Diesel Gala
Andrew Triggs
All the Best
Andrew
Alan Peters
Alan Peters
Ian Morton
Clive Smith
Regards, Clive Smith.
Paul Barlow
The Somerset & Dorset Diesel Gala Andrew Triggs On Saturday we attended the Somerset and Dorset Railway Diesel Gala at Midsomer Norton, sadly the booked Class 26 No.5343 had been cancelled but it became a 'Rod fest' with residents Class 08 D4095, Class 03 D2128 and Industrial shunter D1120 all running on the day, for only a mile in length in total, it was an enjoyable day out, 4 shots enclosed for CRS All the Best Andrew Industrial D1120 departing Midsomer Norton with the Demonstration Freight, Copyright Andrew Triggs Class 08 D4095 returning back down to Midsomer Norton. Copyright Andrew Triggs Triple Loco working with D1120, D2128 with D4095 heading up to Chilcompton cutting. Copyright Andrew Triggs All 3 locos at Midsomer Norton during a shunting move later in the day Copyright Andrew Triggs Thanks Andrew Eden Pixie Alan Peters The Eden Pixie railtour arriving at Par on 10th August 2002 with 37197 'Riley and Son' in two tone green livery unfortunately this loco has now been scrapped after being sold to DRS. Alan Peters Many thanks to you Alan. Long Rock Ian Morton Thanks Ian Newquay Clive Smith It's Easter Monday 23rd April 1984 and 45057 stands at Newquay with the 17.50 1Z23 return Adex to Bristol Parkway. The train was booked for a class 45 and so a fair contingent of peak bashers were on board including myself. With record temperatures for this late Bank Holiday we all decamped down to the beach for a game of football with jumpers for goalposts. The sea temperature for this time of year was still as you would expect for April which came as a shock to some foolhardy members of our group who went for a dip. Happy carefree days much missed. Regards, Clive Smith. Many thanks Clive for the picture and your memories, as you say the Peak does look happy with the smile!! Bristol Paul Barlow Many thanks Paul for another of you pictures taken during your long night time sojourn at Bristol Temple Meads.
Advance notice - don't forget. Next Saturday 14th March at 18.30 at the Memorial Hall at Redruth Methodist Church Come and hear our say and have your say at the. Annual General Meeting This is usually a short item followed by the Members Evening A varied and very interesting programme provided by members. For details of our location please click here. Long Rock Shed Michael Forward Hello Roger, I hope your recovery is going well and that things are healing. Lovely pictures on the site from Ian Morton,what memories they have brought back! I look forward to more. I attach a picture of class 25274 on shed on 22 June 1975,not very sharp but it was a very bright day and not a good camera,but I hope of interest. Keep up the good work and exercises,Michael Many Thanks Michael Bristol '82 Paul Barlow Many thanks Paul Long Rock Ian Morton Thanks Ian Devon Compton Railtour Click here for more pictures - see item 2004 in our features section .33012 leading on approach to Honiton. Copyright Andrew Triggs
In the late 1970s and 1980s British Rail offered special Saturday cheap day bargain fares from Devon to a number of long distance destinations as far afield as Derby, Crewe, Swansea, Oxford and Portsmouth. The latter destination was attractive as a stepping stone to the Isle Of Wight and I made two outings there that decade on these fares. However on this date the weather took a turn for the worse and I decided to abort my journey at Southampton Central station largely spending time in the buffet or waiting room for warmth, occasionally stepping out to take a photo . This was one such and quite a rarity. I believe set L401 consisted of W51333, 59485, 51375. I have no idea what this working was as there were no DMU diagrams at Southampton for the best part of two decades if my knowledge is correct, only Southern DEMUs. This being a Reading allocated set and with poor weather, it could have been a stop gap additional on the cross country route but my notes show the inter- regionals were running and not heavily delayed. Bit of a mystery. Regards, Clive Smith. To the above we are very pleased to add the following additional comment by Civil Engineer John Roberts who gives even more details of traffic at the time and his own experience in Southampton tunnel. Thanks for an interesting March home page. I was struck by Clive Smith’s suggestion that there hadn’t been any DMU diagrams in Southampton since c1965. The Swindon Inter-Cities were built for the Cardiff-Portsmouth axis and operated 1963-68 as 8-cars with buffet, but by the time I made my first rail trip to Southampton c1969 they’d been replaced by Hymeks, initially with Mk1 6-buffet sets but