Blog Archives

10th November 2019

10/11/2019

At and around
Totnes
Clive Smith

Many thanks Clive

(1) On the 5th November in fading light at 15.40 43005 awaits departure with the 14.55 Exeter St Davids - Plymouth. 43187 is on the rear. Meanwhile 43154 leads the 12.57 Penzance - Newton Abbot with 43155 on the rear. Great to see these superb trains operating secondary services in shortened form rather than languishing in scrap lines. A vast improvement on the younger 150 DMUs. Copyright Clive Smith.

(2) On the 7th November 70808 approaches Three Arch Bridge near Follaton west of Totnes with the 06.25 Moorswater - Aberthaw cements running three hours late. Some heavy shower clouds had reduced the light for a good fifteen minutes before the train passed but thankfully the sun broke through just in time. Copyright Clive Smith.

Oath
Bill Elston

Oath RHTT with locos 66023 and 66012 8th November 2019. Copyright Bill Elston

Oath An IET passing a colourful patch of Osiers 8th November 2019. Copyright Bill Elston

66525 is well lit as it approaches Oath with a Westbury to Fairwater yard with a load of ballast probably for the forthcoming works at Cogload.

Many thanks Bill.

Cornish Ranger
Andrew Triggs

Morning Keith/Roger
5 shots from yesterdays (8th November 2019) jolly around our fair county for CRS, even the sun came out at Saltash for the RHTT
All the Best, Andrew. Many thanks Andrew.

1. 43122 at St Austell leading 2C82 for Penzance. 8th November 2019. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

2. 150239 awaiting departure for Truro at Falmouth Docks with 2T74. 8th November 2019. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

3. 43188 trailing 2C86 at Camborne, in the fading light. 8th November 2019. Copyright AndrewTriggs.

4. 66023 with 66012 crossing the Royal Albert Bridge with the RHTT at Saltash. 8th November 2019. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

5. Close up of the 08.50 Westbury-St Blazey LIP RHTT approaching Saltash at 14.51. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

9th November 2019

9/11/2019

Exeter St Davids
Ron Kosys

1070 Western Gauntlet arrives at platform 2 at Exeter St Davids with the down Cornish Riviera Express on the 18th July 1971. Copyright Ron Kosys.

Tribute to
Charles Fennamore
Edward Hooper, Mike Roach & Trevor Tremethick

An additional note from Mike Roach. You might mention in the tribute that Charles lived on the outskirts of St Agnes for many years while he worked at boxes like Roskear, Penzance and others in Cornwall.

Charles enjoys a mug of tea between trains at Combe Junction Signal Box. Copyright the Charles Fennamore Estate.

Yeovil Junction. Shows Charles aged 23 in typical pose watching and observing everything that going on dressed in his normal style and complete with duffle bag. 23rd November 1963. Copyright Mike Roach

Longdown - Copyright Charles Fennamore Estate.

Charles sadly passed away a year ago on 09 Nov 2018, a day after his 78th birthday.

Above is one of his photos of Longdown on the Teign valley Line. I would be grateful if you could share it on 9th November.

Charles would have been the first to admit that it wouldn't win any prizes, but his memories of the line make for interesting reading:

"A lovely line, and easy on our pockets, because you could get a day return Ply to Exeter, and they'd let you come back via the Teign Valley. I went on the last train, which was a very sad occasion......the 55XX labouring away up to Longdown with 5 or 6 coaches. On our first trip, it was a 14XX plus 2 car auto, with the loco in the rear, and the driver in the front vestibule left his door open so that we could see the line ahead. Longdown a very spooky place between the tunnels, and crowded in by the woods.....never any passengers, but staffed by a porter signalman. When I worked on the Relief at Newton Abbot, a colleague was Dave Bright, who had worked at Longdown occasionally. He used to travel on his motor-bike from Paignton, and often did a late followed by an early, and slept in the booking office. One night he was phoned by the Exeter supervisor who told him that an escapee was believed to be in the area, and could be walking the line. Dave said that was the end of his doss....he got on his motor bike and legged it off home."

