The latest update St James' Park
David Tozer
David Tozer
An update. Still pleny to do on the up and down platforms. 166220 arrives with the 1135 from Barnstaple. The new Banner Repeater signal.
All photographs are Copyright David Tozer
Thanks David
Focus in the
Whiteball area 7
Paul Barlow
Whiteball area 7
Paul Barlow
47145 with the 08.27 Cardiff to Penzance passes the remains Cullompton station down platform on the 22nd August 1981 The station closed to passengers on 5th October 1964 and to goods on the 8th May 1967 Copyright Paul Barlow.
Savernake
Roger Geach
Roger Geach
Difficult to believe but here we are at Savernake once a busy little station. We see 59204 with the 6l21 Whatley climbing to the summit. It's Wednesday 14th June 2017. The station here closed to passengers on the 18th April 1968 and closed to goods on 19th May 1964. The station was just about here and the line to Marlborough which was closed on the 11th September 1961 turned away to the right. Copyright Roger Geach
RHTT Wheelchange
St Blazey
Craig Munday
St Blazey
Craig Munday
I was out and about with Autumn duties today on a particularly rancid day weather wise. The RHTT was undergoing a double wheelset swap, enlisting the services of a huge Macsalvors crane.
The unusual sight is seen on Sunday morning with a promising glimmer of weak sunshine (which did not last)!
Kind regards, Craig
The unusual sight is seen on Sunday morning with a promising glimmer of weak sunshine (which did not last)!
Kind regards, Craig
66151 in charge of the stock for a wheelset change. St Blazey 1st November 2020. Copyright Craig Munday
Steady as she goes - from a safe distance. RHTT Wheelset change. St Blazey 1st November 2020. Copyright Craig Munday
Wheelset change St Blazey 1st November 2020. Copyright Craig Munday
Many thanks Craig glad you were around. The stock is looking pretty filthy.
Trevemper siding/ mill. Chacewater - Newquay branch.
Trevemper Mill
Roy Hart
Trevemper Mill
Roy Hart
Showing the old alignment and the C N branch plus the Mill. Courtesy Mr. D. Harris.
Trevemper Mill buildings from the road., the sidings were at a higher level behind the building. 2017 Copyright Colin Burges
A reply to Mr. D. Harris who queried the purpose of this building - Keith Jenkin and I have been in correspondence about this subject and he suggested that I write to you.
Trevemper mill was at the navigational head of the Gannell river and coal was brought up there from the sea. In the 1840s squire Treffry of Fowey built his horse-drawn tramway from Par to Newquay with a branch to Treamble, where there were lead mines. The line also served East Wheal Rose near Newlyn East. Traffic was mostly inward coal. Trevemper mill was on this line, which was upgraded for locomotives in 1874.
Trevemper mill , I believe, dates from the 1840s. I know nothing of its work, except that since about 1910, the main building has had many occupiers. There is no question of railway repairs or maintenance, for the old GWR had ample local facilities at Newquay and Truro. I would have thought that the building manufactured and supplied animal feeds.
Since the 1930s, rail traffic on the siding was spasmodic, mainly the odd wagon of coal (I think that a local coal merchant had space in the yard.).
Trevemper was a private siding and thus subject to a p.s. agreement with the railway. Because of this unexpired agreement, the line from Tolcarn Junction to Trevemper siding remained technically open after the branch line closed. No traffic was carried and Trevemper siding, together with the branch line, was dismantled in 1964.
I hope that this is useful.
With best wishes,
Roy Hart
Trevemper mill was at the navigational head of the Gannell river and coal was brought up there from the sea. In the 1840s squire Treffry of Fowey built his horse-drawn tramway from Par to Newquay with a branch to Treamble, where there were lead mines. The line also served East Wheal Rose near Newlyn East. Traffic was mostly inward coal. Trevemper mill was on this line, which was upgraded for locomotives in 1874.
Trevemper mill , I believe, dates from the 1840s. I know nothing of its work, except that since about 1910, the main building has had many occupiers. There is no question of railway repairs or maintenance, for the old GWR had ample local facilities at Newquay and Truro. I would have thought that the building manufactured and supplied animal feeds.
Since the 1930s, rail traffic on the siding was spasmodic, mainly the odd wagon of coal (I think that a local coal merchant had space in the yard.).
Trevemper was a private siding and thus subject to a p.s. agreement with the railway. Because of this unexpired agreement, the line from Tolcarn Junction to Trevemper siding remained technically open after the branch line closed. No traffic was carried and Trevemper siding, together with the branch line, was dismantled in 1964.
I hope that this is useful.
With best wishes,
Roy Hart
Many thanks to you Roy.
St Blazey Open Day
Andrew & Diane Jones
Andrew & Diane Jones
The light not too good but here is the class 42 D824 Highflyer on shed at St Blazey open day 3rd May 1969 - Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.
CLASS 47 'Amazon' 1675 on depot at St Blazey open day 3rd May 1969. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.
