Blog Archives

31st January 2023

31/1/2023

The Swanage Bulleid Gala
March 2017 Part 2
Roger Salter

34092 City of Wells and 34081 at Swanage. Copyright Roger Salter

34081 & 80146 at Swanage.. Copyright Roger Salter

34070 at Swanage. Copyright Roger Salter

80146 at Swanage. Copyright Roger Salter

34053 Sir Keith Park at Swanage. Copyright Roger Salter

The North Grounframe(End of the line then) Copyright Roger Salter

Thanks Roger

West Somerset Railway - precision engineering.
Williton workshop
Bill Elston

Hi Keith,
Back in 2004, I had recently started working for the West Somerset Railway Association at their workshop by Williton Station.
They were tasked with the renovation of Bullied Pacific 34046, BRAUNTON, and one of my first jobs was machining from forgings the two Return Cranks; very time consuming as it was done on conventional machinery, ( no CNC machines there!)

The attached photos give some idea of what was involved, hope they are of interest.

Best regards, Bill Elston

Machining return crank for 34046 Braunton at Williton Workshops. (1) picture dated 2004. Copyright Bill Elston

Machining return crank for 34046 Braunton at Williton Workshops. (2) picture dated 2004. Copyright Bill Elston

Machining return crank for 34046 Braunton at Williton Workshops. (3) picture dated 2004. Copyright Bill Elston

Machining return crank for 34046 Braunton at Williton Workshops. (4) picture dated 2004. Copyright Bill Elston

Many thanks indeed Bill for an insight into what is involved in depth. a real engineer at work, precision engineering at its best.

A freezing cold night at
Exeter St Davids
Paul Barlow

A freezing cold night and well below freezing, I did question my sanity!
Kind regards, Paul Barlow.

FGW Blue liveried 150238 Exeter St Davids 24 January 2023. Copyright Paul Barlow.

43009 and 43042 work the 1650 Penzance to Cardiff 2U32 Exeter 24 January 2023. Copyright Paul Barlow.

433187 and 43156 work the 1800 Cardiff to Newton Abbot 2C87 Exeter 24 January 2023. Copyright Paul Barlow.

43187 on front and 43156 work the 1800 Cardiff to Newton Abbot 2C87 Exeter.24th January 2023. Copyright Paul Barlow.

220023 works the 16.42 Birmingham to Plymouth platform 1 Exeter 24 January 2023. Copyright Paul Barlow.

Many thanks Paul, no doubt your enthusiasm kept you warm

30th January 2023

30/1/2023

Liskeard
Chris Harvey

Here is a shot from yesterday (Sat 28th Jan) which you might be able to use.
Lit by the rising sun and framed by semaphores, 43 154 departs east with the 0640 Penzance - Cardiff Central.

Best Regards, Chris Harvey, Bodmin.

43154 heads away from Liskearf with the 06.40 Penzance to Cardiff. 28th January 2023, Copyright Chris Harvey.

A snashing dawn picture - Many thanks Chris

29th January 2023

29/1/2023

Railholiday Open Day
Sunday 29th January 2023
St Germans Station
Roger Winnen

A day to remember viewing the collection of restored coaches behind the station at St Germans, a labour of love.
Many Thanks to Dave and Lizzy Stroud & family together with the volunteers who made me most welcome
Congratulations

230129a The Royal Coach GWR 264 Clerestory of 1897 built for the Queens Diamond Jubilee. Copyright Roger Winnen

230129p The Millpool Brake 3rd of 1896 Copyright Roger Winnen

230129f Inside of this vehicle showing the spendid restoraion carried out by Dave Lizzy and family.

230129h We now move to the Mevy GWR Dean Clerestory Slip 1091 of 1898 Copyright Roger Winnen

230129m The Travelling Post Office GWR TPO 841 of 1889. Copyright Roger Winnen

230129n The Travelling Post Office at St Germans. Copyright Roger Winnen

For further coverage of this event Click Here to go into Features January to June 2023 Item 2302

St Germans today
Peter Murnaghan

Hi Roger,

It was good to see you again at St Germans today. I hope that your trundle to Gunnislake worked out OK afterwards.
I expect that you've got plenty of photos of the carriages at St Germans - I'm quite pleased with my shots. There is one that you probably didn't manage to take; this was the grounded carriage body in the 10 acre Colgear Woods. It seems to be in use as a crib hut for the people who work in the woodland, but my picture of the back of the carriage looks nice and 'undiscovered'. I don't know any of its history, but I guess it wasn't needed for holiday accommodation, so ended up in the woods.

Many Thanks Peter for this photograph it was nice to see you today
Many Thanks Roger
P.S. After getting to Plymouth it was blowing hard so I returned home by 17.00 hrs.

