6th March 2019

Public Notices and Posters Collection, has been updated.
Let’s go to the Theatre and the Races or even a railway Museum.

The delights of 
Teignmouth & Dawlish
​Clive Smith 

​Tuesday 5th March 2019 saw me in the lovely coastal resorts on a day of varying weather. Here are a selection of the better shots I managed before the weather took a turn for the worse.

           Regards,  Clive Smith.  Many thanks Clive.

(1) 43158 leads the 09.16 Plymouth - Paddington (via Yeovil) through the cutting between just to the west of Teignmouth station. A bright morning and the right time of day illuminates the train. Not an easy place for photos due the shadows cast. 5th March 2019. Copyright Clive Smith.

(2) A quick few steps over the road to catch 43191 on the rear of the same train as it passes through Teignmouth station. A different view of the station to the one I took last Friday. 5th March 2019. Copyright Clive Smith.

(3) Single car unit 155369 leads a 2-car class 143 pacer on the 12.13 Paignton - Exmouth after leaving Dawlish. This was 12.45 and the clouds had started to roll in and a few spits of rain occurring in the increasing wind. 5th March 2019. Copyright Clive Smith

(4) 66086 and 66126 on the 09.56 Bungullow - Exeter Riverside sand just passed Dawlish. The train had been checked behind the local stopper so its slow speed resulted in a better shot in the deteriorating light . Alas the HST I photographed did not come out so clear. This was taken from the Rockstone Flats footbridge a minute walk from the main Exeter Road that links Dawlish and Starcross. 5th March 2019. Copyright Clive Smith.

(5) Notice board at the beginning of the path that leads down to the footbridge over the railway. 5th March 2019. Copyright Clive Smith

Appeal answered twice over
Westbury
Martin Scane

​An Uncle of mine (John) is seeking some information on the 3.40 (15.40) perishables from Penzance to Paddington (especially in the period 1955-62). I wonder if it is possible to publish this request for information on the CRS website? If not then absolutely no problem. John recalls this train at night (11.00ish) at Westbury behind usually a Castle or occasionally a King. It would have been closely followed by the 16.10 perishables (meat). I wonder if these two were sometimes combined? The main question is threefold . What would have been conveyed on the 3.40 and presumably this was very much seasonal? We are thinking flowers, potatoes, broccoli etc. What was the formation? Parcels vans, Siphons, ex SR Utility Vans etc with a passenger brake at the rear? Would the make up vary seasonally or even weekly/daily? Did the train run all year and was it 6 days per week? If anyone has some info perhaps they could contact me initially by email or telephone on 07977550051. Regards Martin Scane   Can you help??

A several days ago the above appeal was published, and in within a day a reply was received from Mike Roach which was passed directly on to Martin. Many thanks for that Mike. In addition Tony Hill has very kindly sent in two scans of a working time table.   Many thanks for that Tony, who wrote:- 
​I think YES is the answer to most of Martin's questions.
However with thanks to Stephen Derek (formerly of Exeter Central SR District Office and WR HQ Paddington)  and to (the late) John Morse [ex Bristol DMO & RHQ Paddington] , I can supply a photocopy of the 3.45pm Penzance to Paddington Parcels Train's formation, which was published on page 106 of the:
 "British Railways -  (Western Operating Area)
'Programme of Working of Coaches and Vans in Through Trains' 
 for 17th September. 1956 to 16th June 1957 - (or until further notice)"
Many thanks also to Stephen Derek and the late John Morse.

WR Train Formations. From Stephen Derek and Tony Hill

3 45pm Penzance to Paddington. From Stephen Derek and Tony Hill