2nd September 2020

Peaks 40 years ago
Paul Barlow

A few shots taken 40 years ago with my newly acquired first SLR camera, a Practica MTL3

Kind regards, Paul Barlow.

46010 and 45021 on the 08.15 Plymouth to Leeds 1E30 seen at Taunton. 46010 was on test and was removed at Taunton. 29th August 1980, Copyright Paul Barlow.

Seen at Newton Abbot on the 30th August 1980. 45072 on the 09.45 Nottingham to Paignton the 1V77. Copyright Paul Barlow. This view has changed very considerably now.

Taunton. 45022 at rest. 30th August 1980. Copyright Paul Barlow.

Long time ago, many thanks Paul.

- and last Monday at
Dawlish
Paul Barlow

A few shots at Dawlish on Bank holiday Monday. With the second phase of rebuilding the sea wall around the station due to start soon, I made the effort to get some photographs before it is changed forever. Fantastic cloud formations made it worthwhile. Details of work to be completed see here https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/our-routes/western/south-west-rail-resilience-programme/dawlish-sea-wall-section-two/

Kind regards, Paul Barlow

Many thanks for the link.

43005 and 43122 on the 09.15 Laira to Bristol ECS passes Dawlish on the 31 August 2020. Copyright Paul Barlow.

The Dawlish coast and a mothballed cruise liner - a sign of the times. 31st August 2020. Copyright Paul Barlow.

Class 150 and 143 units on 1023 Exmouth to Paignton pass Coryton Cove Dawlish. 31st August 2020. Copyright Paul Barlow.

Dawlish sea wall east of the station before alterations take place. 31st August 2020. Copyright Paul Barlow.

A look at the fragile structure of Dawlish station down platform on the 31st August 2020.

Dawlish station, the downside before modification, 31st August 2020. Copyright Paul Barlow. Note the superb clouds.

Underneath the down platform at Dawlish 31st August 2020 Copyright Paul Barlow

Alongside Dawlish down platform - a final look before it all changes. 31st August 2020 Copyright Paul Barlow

Many thanks Paul for your views of what will be history.

The Pixie Returns Railtour
Steve Widdowson

        23rd October 1994
   Pathfinder Tours The Pixie Returns
Locos Used08645, 08663, 37146 & 37412
Stock Used17151+4956+4949+4939+4909+5037Route : 1Z27 throughout
Loco(s)Route
37412Bristol Temple Meads - Westbury - Yeovil Pen Mill - Yeovil Junction - Exeter St Davids
37146 + 37412Exeter St Davids - Plymouth
08663 (1)Plymouth - Bere Alston
08645 (2)Bere Alston - Plymouth
37146 (3)Plymouth - Liskeard [Main Platform] (5)
37412 (4)Liskeard [Branch Platform] - Coombe no. 1 ground frame
37146 (3)Coombe no. 1 ground frame - MP2 (Sandplace) (6)
37412 (4)MP2 (Sandplace) - Coombe station
37146 (3)Coombe station - Liskeard [Branch Platform]  (passengers detrained)
37412 (4)Liskeard [Main Platform] - Plymouth
37146 + 37412Plymouth - Exeter St Davids
37412Exeter St Davids - Taunton - Bridgwater - Bristol Temple MeadsNotes :
(1) 08645 on rear.
(2) 08663 on rear.
(3) 37412 on rear.
(4) 37146 on rear.
(5) Passengers had to detrain as train was not permitted over connection loaded due to lack of check-rails.
(6) Train was planned to go to Looe but due to lack of check-rails it was only permitted as far as milepost 2, just on the Looe side of the station at Sandplace.
Sources : class 37's used provided by Steve Marshall (Globe Video)
remaining data from Stuart Smith (joined/left the train at Bristol TM)
with some additional data from Steve Cassidy & Alan Sheppard

Photo Review
(all photos from Roger Geach)

37146 (above) & 37412 (below) on St Germans bank.

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Alan Sheppard)
TABLE 1
M.CLocationBookedActual
0.00Bristol Temple Meads07.50d07.56d
0.60North Somerset Jn07/5207/59
11.35Bath Spa08/0208/09
13.51Bathampton Jn08/0508/12
22.45Bradford Jn08/1608/22
28.17Westbury08*32 cc 08*4708*30 cc 08*47
29.51Fairwood Jn08/4908/49
32.73Clink Road Jn08/5208/54
34.75Blatchbridge Jn08/5408/55
47.64Castle Cary09/0409/06
59.40Yeovil Pen Mill09*17 ~ 09*2409*20 ~ 09*36
61.19Yeovil Junction09.29 op 09.3009/43
78.03Chard Jn09/4509/59
93.31Honiton09/5810.16 ~ 10.17
107.11Pinhoe10/0910/30
108.72Exmouth Jn10/1010/31

