cleared to work between Maidenhead and Swindon, so flying up and down the Great Western Mainline makes a change from a slow ballast train at Okehampton.
Away to Reading to learn the 'Flex' unit for testing for GWR, under grey skies 57604 'Pendennis Castle' with sleeper stock is stabled on Reading Train Care Depot, whilst making our way to 769 943 for training on the 21st May 2021 Driver Alan Peters. Copyright.
A first class job -looking very smart. An inside view of the refurbished Class 319 to a GWR 769 'Flex' unit, note the green Great Western interior and disabled toilet. 24th May 2021. Copyright Alan Peters
Putting the GWR 769 'flex' unit through its paces on AC as 5Q10 Reading Train Care Depot - Maidenhead - Swindon - Maidenhead - Reading Train Care Depot, seen at Reading on 24th May 2021 during mileage accumulation. Copyright Alan Peters
Many thanks Alan for your 'Home and Away' sequence - let's hope you are more at home than away but continue to delight our viewers with the variety of pictures.