Roger Aston, 1 - 14th July
Featuring 4 Class 73s
from Waterloo to Paignton
Roger Winnen Roger Salter Andrew Triggs & Jamie Dyke
Leaving Basingstoke some 18 mins late it lost time by Salisbury then leaving 30 late, however with a booked stop for passing at Honiton the train regained time arriving a Exeter St David's 18 mins late. After seeing the arrival at Exeter, Roger Salter and Tony Brokenshire headed for Dawish and myself carried on to Paignton. At Paignton the crowd in anticipation were getting worked up! where was the train! By that time the Dawlish photographers were on the train behind the special but were held up at Newton Abbot West the site of the famous bridge which was demolished for the new bypass. After sometime held at the signal, the passengers aboard the train were advised that the railtour in front had broken down and that they were returning to Newton Abbot Station. It was eventually discovered that the Railtour had broken down at Torre. The train eventually ran into Paignton Station with fire bells ringing 81 mins after leaving Exeter. The Dawlish photographers returned home after a number of cancellations to services.
Cornwall and Devon
I popped up to Dawlish today (along with many railway photographer royalty)! to capture 1Z73 Waterloo to Paignton, which started at Basingstoke. The locos were GBRF class 73s 73128/107 73962/963. The train is pictured passing Dawlish Marine.
In the Duchy - the sun shone all day we hear! The evening was magnificent, which allowed a picture of 2C51 heading west (the first this season)! The shadows almost had me West of Probus for 57603 working the loco hauled, but the village of Probus was brightly lit above. Please note: this was taken in a private paddock with farmer's permission.
Kind regards, Craig Many thanks Craig, nice to have you back.
John Cornelius
There were two ground frames at Thorney to give access to the loop serving the milk factory
siding, the one nearest the road overbridge and halt was named 'Thorney North', and the one at the distant end named 'Thorney South'. As far as I know the milk was sent in churns in
siphon'G' vans, I don't think milk tanks were ever used there. The daily milk train came down from Yeovil and returned there. If the loco needed water it would run light engine to
Langport West to fill up. I remember seeing siphon'G's stabled in the head shunt and also stabled in Martock goods yard. Because of the milk traffic, the weekly financial income credited to Thorney,was greater than that at Martock, so I was told.
Out on cycle ride with friends on a Sunday in 1956 we happened to get to Thorney
just as the milk train arrived from Yeovil,headed by 4507, the only time I saw the train.
When I worked on the modernisation of the milk factory in 1962, rail traffic had ceased by then,with milk going by road. I think possibly the last vehicle to be shunted into the milk factory platform,was a box van with equipment for the modernisation in Feb or March 1962,which was shunted in, off the Yeovil goods train by 5798. Then a week or so later the empty van was taken away on the Yeovil goods. Many thanks for the info john - it's all valuable history.
Mike Morant