90th Anniversary of the 1st closure of the
Yealmpton
Mike Roach
Yealmpton
Mike Roach
THE YEALMPTON BRANCH Michael L. Roach
The Yealmpton Branch closed to passengers for the first time 90 years ago with the last trains running from Plymouth Millbay to Yealmpton on Saturday 5 July 1930. The withdrawal of passenger trains had been hastened by the arrival of the motor bus; however freight trains continued to serve the branch until 1960. However this was not the end as a passenger service from Plymouth Friary was reinstated from 1941 to 1947 to assist the war effort as there was an RAF station only a mile or two from the terminus. The 1929 passenger timetable shows 8 rail motor trains each way; and the trains took 35 – 38 minutes for the 10¼ miles from Millbay including 7 intermediate stops. The first station out of Yealmpton was at Steer Point 2¼ miles, beside the estuary of the River Yealm. Notes in the 1929 timetable indicate that Yealmpton was the station for Newton Ferrers (3½ miles) and that Steer Point had a steam ferry to Newton Ferrers (2 miles). The writer was born at Flete just 3 miles east of Yealmpton Station during World War Two and spent the first year or two of life living in a tiny cottage with a relative at Newton Ferrers which is south-west of Yealmpton because of the bombing of Plymouth.
The Yealmpton Branch closed to passengers for the first time 90 years ago with the last trains running from Plymouth Millbay to Yealmpton on Saturday 5 July 1930. The withdrawal of passenger trains had been hastened by the arrival of the motor bus; however freight trains continued to serve the branch until 1960. However this was not the end as a passenger service from Plymouth Friary was reinstated from 1941 to 1947 to assist the war effort as there was an RAF station only a mile or two from the terminus. The 1929 passenger timetable shows 8 rail motor trains each way; and the trains took 35 – 38 minutes for the 10¼ miles from Millbay including 7 intermediate stops. The first station out of Yealmpton was at Steer Point 2¼ miles, beside the estuary of the River Yealm. Notes in the 1929 timetable indicate that Yealmpton was the station for Newton Ferrers (3½ miles) and that Steer Point had a steam ferry to Newton Ferrers (2 miles). The writer was born at Flete just 3 miles east of Yealmpton Station during World War Two and spent the first year or two of life living in a tiny cottage with a relative at Newton Ferrers which is south-west of Yealmpton because of the bombing of Plymouth.
Yealmpton station. Looking towards Steer Point and Plymouth. Taken in May 1961 Copyright Mike Roach
Another picture at Yealmpton, looking towards the end of the line - this time taken by the late Sid Sponheimer. Copyright
Steer Point - A Laira bound freight shunting at Steer Point......this was the only occasion I can recall when it made a shunt on the return journey. This picture in memory of Mike's very good friend the late Charles Fennamore. Picture and text copyright Charles Fennamore.
Steer Point with brakevan attached. It looks as if the scrap is about to depart. Taken in November 1962 Copyright Mike Roach
A wartime timetable. From the Mike Roach Collection
Many thanks Mike for your article and photos.
The Night Riviera moves
Andrew Triggs
Andrew Triggs
Morning Roger/Keith
2 shots from the last couple of days of Night Riviera moves, one the Friday 'Down Beds' and the current ECS top and tail Saturday move
All the Best
Andrew
2 shots from the last couple of days of Night Riviera moves, one the Friday 'Down Beds' and the current ECS top and tail Saturday move
All the Best
Andrew
57605 working 1C50 23.45 London Paddington-Penzance approaching Marazion by pass road bridge at 07.40 3.7.2020 Copyright Andrew Triggs
57604 with 57605 working 5Z50 07.35 London Paddington-Longrock T&RSMD ECS on Hayle Viaduct 4.7.2020 Copyright Andrew Triggs
Thanks Andrew
South Marston Scrap
Ken Mumford
Ken Mumford
Taken from South Marston Footbridge. Here we see 37800 Railway Operating Companies on a scrap train . This is the 10.59 Ilford to SIMS at Newport. 4th July 2020 Copyright Ken Mumford.
South Marston Footbridge The doomed sets being 315 817 and 836, 4th July 2020. Copyright Ken Mumford.
