Apparently the Bideford Group has been unable to purchase the original station building on the other platform.
Regards Mike Bojko
N.B. The CRS hope to visit both sites later in the year - see out outdoor events page.
Hello Keith Yesterday I was at Bideford and visited the old station there. There is a brake van, A Southern parcels van and a Mk 1 coach, now used as a cafe. Talking to the cafe worker there I asked if ever they would run trains again from Bideford to Torrington. Her reply was that as the Torrington Group and Bideford Group never talk to each other, so there's not much chance, pity.
Apparently the Bideford Group has been unable to purchase the original station building on the other platform. Regards Mike Bojko N.B. The CRS hope to visit both sites later in the year - see out outdoor events page. Behind one of the properties in Brookway Hayle can be seen the abutment of a bridge which carried the branch line to the Explosive Works on Mexico Towans. The line which climbed in a curve across what is now a local park to gain height from the former Hayle Railway alignment. Access was via tracks laid on the former Hayle Railway along what is now King Georve V walk, The Explosive Works ceased to use this line after 1922. This picture 10th March 2014 Copyright Roger Winnen The Hayle Railway from Hayle to Redruth passed along King George V Walk from which this photographs was taken, The line then took an almost straight route to the foot of the Angarrack Incline. The incline can just be ascertained to the right of the yellow fields on the distant hill. This incline was roped worked. On one unfortunate occasion the rope snapped and a group of ascending passengers suddenly found themselves returning to Hayle at high velocity!!!! This photo dated 10th March 2014 Copyright Roger Winnen Craig was out with his camera today, in really superb light. Taunton to Bridgwater railway reopens Trains are moving again between Bridgwater and Taunton.
A manual signalling measure is now in place to enable a limited number of trains to be ‘talked past’ Bridgwater, whilst engineers continue their efforts in designing a long-term solution to boost the resilience of the railway. Patrick Hallgate, route managing director, Network Rail Western said: “We are determined to get passengers on the move again. Although the temporary measure allows a small number of services to run, it will significantly help reduce disruptions until a sustainable solution is in place to battle against extreme weather.” Whilst the damage to the ballast, track and embankment is limited, the 2 mile signalling system in the area is unfortunately destroyed by the prolonged exposure to flood water and extensive work will be needed. A series of assessments have been carried out since the infrastructure on the railway began to emerge and this include train proofing being carried out using ballast train and detailed visual inspections to structures, culverts and embankments. With many thanks to both Nathan Stockman and to Chris Jenkin who sent me, almost instantaneously, advice on the following interesting workings this coming summer. Thank you gentlemen for thinking of the web site, your time and trouble is very much appreciated. 5E75 runs SO from 24/05/14 to 06/09/14 PENZANCSD 10:15 LONG ROCK PASS 10:18 ST ERTH PASS 10:22 CAMBORNE PASS 10:43 TRURO PASS 10:57 PROBUS PASS 11:03 BURNGLWJN PASS 11:10 PAR 11:19 2E75 runs SO from 24/05/14 to 06/09/14 PAR 11:25 LOSWITHEL 11:31 11:33 BODMINPKW 11:38 11:40 LARGIN PASS 11:46 ST PINNCK PASS 11:47 LISKEARD 11:53 11:55 MENHENIOT 12:00 12:02 STGERMANS 12:09 12:10 SALTASH 12:18 12:20 STBUDFREJ PASS 12:25 PLYMOUTH 12:31 12:35 LIPSON JN PASS 12:38 HEMERDON PASS 12:43 IVYBRIDGE 12:49 12:51 AISHXOVER PASS 12:56 TOTNES 13:05 13:07 DAINTON T PASS 13:14 NEWTONAWJ PASS 13:18 NEWTONABT 13:19 13:22 TEIGNMTH PASS 13:29 DAWLISH PASS 13:34 DAWLISHWN PASS 13:38 EXETSTDAV 13:49 To Exeter TMD as 5E75. Then 5C51 off TMD for: 2C51 runs SO from 24/05/14 to 06/09/14 EXETSTDAV 17:51 DAWLISHWN 18:02 18:03 DAWLISH 18:07 18:09 TEIGNMTH 18:13 18:15 NEWTONABT 18:22 18:24 NEWTONAWJ PASS 18:25 DAINTON T PASS 18:29 TOTNES 18:36 18:37 AISHXOVER PASS 18:47 IVYBRIDGE PASS 18:52 HEMERDON PASS 18:56 LIPSON JN PASS 19:01 PLYMOUTH 19:05 19:08 STBUDFREJ PASS 19:13 SALTASH 19:17 19:18 STGERMANS 19:25 19:26 LISKEARD 19:37 19:39 ST PINNCK PASS 19:44 LARGIN PASS 19:46 BODMINPKW 19:51 19:53 LOSWITHEL PASS 19:57 PAR 20:02 20:04 STAUSTELL 20:10 20:12 BURNGLWJN PASS 20:15 PROBUS PASS 20:22 TRURO 20:28 20:30 PENWTHRSJ PASS 20:31 BALDHU PASS 20:35 REDRUTH 20:41 20:43 CAMBORNE 20:48 20:51 ST ERTH 20:59 21:01 LONG ROCK PASS 21:07 PENZANCE 21:11 5C51 runs SO from 24/05/14 to 06/09/14 PENZANCE 21:20 PENZANCSD 21:35 Other references supplied by Chris Jenkin
