Items added on the 19th October 2016 Those added most recently come first

Wearde Loop
Sid Sponheimer

The first of a small collection of photographs found stored in an old shoe box by Sid Sponheimer. Many thanks Sid - I think the location is as stated.More pictures on this website St Germans - Plymouth.

The location is thought to be the west end of the Wearde loop, just east of Wearde signalbox. A 1950's photograph taken by the late Sid Sponheimer (Senior) Copyright

A note from Roy Hart. Dear Keith, Yes, Wearde loop indeed, taken from the up side of the main line immediately East of the box. In the background is the stretch of the Hamoaze known as 'battleship trot' and, fittingly, on it is the battleship HMS Howe, which was laid up at Plymouth from 1951 till 1959, when she was towed away for scrap. Roy       Many thanks Roy.

Truro Broad Gauge
Mike Roach

The 70 yard long Truro Tunnel, viewed from the west though the corridor window of a down loco hauled train in 2015. Copyright Roger Winnen.

​The West Cornwall Railway crossed the proposed route of the Falmouth Branch on the level and went down to Newham Station. To make it easier for passengers changing trains the West Cornwall constructed a narrow gauge loop from Penwithers down to the present station.  This would have been standard gauge when constructed and on the north side of the tunnel. On the south side would have been the broad gauge Cornwall Railway main line to Falmouth. One tunnel, 2 lines, different gauges. This situation only lasted a few years, and may have been unique. Surprisingly, the narrow gauge through the tunnel opened first in 1860 and the Falmouth Branch opened in 1863. There are good maps on Wikipedia of the sequence of railways in this area.
Also a reminder that today is the 150th anniversary of the first broad gauge train to Penzance - see report on the 12th October 2016 News.
                                       Many thanks Mike

Swindon
John Cornelius

D1016 entered traffic on the 16th February 1963. It served almost twelve years being withdrawn in December 1975. It was cut for scrap at Swindon in August 1977. Copyright John Cornelius

Branksome
Mike Morant

Branksome hosted its own small servicing facility specifically for locomotives that had emanated from the Somerset & Dorset's metals but it had an Achilles heel insofar as the turntable was long enough to accommodate the 2P 4-4-0's and 4F 0-6-0's but was far too short for the S & D's 7F 2-8-0's and Stanier Black 5 4-6-0's. Those two classes were required to use the Branksome triangle as their turning method and here we see S & D 7F no. 53806 performing just such a manoeuvre in 1961.
[Mike Morant collection]