later reduced to 5-non-buffet and then 4-sets. When I started at Fratton Depot in 1973, these had just been downgraded to a mix of Swindon Cross-Countries and DEMUs displaced from recently-closed branches. There were some 6-car, but mostly 3-car with consequent crowding and limited lavatories which led to further downfall of the route. So in 1976 a few Inter-Cities reappeared and then they went back to loco haulage, initially Cl 31, but by the time I was working in Southampton Tunnel in 1983 we were being asphyxiated by Cromptons and the occasional Brush 4. We complained to the Chief Medical Officer and he sent a team down to measure their emissions, but we were told that Diesel exhaust wasn’t harmful. Finally in 1988 they went over to the new-fangled Sprinters (155, 156 and now 158) which continue to this day. However, strange things happened at weekends when peak stock was freed from elsewhere, especially in Summer or during engineering work, eg loco-hauled sets from East Grinstead or Hastings units on the Brighton-Exeter. I don’t recall ever seeing a high-density DMU at Southampton, but a Bristol or Cardiff set could have been turned out to cover. The fact that L401 was always based at Reading makes me wonder if Clive’s spot had come down the main line, either as an excursion (unlikely in February) or driver-training, or because of engineering work somewhere. Best wishes, John. Many thanks to both John and Clive. Nunney Castle Ian Morton Thanks Ian Night Sleeper & Thoughts Andrew Rigler I am a fairly regular user of the Night Riviera service the 23:45 ex Paddington. Normally, this gets into Plymouth for 05:11 but, last night things did not go to plan with 57 602 Restormel Castle, failing as it took up the load leaving Paddington. After more than two hours we were finally on our way with DRS Class 57 306 dragging the disgraced 57 602 all the way back to Penzance. As it was a sleeper train and I had a cabin, it was no big deal for me, but if I only had a seat, sitting around for a couple of extra hours overnight would not have been so much fun. However, the staff on the train were excellent as usual. My thoughts and conclusions. First, it took a couple of hours to find and deliver, a replacement loco. I’m sure that in the days of Ranelagh Bridge Depot and Old Oak Common, we would have not needed to wait a so long to leave London, but that’s progress! Also, 57 306 appeared to really struggle with the load over the wet Devon banks. I thought at first it was slowing deliberately, but no, the train sped away up every time it hit a downgrade. Finally, the noise 57 306 made leaving Plymouth heading for Penzance at 07:02, so nearly two hours late, was pretty impressive and included a bit of horn! Best wishes, Andy. Andrew Rigler, Manager UK & IRL Many thanks for your report Andrew. From other reports the night sleeper seems quite prone to problems these days. From my very limited experiance on the sleepers mamy years ago as an enthusiast sleep is difficult as you lie there waiting for the next bridge or tunnel! Dawn at Redruth Martin Scane Many thanks Martin.
Harlech Castle Ian Morton Thanks Ian Bristol Paul Barlow Paul continues his night time shots at Bristol Temple Meads in 1982. Many thanks Paul. Exeter, Red Cow.
Roger Winnen Long Rock Panniers Ian Morton Thanks Ian Par Clive Smith Many thanks Clive. Rail Replacement Liskeard Peter Murnaghan Many thanks Peter.
Long Rock Ian Morton Thanks Ian. Bristol Paul Barlow A few night shots at Bristol on Friday night/Saturday morning while waiting for summer Saturday overnight inter regionals. Very few Peaks worked past Bristol that night with engine changes taking place and replaced by 47s. I finally left on 46045 to Plymouth with the 2120 Newcastle-Newquay. Kind regards. Paul Barlow Very many thanks for the pictures complete with all the details. One wonders were you based at Bristol at the time? Devon Compton Railtour Karl Hewlett Here are the times for this Sundays 8th March railtour, 'The Devon Crompton', utilising 33012 plus a WCRC class 33 top and tail with either a WCRC class 37/47 or 57. The tour will only go a far as Coleford Junction due to the unfortunate demise of Dartmoor Rail at Okehampton: 1Z38 London Victoria to Coleford Junction Via Yeovil Junction, Pen Mill and Riverside Yard Exeter: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53295/2020-03-08/detailed 1Z39 Coleford Junction to London Waterloo via Riverside Yard Exeter, Bristol Temple Meads, Bathampton Junction, Westbury, Wilton and Salisbury: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/U53297/2020-03-08/detailed Regards, Karl (Friends Of Penmere Station). Many thanks Karl - a sad business about the demise of Dartmoor Rail.
