Long Rock Depot

LONG ROCK DEPOT
A Progress Report on the New Depot at Long Rock is to be found at the end of this section. Including a new section on the depot seen at the end of the HST era

If you do not see what you require

Go to the Links page and select Cornwall Centre, then on their home page select 'Cornwall Image Bank'. There is a selection of photographs by John Vaughan, Arthur Trevan, George Ellis and others.
You could always visit the Cornwall Centre at Alma Place, Redruth. Very near the station.

Credits, Many thanks to all contributors - please see a list on the home page.

The Long Rock Collection taken 1959-1962
Ian Morton

1 4087 Cardigan Castle passes Long Rock Crossing . Built in June 1925 and withdrawn in May 1964. N.B. Ian is the dark haired spectator. Copyright Ian Morton

2 1008 County of Cardigan passes loaded coal wagons at Long Rock. Copyright Ian Morton

3 4095 Harlech Castle at Long Rock. Built June 1926 and withdrawn in December 1961. She was a Penzance engine for many years. Copyright Ian Morton

4 5029 Nunney Castle passes Long Rock Signal Box. Copyright Ian Morton (2)

5 A Class 42 or 43 passes Long Rock. Copyright Ian Morton

6 7022 Hereford Castle at Long Rock built by British Railways in 1949 and scrspped by Birds Bridgend September 1965. Copyright Ian Morton

7 A Castle Class engines outside of Long Rock Depot. Copyright Ian Morton

8 North British built D864 Zambesi at Long Rock. This engine lasted to the early 1970s. Copyright Ian Morton

9 One of the Long Rock based 84xx 94xx Class of 0-6-0 pannier tanks is 9434 identified by Roy Hart. Copyright Ian Morton

10 4095 Harlech Castle passes Long Rock Signal Box. Copyright Ian Morton

11 5029 Nunney Castle passes Long Rock Signal Box. Copyright Ian Morton

12 One of the early built Swindon Class 42a numbered between D800-D812 fitted to carry train description panels. Copyright Ian Morton

13 A Warship hauling a named express passes Long Rock Depot. Copyright Ian Morton

14 1008 County of Cardigan passes Long Rock. Copyright Ian Morton

15 D822 Hercules or D832 Onslaught passing Long Rock. Copyright Ian Morton

16 1008 County of Cardigan passes Long Rock. Built in 31st December 1945 and scrapped at Cashmores Newport 31st October 1963. Copyright Ian Morton

I have been meaning to write something about Ian's Long Rock pictures. No dates are given, but I assume that they were taken over the three years 1960/61/62.
Long Rock level crossing had its gates replaced by barriers in January 1961 (the first barrier installation in Cornwall) so the presence of gates or barriers (or at least glimpses of the apparatus) gives us the clue.
The lonesome pannier is 9434, which was withdrawn in June 1960 and dumped in the coal stack sidings. She was there for a long time: in the summer of 1962 she was joined there by her sisters 9433 and 9475. All three were fixtures at Long Rock for many months after that.
The picture of D864 has to be 1962 or after, as she only entered service in early 62.
The Castles were all familiar to those of us of a certain age: 4095 had been a Penzance engine from 1958 to 1960 and after that at Laira. All of the others were Laira regulars, 7022 being the last Castle at Laira (and one of the very last to survive).

All the best, Roy

Many Thanks Roy

The Jon Wood Memorial Collection
Jon Wood a staunch member of the Cornwall Railway Society, very sadly passed away suddenly on the 3rd August 2009. We are most grateful to Mrs. Zsuzsanna Wood for her permission to place on this site the extensive work of her late husband Jonathon. Jon lived at Penzance and therefore much of his work is of that area. It is felt that rather than overload the Penzance station area of the web site it would be more fitting to place the remainder of his fine work in this special spot. At times, the quality of the pictures is not exactly as Jon would have wished, however, time has taken its toll on his slides the majority of which are well over fifty years old. Considerable time has been spent making an attempt to get his work up to the standard he would have wished, thousands of scratches and blotches have been removed. We hope that in looking at his work you will appreciate what a fine photographer Jon was. You will find many examples of his work elsewhere in this section and throughout the web site. K.J.

