 Beyond the reach of railways lies Mousehole - we celebrate the end of 2013 with this colourful picture by Roger Winnen and wish you all all the very best for 2014 and look forward to your photographs.
A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL This picture taken beyond miniature turntable or turnplate very near the end of the pier at Newlyn shows an out of line disconnected length of track at the very end of the pier. Can anybody tell us why this was there and how the wagons were unloaded into waiting ships? 
Mike Roach has provided this excellent record of an early railtour at Penzance - has anyone else any more earlier or later railtours please.  3440 City of Truro, brought back into service after a period in York Museum, propels the empty stock out of Penzance station platform 2 after bringing in a special rail fans excursion from Plymouth 15th September 1957 Copyright Mike Roach Those of you who have read Roger Winnen's report of the 27th December 2013 concerning the temporary changes to the trackwork just to the north of Crediton will be wondering what went on out of the common enthusiasts camera range. Roger tried to get pictures through the windows of the Class 150 he caught but no luck. The 'slewing' took place too far away from Yeoford platform for shots from there. However, here a professional railwayman came to our rescue in the shape of Graham Bowden. It is with many thanks to Graham that we bring you these pictures. Any other pictures of operations elsewhere on the network by professionals would be very much appreciated.  Picture 1 shows the slewed track 27th December 2013 Copyright Graham Bowden  Picture 2 A Barnstaple to Exmouth train crosses over on the slewed track. 27th December 2013 Copyright Graham Bowden Many thanks once again Graham. Happy New Year to you.
We are sorry to report that during the period between the last Santa train on the 23rd and first train that was due to depart Buckfastleigh on the 26th the SDR has suffered a Landslip between Buckfastleigh and Staverton that has blocked the line and brought a premature end to their 2013 running season. We wish them well with the clearance works and a speedy resumption of services in 2014.
The Penlee Quarry Railway closed in July,1972 being replaced by a conveyor belt system. The railway went to the Newlyn South Pier from the Quarry adjacent to the Mousehole road. I was fortunate to gain access to the pier as repairs were being carried out on the Newlyn Christmas decorations situated on the pier, normally the pier is closed off even to the public for fishing, and within a few minutes of departing the gates were closed once more. Many thanks for this Roger - your pictures are also placed in the Penlee Quarry in the Tramways & Light Railways section. 
Rails of the former Penlee Quarry Line on Newlyn South Pier 41 yrs after closure. Copyright Roger Winnen. 29th December 2013
Notice the miniature turntable on the pier. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th December 2013
Looking back along the quay with a W Stevenson Trawler on the slip. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th December 2013
One piece of rail surviving of the line as it curved around to access the pier. Copyright Roger Winnen 29th December 2013
 The Bodmin Winter Steam Up. 28th December 2013 Plenty of steam to spare!!! Copyright Roger Winnen  Ello, Ello, Ello, who's this? - its Ella Harding the Cornwall Railway Society Secretary on other duties as she awaits the next customer on the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. 28th December 2013 Copyright Roger Winnen  Early morning rail adhesion problems led to the top & tailing of trains from Bodmin Parkway. 28th December 2013 Copyright Roger Winnen.  The T9 30120 banking on the rear of the 11.58 service to General. The guard being Ben Harding of the CRS. Copyright Roger Winnen 28th December 2013  30120 Approaching Bodmin General on the 13.54 from Boscarne Junction. Copyright Roger Winnen 28th December 2013  The splendid looking Beattie Well Tank on the 13.00 service to Bodmin Parkway. Copyright Roger Winnen 28th December 2013 Reg Loze is remembered by members of the Cornwall Railway Society as one of our two West Briton Reporters, Barrie Bennetts is the other one. Reg, sadly passed away on the 19th December 2006. We are extremely grateful to Pat, his wife and to son Mike for delving through the family albums over Christmas and sending us the pictures below. There are more to come we understand. 
A Class 45 approaches Chacewater with a train off the Newquay branch in the early 1960's Copyright the late Reg Loze.
7812 Erlestoke Manor Looking very smart in the early 60s Copyright the late Reg Loze
Warship on down service. Received Dec 2013 from Pat & Mike Loze The picture dates from the 60's Copyright Late Reg Loze
The bridge has vanished without trace. It lay just beyond the two signals, a very good clearing up job. View on 27th December 2013. Copyright Roger Winnen
Report on Friday 27th December 2013 by Roger Winnen
I went to Exeter today, the bridge at Aller Junction has been swept away. I also heard that track relaying was being carried out between Crediton and Yeoford with trains still running. So I caught the 12.26 from Exeter to Yeoford. On arrival at Crediton we waited for the train from Barnstaple to cross us. A pilotman joined our train and we then departed on the Okehampton line passing on route the relaying of about 1.5 miles of track towards Yeoford. At the end of the track relaying the Okehampton line was then slued over to connect into the Barnstaple line arriving on the right track into Yeoford. The normal arrangement being that the Okehampton line and the Barnstaple line run as two single lines from Crediton to the site of the former Coleford Junction before they go their respective routes. Many thanks for that Roger |