25th October 2019

The Monthly visit of the
Network Rail Measurement Train

Photographs by Andrew Triggs, Roger Winnen and Mick House.

Class 67 023 & 67 027 arrive in Cornwall today bringing with them The Network Rail Measurement Train with the 05.17 Reading Triangle Sidings (leaving 17 minutes early at 05.00) to Paignton 15.35.

67 023 Stella heads past Gwinear road crossing. Copyright Mick House.

67 027 Charlotte on the rear of the train passing Gwinear road crossing. Copyright Mick House.

On the run to Penzance, crossing Angarrack Viaduct, with 67023/027 at 11.42am Copyright Andrew Triggs

191025c 67027 Charlotte on the network rail measuring tain at Penzance. Copyright Roger Winnen

67 027 in the platform at Penzance. Copyright Mick House.

191025d 67023 Stella near the buffer stops at Penzance. Copyright Roger Winnen

67 023 in the platform at Penzance. Copyright Mick House.

191025e 67023 Stella with the National Rail Measuring Train view from the steps leading to the balcony. Copyright Roger Winnen

 The return run to Paignton crossing Hayle Viaduct at 12.30pm Copyright Andrew Triggs

Chun Castle at Penzance
Roger Winnen

Near to home Chun Castle was an iron age hillfort near Morvah, Pendeen commanding views around the West Penwith peninsula.

191025a 43153 Chun Castle arrives on the 09.00 from Plymouth. Copyright Roger Winnen

191025b The nameplate of Chun Castle at Penzance. Copyright Roger Winnen

Exeter Central
Ron Kosys

Now here's an interesting view of rather an untidy site, or is it sight. Warship D806 Cambian climbs to Exeter Central with the 12.30 service to Waterloo on the 20th August 1971. Copyright Ron Kosys. Ron adds - It is later seen arriving at Exeter Central with the 1230 St Davids to Waterloo. Taking ‘wrong side’ for the sun and chopping the spire off ‘St Michael and All Angel’s’ Church [I’m pretty certain that’s the one] didn’t enter my head at the time!

Redruth
The late John Cornelius

John sadly passed away two years ago now but thankfully he left a legacy of his pictures on our website. Being a Dorset man he rarely came to Cornwall but being, besides a signalman a church bellringer on tour he popped into various stations. Here is selection of his of Redruth. Redruth station having a viaduct at one end and a tunnel at the other and at times various sidings seems to be an ideal candidate for the modelmaker. Here is a selection he took at Redruth.

Copyright the late John Cornelius

158 872 heads away towards the tunnel on a damp day. Copyright the late John Cornelius

Looking back from very nearly the tunnel mouth. There were once sidings behind the down, left hand side platform and a bay on the far end of the up platform. Copyright John Cornelius.

A closer view of the footbridge which has fortunately fairly recently received a refurbishment. it certainly adds character to the station. Copyright John Cornelius.

And finally 150244 bearing the colours of Wessex Trains trundles into the down platform. You can just see the light of day beyond the 47 yard tunnel. Copyright the late John Cornelius.

General News
Keith Jenkin

Yesterday I reported on my experience of boarding a Cheltenham to Brighton Train  which had no toilets - stops were being made for 'personal  needs' on the journey.  Martin  Scane wrote of a similar experience, thanks for your note Martin.
However, may I say, and I am not these days a regular rail traveller, over the last weekend I notched up quite a few hundred miles using a 'Freedom of the south West Railrover' and the experience was pleasurable.  I found most trains busy and clean as were the stations - a great improvement on the situation in the past.  Although perhaps the seats on the IET's are a little hard I marvelled at the Crystal Clear announcements of the PA system and the seat reservation labelling - a green light meaning a seat was available and a red one indicating that it was booked.
I see from a report in the local newspaper that the St Ives branch carried 406,000 passengers 89,000 more than last year. It was also reported that main line usage has seen an increase of 21%.  Long may these trends continue. From December 2019 we will see an increased frequency of trains thanks to the new signalling recently introduced.  KJ.

Freight Train Loads
Colin Burges

Why I didn't think to look at my copy of a timetable I do not know. It must have come from this resource:

http://www.michaelclemensrailways.co.uk/article/british-railways-western-region-working/572  

This is obviously interesting in itself, being a fine illustration of what the W.R. Cornish lines looked like in the year I was born. "Instructions for Calculating Loads of Freight Trains" is found on page 87.

What would a W.T.T. of freight trains west of Ashburton Junction look like today?

     Best wishes, Colin.                      Many thanks Colin