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Otterham Signalbox Picture request Graham Bowden

30/10/2013

Hi Keith.
I must say how I enjoy looking at this web site of all the old lines how they used to be, how the the site is regularly updated with photos etc, I myself collect a lot of old railway pictures particularly Signal Boxes to which I have many ,however I have not found one of Otterham on the old North Cornwall Line, could I ask through your site if anyone has one, a copy / image that could be made available to me.
Keep up the good work
Kind Regards Graham Bowden Can anybody help please?

A very interesting collection from John Ball.

28/10/2013

John Ball has been out and about with his camera this autumn and has sent in a variety of pictures for us to enjoy. Many thanks for sharing them with us John

A special bus tour was organised on 15th September - the 50th anniversary of the closure of the Kingsbridge branch. Here immaculate vintage buses pose outside an immaculate Loddiswell station. Copyright John Ball

Avonwick station owned by Mr and Mrs Gale is likewise in superb condition. Here the buses once again pause for a photostop. 15th September 2013

143 611 bears a most unusual destination - can anybody advise the purpose of this. Do any trains terminate at Devonport these days? Apparently so; seen at Exeter St Davids on 16th October. Copyright John Ball

A bus replacement calls at Eggsford. 16th October 2013. Copyright John Ball

A double Pacer combination forms the next service back to Exeter St Davids, and probably places beyond. The bus connection to Barnstable waits alongside the down platform. 16th October 2013 Copyright John Ball

Crediton 16th October 2013 Now three things of interest, the replecement bus, the double Pacer and also a loaded ballast train headed by 66415 running past. Remembering in the old days that ballast came from Meldon Quarry one wonders where this load came from? Copyright John Ball.

66003 brings a lengthy ballast train in from the Barnstable line. The former double track here is operated as two separate single lines as far as the former Coleford Junction where the two part company. The left hand line heading for Okehampton. 16th October 2013 Copyright John Ball.

Here are two later editions to the period covered by John Ball - this time by David Tozer. (Recd January 2014) Many thanks

31190(D5612) Crediton 25th October 2013 Copyright David Tozer

31190 (D5612) at Crediton on the 25th October 2013 Copyright David Tozer

The very last tanks train Nigel Tregoning

27/10/2013

Hi Keith,
Picked this up this evening on RMWeb, posted by someone called 'Cornish Triang Paul': Posted 24 October 2013 - 18:43
MPTIES due to be picked up fri 1 nov - no times yet but guessing normal time.
It was Esso NOT First who changed mode of transport found out today.
2 deliveries on a Monday then daily tues - fri.
So, it would seem that the empties will be running this coming Friday, keep an eye on 'Realtime Trains' this week.
Regards, Nigel. Many thanks for that Nigel, much appreciated.
One wonders how the carbon contributions of the two methods of transport compare? Six lorries versus one train.

The last tanks?? 25th October 2013 Various contributors

25/10/2013

The last downward delivery of full fuel tanks to Long rock took place on the morning of 25th October 2013. There were seven tanks in this train hauled by 66120. Roger Winnen made a trip to the Hayle area to witness both the down and return movements. Roger Salter witnessed the operation at Long Rock and Craig Munday a little further up the line at Angarrack - the return train was also seen passing Treleigh Level Crossing at approx 09.40.

Nobody else notices as the fuel tanks pass by Hayle Foundry Square at 07.56 on 25th October 2013. The current Hayle station is situated beyond the viaduct whilst the Hayle Railways station lay at road level more or less on the alignment of the current road. Copyright Roger Winnen

66120 PASSES the old Marazion station on a damp and dull October morning with the last fuel train for Long Rock. 25th October 2013 Copyright Roger Salter

After passing the site of Marazion station 66120 is slowed for the red light at Mexico crossing, Long Rock on the last fuel delivery by rail. 25th October 2013 Copyright Roger Salter

66120 proceeds past the closed Mexico level crossing at Long Rock with all the ribbons fluttering in the strong wind. Quite a fitting tribute to this sad day. 25th October 2013 Copyright Roger Salter. N.B. The ribbons, it is thought, were placed on the fence which prevents use of the former level crossing by protesters keen to see the crossing reopened.

An unusual maneuver at Penzance shows 66120 leaving Ponsandane at 09.15 with the fuel tank empties. 25th October 2013. Copyright Roger Salter

A closer view of the departure of 66120 25th October 2013. Copyright Roger Salter

09.01 The 08.44 Penzance to Paddington preceeded the returning empty Fuel Tanks. Copyright Roger Winnen 25th October 2013

09.26 The returning empty Fuel Train approaches Trevassick Manor, Copperhouse. Copyright Roger Winnen 25th October 2013. Photograph taken from private land with the kind permission of the owner.

Here is the 08.44 Penzance to Paddington service which preceeded the returning empty Fuel Tanks crossing the mighty Angarrack viaduct. 25th October 2013 Copyright Craig Munday N.B. As a backdrop to this picture we have Phillack Dunes and church, whilst beyond that in the mist, land in the Carbis Bay area.

