NINETEEN SIXTY TWO – PART 17
Michael L. Roach
Michael L. Roach
St. Columb Road Station & St. Blazey Shed
Twelve months ago the website celebrated a railtour which had taken place 60 years earlier on 28 April 1962, not just with the usual words and photographs but also with original paperwork. The railtour was the Plymouth Railway Circle's Cornwall Mineral Lines Brake Van Tour starting at Truro Station and finishing at St. Blazey some ten hours later. All the dead end goods only lines traversed that day have since closed. St. Blazey Shed turned out two small prairies to haul the eleven brakevans; one from the earlier series and one from the second series with larger side tanks. The two locos were 4564 and 5531 and they were coupled bunker-to-bunker so that the leading loco was always facing forward after each of the nine reversals. St. Blazey shed closed to steam that weekend and this was the last revenue earning train rostered for steam by St. Blazey Shed. For reasons now forgotten I chose to leave home in Plymouth later and follow the railtour by car. I first caught up with the railtour a mile southeast of Perranporth Station. It was 12.22pm and the train was on time. I then cut across country to get ahead of the train and catch it at St. Columb Road Station which then still had a passing loop and a signal box. The two locos made a fine sight as the train entered the station to pass the dmu on the 12.42 Par to Newquay, and again as it left the station. The well-known photographer Peter Gray was stood alongside me and took an almost identical view of the train leaving St. Columb Road. My final visit of the day was to St. Blazey where on shed were: 3790, 3791, 4665, 5518, 5539, 8719 and 9665 i.e. two prairies and five pannier tanks. There may have been some diesels but if there were they were not recorded. Just one of the steam locos was actually in steam and that was 5518. So what happened to the three prairies in steam that day:
4564 was a Penzance based engine at the time of the railtour. One authority says it was stored for the next 16 months but both agree that it spent its last days at Gloucester Shed from September 1963 until withdrawal in September 1964.
5518 was a St. Blazey engine and was stored after the railtour and closure of the shed to steam. 5518 also went to Gloucester Shed in September 1963 and was withdrawn there in May 1964.
5531 was also a St. Blazey engine and was also stored. The loco was allocated to Laira from September to November 1963 but then moved (along with seven others of the class) to Southall Shed until withdrawal in December 1964. Here it would have been used, inter alia, on moving empty stock into and out of Paddington Station something which I believe the class had never done before in the previous fifty years.
NOTES:
None of the photos attached were shown 12 months ago.
To find the sixtieth anniversary item put “28th April 1962” in the search box above.
MLR / 22 April 2023
Twelve months ago the website celebrated a railtour which had taken place 60 years earlier on 28 April 1962, not just with the usual words and photographs but also with original paperwork. The railtour was the Plymouth Railway Circle's Cornwall Mineral Lines Brake Van Tour starting at Truro Station and finishing at St. Blazey some ten hours later. All the dead end goods only lines traversed that day have since closed. St. Blazey Shed turned out two small prairies to haul the eleven brakevans; one from the earlier series and one from the second series with larger side tanks. The two locos were 4564 and 5531 and they were coupled bunker-to-bunker so that the leading loco was always facing forward after each of the nine reversals. St. Blazey shed closed to steam that weekend and this was the last revenue earning train rostered for steam by St. Blazey Shed. For reasons now forgotten I chose to leave home in Plymouth later and follow the railtour by car. I first caught up with the railtour a mile southeast of Perranporth Station. It was 12.22pm and the train was on time. I then cut across country to get ahead of the train and catch it at St. Columb Road Station which then still had a passing loop and a signal box. The two locos made a fine sight as the train entered the station to pass the dmu on the 12.42 Par to Newquay, and again as it left the station. The well-known photographer Peter Gray was stood alongside me and took an almost identical view of the train leaving St. Columb Road. My final visit of the day was to St. Blazey where on shed were: 3790, 3791, 4665, 5518, 5539, 8719 and 9665 i.e. two prairies and five pannier tanks. There may have been some diesels but if there were they were not recorded. Just one of the steam locos was actually in steam and that was 5518. So what happened to the three prairies in steam that day:
4564 was a Penzance based engine at the time of the railtour. One authority says it was stored for the next 16 months but both agree that it spent its last days at Gloucester Shed from September 1963 until withdrawal in September 1964.
