We have moved ! As the Latest Input, News & old pictures etc is the most likely thing you are going to click on I have moved this to the top of the menu on the home page. I hope this wins your approval. K.J.
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St Austell & Bugle 25th June 1978
Roger Winnen
Roger Winnen
780625s Claa 50047 Swiftsure at St Austell with a train for Penzance alongside in the up platform is the motorail. Copyright Roger Winnen
780625t Claa 50010 Monarch departs St Austell. In the background a Class 08 has appeared since the previous photograph. Copyright Roger Winnen
780625p Cornish Steam Preservation Soc coach under restoration at Imperial Sidings Bugle Copyright Roger Winnen
780625q Fireless engine under restoration at Imperial Sidings Bugle.These two exhibits are now at the Bodmin & Wenford Railway Copyright Roger Winnen
After the storm
Guy Vincent
Guy Vincent
Following on from Friday and Storm Eunice the railway slowly began getting back to normal on Saturday and a trip out to Melksham was rewarded with Colas 70801 hauling a train of redundant 1960s CWR track sections heading east at 1440 as 6C23 1105 Bristol East Junction - Hinksey Yard. The train was routed via Taunton (where the loco ran-round) and Westbury. The recovered track came from one of the relief lines in the Stapleton Road area.
Local services were still disrupted with a couple of cancellations noted and the information screen at Melksham station displaying a special notice to intending travellers.
Local services were still disrupted with a couple of cancellations noted and the information screen at Melksham station displaying a special notice to intending travellers.
Shurnhold, Melksham 70801 6C23 1105 Bristol East Jcn-Hinksey recovered track panels 19th February 2022 Copyright Guy Vincent
Melksham 6C23 1105 Bristol East Jcn-Hinksey 19th February 2022 Copyright Guy Vincent.
Storm Eunice Follow-Up Advice 19th February 2022 Copyright Guy Vincent
Many thanks Guy for your continued coverage despite 'Eunice'.
Footbridge Restoration at
Castle Cary
Guy Vincent
Castle Cary
Guy Vincent
The GWR footbridge at Castle Cary is currently undergoing refurbishment with the main span recently taken away for specialist attention. A temporary footbridge, erected almost two years ago, is now in use at the western end of the station and will remain so until the original span returns.
Best regards, Guy Vincent
Best regards, Guy Vincent
Castle Cary Footbridge Looking NE towards Westbury. 17th February .2022 Copyright Guy Vincent
Castle Cary Temporary Footbridge Looking SW towards Taunton. 2nd June 2020 - we are Copyright Guy Vincent
Many thanks Guy
Footnote re Footpath - As one who quite frequently used to travel from Southampton to Redruth via Weymouth I was very interested to see Guys pictures above. I was unaware of the temporary footbridge arrangement. Between changing trains at Castle Cary my wife and I used to walk up the pathway to the SE towards Ansford (Castle Cary) alongside the original road route. Using Google I looked up and found that the field to the right of this footpath is under threat of development, and indeed the pleasant visa looking back towards the station and Glastonbury may already be lost.
Readers will find the planning proposal [click below] it makes very interesting reading complete with pictures, history and maps.
CASTLE CARY STATION, ANSFORD, SOMERSEThttps://www.southsomerset.gov.uk › media › cd-l-03-herit...
27 Apr 2020 — 4.2 Assessment of heritage significance of Castle Cary Station . ... for pedestrians using the footpath between Ansford Hill and Station.
Readers will find the planning proposal [click below] it makes very interesting reading complete with pictures, history and maps.
CASTLE CARY STATION, ANSFORD, SOMERSEThttps://www.southsomerset.gov.uk › media › cd-l-03-herit...
27 Apr 2020 — 4.2 Assessment of heritage significance of Castle Cary Station . ... for pedestrians using the footpath between Ansford Hill and Station.
Little Western Railway
Richard Curtis
Richard Curtis
I emailed last year about my refurbishment of the Little Western Railway in Newquay.
I’m happy to report that despite not opening until May 2021 over 45,000 passengers enjoyed a ride on the railway which was nearly 4 times the numbers it was carrying before I bought the line. The new petrol locomotive ‘Linda’ built by Mardyke (who also built the HST in 1980) proved a great hit with everyone. Whilst waiting for my own steam locomotive to be finished Moors valley lent me the twin sister to my engine ‘Horton’ which was the first steam power in 5 years. The Romulus ‘Angkor Wat’ was sold due to its lack of power for day in commercial use (we parked Horton next to it which got a few laughs). The new overall station was the best thing I did. On days with showers it meant waiting passengers could stay dry, there were wet days that had better numbers than dry days. Everyone has said they love the station, we even managed to get the power turned back on. Many locals now find it amusing that the town’s miniature railway has a better station than the branch line. It has a staffed ticket office, a queue area with separate entrance and exit and 2 working platforms if required.