With best regards, Ed Hooper Nephew of CBF
Thank you Edward for sharing these memories of Charles with us and also including his irreplaceable photographs.

14.51 stands at Christow with an Exeter bound service while a Prarie brings in a train bound for Heathfield and Newton Abbot. Copyright Charles Fennamore Estate.

1451 again, this time at ide Halt near Exeter. There don't seem to many passengers as the guard awaits time to give the right away. (Or maybe he was waiting for fellow railwayman Charles to rejoin the train after taking his picture. Who knows? Copyright the Charles Fennamore Estate.

And finally one of Charles pulling the levers at Totnes. This picture courtesy of Totnes Image Bank. Copyright.

Unfortunately I never met Charles but did from time to time correspond with him, he was always most helpful and informative. I know that he was a keen cyclist and kept to his bike exploring long lost lines right up until recently. His knowledge of railways in general and signalling in particular was well known, he was and still is sadly missed. KJ

A Postscript received from Trevor Tremethick half an hour ago is well worth a mention.
Many thanks Trevor.

Good morning gentlemen
I have just read the piece on Charles Fennamore and thought I would send my own few words.
Charles visited me a couple of times for a get-together with one of my neighbours who had been a Princetown girl and knew the old line from Yelverton well. I had been in touch with a gentleman who had been a fireman on that branch and so we had plenty to talk about.
Charles' knowledge was immense and, to top it all, he would bring a delicious cake that he had baked himself. So, his talents were not just confined to railway matters!
Much missed.
Best wishes to all
Trevor Tremethick

8th November 2019

8/11/2019

Don't forget this -
TOMORROW EVENING - NOVEMBER 9th at 6.30PM
* GWR Camping Coach Holidays *
by Mike Fenton.
Mike makes a welcome return with his detailed study of the very popular network of camping coaches which provided inexpensive holidays beside the railway for thousands of families.
We are also promised another musical interlude provided by Mike and his wife, Rachel, playing the autoharp.

For details of our venue please click here

Brent & Kingsbridge branch
Mike Roach

WATER for SOUTH DEVON Michael L. Roach

The 1930s saw the start of an era of providing mains water and mains electricity to villages and hamlets in the countryside. Interrupted by the Second World War the programme resumed in the late 1940s and continued through the 1950s and 1960s. The provision of water to towns also needed beefing up with additional sources of supply as the population started using more and more of it. For the town of Kingsbridge and the surrounding villages the source of additional water was obvious as Dartmoor was due north on higher ground. The new pipeline would be just over 10 miles long and would follow the River Avon and the Kingsbridge branch railway line to a new service reservoir on high ground to the north east of Kingsbridge. The pipe chosen for the new trunk main was spun iron which would be made at two factories in the East Midlands. The majority of the pipes were 15-inch (380mm) and 18-inch (457mm) internal diameter, and there were more than 3,500 pipes in total.

The pipes were transported by rail to Brent Station on the mainline from where they were taken to various station goods yards on the Kingsbridge Branch, including Avonwick and Loddiswell, for unloading. Because of shortages and long delivery times the pipes were ordered well in advance of construction by the Consulting Engineers for the scheme on behalf of the client which was the Kingsbridge & Salcombe Water Board. When the pipes started to arrive in 1949 the contractor for the scheme had not been appointed so British Railways were contracted to transport them from the railway goods yards to various stock piles along the route of the water main. This would have been very labour intensive in view of the weight and number of pipes to be delivered, and went on for many months. It appears that most of the railway wagons used to transport the pipes contained just 4 pipes.

Brent goods yard was so congested with wagons at times that some were sent two miles away to Wrangaton for stabling until needed. The pipes were eventually laid by Richard Costain whose history dates back to 1865 and are happily still with us and working on HS2. The first wagon label in my collection is dated 8 November 1949 and was retrieved from Avonwick Station. The pipes were made at the Staveley Works, Barrow Hill, Chesterfield while others were made at the Stanton Ironworks at Stanton Gate, Ilkeston. The two companies were merged in 1960 to become Stanton & Staveley. You can spot S&S manhole covers in the road surface in almost every town in Britain.
Mike - Many thanks for your very extensive and detailed research a fascinating article

Scan 3270 WATER FOR S DEVON Mike Roach Article for 8th November 2019.

