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Keith It’s being reported on many forums that 60096 is one of ten stored Class 60’s that has been bought from DBS by Colas and placed in the Colas OOS pool for refurbishment and eventual return to mainline use. Nathan’s Stockmans photo here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nat37670/9001769798/ Chris Many thanks Chris 60096 COLS ST BLAZEY ST BLAZEY U 3D A
Although the West Somerset Railway is not one normally covered by this website news that many of the stations had been renamed after long gone stations which are our bread and butter is a very good excuse to break new ground. Congratulations to the West Somerset on the very professional nameboards and to the general turnout. Roger Winnen is also thanked for passing on his superb photographs, thank heavens the weather was grand. The pictures are in the order Roger took them, not station order.  Watchet Station renamed Bideford. 29th March 2014 Copyright Roger Winnen  140329a Washford Station renamed Mortehoe. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th March 2014  The ACE 34007 at Mortehoe. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th March 2014  Blue Anchor Station renamed Instow. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th March 2014  Dunster Station renamed Filleigh. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th March 2014  Minehead Station renamed Ilfracombe. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th March 2014  Driver for a fiver at Minehead, sorry Ilfracombe, no 'tis really Minehead!! Copyright Roger Winnen  What an excellent choice. Donniford Halt renamed Yeo Mill Halt. Copyright Roger Winnen.  D1010 Western Campaigner at Williton Station renamed Halwill Junction. Did a Western ever visit Halwill? Copyright Roger Winnen 29th March 2014  What a fine job has been done with the re-naming. Here we have Williton renamed Halwill Junction. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th March 2014  Stogumber Station renamed Portsmouth Arms. Copyright Roger Winnen. 29th March 2014  Portsmouth Arms. Perhaps a little confusing to have two stations named Portsmouth Arms - one in Devon and one in Somerset. Copyright Roger Winnen  Crowcombe Heathfield renamed Bridestowe. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th March 2014  Bridestowe Station. One wonders should the Dawlish deviation around Okehampton - Tavistock come about will this name be carried by an active station again. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th March 2014  Bishops Lydeard Station renamed Crediton. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th March 2014  Bishops Lydeard renamed Crediton. Copyright Roger Winnen. 29th March 2014 Congratulations to the WSR for the re-signing and thanks to Roger for the photographs.
Sid Sponheimer writes. Just got back from a visit to the Garden House at Crapstone, near Yelverton As a matter of interest, I am attaching copies a round object in the above garden that did at one time have a notice saying that it was a turntable. Being railway orientated, I naturally thought it had to be a railway turntable but whatever, I find it extremely unlikely that it is a turntable of any sort, unless it came from the Haytor Granite Tramway which is not that far away as the crow flies. It looks like a stone for grinding corn or similar to me. 
A Turntable? Any ideas? Copyright Sid Sponheimer
A lovely colourful picture by Doug Nicholls of Perranporth signalbox taken in September 1966, three and a half years after closure. 
