Railtour from Saltburn
Simon Whitlock
Simon Whitlock
Hello there, I’m one of the volunteer staff at Saltburn Raitours. We’re travelling down to Plymouth on Friday with 280 passengers ( all of who are in Pullman Dining!) for a long weekend. (The Sunday excursion to the South Devon Steam Railway will be by motor coach, and we’re taking in Mout Edgcumbe House and a bout trip on the Tamar too.) Stock is from West Coast, 6 x FO’s and 1 x Mk 1, two kitchen cars and a brake van. Don’t know the haulage yet, but it'll be 47/57’s top and tailed. We only have the outbound times, d. Saltburn 0911…. Whitehall 1658, Exeter St D. 1714….Dawlish 1724…Totnes 1744….Hemerdon 1802….Plymouth 1851. Simon Whitlock
Bournemouth Motive Power
Mike Morant
Mike Morant
Maunsell Schools class 4-4-0 no. 30901 Winchester prepares for departure from Bournemouth Central whilst in charge of a Brighton service circa 1959. 30901 was a Brighton allocated engine from March 1958 until falling victim to the great cull of December 1962. [Mike Morant collection]
Turnchapel
Colin Burges
Colin Burges
Any place prohibited to the general public is always more interesting than open spaces and the former MOD Wharf at the extreme end of the Turnchapel branch is such a place. A railtour 'The Devon Rambler' visited it on the 11th April 1959 and was in fact the only passenger train ever to have visited the wharf passing through the tunnel under Boringdon Road to get there. You'll find excellent pictures of this railtour in 'The Turnchapel Branch' by Anthony R Kingdom pages 60 & 61.
On the 31st March 1973 the late Ivor Hocking took a small party in his car on a tour of Plymouth Railways. When we arrived in the area we quickly found the wharf and a look over the wall alongside Boringdon Road gave us a view of the Wharf, however, in those days of very high security we daren't take a picture of the wharf.
However, KJ took his life in his hands and scaled the wall and walking along the top of which alongside a lane got a very quick shot of the tunnel entrance. Later, in 1975, Roger Winnen got another shot of the area but not from the top of the wall..
On the 31st March 1973 the late Ivor Hocking took a small party in his car on a tour of Plymouth Railways. When we arrived in the area we quickly found the wharf and a look over the wall alongside Boringdon Road gave us a view of the Wharf, however, in those days of very high security we daren't take a picture of the wharf.
However, KJ took his life in his hands and scaled the wall and walking along the top of which alongside a lane got a very quick shot of the tunnel entrance. Later, in 1975, Roger Winnen got another shot of the area but not from the top of the wall..
Mouth of the tunnel looking towards Turnchapel station from the MOD Wharf. 31st March 1973 Copyright Keith Jenkin. N.B. This is an interesting shot in as much as the rails are still in situ, also note the loading gauge obviously set to the tunnel parameters.
A peep over the wall. Turnchapel Boom Defence Depot 31st August 1975 Copyright Roger Winnen
On one of the C.R.S. outings last year (2016) we visted the Turnchapel Wharf area . By this time the view over the wall from Boringdon Road was difficult made so by very effective fencing, Boringdon Road joins on to Barton Road as the roadway falls to more or less sea level. From Barton Road we found the entrance to the former MOD depot effectively blocked by massive card operated security gates. For fear of becoming prisoners we continued our walk - a view of the tunnel entrance was not going to be available to us!
However, since then Colin Burges tells us that the area is no longer restricted and he has been in and taken pictures of the remaining embedded track work and also of the tunnel entrance now securely blocked up. Many thanks to Colin.
However, since then Colin Burges tells us that the area is no longer restricted and he has been in and taken pictures of the remaining embedded track work and also of the tunnel entrance now securely blocked up. Many thanks to Colin.
Turnchapel Wharves 1 - The tunnel entrance. Above is Boringdon Road. Note security fence and barbed wire below. N.B. Colins Faithfull two wheeled ' Chariot' in the foreground. Copyright Colin Burges
Turnchapel Wharves 2 June 2017 Copyright Colin Burges
Turnchapel Wharves 3 June 2017 Copyright Colin Burges
Turnchapel Wharves 4 June 2017 Copyright Colin Burges
If you visit Google Earth it is possible to discern the sections of track shown in the pictures above. Many thanks to Colin for these recent pictures
Honiton
John Cornelius
John Cornelius
Copyright John Cornelius