21st June 2022

Penzance Station
Day 1 of the RMT Strike
Roger Winnen

220621a Day 1 of the RMT Strike at Penzance. Copyright Roger Winnen

220621b A room which was situated at the bottom of the steps and running under the pavement, leading to the balcony above and to the top entrance to the station contained this massive chimney. Could this room contained the coal being off loaded in a earlier photo this week. One wonders!. Copyright Roger Winnen

220621c Rounding the station corner. Copyright Roger Winnen

220621d The RMT Strike Pickets in attendance at Penzance. The station being locked up today. Copyright Roger Winnen

220621e The RMT Strike Pickets in attendance at Penzance. The station being locked up. Copyright Roger Winnen

Long Rock
Day 1 of the RMT Strike
Mark Lynam

​Good afternoon Keith/Roger,
Below are some photos of a full Longrock depot from earlier today with no trains running due to the RMT strike.
Thanks, Mark Lynam

1. From left to right 800318, 43005, 800301, 43042 (behind the MK3) and 57604. Copyright Mark Lynam

2. A close up of 57604 at rest. Copyright Mark Lynam

3. 43192 "Trematon Castle" outside the shed 43198 was on the other end. Copyright Mark Lynam

4. On the fuel road, four Class 150s coupled together being - 150232, 150244, 150263 & 150233. Copyright Mark Lynam

Many thanks Mark.
​

Classic Forder
Chris Harvey

Hi Keith,
Please find attached a shot from a perfect June evening twenty years ago. Running 75 minutes late, 47 848 gallops across Forder viaduct in the late sunshine of the 27th June 2002, with the 0840 Glasgow - Penzance.
Best Regards, Chris

A classic shot as 47 848 crosses Forder Viaduct with a smashing glimpse of Plymouth, Devon, England beyond. 27th June 2002. Copyright Chris Harvey.

Many thanks Chris - a marvellous shot.
​

New Devizes Station
Guy Vincent

Hello Keith I was interested to read of a further attempt / proposal to establish a ‘Parkway’ station on the Berks and Hants line at Lydeway to the south of Devizes. The idea has been mooted on several occasions over the past 40 or so years with no positive outcome realised. I have attached a shot of a page from one of my scrapbooks covering this topic from newspaper reports dating from 1986 and 1992. These make for entertaining reading although I am sure there was good intention at the time. The idea of using old sleepers for platforms and then bringing the former station footbridge down from Patney in three sections certainly raised a laugh or two. Since the mid 1960s Bedwyn has served as the terminating point for local services from Paddington and stations to Newbury and was the westernmost station on the line under the Network SouthEast period (1986~1996). Pewsey has always relied on a token service of trains broadly angled around serving London in the morning peak and towards Plymouth from late afternoon and into the evening. Since 2018 things have improved with more off-peak trains in both directions. As always, time will tell but I expect this idea to be in the ‘pending’ file for some time to come. Best regards Guy Vincent.

Cuttings from the Guy Vincent Collection.

Extremely interesting. Many thanks indeed to Guy and Cathy Vincent. We can only keep our fingers crossed and hope.
​

A bit of Belmond Magic.
​Craig Munday

Hi Keith, A superb opportunity to sample the splendour of the Belmond Pullman on Saturday, even if this necessitated a two night hotel stay in Victoria! All was worth it to spend a day of luxury on the Belmond Pullman with 50007 up front putting in a stupendous shift working alone in the absence of its partner 50049. 
The big camera was left at home, but a sampler of pictures from the day included - although a bit off-area". Some of the class 50 alliance team are pictured at Victoria after a Victorious (excuse the class 50 pun) day! 
Best wishes, Craig 

50007 Exeter St Davids 5Z50 18th June 2022. Copyright Craig Munday

50007 VSOE Exeter SD 18th June 2022. Copyright Craig Munday

Craig in Utopia! 18th June 2022. Copyright Craig Munday

50007 with the crew at Victoria. VSOE 18th June 2022. Copyright Craig Munday

A souvenir shot at Victoria 18th June 2022. Copyright Craig Munday

Many thanks Craig for your record of your fabulous day out - lucky you. As you say some of it a bit out of our 'reporting region' but there is a strong 'Western Connection' !!!