GW at
York
Dennis Clarke

Hi Keith, I travelled up from Watford to Middlesbrough today following my beloved Watford FC. The result was not in our favour but changing trains at York allowed me a brief visit to the National Rail Museum at York. It is a fantastic place to visit and there is so much to see. I managed to photograph a couple of things of interest to the Great Western Railway and have attached the photos. Power car 253001, 43002, Sir Kenneth Grange. Great Western Railcar No.4. Richard Trevithick statue. Regards, Dennis Clarke

Power car 253001, 43002, Sir Kenneth Grange. 28th January 2023. Copyright Dennis Clarke

Great Western Railcar No.4. 28th January 2023. Copyright Dennis Clarke

York Musuem, Richard Trevithick. 28th January 2023. Copyright Dennis Clarke

Sorry about the football, but very glad you made it to York a very worthwhile visit.
Many thanks.

Views on and of
Marsh Barton
Gateway to Riverside Park
Colin Burges

Dear Keith,
You could have relied on the Teign Valley scout to send you shots of the first trains to stop at Exeter's new station!!!!

Marsh Barton - the first train to stop there!!!! Copyright Colin Burges. (See footnote)

Marsh Barton - the second train to stop there!!!! Copyright Colin Burges. (See footnote)

In early November, when I went to Rydon Signs in Pinhoe to make an enquiry, the Marsh Barton signage was ready in the print room. Dave, the boss, told me that his firm had contracts with N.R. and many operators. The firm - previously Ford Signs - had the B.R. contract. So important was the firm that it had an extension from the railway telephone exchange at St. David's. Dave told me that he was hoping to bid for the work that G.B.R. would create; all signage and markings would again become standardized. I advised him not to incur any great expense.

Marsh Barton 28th January 2023 Copyright Colin Burges.

At the junction of Clapperbrook Lane and Grace Road South, a new pavement has been installed.. The lane has been kept open as a path throughout the works so far; it is to the left of the green fence. Behind the mini-digger is the ramp to the new pedestrian bridge and to the right is the path to the Up platform.

Clapperbrook Lane now has two parts: the ancient lane from Alphington Village and this bit (Clapperbrook Lane East). It was severed by the expanding trading estate and by the Alphin Brook flood channel.

When I was a boy, hardly a soul was ever seen on this lane but up until it was closed a succession of cars, many with dogs in the back, were driven over the railway and the canal to a small car park. Temporary access to the Double Locks pub has been provided along the towpath but traffic will resume over the railway once the lane is reopened.

The provision of a dual-use footbridge here enabled the planning inspector to permit the closing of Alphington Crossing. The diversion is lengthy but it was considered suitable. As you may expect, the subject has been covered on my "scouting" pages, as no one else ever bothers with the minor-interest stories. https://www.teignrail.co.uk/scouting/78-alphington-crossing/

Every business case for a new station these days will include reference to enabling development in the area. Marsh Barton was no exception and the reference will be found in the planning documents for Okehampton Parkway, Cullompton, Wellington, Edginswell, Carn Brea, etc. Marsh Barton's blurb included: “The station will support the delivery of 2,500 homes at South West Exeter and an additional 2,000 jobs at Marsh Barton.” That not a single passenger will come from any of those homes is unimportant. https://www.teignrail.co.uk/scouting/60-matford/

When the railway was a powerful, bullish organization, this halt would have been conceived, paid for and delivered, swiftly, without any outside involvement. Now the initiative has to come from others and the railway "organization" acts as a dragging anchor.

The above is extracted from a piece on my main web pages.

In an earlier letter to Devon's transport supremo at the time, I had suggested that the railway may have responded to pressure from outside:

"Assuming that the siting of the trading estate had not for some reason been determined by the proximity of rail transport, and that railway facilities in the form of a new freight yard and possibly private sidings for the larger manufacturers and traders were not planned in the first instance, then railway managers would have soon become aware of the potential for traffic. In fact all employees at the time were encouraged to be on the alert for changes which might give rise to new revenue opportunities.
"Even as the estate was growing, commercial managers would have been eyeing the patterns of travel of the workforce and maybe the customers. A petition may have come forth from a traders' chamber or from the city council. In due course, if it were felt that a halt on the main line could be justified, then a proposal would have been put together and presented to the Great Western board of directors, who would have considered it along with a pile of other proposed investments and renewals. The case would have been accompanied by what today would be seen as the flimsiest forecasting of demand and by an estimate from the engineer based on something similar he had recently done.
"Rubber-stamped by the board within the month, along with approvals for new works of all kinds across the system, the engineer would probably have had a two-platform wooden halt with the most basic furniture and access finished in less than eight weeks. It may have been sited so as to take advantage of the footpath underpass, or at Clapperbrook Lane Bridge, with the continuing expansion of the estate in mind. Depending on its usage, the halt may have been improved and its train service adjusted over time.
"How did it come to pass that this kind of responsive action, which would have been seen certainly up to 1947 and quite likely into the early years of nationalization, has been reversed so that you, as an officer of the county council, have become the driving force and the railway—if any loose organization can be identified which approximates to the title—is for the most part obstructive, or clearly non-expansionist by nature?"

