60 years ago today
Kingsbridge branch
Michael L. Roach
Kingsbridge branch
Michael L. Roach
KINGSBRIDGE BRANCH 1961
Sixty years ago steam traction was disappearing from the railways of Devon and Cornwall under the onslaught of dieselisation and line closures. Some lines closed without ever seeing a diesel but others were dieselised but still closed within a short time. One such line was the Kingsbridge Branch which witnessed its last steam trains in September 1961 and closed completely just two years later. In the summer of 1961 on Saturdays two trains were needed to maintain the service an anomaly which would be corrected with the start of the Winter timetable on 11 September 1961 when a single railcar in the W55000 series would cover all services. One of the Summer Saturday trains in 1961 was the railcar while the other was steam in the shape of a small prairie in the 4500 or 4575 series.
For a number of years both before WW2 and in the 1950s/1960s Kingsbridge had enjoyed through coaches to/from London on Saturdays only. In the summer of 1961 the coaches left Kingsbridge at 10.55am and ran non-stop to Brent where they were shunted onto the rear of the 11.15am Plymouth to Paddington express by the prairie tank; arriving at Paddington at 4.18pm. In the other direction the through coaches left Paddington on the front of the 11.00am to Penzance. The train stopped clear of Brent station and the Kingsbridge coaches were detached by the prairie tank forming the 3.40pm off Brent reaching Kingsbridge at 4.15, stopping at all stations on the branch, unlike the up train.
The gradients on the branch were quite severe in places but would hardly have affected a 4500 with the two coaches normally used; but the 6 coaches of the train shown in the attached photos was a different matter. The limit for a small prairie was 200 tons in both directions but 6 coaches would probably have weighed just over 200 tons. The up train faced an 8 mile climb from milepost 8½ (just north of Loddiswell) to the junction at Brent but the small prairies were very capable little engines.
PHOTOGRAPHS
4924 Small prairie 5525 is seen blasting its way out of Kingsbridge on a gradient of 1 in 60 with the 6-coach 10.55am to Paddington on Saturday 12 August 1961
4927 The same train is seen half an hour later approaching the bridge carrying Portford Lane over the railway on the outskirts of South Brent also on a gradient of 1 in 60.
4928 and going away past milepost ¾ heading for Brent Station
MLR/ 9 August 2021
Sixty years ago steam traction was disappearing from the railways of Devon and Cornwall under the onslaught of dieselisation and line closures. Some lines closed without ever seeing a diesel but others were dieselised but still closed within a short time. One such line was the Kingsbridge Branch which witnessed its last steam trains in September 1961 and closed completely just two years later. In the summer of 1961 on Saturdays two trains were needed to maintain the service an anomaly which would be corrected with the start of the Winter timetable on 11 September 1961 when a single railcar in the W55000 series would cover all services. One of the Summer Saturday trains in 1961 was the railcar while the other was steam in the shape of a small prairie in the 4500 or 4575 series.
For a number of years both before WW2 and in the 1950s/1960s Kingsbridge had enjoyed through coaches to/from London on Saturdays only. In the summer of 1961 the coaches left Kingsbridge at 10.55am and ran non-stop to Brent where they were shunted onto the rear of the 11.15am Plymouth to Paddington express by the prairie tank; arriving at Paddington at 4.18pm. In the other direction the through coaches left Paddington on the front of the 11.00am to Penzance. The train stopped clear of Brent station and the Kingsbridge coaches were detached by the prairie tank forming the 3.40pm off Brent reaching Kingsbridge at 4.15, stopping at all stations on the branch, unlike the up train.
The gradients on the branch were quite severe in places but would hardly have affected a 4500 with the two coaches normally used; but the 6 coaches of the train shown in the attached photos was a different matter. The limit for a small prairie was 200 tons in both directions but 6 coaches would probably have weighed just over 200 tons. The up train faced an 8 mile climb from milepost 8½ (just north of Loddiswell) to the junction at Brent but the small prairies were very capable little engines.
PHOTOGRAPHS
4924 Small prairie 5525 is seen blasting its way out of Kingsbridge on a gradient of 1 in 60 with the 6-coach 10.55am to Paddington on Saturday 12 August 1961
4927 The same train is seen half an hour later approaching the bridge carrying Portford Lane over the railway on the outskirts of South Brent also on a gradient of 1 in 60.