RTT is now showing the loco-hauled use of sleeper stock SO 24/5 - 6/9: 2E75 11:25 PAR - 13:49 EXETER ST DAVIDS http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C47456/2014/05/24/advanced 2C51 17:51 EXETER ST DAVIDS - 21:11 PENZANCE http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C41319/2014/05/31/advanced Hi Keith Did a couple of long days at Penzance this week, Mon 3rd / Tues 4th March. Trains were running into the station again after the 16 day long embargo due to the storm. Though overshadowed by the Dawlish events, I'd like to place on record thanks to the guys in orange trousers in Network Rail who toiled in, at times, in awful conditions. The S&T department changed hundreds of ruined components, point motors, tuning units, cables, etc and then had to test each piece of equipment before commissioning. A process that is usually planned weeks in advance, and installed, tested over a number of days or weeks, rather than the 3/4 days they had. The PW gangs cleared away tons of flotsam & Jetsam, troughing lids, boulders, ballast and other material that had been picked up & tossed like childs toys. The result was trains to the buffer stops, and here are some pictures taken under a brooding sky. Cheers for now, Craig Many thanks to Craig for the pictures and the tribute which we all second as well. Views from the signalbox :-
Network Rail have just announced that they will reopen the route through Dawlish on 4 April, two weeks earlier than previously announced. This will allow FGW (and XC) to offer the full range of Advance Purchase tickets right through the Easter school holiday period.
It is understood, from reliable sources directly involved with the work, that the principal cause of the major breach of the Dawlish sea wall was not so much the force of the sea crashing against the seaward face of the wall but the weight of water thrown over the wall on to the track which then needed to flow back into the sea and pushed the wall outwards from behind. Waves were recorded at six metres above the parapet and the weight of water falling on to the ballast quickly created voids, allowing large volumes of water to be trapped behind the wall, thus hydraulically bursting it outwards.
The damage occurred opposite the Dawlish Warren end of Sea Lawn Terrace and extended in front of a number of recently (and perhaps unwisely) built houses on the small area of land between railway and cliff face. Readers familiar with that stretch of wall will know that the pedestrian walkway which for much of its length is alongside and level with the railway, descends to a much lower level between Dawlish station and the Rockstone footbridge, just beyond Sea lawn Terrace. The reason for the lower-level footway on this section is that occupiers of what were originally smart family houses in the terrace, didn't want the public walking on the sea wall to be able to see straight into the houses and diminishing their privacy and a concession was therefore made to drop the footpath down almost to beach level, so low in fact that the path is impassable at normal high tides. Unfortunately, that means that the section of wall concerned does not have the usual nine-foot width of the footpath to buttress it on the seaward side and is therefore more vulnerable to damage. It is likely that the long row of rock-filled shipping containers ingeniously and rapidly used to create a barrier immediately after the original breach occurred will be left in place when the line reopens. Behind them, huge amounts of concrete have been poured to fill the void under the railway. It is likely that this stretch of the wall will therefore look less elegant than usual for the coming summer. Decisions will ultimately be needed about how the whole wall is to be strengthened and only when that work is done will the temporary solution be tidied up. Interestingly, it was only because the engineering work in Whiteball tunnel finished ahead of schedule that the concrete spraying machinery developed specially to coat the inside of the tunnel, became available just in time to be moved to Dawlish where it was employed to spray concrete on to the base of the crumbling rock face exposed by the sea and which was threatening to undermine the houses mentioned above. Derek Buttivant The Trenance Valley branch which only survived from 1920 to 6th May, 1968 has always intrigued me as I rode on the last train back in 1968. The fare that day was £3 which covered a whole days tour on a single bubble car, and covered as well as the Trenance Valley, Fowey, Pinnock Tunnel, Retew and other Clay Lines. With a vehicle only able to seat 65 the expenses must have been more than the total income. However a good day was had by us all. On today's walk I enjoyed the good hospitality of Joanna & Chris Cocks from Bojea Mill who gave up their valuable time for a tour of their site of which I thank them very much. Please note that the preservation site at Lower Ruddle is on Private Land and that it was only though the kindness of Chris and Joanne Cock's owners of this site and the nearby Bojea Mill that Roger Winnen was allowed to visit - he obtained express permission to take photographs for the Cornwall Railway Society Website. Many thanks to Chris and Joanne. |
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