Its all change at
St Erth Station next week
Roger Winnen
St Erth Station next week
Roger Winnen
From Monday 19th March through to Thursday 22nd March The line will be closed from Penzance to Truro and St Ives to enable Network Rail to carry out alterations at St Erth Station to slew the track for the St Ives Platform, recap a mineshaft at Scorrier and work on the signal upgrade in West Cornwall. Buses will replace trains between Penzance and Truro and also on the St Ives Branch.
We have been asked to point out by the GWR that alterations at St Erth will now take place at a later date and not during the West Cornwall blockade.
Please accept my apologies
Please accept my apologies
180313a Its all change at St Erth next week. Here you see the 10.00 Penzance Paddington service passing the 05.24 Bristol Temple - Penzance service. Copyright Roger Winnen
180313b Next week should see the St Ives Platform widened and slewed to the alignment of Platform 4. Copyright Roger Winnen
180313c This area from the buffer stops will be infilled up to 15 mtrs to create a larger circulating area around the booking office. Copyright Roger Winnen
180313d Work is progressing on the bus interchange adjacent to the A30 road. Copyright Roger Winnen
1803013e 153373 sets off on the 11.18 to St Ives. Copyright Roger Winnen
Last Peak to Newquay
Clive Smith
Clive Smith
Roger Winnen's recent superb pictures of peaks on the Newquay branch in 1975 brought back memories.
I was fortunate to travel on the last ever peak to visit Newquay on Saturday 28th September 1985, which, compared to the farewell railtours for Westerns and 50s, was a very low-key affair . Enthusiasts you could count on one hand and not even a home-made headboard to commemorate this little piece of history !
Withdrawal of class 46s was completed in 1984 and inroads had started on class 45/0s. BR decided that from the start of the 1985 winter timetable in the west of England only Bristol Bath Road drivers would continue with traction knowledge of peaks. Only Bristol drivers would then have route knowledge to Plymouth, so the death knell was sounded for peaks in Cornwall as any drivers from depots west of Bristol wouldn't be signed to drive peaks from early 1986. This was due to 'refreshers' being compulsory for drivers who had not driven a loco class for six months. With Newquay loco hauled services being summer only, the writing was on the wall for peaks to the North Cornwall coast.
28/09/85 was to be the last possible date and 1V73 09.11 Manchester to Newquay the best train likely to produce a peak as this was a through loco from Birmingham to Newquay. However the omens were not good as this train had produced a 47 throughout the month leaving Newquay bereft of peaks for a while. Fate deigned that the summer's last 1V73 would be hauled by 45145 and so it was that this workhorse class that roamed from Aberdeen to Penzance put in its final appearance at the resort. I hope my pictures of this day pay homage to an unsung class so long a feature down here.
As an interesting footnote, when the The Western Lizard Railtour was first advertised to bring D1015 Western Champion to Newquay in March 2005, the assisting loco was scheduled to be 46035/D172 "Ixion" . However this was soon re-advertised for a 66 due to the peak's non-availability. Who knows if we will ever see a peak at Newquay again ? Many thanks Clive
I was fortunate to travel on the last ever peak to visit Newquay on Saturday 28th September 1985, which, compared to the farewell railtours for Westerns and 50s, was a very low-key affair . Enthusiasts you could count on one hand and not even a home-made headboard to commemorate this little piece of history !
Withdrawal of class 46s was completed in 1984 and inroads had started on class 45/0s. BR decided that from the start of the 1985 winter timetable in the west of England only Bristol Bath Road drivers would continue with traction knowledge of peaks. Only Bristol drivers would then have route knowledge to Plymouth, so the death knell was sounded for peaks in Cornwall as any drivers from depots west of Bristol wouldn't be signed to drive peaks from early 1986. This was due to 'refreshers' being compulsory for drivers who had not driven a loco class for six months. With Newquay loco hauled services being summer only, the writing was on the wall for peaks to the North Cornwall coast.