A poignant day to see the last ever scheduled down fuel train, and last but one up fuel tanks from Long Rock on Fri 25th Oct 2013. I took up my position with FGW Driver, and Angarrack resident James Bannister in the fields overlooking the beautiful viaduct. Copyright Craig Munday

By 09.40 the train was at Treleigh Level Crossing - Carn Brea Monument witnesses from its lofty perch the train disappearing from sight. 25th October 2013. Copyright

Going round the bend to pass under Treleigh Road bridge the train heads eastward. 25th October 2013. Copyright

RHTT Last night Roger Winnen

24/10/2013

Its rare to see the Railhead Treatment train by night but with the aid of the station lights it can just be seen.

All platforms full at Penzance, the Night Riviera awaiting departure. 23rd October 2013 Copyright Roger Winnen

The marker lights on the locomotive are on ready for departure east. 23rd October 2013 Copyright Roger Winnen

Another shot of the RHTT awaiting departure from Penzance, It followed the 22.08 to Plymouth. 23rd October 2013 Copyright Roger Winnen

Last oil train tomorrow (25th October 2013)

24/10/2013

Chris Jenkin has reminded us that tomorrow, Friday 25th October 2013 will see the last oil delivery by rail to Long Rock. How many will be out to see the sad sight? Many thanks for the reminder Chris.

D63XX at Long Rock - can you help? Eric Curnow

23/10/2013

I'm particularly interested in a photo of a D63XX diesel on Long Rock shed sometime from 1969 to their demise, which is my main reason for my daily ebay searches. If you know of someone who has one, I'd appreciate knowing. There is one on your site, but it's not clear, and I'd really like a 3/4 view in colour so you can clearly see what it is. I've some original and replica memorabelia, one from each hydraulic class of loco, plus SW board, Penzance milepost, BR transfer emblems, etc., which I'd "one day" like to display on a wall, ... with a photo of the loco concerned beside each artifact. N.B. Eric has already supplied us with several pictures on this site - can you help him?

What really happened here? Maurice Dart

23/10/2013

Maurice Dart reports :- On 20th October 2013 the 14.37 Paddington to St Erth HST was reported as running 19 minutes late at Exeter St Davids due to a lightning strike at Langport. Approaching Plymouth it was announced that the train would be held at the station for 15 minutes due to signalling problems on the Royal Albert Bridge. However the train departed Plymouth shortly after arrival but was held at St Budeaux East. This was probably to permit a following Cross Country service to be platformed. At St Budeaux an announcement was made that the delay was partly attributable to signalling problems at Slough. Progress to and over the bridge was at a crawl with arrival at St Austell 42 mins late.

An update on the visit to IMERYS in the St Austell area.

23/10/2013

With reference to our notice of a couple of days ago concerning this tour on Friday 22nd November. All remains the same however you may contact Maurice by phone on 01726 65479 if you wish, or if you are writing please enclose an A5 SAE.

Very interesting engineering news - Whiteball tunnel closure

21/10/2013

Whiteball Tunnel between Taunton and Tiverton Parkway is to be closed for engineering work between Saturday 18 January and Sunday 9 February inclusive. During the closure Network Rail will also be carrying out track renewal work and structural work to increase the line's resistance to flooding at various points between Taunton and Cowley Bridge junction. As a result, there will be no trains at all between Exeter and Taunton during that period. First Great Western will endeavour to minimise the use of replacement road transport but between Exeter and Taunton all train services will be replaced by buses. This means that Tiverton Parkway will have no trains and be served only by buses.

Many London-Exeter-Plymouth-Penzance services will be diverted at Castle Cary via Yeovil and Honiton but capacity limits on that route mean that this is not possible for all trains while pathing restrictions and lower line speeds will extend journey times by as much as 65 minutes. To accommodate this, those trains being diverted will start their journeys earlier from the west - for example the up Golden Hind will depart Penzance at 04.00) but down services will generally leave Paddington at around the usual times but with later arrival times at their destinations. This arrangement is to try to ensure that key services arrive at and depart from Reading and Paddington at times close to normal, thus allowing for business meetings, flight connections, etc. The sleeper trains will also be diverted via Yeovil but without significant alteration to their journey times which are already generous.

No through trains will operate between Paignton and Paddington. Passengers will need to change at Exeter St David's into and out of connecting services.

Some trains will continue to serve Taunton from London, terminating there. All CrossCountry trains will also terminate and start from Taunton. This means, of course, that passengers from further west will need to use the road transport from Exeter to Taunton to connect into CrossCountry services. There will also be some alterations to times between Taunton and Bristol during this period.

Some additional changes will occur between Exeter and Penzance, notably concerning those local services along the main line which normally originate from or continue to Bristol and beyond. Branch line times for the Gunnislake and Newquay branches (but not, generally, other branch lines) will also be adjusted to try to maintain main-line re-timed connections.

Note that the above is only an outline summary. Details will be on the FGW and National Rail web sites and the full timetable will be published by 9 December. Bookings via the internet and through ticket offices will automatically take the changed times and connections into account. This is clearly a major disruption not only to passenger services but also for freight (sadly not much of that) and for train operators who still have to get crews to their trains and trains to depots without breaching working hours or train servicing requirements. While the planning of the engineering work is very precise and the track must be handed back in time for the normal service to resume on Monday 10 February, this could be a challenging task if adverse weather such as experienced in recent winters occurs again during the possession. Many thanks to Derek Buttivant for advising us of this press release.

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