Items added on the 15th August 2016 Those added most recently come first

Floral Displays
And Engineering Work
By Roger Winnen

160815a The friends of Penmere have created this nice display at Penmere Platform. Copyright Roger Winnen

160815b Looking down from Hayle Viaduct this garden feature is being created on the former site of the first Hayle Railway Station 18.37-1852. Copyright Roger Winnen

160815c Leaving Truro on The Royal Duchy at 16.40 this is the site of the bridge reconstruction at Greenbottom, Seveock Crossing near Truro. Copyright Roger Winnen

160815d Crossing under the former road deck. This work is ongoing for seventeen weeks. Copyright Roger Winnen

160815e The line against the former loading bank is lifted at Ponsandane, however it is believed that a new line will be laid in connection with the expansion of Long Rock Depot at this point. In the background are ten portocabins for the contruction workforce. Copyright Roger Winnen

'Victor' leaving Minehead.
By Alan Peters.

​An evening shot of 2996 'Victor' leaving Minehead on the West Somerset Railway in the Spring of 1986, this locomotive was built for the Austin Motor Company, later to become British Leyland and was purchased by the WSR in 1973 before moving on to the Strathspey Railway for a time then on to the Great Central Railway (Nottingham section) at Ruddington. In 2009, “Victor” was privately purchased for use on the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway ​

'Victor' leaving Minehead. Photo by Alan Peters.

One more photo of Fire at St-Erth.
By Scott Peters.

St Erth Signal Box illuminated by the fire. Photo By Scott Peters.

More Duchess Picks.
By Alan Peters.

46233 'Duchess Of Sutherland' rounds the curve towards St Blazey Signal Box with support coach after working 'The Royal Duchy' to Par on Sunday 7th August 2016, This was the first visit of a LMS Coronation class to Cornwall where the locomotive was turned at St Blazey, but only just. Photo By Alan Peters.

The 'Duchess' on the table on the turntable at St Blazey, a tight squeeze as the fence had to be removed to turn the locomotive. Photo by Alan Peters.

Simmering in the sun at St Blazey, 46233 takes on water before working 'The Royal Duchy' from Par. Photo by Alan Peters.

Many Thanks to Father and Son,
Alan and Scott Peters.  

A Query
from Bryn Pitcher

​Can anyone tell me when through coaches on summer Saturday trains between Paddington & the following branch stations ended:

• Perranporth
• St Ives
• Falmouth.

 
In addition, does anyone have details of a ‘City of Plymouth Holiday Express’ that ran in the 1961 school summer holidays? It was a Mon – Fri arrangement and ran on two consecutive weeks. I went on the second week and was 13 years old at the time. On the Tuesday we went to Newquay & on Thursday to Penzance (although I took the option to take the service train to St Ives). Other destinations were Ilfracombe (Mon); Teignmouth / Dawlish (Wed); Bournemouth West (Fri). I believe the previous week’s itinerary included Bude. I would be interested if anyone has details of locos used & load.
 
Many thanks in anticipation,
Bryn Pitcher
West Glos

Further correspondence which arrived from Bryn last night. 
I was on holiday with my wife in Newquay last month and we stopped at Perranporth for lunch one day. Afterwards I managed to find the old track near where Beach Halt used to be and, when we returned home, I was prompted to look up details of ‘what used to be’ in:

• Richard Woodley’s book ‘Day of the Holiday Express’ which describes WR trains & loco used on a summer Saturday in 1960, including those going to/from the 3 resorts that I mentioned;
• Xpress Publications book ‘Operation Cornwall’ which describes trains, formations, carriage workings, etc;
• various books about Devon & Cornwall main & branch lines which give closing dates but nothing about cessation of through trains.

This left me wondering when these trains ended. Does anybody know?

Martin Duff kindly provided this info:-

Hello Keith,
 
Concerning the last through trains to various Cornish locations – I believe it all ended for Perranporth at the end of summer 1960 – there was an 08.25 to Paddington due 15.55 and 08.25 from Paddington which arrived 16.25.  The stock arrived and departed locally – at one time there was a 12.05 FO Paddington to Newquay ECS, so it’s possible that the stock arrived this way and went to Perranporth early on a Saturday morning.
 
Falmouth is a bit different, and rather than speculate about the situation after the 1960’s, all I know is there was a through service (well documented on these pages) which ended in 1979 – which I believe was provided for only a few years following a break of several years – can anybody confirm?  Timely as the current issue of Rail Express carries an excellent article about the Westerns to Falmouth on Summer Saturdays.
 
St Ives signal box closed during 1963, so it’s likely the through services were withdrawn at the end of that summer when all run round facilities were taken away.
 
Regards,  Martin  Many thanks Martin 

50 years ago Axminster
Mike Morant

S_BR_35006_Axminster_8-54 Bulleid original Merchant Navy pacific no. 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co storms past Axminster with a West of England express in August 1956. 35006 would be Jarvised sic in 1959 but would last only until 1964 being withdrawn from service at Salisbury mpd in the August of that year. Yet another profligate waste of the taxpayers' money it seems.
[Mike Morant collection

50 Years ago Yesterday
John Cornelius

Morning Keith, well the weathers a bit better here this morning.
Seeing Mike Roach's pics of 60532 stalled on Honiton bank 50 years ago, here's the pic I took of the same train a little earlier climbing Crewkerne bank. I think it must have had a faulty cylinder drain cock from the amount of steam being emitted from that area,which no doubt would have had an effect on the boiler pressure. I saw 60532 later on in the early evening at Langport running some two hours late, but I didn't get a photo of it.
Cheers JOHN C.                  Many thanks John

Copyright John Cornelius