6824 Ashley Grange and 6826 Nanneth Grange start the 4.20 PM train out of Penzance on 16th May 1957 Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

We continue with 6824 Ashleigh Grange and 6826 Nannerth Grange on 4.20 Note the spare lamps stowed on the side of Nanneth Grange, the fireman is busy already. 16th May 1957 Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection - Copy.

The 10.30, the 'Cornishman' loads up ready to depart on 25th June 1957. Copyright The Late Jon Wood Collection

5978 Bodinnick Hall on the 1.20 PM Penzance to Paddington 25th June 1957 57 Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

6328 on the 6.15PM on the 16th May 1957 Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

7816 piloting 7916 20th June 1955 Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

5934 Kneller Hall and 6824 Ashleigh Grange start their train away from Penzance on the 30th May 1957. Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

1000 County of Middlesex backing on to the mail train 16th May 1957 - Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

5193 stands with a local train at platform 4. on the 12th September 1956. This engine rebuilit as a 2-6-0 Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

A lovely shot of 8409 complete with shunters truck at Ponsandane 6th February 1957 - Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

Ponsandane 7921 Edstone Hall 22nd April 19 56 Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

Marazion Marshes 6837 Forthampton Grange Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

Marazion Marshes 5005 Manorbrier Castle 6th February 1957 Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

Rospeath 4908 Broome Hall Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

Rospeath 6965 Thirlestaine Hall on Up Riviera Express Undated Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

Jon did take a few colour slides here we see a D800 at Rospeath August 1969 Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

August 1969 and a solitary Warship works back east to take up its next call of duty. Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

Rosevidney 4548 on the 2.35 ex Truro 24th June 1957 Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

Rosevidney, the down Cornish Riviera with 5023 Brecon Castle 24 June 1957 Copyright the Late Jon Wood Collection

The previous collection of pictures was the work of the Late Jonathon Wood. A fine tribute to an excellent photographer who has captured the past in fine style.

A track plan of Long Rock and depot recently acquired from the collection of the Late Cyril Hitchens a former signalman.

Both this picture and the one above taken on a 'shed bash' by john Cornelius - Copyright

Long Rock Depot Penzance Gallery 1

Two for the price of one! 1002 County of Berks and the County of Leicester 22nd April 1956 Copyright the late Jon Wood Collection

A lovely crisp picture of Arlington Grange. Copyright John Cornelius Built August 1936. First and August 1950 shed allocations Penzance. Involved in the incident at Steventon 22 September 1963 when driven off the end of the down goods loop. March 1959 shed allocation Penzance. Last shed allocation Newport Ebbw Junction. Withdrawn June 1964. Scrapped at Bird's, Newport. - This info courtesy of GW Archive

The picture courtesy of the John Cornelius collection - he is the gentleman wearing the Trilby. Copyright

County of Somerset, 1004, was one of the last two Counties at Penzance shed (1001 County of Buckingham was the other). 1004 went straight to Swindon for withdrawal in August 1962: the first County to go. Penzance closed to steam a few days later. Many thanks to Roy Hart for this additional information.

Holker Hall being coaled at Long Rock shed. A gem from the Paddy Bradley Collection.

Long Rock Gallery 2

Long Rock Depot Penzance Gallery 3 We understand a gentleman in Dorset is modelling the depot - hope these pictures will help

Long Rock Depot Penzance Gallery 4 The Mike Roach Collection
During the dying days of Long Rock Shed there must have been many who wandered in and took a few photographs - here are some of Mike Roache's. All were taken in March 1976.

Class 24 061 brought down for carriage heating. 7th May 1977. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Now in its last with only months to go we see D1056 Western Sultan standing at Long Rock depot on the 1st June 1976. This loco was frequently seen along the Cornish Main line in the last years. Courtesy of the Mike Morant collection.

Out with the old and in with the new. The old steam sheds were being demolished when this picture was taken in May 1977. Copyright Mike Roach

Long Rock - Test Train Copyright Sid Sponheimer

Class 47 1920 & Class 25 7675 at Long Rock on the 21st July 1973. Copyright Sid Sponheimer

50 004 St Vincent & 50 033 Glorious Penzance Shed. Boxing day. 1975 Copyright Sid Sponheimer

A pleasant walk along the beach brings one to the other end of the then new depot. Here a class 50 slows its train ready for the terminus which is just over a quarter of a mile away. May 1977 Copyright Mike Roach

