Items added on the 1st June 2015 Those added most recently come first

Colas Rail visited the former LSWR route today
David Tozer
66848 worked the 05.48 0Q01 Eastleigh to Eastleigh via Salisbury, Westbury, Castle Cary, Yeovil Pen Mill, Yeovil Junction, Exeter Central and Exeter St David's and then returning back the same route. The loco had a strange device attached to one end.

160601p 66848 seen at Pinhoe Station at 09.21 this morning. Copyright David Tozer 1.6.2016

160601q 66848 seen at 09.58 this morning passing Cranbrook Station. Copyright David Tozer

Thanks David

The Last Year of the Dawlish Warren Camping Coaches
Roger Winnen
This will be the last year of the Camping Coaches being occupied at The Brunel Camping Coach Park, Dawlish Warren.
By kind permission I was able to view this park on Thursday 26th May, 2016. This site was once used by Railway Employees from the 1930s to enjoy the non luxury camping coach experience afforded in these redundant coach conversions undertaken by the then railway operating companies. Maintenance was carried out by apprentices learning their trade and skills. The present restaurant car conversions were placed on site in 1981/1982 and named after Cities which The Great Western Railway served. Once privatisation took hold these resources soon diminished and it was left to the faithful volunteers to repair and replace when necessary. Over the years corrosion to the underframes and bodywork by the weather and the nearness of the sea have proved that its now uneconomic to repair these vehicles any more.
Full appreciation must go to the volunteers to keep this non profit undertaking going for such a long time.

List of Vehicles at Dawlish Warren
Nearest the Main Line
45046 Plymouth   A 31 ton Inspection Saloon built Wolverton 1941 a further 7 of these vehicles survive into preservation.

1931 Gloucester. An unclassed restaurant car built Swindon/Ashford December 1960 later converted into a restaurant/buffet, preserved with EMU Mk 4 Bogies. Converted into a camping coach in 1981.

1015  Swindon.  Built Wolverton July 1960 second class restaurant. Built with fixed seating. Rebogied with B4s and later BR Mk 1 bogies. Converted into a camping coach 1981.

1930  Exeter.  Built Swindon/Ashford December 1960 unclassed restaurant  later converted into an unclassed restaurant buffet preserved, with EMU Mk 4 bogies. Used as a disabled eight berth coach. Converted 1981

The next row across
1927  London.  An unclassed restaurant. Built Swindon/Ashford December 1960 later converted into an unclassed restaurant/buffet, preserved with EMU Mk 4 bogies. Converted into a camping coach 1981.

1991  Bristol.  An unclassed restaurant. Built Swindon/Ashford June 1961.  Was used as part of the XP64 train and has been restored with EMU Mk 4 bogies. Fitted with loose seating. Conversion into a camping coach 1982.

1951  Newport. An unclassed restaurant. Built Swindon/Ashford September 1960 later converted into an unclassed  restaurant/buffet, preserved with EMU Mk 4 bogies. Conversion into a camping coach 1981

1934  Swansea.  An unclassed restaurant built Swindon/Ashford December 1960 later converted into a unclassed restaurant/buffet, preserved with EMU Mk 4 bogies. Converted into a camping coach 1982.
N.B. Swindon was responsible for the underframes where Ashford constructed the bodywork.

160601n 43002 Sir Kenneth Grange passes the site on the 10.00 Penzance to Paddington 'The Cornishman' Copyright Roger Winnen

160601a 45046 an LMS Inspection Saloon weighing 31 tons named Plymouth. Built in 1941 at Wolverton, a further seven vehicles survive in preservation. Copyright Roger Winnen

160601b Left to Right Plymouth 45046 Gloucester 1931 Swindon 1015 and Exeter 1930

160601c Corrosion has taken its toll on 1931 Gloucester at Dawlish. Copyright Roger Winnen

160601d Coach 1927 named London. Copyright Roger Winnen

For more photographs see the features pages

Out in the sun
with the Westwaters

Many thanks to Ron and Jenny Westwater for the following colourful shots - were you both there at 06.00?

57605 + 43378 + XC05 + 43366 1T55 1625 Newquay to Plymouth cross Forder viaduct. 29th May 2016 Copyright Ron Westwater For full coverage of this most interesting event see Craig Munday's coverage in Latest News 29th May 2016.

Its 06.00 on the 31st May as 57604 passes Trerulefoot with the 23.45 ex Paddington on the 29th May 2016 Copyright Ron Westwater

With rhododendrons in bloom 66027 heads the first portion of the 6P24 Parkandillack - Fowey 31st May 2016 Copyright Ron Westwater

66027 heads the second portion of the 6P24 Parkandillack - Fowey 31st May 2016 Copyright Jenny Westwater

Tamar enters Devon
John Cornelius

Tamar emerging from Whiteball tunnel having crossed as it passed through the tunnel the boundary between Somerset and Devon. The next country boundary the main lines crosses is over the river Tamar. which forms the boundary between Devon and Cornwall. Note the white backing painted on the tunnel entrance to give better sighting of the signal. Copyright John Cornelius