Scan 3271 WATER FOR S DEVON Mike Roach Article for 8th November 2019.

Scan 3275 WATER FOR S DEVON Mike Roach Article for 8th November 2019.

Scan 3276 WATER FOR S DEVON Mike Roach Article for 8th November 2019.

Scan 3278 WATER FOR S DEVON Mike Roach Article for 8th November 2019.

Just in - ten minutes ago - a cracker from Craig
Dobwalls coincidence
Craig Munday

Dobwalls 7th November 2019. Copyright Craig Munday.

The advent of four trains an hour on the Cornwall mainline has thrown up more opportunities like this!
Whilst out sanding in East Cornwall I popped into the recent vegetation clearance near Dobwalls. In a complete fluke the slightly late running 1S49 booked for a HST on a Thursday was passed by a Castle set on the down.
The timing was perfect. Cheers for now. Craig
As you say perfect timing - good fortune - great photograph.

Biding time
Taunton
Ron Kosys

1036 Western Emperor and D7001 waiting their turn of duty at Taunton on the 18th August 1971. Copyright Ron Kosys

7th November 2019

7/11/2019

A Poignant Moment at Temple Meads
Bristol
Paul Negus

Bristol Temple Meads has been decorated with large poppies on seats, at the entrance to stairwells and sundry other places. There is quite a collection of these poppies around the two Rolls of Honour for GWR and Midland employees who fell in the Great War located on Platform 3.

By a wonderful coincidence, Harry Patch pulled into Platform 3 on the front of the 08:24 to Cardiff on Monday morning (4th November 2019) - still fully decorated with poppies and inscriptions and sporting its nameplates. 43191 was on the rear and the whole ensemble is still in the blue dynamic lines livery.

Best regards, Paul Negus.
Thank you for sending in these pictures Paul, a reminder that we'll all be remembering those who gave their lives for the sake of the country on Sunday.

Bristol TM Remembrance 1 Harry Patch pulled into Platform 3 on the front of the 0824 to Cardiff on Monday morning 3rd November 2019 Copyright Paul Negus

Bristol TM Remembrance 2 3rd November 2019. Copyright Paul Negus. Note 'Outline figure' in the background.

Bristol TM Remembrance 3 3rd November 2019. Copyright Paul Negus

Bristol TM Remembrance 4 3rd November 2019. Copyright Paul Negus

Bristol TM Remembrance 5 3rd November 2019. Copyright Paul Negus

Kingskerswell
Ron Kosys

Towards the end of a most enjoyable day, 31454 and 31460 have passed Kingskerswell and approach Aller with the Saturdays 1835 Paignton to Wolverhampton. 24th June 1989. Copyright Ron Kosys.

Remembering
Gunnislake
Andrew Triggs

Andrew takes a look around the old station site - many thanks Andrew.

We are on the site of the old station looking towards new station site which is across the main road. 1st November 2019. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

At the Callington end of the station trains leaving for the terminus passed under a bridge serving a minor road. We are now standing on that bridge looking towards the station site - what a change. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

Now looking in the Callington direction, the trackbed has been cleared and cut back and taken into a recent new developments garden. Copyright Andrew Triggs,

The bridge number - presumably the railway authority is still responsible for this structure. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

From the collection by Andrew Triggs. The sitei of the demolished A390 roadbridge, looking downhill towards Gunnislake village, the old station site is to the left, and the new station to the right. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

This concludes Andrews exploration of the old station site - for many thanks indeed.

6th November 2019

6/11/2019

Castles at Penzance
Roger Winnen

191106a 43170 Chepstow Castle at Penzance. Copyright Roger Winnen

191106b 43170 Chepstow Castle on the 11.12 Penzance to Exeter St David's. Copyright Roger Winnen

191106c Okehampton Castle under the roof at Penzance after working the 09.00 Plymouth Penzance service. Copyright Roger Winnen

Newton Abbot
Ron Kosys

Western Venturer – D1005 – does a pretty good imitation of a steam loco as it departs Newton Abbot on a down working
May Bank Holiday Monday 31st May 1976
Withdrawal came less than six months later, in November 1976, after a record 1,392,000 miles, the highest recorded mileage for a 'Western' in BR service. Many thanks Ron.