An early eighties picture inside Long Rock HST Maintenance Depot. A most unusual picture showing the length of the covered facility. The gentleman in the picture is the Late Edwin Pascoe then a maintenance fitter at Long Rock. Copyright Late Edwin Pascoe from Craig Munday

Long Rock Royal Train spends the night in the sidings. 47834 Firefly is in attandance and 'crewed up' for the night. Roger Winnen Copyright reports that the area was very well policed .22Nov84

'The Night Riviera'
At one time threatened with extinction this over night train leaving Penzance at around about 21.45. In 2013 the timetable saw it stopping at all major stations in Cornwall then leaving Plymouth at 23.45 and calling at Totnes, Newton Abbot, Exeter and Taunton (01.41) to arrive at London Paddington at 05.23. The new GW Franchise stipulates the addition of one sleeper coach to this service. Trains are generally in the hands of Class 57's.

47810 'Tamar' at Long Rock on 4th January 2003. Copyright Roger Salter. This loco originally D1924 , previous numbers 47247, 47655. Now with DRS (2013)

57602 'Restormel Castle' with its rake of overnight stock at Long Rock. It is mid morning and the stock has just passed through the washer in the background. March 2010 Copyright David Andrews

The NEW LONG ROCK
A report by Craig Munday

During late 2016 and into 2017 work has been in progress to very much enlarge Long Rock depot. A report on the progress as at early March 2017 follows. Much appreciation to Craig Munday for this.

I was kindly permitted to take and share these images of the ongoing construction work at Long Rock depot. The feat of running a busy maintenance depot whilst this work goes on is incredible. GWR & the main contractor Spencers working in collaboration to deliver a new 2 road, 5 car shed by December and a complete refit of the cladding around the depot is very impressive. The depot is working with considerably less running lines as a result, and it's pretty much business as usual with no reduction in the number of trains serviced in a 24 hour period.

The added hazard of asbestos in the shed cladding is strictly controlled with air locks and contamination processes in place, working off a movable platform which is slowly moving along the depot, with trains below!

With thanks to depot Manager Patrick Grobbelaar and Nigel Gilbert for allowing these pictures.

Kind regards, Craig Many thanks for your article and pictures Craig

1. The East end sidings with class 08 08410 visible. Copyright Craig Munday

2. Behind the HST shed showing the continuous stream of cement lorries. These are creating the base of the new depot which will be attached to the current HST shed. A 2 road 5 car shed will house the GWR Class 57 when they are transferred to Long Rock from Old Oak Common when that depot shuts in Dec 2017. The first main line diesel fleet to be based in Cornwall that I can remember. Other traction will also be worked in this new shed. Copyright Craig Munday

3. 57605 rests in the current shed with the overnight Riviera stock. Copyright Craig Munday

4. Picture showing the inside of the current shed with the wall removed. The depot will be open plan inside with all three lines visible across. An exciting prospect. Copyright Craig Munday

5. The Gulval side of the HST shed, The former trackbed in the foreground. The steel work for the new shed is due to be erected in the coming weeks. Copyright Craig Munday

6. Ponsandane end of the HST shed. Copyright Craig Munday

A tour around the completed Long Rock Depot
by Craig Munday.

Hi Keith, I popped in to see the team at Long Rock on Saturday. I was down there in case of Pilotworking as high winds were Southerly and the main line could have been affected. Although the sea did wash onto the trains, fortunately the signalling was not affected.

57602 was present following its work down on the sleeper service and was undergoing a B exam. Two power cars in green were in the shed, 43004 / 43016. The last occupant was 08410. The depot really is splendid, unlike TMDs of the past with oil and grease everywhere, it is spotless.

The energy saving lights brighten up as you walk around - something I found a little unnerving!

Cheers for now, Craig
As usual, Craig, many thanks for your privileged insight into a very modern facility.

Long Rock Early Doors a feature by Craig Munday 16th December 2018

As the first evening down Paddington service goes over to class 802, I thought I'd better get some Long Rock pictures. Thanks to the team there I took some pictures before dawn on Sun 16th Dec. The holding sidings were full with three HST's plus the sleeper stock. The IET which stabled overnight was in the shed, 802019, and sat next to 57605.

None the less, the lineup was impressive and looked great in the dark under the depot lights. The former Anglia buffet Mk3 was inside too.

All the best, Craig Many thanks indeed Craig.