Avon Valley
Re-signalling
Guy Vincent
Re-signalling
Guy Vincent
Morning Keith,
A chilly start this morning (12th November) to record Colas loco 70803 standing in Bradford-on-Avon station with a signalling cable train. This had been working overnight, dropping off new armoured cables in the Avon Valley between Bathampton and B-on-Avon. The line is due to be transferred from Bristol PSB to the Thames Valley Signalling Centre, Didcot, next year. Of note is that this stretch of line formed Stage 1 of the Bristol MAS Scheme in August 1969, initially controlled from Bathampton Signal Box for 12 months until Stage 5 of the Bristol scheme, Keynsham to Bathampton, was commissioned 14/15 August 1970. The train departed Bradford at 0925 as 6C28 0905 B-on-Avon - Bristol East Depot via Westbury.
Best Regards, Guy V Many thanks for your chilly visit this morning, Guy.
A chilly start this morning (12th November) to record Colas loco 70803 standing in Bradford-on-Avon station with a signalling cable train. This had been working overnight, dropping off new armoured cables in the Avon Valley between Bathampton and B-on-Avon. The line is due to be transferred from Bristol PSB to the Thames Valley Signalling Centre, Didcot, next year. Of note is that this stretch of line formed Stage 1 of the Bristol MAS Scheme in August 1969, initially controlled from Bathampton Signal Box for 12 months until Stage 5 of the Bristol scheme, Keynsham to Bathampton, was commissioned 14/15 August 1970. The train departed Bradford at 0925 as 6C28 0905 B-on-Avon - Bristol East Depot via Westbury.
Best Regards, Guy V Many thanks for your chilly visit this morning, Guy.
Bradford-on-Avon with 70803 on 6C28 Cable Train at 09.03 on the 12th November 2017 Copyright Guy Vincent
Bradford-on-Avon the consist of 6C28 Cable Train stands at the station on Sunday 12th November 2017 at 09.05 Copyright Guy Vincent
Stock movements
Guy Vincent
Guy Vincent
Yes, it's happening now as this report is issued!! As an aside I have learned that today (12th) another complete GWR HST set, LA12, formed 43143 41136 40204 42144 42551 42143 42268 42145 44049 and 43146, is due to go off-lease. As of 1245pm it is working 1C77 0941 Paddington-Plymouth (arr 1449) then 1A28 1510 Plymouth-Padd'n via Bristol followed, lastly by 1C96 1957 Padd'n-Plymouth via Swindon, Westbury and Athelney and due to arrive Plymouth at 2355. Thence to Laira for debranding etc. The PC's were part of the 'West of England' batch with GEC traction motors for Paddington-Penzance services delivered from 1979, although these two were not delivered until early 1981. Sad really, isn't it but time moves on. Thank you Guy.
Another stock move - this time reported by Andrew Triggs:
Read yesterday 802002 is visiting Penzance next week provisional timings are Wednesday 15th & Thursday 16th 802 002 working 5X90 0746 Stoke Gifford to Penzance 1257 5X92 1400 Penzance to Stoke Gifford 1903
Read yesterday 802002 is visiting Penzance next week provisional timings are Wednesday 15th & Thursday 16th 802 002 working 5X90 0746 Stoke Gifford to Penzance 1257 5X92 1400 Penzance to Stoke Gifford 1903
David Tozer
Comments
Comments
Been a naughty boy of late I have sent a real corker of a letter to Rail Magazine. Baroness Sugg said that she sees no reason to put in additional infrastructure between Salisbury and Exeter. Well on Tuesday evening because of an incident in the Taunton area two HST's were diverted this way. I took a photo of the OpenTime Trains track diagram. Between Honiton and Pinhoe we had a down Waterloo and between Exmouth Junction and Pinhoe an HST followed by an up Waterloo near the old showfield. Never known this before.
In addition I pointed out that in December we have GWR diversions. One is booked to stop at Honiton for 19 minutes. It gets better, in the proposed SWR timetable for December 2018 some down trains are booked to stop at Axminster for 15, 25, 12 and 10 minutes respectively.
My parting comment was 'Is this how you operate a modern efficient railway'. Regards Dave
In addition I pointed out that in December we have GWR diversions. One is booked to stop at Honiton for 19 minutes. It gets better, in the proposed SWR timetable for December 2018 some down trains are booked to stop at Axminster for 15, 25, 12 and 10 minutes respectively.
My parting comment was 'Is this how you operate a modern efficient railway'. Regards Dave
New to me
Viewers will find this site very interesting 'Open Train Times Live Map' - note that it covers only to Liskeard - good old semaphores beyond that. Try clicking here www.opentraintimes.com/maps Enjoy
Viewers will find this site very interesting 'Open Train Times Live Map' - note that it covers only to Liskeard - good old semaphores beyond that. Try clicking here www.opentraintimes.com/maps Enjoy
St Erth - St Ives
Andrew Triggs
Andrew Triggs
Buses replace trains on the St Ives branch this weekend. Stopped at St Erth today Sat 11th while passing and took the enclosed mobile shots of Colas Tamper DR75406 'Eric Machell' in the St Ives bay and the ongoing track work by the Signal Box. Andrew Triggs Many thanks Andrew
St Erth 11th November 2017 Copyright Andrew Triggs
St Erth 11th November 2017 Copyright Andrew Triggs
St Erth 11th November 2017 Copyright Andrew Triggs
St Erth 11th November 2017 Copyright Andrew Triggs
Ahoy Fowey &
Kingswear.