5518 was a St. Blazey engine and was stored after the railtour and closure of the shed to steam. 5518 also went to Gloucester Shed in September 1963 and was withdrawn there in May 1964.
5531 was also a St. Blazey engine and was also stored. The loco was allocated to Laira from September to November 1963 but then moved (along with seven others of the class) to Southall Shed until withdrawal in December 1964. Here it would have been used, inter alia, on moving empty stock into and out of Paddington Station something which I believe the class had never done before in the previous fifty years.
NOTES:
None of the photos attached were shown 12 months ago.
To find the sixtieth anniversary item put “28th April 1962” in the search box above.
MLR / 22 April 2023
7028 St. Columb Road signal box which was located on the east-bound platform. The box was closed and the crossing loop taken out of use on and from Monday 4 January 1965. There were no trains on Sundays in winter. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7029 The railtour enters St Columb Road at 1.25pm 3L past a corrugated iron shed believed to be a lamp hut. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7031 The railtour leaves St. Columb Road at 1.30pm 5L and passes over the A39 trunk road. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7032 The railtour waits for the gates to be opened at the level crossing south of St. Dennis Junction where the B3279 crossed the line. The time is now 3.53pm and the train was on time. The chap walking towards the camera was a well-known local enthusiast but I do not know his name. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7036 Two of the seven steam locos on St. Blazey shed on the evening of 28 April 1962. Only 5518 was in steam. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Many many thanks Michael, what a fantastic, yet very sad day - an excellent report.
Travels over the last week
Jon Hird
Jon Hird
Click on the individual photos for a full screen picture
On the 20.04.2023 I took my lunch hour and headed to Burngullow to see the JIA wagons coming off the Parkandillack branch behind 66060 working 6C10 14:16 Burngullow E.C.C. to Exeter Riverside N.Y, I also captured 43189 passing on a GWR service. Pictures 1 to 3
On 21.04.2023 as it was sunny again, I took my lunch and headed to Treesmill to see 66131 working 6G09 1302 Goonbarrow Junction Dbc to Fowey Dock Carne Point. Pictures 4 and 5
On 22.04.2023 I headed over to the Bodmin & Wenford Railway to have a ride behind 47306 on their first diesel day of the year. I skipped the last train and instead took some photos of it working the 14:50 Bodmin General - Bodmin Parkway & Return. Pictures 6 to 10
Finally, yesterday (23.04.2023), I went for a walk in the woods around the Glynn Valley and ended up at St. Pinnock viaduct, where I photographed GWR 158767 on an 'up' train, along with 43162 and 43094 working 2C26 13:40 Plymouth - Penzance cruising over St. Pinnock viaduct. I had a bit of a marvel at the pillars beneath the viaduct (you'd have to be brave to walk along that suspended wooden walkway that hangs underneath the deck, wouldn't you!!) and then headed back home, stopping in at Colesloggett Halt to see GWR Prarie tank heading the last BWR service of the day up the hill from Bodmin Parkway Pictures 11 to 15
Many Thanks Jon
GWR HST to Newquay
after 150221 fails
Steve Widdowson & Jon Hird
after 150221 fails
Steve Widdowson & Jon Hird
Steve Widdowson rides on and Jon Hird follows a Castle Class to and from Newquay
The reason why - 150 221 lies as a failure in Chapel Siding at Par. 26th April 2023. Copyright Steve Widdowson.
43155 & 43170 Par { 2N05 1109 Newquay to Par } 26th April 2023 Copyright Steve Widdowson
HST to Newquay - Tregoss Moors, 25th April 2023 John Hird.
HST to Newquay - Criggan, 25th April 2023 Copyright John Hird.
HST from Newquay. 25th April 2023 Luxulyan Valley John Hird
43155 ~ 43170 at Newquay { 2N05 1109 Newquay to Par } 26th April 2023. Copyright Steve Widdowson
Many thanks to both Jon and Steve. Hope
your pictures are in the correct order.
your pictures are in the correct order.