Blog Archives

8th October 2019

8/10/2019

Indoor Meetings Programme: 2019/20
Don't forget this coming Saturday sees the second of this seasons indoor events.
Saturday 12th October at 6.30PM.

21 years as Signalling Inspector/Incident Officer Cornwall and Devon by Steve Heginbotham. With recent improvements to signalling after years of rationalisation, now is the right time to learn from Steve some of the events and changes he has seen.

Meetings are held at the Memorial Hall, Redruth Methodist Church. For details of this venue please click here.

Worcester Loco Society visit
South Devon Railway
Steve Widdowson

Worcester Loco Society had a day out for its members on Saturday 5th Oct, on the South Devon Rly where their engine is based.

The Worcester Loco Society's engine L92 ( 5786 ) hauled the members during the day on 4 round trips Buckfastleigh / Totnes

The Society are this year marking the 50th year of owning 5786, & next year 2020, see's the Society celebrate its 60th anniversary

Regards Steve Widdowson
Steve sent quite a number of pictures of this event for which we are very grateful - it is intended to include a number of these over the next few days.

Mike King Chairman of Worcester Loco Society, Ian Catling Publicity officer, Chris Wilkinson Worcester Representative. Stand by their loco. 5th October 2019. Copyright Steve Widdowson.

5786 { L92 } being 'coaled' at Buckfastleigh shed 5th October 2019 Copyright Steve Widdowson

5786 { L92 } taking water at Buckfastleigh 5th October 2019 Copyright Steve Widdowson

Seen through the window
Bristol Barton Hill
Dennis Flood

Damaged Tyne and Metro Unit at Bristol Barton Hill. 7th October 2019. Copyright Dennis Flood

Hi Roger, You may be aware of this as this 2-car Tyne & Wear Metro unit has been at Bristol Barton Hill depot for a long time now.

Apparently damaged in a collision in the North East it resides at Bristol Barton Hill depot awaiting repair.

I managed, at last, to get a reasonable picture of both vehicles from a passing train when travelling from Newport to Bristol TM earlier today. 7th October 2019.
Regards, Dennis. With many thanks to our Chairman Dennis Flood.

Andrew on the prowl. Scenes seen at
Penzance
Andrew Triggs

Took the opportunity to capture the already grubby RHTT with DBC 66160 & 66168 on duty stabled behind platform 4 tonight 5 shots of the complete stock enclosed for CRS
All the Best, Andrew. Many thanks Andrew.

1.66160 viewed from the motorcycle park
2.66168 framed by the signage on platform 4
3.66168 on the rear of the formation
4. The water cannons and modules
5. The water tanks

Picture (1) Andrew Triggs.

Picture (2) Andrew Triggs.

Picture (3) Andrew Triggs

Picture (4) Andrew Triggs.

Picture (5) Andrew Triggs

Station direction posts
Scorrier
Martin Scane

In response to the comment on Mike Roach’s article re Gwinear Road station and associated road signs, a similar sign still exists in Carharrack giving directions to Falmouth, Lanner, Truro and Scorrier Station. The sign is literally 20 yards from the bottom of our garden. Scorrier station was situated almost exactly mid way between Chacewater and Redruth stations. Opened in August 1852 by the West Cornwall Railway, it was closed to passengers in October 1964. How well these old finger post signs sit in the countryside compared with the more modern sheet metal versions. Many thanks for this Martin - more from Colin Burges tomorrow. Please send in your pictures of historical road signs.

This grand finger post is located at Carharrack not far from the course of the Redruth and Chacewater Railway which amongst other places served United Mines the site of which is amongst the distant trees. 7th October 2019. Copyright Martin Scane.

7th October 2019

7/10/2019

Today at
Exeter & Crediton
Martin Duff

191007a 47739 at Exeter St David's. Copyright Martin Duff

191007b 47739 at Crediton. Copyright Martin Duff

Thanks Martin

Today at
Crediton
David Tozer

An unusual visitor to Crediton. Possibly in connection with forthcoming relaying between Crediton and Yeoford 47739 was used today on a number of route learning trips. 1010 0Z48 Exeter St David's- Coleford (near Dartmoor Railway boundary). Regards Dave
PS. The drizzle had relented thankfully.
Many thanks David for braving the drizzle and using your camera.