4928 and going away past milepost ¾ heading for Brent Station
MLR/ 9 August 2021
4924 Small prairie 5525 is seen blasting its way out of Kingsbridge on a gradient of 1 in 60 with the 6-coach 10.55am to Paddington on Saturday 12 August 1961. Copyright Michael L. Roach
The same train is seen half an hour later approaching the bridge carrying Portford Lane over the railway on the outskirts of South Brent also on a gradient of 1 in 60. 12th August 1961. Copyright Michael L. Roach
Going away past mile post 3/4 and heading for Brent station. 12th August 1961. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Memories of the past and unique pictures for which many thanks for a fine article and pictures Mike.
East Somerset Railway
Martin Scane
Martin Scane
Martin takes a visit to the East Somerset Railway on a delightful day. Martin writes :- We are just starting to get around and about today and, having visited relatives in Wiltshire, we popped into the East Somerset Railway today for a train ride and a cream tea. Cheers Martin
Looking a picture 4555 at Cranmore 11th August 2021. Copyright Martin Scane.
4555 runs round at Cranmore. 11th August 2021. Copyright Martin Scane.
46447 at Cranmore 11th August 2021. Copyright Martin Scane.
Cream tea at Cranmore 11th August 2021. Copyright Martin Scane.. Roddas Cream from Scorrier.
Many thanks Martin - the last picture 'creams' it off nicely!
Also at the
East Somerset Railway
Chris Osment
East Somerset Railway
Chris Osment
Chris writes :-
I too was at the ESR yesterday! I wonder if Martin and I unknowingly passed each other?
Not surprisingly, I paid a visit to the signal-box which is being fitted-out for future use, but at the moment is open to the public simply as an ‘exhibit’. The lever-frame came from Coombe Junction and is in the process of being extended by another 5 levers.
Regards. Chris
I too was at the ESR yesterday! I wonder if Martin and I unknowingly passed each other?
Not surprisingly, I paid a visit to the signal-box which is being fitted-out for future use, but at the moment is open to the public simply as an ‘exhibit’. The lever-frame came from Coombe Junction and is in the process of being extended by another 5 levers.
Regards. Chris
4555 viewed from the box. 11th August 2021. Copyright Chris Osment
The interior of Cranmore signalbox. This uses the frame recovered from Coombe Junction on the Looe branch. 11th August 2021. Copyright Chris Osment.
Detail from the track diagram at Cranmore signalbox. 11th August 2021. Copyright Chris Osment
Many thank Chris - very interesting about Coombe Junction frame.
Screaming like a banshee!
Bradford on Avon
Guy Vincent
Bradford on Avon
Guy Vincent
Freightliner 70015 screaming like a banshee at the head of an almost fully loaded 4O57 1329 Wentloog - Southampton Maritime intermodal service as it passes through Bradford-on-Avon. The train was probably something like one third of a mile in length and travelling at around 50 mph at this point, setting off a car alarm and upsetting a dog in the process! For me an increasingly rare excursion out to photograph a train.
Regards, Guy Vincent
Regards, Guy Vincent
Bradford on Avon 70015 4O57 11th August .2021 Copyright Guy Vincent.
Many thanks Guy - a very worthwhile visit.
What is a Banshee? Guys mention of screaming like a Banshee made me wonder what is a Banshee. Curious I looked it up on Google -
Banshee
/banˈʃiː,ˈbanʃiː/
Learn to pronounce
noun
Definitions from Oxford Languages
Banshee
/banˈʃiː,ˈbanʃiː/
Learn to pronounce
noun
- (in Irish legend) a female spirit whose wailing warns of a death in a house.
"the little girl dropped her ice cream and began to howl like a banshee"
Definitions from Oxford Languages
Carlyon Bay HST
Andrew Keast
Andrew Keast
I got up early this morning (11th August 2021) and photographed the down Cross Country HST - 43208/304 on 1C09, the 06:20 Plymouth-PZ This is usually a Voyager working but has been an HST all week. The train forms 1S51, the 09:25 Penzance-Edinburgh. Regards Andrew
HST 43208 down HST at Carlyon Bay, 11th August 2021, Copyright Andrew Keast.
This train the 09,25 has a long day not due to reach Edinburgh until 21.09.
Many thanks Andrew.
Many thanks Andrew.