9th January 2020

​Don't forget our meeting this coming Saturday

  Saturday 11th at 6.30PM          
Brian Aston's New Year Railway Sound and Light Show. This will be another of Brian's whirlwind explorations of (mainly) railway happenings, spiced with his usual selection of quirky, amusing or hair-raising video clips.
This will be held as usual in the memorial Hall, Redruth Methodist Church.

​      For details of the venue please click here.

The new order in Devon from 1st January 2020
David Tozer

To comply with the latest regulations no longer will you see pairs of     Class 143's working in multiple. From 1st January these can only work
with a unit which has a compliant toilet.

150232 along with a Class 143 works the 1039 Paignton to Exmouth. Copyright David Tozer

158745 was working the 1023 Paignton to Exmouth.                      Copyright David Tozer

Thanks David

 Work is taking place to
renew bridge on the St Ives Branch
Roger Salter

Following the news on Radio Cornwall this morning I went to see the very large compound being cleared at the Hayle Causeway road, rail bridge crossed by the St Ives Branch Line in preparation for replacement bridge in February 2020 The following photographs illustrates the scene.

All photographs are Copyright Roger Salter

Thanks Roger

Llanwern
Ron Kosys

56045 seen at Llanwern on the 17th April 1999.. Copyright Ron Kosys

Many thanks Ron

Exeter West
Paul Rarlow

33061 1623 Exeter to Paignton 14 March 1983 Passes Exeter west Copyright Paul Barlow

Many thanks Paul

               Do  you remember
          Ethels?
     Ken Mumford
ETHEL  stands for Electric Train Heating Ex-Locomotive
These were class 25 diesel-electric locomotives converted to provide mobile generators to provide electric heating which hauling locomotives could not provide.
ORIGINAL NUMBERETHEL NUMBERW/DLAST DEPOTCONVERTED
25.31097.25010/'82Cricklewood06/'83Ethel 1Inverness - mid '93Glasgow - late '94
23.30597.25107/'83Bescot08/'83Ethel 2Inverness - mid '93Glasgow - late '94
25.31497.25203/'83Cricklewood10/'83Ethel 3Inverness - mid '93Glasgow - late '94
These ETHELs had mesh grills over their windows to stop coal falling on them and thus damaging them.
Steam enthusiasts hated them because their fast tick-over interfered with them recording the sound of the steam locomotive.
Tremendous amount of interesting information on the Internet worth exploring.
DID YOU KNOW that ETHELs were going to be replaced by THERMULS?
THERMULS stood for Train Heating Ex-Redundant Multiple Unit Stock

Many thanks for that Ken.