With a special thanks to David Ward who designed and sent this remarkable birthday card to commemorate a very important anniversary.
Hemmerdon
Paul Barlow
Paul Barlow
High pressure steam tackles Hemmerdon while the 'sheer weight' of enthusiasts tests the strength of the bridge!
.A powerful combination as 70000 and 47519 1219 Penzance to Wolverhampton approach Hemerdon bank summit 21st October 1995 summit - Copyright Paul Barlow
70000 and 47519 breast Hemmerdon summit with the 12.19 Penzance to Wolverhampton on the 21st October 1995. Copyright Paul Barlow.
Many thanks for Paul for these remarkable pictures of a 'stirring event', and one can sense the excitement of the occasion!
Sampford Courtenay
Rony Kosys
Rony Kosys
33208+33102 pass through Sampford Courtenay station on the 23rd June 1989 with the 6O74 the 11.20 Meldon Quarry to Tonbridge . Copyright Ron Kosys
One wonders if with this line soon to be reopened to passengers to Okehampton whether this former station closed 5th June 1972 will see fresh life? Many thanks to Ron for catching this heavy load of ballast.
Improvements to
The Barnstaple line
Tony Hill
The Barnstaple line
Tony Hill
Tony Hill writes - Hello Keith
North Devon line works 10-18 April 2021
Two pics taken on Saturday 10th April 2021 of the works by NR Contractors to slightly extend the platforms at Eggesford
to fully accommodate a three car cl 158 DMU.
Also a pic of loco 66780 with 'Falcon' bogie opens (some empty, some with spoil and some with unused new ballast) standing at Kings Nympton at 1330 on Sat 10/4/21 awaiting passage that afternoon to Crediton (for eventual return to Westbury on Sun 11/4) within the Crediton to Barnstaple North Devon line Blockade of 10 to 18 April.
This blockade, with associated Double Decker Bustitution, also includes the installation (postponed from April 2020 due the 'plague') ) of a replacement steel underbridge by a large Road Crane at Penstone near Coleford Jn.
This train (with another class 66 the other end) had worked at Lapford earlier that day. A second train worked by 66704 and similiarly formed was stood at Portsmouth Arms, having worked at KN earlier that day, and it too ran to Crediton (for a Westbury ) following the train worked by 66780.
The works at Lapford and Kings Nympton were in connection with track removal, digging out ballast etc with machines ( and loading into wagons) to improve drainage, reballasting (mostly from adjacent stockpiles of ballast previously delivered by TRAIN ) and reinstatement of the track; both sites of long standing poor drainage conditions.
Regards Tony
North Devon line works 10-18 April 2021
Two pics taken on Saturday 10th April 2021 of the works by NR Contractors to slightly extend the platforms at Eggesford
to fully accommodate a three car cl 158 DMU.
Also a pic of loco 66780 with 'Falcon' bogie opens (some empty, some with spoil and some with unused new ballast) standing at Kings Nympton at 1330 on Sat 10/4/21 awaiting passage that afternoon to Crediton (for eventual return to Westbury on Sun 11/4) within the Crediton to Barnstaple North Devon line Blockade of 10 to 18 April.
This blockade, with associated Double Decker Bustitution, also includes the installation (postponed from April 2020 due the 'plague') ) of a replacement steel underbridge by a large Road Crane at Penstone near Coleford Jn.
This train (with another class 66 the other end) had worked at Lapford earlier that day. A second train worked by 66704 and similiarly formed was stood at Portsmouth Arms, having worked at KN earlier that day, and it too ran to Crediton (for a Westbury ) following the train worked by 66780.
The works at Lapford and Kings Nympton were in connection with track removal, digging out ballast etc with machines ( and loading into wagons) to improve drainage, reballasting (mostly from adjacent stockpiles of ballast previously delivered by TRAIN ) and reinstatement of the track; both sites of long standing poor drainage conditions.
Regards Tony
Eggesford Platform Extension (1) 10th April 2021 Copyright Tony Hill
Eggesford Platform Extension (2) 10th April 2021 Copyright Tony Hill
Kings Nympton 66780 on drainage works. 10th April 2021 Copyright Tony Hill
Many thanks indeed Tony for your report and pictures.