47739 at Crediton at 10.25 on the 7th October 2019, Copyright David Tozer

And now for something different. 47739 Cabside at Crediton at 10.25 on the 7th October 2019, Copyright David Tozer

Today - on route to Crediton seen here at
Taunton
Bill Elston

47739 en route to Exeter and Barnstable branch for route learning purposes. 7th October 2019 Copyright Bill Elston. Taken from 40 steps footbridge just west of Taunton.

Thank you Bill

Golden Oldie
Exeter West
Clive Smith

46052 passes the lower quadrant semaphore signal between Exeter St Thomas and St Davids . The train is the 17.25 Paignton - York on the 1st October 1983. This was the last summer Saturday of the BR timetable in the days when the summer schedule often stretched into the first days of October.

Regards, Clive Smith. Many thanks Clive

Exeter West 46052 17.25 Paignton - York on the 1st October 1983 Copyright Clive Smith.

Turn the water off!!
Dawlish RHTT
Steve Widdowson

Many thanks Steve for your pictures detailing a finer point of the operation of the RHTT. The working party missed an 'early bath - [shower]'

The RHTT has passed Dawlish station - the water jets are in operation. 66160 and 66168 Dawlish { RHTT 0850 Westbury ~ St Blazey} 4th October 2019 Copyright Steve Widdowson

Seconds later the RHTT comes upon the working party on the strengthening work on the sea wall and the jets are turned off. 66160 ~ 66168 Dawlish { RHTT 0850 Westbury ~ St Blazey} 4th October 2019. Copyright Steve Widdowson

6th October 2019

6/10/2019

Winnens Westerns
Ponsandane
Roger Winnen

Leaving a blue haze of exhaust behind it a Western passes Ponsandane with the 14.00 Penzance to Birmingham. It's July 1974. Copyright Roger Winnen. Note the signal post has recently been shorn of the semaphores.

West Somerset Autumn Gala

191005a 9351 originally 5193 arrives at Crowcombe hauling the 13.50 Williton to Minehead service. Copyright David Tozer

191005b 53808 with the 09,10 goods from Minehead is seen nearing Crowcombe Heathfield at Roebuck Crossing.. Copyright David Tozer

191005f 4612 from the Bodmin & Wenford Railway arrives at Williton with the 12.00 Minehead to Bishops Lydeard service. Copyright Roger Winnen

191005h A double headed pair of GWR 77s 7714 and 7752 await to depart Minehead at 13.55 with a service to Bishops Lydeard. Copyright Roger Winnen

191005d 7822 Foxcote Manor making her presence known leaves the yard to haul the 09.55 service to Bishops Lydeard. Copyright Roger Salter

191005e An atmospheris shot of 7822 Foxcote Manor after a very wet nignt with clouds just about clearing at Minehead. Copyright Roger Salter

For full coverage of the West Somerset Autumn Gala
Click Here to go into Features 1931 Late June to December 2019

5th October 2019

5/10/2019

Gwinear Road
Michael L Roach

Gwinear Road Station closed 55 years ago on Monday 5 October 1964. The last passenger trains scheduled to call were:

17 23 Plymouth to Penzance at 19 40 on Saturday 3 October
19 55 Penzance to Plymouth at 20 20 on Saturday 3 October

There were no Sunday trains

Gwinear Road was the junction for the Helston Branch

The freight-only Helston Branch also closed completely the same weekend; it had been closed to passengers about 2 years earlier.

Rather strangely Gwinear Road Station stayed open for goods for another 10 months to 9 August 1965. In earlier years one of the commodities to be taken out of the area by rail was beach sand from a sandpit just to the north of Gwithian Village some 2½ miles to the north-west of the station. The former sandpit survived the closure of the station by several decades, and after closure became a nature reserve.*

Gwinear Road Station was very roughly mid-way between the villages of Connor Downs and Carnhell Green. In the middle of Carnhell Green is a crossroads where the finger post still in 2019 proclaims the distance to Gwinear Road Station as ¾ mile. The station is also still signposted from the next road junction to the south on the B3280.