Footnote Re My photos at Marsh Barton : You'll guess that the trains were not actually at a stand. I was only there a moment and each was caught with one press of the shutter.

Colin Burges

28th January 2023

28/1/2023

Norton Bavant
Martin Baker

Hi Keith, some new photos attached for you

Norton Bavant is a delightful location situated in the Wylye Valley approx. 2 miles east of Warminster.
A quiet roadbridge off the B3414 is overlooked by the iron age Scratchbury Hillfort and a famers bridge 5 mins walk to the East provides a second location.
On the 8th July 1987 we see
33001 working an eastbound aggregate train probably from Westbury to Eastleigh.
59003 working an early evening Merehead Fareham
Later in the year we see
33204 on a Cardiff Portsmouth
47626 Atlas working a midday 3 coach Portsmouth Cardiff
The passage of some 36 years has seen the location completely change as we can see from 60009 Union of South Africa seen 19 July 2017 on the Cathedrals Express
A full link to the video can be found here together with a second from the location.
https://youtu.be/KRpZOqPs8zk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRmb0TSBpVk&t=105s
The last photograph illustrates the height extension to the structure of the original bridge and the difficulty to photograph over it.

Kind Regards, Martin Baker

1 33001 working an aggragate train probably Westbury to Eastleigh. 8th July 1987. Copyright Martin Baker

2 59003 59003 working an early evening Merehead Fareham. 8th July 1987. Copyright Martin Bake

3 33204 Cardif to Portsmouth.Copyright Martin Baker

4 47626 Atlas on a midday Cardiff to Portsmouth train. Copyright Martin Baker.

5 60009 Union of South Africa at Norton Bavant. 17th July 1987. Copyright Martin Baker.

Bridge at Norton Bavant - overcoming difficulties in photographing and the solutions. Copyright Martin Baker.

Many thanks Indeed Martin - an excellent collection and excellent links. The last picture showing the difficulties experienced in getting just the right picture. Super job!

Highly recommended -
Railways in the movies
Andrew and Diane Jones

Dear Keith and Valerie,
Apologies for my absence this month.
A film which I had entirely forgotten about appeared on Film4 this week, ‘Young Winston’.
Directed by Richard Attenborough in 1972 it contains a considerable amount of railway input, especially the Neath to Brecon line which substitutes for South Africa and reference to ex GWR 1400 Class 0-4-2 No 1466 borrowed from The Great Western Society at Didcot.
This leads me to a website I have just found www.railwaymoviedatabase.com
Which contains a considerable amount of very interesting material linked to UK railways and the general film industry taken throughout the years.
By searching the database it is possible to glimpse many forgotten railways and the section on the ‘Titfield Thunderbolt’ gives an insight to the production and locations of this wonderful film.
So if you have a few hours to spare, I am sure all at the society would enjoy an evening by the fire full of nostalgia.
On the subject of the Ballast Siding at St Blazey, I suspect we should be braced for more recovery of redundant materials this year, as re signalling approaches.
Very best wishes Andrew and Diane

Many thanks to Andrew and Diane - yes sadly one suspects there will be more recoveries along with the tresured semaphore signals which have so often enhanced our collections of images.

Swindon observations
Colin Pidgeon

Our very good friend Colin Pidgeon has sent several observations taken during a spell at Swindon.

Swindon - 60062 'Sonia' provides a very unusual and striking livery. 26th January 2023 Copyright Colin Pidgeon

70801 on 6M40 Westbury to Stud Farm Swindon 26th January 2023 Copyright Colin Pidgeon

158765 on 2M24 Swindon to Westbury Swindon 26th January 2023 Copyright Colin Pidgeon

Many thanks for your observations Colin - especially 60 062 in that stunning livery.

27th January 2023

27/1/2023

Cornwalls railway system contracts a little further.
Double vision
Craig Munday

Hi Keith

Some images from the month:

from 23rd, seeing double on Hayle viaduct as 1C71 and 2P13 pass enroute to Penzance and Plymouth.

The 24th a picture of both of Imerys' shunters out of service at Rocks. P405D and P406D stand in the strong sunshine - the chimney giving the look of exhaust from the small diesel.

