Items added on 22nd July 2017 Those added most recently come first

Class 33 110 Deputises at Bodmin today.
Roger Winnen

Class 37 142 Was scheduled to run the diesel service advertised today, however owing to problems 33110 took over the days train service. This engine has not been a regular on passenger services over the years, manly being used on the permanant way trains. This engine was built in October 1960 by the Birmingham Carriage and Wagon Works for the Southern Region and originally numbered D6527 being a Crompton Sulzer. In 1967 she was one of Nineteen locomotives fitted with Push Pull equipment to work the recently electrified line to Bournemouth, and onwards towards Weymouth which required diesel locomotives for the push pull method. 

170722a 33110 enters Bodmin Parkway on the 09.50 service from Bodmin General. Copyright Roger Winnen

170722b 33110 Approaching Bodmin General on its second run of the day with the 11.25 from Bodmin Parkway. Copyright Roger Winnen

170722c 33110 is seen at Boscarne Junction running around the 12.10 from Bodmin General. Copyright Roger Winnen

170722d Activity at Bodmin General as the 33 runs around its train. 37142 is seen in the background. Copyright Roger Winnen

July Five
Craig Munday

Hi Keith,  Some pictures from recent days. I have included a couple from an evening shift at St Erth. A rather rare working of the NR Grinder in the Branch siding. It was working on night shifts grinding the points around the station. 57602 is seen waiting departure on the sleepers too. 

66085 in the super DB red livery made a welcome visit on 20th working the JIAs. It is seen at Burngullow and St Blazey 

Finally I was called out to Chapel farm crossing. The Newquay to Par service is seen in the rural setting - with a strangely European feel to it I think. The town of Newquay is ever expanding with new properties. How long before this area is swallowed up one wonders? Craig Many thanks 

The rail grinder stands in the branch siding at St Erth 19th July 2017. Copyright Craig Munday. (Work in progress on the new Park and ride scheme in the background)

From the box on an evening shift at St Erth. 57 602 awaits departure with the up sleeper 19th July 2017 Copyright Craig Munday

66085 emerges from the Parkandillack branch 20th July 2017 Copyright Craig Munday

Later 66085 rests at St Blazey 20th July 2017 Copyright Craig Munday

Out in the country Chapel Crossing Newquay branch 20th July 2017 Copyright Craig Munday

HST Drag
Andrew Triggs

This morning 1A83 (10.00 Penzance-London Paddington) failed at Penzance (reported as rear power car 43189 shut down and unable to restart) so 57605 'Totnes Castle' was summoned to initially haul the defective set as 5Z77 15.25 to Laira T&RSMD, eventually this departed late at 16.15 from Penzance only as far as Longrock TMD, where the 57 was uncoupled and 43168 (the working power car) dragged the set into No.1 Road at the Depot, As I had popped into the station to buy a ticket, I caught the action first hand. As a light hearted note, I was at Marazion station by 15.20, expecting the RTT reported 15.25 departure, but at 16.15 although it had departed Penzance, as I said it only ran to Longrock TMD...You win some and lose some eh??  All the Best,, Andrew Triggs.          Many thanks Andrew

57605 coupled up to the failed 1A83 (43189 having shut down and unable to restart earlier) 21st July 2017 Copyright Andrew Triggs

57605 and 43168 from above the Station wall. 21st July 2017 Copyright Andrew Triggs

Cab shots with the associated bar coupling between 43168 & 57605. 21st July 2017 Copyright Andrew Triggs.

Exe Valley Observations
John Ball

I remember that seemingly rather spiteful behaviour of Western Region on the line's last day.  However, let's remember that the usual trains had been 14xx and one or two coaches, and these would not have been able to cope with the last day crowds.
Also, I remember a Trains Illustrated about 1963 which had a page of photos of the Exe valley and one of these showed a WR Cross-Country set on an Exeter to Dulverton train, not on the last day.
Regards,  John                       Many thanks John

And Going Backwards  Karl Hewlett wrote in response to Eric Sharp' entry of yesterday - this is way out of our region but nevertheless extremely interesting, so for a once only here it is. I read Eric Stuart's article requesting information on 'Push Pull, Trains That Went Backwards' and wanted information from CRS readers on any such odd workings, with the mention of the McDuff branch I presume then anywhere in Britain?  If that is the case I can add that services on the Tweed Valley Line, from St. Boswells to Tweedmouth were occasionally propelled (backwards), from Tweedmouth to Berwick station so carriage first over the Royal Border Bridge.  Not technically in the rule book with passengers on board this was done to save running round again at Berwick especially if it was late running on a then busier ECML, it would only then require one run around at Tweedmouth station on the return before heading back off the ECML and to the Waverley Route station of St. Boswells.  This did however depend on the train crew some would insist on running round regardless, there are a few images of this service being propelled usually in the 1960's when the service was just a Mogul 76XXX and a single coach which was either a Gresley, Thompson or BR Mark 1 brake.  This service started at St. Boswells, calling at Maxton, Rutherford, Roxburgh (for Jedburgh), Kelso, Sprouston, Carham, Sunilaws, Coldstream (for Wooler, Akeld, Whittingham e.t.c. and Alnwick passenger until 1930), Twizell, Norham, Velvet Hall and Tweedmouth.  Sprouston, Carham, Sunilaws, Twizell and Velvet Hall went earlier in 1955 being in the middle of nowhere.
The line had one or two interesting traits, Coldstream is in Scotland but the station was situated on the other side of the river in England not many stations can boost this, there was another border sign on this line rather than the one on the ECML and was near Carham (there were another two on the east coast side of Britain the third at Kershopefoot station on the Waverley route and the forth at Deadwater station on the Riccerton branch).  Carham and Sprouston stations were constructed to North Eastern Railway design but were actually in Scotland and the line became a surrogate ECML in 1948, after flooding effected many areas north of Ayton on the proper ECML.  The Tweed Valley line closed to Passengers in 1964 under the Beeching Act.
I not sure if Eric wanted only passengers, but the goods service on the Cornhill branch Alnwick to Coldstream was also severed by the 1948 floods and effectively became two lines after a bridge was washed out, the goods services until the early 1950's at least went up to Ilderton station and the consist was propelled the whole way to Alnwick approximately 30 miles!  I have seen an image of an ex NER D20 locomotive doing such an act on a goods with an LMS designed full brake and a couple of wagons.
Hope this is of interest.   Kind Regards,  Karl Hewlett     Many thanks

Cowley Bridge
Ron Kosys

This is the follow up to yesterdays News pictures of 47128 shunting at Lapford as 47128 arrives at Cowley Bridge on the 20th June 1984 with an OCA from Lapford to Riverside. Copyright Ron Kosys

Watchet
John Cornelius

Copyright John Cornelius