Then after a fantastic but busy year I took delivery of my steam locomotive ‘Ashleigh’ named after my future wife, I even used it to propose to her. The engine is painted in Caledonian railway blue, not to look like Thomas the tank but because the real Ashleigh has stottish family. Hopefully I’ll be able to run the first public trains with her over Easter. I say hope as the latest project is to build a depot around the back of the railway by the zoo. This has meant I’ve had to take the track up to the engine shed so Ashleigh is currently marooned in there. Planning permission was finally granted last week so the materials are on order and work should start in March. The depot will have a 3 road shed and 3 separate rooms within the building for various storage. The main reason for this is to house all the rolling stock as I have to much to currently store it all on site. 4 ex-Dobwalls coaches are currently having an overhaul (offsite), on the job list for those at the moment are new axles and bearing housings with metric bearings. Once complete for the summer the railway will then be able to run 6 coach trains at a time (with 2 as spares just in case) which should help with the busy afternoons in August. There’s always lots to be done on the to do list but I’m really hoping that this year I’ll be able to finally install the signals I bought and get some heritage signage to add to the overall experience.
Kind regards,
Richard Curtis
I’m happy to report that despite not opening until May 2021 over 45,000 passengers enjoyed a ride on the railway which was nearly 4 times the numbers it was carrying before I bought the line. The new petrol locomotive ‘Linda’ built by Mardyke (who also built the HST in 1980) proved a great hit with everyone. Whilst waiting for my own steam locomotive to be finished Moors valley lent me the twin sister to my engine ‘Horton’ which was the first steam power in 5 years. The Romulus ‘Angkor Wat’ was sold due to its lack of power for day in commercial use (we parked Horton next to it which got a few laughs). The new overall station was the best thing I did. On days with showers it meant waiting passengers could stay dry, there were wet days that had better numbers than dry days. Everyone has said they love the station, we even managed to get the power turned back on. Many locals now find it amusing that the town’s miniature railway has a better station than the branch line. It has a staffed ticket office, a queue area with separate entrance and exit and 2 working platforms if required.
Then after a fantastic but busy year I took delivery of my steam locomotive ‘Ashleigh’ named after my future wife, I even used it to propose to her. The engine is painted in Caledonian railway blue, not to look like Thomas the tank but because the real Ashleigh has stottish family. Hopefully I’ll be able to run the first public trains with her over Easter. I say hope as the latest project is to build a depot around the back of the railway by the zoo. This has meant I’ve had to take the track up to the engine shed so Ashleigh is currently marooned in there. Planning permission was finally granted last week so the materials are on order and work should start in March. The depot will have a 3 road shed and 3 separate rooms within the building for various storage. The main reason for this is to house all the rolling stock as I have to much to currently store it all on site. 4 ex-Dobwalls coaches are currently having an overhaul (offsite), on the job list for those at the moment are new axles and bearing housings with metric bearings. Once complete for the summer the railway will then be able to run 6 coach trains at a time (with 2 as spares just in case) which should help with the busy afternoons in August. There’s always lots to be done on the to do list but I’m really hoping that this year I’ll be able to finally install the signals I bought and get some heritage signage to add to the overall experience.
Kind regards,
Richard Curtis
Little Western Railway Newquay 'Linda' Copyright Richard Curtis
Little Western Railway Newquay Proposal Special. The station . Copyright Richard Curtis
Little Western Railway Newquay 'Ashleigh' Copyright Richard Curtis
Little Western Railway Newquay 'Angor Watt' (in blue) and 'Horton'. Copyright Richard Curtis
Little Western Railway Newquay Horton calls at the station Copyright Richard Curtis
ttle Western Railway Newquay. The station and turntable. Copyright Richard Curtis
Little Western Railway Newquay. The departing train at the station Copyright Richard Curtis
Great Western Railway
Newquay Branch - Treloggan
Richard Curtis
Newquay Branch - Treloggan
Richard Curtis
Lastly have you seen that network rail are about to upgrade the foot crossing at the top of wildflower lane on the Newquay branchline. https://www.newquay.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/NEW-302m-01ch-Treloggan-footpath-crossing-final.pdf
Many thanks to you Richard for the above two items - we wish you every success with the vastly improved LWR and thank you for the tip off re Treloggan Crossing.