Many thanks Ken for the results of your lonely vigil on the footbridge, quite how you know the set numbers beats me!
A few pints at
St Germans
Clive Smith
St Germans
Clive Smith
With Saturday 4th July being the day announced for pub reopenings I decided to have my first outing on a train since March with a trip to St Germans and The Halfway House down the road at Polbathic. Lovely beer, excellent pub and a warm welcome. Regards Clive Smith
(1) On the left at Plymouth is front power car 43041 on the 11.47 Plymouth - Penzance. On the right is 43198 at the front of the 09.26 Exeter St Davids - Penzance. 4th July 2020 Copyright Clive Smith.
2) 43093 brings up the rear of the 11.47 Plymouth - Penzance as it leaves St Germans. 4th July 2020 . Copyright Clive Smith.
(3) 43097 is on the front of the 15.50 Penzance - Exeter St Davids at St Germans. 4th July 2020. Copyright Clive Smith.
Many thanks Clive. Glad you had a good visit.
Plymouth & Trebrownbridge
Craig Munday
Craig Munday
Hi Keith Been up East a bit with work. I took a route off the A38 on the 2nd to see the recent cutting back in the area. The bridge at Trebrownbridge now gives a super view back to Tresulgan viaduct and the new signals brought in a few years back to break up the long section between St Germans and Liskeard. The 30 mins service required these extra signals prior to introduction, and 70810 is seen approaching UM259R which is a yellow and green repeater. The stop signal UM259 is around a mile away. The signal on the down DM260 is a stop signal, though difficult to see that with just the one LED aspect red/green. The signal plate identifies it as a stop signal. Also on 2nd a lucky burst of sunlight under a brooding sky saw a pair of Cross Country HST in platforms 4 and 5 at Plymouth. Platform 4 was 43357/43285 with the 1527 1E68 departure to Leeds and 43304/43301 rest in platform 5 after a jaunt down with 1V50. I was reflecting that Plymouth has remained largely unchanged infrastructure wise - other than the truncation of the bay platforms - since the 1960s. Not many large city stations can say that. Cheers for now Craig
70810 approaches Trebrownbridge with the 6C36 Tresulgan Viaduct. in the distance. 2nd July 2020. Copyright Craig Munday
Two Cross Country HST's 4th July 2020. Copyright Craig Munday. In Platform 4 on the right was 43357/43285 with the 1527 1E68 departure to Leeds and 43304/43301 rest in platform 5 after a jaunt down with 1V50.
An FGW Castle Class now stands in platform 6 as the sky looks decidedly nasty. 4th July 2020. Copyright Craig Munday,
Many thanks Craig for your regular update on the scene.
Network Rails plans for
Exeter to Salisbury
Exeter to Salisbury
Comments on Network Rail's plans for Exeter to Salisbury - click link below to see the plans.
https://cdn.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/West-of-England-Study-Continuous-Modular-Strategic-Planning.pdf
Some of the proposals have seen the light of day in 2016 - the Peninsular Rail Group paper.
Page 23. Network Rail states Exmouth Junction controls the Exeter Central operations. This is Incorrect it comes under the Exeter Panel Box.
Honiton Page 58, I guess this proposal will see daylight - you cannot pass 10 car IEP's at Honiton.
Axminster Loop - Extension Eastwards(about 1 mile) to to Milepost 142 in the Chard Loop direction. Why not go the whole way to Chard Loop. I suspect that the recent flood prevention scheme messed that up.
Dave Tozer.
https://cdn.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/West-of-England-Study-Continuous-Modular-Strategic-Planning.pdf
Some of the proposals have seen the light of day in 2016 - the Peninsular Rail Group paper.
Page 23. Network Rail states Exmouth Junction controls the Exeter Central operations. This is Incorrect it comes under the Exeter Panel Box.
Honiton Page 58, I guess this proposal will see daylight - you cannot pass 10 car IEP's at Honiton.
Axminster Loop - Extension Eastwards(about 1 mile) to to Milepost 142 in the Chard Loop direction. Why not go the whole way to Chard Loop. I suspect that the recent flood prevention scheme messed that up.
Dave Tozer.