The Colas 67s working on the Southern today
David Tozer
David Tozer
67023 & 67027 Exibition Way on the Southern Route into Exeter today with the Network Rail Measurement train. Copyright David Tozer
Thanks David
Castle Class HSTs in Cornwall
Roger Winnen
Roger Winnen
200623a The 17.15 Penzance to Plymouth crosses Hayle Viaduct in glorious summer sunshine on Tuesday 23rd June 2020. Copyright Roger Winnen
200623b 43154 Compton Castle heads the 18.15 service Penzance to Plymouth seen crossing Hayle Viaduct. 23rd June 2020 Copyright Roger Winnen
200623c Mooring the yacht at Hayle with the 19.15 Penzance to Plymouth seen crossing the Viaduct. Copyright Roger Winnen
200624a 24th June 2020 43186 Taunton Castle departs Truro at 16.31 on the 15.50 Penzance to Exeter service. Copyright Roger Winnen
200624b 43170 Chepstow Castle works the 18.15 Penzance to Plymouth seen arriving at Truro on 24th June 2020
Are you Green with Envy?
We are - the good old days recalled by David Cook.
We are - the good old days recalled by David Cook.
08 118 at Helland - one of the photographs which 'spurred' David Cook to write in. 7th February 1983 Copyright Ian Cavill.
Further to the photographs of 08113 taken on the Wenford Branch in 1983 I thought I would take the liberty in relating the story behind a week’s holiday camping near Hayle with two colleagues, Trevor Davies and Keith Scott also from the 4566 Group which as you know I am still involved with.
The idea was to travel on all of the branch lines in Cornwall during the week which I think we achieved.
In addition to this we paid a visit to St. Blazey depot on the Tuesday and made ourselves known to the Supervisor (the late Chris Coombes if my memory is correct). Having explained who we were and our involvement with the restoration of 4566 in 1975 we were made very welcome. Chris saying at the time that 4566 was well known as being a Cornwall based engine. We were given permission to explore the site with the proviso that the only thing we were not to do was go between/under any wagons for obvious reasons.
Word had obviously got around as whilst we were in the vicinity of the turntable we were “accosted” by a driver (I believe his name was Wallace Matthews) who entered into a fairly lengthy conversation with us. His parting shot being, “the best thing to happen to steam engines was getting rid of them”! We were all taken aback by this at the time but accepted that to some, working on steam engines was hard work. A little later he returned and asked which of us was on the footplate on the SVR, to which I replied that I was a fireman and that Trevor was a trainee fireman. He said you had better have these then and proceeded to give me some gauge and lubricator glasses and a copy of The Blue Book of Rules for Enginemen and Fireman (which I still possess to this day). When I asked him why he still had these items if he hated steam so much he smiled and said, “Well, they must have dropped to the bottom of my locker and I forgot all about them!!!
He asked us what we were doing the next day and said if we were interested he was driving a late afternoon passenger train up to Plymouth and we were welcome to have a ride in the cab if we wanted. I think you can probably guess what we said.
Returning to the main offices we saw Chris Coombes again to thank him for his hospitality and to our amazement were asked if we would be interested in a trip up the Wenford Branch on the Thursday. There as an immediate acceptance of the offer on our part with the agreement that we were to wait at Dunmere Crossing for the train at an agreed time.
Wednesday saw us at Penzance at the due time prior to departure to be told by Wallace that there was a rumour that a Loco Inspector had been seen out and about in the area. So, we were told to travel in the train and if he wasn’t about when we got to St. Erth our cab ride was a goer. Fortunately, he wasn’t and we travelled on 46014 (long gone, although Trevor did see it once at Hereford whilst out chasing a steam special)) to Par where despite being offered the full ride to Plymouth we had to detrain as we decided that getting back to Penzance very late at night could have been problematic.
Thursday as arranged saw us at Dunmere Crossing awaiting our ride. After some time a railwayman (Shunter or Guard?) appeared and asked if we were waiting to see the train. We told him what had been arranged with Chris Coombes and were somewhat taken aback when we were told that due to a funeral that day they had worked two trains the previous day to enable one of the usual crew to attend. You can imagine our disappointment but then we were told to wait and see what could be arranged. About 20 minutes later we were greeted by the sound of an approaching 08 diesel shunter, 08113 and brake van. Are you the lads who were supposed to have a trip up the branch today asked the Driver (Trevor tells me this was John Ferret)? Yes was the reply, well hop up in the cab and I’ll take you up the branch. We asked why the train was running having been told that there was no wagons to collect to be informed that if it got back to St.Blazey we hadn’t had our trip there might be some explaining to do!
So, of we went trundling up the branch, stopping at Helland Bridge to pick up a family (I think they might have had a holiday let?) who rode in the brake van. When we arrived at Wenford we had the opportunity to have a look around before returning back to Dunmere Crossing.
Whilst I am no longer actively involved with the SVR, Trevor is and is now responsible for overseeing and maintaining the 08 fleet at Kidderminster. He tells me that there is a link to 08113 still, this being that he purchased parts from 08113 including the exhauster cut out valve and a vacuum brake control rod that links the two brake valves in the cab and which have been subsequently fitted to D3201. 08113 was owned by RMS Locotec and was broken up in Leeds after being withdrawn/condemned.
It’s amazing that two photographs can bring back happy memories of a fantastic holiday now some 42 years ago!
David Cook
(4566 Group)
The idea was to travel on all of the branch lines in Cornwall during the week which I think we achieved.
