Dawn at Westbury
Alan Peters
Dawn at Westbury with Class 59 now on long term hire to Colas Rail, 59003 "Yeoman Highlander" is now in pseudo Colas livery and is seen in the Up yard ready to work 6M50 to Bescot LDC on 25/04/24, note the stored EWS HTA coal hoppers awaiting their fate. The class 59 is based at Westbury for both traction knowledge and maintenance purposes. Copyright Driver Alan Peters
Thank you, Alan. The class 59's have certainly served their owners well over the decades.
South West Freight
Roger Geach
Seeing Craigs pictures and notes about the lack of freight, I would agree that the freight in the West Country is pathetic with road haulage now moving just about everything.
Here is 47145 at Tresulgan nr Menheniot with the up Cliffe Vale train which ran 5 days a week and also conveyed other freight to places like Bescot.
Roger Geach
Here is 47145 at Tresulgan nr Menheniot with the up Cliffe Vale train which ran 5 days a week and also conveyed other freight to places like Bescot.
Roger Geach
Better days for railfreight: 47145 heads for Cliffe Vale on 06.09.1985, seen at Tresulgan. Copyright Roger Geach.
Many thanks Roger. One wonders (and quietly hopes) whether the desire to remove diesel vehicles from the roads, combined with the current unsuitability of battery power to long distance HGV travel, may lead to a resurgence of rail freight.
Cornish Grounded Railway Carriages
Part 2
Andrew and Diane Jones
Following on from ‘Swindon Villas’, (click here) I have found this example just about holding on at Redtye near Lanivet.
Originally costing £17, it was placed on a field adjacent the A30 trunk road in 1939 by John Merryfield.
The ex GWR 3rd class coach was subject to a long drawn out confrontation with Cornwall Council planning and Mr Merryfield was initially told to demolish it as they considered it an eyesore, but he ignored the request!
Mr Merryfield did not consider that he had broken any planning law and continued to develop the site building a seperate roof over the carriage and a Veranda.
St Austell Rural Council eventually decided the development constituted a bungalow and duly assessed the property for rates set at £16/year.
However this was not the end of the story and in 1965 Mr Merryfield was again the subject of a planning enquiry due to his efforts to tidy up the site and build a conventional Bungalow.
Obviously the authority eventually came to the conclusion that the development was lawful due to the length of its existence.
Long may it survive!
very best wishes Andrew and Diane
Originally costing £17, it was placed on a field adjacent the A30 trunk road in 1939 by John Merryfield.
The ex GWR 3rd class coach was subject to a long drawn out confrontation with Cornwall Council planning and Mr Merryfield was initially told to demolish it as they considered it an eyesore, but he ignored the request!
Mr Merryfield did not consider that he had broken any planning law and continued to develop the site building a seperate roof over the carriage and a Veranda.
St Austell Rural Council eventually decided the development constituted a bungalow and duly assessed the property for rates set at £16/year.
However this was not the end of the story and in 1965 Mr Merryfield was again the subject of a planning enquiry due to his efforts to tidy up the site and build a conventional Bungalow.
Obviously the authority eventually came to the conclusion that the development was lawful due to the length of its existence.
Long may it survive!
very best wishes Andrew and Diane
A grounded coach at Redtye near Lanivet/Bodmin. Copyright Andrew & Diane Cornelius.
Many thanks to you both, Andrew & Diane; nice to read a little background on a local landmark!
Saturday Empties
Jon Hird
The highlight of the weekends photographic opportunities is on a Saturday morning when a DB Cargo locomotive trips the empty JIA wagons back into the duchy after they have been emptied at Cliffe Vale. 66130 does the honours on 27.04.24, seen 'from high' with the rear of the train still on Milltown viaduct. Copyright Jon Hird.
A quick peek in at St. Blazey where the train for the 'internal' clay work is being made up for the week ahead. A JIA is collected from ourside the wagon repair shops and is added to the rake of wagons, whilst others are removed and shunted into the workshops for attention. The JGA wagons are visible too. 27.04.24, copyright Jon Hird.