International Mining Games
Colin Burges
Colin Burges
The Camborne School of Mines International Mining Games will be held at King Edward Mine again at the end of the month. These include a load and tram heat using two-foot gauge underground tippers kept at Christow. These games are quite unlike any normal athletic event. Last time, a rather pumped member of the Belarus ladies team picked up her wagon and ran with it. Mind you, I expect there are some sturdy girls in Redruth that could do the same!
http://www.csmimg.com/csm-2018-mining-games
Cornishmen should be proud of the Camborne School of Mines. There is no hard rock mining any more but the county still produces the best mining engineers. It's said that there are two jobs for every graduate.
This is a bit late for the snowy collection? Colin
http://www.csmimg.com/csm-2018-mining-games
Cornishmen should be proud of the Camborne School of Mines. There is no hard rock mining any more but the county still produces the best mining engineers. It's said that there are two jobs for every graduate.
This is a bit late for the snowy collection? Colin
With the snow in the last twenty fours we had an excuse to put your picture on of Christow takne two weeks ago on site. Copyright Colin Burges Would make a nice Christmas card.
Craig gets Out and About
Craig Munday
Craig Munday
And who could forget the second snowfall of March 2018 ? Incredible scenes of snowfall and light evenings meant I was out with the camera - local on the golf course. The added bonus of not having to run the gauntlet of flying balls either! The flag posts made a peculiar sight sticking up out of the fresh snow.
Next morning I popped down to Coulson park Lostwithiel for the clay train. I daren't venture deep down the branch line in case the car got stuck!
Finally after visiting friends in Tiverton, time for a lineside shot near Hele along the M5 of a pair of Voyagers heading North.
Best regards Craig. Many thanks Craig
Next morning I popped down to Coulson park Lostwithiel for the clay train. I daren't venture deep down the branch line in case the car got stuck!
Finally after visiting friends in Tiverton, time for a lineside shot near Hele along the M5 of a pair of Voyagers heading North.
Best regards Craig. Many thanks Craig
Carlyon Bay snow 18th March 2018 Copyright Craig Munday
Carlyon Bay snow 18th March 2018 Copyright Craig Munday Wot, no golfers!!!!
Coulson Park - The river Fowey, nearly freezing! . 19th March 2018 Copyright Craig Munday
66187 Coulson Park 6G06 19th March 2018 Copyright Craig Munday
And finally, in Devon. A Cross Country set near Hele & Bradninch. 19th March 2018 Copyright Craig Munday
Westbury White World
Guy Vincent
Guy Vincent
Hello Keith,
Wiltshire & Somerset received another heavy fall of snow overnight on 18th/19th with disrupted train services on the Monday morning. Westbury station staff worked magnificently to clear and treat platforms and keep customers informed. In the main Paddington-West of England services ran fairly well with inevitable delays also the Portsmouth-Cardiff service managed to operate with few cancellations. Line closures included Westbury-Swindon via Melksham, the Westbury Avoiding Line, Frome station 'loop' and both Whatley and Merehead branches plus, until 1230pm, Castle Cary-Weymouth. This was due to Network Rail implementing a 'key routes only' policy due to the risk of widespread disruption should points at hard-to-reach locations fail to detect or return to normal status once reset. Points at Westbury South failed at around 815am with normal operation not possible until just before 10am. Passenger numbers were down as many seemingly chose to stay at home rather than risk travelling, however the train service provided by both GWR and SWR was good given the circumstances.
Guy Vincent Many thanks for your excellent report & pictures Guy
Wiltshire & Somerset received another heavy fall of snow overnight on 18th/19th with disrupted train services on the Monday morning. Westbury station staff worked magnificently to clear and treat platforms and keep customers informed. In the main Paddington-West of England services ran fairly well with inevitable delays also the Portsmouth-Cardiff service managed to operate with few cancellations. Line closures included Westbury-Swindon via Melksham, the Westbury Avoiding Line, Frome station 'loop' and both Whatley and Merehead branches plus, until 1230pm, Castle Cary-Weymouth. This was due to Network Rail implementing a 'key routes only' policy due to the risk of widespread disruption should points at hard-to-reach locations fail to detect or return to normal status once reset. Points at Westbury South failed at around 815am with normal operation not possible until just before 10am. Passenger numbers were down as many seemingly chose to stay at home rather than risk travelling, however the train service provided by both GWR and SWR was good given the circumstances.
Guy Vincent Many thanks for your excellent report & pictures Guy
43172 Westbury 1C71 0633 PAD-TRURO 19th March 2018 Copyright Guy Vincent
150131 150925 Westbury 0610 Portsmouth Harbour - Cardiff 19th March 2018 Copyright Guy Vincent
166220 Westbury Sidings for 2D05 0817 BPW 19th March 2018 Copyright Guy Vincent
66777 Westbury 19th March 2018 Copyright Guy Vincent
43124 rear 1A77 0619 Truro-PAD Westbury 19th March 2018 Copyright Guy Vincent
Westbury Snow Clearing 19th March 2018 Copyright Guy Vincent
Westbury North Junction and Signal Box 19th March 2018 Copyright Guy Vincent
- Deep and Crisp and even!! Westbury Station 19th March 2018 Copyright Guy Vincent
The West Cornwall Blockade Day 1
No Trains between Penzance and Truro or St Erth to St Ives
Contributors Roger Salter Keith Jenkin Andrew Triggs Alan Peters & Roger Winnen
No Trains between Penzance and Truro or St Erth to St Ives
Contributors Roger Salter Keith Jenkin Andrew Triggs Alan Peters & Roger Winnen
180319c 70809 together with 70808 at 07.03 stabled in Platform 1 Copyright Roger Winnen
180319m 70807 with 70815 on Old Bank Ponsandane. Copyright Andrew Triggs
180319zd The snow lies on the ballast wagons stabled at Marazion Station. Copyright Roger Salter
20180319_1 Colas rail Class 70 on an empty at Long Rock depot on the first day of the blockade, 70813 top & tailed by 70817 with a train of Falcon wagons. Copyright Alan Peters
Meantime at Scorrier - more pictures in features.