1005 Western Venturer seen at Newton Abbot on the 31st May 1976. Copyright Ron Kosys

Developments at
Exeter
David Tozer

Three taken last Friday when heading to Reading. Of note that only the St Thomas end of platform six is now in use. From the footbridge served by and elevator, here the line has been covered with sleepers and is used by the contactors.

Platform 6 Exeter 31st October 2019. Copyright David Tozer

Exeter - New depot - Stores Section. 31st October 2019 Copyright David Tozer.

Exeter - New Depot - Wash Plant. 31st October 2019, Copyright David Tozer.

Many thanks David

47580 What depot asks Phil? Copyright Phil Smith

5th November 2019

5/11/2019

Don't forget this -
NEXT SATURDAY NOVEMBER 9th at 6.30PM
* GWR Camping Coach Holidays *
by Mike Fenton.
Mike makes a welcome return with his detailed study of the very popular network of camping coaches which provided inexpensive holidays beside the railway for thousands of families.
We are also promised another musical interlude provided by Mike and his wife, Rachel, playing the autoharp.

For details of our venue please click here
--------------------------------------------------

STOP PRESS
Prideaux Wall Collapse - Newquay branch closure
Craig Munday

Please find attached some pictures taken on site at St Blazey from the recent Newquay line wall collapse. Balfour Beatty have constructed a road across from the main A390 road to the affected area of the embankment where the river has washed away. Due to the strength of the river (evident in picture 4) engineers have not been able to examine the scale of the erosion under the trackbed. The river will be diverted to run down the opposite side of the embankment (picture 16) onto the flood relief area, and a dam built to stop the flow. The recent high volumes of rainfall has hindered the work starting.

The massive pumps, cables and generators to run them can be seen in the selection, as well as trackbed which will need to be dug out.

Kind regards
Craig Munday -Many thanks for your report Craig.
Reference to Google Earth Prideaux is the area to the north of St Blazey Level Crossing, the problem area is approximately 300 yards the Newquay side of the crossing.
N.B. Permission has been granted to circulate these pictures Craig's own and local websites.
:- From your pictures Craig it is obvious that the Newquay branch will be out of commission for some time. No serious problem to passengers who are provided with buses from St Austell but obviously a serious impediment to clay exports from Rocks Drier.

Prideaux wall collapse. Picture 3 4th November 2019. Copyright Craig Munday.

Prideaux wall collapse. Picture 4 4th November 2019. Copyright Craig Munday.

Prideaux wall collapse. Picture 5 4th November 2019. Copyright Craig Munday. N.B. St Blazey Bridge Level Crossing in the distance. Signal SB1 can just be seen.

An enlargement of picture (5) showing home signal [SB1] for St Blazey Crossing. Copyright Craig Munday.

Prideaux wall collapse. Picture 6 4th November 2019. Copyright Craig Munday.

Prideaux wall collapse. Picture 9 4th November 2019. Copyright Craig Munday.

Prideaux wall collapse. Picture 12 4th November 2019. Copyright Craig Munday.

Prideaux wall collapse. Picture 14 4th November 2019. Copyright Craig Munday.

Prideaux wall collapse. Picture 15 4th November 2019. Copyright Craig Munday.

Prideaux wall collapse. Picture 16 4th November 2019. Copyright Craig Munday.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Exeter
Ron Kosys

1056 Western Sultan arrives at Exeter St Davids on the 17th July 1971 with the 1430 Paddington to Penzance. Copyright Ron Kosys.

Cogload
Bill Elston

Cogload. Turbo Turbo 166214 10.15 4th November 2019, Copyight Bill Elston.

Castle Class HST 43170 passes at 10.36 on the 4th November 2019, Copyright Bill Elston

Castle Class 43194 passes preparations for engineering work. 4th November 2019. Copyright Bill Elston.

Many Thanks Bill.