* Mike was asked about the staying open for goods for an extra 10 months -
MLR/27 September 2019 If parcels traffic had not ceased earlier (as it did in some cases) then when passenger services ended parcels traffic would normally cease on the same day. This is because the station buildings would be locked up and later demolished; there would be no staff left; and no passenger trains calling to load the parcels onto. Of course there are always exceptions to any rule. If a station was dispatching hundreds or thousands of parcels a day a parcels train could call specially to pick them up. This might occur in an a large urban area possibly, but not at Gwinear Road. Even in an urban area BR would normally just expect the company dispatching the parcels to take them to a different station for loading. Its worth mentioning here that it was the arrival of the railways that allowed mail order to take off. It was a Welsh entrepreneur who set up the first modern mail order business in 1861 in Newtown in Powys. His large Victorian warehouse still stands directly opposite the railway station in Newtown.

You might like to run these words past the very knowledgeable Roy Hart to see if has anything to add. * Roy has added :- see below.

Best wishes, Mike. Many thanks Mike for a most interesting reminder.

Roy Hart writes - Further to Mike's very interesting piece:

It was known when the Helston passenger service ended, in 1962, that a freight service would continue for 2 years only. October 1964 was the expiry date of the contract for daily meat traffic from Helston. On 5th October 64, the East box at Gwinear Road was switched out (it remained switched out for 9 months) and the yard was cleared of wagons over the following weeks. A final train ran to Helston on Thursday October 8th to clear Helston, Nancegollan and Praze sidings.
I am not sure, but I believe that some perishable traffic continued to be loaded on the west end sidings at Gwinear Road in the spring of 1965.
In June 65, the up goods loop between West and East boxes was lifted and the East box abolished. All point connections, ground discs and subsidiary signals at West box were taken out of use in August 1965, leaving the box working just the running signals and the level crossing. Thus it remained until it was abolished in the October.

Gone were the days to 'change here for Helston, The Lizard, Mullion and Porthleven'!

Roy

The signpost at Carnhell Green. In immaculate condition. Copyright Mike Roach

The signpost at Carnhell Green Copyright Mike Roach

The signpost at Carnhell Gren. Copyright Mike Roach.

Like many stations Gwinear Road, as the name suggests was some distance from the hamlet it served. In this case two and a half miles from Gwinear Churchtown. The nearest dwellings of any consequence to the station were here at Carnhell Green which the sign tells us are three quarters of a mile from the station.

Gwinear Road station seen here on the 5th September 1964 Copyright Mike Roach. N.B. Carnhell Green is three quarters of a mile away to the right from the level crossing.

Scorrier Milepost
Keith Jenkin

Located on the B3298 Scorrier to St Day Road is this granite milepost. 2nd Oct 2019 KJ

Scorrier in the evening sun on the day of closure 5th September 1964 - Copyright Mike Roach

Many thanks to Mike Roach for the above photograph - taken on a sad day. Might it be an idea to capture what remains of signs to stations long gone in Cornwall?

and now for some music
Colin Burges

Attached is a bit of light-heartedness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYKVuAm34f8

This is one of six songs Salty River Band recorded at my place. They wanted a rustic (or rusting) railway backdrop.

Colin Burges.
I hope you'll like one, recorded at Christow E & TV.

4th October 2019

4/10/2019

Branch relaid!
Ruthern Bridge Branch
Andrew Jones

Yesterdays news - 3rd October 2019 They are relaying the Ruthernbridge Branch today !………well not really, a ¼ mile section, is being converted into a temporary haul road for timber.

Courtesy of Tony Fairclough and Alan Wills book ‘Bodmin and Wadebridge’
The last train to travel over the line was the 29th November 1933 on locomotive 0314 with Driver Bill Cross and Fireman Arthur Ferret.

I met Arthur Ferret, who lived at Egloshayle some years ago, a lovely man who loved his job.

Best wishes to you both Andrew and Diane Many thanks Andrew.