In addition to this we paid a visit to St. Blazey depot on the Tuesday and made ourselves known to the Supervisor (the late Chris Coombes if my memory is correct). Having explained who we were and our involvement with the restoration of 4566 in 1975 we were made very welcome. Chris saying at the time that 4566 was well known as being a Cornwall based engine. We were given permission to explore the site with the proviso that the only thing we were not to do was go between/under any wagons for obvious reasons.
Word had obviously got around as whilst we were in the vicinity of the turntable we were “accosted” by a driver (I believe his name was Wallace Matthews) who entered into a fairly lengthy conversation with us. His parting shot being, “the best thing to happen to steam engines was getting rid of them”! We were all taken aback by this at the time but accepted that to some, working on steam engines was hard work. A little later he returned and asked which of us was on the footplate on the SVR, to which I replied that I was a fireman and that Trevor was a trainee fireman. He said you had better have these then and proceeded to give me some gauge and lubricator glasses and a copy of The Blue Book of Rules for Enginemen and Fireman (which I still possess to this day). When I asked him why he still had these items if he hated steam so much he smiled and said, “Well, they must have dropped to the bottom of my locker and I forgot all about them!!!
He asked us what we were doing the next day and said if we were interested he was driving a late afternoon passenger train up to Plymouth and we were welcome to have a ride in the cab if we wanted. I think you can probably guess what we said.
Returning to the main offices we saw Chris Coombes again to thank him for his hospitality and to our amazement were asked if we would be interested in a trip up the Wenford Branch on the Thursday. There as an immediate acceptance of the offer on our part with the agreement that we were to wait at Dunmere Crossing for the train at an agreed time.
Wednesday saw us at Penzance at the due time prior to departure to be told by Wallace that there was a rumour that a Loco Inspector had been seen out and about in the area. So, we were told to travel in the train and if he wasn’t about when we got to St. Erth our cab ride was a goer. Fortunately, he wasn’t and we travelled on 46014 (long gone, although Trevor did see it once at Hereford whilst out chasing a steam special)) to Par where despite being offered the full ride to Plymouth we had to detrain as we decided that getting back to Penzance very late at night could have been problematic.
Thursday as arranged saw us at Dunmere Crossing awaiting our ride. After some time a railwayman (Shunter or Guard?) appeared and asked if we were waiting to see the train. We told him what had been arranged with Chris Coombes and were somewhat taken aback when we were told that due to a funeral that day they had worked two trains the previous day to enable one of the usual crew to attend. You can imagine our disappointment but then we were told to wait and see what could be arranged. About 20 minutes later we were greeted by the sound of an approaching 08 diesel shunter, 08113 and brake van. Are you the lads who were supposed to have a trip up the branch today asked the Driver (Trevor tells me this was John Ferret)? Yes was the reply, well hop up in the cab and I’ll take you up the branch. We asked why the train was running having been told that there was no wagons to collect to be informed that if it got back to St.Blazey we hadn’t had our trip there might be some explaining to do!
So, of we went trundling up the branch, stopping at Helland Bridge to pick up a family (I think they might have had a holiday let?) who rode in the brake van. When we arrived at Wenford we had the opportunity to have a look around before returning back to Dunmere Crossing.
Whilst I am no longer actively involved with the SVR, Trevor is and is now responsible for overseeing and maintaining the 08 fleet at Kidderminster. He tells me that there is a link to 08113 still, this being that he purchased parts from 08113 including the exhauster cut out valve and a vacuum brake control rod that links the two brake valves in the cab and which have been subsequently fitted to D3201. 08113 was owned by RMS Locotec and was broken up in Leeds after being withdrawn/condemned.
It’s amazing that two photographs can bring back happy memories of a fantastic holiday now some 42 years ago!
David Cook
(4566 Group)
Your Letter David a delight to read, many thanks indeed.
Those were the good old days.
Those were the good old days.
Wenford Trains
Jim Lewis
Jim Lewis
A class 50 approaches with an up train. Some idea of the clay traffic to and from the Wenford branch can be gathered from this picture by Jim Lewis of the sidings at Bodmin Road - each with approximately twenty clay hoods. Copyright Jim Lewis. Nostalgically he tells us that that is his old green ford Anglia in the car park. The sidings in the car park were taken out of use in 1969. This picture dated 1975.
Many thanks Jim
Purton
Ken Mumford
Ken Mumford
It's 12.22 on the 1st July as 47812 approaches Purton crossing on the Swindon, Kemble Gloucester line. Copyright Ken Mumford.
47812 and DVT 82307 at Purton Common Foot Crossing. en route to Bristol via Birminham, Worcester, Kemble, Swindon (reverse) and Chippenham. Copyright Ken Mumford
Many thanks Ken
Sleeper ECS
Andrew Triggs
Andrew Triggs
Sleeper ECS 57603 and 605 to TRMS Reading Due off at 10.00 but left 10 early. 1st July 2020. Copyright Andrew Triggs.
Mostyn Hall. Truro
Chris Parkinson
Chris Parkinson
Three years ago I purchased one of the nameplates from Mostyn Hall. At one point in its life it was allocated to Truro shed. I am seeking a good photograph of this locomotive that I can frame and put on the wall in my study under the nameplate. Could you enquire to see if any of your members has a photo that they could forward please? Many thanks, Chris Parkinson t. 07970 909934
Roger remembers Mostyn Hall at Truro, but has anybody a photograph please.