3rd February 2021

Roger Winnen. He is in isolation at Karenza Care Home since Saturday 18th January.- his 'sentence' has just been increased to 14 days -  he should be 'freed', within the home next Saturday.
      He could do with a chat        07773808074
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Fit for Presidents and Prime Ministers!
St Ives Branch
Paul Barriball

In response to my request for pictures of the work in progress on the St Ives branch Graham Mann contacted a former colleague Paul Barriball of who Graham said ​Paul was my Works Delivery Manager at Network Rail and he’s still performing that role, he’s also a 'dyed in the wool Cornishman'! Here are two of the pictures from Paul. You'll find more in the expanding feature 2103 'The St Ives Relay'

The new track at the St Ives terminus as it basks in the morning sun and Paul Barriball's shadow. Copyright.

The new permanent way from the footbridge which carries the coastal path over the line between Carbis Bay and St Ives. Copyright Paul Barriball.

An earlier picture as the old ballast is removed near Hawkes Point. Copyright Paul Barriball.

Many thanks to Paul and Graham
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Focus on
Radley
Michael Roach

On the 30th  January 1965, the day on which Mike travelled up from Plymouth to see Churchill's funeral  train he also fitted in a visit to Radley - here we see it in its former glory rather than in its current rather sparse state. You can compare then with now in our section 'Didcot to Oxford'.

Radley complete with station buildings and semaphore signals. 30th January 1965 Copyright Mike Roach

Radley - taken from the down platform. 30th January 1965 Copyright Mike Roach Mike

Radley - we're on the down platform. The sign reads 'Radley change for Abingdon' Trains for the branch departed from the outer face of this platform. 30th January 1965 Copyright Mike Roach. Apologies for the film fault on this picture.

Many thanks to you Mike.

Warship to Wadebridge
Neil Phillips

Andrew and Diane Jones’ photo of the check rails at Polbrock Bridge on the Bodmin to Wadebridge line brought back a memory that during the first week of September 1971 I was participating in a week’s youth club camp in the meadow on the far side of the bridge in this scene. Normal procedure during the week was for the crew of the early morning freight, worked by a Class 08, to wake everyone up with copious use of the loco’s whistle while passing the tents – as if the squealing of the train’s wheels traversing these reverse curves wasn’t enough! A couple of us were interested enough to poke our heads outside to see which loco St Blazey had supplied, that week invariably either green D4008 or blue D4009. On the morning of 6th September D4008 went down to Wadebridge as normal, but failed to return at the expected time. Just as this thought was sinking in a lot of squealing could be heard approaching from the Bodmin direction and from under the bridge emerged two red bogie re-railing vans being propelled by Warship D805 ‘Benbow’! Clearly D4008 had encountered a spot of bother at Wadebridge and the re-railing team had been scrambled with Type 4 superpower! A couple of hours later D805 reappeared on the return journey and by the time D4008 trundled past in the afternoon, very late by then of course, I was paddling a canoe on the River Camel!
 
How many times a Warship reached Wadebridge is anyone’s guess, but I know it happened at least once as I was in the right place at the right time to witness it. It occurred to me later that this demonstrated the versatility of the lightweight Warships as those locos’ successors, the ‘Peak’ Class 46s, were at the other end of the Type 4 spectrum in terms of weight and wheel count, and were thus almost certainly incapable of such a working.
 
It was a pity that I was not in a position to capture such a rarity on film, but in recent years a photo has surfaced of D805 at Bodmin General after having run round its two vans on the return run. Note the Exeter to Waterloo headcode up a Cornish branchline! This photo confirmed the date (and the lovely weather!) I have attached this but please be aware that the photographer is unknown so copyright may be an issue. If you publish it hopefully it can be correctly credited in due course.

Best regards, Neil Phillips.
 

Please note:- We displayed for a short while  very rare picture of D805 at Bodmin General. But thanks to Dave Andrews we are advised that this was the work of Brian Murrish. Perhaps in due course we can have permission to publish this picture with due credits.

Happy camping days - thanks for the memories Neil.

Yeovil Pen Mill
John Smerdon

Hello Keith, My exercise walk yesterday took me along the footpath beside the river Yeo, which was formerly the track bed from Yeovil Town station to Yeovil Pen Mill. I was just in time to picture the 1314 departure of Turbo no. 166215 for Weymouth. I wonder how much longer the signalbox and semaphore signals will survive?
 
Kind regards, John Smerdon.
 

A quiet day at Yeovil Pen Mill station. Turbo no 166215 just leaving for Weymouth. 1st February 2021. Copyright John Smerdon

Many thanks john.
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A summers day at
Newbury
Michael Forward

NEWBURY 3 50 10 Monarch heading west with the 11.35 Paddington to Paignton dull but warm 28th June 1986 Coyright Michael Forward

NEWBURY 4 50028 ‘Tiger’ about to call at Newbury with the 12.45 service from Paddington to Paignton. Copyright Michael Forward.

Many thanks Michael
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