Items added on 18th December 2016 Those added most recently come first.

Not a good night
Guy Vincent

According to reports Friday 16th's up 'Night Riviera' (1A40 2145 Penzance-Paddington) failed to make it past Long Rock, Penzance, due to problems with train loco 57603.  The train was drawn back into Penzance station by resident shunter 08410 and an HST set was then used to provide a replacement service, this left at 2359.   The defective loco complete with stock was moved to Laira by 57604 on 17th and this morning onto London as 5C99 0900 Laira-Paddington, seen in these images passing Penleigh Park foot crossing on the Westbury avoiding line.  Note the black painted snow ploughs, rather than the more usual yellow, on 57604.  

5C99 0850 Laira-Paddington  57604 10594 10584 10601 10612 10219 12100 17173 57603  (only 12100 remains in blue livery)

Guy Vincent  18th December 2016
               Many thanks for your report and pictures

57604 heads the ecs sleeper working past Penleigh Park level crossing on the Westbury avoiding line. 18th December 2016. Copyright Guy Vincent

57604 tails the ecs sleeper working beyond Penleigh Park level crossing on the Westbury avoiding line. 18th December 2016. Copyright Guy Vincent

Pictures on the web within the hour of the train passing!!!

The Sunday rail drop of Continuous Welded Rail for the 2017 rail replacement continue.
Roger Salter, Roger Winnen & Andrew Triggs

As reported a few weeks ago the Cornish Main Line west of Truro to St Erth will be closed on all weekends in January from Saturday 7th January, 2017 for major track work. A bus replacement service will operate from Penzance to Truro.

161218e 70807 on the Camborne to Westbury via Penzance stans in Platform 2 at 07.40. Copyright Roger Salter

161218a Its 08.16 on a dark December morning at Penzance. 70807 waits to depart with the 09.04 to Westbury after dropping off CWR in the Redruth area. Copyright Roger Winnen

161218f 70807 Approaching the now closed Mexico Crossing at Long Rock. Copyright Roger Salter

161218b The light has improved since the first photograph. The 09.04 Penzance to Westbury passes Marazion behind 70807. Copyright Roger Winnen

161218f 70807 Heading up the marsh with the empty CWR train to Westbury. Copyright Andrew Triggs

Class 08 08410 on Tour at Penzance
Roger Winnen & Andrew Triggs

161218g 70807 on the rail train, the 08.30 HST to Paddington & 08410 in the long siding at Penzance. Copyright Andrew Triggs

161218c Its is believed that this is the first train to be stabled at Long Siding Chyandour adjacent to the cycle way since it was relaid a few years ago. A small section of the sidings has been used as a headshunt for sprinters exiting the siding roads from the station area. However the rest of the line has remained unused until now. Copyright Roger Winnen

161218d However it was not there for long, as I made my way around to the seaward side it moved into the station and then back to the carriage sidings at Long Rock. Copyright Roger Winnen

Goonhavern
Roger Winnen

The cutting at Goonhavern taken on the 2nd February 1974, eleven years after closure. Copyright Roger Winnen

Lost Bridge!
Robert Lindley

I wrote to Robert suggesting that the construction of the M5 obliterated the route of the Hemyock branch. Robert replied :- 
However, the M5 did not obliterate the trackbed. The engineers for the  M5 at the time it was being built asked BR if the branch was going to close, to which they answered no. Therefore the motorway bridge was built over the branch. Consequentially as we all know, BR closed the line! The bridge was later infilled and also the cutting.
I know this as my Sisters Husband was an engineer at the time on the motorway. All that is visible today is the climb up on the motorway over the now invisible bridge!, Rob
Learn something every day - many thanks Robert

We do not have a picture of the 'lost bridge' however no excuse is needed to use this historic picture taken by Mike Roach of Tiverton Junction on the 7th Sept 1963. The picture shows a branch train arriving from Hemyock behind 0-4-2T number 1421 on the last day of public service - it closed to passengers on the 9th September 1963. However, the line continued to serve the dairy at Hemyock until 31 October 1975. Class 25 diesel locomotives were used in the final months. This picture copyright Mike Roach. The lost bridge is about 200 yards away where the branch curves away to the left.