16th June 2020

16/6/2020

Thanks & Reminiscences
Craig Munday

I've meant to drop you a line to pass on thanks to Michael Forward for his lovely study of my pet 47 47515 at Penzance. It's going to have cult status soon! I only recently discovered it carried large logo blue from a Roger Geach picture. I remember it in BR blue, and inter-city livery when it carried the Night Mail nameplates. (1) Also thanks to Clive Smith for the super shot of 45105 at St Austell. The Driver was Tommy Warren. A dear old fellow based at Penzance. He always looked so OLD! Even then in the mid 80s when he was in his 60s, he looked well beyond his years. I hope he enjoyed a rosy retirement. Funny how many drivers wore the "gendarme" style corporate image peaked cap back then. It never looked very comfortable!
(2) I have rescanned a picture from 1980 of Eddie Ralph sat in 25052 at Hayle Wharves, with the familiar navy jacket with his 125 badges proudly on the lapels. Also included is a class 46 arriving with a down train at Hayle in 1980. The loco still has full headcode panels,so could be 46020 or 46037. The signalbox was still in use, but sadly the up platform waiting room had been replaced with a concrete carbuncle by then.
(3) Also visited Long Rock the other day and was treated to 08645 St Piran in the sun shunting the sleeper stock. The team were carrying out buck-eye tests between the coaches. There is talk of some refresher training runs of the loco and sleepers along the mainline for us to look forward to in the coming months. All the best Craig

(1) Class 46 arrival at Hayle in 1980. Copyright Craig Munday

(2) 25052 seen on Hayle Wharves with driver Eddie Ralph at the throttle. Copyright Craig Munday.

(3) 08645 St Piran at Long Rock. Copyright Craig Munday

Many thanks Craig - more to follow.

50016 Barham
35 Years ago today
Michael Forward

Hello Roger, I hope you are well and I am glad to see you have had a few trips out,with some resulting pictures.
I send a picture taken 35 years ago today 16th June 1985 of 50016 ‘Barham’ after its arrival at Penzance with the 07.02 from Exeter.
Sadly ,this will be my last picture for the website for a while. I have run out of suitable material so ,unless I unearth some more ,its cheerio for now.I shall keep in touch and,of course, look at the site every day.All the best, Michael

Hello Michael Many thanks for your contributions over the years no doubt there will be some digging out to be done to unearth more of your precious photographs in the near future.
Many Thanks Roger

Cogload
Bill Elston

The HOBC (High Output Ballast Cleaner) is back in the South West after a few months away for maintenance. It is seen here at Cogload nearing the end of its journey from Stapleford in Nottinghamshire topped and tailed by 66414 and 66596 respectively. As a bonus, it had water tanks on the back. A few minutes earlier, Castle set 43188 and 094 arrived from Cardiff. Best regards Bill

43188, and 43094. Cogload 15th June 2020 Copyright Bill Elston

66414 descends from the 'fly over' at, Cogload. 15th June 2020 Copyright Bill Elston

On the back of the HOBC was 66596, also the water tanks. Cogload 15th June 2020 Copyright Bill Elston

Many thanks to you Bill.

Truro TOPS
John Murray Roberts

Many thanks to John for writing in, as he says, superb old shots of happenings in Cornwall and elsewhere.

Great shots of Truro Yard and St Blazey AFC, as well as Stoke, Bescot, Dover Marine and Exeter. Even a shot of the Cathedral with bells ringing. I recognise some of the people in the first shots of the old AMO who used to double in the old booking office and travel centre. Beeching saw the decline in wagonload and guard's vans were removed from fully-fitted freights in 1968. Air-braked freight started in 1972 and Speedlink was launched in Sep 1977, so I'm surprised to see so much vacuum-braked and loose-coupled traffic still running. Penzance and Redruth are still divided into NCL and Full Loads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-yY8nRu3RA

Thank you John.

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16th June 2020

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