Operational Problems on
Dainton Bank
Clive Smith
Dainton Bank
Clive Smith
It's 5pm and 46014 stands at Exeter St Davids on platform 1 with the 1V15 10.50 Newcastle - Plymouth relief train on the 4th January 1983. This was a fairly lightweight load seven but I was looking forward to a run over the South Devon banks behind the one of the diminishing class 46s. Alas it was not to be as half an hour later 46014 was literally running on fumes as it ran out of fuel, the train grinding to a halt by Stoneycombe quarry and this was where we remained for another 80 minutes. 47128 was running light from Tavistock Junction and passed us at 18.15 heading east and was promptly turned around at Newton Abbot and then ordered to push the stricken relief train. We were under way at 18.50 and pushed into Totnes where a 15 minute run-round took place before 47128 hauled the the failed 46014 and the relief to Plymouth arriving just under two hours late. A sorry tale and a reminder to check fuel gauges.
Regards Clive Smith Many thanks Clive
Regards Clive Smith Many thanks Clive
Many thanks Clive for the details of what must have been a very frustrating yet interesting journey.
Large Problem arrives at
Carn Brea Yard
Paddy Bradley Collection
Carn Brea Yard
Paddy Bradley Collection
A rather large unloading problem arrives in Carn Brea station yard. In the background lies Carn Brea, unfortunately in each of these photographs the monument lies behind an object in the foreground, however in this view the dim outline of the castle can be seen. From the Paddy Bradley Collection.
A note by Jack Trounson, his handwriting on the back of the photograph.
Before commencement of the unloading work. From the Paddy Bradley Collection.
Writing again by Jack Trounson.
The dangerous and delicate operation is carried out as the traction engine is dragged sideways off the wagon. From the Paddy Bradley Collection
Note again by Jack Trounson.
A much appreciated note on the above pictures by expert Roy Hart
A bit of background: New Cook's Kitchen shaft at South Crofty opened in the 1920s with, as was common, a secondhand beam pumping engine. These engines worked continuously, of course. At 5-45 am on December 28th 1950 (a singularly cold night, it seems) the beam cracked and broke (the engine being in motion, of course) and a 7 -ton piece of it crashed downwards, fortunately not crashing down the shaft and smashing all the pitwork, but landing at the lip of the shaft. Electric pumps were quickly installed, but there was a lot of heavy lifting to do, so the company hired a traction engine for the job. These pictures show it being unloaded at Carn Brea station.
Carn Brea station box (closed in 1953) can be seen. The handwriting is, of course, Jack Trounson's.
A bit of background: New Cook's Kitchen shaft at South Crofty opened in the 1920s with, as was common, a secondhand beam pumping engine. These engines worked continuously, of course. At 5-45 am on December 28th 1950 (a singularly cold night, it seems) the beam cracked and broke (the engine being in motion, of course) and a 7 -ton piece of it crashed downwards, fortunately not crashing down the shaft and smashing all the pitwork, but landing at the lip of the shaft. Electric pumps were quickly installed, but there was a lot of heavy lifting to do, so the company hired a traction engine for the job. These pictures show it being unloaded at Carn Brea station.
Carn Brea station box (closed in 1953) can be seen. The handwriting is, of course, Jack Trounson's.