Long Rock Ian Morton Thanks Ian Teignmouth Clive Smith A pair of class 143 pacers arrive at Teignmouth with the 09.12 Paignton - Exmouth on the 9th December 2019 with 143617 the rear set. Not sure what the front set was. A lovely crisp sunny December morning. Since the 15th December the six Exeter based pacers out of the fleet of eight at Exeter have been paired up with class 150s to comply with legislation requiring disability toilet access in 2020 on all trains, which the 150s will provide. How much longer will these much derided DMUs plough on ? The Plym Valley Railway are rumoured to be acquiring one donated by the units' owner so they will still be operating around the region. Whether any end up being converted into burger vans or beach cafes on our lovely coastline remains to be seen! Regards, Clive Smith Many thanks Clive. A nice bit of light at the right time. Dawlish Phil Smith Phil adds a comment 'Loco scrapped at Totton 2020 - what a waste. Thanks for the picture Phil, unusual light. Exeter Paul Barlow A picture completed by those wonderful semaphores! Many thanks Paul. Main line Closures Guy Vincent Guy very kindly sent us a number of newspaper cuttings from his collection - here is the first. We take a look at memories of these stations which all closed w.e.f. 5th October 1964. Appreciation to Morvan Munday, Mike Roach, Roger Winnen, and the late Jon Wood.
7022 at Long Rock Ian Morton Many thanks Ian. Three Peaks at Exeter Paul Barlow Lostwithiel Diane & Andrew Jones Dear Keith and Valerie, I have attached a photograph of class 60 number 60033, working an up clay in late autumn 1997 at Lostwithiel. Built by Brush Traction and nicknamed ‘Tugs’, they were fitted with a Mirriees MB275T engine rated at 3,100 bhp. 60033 entered service on the 22nd Feb 1991 and was only 6 years old when this photograph was taken. She was originally named ‘Anthony Ashley Cooper’ and later ‘Tees Steel Express’ Classmate 60006 was the first to be scrapped on the 20th January 2020, 60086,60050 and 60081 are now preserved. 60028,60029,60046 and 60055 are currently being overhauled for DCRail.. Best wishes Andrew and Diane Many thanks for your photograph and the additional information. Demolition of
Long Rock Box Roger Winnen Around Plymouth & Saltash Roger Winnen Two Power Cars Marazion & St Austell Andrew Triggs Roger Winnen Enclosed shot for CRS of 43171 with 43172 'Harry Patch' working 0Z77 09.31 Longrock T&RSMD-Laira T&RSMD this morning passing Marazion following contract maintenance at Longrock Depot All the Best, Andrew . Thanks Andrew Warship Long Rock Ian Morton Thanks Ian. Exeter St Davids & Central Clive Smith An outing to Exeter coincided with some long bouts of wintry sunshine and an opportunity to use the camera. No surprise that February 2020 has been declared the wettest February on record. (1) 43042 is at the rear of the terminated 08.50 Penzance - Exeter St Davids. Strange weather this leap day with bright sunshine and blue skies punctuated with sudden bursts of near horizontal hail and sleet. Thankfully not while I took this. (2) 143611 is in the foreground at the rear of the 12.55 Paignton - Exmouth. The front set is a 150. 143612 is in the background and is the front set of the late running 13.24 Exmouth - Paignton. Regards, Clive. A nice but cold and crisp day, Many thanks to you Clive. Paignton Paul Barlow Many thanks Paul
Southampton Clive Smith Taking pride of place today goes to Clive who has also provided us with our two contrasting Home Page pictures this month and will be providing a number of pictures throughout the month. Many thanks Clive Long Rock Crossing Ian Morton West Somerset Freight 2013 Roger Winnen Exeter Paul Barlow Many thanks Paul
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