Bristol Parkway
Phil Smith

47818 Heading east out of Bristol Parkway in 2002 Copyright Phil Smith. (A last glimpse of the setting sun)

4th November 2019

4/11/2019

Teignmouth
Ron Kosys

Peak 77 heads onto the sea wall at Teignmouth with 1E56, the 1315 Plymouth to Newcastle. I’m surmise that due to the amount of exhaust, it’s actually pulling away from a station stop. 22nd August 1971.
Many thanks Ron, nicely framed by the bridge.

Peak D77 Seen at Teignmouth 22nd August 1971 with the 13.15 Plymouth to Newcastle. Copyright Ron Kosys.

Blacksmock overbridge
Oath
Bill Elston

Hi Keith, A couple of shots today of Engineer's trains returning to Westbury from Crediton crossing the Somerset Levels.
First, 66757 on 6G73 1104 Crediton to Westbury, running nearly an hour late, and, second, 66781 on 6G72, 1150 to Westbury, about 10 min late.
Sadly, the sun didn't play ball until these trains had passed.
Best regards, Bill Many thanks to you Bill

Oath 66757 on 6G73 1104 Crediton to Westbury, running nearly an hour late 3rd November 2019 Copyright Bill Elston

Oath 66781 on 6G72, 1150 to Westbury, about 10 min late. 3rd November 2019 Copyright Bill Elston

N.B. Oath is about six miles east of Cogload Junction.

Riverside Park
Southampton
Kevin Jenkin

Riverside Park is about half a mile from St Denys station or a mile from Swaythling station. Here you will find, in a very pleasant location alongside the River Itchen the home of the Southampton Society of Model Engineers.
There are two circuits one of 7" gauge, the other of 10" gauge. On operating days trains are very frequent. For details and an aerial view of the railway please click here.

Riverside park, Southampton on Sunday 20th October 2019 Copyright Kevin Jenkin

3rd November 2019

3/11/2019

Focus on
Templecombe
Chris Osment (Rail West)

Chris takes his camera to Templecombe. Here we find the station in very good order with the new platform forming an excellent stance to photograph the former up platform which remains in splendid isolation. The footbridge is securely locked out of use. The flower beds are well kempt and the grass kept cut.

The now isolated former up platform viewed from the safety of the 'new' platform. 23rd October 2019. Copyright Chris Osment.

A close up of the statue and sun dial 'Tempus Fugit' at Templecombe. 23rd October 2019 Copyright Chris Osment

A note on the statue
The Tempus Fugit sculpture situated on the former up platform at Templecombe is both a sculpture and sundial. The bronze statue is of a railwayman consulting the British Rail timetable, some of the pages of which have blown away and landed on the grass. The statue forms the gnomon of the sundial; the pages on the ground mark the hours.

A view looking west towards Exeter 23rd October 2019. Copyright Chris Osment.

A view looking east towards Salisbury on the 23rd October 2019. Copyright Chris Osment. Looking at the former up platform we see seats which are of course these days never used - there's even a luggage trolley waiting for passengers who will never come!

A grand view of the signalbox at Templecombe. Taken on the 23rd October 2019. Copyright Chris Osment.

One recalls the story of when the new platform had just been opened and the old platform put out of use - a train called and, mistakenly, the guard released the doors for the no longer used platform. Nobody got out so the train proceeded on its way with the Templecombe passengers still on board!

Tavistock area
Andrew Triggs

Andrew takes a 'jolly' in the rain to look around the area - many thanks for your efforts Andrew.

1. 150202 on arrival at Gunnislake working 2G67 10.54 from Plymouth in the 'mizzle'. The guard telephones to advise the safe arrival of the train at Gunnislake - an excellent action picture. 1st November 2019. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

2. The redeveloped original Gunnislake station (closed 30.1.1994) looking in the Callington direction. How things have changed!. 1st November 2019. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

3. Fortunately the station gates at Tavistock North were open on arrival at the site, magnificently restored as 'The Old Station' for luxury breaks. 1st November 2019. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

4. 150202 working 2G72 15.45 for Plymouth at Bere Alston. 1st November 2019. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

5. 802109 framed at Plymouth awaiting departure eastwards. 1st November 2019. Copyright Andrew Triggs.

