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Retirement of Keith Roberts. Pictures from Craig Munday

31/7/2015

Hi Keith, Out on my travels again. Some pictures from this week around clay country.
30th June 2015
It was farewell to a dear friend as Keith Roberts signed off for the last time at Par. 40 years on the railway (and not a hint of grey hair)!. Characters from the County's number 1 box gather around at 14.00.
(Keith sat on the steps with beard).
66114 glistens in the sun at St Blazey before heading East with 6C63
31st July 2015
66078 has been down in Cornwall so long now, it could probably drive the clays on its own! 6G06 is seen at Milltown & Newnham on the single line on a scorcher of a morning.
Cheers for now, Craig Many thanks Craig

Farewell to a dear friend as Keith Roberts signed off for the last time at Par. 40 years on the railway (and not a hint of grey hair)!. Characters from the County's number 1 box gather around at 14.00. (Keith sat on the steps with beard). That's Craig on the extreme left of the picture. Best wished to Keith Roberts in his retirement.

66114 at St Blazey 30th June 2015 Copyright Craig Munday

66078 has been down in Cornwall so long now, it could probably drive the clays on its own! 6G06 is seen at Milltown. 31st July 2015 Copyright Craig Munday

On a super day 66078 wends its way down the Fowey branch. What a shame there's no passenger station at the end of this delightful branch. The passenger potential of this line wasn't realised long ago. 31st July 2015 Copyright Craig Munday.

Penzance at Dusk by Andrew Triggs Wednesday 29th July, 2015

31/7/2015

150729a Recently released back into traffic 57605 Totnes Castle heads the 21.45 Penzance Paddington. Copyright Andrew Triggs

150729b Drs 57303 Pride of Carlisle tailed the sleeping car train. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

150729c Network Rail 950001 Track assessment unit stands beside the sea wall. Copyright Andrew Triggs

150729d With 57605 on the sleeper and the Network Rail 950001 in the siding. Platform 4 sees the arrival of a London Paddington HST. Copyright Andrew Triggs

Michael Forward travels over the border into Devon during the summers of 1962/3 Photographs by Michael Forward

31/7/2015

620808b D1009 Western Invader and 6950 Kingsthorpe at Newton Abbot. This train is most probably the 12 noon Penzance to Glasgow as a mail van was attached at Plymouth. Copyright Michael Forward.

630808a Its the summer of 1963. D1057 Western Chieftain built April 1963 comes off shed at Newton Abbot in typically smokey manner. Copyright Michael Forward

620808c 4093 Dunster Castle in a deplorable condition and D838 Rapid comes off its train at Newton Abbot and moves to the up main avoiding line. Dunster Castle survived until April 1964. Copyright Michael Forward.

630808d 3814 Heads west through Newton Abbot on a mineral train, seen in the siding is a brand new 1963 Swindon Built Inter City four car unit used on services from Penzance to Cardiff, Swansea, Birmingham & Crewe, These were basically the last DMUs constructed until the introduction of the sprinters in the mid 1980s. Copyright Michael Forward

Tavistock South on a very very cold day. Ian Pollock

31/7/2015

Good evening Keith, I've just had a quick look at your website and found photographs of the branch line from Tavistock Junction to Launceston and thought you might be interested in the attached. A fellow railway enthusiast and myself decided to catch the next to last timetabled passenger train, 29th December 1962, as far as Tavistock South and to return on the last train to Plymouth. As it turned our train was the last. We stayed in Tavistock North station for what was left of the night and wandered over to Tavistock South where I took the attached photograph on the 30th December 1962. Regards Ian

We welcome Ian Pollock to our columns with this picture at Tavistock South.

A smashing view by Ian Pollock of 5568 complete with wreath well and truly snowbound at Tavistock South on the 30th December 1962. Perhaps a faint wisp of smoke from the chimney? Copyright

Almost identical but not quite. Pictures by Mike Roach and Ian Pollock.

31/7/2015

Laira - Westwood Hall 4978 back of coaling April 1963 Copyright Ian Pollock

Amazing really, but two eminent photographers took these pictures about a month apart. It's a case of 'Spot the difference', the motion is in about the same position, however the number of treads visible on the steps behind the loco differs.

Laira - Westwood Hall 4978 back of coaling March 1963 Copyright Mike Roach

Don't believe everything you read!!!! Sid Sponheimer Picture taken exactly 50 years ago today, 31st July 2015

31/7/2015

4673 at Westbury31st July 1965 Copyright Sid Sponheimer

4673 (nearest camera).
Three of the four sources agree that it was withdrawn June 1965: Jim Grindley ( Modelmaster ); P Hands "What Happened to Steam" and the Rail UK 's very comprehensive website. Additionally, Tony Walmsley in his "Shed by Shed" series states the last shed to be Westbury. P.Hands however says Penzance and Rail UK Pontypool! P.Hands complicates matters by saying it was stored at Templecombe from July to September 1965. Hands and Rail UK say it was scrapped at Wards of Briton Ferry although their dates differ slightly as October 1965 and June 1965 respectively.

4697 (rear).
The above three sources are in agreement that withdrawal was July 1965 but again there is disagreement over it's last shed. Walmsley says Westbury; Hands says Exeter in December 1965 with storage at Barrow Road in September and Rail UK states Westbury. Thankfully both Mr Hands and Rail UK agree on a scrap date of October 1965 at Cashmore's Newport.