 TABLE 2TABLE 5 
M.CLocationBooked (out)ActualBooked (rtn)ActualM.C
110.01Exeter St. Davids10L15a ~ 10L35d10L36 ~ 10L5819.28a ~ 19.31d19.27 ~ 19.3469.61
121.25Dawlish Warren10/4511/0819/1819/1659.19
130.77Newton Abbot10/5411/1619/0819/0749.47
139.54Totnes11/0411/2618/57?40.70
152.10Ivybridge11/2011/3818/44?28.35
156.01Hemerdon11/3411/4318/40?24.43
161.26Lipson Jn11/3911/4918/33?19.18
162.66Plymouth11L41a ~ 12L11d11L51 ~ 12L1318L08a ~ 18L30d18L11 ~ 18L3117.58

TABLE 3
M.CLocationBooked (out)ActualBooked (rtn)ActualM.C
0.00Plymouth~ 12L11d~ 12L13d14L24 ~ 15L1914L41 ~ 15L1910.09
2.72St. Budeaux Jn12/2312/2714/1214/277.17
7.25Bere Ferrers12/4112/5213.22a ~ 13.52d #13.30 ~ 14.062.64
10.09Bere Alston12p53a13p0413p08d ##13p18d0.00
 
Key
## - Retimed to 13p15d
# - Retimed to 14.00d
 
TABLE 4
M.CLocationBooked (out)ActualBooked (rtn)ActualM.C
0.00Plymouth~ 15L19d~ 15L19d18L08a ~ 18L30d18L11 ~ 18L3117.58
2.72St. Budeaux Jn15/2415/2518/0318/0614.66
4.18Saltash15/2715/2917/5918/0213.40
9.16St. Germans15/3315/3717/5217/548.42
17.58Liskeard (Main Platform)15.43a ~15.49a ~~ 17.42d~ 17.44d0.00
0.00Liskeard (Branch Platform)~ 16.13d~ 16.18d17.12a ~17.23a ~2.03
1.72Coombe No.1 GF16.19 ~16.25 ~17/0517/160.11
-Coombe Station--16.59 ~ 17.0417.14 ~ 17.150.00
4.34
0.00Coombe No.1 GF~ 16.24~ 16.3016/5817.10 ~ 17.114.23
1.49St. Keyne16/2816/3816/5417/052.54
2.74Causeland16/3216/4216/5017/011.29
4.23Sandplace16.36a16.4716.46d16.570.00

TABLE 6
M.CLocationBookedActual
69.61Exeter St. Davids~ 19.31d~ 19.34d
71.01Cowley Bridge Jn19/34?
86.27Tiverton Parkway19/47?
100.41Taunton19/5919/59
105.44Cogload Jn20/03?
112.06Bridgwater20/08?
125.49Uphill Jn20/22?
128.42Worle Jn20/26?
143.38Parson Street20/4220/30
145.27Bristol Temple Meads20.45a20.37a
​Private Preservation Site
at Bere Ferrers
Loco UsedNo. 3395 Hunslet 0-4-0DM of 1946
Stock UsedBrake Vans - RNAD 178 + RNAD 364

Trip 1
Platform13.35d
End of Line13.36 ~ 13.36
Platformnon-stop
upto Turntable13.37 ~ 13.37
Platform13.38a

Trip 3
Platform13.45d
End of Line13.46 ~ 13.46
Spur Line13.47 ~ 13.47
Main / Spur Jn13.48 ~ 13.48
Platformnon-stop
upto Turntable13.49a

Trip 5
Cab Ride
Middle of Turntable14.02d
Platform14.03a

The above courtesy of the excellent Six Bells Junction Website.

The notes about the lack of check rails make interesting reading  okay as the Liskeard curve is not required fro normal passenger use but one wonders how they thought normal passenger trains reached Looe??
​N.B. More pictures of this train in our Railtour section.

37146 TnT 37412 Liskeard { 1Z27 F&W The Pixie Returns } 231094 Copyright Steve Widdowson

37412 TnT 37146 Liskeard { 1Z27 F&W The Pixie Returns } 231094 Copyright Steve Widdowson. The train comes to a stand and the passengers take the obligatory walk around to the Looe branch platform.

37412 TnT 37146 arrive at Coombe junction halt, on the Looe Branch { 1Z27 F&W The Pixie Returns } 23rd October 1994 Copyright Steve Widdowson

37412 TnT 37146 passes Sandplace on the Looe Branch { 1Z27 F&W The Pixie Returns } 23rd October 1994 Copyright Steve Widdowson.

Steve was well positioned for this one as the Pixie returns continues on to pass over Terras Crossing before returning to Liskeard. 23rd October 1994. Copyright Steve Widowson.

The final view of this selection shows the length of the train as it returns towards Liskeard. 23rd October 1994. Copyright Steve Widdowson.

Many thanks Steve.