The same day I took some pictures of the disused Ballast Siding at St Blazey, due to be removed in the coming week. Unique as the siding is actually BEYOND the section signal, SB7 signal. It was regularly used back in the old days for Tampers and locomotives. The sleeper stacked in the background illustrate the weekend work ahead as it's being removed. The County will only have one operational double disc ground signal left..... but where is it??

The next day 25th, 66070 looked fine on 6C53 at Burngullow. A bit of brightness on an otherwise dreary day.

Best wishes, Craig Munday

January 23rd 2023, seeing double on Hayle viaduct 1C71 and 2P13 pass enroute to Penzance and Plymouth. Copyright Craig Munday.

24th January 2023. Rocks Driers. Two shunters in briliant sunshine. Copyright Craig Munday.

St Blazey - the ballast siding to be removed this coming weekend. 24th Jauary 2023. Copyright Craig Munday.

St Blazey signalbox - view of the relevant section of the Track diagram. Copyright Craig Munday

From a google earth view the above siding would appear to be about 250 yards long.

66070 emerges off the branch at Burngullow 6C53. 25th January 2023. Copyright Craig Munday.

Many thanks Craig. The answer to Craigs question- Roy Hart offers the solution see below.

'The only double disc left in Cornwall' ?
Mounted on the gantry of the inner home signal at Goonbarrow Junction.
All the best, Roy.
Many thanks Roy - glad you are still watching and checking.

On Sunday 29th January 2023 - open day at
St Germans
Peter Murnaghan

Copy of the advertisment courtesy Cornish Times Wednesday 25th January 2023.

Many thanks Peter. Something to do, something to see, on Sunday between 12 noon and 4PM.

WSR Gala 95 (d)
Paul Barlow

Hymek D7017 on the 17.40 Bishops Lydeard to Minehead 6th May 1995. Copyright Paul Barlow.

Many thanks Paul.

26th January 2023

26/1/2023

Around Par & St Blazey today
Roger Winnen

230126a The siding on the right of this photograph will be recovered during this coming weekend. Copyright Roger Winnen

230126b I should have waited at the pedestrian crossing for the clay. Copyright Roger Winnen

230126c The former buildings of the St Blazey Depot. Copyright Roger Winnen

230126d Refurbishment in progress on the St Blazey Turntable. Copyright Roger Winnen

230126e Class 66 among relics of the turntable awaiting departure to Par with clay to Exeter Riverside. Copyright Roger Winnen

230126f 66070 Departs Par on the 6C 10 Par to Exeter Riverside. Copyright Roger Winnen

Report from
Angkor Wat*
John Roberts

Keith, I was interested in David Hunt’s note on relief trains which stimulated some thoughts about a little-studied topic. [N.B. David Hunts Article 'Special Trains' is to be found in this News Column dated 23rd January 2023] I often wish I’d been born 5 years earlier to see the end of steam, but I’m fortunate to have lived in Cornwall through the hydraulic era of the 60s and the diesel-electric era of the 70s before the HST revolution in the 80s took away much of the interest. However, the hydraulics moved east with me and in the 70s I had them passing my digs in Guildford on Mendip - SR stone trains. And when I worked in Wimbledon there was often a hydraulic standing outside my office on a transfer freight from the WR.

The reliefs continued I think into the mid-80s before Sectorisation and the drive for efficiency deemed that we couldn’t maintain spare stock making only occasional journeys. In those days you could pick up a free Bank Holiday supplement from your local ticket office or by post, some running to hundreds of pages of closely-typed toilet paper, and spend many happy hours plotting the weekend changes. Going back to work after a BH in Cornwall, I’d always choose the relief for initially its musty Mk 1s and Cl 47 and later Mk 2s and Cl 50 instead of the heaving HST. The reliefs usually ran a few minutes ahead of the HST which caught out those not in the know, and had less stops so the loco could stay ahead of the HST. Consequently I could often find a compartment to myself, and as I was alighting from the relief at Paddington it was not uncommon the see the HST pulling into an adjacent platform, an example of timetabling efficiency. A luxury refinement was that some reliefs started at Truro and on 29th August 1977 it’s highly likely that I was on the 16.41 in David’s example. The demise of reliefs was in part countered by the strengthening of HSTs from 2+7 to 2+8, removal of catering and tables to cram in more seats, and downgrading of first class. The extra coach increased journey time through slower acceleration, and had to be conveyed full of fresh air during quieter times. The HSTs heralded shorter stops at Plymouth and catering into Cornwall, but the IETs have reversed this. Which is more efficient: to split and join at Plymouth or save 10 minutes with a fixed-formation? (Then again, in the mid-80s the new InterCity Sector pinched several WR HSTs to open up the Midland Mainline, and some WR services had to return to loco-haulage.)