Hi Keith Hayle station. The barrow crossing has gone, but that did not stop this woman crossing the track where she always has after reading the notices. Regards Mike  Copyright Mike Roach  Two minutes later. Copyright Mike Roach Hello Keith, This morning while driving along the coast from Starcross to Newton Abbot, I found 70801 with a PW train on the down main line at Bishopsteignton - which means of course that there must now be a railway at Dawlish again! Photographs attached, of the Class 70, and also the other end of the train seen by Shaldon boat yard. Kind regards Martin Duff Many thanks for this newsflash - of special interest - it seems we are no longer marooned.  The first train past the Dawlish breach stopped at Bishopsteignton. 29th March 2014 Copyright Martin Duff  70801 at the Newton Abbot end of the train alongside the river. 29th March 2014. Copyright Martin Duff  Another shot of 70 801 alongside the river - it looks as if Martin was very fortunate in being able get close without getting his feet wet. In the distance can be seen Shaldon bridge. 29th March 2014 Copyright Martin Duff. Hi Keith HAYLE STATION The pedestrian footpath crossing at Hayle Station was permanently closed today Friday 28 March 2014 at 06.00 hours. Alongside is an underpass which has probably been there since the railway was built. Steps are being constructed from platform level down to the underpass road, on both sides of the track. Until the steps are completed there is a long diversion for passengers wanting to get to the up platform, using a newly constructed tarmac path on the north side. Regards Mike Many thanks for this note and the pictures.  Hayle station crossing closure notice. 28th March 2014 Copyright Mike Roach  A plan of the works area - it says it all. 28th March 2014 Copyright Mike Roach  Hayle station - the old foot crossing taken hours after closure. The lights which once advised users whether it was safe to cross or not covered over and the access ramps blocked off. 28th March 2014 Copyright Mike Roach  A view of the step access to platform 2 (Up), not in use yet. 28th March 2014 Copyright Mike Roach  Pathway to platform 2. 28th March 2014 Copyright Mike Roach  The pathway to platform 2 heads for platform level. 28th March 2014. Copyright Mike Roach  Step and ramp access to platform 2. 28th March 2014. Copyright Mike Roach.  General work continues in the area adjacent to the up platform. 28th March 2014 Copyright Mike Roach  The vehicle approach to the downside car park to the right, the new access to the up platform under the low bridge to the left. 28th March 2014 Copyright Mike Roach  Detail of the notice on the signpost above. 28th March 2014 Copyright Mike Roach Very well signed by Network Rail
Nathan reports that the class 08 depot shunt at Laira has been repainted - complete with large double arrows.
Good afternoon Keith, Thought you may like this return working of 70802 / 803 taken today 22nd March 2014 at Cowley Bridge. Regards Nick Madden Many thanks Nick. Other photographers are hopeful that soon we may see these 'our side' of Dawlish. 
Keith. You have probably heard about the major landslip on the Teignmouth side of Parson's tunnel. I have received the following from Network Rail. It is a press release and therefore public information. The two links to footage shot from drones are perhaps worth passing on. One shows the landslide and the other is an up-to-date view of progres at the Dawlish breach. Regards, Derek Network Rail's orange army battle on second front near Dawlish 
Network Rail has sent in a second battalion of the ‘orange army’ to tackle a huge landslip that is threatening the Great Western Main Line about a mile west of Dawlish. Engineers became aware on 4 March that about 20,000 tonnes of a cliff face near Teignmouth, had sheared away and slumped about 20m onto the toe of the railway, which sits at the bottom of the cliff at this point. With the help of Devon & Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, engineers have been spraying thousands of litres of water every minute onto the slip to wash away the earth and to encourage the slip to complete its fall to the railway below. Recent consultations with Cornwall’s china clay business has seen a new high pressure water cannon brought onto site that is proving very effective at turning the red earth of the slip into slurry that’s running off into the sea at a tremendous rate. Specialist army equipment and excavators may also be brought in to assist once more of the unsafe slip has been washed away. Patrick Hallgate, Network Rail's Western Route Director, explained: "With our work at Dawlish nearing completion ahead of schedule, the Teignmouth site has become the orange army’s new frontline We have made good progress but the coming week will be critical if we are to meet our planned reopening date of 4 April. Everyone is working flat-out and are determined to clear this new obstacle to enable us to reopen this vital route for the people of Devon and Cornwall.” Notes to editors Superb moving images are available on the following link taken from a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) courtesy of Aerial Technics: · Teignmouth landslip drone footage - http://youtu.be/IW2B8pv0rKg · Dawlish sea wall drone footage - http://youtu.be/6IIiED7SMF0 The moving land mass is near Woodland Avenue in Teignmouth and during this saturation process, exclusion zones are in place for safety. The natural cliff material will be deposited on to the beach area with the assistance from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and the Environment Agency. Fixed wing aircraft are also being used to take LiDAR (laser scanning – like radar but with lasers) readings of the site in order to measure the changing condition of the slip slope. The main contractor at the Teignmouth site is AMCO. YOU ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO TRY THE LINKS ABOVE FOR AMAZING 'DRONE' PICTURES OF BOTH WORK SITES. The Cornwall Railway Society very much appreciates a copy of this general press release by Patrick Hallgate
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