Items added on the 13th March 2016 Those added most recently come first

The Tre Pol and Pen
Railtour
London Euston to Carne Point-Plymouth Friary-Meldon and Okehampton
Photographs by Roger Winnen and Andrew Triggs

160312a 66109 Heads past milepost 278 with 'The Tre Pol and Pen Railtour to Carne Point, Fowey with 66017 on the rear. Copyright Andrew Triggs

160312b After passing Coulson Park, Lostwithiel the train follows the River Fowey to its destination at Carne Point. Copyright Roger Winnen

160312c Returning from Fowey the train headed for Plymouth Friary once the Southern Railway terminus for services to,Turnchapel, Okehampton, Exeter and London Waterloo, behind the photographer. Copyright Roger Winnen

160312d Nearly at the buffer stops of the once large goods yard at Plymouth Friary. Copyright Roger Winnen

160312e 'Bless Me Father' we have arrived at St Judes. Plymouth. The Class 66 beside of the Parish Church of St Jude. The TV Sitcom of the 1970s starred Arthur Lowe of Dad's Army as the Parish Priest of St Judes, in Bless Me Father. Copyright Roger Winnen

160312f Departure from Plymouth Friary saw the train thread its way through Laira Depot on the next stage of its journey to Meldon Quarry. Copyright Andrew Triggs

160312g Gaining access to the mainline at Embankment Road, Laira, Plymouth. Copyright Andrew Triggs

160312h Snaking across the crossovers to gain the up main to Exeter then the Barnstaple Branch to Crediton and finally Okehampton and Meldon before returning to London Euston, arrival time 22.18 being 4 minutes early. Copyright Andrew Triggs

Photographs of the West Somerset Spring Gala taken on Friday 11th March,2016
by Leslie Curnow

An incident happened at Blue Anchor where 34098 Templecombe ran out of water, they had forgotten to refill it at Minehead. The passing train in the loop hauled by 44422 and 53809 hauled it back to Minehead behind its train leaving the 15.45 to Minehead stranded with no engine. 34070 was summoned to the rescue after turning from the previous train. After an hour wait at Blue Anchor the train finally departed to Bishops Lydeard arriving at 18.30 instead of 17.13
Many Thanks Leslie

160311g 80098 posed as 80043 arrives at Williton. Copyright Leslie Curnow

160311h 92214 Stands in the background as 34053 Sir Keith Park poses as 34098 Templecombe alongside 4836 Kinlet Hall and 7828 Odney Manor with their chimneys covered. It reminded me of Long Rock depot in the 1950s and early 60s with engines being stored by the coal stack near Long Rock level crossing. Copyright Leslie Curnow.

160311i 44422 double heads with 34070 'Manston awaiting the right away at Williton on the way to Bishops Lydeard. Copyright Leslie Curnow

160311j At Williton 4561 is being overhauled with only the side number plate as identity with the engine stripped down to its frames. 4561 was a regular shunter at Camborne alternating with 4508 and sometimes 3702 during the 1950s. Copyright Leslie Curnow

Westbury chord line services
reply by Nathan Stockman

 Hi Keith,
This is the only passenger train scheduled to use the line in question:
Realtime Trains | 1C90 1706 London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
Realtime Trains provides live realtime running information for the full Great British railway network using open data.
View on www.realtimetrains.co.ukPreview by Yahoo
 
​Note the calling pattern in that it doesn't call Westbury. The line will remain, it is notice of removal of a passenger service over a route. So I'm sure there will still be diverts in emergencies, engineering work over the chord.
(Note if you copy the above link onto your website it will only work for 7 days).... N.B. The train to use this chord was the 1C90 17.06 Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads.
Nathan                                                              Many thanks Nathan

Par to Newquay 1968
Video from Cornish Memories

David Tozer kindly sent in the link below to a feast of nostalgia.  Travel along the branch to Newquay and back viewing the scene from the front of a heritage DMU - what wonderful things they were!  See all the signal boxes and railway staff.  Ride into platform 1 at Newquay, see the freight on the line, the class 22's.  Marvelous stuff compliments to A.C. May.
http://cornishmemory.com/item/MISC_260_06
                                     14 minutes of joy.

H & S on the WSR
David Tozer

David Tozer tells us that a superb picture like this one taken yesterday will no longer be possible unless you are wearing an orange vest ! Oh dear Health and Safety, perhaps a bit overkill. 12th March 2016 Copyright

Crowcombe Heathfield in 2013, see the folk on the far side risking life and limb! Copyright David Tozer.

Both engine looking immaculate on this Spring day. 53808 & 53809 12th March 2016 Copyright David Tozer