Items added on the 2nd September 2016 Those added most recently come first

Clay at Par
Jamie Dyke

Hi Keith, I went to Par yesterday to see the Thursday clay 14:50 St Blazey to Exeter Riverside. Here it is passing Par with 66133 and 8 SIA's.  
​Tks Jamie

66133 at Par - 1st September 2016. Copyright Jamie Dyke.

66133 at Par - 1st September 2016. Copyright Jamie Dyke.

ADVANCE NOTICE
Roger Aston

In Co-operation between GWR and Royal British Legion the following is planned

Next Thursday 8th September "43172 Harry Patch - Last survivor of the trenches" will be heading 1C77 arriving Penzance at 15.11. 
The trailing loco therefore leading on the return 1A94 leaving at 15.59 is planned to be 43056 The Royal British Legion.
It is all tied up with a Royal British Legion fund raising and recruiting event. Par Truro and Penzance stations will be poppy decorated and there will be a Royal British Legion presence at all stations.

Due to the reception by British Legion and cadets it is planned at the moment to arrive at Platform 3/4 instead of Platform 1 to give more space and be more central.
On board will be a Chelsea Pensioner and various RBL members.

Best regards,  Roger Aston.                    Many thanks Roger

Important Annoucement
​Cancellation
The trip to the Bideford, Westward Ho and Appledore Railway advertised for tomorrow Saturday 3rd September, 2016 has been reluctantly cancelled owing to the bad weather forecast. However to avoid disappointment we will include this trip in our 2017 programme.
Our last outdoor event for the season will be a visit to the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Gala on Saturday 24th September, 2016, advertised on the Outdoor Events Page.

Henstridge Revisited
Barbara Fisher

Barbara Fisher, a resident of Henstridge has kindly taken and sent in these pictures of the old station site 50 years after closure.
You'll find a couple more pictures of the station, one taken on closure day, the other nearly twenty years later of the level crossing in our section on the S & D.  For track diagrams and station photos see pages 68 & 69 of 'A Historical Survey of the S & D by C.W. Judge and C.R. Potts. Many thanks to Barbara.

The old crossing gates, well, one of them, still extent in 2016. Looking North from the South side of the station towards the A30 bridge. Copyright Barbara Fisher

The old crossing gate firmly closed against rail traffic. A 2016 picture by Barbara Fisher (Copyright). The lane up to this point is called Blackmoor Lane and from here on becomes Plott Lane.

Looking towards the bridge at the north end of the station site. This bridge carries the A30 known as Shaftsbury Road at the this point. We are looking towards Templecombe and the southern terminus of the Gartell Railway at Park Lane is only just over a thousand yards beyond the bridge. Copyright Barbara Fisher

Again looking north along the S & D. The rather puny timber clad station building which once stood here would have been 'easy meat' for the demolition gangs. A number of very nice detached houses have been built in this area - they are known as 'Old Station Gardens'. The railway lost but not forgotten. Picture in 2016 Copyright Barbara Fisher.

Standing with her back to the A30 bridge Barbara takes a picture along the alignment of the railway track. A 2016 photograph by Barbara Fisher. Copyright.

More S & D pictures courtesy Mike Morant to follow soon

Laira Open Day 1972
Trevor Tremethick

Following on from a request from Andrew Todman for information concerning the Westerns at the open day at Laira in 1972 we have received the following info. kindly submitted by Trevor Tremethick for which many thanks. The link below is well worth looking at.

As regards Andrew's query, I'm afraid I was concentrating on king George V, the star of the show. However, just on the off chance, I fed 'Laira Open Day 1972' into Google and got this:

http://www.kirwindesign.co.uk/Opendays/laira1972.htm

It mentions four Westerns but I can only see two on the diagram, which shows the following:
Class 52:  1000 (photos), 1005
Class 42:  818 and 825 (on the loco lifting display)
Class 47:  1682
Class 46:  163
Class 37:  6997
Class 31:  5823
Class 33:  6544
Class 25:  7506, 7507
Class 08:  4004

Hope this helps a bit. If I find any notes of other Westerns I'll let you know.

Best wishes,  Trevor

Seaton Junction
​John Cornelius

The leading locomotive has quite a history. Built March 1968. Named 'Hercules' 6th March 1975, Renamed ;Sir Edward Elgar' 25th February 1984. Originally withdrawn in 1991. then reinstated for railtour use in 1992. Now owned by Boden Rail Engineering Ltd. Original name 'Hercules' reapplied. As for the train engine Built as D437 in September 1968, Named in June 1968, withdrawn 9th September 1991 and scrapped at MC Metal, Glasgow in December 1992. Seaton Junction station closed 7th March 1966. Copyright John Cornelius

Exmoor Ranger
Mike Morant

This is the last of three 'Where is it'  shots  of this railtour.  Can you help?

_ W_BR_3205_Exmoor_Ranger-3_27-3-65
<b>Plymouth Railway Circle/RCTS: The Exmoor Ranger 27/3/65</b><br>
Collett 2251 class 0-6-0 No. 3205 hauled two legs of this tour from Ilfracombe to Taunton and thence to Exeter.
Any ideas where this shot was taken?<br>
<i>[Mike Morant collection]</i>