Morning Keith, Up early this morning for a short hop up to Taunton to see DRS 37402/37603 leave at 05.20 on Pathfinders' 1Z83 Taunton - Crewe tour. I got to the station at 04.48 to find the train already in after an overnight ECS move from Crewe via Birmingham, Didcot and Westbury. Despite the early hour, there was quite a gallery in attendance by 5am and a well loaded train left on time. Coaching stock (from back) was a mix of Mk1 and Mk2 - some in former Virgin trains livery - 35469, 3344, 3348, 80042, 3397, 3426, 3330, 3356, 3364, 1200, 6024, 5955 The gem in the formation was Mk1 kitchen car M80042 in BR blue/grey livery. After a short hop back down the M5 to get my car in the right place for this evening, I boarded the 06.24 XC to Bristol at Exeter, and found DRS 37405 + test train + DBSO stabled in Exeter Riverside Yard. No photograph due to window glare unfortunately, but bagging three class 37's for sight in one day, let alone before 06.30 is something to write home about these days! Kind regards, Martin
Saturday 5th July 2014 A grand day out in glorious weather on which everything went to plan many thanks to the timetable skills of our outdoor events secretary Roger Winnen. As usual on these events the party of ten gradually gathered together as the 06.50 from Penzance made its way from Cornwall into Devon. At Exeter we changed on to the 10.30 service to Barnstaple where we arrived on time to catch the service 21 Stagecoach bus to Instow. It must be said that Stagecoach have a grand set of buses, much better than those used to provide First services in Cornwall. At Instow leaving the bus perhaps a stop too early, we had a pleasant walk along the back of the beach to the signalbox at Instow. Nice to see a permanent reminder of the railways presence in the area. We had ample time to explore the rail route back to Instow tunnel, walk the stations remaining down platform, complete with sign, and see the original up platform building which were easily recognisable when compared with old photographs. It was just possible to see into the interior of the preserved signalbox by climbing to steps towards the foot of which there was a platform from which the signalman would have taken and received the tokens. On by a 21 bus to Bideford where the driver kindly pointed out our way to the station – not a hundred yards from the stop. A broad flight of steps took us up to platform level where we found that the two platforms had been joined at their eastern end forming the station into a two line terminal – the two platform lines joining just beyond the eastern ends of the platforms to form a head shunt. On display were a Hibbert Planet loco, a coach S4489 and a brakevan. A pleasant walk now across the wide river Tor – we remembered that many years ago in 1917 when the Bideford and Appledore Railway ceased operations its locomotives travelled to the south side of the river on temporary track laid across this very bridge. Torrington station To find out more about the Tarka Valley Railway Project use this link - http://www.tarkavalleyrailway.co.uk We arrived at Torrington station right on time at 14.12 and here we were met by the Chairman of the Tarka Valley Railway Rodney Garner and within minutes he was joined by the former chairman of the Tarka Valley Railway Phil Simpkin. Together these very well informed and genial gentlemen gave us a conducted tour of the site which is based on the grand building on the up platform of Torrington station. This building has until very recently been used as a Public House ‘The Puffing Billy’ of which Phil Simpkin was ‘mine host’. At the Halwill Junction end of the platform lie a brakevan and clay hood. Access to the remaining stock on our visit was around the station buildings via the gardens. Here we came across the gleaming B.R. Mark one coach and the diminutive diesel locomotive appropriately named ‘Progress’ . From alongside ‘Progress’ we looked along the track which today ends in a buffer stop but soon, it is hoped will, in phase 2 be extended sufficiently to form a headshunt to a point to provide access to a reconstruction of the goods yard on the up side. The eventual plan is to extend to Bideford, and then in ‘due course’ to Waterloo though perhaps the latter is a ‘pipe dream’. Having seen everything available outside we were then taken on a very privileged view of the extensive collection of railwayanna inside now closed Public House. The current owner of the Pub, but for not much longer Phil Simpkin explained that although he will be taking some of the extensive collection with him the building has been sold to Torrington Trust. Although he could have obtained a better price for the building on the open market he has chosen to sell it to the Trust to ensure that the station remains always in good hands and that the Tarka Valley Railway will be able to continue to grow towards Bideford an extremely generous gift towards the furtherance of railways in the area. Before leaving we took a stroll across the former railway viaduct, now part of the ‘Traka Trail’, high above the river, we could see the line ahead starting to make a steady climb up towards the former halt at Watergate. Flashback to the 6th November 1982 - a picture of Torrington station taken by Roger Marsh on a dull and dismal day on a dull and dismal occasion. The mayor of Torrington stands in front of the very last train off the main line system. Just look at the length of it. Lets hope the Tarka Valley Railway soon gets beyond the distant bridge. Copyright From outside Torrington station a bus on route 5 took us directly to Barnstable station, the view for on top of the double decker bus was, on such a glorious day quite incredible. We took the ‘high route’ over the new bridge and from there could look both up the wide estuary towards Bideford and down the ever widening waters towards the distant hills of Exmoor.
The distant picture of Laira bridge taken from our homeward bound train on Saturday 5th July 2014 sparked a deal of interest. We now hope to bring you pictures of work on this bridge right up to completion when once again traffic can flow across the river Plym at this point albeit bicycles and hikers rather than trains to Turnchapel and Yealmpton. Many thanks to Trevor Tremethick who brings us pre start and the first of work in progress pictures. A distant view of Laira bridge which spans the river Plym and at one time carried the Turnchapel and Yealmpton rail traffic - also later that to Plymstock cement works will, after refurbishment carry pedestrians and cyclists as part of an extension of the cycleway network.
Three pictures from Craig during a very busy weekend for us all. Royal Duchy 45407 made a second visit to Cornwall on successive Sundays on the 6th July 2014 - Driver Ray Churchill was at the controls. Torbay Express Also running today was the Torbay Express from Bristol to Kingswear hauled by 34046
While the Cornwall Railway Society were exploring Instow, Bideford and Torrington (To be reported later) David Tozer kindly covered activities at Buckfastleigh on Saturday 5th July 2014. Click on here to go to the link concerning the sad news on the planning decision. http://www.westbriton.co.uk/New-home-Helston-Railway-plans-rejected/story-21323499-detail/story.html We don't know quite which way the Helston Railway will react to this bad news, we sincerely hope that a solution can be found.
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