Can you help?
Kingswear.
Can you help?
Katherine Pass writes. I am researching family history and I am looking for someone with knowledge of railway steamcranes in the late 19th century with particular regard to their use at Fowey.
The ancestor whose life I am currently researching joined GWR in Exeter in the late 1870s. He worked as a boilersmith's mate and a 'spare' fireman. GWR records for 1886 Newton Abbot station show him as a skilled labourer ("F. Exeter") with the Kingswear steamcrane. The next entry in the records, dated 1895, is headed "Fowey Station" and, in the date of leaving column, March 1898 is given with the comment "to Newton Abbot". As his youngest child was born in Newton Abbot in 1886 and the 1891 Census has him living in Newton Abbot, I'm somewhat confused by this. He died in Newton Abbot Workhouse in 1905.
Do you have members of your society who would know about Fowey Station and what kind of work a steamcrane team would have done there, and about the Kingswear steamcrane in particular, who be willing to correspond with me? I would, of course, pay for their time and expenses as a researcher.
If your members do not do this kind of research can you point me in the right direction to find someone?
Thank you for your attention. If anybody out there can help please get in contact with Katherine at kaypass2 <[email protected]>
The following has already been sent to Katherine by Mick House.
I don't think the crane was at Fowey station itself, but maybe one of the rail-mounted type that was on the dock at Fowey, follow the link below and you will see three cranes the first one on the left (black) is a rail-mounted steam crane, the large one in the middle is rail-mounted possibly electric and the one on the right is diesel with Caterpillar tracks.
I know this is not a lot of help but may give a better idea of the cranes location. An excellent picture on this link.
jetties at Fowey, steam crane at end of jetty in foreground, more behind, two men in rowing boat in foreground · cornishmemory.com
Regards Mick Many thanks Mick
The ancestor whose life I am currently researching joined GWR in Exeter in the late 1870s. He worked as a boilersmith's mate and a 'spare' fireman. GWR records for 1886 Newton Abbot station show him as a skilled labourer ("F. Exeter") with the Kingswear steamcrane. The next entry in the records, dated 1895, is headed "Fowey Station" and, in the date of leaving column, March 1898 is given with the comment "to Newton Abbot". As his youngest child was born in Newton Abbot in 1886 and the 1891 Census has him living in Newton Abbot, I'm somewhat confused by this. He died in Newton Abbot Workhouse in 1905.
Do you have members of your society who would know about Fowey Station and what kind of work a steamcrane team would have done there, and about the Kingswear steamcrane in particular, who be willing to correspond with me? I would, of course, pay for their time and expenses as a researcher.
If your members do not do this kind of research can you point me in the right direction to find someone?
Thank you for your attention. If anybody out there can help please get in contact with Katherine at kaypass2 <[email protected]>
The following has already been sent to Katherine by Mick House.
I don't think the crane was at Fowey station itself, but maybe one of the rail-mounted type that was on the dock at Fowey, follow the link below and you will see three cranes the first one on the left (black) is a rail-mounted steam crane, the large one in the middle is rail-mounted possibly electric and the one on the right is diesel with Caterpillar tracks.
I know this is not a lot of help but may give a better idea of the cranes location. An excellent picture on this link.
jetties at Fowey, steam crane at end of jetty in foreground, more behind, two men in rowing boat in foreground · cornishmemory.com
Regards Mick Many thanks Mick
Hey Tor Tramway
Colin Burges
Colin Burges
On my rounds today, I passed the former terminus at Ventiford Basin and noticed that a crossover had been uncovered.
Crossover on the Hay Tor Tramway at Ventiford 10th November 2017 Copyright Colin Burges
This must surely be the only one on the system. What next, a three-way or a compound?
My camera's battery died later so I failed to capture a rarely-sighted engineer's train on the Bickington Steam Railway (Trago Mills). The driver had turned the steam loco on at the end of the three-road Riverside Station and then put the one wagon on the turntable also. I assumed this was just to save running round, but he then put the wagon in a road occupied by coaches and put the engine back on the turntable. After running off onto the incoming road, he attached the wagon. Naturally, I had to call out and ask what he'd done and the simple explanation was that he couldn't work the points. Most people could just walk on by.
Cheers, Colin Many thanks Colin
My camera's battery died later so I failed to capture a rarely-sighted engineer's train on the Bickington Steam Railway (Trago Mills). The driver had turned the steam loco on at the end of the three-road Riverside Station and then put the one wagon on the turntable also. I assumed this was just to save running round, but he then put the wagon in a road occupied by coaches and put the engine back on the turntable. After running off onto the incoming road, he attached the wagon. Naturally, I had to call out and ask what he'd done and the simple explanation was that he couldn't work the points. Most people could just walk on by.
Cheers, Colin Many thanks Colin
Blue anchor
John Cornelius
John Cornelius
Copyright John Cornelius