Alfred at St Blazey Open Day May 1969 Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones
The class 42 cab at St Blazey open day 3rd May 1969. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.
Please find attached four photographs of the St Blazey Depot open day May 3rd 1969. I apologise for the quality, my first camera, a Halina which was well past its best and a rainy morning combined to make the light conditions absolutely dismal. (Oh for a modern digital camera!)
Two of the locomotives on site that day ultimately met unfortunate fates.
Class 47 D1675 Amazon (only 4 years old), latterly 47089 was on shed, a locomotive which ended its career in 1987 when working a heavily overloaded stone train at Chinley North, having run away and derailed only to be hit by 31440. Both locomotives were beyond economic repair and scrapped.
In the yard was former North British diesel hydraulic class 22 6319, subject of a preservation attempt by The British Traction Group who had paid for the loco. These locomotives played a significant role in our region, but unfortunately, due to a communication error 6319 was accidentally cut up at Swindon!
(The North British Locomotive Company from 1903 until the late 50’s produced many steam locomotives both for the home market and overseas. Unfortunately the transition from steam to diesel was not successful with many quality issues. It was said that the company deliberately made locomotives at a loss to encourage more lucrative orders from British Railways under the extremely wasteful and costly 1955 modernisation plan.)
Sadly often overlooked, no class 22 locomotives survived into preservation and they leave a significant gap and a loss to Western region post modernisation history.
(The Helston section of the Cornwall Railway Society pages feature a number of excellent photographs relating to this class, copyright of Mike Roach.)
Unfortunately the same could also be said for the class 21 series which were very similar in appearance to the class 22’s but with diesel electric transmission, some were rebuilt with Paxman Ventura engines to form class 29’s, due mainly to the inherent problems with the original MAN diesel engines built under license in the UK. (High revs and diesels don’t normally end well, with only a few exceptions, as any engineer will tell you!)
Class 21 and class 29 generally worked in the Scottish region.
Eventually NBL class 42 D821 Greyhound was purchased instead, after much embarrassment by BR for same price as the unfortunate 6319 , achieving notoriety as the first ex British Rail diesel locomotive to enter preservation, on May24th 1973.
Cab rides were also available. The photograph attached was taken from a class 42 Warship, D824 ‘Highflyer’, the acceleration was quite unexpected so unfortunately the photograph is slightly blurred.
ECLP, Port of Par ‘Alfred’ representing one of the last outposts of steam worked in the yard.
There were numerous book stalls and various railway relics on sale, if only I had more pocket money! as it was I couldnt carry it all home!
Wonderful memories of a long lost period and relative freedom.
Best wishes Andrew and Diane
Two of the locomotives on site that day ultimately met unfortunate fates.
Class 47 D1675 Amazon (only 4 years old), latterly 47089 was on shed, a locomotive which ended its career in 1987 when working a heavily overloaded stone train at Chinley North, having run away and derailed only to be hit by 31440. Both locomotives were beyond economic repair and scrapped.
In the yard was former North British diesel hydraulic class 22 6319, subject of a preservation attempt by The British Traction Group who had paid for the loco. These locomotives played a significant role in our region, but unfortunately, due to a communication error 6319 was accidentally cut up at Swindon!
(The North British Locomotive Company from 1903 until the late 50’s produced many steam locomotives both for the home market and overseas. Unfortunately the transition from steam to diesel was not successful with many quality issues. It was said that the company deliberately made locomotives at a loss to encourage more lucrative orders from British Railways under the extremely wasteful and costly 1955 modernisation plan.)
Sadly often overlooked, no class 22 locomotives survived into preservation and they leave a significant gap and a loss to Western region post modernisation history.
(The Helston section of the Cornwall Railway Society pages feature a number of excellent photographs relating to this class, copyright of Mike Roach.)
Unfortunately the same could also be said for the class 21 series which were very similar in appearance to the class 22’s but with diesel electric transmission, some were rebuilt with Paxman Ventura engines to form class 29’s, due mainly to the inherent problems with the original MAN diesel engines built under license in the UK. (High revs and diesels don’t normally end well, with only a few exceptions, as any engineer will tell you!)
Class 21 and class 29 generally worked in the Scottish region.
Eventually NBL class 42 D821 Greyhound was purchased instead, after much embarrassment by BR for same price as the unfortunate 6319 , achieving notoriety as the first ex British Rail diesel locomotive to enter preservation, on May24th 1973.
Cab rides were also available. The photograph attached was taken from a class 42 Warship, D824 ‘Highflyer’, the acceleration was quite unexpected so unfortunately the photograph is slightly blurred.
ECLP, Port of Par ‘Alfred’ representing one of the last outposts of steam worked in the yard.
There were numerous book stalls and various railway relics on sale, if only I had more pocket money! as it was I couldnt carry it all home!
Wonderful memories of a long lost period and relative freedom.
Best wishes Andrew and Diane
Andrew & Diane. Many thanks for your detailed memories.