April 9th 2026

9/4/2026

That purple 66 again..!
Tony Shore, Sam Sheldrick, Jon Hird, Mark Lynam & Clive Smith

GB Railfreight's eye-catching Platinum Jubliee livered class 66 No. 66734 was in action again yesterday in Cornwall, working the Par Harbour - Exeter Riverside JIA's.

66734 shunts the JIA's into the loading wharf at Par Harbour. 08.04.2026, copyright Tony Shore.

66734 shunts the wagons pulling forwards beneath the bridge which carries the mainline over the short harbour branch. 08.04.2026, copyright Mark Lynam.

With its 11 wagons loaded, the train draws forwards to the road crossing at Par. 08.04.2026, copyright Tony Shore.

Running round in St. Blazey yard, where the signage of the previous freight carrier of the region still stands. 08.04.2026, copyright Tony Shore.

66734 has reversed its train out of St. Blazey and departs for the mainline. 08.04.2026, copyright Tony Shore.

66734 and 6C53 heading non-stop through Lostwithiel. 08.04.2026, copyright Sam Sheldrick.

66734 adds a splash of colour to the Glynn Valley as it crosses Pendalake Viaduct with 6C53. 08.04.2026, copyright Jon Hird.

A few viaducts further on, but still within the Glynn Valley, 66734 crosses East Largin Viaduct. 08.04.2026, copyright Mark Lynam.

Now in Devon, 66734 crosses Blatchford Viaduct west of Ivybridge with the 6C53 15.19 Par Harbour - Exeter Riverside clay JIAs running 50 minutes early. 08.04.2026, copyright Clive Smith.

Many thanks again all. An upside of GBRf handling the clay is the wide array of liveries their fleet carries - Is there anything anyone is particularly looking forwards to seeing on the clay?

The Didcot Railway Centre
Colin Pidgeon

Hudswell Clarke No 1026 running as No31 SIR ROBERT McALPINE & SONS (LONDON) LIMITED No 31. This loco was sent to Didcot Railway Centre for repair and was being run in before returning to the late Sir Robert McAlpine's Fawley Hill Railway which will allow 2409 KING GEORGE to return to Didcot. 06.04.2026, copyright Colin Pidgeon.

Hudswell Clarke No 1026 running as No31 SIR ROBERT McALPINE & SONS (LONDON) LIMITED No 31. 06.04.2026, copyright Colin Pidgeon.

GWR Castle Class 4079 PENDENNIS CASTLE. 06.04.2026, copyright Colin Pidgeon.

GWR Large Prairie 4144. 06.04.2026, copyright Colin Pidgeon.

GWR Mogul 5322 which had just been repainted and put on show. 06.04.2026, copyright Colin Pidgeon.

Many thanks Colin, a great collection of GWR excellence!

Whernside at Westbury
Guy Vincent

Two freights around Westbury yesterday morning, Wednesday April 8th.

69010 (the former 56065) heading south and up through Dilton Marsh with the daily trip freight, today running as 6O39 1014 Westbury - Eastleigh and conveying a CWR rail drop formation. 08.04.2026, copyright Guy Vincent.

60095 Whernside, owned by GB Railfreight and currently on hire to Cappagh / DC Rail, approaching Westbury with 6M51 0945 Merehead - Quainton Railhead loaded stone. 08.04.2026, copyright Guy Vincent.

The train is booked to recess at Westbury for around 40 minutes so there was time to get to the station and witness its departure at 1110am. 08.04.2026, copyright Guy Vincent.

The name was previously carried by class 44 Peak 44006. On the subject of class 44 locos, does anyone have photographic evidence of any of these ten locos working south of Gloucester or Didcot? Despite searching for years I’ve yet to find anything! 08.04.2026, copyright Guy Vincent.

From Wikimedia Commons courtesy of Nigel Tout, a photo of 44006 Whernside heading north on the Midland main line with a brake tender and train of coal empties and passing Allsop’s Crossing south of Loughborough on July 9th 1975. Following a derailment at Spalding, Lincs, on December 14th 1976 44006 was re-railed and moved at slow speed to Derby Works where it was condemned towards the end of January 1977 and quickly broken up, disposal being completed by April that year. Copyright Nigel Tout/Wikipedia.

Many thanks Guy, great notes and interesting photographs. GBRf certainly seem to have the lions share of the freight traffic here in the west nowadays.