Blog Archives

Fred Flintstones Railway - an article from Sid Sponheimer

30/3/2014

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

Picture in this week.

30/3/2014

A lovely colourful picture by Doug Nicholls of Perranporth signalbox taken in September 1966, three and a half years after closure.

SOME PEOPLE ARE INCREDIBLY STUPID! Mike Roach

29/3/2014

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 

Two minutes later. Copyright Mike Roach

The FIRST TRAIN PAST THE DAWLISH BREACH? Report by Martin Duff

29/3/2014

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.

Hayle Station Foot Crossing Closed Report by Mike Roach

29/3/2014

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

Depot shunter repainted Nathan Stockman

29/3/2014

Nathan reports that the class 08 depot shunt at Laira has been repainted - complete with large double arrows.

Colourful Class 70's return east. Nick Madden

22/3/2014

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.

NETWORK RAIL - 'CONTROLLED LANDSLIP AT TEIGNMOUTH' (Email from Patrick Hallgate sent at 1413hrs on Friday 21 March 2014)

21/3/2014

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

Craig on the clay in the upper valley. Craig Munday

21/3/2014

Morning Keith I couldn't resist grabbing this Spring only picture of 66006 on the Fowey Branch today. The picture will become obscured by the foliage in the foreground once the leaves appear, and the sun needs to be high enough to get the valley in full sun. Hope all is well with you. All the best for now, Craig
Many thanks Craig - nice reflections, its great to have both you and Nathan chasing 'our' only 66.

A well lit Lostwithiel is in the background as 66006 sets off down the valley on Friday 21st March 2014 Copyright Craig Munday

66006 is now a little further down the valley and the locos reflection is picked up in the high water of the river Fowey. The GW main line climbs towards Treverrin tunnel in the background. 21st March 2014. Copyright Craig Munday

The 66 brings back a much lighter load of now empty CDA's now bound for either the Parkandillack branch or Rocks Dries at Goonbarrow. The tide is still high. 21st March 2014 Copyright Craig Munday.

Carne Point Nathan Stockman

21/3/2014

Hi Keith, How are you?? Promised I would send something local, although have not taken many photographs lately.... Attached is a photo of Carne Point, Fowey, a rather secret location you don't see a great deal of photographs from. 66006 Cornwall's resident class 66 (been on this duty since arriving in Cornwall on the 11th Jan) sits on the quayside waiting for its wagons to be unloaded. In the background Netherlands registered cargo ship 'Nordland' sits at no.8 Jetty. Regards Nathan
Many thanks for the picture Nathan, certainly an unusual angle.

A most interesting and unusual view taken from a secret location at Carne Point. Here we see Cornwalls captive 66006 with one CDA and in the background the impressive clay loading terminal. 20th March 2014. Copyright Nathan Stockman.

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