3rd March 2019

Engineering Plant Diary has just been updated,
lookout for Fugro`s, Rila and Rail-Map solutions.

70 810 approaching Apex Bridge with Rila system on the front. Copyright Mick House.

Diversions February - March 2019
A Collection complied by 
Paul Barlow

These are some my shots I have managed get of the diverts over the S.R. main line via Yeovil junction  this week. With the excellent weather it difficult to resist going out photographing, and probably the last chance to see HST's on the SR line.
Kind regards, Paul Barlow 
           Many thanks Paul - glad you got out and about.

59005 1328 Exeter Riverside-Whatley Quarry passes St James Park Halt 20 February 2019 Copyright Paul Barlow Freight at St James Park - a very unusual shot.

43086 43185 1516 Plymouth -Paddington passes Pinhoe 25th February 2019 Copyright Paul Barlow

43180 and 43189 1303 Paddington -Penzance passes Exmouth Junction 25th February 2019 Copyright Paul Barlow

43160 and 43158 attacking Honiton bank at Wilmington on the 1103 Padddington-Plymouth 26th February 2019 Copyright Paul Barlow

Class 802 on 1122 Pymouth-Paddington Approaching Wilmington 26th February 2019 Copyright Paul Barlow

43171 and 43093 on 1316 Plymouth-Paddington passes St James Park Exeter1st March 2019 Copyright Paul Barlow

43185 on rear of 0903 Paddington-Plymouth passes over Bonhay road Exeter 1st March 2019. Copyright Paul Barlow Another rare shot.

HST Diverts 1st March 2019
Andrew Triggs

Good evening Roger,
Managed to do the HST Diverts yesterday, ended up going to Westbury, Temple Meads and Reading on a good 16 hour jolly, and the rain kept away until late in the day, 6 shots enclosed for CRS. The route on the day being Penzance-Westbury-Bristol Temple Meads-Reading-Penzance

​​1. Just past Totnes 1A81 (43198/088) crawls past stationary 1C71 (802102) Copyright Andrew Triggs

2. Viewed from 1A81, DBC 'Tug' 60065 'Jaguar' waits in the Up Yard at Westbury. Copyright Andrew Triggs

3. Later at Bristol Temple Meads Colas 37175 is stabled behind platform 1 with a N.R Test Train. Copyright Andrew Triggs

4. Reading I.E.T's , as viewed from above the raised concourse, looking towards London. Copyright Andrew Triggs

5. The return 1C86 (Again 43198/088) at Honiton, waiting for the delayed SWR 1L68 to arrive in the fading light. Copyright Andrew Triggs

The 1503 1C86 Paddington to Plymouth was booked to stop at Honiton from 1737 to 1758.
The 1725 Exeter to Waterloo was booked to arrive at at 1756 and depart 
at 1757. It arrived at 1758 hardly late running when compared to events 
the day before.
It only highlights the need for extra infrastructure to accommodate 
diverted GWR services. Quite a few services had long dwell times at 
various locations. Copyright Andrew Triggs

6. Celebrity 43195 'Great Western' at Plymouth leading 2C90 for the final leg to Penzance. Copyright Andrew Triggs

Thanks Andrew

City Basin (Welcome Street)  revisited
Comparisons
Paul Barlow 

This is a present day shot of the City basin night shot I sent a couple of weeks ago. 33 years between shots!
              Kind regards,  Paul Barlow    Many thanks Paul 

Welcome Street - what a nice name! Exeter City Basin 1 signalbox on the penultimate night of operation it's the 13th November 1986 Copyright Paul Barlow

Exeter City Basin 2 Celebrity 43185 heads 09.03 Paddington to Plymouth passes Welcome Street Exeter 1st March2019 Copyright Paul Barlow.

Comparisons at
Exmouth Junction
Paul Barlow

​Hi Keith,  Before and after shots at Exmouth junction I couldn't get the exact same position due high fencing and overgrown vegetation which blight the railways now. The 1985 shot was taken when Exeter St Davids was shut for MAS re-modelling. All services started and terminated at Exeter Central, trains were serviced at Exmouth Junction. Hope this is of interest.

Kind regards  Paul Barlow. Many thanks indeed Paul.  I believe that the sidings seen in the top photograph are for the most part still in existence buried under the trees in the lower picture.

50034 Furious heads ECS to form 1723 Exeter central-Waterloo 33005 rings up the rear. Exmouth Junction in the distance 5th May 1985 Copyright Paul Barlow

43180 with 43189 form the 13.03 Paddington to Penzance seen here approaching Blackboys tunnel. 25th February 2019 Copyright Paul Barlow

Three arches bridge
Totnes
Clive Smith

I managed to grab a 1 'til 2 lunch hour between whilst working in Totnes on Saturday 2nd March 2019 which allowed me to park up at Three Arches Bridge at Follaton just west of Totnes and capture an up and down Paddington with GWR HST sets. Not the sunshine of late but enough brightness for a reasonable photo. They say good things comes in threes and so for the third time this week I was in the right place at the right time as celebrity power car 43185 turned up on the down London.
Regards, Clive Smith  A pleasant way to spend a lunch hour. Many thanks

(1) Green GWR liveried 43189 leads the 09.03 Paddington - Plymouth (via Yeovil) up the Rattery incline. 13.10 2nd March 2019. Copyright Clive Smith

(2) FGW blue Dynamic Lines liveried 43180 brings up the rear of the same train. Note the now rusting lines on the up road which have been out of use now for two weeks.13.10 2nd March 2019. Copyright Clive Smith

(3) Inter City liveried celebrity 43185 brings up the rear of the 13.19 Plymouth - Paddington (via Yeovil). The train was headed by 43086. This 'up' train was operating over the 'down line' due to the three week closure of one bore of Marley. Single line working is in operation between Aish Crossover and Totnes station. 13.54 2nd March 2019. Copyright clive smith

An appeal for information
Westbury
Martin Scane

An Uncle of mine (John) is seeking some information on the 3.40 (15.40) perishables from Penzance to Paddington (especially in the period 1955-62). I wonder if it is possible to publish this request for information on the CRS website? If not then absolutely no problem. John recalls this train at night (11.00ish) at Westbury behind usually a Castle or occasionally a King. It would have been closely followed by the 16.10 perishables (meat). I wonder if these two were sometimes combined? The main question is threefold . What would have been conveyed on the 3.40 and presumably this was very much seasonal? We are thinking flowers, potatoes, broccoli etc. What was the formation? Parcels vans, Siphons, ex SR Utility Vans etc with a passenger brake at the rear? Would the make up vary seasonally or even weekly/daily? Did the train run all year and was it 6 days per week? If anyone has some info perhaps they could contact me initially by email or telephone on 07977550051. Regards Martin Scane   Can you help??