Six from
Craig Munday
Craig Munday
Hi Keith
A few images from the parish during the wonderful bright sunlight. There's a monsoon due so these may bring comfort to those indoors over the coming days.
I know I'm renowned for my "first tinges of Autumn" comments, but I have to say the leaves are definitely looking less green.
Best regards, Craig Munday. Many thanks Craig
A few images from the parish during the wonderful bright sunlight. There's a monsoon due so these may bring comfort to those indoors over the coming days.
I know I'm renowned for my "first tinges of Autumn" comments, but I have to say the leaves are definitely looking less green.
Best regards, Craig Munday. Many thanks Craig
A Voyager unit working a Manchester bound service crosses a GWR HST Newquay bound at Goonbarrow 13th August 2016 Copyright Craig Munday
The Imerys shunter stood down for the weekend basks in the sunshine at the Rocks complex, near Bugle. 13th August 2016 Copyright Craig Munday
43171 leads a GWR set back to the mainline at Par after surrendering the single line token to Carol the St Blazey Signaller. 13th August 2016 Copyright Craig Munday
Mixed HST set with GWR green coaches & blue power cars passes Burngullow with 43091 leading on 1A85. 16th August 2016 Copyright Craig Munday Mix HST set with GWR green coaches & blue power cars passes Burngullow with 43091 leading on 1A85.
66023 comes off the SDS the Parkandillack line with the CDAs for Carne Point. 16th August 2016. Copyright Craig Munday
150120 & 153325 make a colourful sight passing the meadow at Rospeath with 2C47. 16th August 2016. Copyright Craig Munday
Through coaches
to Cornish branches
to Cornish branches
More interesting observations by Karl Hewlett and John Ball - for which many thanks.
Dear Keith.
I can provide the following information regarding 'Through Coaches To Cornish Branches', on Falmouth and when they finished plus some information on 'The Dell'.
The Falmouth branch had through coaches up to 1961 mainly from the up and down 'Cornish Riviera', which coaches were attached/detached at Truro station. I can't see any mention of The Riviera to Falmouth after 61, this is probably due to the branch line passenger services becoming fully dieselised in 1962/3 using DMU's of class 116, 118, 120,121 and 122. Although DMU's were in their early days allowed to tow vehicles under strict operating conditions (the vehicle had to be on the rear at all times and a limit on vehicles attached because of brake force), it would be impractical if not impossible to attach additional coaches as would happen in steam days. I assume that the official stance in the operating division of BR(W) would be it is just as easy and cost effective for Riviera patrons to change at Truro for the branch service. Here is list of through services and their codes that went to/from Falmouth in summer 1961:
A66 (SO), Falmouth 08:35 to Paddington 16:03, A76 (SuO), Falmouth 10:40 to Paddington 16:20, C28 (SO), Paddington 10:30 to Falmouth ????, C31 Paddington (10:30SX), and (10:40 SuO), to Falmouth ????
There were other loco hauled services mainly parcels and later freights which continued on from the 60's using classes 08 (Newham), 22, 41/42, 25, 37 with a odd 47 and 50.
With regards to the Falmouth to Paddington service in the 1970's, this ran from start of summer timetable 1976 to 29th September 1979:
(SO) Penzance to Truro ECS then forms Truro 08.22 to Falmouth, then 09:10 to Paddington with no return service, diagrammed for a class 50 but a Western and class 47's have been used.
This service was little used because Sunday is not a changeover day for hotels and B&B's hence most people were not travelling on that day, so the main users of this service were enthusiasts for track and haulage and also seaman using it to return home out of county. Seaman you ask, well the port was a lot busier then with a lot of movement of contractors and seaman to/from the docks which coincidentally also overhauled the British Railway operated ships with their red funnels and BR logo; remember them?! The BR employees (Sealink?), using this service could also use their staff permit cards for travel an added bonus. To give an example of a seamans movement to/from Falmouth today, a local taxi firm I use has a contract to drive a ships captain on shore/home leave to/from Falmouth to London so he can then fly back home to Greece paid by his company!