Ruthernbridge branch 1 - relaying 3rd October 2019. Andrew Jones.

Ruthernbridge branch 2 - relaying 3rd October 2019. Andrew Jones

Ruthernbridge branch 'Last train late 1933 being driven by the Arthur Ferret of Wadebridge, Sleeper blocks in Grogley wood by a crossing. This photograph was sent in some years ago. Copyright Andrew Jones

There was a sand drop at the terminus - a local gentleman demonstrates the level of the track at this point. The terminus at Ruthernbridge. 9th December 1973 Copyright Roger Winnen

Bulwark at Plymouth
Clive Smith

50041 Bulwark has just arrived at Plymouth with the !E21 the 10.23 Penzance to Bradford. 30th December 1980. Copyright Clive Smith. Not exactly sparkling clean! This loco was badly damaged at London Paddington in November 1983 when it ended up at buffers minus its bogies. It was repaired at Doncaster and returned to traffic on the 4th January 1985. It was withdrawn in April 1990 and scrapped in July 1991.

Plymouth Friary
Roger Winnen & Roger Geach

Plymouth Friary. April 1973 Copyright Roger Winnen

We make no excuse for showing Roger's rare view of Friary a second time. Roger Geach a renowned photographer himself makes the following point and asks a question.

What a lovely picture of Plymouth Friary full of wagons. I wonder how many noticed the green chemical tanks on the far left.

A rare capture, these ran as specials from Immingham, Avonmouth and Ripple Lane to Plymouth to mention three locations . There are few pictures of these tanks about .

As far as i can recall they ran as specials and were a bit spasmodic , often departing Plymouth in the evening . Not certain when the flow ceased possibly around 1977 but I stand to be corrected

Does anyone else recall these chemical tanks .

Cheers, Roger Geach

In reply to the question by Roger Geach
Dear Sir,
Re Roger Winnens photo on your website. I believe the tanks were used to transfer chemicals from Fisons' main works at Avonmouth and Immingham to a subsidiary plant at Cattedown, Plymouth where they were blended as required in the manufacture of fertilisers. The factory was closed in 1981 so presumably the traffic ended that year.

Regards
David Mitchell

Many Thanks David

3rd October 2019

3/10/2019

Cromwells Castle
Penzance
Roger Salter

191002a The 2C 84 12.15 Plymouth Penzance newly named 43092 Cromwells Castle enters Platform 4 at Penzance. Copyright Roger Salter

191002b Castle Class 255 43092 Cromwells Castle at Penzance. Copyright Roger Salter

Thanks Roger

Westbury Rarity
Guy Vincent

First of all, apologies for the poor quality of the attached images which are more a record of an extremely rare working through Westbury than an attempt at night photography! They are screenshots from a video and show loco 66155 hauling failed sister 66009 and a rake of redundant mark 4 coaching stock non-stop through platform 2 at 2031 on Tuesday 1st October. The working was 5Z44 0944 Doncaster Works-Eastleigh Works and was running 46 minutes late at this point, it had been 104 late passing Acton Wells Jctn, west London. The stock has recently been displaced from LNER after giving 30 years of sterling service between London King's Cross, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central following the introduction of new class 800 'Azuma' EMU's (familiar?) Vehicle numbers were 82229 11324 10328 12447 12219. A similar working hauled by 66090 ran via the same route on 5th September, this also consisted of four coaches (11323 10325 12454 12225) and DVT 82226. I have seen it reported that these two sets are to be refurbished and are intended to replace the mark 3 sets used by Transport for Wales on the Holyhead-Cardiff premier loco-hauled services. Sadly it's a sign of getting old when you can remember these very coaches being brand-new and replacing earlier mark 2 and 3 stock in the late 1980s. They still look modern and good for many more years to come!

Guy Vincent

Absolutely no need to apologise at all Guy - you did extremely well to get any pictures and to get details of the locos and stock for a moving train. Also your lengthy and detailed notes are very much appreciated.

