Through coaches to Cornish branches
Roy Hart and Bryn Pitcher
Roy Hart and Bryn Pitcher
I am most grateful to Roy and Bryn for the following text. This was in response to a request from Bryn concerning the last through coaches.
From Roy Hart.
Here is some information. The subject is complex, because arrangements varied over the years, but the following applies to most of the postwar period:
1. St Ives
There was a morning through train to Paddington. See the Jon Wood picture on the website August page. This was not the Cornish Riviera Express, which always started at Penzance. Note the old 1930s stock and the absence of carriage roofboards: the 'Riviera' was run with chocolate and cream mark 1 stock carrying roofboards etc.
The down 'Riviera' ( the 'Limited' to railwaymen) ran to St Ives on Summer Saturdays until 1961. There was a following portion which ran to Penzance. St Ives box became a ground frame in 1963: the entire layout was still usable and the signals, wires and all infrastructure were kept in place in case reinstatement was necessary, but there was no revival of through trains and all was demolished in early 1966.
2. Perranporth
The Saturday Perranporth to Paddington ran until 1960. The stock was drawn to Newquay and two Truro 45XX ran through to collect it. The train picked up at Perranporth and St Agnes and at Truro was combined with a Falmouth portion and normally double- headed by Granges and the like to Plymouth, where a 'King' took over.
3. Falmouth
Falmouth was a ' red' route and 'Castles', 'Counties' etc could start through trains there, though they had to run down tender-first from Truro. The summer Saturday Paddington to Falmouth split at Par, with half going on to Newquay. After 1966, Falmouth was the only Cornish branch terminus apart from Newquay which retained run-around facilities. It retained through trains right through the 1970s.
Roy Many thanks Roy
From Bryn,
I can add a few more details taken from the book ‘Day of the Holiday Express’ which deals with summer Saturday operations on the WR in 1960 in general and, in terms of locos used, specifically on 9 July. All of the Cornish branches are covered, including through trains between Paddington & the three resorts I mentioned previously. Just to take the up Perranporth train as an example, part of the narrative states:
The main section of the stock for the Perranporth had started the day being hauled empty from Newquay along the branch. The load was made up of six coaches which formed the Newquay portion of Friday’s 9.30am from Paddington. Included was restaurant car no. W9574W, a 70ft long 12 wheeler which been used to vitual the post war Torbay Express until 1956. This turned the scales at 49 tons and made it one of the heaviest coaches to be found anywhere on BR. So the weight of these six coaches was well in excess of the 170 ton limit for a single 45xx 2-6-2T. Two engines were therefore needed and these were dispatched light from Truro at 5.45am to collect the stock from Newquay.
After loading at Perranporth, the train faced a steep curving climb at 1 in 45-60 for five miles away from the coast up to St Agnes where it made just one stop on the way to Truro. At Truro the six coach set was reunited with Friday’s Falmouth portion of the 9.30am from Paddington. Now with 12 corridors this load was just heavy enough to require two smaller locos on the main line if no Class 6 or 7 was available. That was the situation on 9 July 1960 when 7813 and 6805 were used as far as Laira Junction.
In order to leave sufficient accommodation for important stops at St Austell and Par, London passengers were not allowed to join at Truro. They had to await arrival of the 8.55am from Falmouth 12 min later. After Par, the Perranporth was deemed to be full of passengers for London and made no more public stops. Plymouth North Rd station would be negotiated at 15 mph, if lucky, for the loco change on the up main line two miles further east alongside the shed at Laira Junction. Here 8 minutes were allowed for the incoming engines to change places with D6311 (as afar as Newton Abbot) and 6016.
Further details of progress of the Perranporth up to Paddington on this date are described in the book, along with nearly all the others to/from the West Country that day and some others elsewhere in the region. I am not sure how many of the other trains shown in the public timetable as not stopping at Plymouth changed locos at Laira. In summer 1960, there were 4 down (the CRE which was well known as changing at Newton Abbot and 3 overnights) and 4 up, including the Perranporth.
The 12.05 ECS from Paddington that Martin referred to is mentioned in the ‘Operation Cornwall’ book which is based on summer 1957. The load details listed are:
Brake Second Corridor – Paddington to Truro (spare)
First Kitchen - Paddington to Truro, going forward at 21.52 to Penzance (for Sat 9.20 St Ives – Paddington)
First Kitchen - Paddington to Par going forward at 20.15 to Newquay (for Sat 10.00 Newquay – Paddington)
Second Open Corridor – Paddington to Par going forward at 20.15 to Newquay (for Sat 10.00 Newquay – Paddington)
Dining Car - Paddington to Par going forward at 20.15 to Newquay (for Sat 12.30 Newquay – Paddington)
Dining Car - Paddington to Plymouth (for Sat 8.20 Penzance – Paddington, attached at Plymouth)
Brake Second Corridor to Paddington to Plymouth (spare)
Buffet Car – Plymouth to Par going forward at 20.15 to Newquay (removed from Friday 11.10 Swansea – Penzance for Sat 11.15 Newquay – Wolverhampton)
Composite Brake Corridor – Plymouth to Par going forward at 20.15 to Newquay (as Buffet Car above)
Regards,
Bryn Many thanks Bryn
Here is some information. The subject is complex, because arrangements varied over the years, but the following applies to most of the postwar period:
1. St Ives
There was a morning through train to Paddington. See the Jon Wood picture on the website August page. This was not the Cornish Riviera Express, which always started at Penzance. Note the old 1930s stock and the absence of carriage roofboards: the 'Riviera' was run with chocolate and cream mark 1 stock carrying roofboards etc.