Dawlish
Ron Kosys

1058 Western Nobleman departs Dawlish on the 31st May 1976. Copyright Ron Kosys.

Ron comments on the remarkably clean exhaust!
Many thanks for this picture Ron.

Swindon Traffic
Ken Mumford

Ken took a trip to Swindon to photograph 4Q03 - a Swindon Yard to Cardiff Taff Vale grinder train. Many thanks Ken

66554 heads the rail grinder train through Swindon on the 2nd November 2019.

The back of the rail grinder train passing through Swindon on the 2nd November 2019 Copyright Ken Mumford

2nd November 2019

2/11/2019

Severe Gale force winds in the West Country
Roger Winnen

Today was the final running day for the Class 26 26007 on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway, the only Class 26 ever to come to Cornwall.
With Gale force winds recorded early in the morning at Culdrose reaching 75 M.p.h. I made an effort to travel by train to Bodmin which took three hours. I planned to travel on the 08.28 Glasgow service which was cancelled, then waiting for the 08.59 London service which was delayed by fallen trees at St Erth eventually departed Penzance nearly an hour late getting me into Bodmin Parkway at 11.22 just in time to travel on the 11.25 to General. Previous trains were delayed by fallen trees at Bungullow.
Many Cancellations took place being the
06.30 Penzance Glasgow
07.39 Penzance Plymouth
08.28 Penzance Glasgow
08.45 Penzance St Ives
09.43 Penzance Manchester
10.36 Penzance Plymouth
11.22 Penzance Plymouth
Four inbound trains to Penzance were also cancelled

191102a 37142 with 26007 on the 11.25 Bodmin Parkway to Bodmin General. Copyright Roger Winnen

191102b 26007 Works the 12.10 service from Bodmin General to Boscarne Junction. Copyright Roger Winnen

191102c 26007 runs around its train at Boscarne Junction. Copyright Roger Winnen

191102d Rounding the bend as the train approaches Bodmin General. Copyright Roger Winnen

191102e 26007 at Bodmin General with the flooded tracks. Copyright Roger Winnen

191102f Reflections in the flood water at Bodmin General. Copyright Roger Winnen

191102g Wind damage to the signal arm on the approach from Bodmin Parkway into General. Copyright Roger Winnen

191102h The last departure from Bodmin Parkway with 26007 on the 16.15 to Bodmin General. Copyright Roger Winnen

ENGINEERING PLANT DIARY
Has just been updated with:
Part 1 of Network Rail Measurement Train
Rolling Stock. By Mick House.

We see a number of Network Rail Measurement Trains visit our area over the years and predominantly the photos that have been taken are of the Locomotives that bring the trains down, but what of the rolling stock that is within the train!
Follow this link: ENGINEERING PLANT DIARY

Network Rail Measurement Trains about to pass under Apex Bridge. Copyright Mick House.

The Fowey Pony
Saltash
Clive Smith

As an antidote to this unrelenting grim weather here is a sunny steam shot at Saltash to brighten the day. BR standard 4MT 76079 enters Cornwall off the Royal Albert Bridge with another of Past Time's magnificent tours. This was 1Z21 the 16.45 Plymouth - Carne Point Fowey and was the first day of a four day series of evening tours that also took in Parkandillack, Buckfastleigh and Newton Abbot and finally Barnstaple on the last day. All legs were top and tailed with green 37411.

Regards, Clive Smith.
Many thanks for this as we awake today to storm force winds and lashing rain. P.S. Roger tells me he's off on the 08.28 to Bodmin - he's very keen, you can't tie the man down!!. (The 08.28 cancelled but he's still going on the next service to Bodmin - wishing the B & W well on a very stormy day)

The Fowey Pony 76079 1Z29 the 16.45 0ff Plymouth. 29th May 2006. Copyright Clive Smith

Fowey Pony timings :-
Plymouth16.45d 19.07a
St Budeaux Jn16/50 ?
Saltash16.54 19/03
St.Germans17/00 18/57
Liskeard17/12 18/47
Largin17/19 18/39
Lostwithiel17/28 18/24
Fowey, Carne Point17.45a 18.05d

Penzance
Ron Kosys

Stabled alongside Penzance station 6th June 1977 were 08489, 47251 plus one other unidentified 47. Copyright Ron Kosys.

