17th June 2021

17/6/2021

The Grange Class of the GWR
Michael L. Roach.
A useful mixed traffic Class

The Grange class was introduced by the Great Western Railway in 1936 and the design was derived from the Churchward Moguls of 1911 and shared many components with the Hall Class of 1928. All the main dimensions and fittings were similar to the Hall Class except that the diameter of the driving wheels was reduced by 4 inches (101.6mm). This gave a useful increase in tractive effort of 6 percent but more importantly gave the Grange class better hill-climbing abilities. The class proved particularly useful on lines with switchback gradients like the Cornish main line. Of the 258 Hall class many entered preservation soon after withdrawal from British Railways and many later from Barry scrapyard. Of the 80 Grange class built every single one was withdrawn and cut up leaving none in preservation; however this gap is now being filled with the construction of the 81st Grange by the Betton Grange Society. In this short feature we will see four examples of the class on typical duties in Devon and Cornwall in the summer of 1961. In the last picture we see 6860 waiting to take over a train at Plymouth Station. I travelled on the train as far as Bodmin Road and it kept time with 12 coaches weighing in the region of 420 tons. The train was allowed three hours to reach Penzance and the limit for a Grange over the route was 385 tons.
MLR/ 27 May 2021

4890 6849 Walton Grange is seen at Kingswear on the 3.05pm to Cardiff (reached at 8.35pm) on 17 June 1961. 6849 was based at St. Phillips Marsh at the time.. Copyright Michael L. Roach.

4894 Truro based 6828 Trellech Grange is seen coasting downhill at Respryn, west of Bodmin Road, with an express freight train of 32 wagons on the afternoon of Sunday 18 June 1961. Copyright Michael L. Roach.

4911 6836 Estevarney Grange is seen at Dainton piloting the 12.35pm Plymouth to Newton Abbot local train, which took 65 minutes for the 32 miles with two stops. The date is 15 July 1961. 6836 moved on to Pontypool Road Shed three months later. Copyright Michael L. Roach

4923 6860 Aberporth Grange is seen at Plymouth Station at about 1.30pm on 5 August 1961. The loco is waiting to take over the 7.25am Ealing Broadway to Penzance which was running half an hour late. The loco had arrived at Laira Shed two months earlier and was stored the following month. Copyright Michael L. Roach.

What can one say but many thanks indeed to Mike for providing us with the foregoing article on an almost forgotten class. Keep up the good work mike, let's have some more treasures.

A different angle
Craig Munday

Hi Keith
The wonderful eight weeks around Mid Summers Day allow the light into corners not seen in the other months of the year. The down sleeper train is notoriously ahead of the sun on its journey west from Plymouth. Two locations in high Summer allow a head on lit view of the train, Trerulefoot and, additionally now Restormel allow a good head on view. The recent cutting back has revealed a suitable gap in the trees for a shot off the bridge there. On a beautiful morning, the Monday morning 1C50 (departing later from Plymouth) catches the superb light as it leans into the curve with 57603.

Alos the MPV has been active in the County visiting the Fowey & St Ives branch. Due to crew knowledge, two class 66s were the traction and 66140 & 66120 make a fine sight working down from Didcot on Sunday 13th. The turntable at St Blazey in the second shot looking rather unkempt.

Another I phone shot from St Austell sees the up sleeper under a dreamy sky at 11pm as we approach the longest day of the year.

Some other sunshine shots are also included.

66140 on the weedkiller. 3Z15 Par ) 13th June 2021. Copyright Craig Munday

66140 0n weedkiller duties rests at St Blazey 13th June 2021. Copyright Craig Munday.

150202 at St Blazey 13th June 2021. Copyright Craig Munday

57603 burst out of the shadow at Restormel on the 1C50 the down sleeper. 14th June 2021. Copyright Craig Munday.

66119 with about forty CDA's working the the 6G09 seen at Golant. 14th June 2021. Copyright Craig Munday.

57603 1A50 St Austell on the up sleeper. 14th June 2021. Copyright Craig Mumday

Many thanks indeed with your latest delivery - the last photograph of all with the up sleeper at St Austell beneath quite heavy cloud and a waxing moon - a brilliant shot in many ways.

Passing traffic at
Stoke Canon
Keith Turley

GWR Hitachi class 800 IET unit No.802020 'Thank you key workers'
with classmate No.802011 on the rear pass Stoke Canon with the
1C72 08:04 Paddington to Penzance service.

Network Rail class 150 DMU No.950001 also at Stoke Canon
working the 5Z08 08:52 Bristol HLS to Truro Yard Network Rail test train.

Regards Keith Turley.

GWR Hitachi class 800 IET unit No.802020 'Thank you key workers' with classmate No.802011 on the rear pass Stoke Canon with the 1C72 08:04 Paddington to Penzance service.16th June 2021 Copyright Keith Turley

Network Rail class 150 DMU No.950001 also at Stoke Canon working the 5Z08 08:52 Bristol HLS to Truro Yard Network Rail test train. Copyright Keith Turley.

Many thanks Keith - the sun certainly brings out the colours.

Painting or demolition at
Starcross
Paul Barlow

47087 Cyclops 2000 Newton Abbot to Exeter Sunday only stopper pauses at Starcross 27 May 1979. Copyright Paul Barlow. Note building roof already supported by struts.