There were after 1979 still DMU's mainly two coach sets and a rare loco hauled hired to move seaman to and from Falmouth Docks on Sunday morning, but these were certainly not a common occurrence running only when required. I can remember DMU's running non-stop through Penmere (when there was no Sunday service at the time), that would be from around 1982 to 1986/7. I can also remember a blue class 47, again non stop, going through Penmere with mark 2 stock heading for Falmouth Docks quite clearly in fact I can even remember which window in my house I was looking out of, that was our then new extension so around 1983! It was a lot easier in those days to arrange a charter to move seaman especially if you refitted BR's ships. A testimate of how it was then (very different now), to arrange a charter is by looking at the CRS own archives, with a good selection of CRS chartered DMU's on long gone clay branchlines.
Onto Falmouth Town The Dell. This was a planned replacement for Falmouth Docks station by BR(W), but it became apparent that it was difficult to brake to a stop with the vacuum brakes on DMU's especially when the railhead was greasy, train crews were authorised not to change ends at The Dell so they had to run on to Falmouth Docks station anyway. With the line to the docks still being in place for freight movements, BR had a change of mind and reinstated services back to The Docks. I have also heard Falmouth Town The Dell holds the record for the most name changes of a British railway station!
Regards
Karl (Friends of Penmere).
Good morning, Keith
I read this with interest. Not wishing to be pedantic, but I recall the Falmouth to Paddington through train ending in 1968, and being revived in 1975 - connected with the 'Golden Rail' programme.
Regards
John
I can provide the following information regarding 'Through Coaches To Cornish Branches', on Falmouth and when they finished plus some information on 'The Dell'.
The Falmouth branch had through coaches up to 1961 mainly from the up and down 'Cornish Riviera', which coaches were attached/detached at Truro station. I can't see any mention of The Riviera to Falmouth after 61, this is probably due to the branch line passenger services becoming fully dieselised in 1962/3 using DMU's of class 116, 118, 120,121 and 122. Although DMU's were in their early days allowed to tow vehicles under strict operating conditions (the vehicle had to be on the rear at all times and a limit on vehicles attached because of brake force), it would be impractical if not impossible to attach additional coaches as would happen in steam days. I assume that the official stance in the operating division of BR(W) would be it is just as easy and cost effective for Riviera patrons to change at Truro for the branch service. Here is list of through services and their codes that went to/from Falmouth in summer 1961:
A66 (SO), Falmouth 08:35 to Paddington 16:03, A76 (SuO), Falmouth 10:40 to Paddington 16:20, C28 (SO), Paddington 10:30 to Falmouth ????, C31 Paddington (10:30SX), and (10:40 SuO), to Falmouth ????
There were other loco hauled services mainly parcels and later freights which continued on from the 60's using classes 08 (Newham), 22, 41/42, 25, 37 with a odd 47 and 50.
With regards to the Falmouth to Paddington service in the 1970's, this ran from start of summer timetable 1976 to 29th September 1979:
(SO) Penzance to Truro ECS then forms Truro 08.22 to Falmouth, then 09:10 to Paddington with no return service, diagrammed for a class 50 but a Western and class 47's have been used.
This service was little used because Sunday is not a changeover day for hotels and B&B's hence most people were not travelling on that day, so the main users of this service were enthusiasts for track and haulage and also seaman using it to return home out of county. Seaman you ask, well the port was a lot busier then with a lot of movement of contractors and seaman to/from the docks which coincidentally also overhauled the British Railway operated ships with their red funnels and BR logo; remember them?! The BR employees (Sealink?), using this service could also use their staff permit cards for travel an added bonus. To give an example of a seamans movement to/from Falmouth today, a local taxi firm I use has a contract to drive a ships captain on shore/home leave to/from Falmouth to London so he can then fly back home to Greece paid by his company!