Westbury 1st October 2019, 66155 & 66009 (failed) haul redundant Mk 4 Stock 5Z44 stock to Eastleigh for refurbishment. Copyright Guy Vincent

A stranger in our midst LNER DVT 82229 at Westbury. 1st October 2019 Guy Vincent.

Westbury - redundant Mk 4 Stock 5Z44 passes though on its way to Eastleigh. 1st October 2019 Copyright Guy Vincent. N.B. All three pictures above taken from a video camera - an excellent record of a surprise move,

Steam today!!
David Tozer

A Marshall's Traction engine built in 1925 (94 years old and going strong). The owner told me it cost £300 for a ton of coal, so that will give you an idea of the cost of taking a steam loco to the mainline. A Class 802 and 66168/160 with the 0850 Westbury - St Blazey. Regards Dave. Many thanks David.

In the 'Swans Nest' pub car park adjacent to the former Exminster station. 2nd October 2019. Copyright David Tozer

A very short formed HST working - surely not in passenger service? The trailer is 'slam door stock'. 2nd October 2019

66168/160 with the 08.50 Westbury - St Blazey. 2ndOctober 2019. Copyright David Tozer.

2nd October 2019

2/10/2019

Colas 37521 at Penzance
Roger Winnen

37521 at Penzance during Wednesday afternoon prior to its departure in the late evening. . Copyright Roger Winnen

The Very early bird catches the worm!!!
Penzance and St Ives
Andrew Triggs

Morning Roger/Keith
Early morning reporting for CRS of Colas 37521 working 23.06 Exeter Riverside-Penzance with Test Train UTU2, arriving at St Ives at 05.16 and Penzance at 06.12
All the Best, Andrew. Very well done Andrew - now back to bed!

St Ives today at 05.15. (2nd October 2019). Where are the holidaymakers?! Well done Andrew. Copyright Andrew Triggs

37521 At St Ives platform. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

Another very early morning scene from St Ives station car park, 2nd October 2019. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

On his way home now, Andrew gets a head on view of 37 521 back at Penzance - it's a more respectable 06.15 now! 2nd October 2019. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

Penzance again at 06.15 this morning. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

N.B. Many thanks to Andrew for taking advantage of a nice day to come and special to St Ives. These pictures appeared on this website less than two hours after they were taken.

Bristol TM
Paul Negus

Paul writes :- Yesterday morning (30th September 2019) was cold, windy and very wet at Temple Meads so I was very pleasantly surprised to be greeted with this scene on Platforms 10 and 12 - two HSTs, albeit in shortened form, still sporting their blue livery. 43161 was at the rear of the 0748 Temple Meads to Taunton on Platform 10 (to the right) with 43196 leading. 43029 is on the left with 43071 leading - possibly a staff training run. No nameplates at present on any of them.

Best regards, Paul. many thanks for a nicely posed picture.

HSTs at Plat 10 &12 at Temple Meads on the 30th September 2019 Copyright Paul Negus

Penzance 1985
Roger Winnen

In response to a request from Jonathan Henwood Roger has been digging in his archives for 'special incidences at Penzance in 1985'. Here is the second of these - the 'Roadshow comes to town'..

The Radio 2 Roadshow comes to town. 2nd August 1985. Copyright Roger Winnen. Quite who the couple are in 'wedding attire' is not known but it must have been a very special day!

The roadshow train is stabled in the loading bank, a scene not possible today. 2nd August 1985 Copyright Roger Winnen. Also note in the background Dry Dock. N. Holman Ltd. - Rogers place of work in those days.

The train alongside one of the canopies covering the area at that time. 2nd August 1985 Copyright Roger Winnen

A very special thanks to Roger for going through his remarkable collection to find these pictures
- more tomorrow,

1st October 2019

1/10/2019

Penzance 1985
Roger Winnen

In response to a request from Jonathan Henwood Roger has been digging in his archives for 'special incidences at Penzance in 1985'. Here is the first of these - the GWR Anniversary train.

GWR Anniversary train - Western Progress 1836-1985. 29th July 1985 Copyright Roger Winnen

47143 ready to leave with the 'GWR 150 years' is viewed from the station wall. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th July 1985

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