28/09/85 was to be the last possible date and 1V73 09.11 Manchester to Newquay the best train likely to produce a peak as this was a through loco from Birmingham to Newquay. However the omens were not good as this train had produced a 47 throughout the month leaving Newquay bereft of peaks for a while. Fate deigned that the summer's last 1V73 would be hauled by 45145 and so it was that this workhorse class that roamed from Aberdeen to Penzance put in its final appearance at the resort. I hope my pictures of this day pay homage to an unsung class so long a feature down here.
As an interesting footnote, when the The Western Lizard Railtour was first advertised to bring D1015 Western Champion to Newquay in March 2005, the assisting loco was scheduled to be 46035/D172 "Ixion" . However this was soon re-advertised for a 66 due to the peak's non-availability. Who knows if we will ever see a peak at Newquay again ? Many thanks Clive
28th September 1985 at Par 45145 approaches the station with 1V73 09.11 Manchester Picc. - Newquay Copyright Clive Smith
With staff looking on, 45145 uncouples from the train following its arrival at Newquay with 1V73 the 09.11 from Manchester. 28th September 1985 Copyright Clive Smith
Laat Peak at Newquay with 45145 ready to leave with 2C86 18.00 to Plymouth, the last ever peak loco departure from the resort. 28th September 1985 Copyright Clive Smith
The driver kindly allows an extra minute at Bugle while 45145 is captured on camera for posterity 28th September 1985 Copyright Clive Smith
St Denys Area 1
Ron Kosys
Ron Kosys
Over the years I have spent quite some time in the Southampton area for one reason or another.
In the early 1980’s, it was a fantastic area for freight traffic, which was very varied in the extreme, as was the motive power. At the same time, the Bristol/Cardiff to Portsmouth/Brighton services were loco and stock, before Sprinterisation took away the interest later in the decade.
On a number of Sundays each year, the diversion of the Waterloo-Exeter and vv services via Southampton enticed me down again.
Then back in the early 2000’s, the taking up of employment with a Channel Islands airline for some three and a half years, flying from and to Southampton Airport, got me back again. Sessions photting trains before and/or after the flights became the norm. Unfortunately the days of ‘real’ interest had passed, but there was still more than enough to keep that deep-down interest alive.
The two easily accessible locations close to Bevois yard were particular favourites.
Immediately to the north of Bevois yard – and to the south of St Denys station – was a road bridge with superb two way views.
Immediately to the south of Bevois yard is the magical Mount Pleasant footbridge – also with superb two way views.
This section of railway can only be described as incredibly busy!! Then – and even more so now. The reduction overall in freight traffic (other than Freightliners) has been made up by the increased frequency of passenger services.
Many thanks Ron for the pictures and all the above 'Gen'.
In the early 1980’s, it was a fantastic area for freight traffic, which was very varied in the extreme, as was the motive power. At the same time, the Bristol/Cardiff to Portsmouth/Brighton services were loco and stock, before Sprinterisation took away the interest later in the decade.
On a number of Sundays each year, the diversion of the Waterloo-Exeter and vv services via Southampton enticed me down again.
Then back in the early 2000’s, the taking up of employment with a Channel Islands airline for some three and a half years, flying from and to Southampton Airport, got me back again. Sessions photting trains before and/or after the flights became the norm. Unfortunately the days of ‘real’ interest had passed, but there was still more than enough to keep that deep-down interest alive.
The two easily accessible locations close to Bevois yard were particular favourites.
Immediately to the north of Bevois yard – and to the south of St Denys station – was a road bridge with superb two way views.
Immediately to the south of Bevois yard is the magical Mount Pleasant footbridge – also with superb two way views.
This section of railway can only be described as incredibly busy!! Then – and even more so now. The reduction overall in freight traffic (other than Freightliners) has been made up by the increased frequency of passenger services.
Many thanks Ron for the pictures and all the above 'Gen'.
St Denys looking north Fraggonset 47701 passes thro St Denys sta with 1O38, the 0910 Edinburgh to Bournemouth 12th May 2001 1038 Copyright Ron Kosys N.B. The foot bridge from which this picture was taken has since been removed.
St Denys looking south 47358 passes Bevois yard with 6Y50, the 0950 Totton to Holybourne tanks 9th September 1988 Copyright Ron Kosys
Blue Anchor
John Cornelius
John Cornelius
Copyright John Cornelius