There were after 1979 still DMU's mainly two coach sets and a rare loco hauled hired to move seaman to and from Falmouth Docks on Sunday morning, but these were certainly not a common occurrence running only when required. I can remember DMU's running non-stop through Penmere (when there was no Sunday service at the time), that would be from around 1982 to 1986/7. I can also remember a blue class 47, again non stop, going through Penmere with mark 2 stock heading for Falmouth Docks quite clearly in fact I can even remember which window in my house I was looking out of, that was our then new extension so around 1983! It was a lot easier in those days to arrange a charter to move seaman especially if you refitted BR's ships. A testimate of how it was then (very different now), to arrange a charter is by looking at the CRS own archives, with a good selection of CRS chartered DMU's on long gone clay branchlines.
Onto Falmouth Town The Dell. This was a planned replacement for Falmouth Docks station by BR(W), but it became apparent that it was difficult to brake to a stop with the vacuum brakes on DMU's especially when the railhead was greasy, train crews were authorised not to change ends at The Dell so they had to run on to Falmouth Docks station anyway. With the line to the docks still being in place for freight movements, BR had a change of mind and reinstated services back to The Docks. I have also heard Falmouth Town The Dell holds the record for the most name changes of a British railway station!
Regards
Karl (Friends of Penmere).
Good morning, Keith
I read this with interest. Not wishing to be pedantic, but I recall the Falmouth to Paddington through train ending in 1968, and being revived in 1975 - connected with the 'Golden Rail' programme.
Regards
John
Demolition
- a month away
- a month away
Westbury Cement Works 18th October 1999 - Copyright Roger Winnen. Many thanks to Roger for this picture taken from a passing train. Note the white plume which was so easily seen from many miles distant.
As I write, in a months time, the demolition will have occurred and this quite famous landmark to the east of Westbury will be no more. It is scheduled for demolition by controlled explosives at 06.45 on the 18th September 2016.
The 400 foot high chimney has a base just 250' away from the main line, one sincerely hopes that the chimney falls as required. No doubt the demolition will occur when there are no trains about!
For the BBC feature on the chimney which is almost as high as Salisbury Cathedral please click here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-36814399
A Cracking Day in Devon
Andrew Triggs
Andrew Triggs
160816d Starrcross 1A83 10.00 Penzance to London Paddington passing at speed. Copyright Andrew Triggs
160816e Langstone Eock 'XC' HST working with the 1V40 06.06 Edinburgh to Plymouth. Copyright Andrew Triggs
160816g On the Dawlish Sea Wall with the delayed 10.47 Penzance-Paddington running 51 mins late. Copyright Andrew Triggs
160816h Shaldon Bridge Teignmouth with the !C84 14.07 London Paddington-Penzance. Copyright Andrew Triggs
160816i Class 158 158763 Departing Newton Abbot with the 2T25 17.46 Exeter-Paignton Service. Copyright Andrew Triggs
Thanks Andrew
Charlton (Near Cogload)
John Cornelius
John Cornelius
A nice level stretch here, remember the days when this was quadruple track. One wonders if the line here will ever be re-quadrupled as in progress on Filton Bank. Many thanks John.
Lympstone
Mike Morant
Mike Morant
As Mike says in his caption below, there is a lot of interest in this picture, it's all there including the signalbox with its nicely polished levers over which the traditional duster has been draped. If you look carefully you will see the train crew also have their token out ready for the exchange. A nice display of roses too. Many thanks indeed Mike for this and the many other irreplaceable pictures you are sending us to use.
S_BR_Lympstone_station_1959 What a nice cameo this is. As the branch down train from Exeter to Exmouth draws to a halt the tablet exchange is nicely depicted against a backdrop to die for if one enjoys infrastructure pictures. This shot, taken in 1959, depicts an unidentified BR Standard 3MT 2-6-2T running bunker first with BR suburban stock and passing a lady dressed very much in the fashion of the time. The SR totem on the lamp post is almost worthy of an image on its own and one can't help but compare the infrastructure with what amounts to little more than a bus shelter on today's platform.
[Mike Morant collection]
[Mike Morant collection]