19th June 2020

Cement and China Clay
Jamie Dyke

​70809 at Respryn heading towards Lostwithiel to run around working 6C36 07:17 Moorswater to Aberthaw. Copyright Jamie Dyke

​66131 at Par Chapel Sidings before working the continuation of 6Z60 11:51 Parkandillick to Bescot Down Side. Copyright Jamie Dyke

​66012 at Par working 6G09 13:02 Goonbarrow Junction to Fowey Dock Carne Point with 66131 in the background in Chapel Sidings before working the continuation of 6Z60 11:51 Parkandillick to Bescot Down Side. Copyright Jamie Dyke

​66012 at Golant working 6G09 13:02 Goonbarrow Junction to Fowey Dock Carne Point. - 19/06/20
The last CDA clay working in Cornwall till mid July apparently. Copyright Jamie Dyke

Thanks Jamie

ECS Move The Night Riviera 
Long Rock to Reading TCD 
Roger Salter  Jamie Dyke Andrew Triggs & Clive Smith

After suffering a slow puncture this morning & on the way to repair facility, I was lucky to get the shots of 5Z71 0830 Penzance-Reading Traincare Depot leaving 10 mins early

​ 57604 resides on Old Bank, Ponsandane with the remaining Night Riviera set, as 'GTi' 2C03 07.10 Plymouth-Penzance 2+4 set passes by. Copyright Andrew Triggs

200619a 57603 Tintagel Castle departs Long Rock Depot with the early running Empty Coaching Stock move of the Night Riviera to Reading Traincare centre. Copyright Roger Salter

200619a 57603 Tintagel Castle departing from the depot at Long Rock. Copyright Roger Salter

200619c 57605 Totnes Castle tails the move on the single line between Long Rock Crossing and the former Mexico Crossing at Long Rock. Copyright Roger Salter

​Running as 5Z71 08.30 Longrock T&RSMD-Reading Traincare Depot running 11 early at 08.21 as it passes Marazion. Copyright Andrew Triggs

​57603 leading, disappears in the white clag, as it heads up Marazion marsh, with 57605 bringing up the rear. Copyright Andrew Triggs

200619d 57605 Totnes Castle approaches Burngullow. Copyright Jamie Dyke.

200619e 57603 Tintagel Castle tails the train at Burngullow. Copyright Jamie Dyke

200619f 57603 approaches Langham Levels west of Ivybridge station with the 5Z71 08.30 Penzance T&RMSD - Reading Traincare Depot stock working. 57605 is on the rear. The return of the sleepers seems to be on the cards but will we see the daytime coaches temporarily on local services for familiarisation ? In the distance can be seen one of the massive Lee Moor china clay spoil heaps. Copyright Clive Smith

57603, Oath Farm Sleeper ECS 18th June 2020. Copyright Bill Elston.

57605,Oath Farm 18th June 2020 Copyright Bill Elston

57605,Oath Farm 18th June 2020 Copyright Bill Elston

Thanks to Roger,  Jamie, Andrew, Clive, & Bill.

Gems from
Truro
Trevor Tremethick

I found these in my box of old slides. They must have come from one of my first ever rolls of colour film. Don't know if they will be of interest, but they show a busy Truro Yard in March 1973. Two 25s shunting! The further one, 7574, is still in green livery, although you can hardly see it - just the white trim at the base of the body side. The one where 7573 has pulled forward (were they expecting snow?) looks like it might have rubble from Truro West Box demolition behind it and a larger pile of rubble further over (from the shed?). Don't know if these are of interest but I thought you might as well see them. At least the yard was fairly full then!
Best wishes to all Trevor Tremethick.

Classes 25 in a busy Truro yard. 7574 in green, 7573 in blue. 22nd March 1973. Copyright T Tremethick

Truro Class 25 7573 shunting. 22nd March 1973. Copyright Trevor Tremethick. Apart from the interest of an active yard notice also the piles of rubble mentioned by Trevor.

A bonus from Roy Hart (Burma):-  ​Dear Keith, I enjoyed studying Trevor's lovely pictures of Truro: one 'gem' not mentioned is that in the second picture, behind the container wagon, is the former Truro 'A' signal box. This box opened around 1875, controlling the old broad gauge layout. It was built by Saxby and Farmer (the GW, like most railways at that time, contracted out for signalling). This old box was replaced by today's Truro box (Truro East until 1971) in 1899. The old Saxby box seen here was re-erected on this site and served as the signal lineman's workshop. Roy  Thank you for that Roy.

Many thanks for these great pictures Trevor. Memories of the past, the changing scene at Truro.

Lydford
Michael Manning

The Question - Would you pass around the enclosed photo to see if anyone can Identify this wagon and its normal usage. I assume it was ex-GWR as its on that side of Lydford station. Hope everyone is keeping safe and wishing lockdown for us oldies this end was over and done with. Regards, Mike Manning.
​P.S. ​Sad to say there was no response to my call for information on the demolition of the ex southern railways in Cornwall.

Van at Lydford. Copyright Michael Manning.

​The answer - This van is a Southern Region PMV Van (Parcel & Miscellaneous Van) being a four wheeler, they also made PMV with bogies, on any parcel train in the West Country there was nearly always one of these vans to be seen. These vans were built between 1919 through to 1951

The *Diagram 960 PMVs* were a series of *P*arcels and *M*iscellaneous *V*ans built by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Eastern_and_Chatham_Railway> (SE&CR) from 1919. The prototype van was used to carry the bodies of Edith Cavell <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edith_Cavell>, Charles Fryatt <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Fryatt> and The Unknown Warrior <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unknown_Warrior> from Dover <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dover> to London <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London>. It has been preserved by the Kent and East Sussex Railway <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_and_East_Sussex_Railway>. The SE&CR vans were known as the *Cavell Vans* for this reason.

The Southern Railway <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Railway_(Great_Britain)> constructed a number of similar vehicles to *Diagram 3103*, and further batches were turned out by British Railways until 1951. Both types saw service into the 1980s

All the best, Roger Winnen. 

Well done Roger, and many thanks indeed.

Railtour Memories
Andrew and Diane Jones

Andrew and Diane have kindly sent in a few pictures of a BR operated railtour in 1983.  These pictures have also been added to our railtour files.

The railtour creeps cautiously down towards Nanpean wharves at Drinnick Mill. 20th November 1983. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.

The railtour has just arrived at Parkndillack- we look back towards the bridge from which may photographs were taken. 20th November 1983. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.

It's the good old days, so we all pile out and explore. 20th November 1983 Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.

Due to the clay dust the area is predominately white. The field to the right has been built over and is now a waste for energy site - not a pretty sight some would say. 30th November 1983. Copyright Andrew and Diane Jones.

Many thanks to Andrew and Diane Jones.
​

Craig's New Book
Don't forget to order.

​Dear all I am really pleased to announce my first railway pictorial book is due out soon. It's Volume 1 of Cornish Railways focusing on the railways and scenery in East & mid Cornwall including the branches. Volume 2 - further down west will follow in due course. It's just having its final proof reading and Volume 1 is off to the printers. https://shop.keypublishing.com/product/View/productCode/B693/Cornish%20Railways Cheers Craig.