The down 'Riviera' ( the 'Limited' to railwaymen) ran to St Ives on Summer Saturdays until 1961. There was a following portion which ran to Penzance. St Ives box became a ground frame in 1963: the entire layout was still usable and the signals, wires and all infrastructure were kept in place in case reinstatement was necessary, but there was no revival of through trains and all was demolished in early 1966.
2. Perranporth
The Saturday Perranporth to Paddington ran until 1960. The stock was drawn to Newquay and two Truro 45XX ran through to collect it. The train picked up at Perranporth and St Agnes and at Truro was combined with a Falmouth portion and normally double- headed by Granges and the like to Plymouth, where a 'King' took over.
3. Falmouth
Falmouth was a ' red' route and 'Castles', 'Counties' etc could start through trains there, though they had to run down tender-first from Truro. The summer Saturday Paddington to Falmouth split at Par, with half going on to Newquay. After 1966, Falmouth was the only Cornish branch terminus apart from Newquay which retained run-around facilities. It retained through trains right through the 1970s.
Roy Many thanks Roy
From Bryn,
I can add a few more details taken from the book ‘Day of the Holiday Express’ which deals with summer Saturday operations on the WR in 1960 in general and, in terms of locos used, specifically on 9 July. All of the Cornish branches are covered, including through trains between Paddington & the three resorts I mentioned previously. Just to take the up Perranporth train as an example, part of the narrative states:
The main section of the stock for the Perranporth had started the day being hauled empty from Newquay along the branch. The load was made up of six coaches which formed the Newquay portion of Friday’s 9.30am from Paddington. Included was restaurant car no. W9574W, a 70ft long 12 wheeler which been used to vitual the post war Torbay Express until 1956. This turned the scales at 49 tons and made it one of the heaviest coaches to be found anywhere on BR. So the weight of these six coaches was well in excess of the 170 ton limit for a single 45xx 2-6-2T. Two engines were therefore needed and these were dispatched light from Truro at 5.45am to collect the stock from Newquay.
After loading at Perranporth, the train faced a steep curving climb at 1 in 45-60 for five miles away from the coast up to St Agnes where it made just one stop on the way to Truro. At Truro the six coach set was reunited with Friday’s Falmouth portion of the 9.30am from Paddington. Now with 12 corridors this load was just heavy enough to require two smaller locos on the main line if no Class 6 or 7 was available. That was the situation on 9 July 1960 when 7813 and 6805 were used as far as Laira Junction.
In order to leave sufficient accommodation for important stops at St Austell and Par, London passengers were not allowed to join at Truro. They had to await arrival of the 8.55am from Falmouth 12 min later. After Par, the Perranporth was deemed to be full of passengers for London and made no more public stops. Plymouth North Rd station would be negotiated at 15 mph, if lucky, for the loco change on the up main line two miles further east alongside the shed at Laira Junction. Here 8 minutes were allowed for the incoming engines to change places with D6311 (as afar as Newton Abbot) and 6016.
Further details of progress of the Perranporth up to Paddington on this date are described in the book, along with nearly all the others to/from the West Country that day and some others elsewhere in the region. I am not sure how many of the other trains shown in the public timetable as not stopping at Plymouth changed locos at Laira. In summer 1960, there were 4 down (the CRE which was well known as changing at Newton Abbot and 3 overnights) and 4 up, including the Perranporth.
