26th November 2023

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Riding around Cornwall yesterday
Roger Winnen

231125b 57505 Totnes Castle in Platform 4 at Penzance with the arrival of The Night Riviera. Copyright Roger Winnen

231125e Transport for Cornwall crosses the main line at Camborne with service 49 to Troon Square. Copyright Roger Winnen

231125v 66113 With the Railhead Treatment Train passes through Camborne on route to St Blazey running 116 mins early. Copyright Roger Winnen

231125v (2) 66097 at the rear of the train heading for Redruth. Copyright Roger Winnen

231125zc 66102 heads westwards through Liskeard with the 09.48 Exeter Riverside to St Blazey. Copyright Roger Winnen

231125zm Castle Class HST arrives at Liskeard with the 08.00 Cardiff Penzance service. Copyright Roger Winnen

231125zo The new signal erected at Lostwithiel in preparation for the new order from next year. Copyright Roger Winnen

231125zq A close up of the area around the Lostwithiel Box which will be taken out of use. Copyright Roger Winnen

An IET comes off The Royal Albert Bridge with a service to Penzance. Copyright Roger Winnen

Sheep on the
Okehampton line
Andrew Jomes

Today ( Friday 24th November 2023) proved to be an uphill struggle! I had arranged to meet up with my youngest daughter Sienna in Exeter. From Grogley, this would have been straight forward in the 60’s, but now a 1 hour journey by car to Okehampton station is the most convenient. I could go from Bodmin Road but this actually takes considerably longer.
I really look forward to travelling from this once major outpost of the Southern Railway and duly bought my tickets at the platform machine, only realising too late that I had purchased 2 tickets by mistake, the machine clearly defaulted, but even the £11 cost was still very reasonable so I decided to take it on the chin! (I have a disabled railcard ).
However things started to unwind as I had not checked the station display, which to my dismay and other passengers waiting pronounced that the next two trains had been cancelled. I had arranged to meet Sienna at 11.07 in Central Station and with no suitable replacement in sight, she agreed to pick me up at Okehampton.
Luckily the rest of the day went to plan and I returned to Exeter Central to find that the 14.32 service was running. A lovely lady guard on the preceding 14.14 Barnstaple service explained that the disruption had been caused by sheep on the line and showed me the photographs on her phone.
While I awaited Sienna at Okehampton there was time to browse part of the station museum and I have attached a few photographs from the day.
 
Very best wishes Andrew and Diane

Okehampton Museum 24th November 2023. Copyright Andrew Jones

Okehampton Museum Meldon Viaduct model 24th November 2023 Copyright Andrew Jones

Okehampton Station festive lights 15.25 service to Exeter on time 24th November 2023 Copyright Andrew Jones

Exeter Central 14.14 service to Barnstaple 158798 and the helpful guard. 24th November 2023. Copyright Andrew Jones

Exeter Central the steep gradiant to St Davids 24th November 2023 Copyright Andrew Jones.

Many thanks Andew - excellent phoyohraphs - my apologies for the late publication of your item - I feel rather sheepish about it!!

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Bristol Temple Meads
Matin Scane

A very troublesome journey up to Bristol today and again coming home. However, I did manage to snatch a couple of photos of 66850 and 66848 on the RHTT. Cheers Martin

66848 BTM RHTT 25th November 2023. Copyright Martin Scane

66850 BTM RHTT 25th November 2023. Copyright Martin Scane

Many thanks Martin, nice picture, daylight and almost darkness, a real contrast.


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Dawlish Drone
Paul Barlow

43188 and 43092 on the 06.50 Bristol to Penzance approaches Dawlish station on the 24th November 2023. Paul Comments on it being a chilly morning. The sun makes for a warm picture on a cool day,  Nobody else appears to be taking the air on the seawall.

43188 43092 0650 Bristol to Penzance approaches Dawlish station 24th November 2023. Copyright Pauk Barlow.

Many thanks Paul.

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Basingstoke
Paul Barlow

3468 and 1884 on rear form the 1610 Waterloo to Portsmouth stopper. 21st September 2004. Copyright Paul Barlow

SR slam door units 3409 1319 16.10 Waterloo to Pouthampton wait at Basingstoke. 21st September 2004. Copyright Paul Barlow

Thanks again Paul.

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My word was it ten years ago?
The Dawlish Breach
Coin Burges

Dear Keith,
On the tenth anniversary of the breach, film crews are likely to descend on Dawlish.
As part of writing up the story so far, I have put together the bits I recorded as they were broadcast at the time.
Quite by chance, I met John Ayres last year and had twenty minutes alone with him on a country lane. He told me that he was covering the flooding in Looe when he was told to go to Dawlish. "That's nearby, isn't it," his remote boss said. Nevertheless, Ayres was the first on the scene and he told me that it remains the biggest story of his career.
Unfortunately, I failed to clip this appearance.
My favourite lines are:
"But we've got plenty of booze to see us through the horrific journey."
"It's going to be sh ... "
" ... it's brought Dawlish back to life."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJoacD31wrk

How things have changed, even in ten years, with the 143s gone, the HSTs nearly gone, and Ian Mundy now promoted. And how many Prime Ministers have there been?

With best wishes, Colin Burges.

Hi Colin, many thanks for the clips you took - what a shame they didn't take your preferred option - via Christow but maybe we'll see the Okehampton - Tavistock section reopened - one can only cross ones fingers - very tightly