Recent Round Up
Craig Munday
Some post-harvest pictures, test train and the latest Royal Duchy.
2C23 with 43042 43186 sweeps past the arable fields around Grampound with the straw bales ready to be stored for animal feed through the winter. 24.07.2025, copyright Craig Munday.
The same location for 2P13 worked by 802022. 24.07.2025, copyright Craig Munday.
Sunday's Royal Duchy was worked into the Duchy by WCR 47812, the droning two tone horn heralding disheartenment foi steam enthusiasts who were expecting steam. The train is pictured at Treesmill near the journeys end. 27.07.2025, copyright Craig Munday.
Overnight at Goonbarrow for two class three services, The UTU with 37219 and the MPV operated weedspray trip 3Z15. 37219 working 3Q53 exchanges the token at Goonbarrow (possibly for the last time with this service) under a misty sky. Unusually, the locking room lights are on as technicians work around the clock installing the signalling for the Newquay enhancements. The box will be transformed from a 100% mechanical operation to state of the art axle counter equipment. The box will govern the branch signalling from St Blazey Bridge, right through to Newquay. This will include the new loop at Gossmoor and the new platform at Newquay. I'm pleased to advise the semaphores will remain around Goonbarrow, but the antique token / staff machines will disappear. 30.07.2025, copyright Craig Munday.
Great photos as always, Craig - many thanks for them and for the info re: Goonbarrow.
Nocturnal Newquay Branch Photos
Jon Hird
37219 leads the Network Rail test train through Bugle late on the 30.07.2025. Just a short distance down the line from Craigs Goonbarrow image further up the page. Copyright Jon Hird.
Shortly before midnight, 37219 has arrived at Newquay. 30.07.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
A drone shot of 37219 at Newquay. 30.07.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
I love seeing the test trains come through Roche. The station is in quite a remote location and the train can be heard coming for several minutes before it passes - the throaty engine note of the locomotive easily cutting through the still night air as the driver modulates the power to maintain line speed over the changing gradients of the Goss Moor. The DBSO is leading now as the train heads on towards Looe and Exeter. 31.07.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
The weedkilling MPV was waiting for the test train to pass it at Goonbarrow. I stopped at Bugle on my way home, arriving just in time to catch it as it headed to Newquay as 3Z15. It had already visited Parkandillack and Fowey Docks earlier in the evening. 31.07.2025, copyright Jon Hird.