The 12.05 ECS from Paddington that Martin referred to is mentioned in the ‘Operation Cornwall’ book which is based on summer 1957. The load details listed are:
Brake Second Corridor – Paddington to Truro (spare)
First Kitchen - Paddington to Truro, going forward at 21.52 to Penzance (for Sat 9.20 St Ives – Paddington)
First Kitchen - Paddington to Par going forward at 20.15 to Newquay (for Sat 10.00 Newquay – Paddington)
Second Open Corridor – Paddington to Par going forward at 20.15 to Newquay (for Sat 10.00 Newquay – Paddington)
Dining Car - Paddington to Par going forward at 20.15 to Newquay (for Sat 12.30 Newquay – Paddington)
Dining Car - Paddington to Plymouth (for Sat 8.20 Penzance – Paddington, attached at Plymouth)
Brake Second Corridor to Paddington to Plymouth (spare)
Buffet Car – Plymouth to Par going forward at 20.15 to Newquay (removed from Friday 11.10 Swansea – Penzance for Sat 11.15 Newquay – Wolverhampton)
Composite Brake Corridor – Plymouth to Par going forward at 20.15 to Newquay (as Buffet Car above)
Regards,
Bryn Many thanks Bryn
Salisbury in 66
Geoff Matthews
Geoff Matthews
Today we welcome Geoff Matthews to our website, as you will read below Geoff has considerable knowledge which is much appreciated, as are his photographs. As you will see he was there when a 'Blue Peter' headed railtour was running into difficulties.
Hi Keith
Please find attached 2 photos of 60532 Blue Peter leaving Salisbury that I took on 14th August 1966 on the ill-fated rail tour, when as you can see the middle cylinder drain cocks
are blowing through even then.
About the other photos on your Sundays web site of it stalled on Honiton bank, the first photo shows it stationary and the drain cocks blowing through which with regulator
shut means the regulator is also blowing through.It also shows the safety valve blowing off, so no shortage of steam then.
One of the main causes of drain cocks blowing through, I have found in my 37 years as a volunteer fitter on a preserved railway, is bits of valve or piston ring breaking
off and getting jammed in the drain cocks.
Also the 3rd photo is a view of a railcar on the Royal Albert Bridge that I took on 28th June 1965 from under the road bridge.
Hope the abve is of some use to you and as I'm sorting my photos out will send you any relevant to the South west area in future.
Cheers Geoff Matthews Welcome and many thanks
Please find attached 2 photos of 60532 Blue Peter leaving Salisbury that I took on 14th August 1966 on the ill-fated rail tour, when as you can see the middle cylinder drain cocks
are blowing through even then.
About the other photos on your Sundays web site of it stalled on Honiton bank, the first photo shows it stationary and the drain cocks blowing through which with regulator
shut means the regulator is also blowing through.It also shows the safety valve blowing off, so no shortage of steam then.
One of the main causes of drain cocks blowing through, I have found in my 37 years as a volunteer fitter on a preserved railway, is bits of valve or piston ring breaking
off and getting jammed in the drain cocks.
Also the 3rd photo is a view of a railcar on the Royal Albert Bridge that I took on 28th June 1965 from under the road bridge.
Hope the abve is of some use to you and as I'm sorting my photos out will send you any relevant to the South west area in future.
Cheers Geoff Matthews Welcome and many thanks
It's the 14th August 1966 as a gleaming 60532 Blue Peter sets out for the west. Copyright Geoffery Matthews'
A superb view of the ill fated 'Blue Peter' headed railtour as it departed Salisbury on the 14th August 1966. Also well illustrated in this view is the 64 lever Salisbury ' West signalbox. Copyright Geoffery Matthews.
Over a year earlier than the above pictures and 120 miles away as the crow flies a heritge DMU crosses Saltash bridge nto Devon on the 28th June 1965 (An unual angle from under the road bridge) Copyright Geoff Matthews
85A Worcester Reunion
At the Servicemans Club Worcester
(Next to the Swan Theatre, by Pitchcroft Racecourse.)
SATURDAY OCTOBER 29th 2015 FROM 12 NOON UNTIL 5pm
** FREE ADMISSION **
(club’s bar will be open)
The Worcester Locomotive society is proud to present our eighth annual reunion for railway workers of any employment, past or present WLS members. Railway enthusiasts and interested observers will be very welcome to come along and appreciate seeing local to Worcestershire steam & diesel images from the BR days, many of the images to be shown during the afternoon are from private collections and as such have never been shown to the public before.
For more information contact Chris Wilkinson phone 01905 425892
At the Servicemans Club Worcester
(Next to the Swan Theatre, by Pitchcroft Racecourse.)
SATURDAY OCTOBER 29th 2015 FROM 12 NOON UNTIL 5pm
** FREE ADMISSION **
(club’s bar will be open)
The Worcester Locomotive society is proud to present our eighth annual reunion for railway workers of any employment, past or present WLS members. Railway enthusiasts and interested observers will be very welcome to come along and appreciate seeing local to Worcestershire steam & diesel images from the BR days, many of the images to be shown during the afternoon are from private collections and as such have never been shown to the public before.
For more information contact Chris Wilkinson phone 01905 425892
Taunton
John Cornelius
John Cornelius
A fantastic view of the signal gantry at Taunton taken by John Cornelius
Topsham
Mike Morant
Mike Morant
S_BR_inspection_saloon_Topsham_AR102 BR Mk 1 inspection Saloon, probably DB999508 QXV, at Topsham in 1975.
[Mike Morant collection
[Mike Morant collection