Unfortunately although I still possess a number of Ian Allan's ABC Shed Books they all pre-date this period .

Any comment would be appreciated! ".

Network Rail Test Train Today David Tozer

30/7/2015

Hi Keith,
The Network Rail Test train appeared this morning down the ‘Southern’. For a change we had a 67008 leading 67023 on the rear of the 0502 Old Oak Common – Exeter (New Yard) instead of the usual HST. My photograph is of them heading towards Exmouth Junction near the old Devon County Showfield. Dave Many thanks David

67008 leading 67023 on the rear of the 0502 Old Oak Common – Exeter (New Yard) instead of the usual HST. 30th July 2015 Copyright David Tozer

Through the lens of Geoff Salmon

30/7/2015

Hello Keith,
Please find attached a small selection of photographs from the collection of my friend and colleague Geoff Salmon, which I’ve scanned and sent for possible use on the CRS site.
The photograph of 50035 Ark Royal at Camborne is particularly interesting – undated, though probably 1989 time. If anybody can help provide a date this would be welcome. The activity in the foreground might jog the memories of some. Perhaps it was even reported in the CRS newsletter of the day?!
Second, there are three images from Drump Lane – Redruth taken on Thursday 20/11/1986. Although the signal box had been closed on 12/01 that year, an incident in a possession led to ballast machine DR77202 being put away clear of the down main line in the former (and by then long out of use) down sidings. The machine was put on a skate and moved shortly after to Truro yard where it rusted quietly until early 1988 when it was eventually cut up. The semaphore signal behind the machine in one of the views was by then motor worked and under the control of the signalman at Roskear Junction. This too was eventually recovered and replaced by a colour light example west of Redruth. I’d need to check my records but this was possibly when the Holmans branch was permanently taken out of use in September 1987.
Final, two undated photographs (though if accounts on the internet are right, before April 1978) of an unidentified Class 25 at work on Hayle Wharf.
Geoff started his railway career in BR days, and worked Hayle Signal Box among other things. I am sure that these images will be of interest to the site viewers. Kind regards, Martin Duff.
Many thanks to Martin for sending in this interesting collection and also especially to Geoff Salmon who took these once in a lifetime Gems.

What's interesting here? Well, it's Camborne Level Crossing and the barriers are down. Preserved 50 035 Ark Royal (Which once hauled a CRS Railtour) with an up service waits to proceed. Take a closer look. On the left hand side of this picture, inside the barriers is a vehicle, with the drivers door open. No doubt he, or she has decided to try and beat the barriers down - and failed. Can anybody date this incident please. Copyright Geoff Salmon

Thanks to Geoff we can date this one - it's the 20th November 1986 and defective tamper 77202 has been put away off the down main line into the disused sidings at Drump Lane. to the left of the picture are the down and up main lines whilst to tamper stands on one of the two very long head shunts which were a feature of this yard. To aid 'fly shunting' these head shunts were on a very slight gradient down to the west whilst the main lines sloped away down to the east. Copyright Geoff Salmon

The view of the defective tamper standing in the yard is interesting in itself however the view under the footbridge clearly shows the relationship of Drump Lane Signalbox to the yard and main line. Housing has already started to appear in the field north of the railway. 20th November 1986. Copyright Geoff Salmon

Oh dear, look at this. Drump Lane Signalbox shorn of its cast nameplate (I wonder who has got that?). Despite the effort put in all those years ago by the bricklayers and carpenters to produce a fine looking structure mindless vandals have seen fit to smash nearly all the windows. The box had been closed just ten months. What a shame. 20th November 1986 Copyright Geoff Salmon.

We now move to the level crossing at Hayle. The picture is captioned 'Steam Packet Level Crossing'. There was once a hotel of that name (Formerly The Brittania) alongside the railway, Hayle estuary side of it, about 25 yards beyond the harbour masters office. The point rodding on the right of the picture would have operated the points which would divert any runaway wagons from the station area into the worlds first sand drag. Copyright Geoff Salmon

Moving over the level crossing and into the wharfs area an unidentified class 25 has propelled its train of tankers into the sidings, the tanker wheels have cut furrows in the ground. To the left and out of use is the old weigbridge. This area has now, in 2015, changed almost out of recognition. Copyright Geoff Salmon.

Finally a close up of the unidentified class 25 standing on the wharf sidings. Copyright Geoff Salmon.

Over to you - AMY IDEAS PLEASE?. Fred Piercy writes

30/7/2015

Dear Trevor Tremethick
I hope you can help me please, being an ex loco driver from Nine Elms retired,!!
A few years ago my brother and I were walking from Boscastle towards Otterham, and came across a Halt station long gone,but you could still see what it was. When we got back to the farm in Boscastle where we were staying the farmer said "Yes it was a Halt and Circus ponies came down for their break". I have spent hours looking through maps but cant find anything about it, Was I dreaming, don't think so,
Many many thanks. Fred Piercy
Now put your thinking caps on, please, any ideas where Fred Piercy was?

Westwood Quarry Signalbox. Maurice Dart

29/7/2015

Maurice has kindly sent in this photograph of Westwood Quarry signalbox which he took for a passing train on the 15th June 1961.

The old Cornwall Railway Signalbox at Westwood Quarry, taken in June 1961 - it was by this time in use as a gangers hut and disappeared soon after. Many thanks to Maurice for this picture - his copyright.

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