Dawlish Report
Colin Burges

When does heavy mist become rain? For a short while on the trading estate at Sowton yesterday (31st October 2019) it looked like brightening up but by the time I left the N.F.U. offices (where you can still speak face to face with an insuranceman) it was drizzling again. I rode along the canal and estuary, past the Turf Hotel, now boarded up for the winter. There was hardly a soul about. At Starcross, I could see from the indicator that a stopper was due and being wet through I joined it for the short ride to Dawlish.

As if to make a point, the sea has moved the resilience programme's information hut. 31st October 2019. Copyright Colin Burges.

The outfall of Dawlish Water from beneath Colonnade Viaduct. 31st October 2019. Copyright Colin Burges.

Moments after I shot this from the footbridge, the cement empties burst out of Kennaway Tunnel. A BAM man I spoke to assured me that the foundations for the new wall are in but that the sea keeps covering them with sand. He thought work would be complete by the end of February. It should be understood that the wall will be made of precast segments, meaning that progress should be very swift once a start is made on positioning them. 31st October 2019. Copyright Colin Burges.

If anyone is unsure about the height of the new wall, a useful mock-up has been done by Dawlish Beach Cams.

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

A great many people can't interpret drawings so I think that the finished wall is going to be quite shocking to Dawlish folk and to the many visitors who love King's Walk. It can only strengthen the resolve of the campaign groups presently mobilizing in Holcombe and Teignmouth, concerned at what is proposed for their length of the wall.

As a champion of diversionary routes, I have to say that slightly better resilience - or no better if conditions worsen - is being bought at too high a price.

Cheers, Colin Burges.
Many thanks indeed for your report Colin, Your Youtube link and the associated report is very well worthwhile watching - many very valid points raised.

1st November 2019

1/11/2019

Grey Grim Grisly Halloween
Harford Bridge
Clive Smith

A Thursday off work and some hoped for sunshine was very wishful thinking with the current weather. Fat chance of photographing the cements and RHTT amidst the glorious changing autumnal colours. Here is my quartet showing activity in an hour at Harford Road Bridge west of Ivybridge station on the edge of dank dismal Dartmoor.

Regards, Clive Smith Very sincere apologies to Clive - this is an item which really should have gone into yesterday's selection. However it is as usual a well detailed and very interesting collection. Many thanks Clive - hope you didn't get too wet.

GWR Power Cars 43005 and 43186 pass with the OZ77 St Phillips Marsh to Laira. 31st October 2019 Copyright Clive Smith

83 mins later in deteriorating weather 70810 6G63 11.18 Moorswater to Aberthaw. 31st October 2019 Copyright Clive Smith

Cross Country 43304 leads the 06.06 Edinburgh to Plymouth. 43366 is on the rear. 31st October 2019 Copyright Clive Smith

Also running late after being looped at Totnes. 66160 tops the 08.50 Westbury to St Blazey RHTT with 66168 on the rear. 31st October 2019 Copyright Clive Smith

Routine maintenance at
Exeter
Phil Smith

It's 1992 and the driver carries out routine maintenance - cleaning lights on 47449 at Exeter St Davids. Copyright Phil Smith

Thanks Phil.

Exeter Stabling point.
Ron Kosys

There was always an interesting selection of locos to photograph off the ‘up’ platform as it was in the early 70’s at Exeter St Davids.
20th August 1971 saw Warship 823 Hermes and 6334 amongst many others. Many thanks Ron.

6334 and 823 Hermes at Exeter St Davids 20th August 1971. Copyright Ron Kosys

Class 22 6334 seen here at Exeter St Davids on the 20th August 1971, Copyright Ron Kosys.

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ENGINEERING PLANT DIARYHas just been updated with:Part 1 of Network Rail Measurement Train Rolling Stock. By Mick House.

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ENGINEERING PLANT DIARY
Has just been updated with:
Part 1 of Network Rail Measurement Train
Rolling Stock. By Mick House.