Peckett 1929 Built 'Kilmersdon'
works on the Helston Railway
Roger Salter & Roger Winnen
works on the Helston Railway
Roger Salter & Roger Winnen
180726a The first train of the day approaches Truthall Halt. Copyright Roger Salter
180726b Kilmersdon built by Peckett arrives at Truthall Halt. Copyright Roger Salter
180726c The concertina effect with a telephoto lens as Kilmersdon is pulling the Brake second non ganyway 43171. Copyright Roger Salter
180726d Truthall Halt from the departing train. Copyright Roger Winnen
180726e 43147 on loan from the South Sevon Railway was a batch built at York to diagram 371 completed in the mid 1950s. Copyright Roger Winnen
180726g British Railways Brake Surburban coach E43147 at Truthall Halt. Copyright Roger Salter
180726e The familiar lines of the GWR Pagoda stans out well at Truthall Halt. Copyright Roger Winnen
Holton Heath
Colin Burges
Colin Burges
Colin on another of his cycle rides tells of his experiences :- While ticking off Dorset's remaining operational stations last week, I got off the train at Wareham - which I used last year when I went to Swanage - and cycled through to Holton Heath. I found a short cut along a footpath and came upon what was immediately apparent as a former government installation. A lot of this has become a trading estate so, with time in hand before the next train, I went in search of a catering van for a cup of coffee.
When I returned home I found that I had actually been in the midst of the former Royal Navy Cordite Factory, built in 1914. The halt was opened to serve the factory. It was obviously a highly secure and sensitive site; in fact a decoy was built nearby during World War II. As a security measure, it never appeared on the O.S. "Popular" one-inch map.
And look at this: it appears in its W.W. One form on the 1925 25 in. survey; vanishes back to heathland in 1954 (the 1936 survey is blank); and reappears in its post WW2 form, shorn of its railways, on the 1970 survey.
When I returned home I found that I had actually been in the midst of the former Royal Navy Cordite Factory, built in 1914. The halt was opened to serve the factory. It was obviously a highly secure and sensitive site; in fact a decoy was built nearby during World War II. As a security measure, it never appeared on the O.S. "Popular" one-inch map.
And look at this: it appears in its W.W. One form on the 1925 25 in. survey; vanishes back to heathland in 1954 (the 1936 survey is blank); and reappears in its post WW2 form, shorn of its railways, on the 1970 survey.
The 1925 OS map.
As well as it direct rail connection, a line continued alongside the Southern and crossed it to serve a jetty; the overbridge is still there. A network of standard and narrow gauge lines went in all directions. From Holton Heath Station to the northern tip of the site was well over a mile.
Little did I know that as I drank my coffee at a picnic bench beside an unfinished roundabout I was sitting on the course of one of the ministry's lines.
Cheers, Colin. Many thanks Colin, please go to maps from the National Library of Scotland for later editions. Link below
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=14&lat=50.7151&lon=-2.0785&layers=10&b=1
Little did I know that as I drank my coffee at a picnic bench beside an unfinished roundabout I was sitting on the course of one of the ministry's lines.
Cheers, Colin. Many thanks Colin, please go to maps from the National Library of Scotland for later editions. Link below
https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=14&lat=50.7151&lon=-2.0785&layers=10&b=1
Time in Looe!
John Cornelius
John Cornelius
The first two views by John were taken from a location now occupied by Looe Police station. Copyright John Cornelius
An interesting array of cars. Copyright John Cornelius
Copyright John Cornelius
Copyright John Cornelius
Many thanks to john for this selection from your vast and valuable collection.