7th May 2020

Plymouth Station
Adrian King

Plymouth Station last week of July 1962 D1000 Western Enterprise double headed by a Warship Diesel. Copyright Adrian King.

Many Thanks Adrian

The 1959 Summer 
Michael L Roach

6860 Aberporth Grange of Penzance Shed is seen 'off the road' at Plymouth North Road Station on 8th August 1959. The loco was dragged back up ramps and onto rails at 12.25 pm by County Class 1006 County of Cornwall also from Penzance shed. To the left is prairie tank 5511, and to the right 5028 Llantilio Castle on the 10.00 Newquay to Paddington. 5948 Siddington Hall of Pontypool Road shed was added to assist over the Devon Banks. Copyright Mike Roach.

Hi Roger

Thanks for your call yesterday and its quite amazing to think that there were another two regular contributors to the CRS website there at Plymouth Station on that day more than 60 years ago. This is what Adrian King wrote to me,
"Just had to drop you a line regarding your continuing article in the CRS magazine which I received today. ................................... The thing that really got to me, I was on holiday in Plymouth on the dates you mentioned, in fact I realise that the day  we must have travelled back to South Wales was Saturday 8th August 1959. It can only be that date as we always went down for a fortnight on a Saturday and back on a Saturday the last few days of July and the first full week in August."
 Roger Winnen wrote
On Saturday 8th August 1959 I travelled to Plymouth with a friend, on arriving we were greeted by 6860 Aberporth Grange off the rails at Plymouth Station, County of Cornwall also a  Penzance engine was standing by to drag her back on track.
Money was tight in those days so prior going to Laira Shed we visited the Refreshment Room on Platform 7 for a pasty I believe it was 8d and a wax carton of orange Kio-ra at 6d. By that time we only had money left for the bus fare from Alexandra Road, Mutley to Laira and return.
Plymouth in those days was a scene of activity!
Roy Hart writes
Dear Keith,
There is another photograph of this incident in 'An Illustrated History of Plymouth's Railways' by Martin Smith (Irwell, 1995). Photo by Terry Nicholls. The caption says that the re-railing attempt using 1006 was not successful. This photo shows the 'County' drawing up to the casualty, which is certainly well grounded on 'old England'.
All the best!
Roy

34058 Sir Frederick Pile passes beneath the Royal Albert Bridge on its way into Plymouth along the Southern main line from Okehampton on the 1.14pm from Exeter Central at 3.00pm on Thursday 6th August 1959. Copyright Mike Roach

D6302 and 5028 Llantilio Castle pass Rattery distant signal with a down express at 4.20pm on the 15th August 1959 The signal, telegraph poles and electricity pylon have long dissappeared, but the large tree is still there. You would not wish to stand in this location on the road bridge for very long these days. Copyright Mike Roach

The Saturday holiday express is seen changing locomotives, with the train stopped on the bank outside Laira steam shed. This saved light engine movements between Laira and North Road Station and would not continue much longer as diesels took over the whole journey. Here we see Granges 6832 Brockton Grange and 6828 Trellech Grange coming off and D6300 and D600 Active going onto the train which is the 08.15 Perranporth to Paddington. The time is 11.05 on Saturday 8th August 1959. Copyright Mike Roach

Many Thanks Michael

Dangerous Dawlish - a remarkable picture
Dawlish
Tony Hill

Dawlish A southeasterly at Dawlish. 5th May 2020. Copyright - friend of Tony Hill. Note the partially completed sea defences at the bottom left of this picture.

This picture taken on the afternoon of Tues 5th May 2020 shows the effect of the forecasted easterly breeze of 15-20 mph at around high tide with waves/spray going over the new raised wall of concrete block segments being installed just west of Dawlish Stn. by Contractors for NR.
As has become the norm now for a few years with high seas etc, no 'Voyager' Cross Country services operated between Exeter  and N.Abbot.

From a Dawlish Resident via Tony Hill 

Many thanks to you and your friend Tony - it certainly shows the completed portion of the wall working to protect the railway.

Exeter Flowepot
Bill Elston

Hope you’re all OK down in ‘Piskie’ land. Have been sorting out photos during my ‘leisure time’ and came across the attached photos  of 47500 GREAT WESTERN, passing Exeter Flowerpot on 27th May 1989 on a Penzance to Pad motorail service.
Note the crests of London and Bristol on either side of the GWR badge.
 Hope these are of interest Stay safe,  Bill

47500 with the Penzance - Paddington Motorail. 27th May 1989 Copyright Bill Elston

Looking very neat = the crests carred on 47500 Great Western. 27th May 1989. copyright Bill Elston.