The mention of excursions reminds me of the efficient use of spare stock at weekends. In the 80s I was living in Croydon and the East Grinstead peak service had a couple of 8-sets including some pre-production Mk 2s with Mk 1 interiors. The gricers in the Central Division traffic office took great delight in using these at weekends to interesting destinations while bashing as much track as possible - and all for £1.50. The staff and their families would set up a makeshift buffet in the Brake End, and sell railway books and out-of-date timetables, thus getting a free trip, the South-London public were happy to be taken to interesting places they’d probably never go by service train, while the rest of us logged signal-boxes with unfamiliar names and stock we’d seen only in our ABCs. From East Croydon we could get to Scarborough via the Erewash Valley and Sheffield Avoiding Lines, West Wales via Gloucester and the Swansea District, or a circular tour over the Central Wales. Other popular destinations were Paignton, Blackpool, Skegness and Wroxham for the Broads. Some of these had no passenger service, and even those that did would not have been possible in a day by service trains. My pre-HST speed record was coming back from Llandudno; down the Trent Valley at 90mph behind an AL6 we were alarmed by the bucking of our Mk 1, but at 100 she settled down and speed continued to climb until we clocked 109mph! These trains were originally marketed as Awaydays (ADEX), later rebranded to Merrymakers with the term Awayday being applied to offpeak day-returns, although Merrymakers could involve an overnight stay or even a boat trip to northern France. For some reason, the SR called theirs Pleasure Seekers and the LM had Round Robins, while first class package holidays were called Golden Rail, or for the over-50s SAGA. Sadly there wasn’t much scope for excursions from the far southwest as those of us who recall how long it took from Redruth to Sheffield Park in 1972 will testify! Together with parcels, perishables and postals they illustrate how much the railway has lost in its relentless drive towards profitability.

Another interesting diversion was the use of Hastings Units on the Brighton - Exeter. At busy times this could be a 6L+6B which meant the train pulling up at short platforms and was a pain as I always sat at the front. I recall having to jump out at Gillingham, wait for the train to pull up and then join the queue for the buffet which meant I couldn’t regain my seat until Sherborne. Later, the East Grinstead stock was used with a Cl 33 from Norwood Loco working it down to Brighton on Saturday mornings. (A few years earlier when I started at Fratton Depot we had Hymeks coming in for running maintenance off the Cardiff - Portsmouths. These were replaced by Cross-Country DMUs and then by Cromptons.) I was occasionally in the right place at the right time; when I moved to London the WR introduced an 18.27FO to Truro facilitating weekends at home. And when I worked in Southampton the Brighton - Exeter was extended to Penzance, returning to Waterloo on Sunday afternoon, some extensions continuing with Cl 159s until they were deemed more useful east of Exeter.

BR understood the leisure market, and engineering work was cleared on the four BH weekends and there was competition among my colleagues to see who could rack up the most overtime on the remaining 48 weekends of the year! (The Mayday BH from 1978 was not a major leisure time, nor was there sufficient slack in the engineering timetable to clear a fifth weekend.) There were however complex Rules of the Route which ensured that major cities were always accessible even if by some convoluted route. Eg we were not allowed to close the ECML and WCML at the same time, while west of Exeter there was extensive single-line working. Blockades were rare and the first one I remember was Cannon Street Station which was little used outside the peaks. This enabled us to close it for the summer and rebuild the river bridge in weeks which would have taken years between trains. This policy was reversed under Railtrack in the incessant drive for efficiency and now blockades and double-line blocks are rife, at a time when there are less accessible buses available to bypass them.

I see you have snow in Cornwall, but this has been a bit of a ramble as it’s pushing 40C here in Angkor Wat, and we’re waiting for the sun to go down so we can venture out. Some snow would be heaven! Best wishes from John & Thu.

Many many thanks for your most interesting article - such marvellous detail John, this brings back memories to us all. Quite why you are thinking back to your youthful enthusiasts days while out in Angkor Wat which is some 10,149 Km or 6306 miles east of Truro I cannot imagine!! If our readers want to know more about this I suggest you google 'Angkor Wat'. Briefly Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia and is the largest religious monument in the world, on a site measuring 162.6 hectares. Happy travels John and Thu.

Out & about with 43184
Clive Smith

Finally after a two month sabbatical on Laira avoiding 'engine hours', 43184 re-emerged with a fresh coat of paint on the 10th January. The weather wasn't too brilliant earlier in the month but earlier this week some sunny days allowed me to capture the celebrity Inter City Executive liveried power car at its best. The daily Cross Country diagram is approximately 650 miles, probably doing twice the daily mileage of the current Castle sets but still short of the 970 miles the Great Western 2+8 sets were clocking up daily in 2019 when they finished on the Londons. If you are lucky enough to travel on these trains north of York you can still enjoy the 125 mph experience.

