Activity this weekend at
St Erth
Roger Winnen
St Erth
Roger Winnen
With no engineering trains in the system for West Cornwall one wondered what was happening at St Erth as both the main line and the branch to St Ives was closed. I speculated that the enlargement to the branch platform at St Erth was taking place which was planned to take place in 2018. This turned out not to be true, in fact what was happening was that the crossover at the west end of St Erth was being relaid which allows the branch service to cross to the down main for Penzance.
190209a Replacing part of the crossover to allow The St Ives Branch trains to cross to the down main for Penzance. Copyright Roger Winnen
190209b A close up of the crossover at St Erth. Copyright Roger Winnen
190209c A track circuit joint for installation after the crossover. Copyright Roger Winnen
190209d A Colas Rail Tamping machine in a revised livery waits for the new crossover to be completed before tamping. Copyright Roger Winnen - Copy
190209e The new car park at St Erth for the Park and Ride under construction. Copyright Roger Winnen
Exeter City Basin
Paul Barlow
Paul Barlow
50029 Renown on the 09.10 Brighton to Penzance approaches City Basin Junction on the 20th September 1986 Copyright Paul Barlow
It is with many thanks to our good friend Paul Barlow that we are able to publish these unique pictures of his. Paul who through connections with his railway friend was able to unofficially access the line and box back in the eighties. Things ain't what they used to be!! For more of our City Basin collection click here.
50022 Anson passes Exeter City Basin Signalbox on the 20th September 1986 Copyright Paul Barlow
31458 powers the 09.29 Nottingham to Paignton on the 20th September 1986 Copyright Paul Barlow
Inside Exeter City Basin box on the 20th September 1986 Copyright Paul Barlow
HST 43034 with 43022 leading on a down Paddington service 20th September 1986 Copyright Paul Barlow
47655 on the Liverpool to Penzance on the 28th September 1986 Copyright Paul Barlow. N.B. This is taken from the low level line which used to pass under the main line on route to the quay side a City Basin.
The end came for the already closed 'Plywood Wonder' Exeter City Basin signal box on the 8th February 1987 Copyright Paul Barlow. N.B. The metals in the foreground are those of the Alphington branch formerly the Teign Valley branch.