Items added on 11th December 2017 Those added most recently come first

Quite a rare occasion at Penzance to see a
HST depart from Platform 3
Roger Winnen

Looking at the platform usage of Penzance Station most HSTs and The Night Riviera use either Platforms 1 or 2 however a lesser number use Platform 4.
Platform 3 usage comprises of arrivals and departures of sprinters together with Cross Country Voyagers.
No doubt track problems may have been the reason todays platform change.

171211a 43155 The Red Arrows 50 Seasons of excellence heads the 10.00 Penzance to Paddinton service. Copyright Roger Winnen

171211b Quite a rare occasion as 43155 heads the Cornishman 10.00 Penzance to London Paddington. Copyright Roger Winnen

Class 800
First impressions Part 3
Derek Buttivant

The vestibules on the new trains come in several varieties.  Illustrated here is the vestibule in one of the first-class vehicles which houses an accessible toilet.  At first sight these areas resemble those in the Voyager CrossCountry sets but are actually considerably better.  Notably, there is no "toilet chemical" smell in the new trains. Inside the toilet the various controls are clear to see and use, lighting is bright and there is plenty of space.  The corridor around the outside appears quite narrow but there is room to manoeuvre the refreshment trolley through.  Entrance/exit doors between train and platform are narrow and, with over 90 seats in some vehicles, the time taken for passengers to alight and board, especially with luggage, might be quite long, perhaps negating the dwell-time advantage of power operated doors. Curiously, too, in vehicles with diesel engines beneath their floors, the saloon floor height is higher than that of the vestibule floor, giving an upward slope when entering the saloon.
Class 800 trains do not have luggage vans like those contained in the HST power cars.  Instead, as well as the overhead racks and end-of-vehicle luggage stacks, there are, in some coaches, full-height compartments (see third photo) capable of holding either two cycles in vertical racks or normal luggage on fold-down shelves.  Note that these compartments also have reservation lights and screens, presumably so that space can be reserved for pre-booked cycles.  Once again, it is questionable whether this provision is adequate, given that insufficient accommodation for cycles is the subject of complaints on existing trains with a need to pre-book and many more people now travelling with cycles.

Class 800. The vestibule - light and airy. 4th December 2017 Copyright Derek Buttivant.

Class 800. The vestibule - the floor slopes upward into the saloon. 4th December 2017 Copyright Derek Buttivant

Cycle and baggage store. 4th December 2017 Copyright Derek Buttivant

Ashburton 3
Ron Kosys

Ashburton 1420 now coaled awaits its next move. 21st July 1971 Copyright Ron Kosys

Night Terminus (4)
Mark Lyman

153333 at Newquay about to work 2N11 1924 Newquay to Par. 12th October 2017 Copyright Mark Lyman

Christmas Crackers
Karl Hewlett

Leading up to the festive period I have found a cracker that will be heading to the South West, should be the usual class 37 from Colas Rail with test stock but are running in a Q path so worth keeping an eye on nearer the time for any changes:
Tuesday 12th December Exeter New Yard to Penzance via Falmouth Docks
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H33267/2017/12/12/advanced

Wednesday 13th December Penzance to Exeter New Yard via Newquay and Looe
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H33273/2017/12/13/advanced

Kind Regards, Karl (Friends Of Penmere Station).         Thanks Karl.

Penzance Railtour
Steve Widdowson

The Pirates Railtour arrives on 17th May 1997 behind 31466. 31s were extremely rare in Cornwall. Copyright Steve Widdowson

Athelney
John Cornelius

A misty day as an up train approaches Athelney level crossing. Copyright John Cornelius