(1) Bringing up the rear of the 1V50 06.06 Edinburgh - Plymouth at Coryton Tunnel Dawlish on the 10th January.

(2) 1V44 06.11 Leeds - Plymouth passing Laira on the 23rd January . 43303 is on the rear.

(3) On the rear of the 1S51 12.27 Plymouth - Edinburgh at Plympton taken from Cot Hill Bridge on the 23rd January.

(4) 1V50 06.06 Edinburgh - Plymouth at Rattery on the 24th January.

(5) 1V44 06.11 Leeds - Plymouth leaving Newton Abbot on the 25th January.

Regards

Clive Smith

Picture (1) 10th January 2023. Copyright Clive Smith

Picture (2) 23rd January 2023. Copyright Clive Smith

Picture (3) 23rd January 2023. Copyright Clive Smith

Picture (4) 24th January 2023. Copyright Clive Smith

Picture (5) 25th January 2023. Copyright Clive Smith

An excellent selection Clive, you have most certainly been out and about to super spots in super weather. Many thanks.

Exeter St Davids
Phil 'Shattered' Smith

47701 seen in 2000 at Exeter Saint Davids. The driver checks for the ok. Copyright Phil Smith.

Thanks Phil.

WSR Gala 95 (c)
Paul Barlow

D1010 Western Campaigner on the 12.10 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard passes Castle Hill. 6th May 1995. Copyright Paul Barlow.

One can almost hear the '52' roaring. Many thanks Paul.

Exeter
Marsh Barton
Paul Barlow

Marsh Barton - New station notice - but no opening date as yet. Photograph of the notice taken on the 24th January 2023. Copyright Paul Barlow.

Many thanks Paul.

25th January 2023

25/1/2023

Totnes Castle with Barrier Coaches at Long Rock
Roger Salter

Many Thanks Roger

WSR Gala 95 (b)
Paul Barlow

WSR Gala 1995. D1010 Western Campainer on the 12.10 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard approaching Crowcombe. 6th May 1995. Copyright Paul Barlow.

Many thanks Paul

Bradford on Avon Curiosities
Guy Vincent

Hello Keith

Two unusual workings passing through Bradford on Avon station today, Tuesday January 24th. Despite the cold I felt it worthwhile going out to record these trains. At the same time a photo showing work in progress to replace the 1889-built iron bridge that takes the A363 over the line just east of the station.

1) 153385 (57385) passing as 2Q50 1122 Eastleigh Yard - Derby RTC. This former East Midlands-operated class 153 is now used by Network Rail as an infrastructure monitoring unit. This was the probably the first time 57385 has been here since it was one half of 'Sprinter' unit 155335. Class 155's were used, on and off, on Cardiff-Portsmouth and Weymouth services between 1988 and 1991.

2) Cross Country power cars 43285 and 43207 head south on the return leg of the 'as-required' 5Z43 0820 Laira-Athelney-Westbury-Bedminster and return crew training / refreshing run.

3, 4 and 5) Three photos of the A363 (St Margaret's Street) road-over-rail bridge that is being prepared for removal. The 1889-built structure is heavily corroded and holed in many places. A small supplementary bridge has been built to carry utility cables and pipes across the railway until the new structure is installed. Over the last ten or so years travelling around the GWR and SWR networks I have noticed increasing numbers of this type of bridge being replaced as many were put in around the turn of the 19th / 20th centuries and have now reached the end of their lives.

Guy Vincent

Picture (1) Bradford on Avon 153385 2Q50 1122 Eastleigh-Derby RTC 24th January 2023 Copyright Guy Vincent

Picture (2) Bradford on Avon 43285 & 43207 on the . 5Z43 0820 Laira - Bedminster - Laira via W...x1408) Copyright Guy Vincent.

Picture (3) Bradford on Avon A363 St Margaret's Street Bridge 5th March 2022. Copyright Guy Vincent.

Picture (4). Bradford on Avon A363 St Margaret's Street road-over-rail Bridge 24th January 2023. Copyright Guy Vincent.

Picture (5) Bradford on Avon A363 Bridge 20th January 2023. Copyright Guy Vincent.

As you so rightly say Guy, a point in history well worth recording. Many thanks.

