Items added on May 14th 2018 Items added most recently come first

Monday Evening at Exminster
David Tozer

180514g 66568 at Exminster with the 18.05 Fairwater Yard to Plymouth

180514h Tailed by 66550 on route to Plymouth. Copyright David Tozer

180514i Taken from the same vantage point143621 150221 on the Exmouth Paignton service. - Copyright David Tozer

Driver Training on Class 37s
Crewe to Penzance
Andrew Triggs, Roger Winnen & Mick House

This run was a last minute arrangement using a pair of DRS Class 37s 37259 & 37218 on driver training to Penzance. Being the 0Z81 07.55 Crewe to Penzance arriving at 18.20 34 minutes early.

37 259 & 218 pass Hallenbeagle. Copyright Mick House.

180514b Across the 36 pier Hayle Viaduct. 37259 and 37218 head for Penzance. Copyright Roger Winnen

180514c Going into the shadow of the ASDA store at Hayle. Copyright Roger Winnen

180514f 37259 & 37218 are seen approaching Rosevidney Bridge on route to Penzance.Copyright Andrew Triggs

180514d 37218 and 37259 are seen stabled in the station sidings at Penzance. Copyright Roger Winnen

180514g The pair of Class 37s viewed from the Station Wall at Penzance. Copyright Andrew Triggs

Freight in the South West, Southern England and Wales
Roger Winnen

180503a 66187 awaits to depart Par with clay to Fowey Docks on 3rd May 2018. Copyright Roger Winnen

180503b 70006 Heads eastbound through Southampton Station with a Freightliner on 3rd May 2018

180505a Mighty power for this freight seen passing through Cardiff 66566 66517 and 66547 heading east on 5th May 2018. . Copyright Roger Winnen

180507a 66584 Heads east through Newport on Bank Holiday Monday. Copyright Roger Winnen

180507b Also on Bank Holiday Monday 66172 Paul Melleney named on 31st August 2005 heads west through Newport Station. Copyright Roger Winnen

Special Trains
​Karl Hewlett

Booked to run this week is a Network Rail test train which will be the usual class 37, there are a couple of variants in the system but the times bellow should be the right ones:

Tuesday 15th Exeter Riverside New Yard to Penzance via Fowey, Parkandillack and Falmouth Docks

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H33270/2018/05/15/advanced

Wednesday 16th Penzance to Exeter Old Yard Waggonersway

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/H33271/2018/05/16/advanced

Running a Q Path so keep an eye out on the timings nearer the time.
Regards, Karl (Friends of Penmere Station).  Many thanks Karl

Stafford Bridge
​Colin Burges

Colin Burges is a very fit gentleman who explores our railways in perhaps the best possible way using his faithful bicycle. The bike gets him easily and relatively quickly to venues otherwise inaccessible. Here we see a perfect example as Colin pauses for a while on Stafford Bridge which spans the River Exe as it winds its way down the flat flood plain towards Exeter. In this rare view we see an up Cross Country service approaching accelerating after a PW slack. Copyright for this 'gem' of a picture is with Colin Burges.

Colin writes :- On the bridge I met the farmer at Woodrow doing his rounds. He asked me if anything special was due, as that is the only time he sees anyone lingering on the bridge. We talked about grassland, milk production, flooding, Network Rail and farming in general. He told me that his pasture had been flooded twice this year and that he had to walk over it each time to pick up debris washed down river. He told me a lot of damage can be done to a forage harvester by a metal can. He had complained to Network Rail about the state of the occupation crossing. He told me that he once phoned to ask for three minutes to get his herd across, only for a cow get a hoof caught in the timbers (at long last replaced by rubber units). Trying to extract it, he could hear the phones ringing - the signalman asking for "line clear."​

Shaldon
​Ron Kosys

Opposite Shaldon 31406+31420 skirt the river bank on the2nd September 1989 Copyright Ron Kosys

Copyright John Cornelius