Devon Circular - Via Cornwall - Twice
Clive Smith
At a loose end at the weekend I decided to travel from Ivybridge to Ivybridge on Saturday. The long way round. Departure was 08.44 to Plymouth but my next train to Gunnislake was not until to 10.24. How to kill time ? A quick visit to Saltash for seven minutes crossing the Tamar to Kernow and back with HSTs both ways. Then it was off to Gunnislake over the Tamar again, this time the Calstock Viaduct. Arrival was at 11.10 and thankfully the 79 bus schedule was kind to me at the bus stop opposite with an 11.31 bus to Tavistock for the 15 minute journey, again over the Tamar for the fourth time that morning over the 500 year old New Bridge. After a pasty and few pints at the Stannary Brewery it was time to leave Tavistock Bus Station at 14.21 on service 118 to Okehampton Railway Station which thankfully arrived bang on time at 15.16 where the 15.25 GWR service to Exeter was waiting for me. Alighting at St Davids at 16.56, I just had to wait for the 16.27 IET home to Ivybridge and my circular trip was over at 17.18.
Saltash with the 2C42 09.10 Plymouth - Penzance with 43042 on the rear and 43156 on the front. 02.08.2025, copyright Clive Smith.
150265 on platform 3 at Plymouth with the 10.24 to Gunnislake while 150261 is stabled in platform 2. 02.08.2025, copyright Clive Smith.
Looking east up the River Tamar crossing Calstock Viaduct . For once the windows had been cleaned offering a fantastic view. Devon on the right and Cornwall and the village of Calstock to the left. The viaduct was built between 1904 and 1907 and is 120 feet high with twelve arches. 02.08.2025, copyright Clive Smith.
Looking west along the Tamar Valley from Calstock Viaduct. This is from a class 150. The young couple had got on the train at Plymouth and were going to Gunnislake. Some lucky soul would get to eat that raspberry pavlova that afternoon but sadly not me. 02.08.2025, copyright Clive Smith.
150265 pulls away from Gunnislake station with the 11.14 to Plymouth. 02.08.2025, copyright Clive Smith.
150263 with the 15.25 to Exeter Central. What an attractive station Okehampton is and how great that the re-introduced passenger service in 2021 has been such a success. Roll on the opening of the Tavistock to Bere Alston line. 02.08.2025, copyright Clive Smith.
Many thanks Clive - a good use of a day. Many miles covered by rail.
Railways around Newquay
Roger Winnen
Remains of Perranporth Beach Halt. 04.02.1973, copyright Roger Winnen.
Partial platform at Perranporth Beach Halt. 04.02.1973, copyright Roger Winnen.
Approaching Perranporth. 04.02.1973, copyright Roger Winnen.
Mithian Halt. 04.02.1973, copyright Roger Winnen.
Goonbell Halt. 04.02.1973, copyright Roger Winnen.
Another photograph of Goonbell Halt, with a lad climbing down to the platform. There are no trains today from here. 04.02.1973, copyright Roger Winnen.
Mount Hawke. 04.02.1973, copyright Roger Winnen.
Possibly Mount Hawke Halt.
Over to the other side of Newquay where the rails still exist, we see a Western approaching Quintrell Downs Station. 03.03.1973, copyright Roger Winnen.
A Fleeting Glimpse of Flying Scotsman
Paul Negus
Herewith a fleeting glimpse of Flying Scotsman backing into Derby Midland from the North last Saturday. It was off to haul the Belmond Pullman from Wellingborough to Derby, arriving back in Derby early in the afternoon. I was very lucky to get even this shot - the whistle (which always seems a bit feeble for such an imposing loco) had alerted me to its impending arrival. 02.08.2025, copyright Paul Negus.
Thanks Paul
Lostwithiel Interlude
Jon Hird
Having terminated short at Exeter Riverside on Saturday morning, 66063 is seen working the Exeter - Goonbarrow empty JIA's in Lostwithiel Down Goods Loop. The train had been running very early, but was looped here for around an hour. 66063 remarkably wears its original EWS paintwork complete with 'EWS' branding - one of only a handful left in such a condition. A testament to the quality of the paintwork from General Motors on the new locomotives over 25 years ago. 04.08.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
43042 and 43156 pass the now shut-down 66063 as they head west with the 1014 Plymouth - Penzance. 04.08.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
To my surprise, and seemingly to that of those waiting on the down platform, the driver of 43042 sounded his horn before proceeding at speed through the platform, non-stop. I later learned that the train had made an additional stop at St Budeaux Ferry Road (due to a signalling fault preventing trains from running between Plymouth and St Budeaux Victoria Road to Gunnislake) in exchange for running non-stop through Saltash, St Germans, Bodmin Parkway, Lostwithiel, St Austell, Redruth, Camborne and Hayle. 04.08.2025, copyright Jon Hird.