A view of Penzance from days gone by
Eric Curnow / The Curnow Collection
The “gem” of my collection so far, I think, as a double headed express pulls away from Penzance Station in the early 1900s with steam and smoke spreading everywhere. The original signal box – rarely seen in remaining photographs – is nearly opposite single line token equipment, and a brave man ascends a precarious ladder to the cable runs on the wall. Copyright Eric Curnow / The Curnow Collection.
Many thanks to Eric for allowing us to reproduce the above photograph.
Eric has a marvellous website full of similar scenes, please do take a look - click here.
Eric has a marvellous website full of similar scenes, please do take a look - click here.
A note RE: the above image of Penzance, from Roy Hart
Dear Jon/Roger,
The picture dates from 1906-11. The engines are Bulldogs or Atbaras and the coaching stock includes 'dreadnoughts', which were new in 1906.
The electric staff apparatus is for the single line over the old Penzance viaduct (token did not come along until 1912).
The box shown opened in 1880 when the station was rebuilt. It was replaced by a new box in 1912, along with new boxes at Ponsandane and Long Rock.
In the distance, next to the goods shed, can be seen a small lean-to structure. This was the original Penzance engine shed of 1852.
Hope this is of interest,
Roy
The picture dates from 1906-11. The engines are Bulldogs or Atbaras and the coaching stock includes 'dreadnoughts', which were new in 1906.
The electric staff apparatus is for the single line over the old Penzance viaduct (token did not come along until 1912).
The box shown opened in 1880 when the station was rebuilt. It was replaced by a new box in 1912, along with new boxes at Ponsandane and Long Rock.
In the distance, next to the goods shed, can be seen a small lean-to structure. This was the original Penzance engine shed of 1852.
Hope this is of interest,
Roy
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with us, Roy.
Class 67s at Swindon
Michael Adams
Michael Adams
Hello Roger, What a great selection of pictures from the busy weekend of specials.
Here are two pictures from Michael Adams taken at Swindon on 19 July 2007.
The first shows 67012 with the 16.23 Avonmouth to Wembley yard ‘Enterprise’ service,which was diagrammed for a class 67.
Here are two pictures from Michael Adams taken at Swindon on 19 July 2007.
The first shows 67012 with the 16.23 Avonmouth to Wembley yard ‘Enterprise’ service,which was diagrammed for a class 67.
Hello Roger, What a great selection of pictures from the busy weekend of specials. Here are two pictures from Michael Adams taken at Swindon on 19 July 2007. The first shows 67012 with the 16.23 Avonmouth to Wembley yard ‘Enterprise’ service,which was diagrammed for a class 67.
A bit later on the same day 67029 appeared with some empty coaches ,and after running round, departed on the Gloucester line,the working remains a mystery. Thanks and best wishes, Copyright Michael Adams
The wreck of St. Chamond - and it's railway connection!
Neil Hartwell
Hi
If Maurice had still been around, I'd have asked him if he knew about the wreck of the St Chamond in WW1.
Torpedoed off St Ives Bay with a cargo of 5-7 Locomotive engines (4-8-0's).
It doesn't seem to feature on the Cornwall Railway website (yet).
Scuba divers regularly go to visit the remains.
'The 2866 ton St Chamond was built in 1913 by W Gray and Co at West
Hartlepool for the Soc Anon des Chargeurs de l'Ouest. As far as I know
it was her owner when she was mined and salvaged in the North Sea on 3 September, 1915. It was still her owner when she was torpedoed and sunk by U60, just over a mile off Clodgy Point, St Ives, on 30 April 1918. The St Chamond of Nantes was 314ft long with a beam of 46ft, which gave enough room for five (some divers say they have counted seven) 75 ton railway locomotives as deck cargo when she left Glasgow for St Nazaire.
The locos and British rolling stock were part of a drive by the Allies
to prevent French railways collapsing under the huge movement of men and munitions for the 'Big Push' in 1918 against the German Army'
More info: https://divernet.com/scuba-diving/wreck-tours/wreck-tour-38-the-st-chamond/
If Maurice had still been around, I'd have asked him if he knew about the wreck of the St Chamond in WW1.
Torpedoed off St Ives Bay with a cargo of 5-7 Locomotive engines (4-8-0's).
It doesn't seem to feature on the Cornwall Railway website (yet).
Scuba divers regularly go to visit the remains.
'The 2866 ton St Chamond was built in 1913 by W Gray and Co at West
Hartlepool for the Soc Anon des Chargeurs de l'Ouest. As far as I know
it was her owner when she was mined and salvaged in the North Sea on 3 September, 1915. It was still her owner when she was torpedoed and sunk by U60, just over a mile off Clodgy Point, St Ives, on 30 April 1918. The St Chamond of Nantes was 314ft long with a beam of 46ft, which gave enough room for five (some divers say they have counted seven) 75 ton railway locomotives as deck cargo when she left Glasgow for St Nazaire.
The locos and British rolling stock were part of a drive by the Allies
to prevent French railways collapsing under the huge movement of men and munitions for the 'Big Push' in 1918 against the German Army'
More info: https://divernet.com/scuba-diving/wreck-tours/wreck-tour-38-the-st-chamond/
Many thanks Neil - really interesting stuff.
Please make sure you watch the video above!
Please make sure you watch the video above!
Mixed freight at Bolitho
Roger Geach
60039 at Bolitho with 6M72 - St. Blazey - Cliffe Vale. Note the fuel tanks on the rear. 5/4/2004. Copyright Roger Geach.
Many thanks Roger - the 60's, 153's and even the wagons, all gone now 20 years later.
Load 10 from Rocks
Jon Hird
66101 leads yesterdays (08.05.24) Goonbarrow - Fowey china clay. Wednesdays usually see a slightly shorter train, as some of the JIA wagons are used for a train to either Par Harbour or Treviscoe. The location is near Luxuylan - the 6th wagon from the loco is roughly at the location of the HST derailment of 1991. Copyright Jon Hird.
A few days ago, we posted a small piece about a recent visitor to our region touching on its previous westcountry heritage (click here and scroll). Bill has kindly provided the below article about another recent visitor and its link to our 'patch'.
37667 - in a past life
Bill Elston
Last weekend saw the return to the West Country of 37667 (along with stablemate 37521 ) on railtour duty.
Twenty seven years ago, this loco headed a special train to Meldon Quarry for its naming ceremony on 24 May 1997.
After refurbishment around 1986, this loco (along with 37668) went 'new' to Thornaby Depot and thence to Cardiff and the west country.
Hope these are of interest
Bill
Twenty seven years ago, this loco headed a special train to Meldon Quarry for its naming ceremony on 24 May 1997.
After refurbishment around 1986, this loco (along with 37668) went 'new' to Thornaby Depot and thence to Cardiff and the west country.
Hope these are of interest
Bill
The train leaving Exeter St Davids, tailed throughout by 37415. Copyright Bill Elston.
The train leaving Exeter St Davids, tailed throughout by 37415. Copyright Bill Elston.
The train west of Crediton at Gunstone Mill. Copyright Bill Elston.
The returning train passing Upton Pyne, nameplates unveiled. Copyright Bill Elston.
Passing Riverside Yard, led by 37415. Copyright Bill Elston.
Nameplate detail. Copyright Bill Elston.
Many thanks for taking the time to send these in Bill, much appreciated.