September 12th, 2020

Darting around Devon
Roger Winnen

200912a 57601 Windsor Castle heads the Northern Belle through Exeter St David's on route to Paignton. Copyright Roger Winnen

200912b The 13.25 Exeter St David's to Waterloo passes St James' Park. Copyright Roger Winnen

200912c A Pacer heads the 13.52 From St James' Park to Paignton. No social distancing on the other platform! Copyright Roger Winnen

200912d The Northern Belle in Goodrington Siding awaiting its move to Paignton Station to form the 16.35 to Birmingham. Copyright Roger Winnen

200912e We shall remember them at Newton Abbot. This plaque commemorates the 80th Anniversary of the station being bombed on the 20th August 1940 and lists the names of those 15 killed in the raid. Copyright Roger Winnen

200912f The return working of The Northern Belle passes through Newton Abbot. Copyright Roger Winnen

200912g 57601 Windsor Castle tails the train. Copyright Roger Winnen

Truro
Mark Lynam

I too was out for the GBRf 66 last night, at Truro, where the train stopped for some Network Rail crew to board. GBRf 66761 at Truro arriving 74 minutes early with 6G70 1726 Westbury Down T.C. to Truro (via Penzance) GBRf 66761 at Truro before working an early 6G70 0245 Truro to Westbury Down T.C. Thanks,Mark Lynam

66761 Truro (1) 01.34 11th September 2020 Copyright Mark Lynam

66761 Truro (5) 01.36 11th September 2020. Copyright Mark Lynam.

Many thanks to Mark - out and about in very unsociable hours. This message was timed at 14.08 on the 11th but due to my being otherwise engaged was not opened until 05.20 this morning (12th) when I turned on to update. K.J. 

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First tinges of Autumn
Craig Munday

Hi Keith There, I've said the "first tinge of Autumn". Not bad for early September I guess? I popped down to Trenowth recently on to the (private) fields over looking the recently trimmed back main line. A Castle set is seen cruising west with 2C30 with the gorgeous Cornish countryside being harvested on 8th. The former mine working and chimney at Coombe can be seen in the picture. Then with the sunlight rapidly being lost at St Blazey, a shot before my night shift at St Blazey with sharp sunlight hitting 66020 bows on working the empty CDAs to Goonbarrow on 9th. So good to see the CDA traffic back regularly, and increased wagon loads to Stoke ahs seen the two trips up on a Wednesday and Thursday afternoon once again. Finally for this week, a super sight of GBRf Bluebird class 66 66761 at Penzance having worked a short autoballster train down from Westbury 6G70 at midnight last evening. The loco is seen at Penzance driven by local man Martin Clemes. Further GBRf and DBC trains will be in action on the Fowey branch with relaying at Milltown over the coming weekend, the weather looking promising too. Kind regards Craig

At Trenowth on the 8th September 2020 2C30 led by 43187 emerges onto the colorful scene. Copyright Craig Munday

66020 6G05 at St Blazey on the 9th September 2020. Copyright Craig Munday

66761 at Penzance on the 10th September 2020. Copyright Craig Munday

Many thanks to you too Craig, always up and about on your job again frequently at unsocial hours. Many thanks once again.

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The rarest working into Cornwall??
Simon Howard

I wonder if it might be interesting for readers to share what they think is the rarest working into Cornwall (excluding charter trains)? Back in the 60’s and early 70’s, engine changing at Plymouth meant that very few ‘foreign’ locomotives made it over the Saltash Bridge on regular turns.  In the days before Westerns were air-braked, there might be the odd LMR Class 47 working to Par on the Freightliner or Burngullow on the tanks, but these were ‘expected’.  However for the most part, our diet in those days was just Westerns, Warships and NBL Class 22’s plus the occasional 47 or (from 1970) Peak. The rarest working I ever saw was when one of the Lickey bankers – D7022 – turned up on the Penzance-Liverpool one morning (08.55 off Truro) in April 1969 (I think).  It was practically black but underneath still in original green livery.  I’d love to know how it got there.  My only thought is whether it took over the down Wolverhampton parcels after an engine failure near Lickey and then for some reason was not changed at either Bristol or Plymouth.

Any thoughts or contributions from other readers??

Keep up the good work!!

Many thanks to you Simon.
​As Simon says, can you beat this?