180319r Wheal Busy engine house. Copyright Keith Jenkin
180319w The new track awaits! Copyright Keith Jenkin
For more photographs of this event go to the Features Page January 2018 onwards
Roskear Junction
Geoff Ryall
Geoff Ryall
From his family collection, Walford Beard is a distant relation, Geoff sends us these rare views of Roskear Junction Signalbox - many thanks Geoff.
Roskear Junction signalbox interior. Signalman Walford Beard. Geoff Ryall family collection
Roy Hart writes :- A delightful view of the interior of Roskear Junction box taken in about 1950 and little changed since the Victorian era. The box dates from the doubling of the main line in 1895. At this time, the box was lit by gas and warmed by a cast iron stove.
The signalman (Walford Beard) has his hands on the levers for the down running signals, which are 'off' for a train.
Note the gate wheel and the last two levers in the frame (28 and 29) which lock the gates either across the railway or the road.
The instrument shelf is simple and uncluttered -probably unchanged since 1895. From left to right: the tall and short wooden-cased instruments are the repeaters for the up main distant signals (mounted below Camborne home and starter) then comes the signalman's lamp and below it a 'collar' -used to prevent a lever being moved (during maintenance, for example). The block bell and instrument for Camborne are followed by the closing switch (an odd provision at Roskear, for being a level crossing box, it had to be switched in for all traffic). Then comes the block instrument and bell for Dolcoath: note that the two bells are different - to enable the signalman to distinguish between them. Finally come the repeaters for the arms of the down distant signals, mounted below Dolcoath home and starter.
The white stripe on the down inner home lever indicates that it cannot be pulled unless Camborne has given 'line clear' on the block instrument. This would have been quite a new feature in 1950.
The metal columns surmounted by wheels behind the running signals are wire adjustors, for use in summer, for example, when signal wires expand and become slack.
The lever frame at Roskear had an odd characteristic: the catch handles were mounted about two inches lower than on all other GW frames. The reason for this is obscure.
The lever frame had GW 'double twist' type interlocking, typical of its period. In about 1998 it failed a routine locking test and was taken out of use. The few remaining signals (all colour light) are now operated by switches on the shelf.
In the coming days and weeks Roskear will be fitted with a new IFS (individual function switch) panel which will control all existing signals plus the new ones running from Baldhu to Gwinear Road.
Many thanks indeed for these details Roy.
The signalman (Walford Beard) has his hands on the levers for the down running signals, which are 'off' for a train.
Note the gate wheel and the last two levers in the frame (28 and 29) which lock the gates either across the railway or the road.
The instrument shelf is simple and uncluttered -probably unchanged since 1895. From left to right: the tall and short wooden-cased instruments are the repeaters for the up main distant signals (mounted below Camborne home and starter) then comes the signalman's lamp and below it a 'collar' -used to prevent a lever being moved (during maintenance, for example). The block bell and instrument for Camborne are followed by the closing switch (an odd provision at Roskear, for being a level crossing box, it had to be switched in for all traffic). Then comes the block instrument and bell for Dolcoath: note that the two bells are different - to enable the signalman to distinguish between them. Finally come the repeaters for the arms of the down distant signals, mounted below Dolcoath home and starter.
The white stripe on the down inner home lever indicates that it cannot be pulled unless Camborne has given 'line clear' on the block instrument. This would have been quite a new feature in 1950.
The metal columns surmounted by wheels behind the running signals are wire adjustors, for use in summer, for example, when signal wires expand and become slack.
The lever frame at Roskear had an odd characteristic: the catch handles were mounted about two inches lower than on all other GW frames. The reason for this is obscure.
The lever frame had GW 'double twist' type interlocking, typical of its period. In about 1998 it failed a routine locking test and was taken out of use. The few remaining signals (all colour light) are now operated by switches on the shelf.
In the coming days and weeks Roskear will be fitted with a new IFS (individual function switch) panel which will control all existing signals plus the new ones running from Baldhu to Gwinear Road.
Many thanks indeed for these details Roy.
Roskear Junction signalbox viewed from across the lines. Signalman Walford Beard watches the photographer. Also a glimpse of the old footbridge at Roskear, which dated from the doubling of the main line in 1895 and was replaced in about 1950 by the steel structure which exists today. Geoff Ryall family collection
The back of Roskear Junction signalbox, note the wooden crossing gates in background. Signalman Walford Beard watches. Picture from the Geoff Ryall family collection
Southampton Diversions
Ron Kosys
Ron Kosys
From a road bridge just south of Southampton Central - a good spot for catching the action. Many thanks Ron.
47711 just south of Southampton with the 0922 Exeter to Waterloo. 18th August 1991 Copyright Ron Kosys
Southampton 47 715 powers the 1V11 1O40 Waterloo to Exeter on the 18th August 1991 Copyright Ron Kosys
Bodmin General
John Cornelius
John Cornelius
A smashing picture by John Cornelius, many thanks. Copyright