8th September 2021

Northern Pullman Belle
Dawlish
Clive Smith

57601 leads the 1Z42 09.29 Birmingham International - Paignton 'Northern Belle' pullman charter in glorious sunshine and mark 1 pullmans in view with miscreant 57314 on the rear. The train was running a whopping 150 minutes late due to regular problems with West Coast locomotives. The train was already a 19 late start due to the ECS being late. 57314 was initially at the front and developing a brake fault at Cheltenham making the train over 30 late. It seems to have got just south of there to Lansdown before reversing back to Cheltenham station where a decision was made to send the train in to Gloucester where it could reverse so that 57601 could lead. By now the train was 153 minutes late.

Now I have to declare I had not made a special trip for this photo as I happened to be working this day in Teignmouth and Dawlish. 57s are not high on my list of locos to capture but as I was in the area and could arrange my lunch hour around its 13.00 passing I thought why not ? What I hadn't catered for was the weather forecast being wrong and the Teignmouth Dawlish coastline was enveloped in murky cloud and mist throughout the morning and into the afternoon. However as the saying goes every cloud has a silver lining and so the huge delay coincided with the end of my work in Dawlish, the sun burnt off the clouds at 14.00 and the awful dull maroon liveried 57314 had now been relegated to the back and out of sight along with the mark 2 sleepers. A win win win situation.

Regards,  Clive Smith

57601 hauls the Northern Belle at Dawlish on the 5th September 2021. and 57 314 brings up the rear, Copyright Clive Smith

As you say - a win- win situation truly won. Many thanks a great picture.
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 Exeter in 1975
Roger Winnen

751227b Bracket Signals on the approach to Exeter St David's 27th December 1975. Copyright Roger Winnen

751227a Exeter St Thomas Station on 27th December 1975. Copyright Roger Winnen

751227d A Class 33 arrives at Exeter St David's with a working from London Waterloo on 27th December 1975. Copyright Roger Winnen

751227g A Hastings Unit forms the Exete St David's to Brighton service on 27th December 1975. Copyright Roger Winnen

751227g The down Cornishman at Exeter St David's hauled by a Peak on 27th December 1975. Copyright Roger Winnen

751227iAn Exmouth DMU service at St James Park on route to Exeter Central and St David's.. Copyright Roger Winnen

Peak at Paignton
Michael Forward

Hello Roger,I hope you are continuing to make progress and I am sure you are determined to get to the station again. Here is a picture taken at Paignton almost 40 years ago today, on 9 September 1981.It shows 45005 starting away with the 11.40 service to Nottingham. Copyright Michael Forward

Many Thanks Michael, now on the mend! Roger

Another relic of the past to be lost.
Redruth
Roy Hart, Derek Huntriss, Keith Jenkin

Following a tip off from Derek Huntriss that a building with railway connections  in the downside approach road to Redruth station is up for sale for development KJ took a few photographs and Roy Hart kindly provided some background.

​ As is well known, the GWR introduced 'road motors' in Cornwall in 1903. They were based at Penzance, which had a huge official allocation, concealing the fact that buses were out-stationed at 'dormy' sheds, like the one at Redruth. Redruth operated two services - to Helston and to Falmouth.
The sheds were built of corrugated iron with curved roofs ( similar, really to the sheds built around the same time for steam railmotors). They were painted in the standard GW  livery of 'light and dark stone'. Oddly, stations and other buildings were not painted in choc/ cream until the BR era.
In 1929 the GWR created the Western National bus company and ceased to operate buses. Buses were getting bigger, of course and these little garages became redundant and were sold or transferred to other use.  The number of services starting at Redruth multiplied in the 1930s, when large modern garages for the Penzance district were built at Falmouth and Helston. I  believe that the garage at Redruth was in BR hands until the late 1950s.

The Redruth garage dates from about 1907-10. By the 1920s all of the GWR buses in Cornwall were based at either Penzance or St Austell. In 1929 PZ had 60, covering all of Land s End to east of Truro. Redruth was a sub-shed!
​Roy Hart.

Redruth Old GW garage, latterly 'Bond Street Garage' stands empty awaiting its fate as the 14.37 departs for Penzance. 5th September 2021. Copyright KJ.

Looking down the approach road to its junction with Bond Street, 5th September 2021. Copyright KJ.

Stripped of its 'Bond Street Garage hoardings the front view of the garage, 5th September 2021, Copyright KJ

A view from Bond Street, 5th September 2021. Copyright KJ.

A view of the property at the rear, 5th September 2021. Copyright KJ

Many thanks to Derek Huntriss for the tip-off and especially to our middle east correspondent (Redruth born) Roy Hart for the historical background.

Cowley Bridge Jct
Ron Kosys

47406 approaches Cowley Bridge on the 28th July 1988

You will all be delighted to know, as I am, that Ron Kosys has sent us more of his incredible pictures for use on our website.  Many thanks indeed Ron.
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Creech Observations
Bill Elston

I was over at Creech today  between  0950 and 1120 where the following were seen;

a)  66621 empty box wagons from Bishops Lydeard to Whatley Quarry.   It was very misty at that time. but cleared during the morning.
b)  66566 t/t 66846  on late running Fairwater yd to Westbury
c)  Turbo  166211  Taunton - Cardiff
d)  66515  Late running   Fairwater - Doncaster woodyard,  spent sleepers

Best wishes, Bill

a) 66621 empty box wagons from Bishops Lydeard to Whatley Quarry. It was very misty at that time. but cleared during the morning. 6th September 2021. Copyright Bill Elston.

b1) 66566 t/t 66846 on late running Fairwater yd to Westbury

b2) 66566 t/t 66846 on late running Fairwater yd to Westbury

c) Turbo 166211 Taunton - Cardiff. 6th September 2021, Copyright Bill Elston.

d) 66515 Late running Fairwater - Doncaster woodyard, spent sleepers. 6th September 2021. Copyright Bill Elston.

Many thanks Bill -keep up the good work.
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Vintage peak
Bristol T M
Clive Smith

45022 basks in the sun at BTM with the 1E22 the 09.50 Newquay to Newcastle 3rd July 2021 Copyright Clive Smith.

Many thanks Clive.
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Laira  '78
​Paul Barlow

46008 at Laira - note large dent in the nose- 29th August 1978, Copyright Paul Barlow.

Many thanks Paul.  Ah memories.
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2nd helping from
Bodmin
Chris Bellett

Bodmin and Wenford Open day, The finish of the 1st stage of the Round Britain Cycle race 5th September 2021. Copyright Chris Bellett {6)

Just Steam. Bodmin and Wenford Open day, 5th September 2021. Copyright Chris Bellett {7)

Bodmin and Wenford Open day, 5th September 2021. Chris poses for a picture. Copyright Chris Bellett {8)

4612 takes on water. Bodmin and Wenford Open day, 5th September 2021. Copyright Chris Bellett {8)

Many thanks, Chris.
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Thoughts from Paul Roach
He has a broad mind !!

Thanks Paul.
If so was broad gauge designed for people with larger behinds?