24th January 2023

24/1/2023

Ponsandane
24th January 2023
Roger Salter

A visit to Ponsandane this morning to see the work going on to reinstate the sidings for IET units & the new cycle way car park. The granite stone is so big it makes one wonder where they are from & where they will be used as they are delivered to site. The old shunters cabin area is being excavated with more large ,but not so heavy, stone being excavated

All pictures are Copyright Roger Salter

Thanks very much Roger

The 12 noon Parcels Penzance
Michael Forward

Hello Roger, I hope you are keeping well and warm. Lovely pictures in the snow at Penzance and Long Rock, the one of the 47 inspired me to run such a train on my layout! Here we see two 47s—513 ‘Severn’ and 592 ‘County of Avon’ –waiting to leave Penzance with the 12 noon parcels on 13 June 1986. Copyright Michael Forward

Many Thanks Michael

Roving around the
South West
Roger Winnen

230123a It looks like the end for Burngullow Blackpool Dries through the coach window of a 158 Class DMU. Copyright Roger Winnen

230123b Restored Old luggage Van for Holiday lets at St Germans. Copyright Roger Winnen

230123c Cross Country Power Car 43184 at Plymouth. Copyright Roger Winnen

230123d 43184 the rear power car of the 12.27 Plymouth to Edinburgh service. Copyright Roger Winnen

230123e 43187 Cardiff Castle (The Welshman) departs Plymouth on the 12.46 service to Penzance Copyright Roger Winnen

230123f The University Complex at Plymouth Station being unwrapped after its transformation from the former British Railways regional offices for the Western Region. Copyright Roger Winnen

WSR Gala 95 (a)
Paul Barlow

WSR Gala 6th May 1995 50149 and D1010 pair up to head the 17.30 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard seen at Leigh loop. Copyright Paul Barlow.

Many thanks Paul - there are more to come in this series.

A little advertising
Power Point Presentations
Ken Mumford

Looking for a speaker?

Often it's this time of the year when organisations plan their programme for the rest of 2023 and maybe beyond.
This is my latest list of my PowerPoint presentations which you may [or may not] be interested in.
If you wish to discuss any of them further, then please give me an e-amil or telephone number.
I hope to hear from you.
Kind regards, Ken (Mumford) [email protected]

23rd January 2023

23/1/2023

Looe branch
Plashford Bridge
Chris Harvey

153372 on the Looe branch seen at From Plashford Farm bridge 153 372 on the 12.12 Liskeard to Looe. 11th January 2014. Copyright Chris Harvey.

Many thanks Chris., the 153's on this branch just a memory.

Cam and Dursley
Peter Griffiths

Dear CRS
Noting that one of your correspondents regularly travels from Cornwall to Bristol for football reasons, made me realise that my own football travelling has now exceeded 35 years.
Over the years and different homes, my alternate weekends have involved a ‘Pilgrimage’ departing from Kemble, Chippenham and now Cam & Dursley and heading in a south westerly direction.
Anyway, back to railways…
On the return journey today, passengers on the 2E46 Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester were spoilt with, unusually, a double Class 158.
Despite being 30+ years old, I find the Class 158’s vastly superior to the austere and noisy Class 165 & 166’s that normally operate this route.
A couple of snatched photos are attached, that may possibly be of interest.
Kind regards, Peter Griffiths.

On Sunday 22nd January 2023, 158745 & 158767 at Cam & Dursley with 2E46 Bristol Temple Meads to Gloucester. Copyright Peter Griffiths.

Courtesy of Wikipedia - Following a campaign for the reopening of Coaley Junction, the new station called Cam and Dursley opened on 14 May 1994, about 420 yards (380 m) north of the original site, although full opening did not occur until 30 May 1994.[1] The new station is unstaffed, and consists of two platforms, linked by a footbridge, a car park covered by CCTV and a bus stop with shelter. Passenger facilities consist of shelters with seats on both platforms and a ticket machine, with passenger help points installed in late 2010.

On a personal note - I can recall travelling up the Dursley branch on a railtour in the company of the Rev Awdry - the line was only open to goods and on its last legs.

Many thanks Peter.

Coaches in the goods sidings at
Barnstaple
Tony Hill

Hello Keith
I understand from Ian Dinmore and Colin Burges that these two coaches owned by the late Sir William McAlpine were in use on a private tour in May 1982 of the WestCountry by Sir William, which included a night in Barnstaple.
These coaches were preserved at the Fawley Hill Railway established over many years by Sir William.

All the best, Tony Hill.

Many thanks Tony, now we're all the wiser.

Special Trains
David Hunt

Although not related to Cornwall I think that you membership may be interested in the following report of the number of special trains which were running to the South Devon Seaside Resorts in 1977.

