A Patriotic Picture
Chris Harvey
Chris Harvey
Chris Harvey brings us a last picture of the Belmond Pullman as it enters Cornwall on Saturday 23rd April 2016 - what a wonderful selection we have had on a wonderful weekend - many thanks to Chris and all others
66027 enters Cornwall on the back of the 12.31 from Plymouth on Saturday 23rd April 2016
Chard Junction blocked
John Cornelius
John Cornelius
John Cornelius brings us a picture and details of an incident at Chard Junction just over 19 years ago. Many thanks John
The pic today. This happened around 06.30 at Chard Junction on March 16th 1997, when a machine leaving an engineers possession suffered a broken hydraulic oil pipe and became a total failure on the crossing, stopping lorries from reaching the milk factory and causing a queue back for nearly a mile.Luckily trains were not affected as they used the loop. The only road traffic that could get by was cars, small vans and cycles.
The crossing was blocked for around three hours whilst waitng for a spare pipe to be brought to site.
When it arrived, it didn't take the mechanic long to fix it and to everyone's relief the machine was moved off the crossing and into the yard and the delayed traffic was able to get moving again.
Just another day of life on the railway. cheers JOHN C.
The crossing was blocked for around three hours whilst waitng for a spare pipe to be brought to site.
When it arrived, it didn't take the mechanic long to fix it and to everyone's relief the machine was moved off the crossing and into the yard and the delayed traffic was able to get moving again.
Just another day of life on the railway. cheers JOHN C.
Copyright John Cornelius
And while we are about it and in the area John also brings us pictures of an engineering operation at Chard Junction where the milk factory sidings came in very handy.
Copyright John Cornelius
Copyright John Cornelius
Not a frequent train traveller
Comment from Robert Perry
Comment from Robert Perry
I was second in the queue to leave a HST (1713 ex Liskeard) when it came into Truro on time yesterday (Saturday) evening. The train came to a halt, the “door unlocked” sign came on, and I assumed that the person in front would open the door. Nothing happened. I said to him “You’ll have to open the door” but the only “reply” was complete incomprehension. So I said “You have to open the door and turn the outside handle.” This time, sheer disbelief! We were still getting nowhere, but fortunately a passenger on the platform who was waiting to get on seized the situation and opened the door so we could all leave the train. The man I’d been talking to just said that he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been on a train where the passengers had to open the doors in order to leave it, and couldn’t believe that we still had trains like that. I just confined myself to saying that down here we were used to it. Roll on the IEPs if ever they make it to Cornwall!
Robert Perry, Truro
Thanks for that Robert - long may the HST's reign with their drop down windows.
Robert Perry, Truro
Thanks for that Robert - long may the HST's reign with their drop down windows.
I had the reverse of Robert's experience, on the Bodmin and Wenford a couple of years back. As the train came to a stand at Bodmin General, we all moved towards the doors. A cut-glass voice from elsewhere than Cornwall shrieked "We will have to wait for the doors to be unlocked". A voice from behind me was heard to reply ..."then you are in for a long wait, darling"!.
Roy Hart (Rangoon) Many thanks Roy - any central locking out there?
Roy Hart (Rangoon) Many thanks Roy - any central locking out there?
Having read Robert Perry's amusing tale this morning I thought to send you a similar story from a visit to Didcot Steam Centre last October. My grandson and I were waiting on the platform together with an elderly couple for the Steam Centre 'shuttle' train which runs back & forth between stations on the site. The train duly arrived and came to a halt with one of the carriage doors immediately alongside us, we all stood to one side giving the gentleman waiting inside the coach the opportunity of letting himself out first, only to hear him shout 'There's no handle inside I can't open the door'. There followed much laughter from the couple and myself as the complexities of the 'leather strap' on the inside of the door had clearly represented too much of a challenge for the man waiting to get off the train. Suffice to say we opened the carriage door and he was able to get off, although not without repeating his claim that there was 'No handle on the inside' - ahh they were the days ! Cheers Adrian King Many thanks
Look inside the 'Belmond'
David Hibberd
David Hibberd
We've seen the Belmond Pullman from the outside at many locations over a glorious weekend, however, it has left the county now and headed back to London Victoria. Just to finish off our coverage of this notable event in the railway calendar a couple of shots inside to sample the eleganance, the sheer luxury.
Many thanks to David Hibberd for these two pictures.
Many thanks to David Hibberd for these two pictures.
Inside the Belmond Pullman, picture by David Hibberd a passenger on the 23rd April 2016. Copyright
Inside the Belmond Pullman, picture by David Hibberd a passenger on the 23rd April 2016. Copyright