With the help of the Internet it is now possible to find the ZULU trains (1Zxx and 2Zxx) running on any day of the week and at any location. If you look at the Railtour Sites it is still possible to find 4 or 5 special trains on any one day but this is over the whole of the country and the number of trains which could run is very much governed by the amount of coaching stock in private hands.
Referring back to my records in 1977 the situation was very different. All of the stock yards would have an allocation of coaches which were branded on the coach ends with A (BSK-A for example) which indicated that the coach was rostered up to 7 days a week, BSK-B up to 5 days a week and BSK-C or plain BSK which had no rostered work. Each coaching stock yard had sufficient spare coaches to make up a train and some yards could provide multiple sets.
In those days the railway catered for Reliefs, Charters, Merrymakers, Mystex and Footex Trains and probably more which I have now forgot about. The West of England was one of the favourite destinations for those trains. In those days it was not the absence of the trains but the ability to find what to expect.
I was fortunate enough to get the majority of this information and have selected 2 dates as examples
.
Monday 29 August, 1977
1Z34 16.25 Bristol Temple Meads to Newquay Load 8 coaches – Return 1Z34 17.35 Newquay to Bristol Temple Meads (50005)
1Z48 06.30 Bristol Parkway to Newquay Load 11 Coaches – Return 1Z48 18.16 Newquay to Bristol Parkway
1Z14 07.27 Great Malvern to Paignton Load 10 Coaches (50023) – Return 1Z14 18.55 Paignton to Great Malvern
2Z41 10.20 Newton Abbot to Exeter St Davids Load 7 Coaches (46002) – Return 2Z42 11.45 Exeter St Davids to Paignton
1Z70 07.25 Alfreton to Paignton Load 11 Coaches – Return 1Z70 18.05 Paignton to Alfreton (47535)
1Z08 10.05 Penzance to Cardiff Central Load 10 Coaches
1Z15 12.10 Penzance to Paddington Load 8 Coaches (47254)
1Z35 16.50 Paddington to Plymouth Load 10 Coaches (47251)
1Z45 16.41 Truro to Paddington Relief Load 12 Coaches (47237)
1Z15 15.45 Paignton to Paddington Load 8 Coaches (47031)
5Z03 09.00 Laira to Barnstaple Booked Load 12 Coaches BUT ran with Load 9 Coaches (25223)
1Z03 12.45 Barnstaple to Meeth Load 9 Coaches (25223?) – Return 1Z03 14.10 Meeth to Barnstaple (25223?)
5Z03 16.24 Barnstaple to Newton Abbot Load 9 Coaches (25223 PLUS 25052 DEAD IN TOW)
2Z64 17.25 Paignton to Exeter St Davids (50025)
2Z72 18.00 Paignton to Swindon Load 10 Coaches (47028)

Sunday 24 July 1977
1Z55 07.40 Gloucester to Paignton Load 12 Coaches (45025) – Return 1Z55 17.35 Paignton to Gloucester
1Z15 07.20 Bargoed to Paignton Load 11 Coaches (47251) – Return 20.20 Paignton to RHYMNEY
1Z35 08.00 Hereford to Paignton Load 10 Coaches (46053) - Return 1Z35 18.10 Paignton to Hereford
1Z85 07.05 Wolverhampton to Paignton Load 11 Coaches (46029) – Return 17.05 Paignton to Wolverhampton
1 Z86 17.25 Paignton to Bicester Load 10 Coaches
1Z65 18.55 Paignton to Paddington Load 10 Coaches

With such an array it was never possible to cover each individual working and the number of coaches were those advertised to run and the locomotive numbers in brackets were the                                   one which was actually identified at Dawlish Warren or Exeter.

Although not included in this list there were numerous trains which ran to and from Teignmouth and even a Clacton-on-Sea to Starcross which when I found out it was coming so was able to warn the residents of this ‘sleepy’ little village what to expect.

David Hunt

Many thanks for your extensive research and report David.

Car on line at Carbis Bay
St Ives branch blocked
Dennis Clarke

Hi Keith, I’m sure that you are aware of this story regarding a car on the line at Carbis Bay ! Kind Regards, Dennis https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-64365637 

Quite how it happened is a mystery at the moment - the police are interested in giving the driver a ticket - if they can find him or her.

22nd January 2022

22/1/2023

Match report
Bristol Temple Meads
Martin Scane

A couple of photographs from a slightly misty and murky Bristol TM this morning. First 43122 Dunster Castle with the 11:32 to Cardiff (ex PZ). This is the train I travelled up on right time all of the way. Second the 11:35 to Gloucester (ex Plymouth). Oh and the match ended 1-1. Cheers Martin

BTM 43122 Dunster Castle with the 1132 to Cardiff (ex PZ). 21st January 2023 Copyright Martin Scane

BTM The 11.35 to Gloucester (ex Plymouth). 21st January 2023. Copyright Martin Scane

Many thanks Martin - hope you enjoyed the trip.

Sad News
The Late Eric Irons

Message received yesterday.
Good afternoon,
I have just learnt that one of our members, Eric Irons, has passed on. I knew him as a work colleague, and he was about 80.

John Ball

Every sympathy to Erics family on this sad occasion.

<<Previous