15th January 2022

Oh what a beautiful morning - oh what a busy day.
Saltash & S. Brent
Clive Smith

​The photos might suggest that I spent Friday 14th chasing after different coloured HSTs but this was anything but the case. A few weeks ago I arranged appointments at my chiropractor at Saltash for 09.00, a haircut in Plympton for 10.15 and at my dentist in South Brent at 12.15 . All well and good. What I hadn't countered for was glorious sunshine, the Network Rail New Measurement Train being out and the re-emergence of a daily XC  HST 
Regards, Clive Smith

(1) Utterly stunning light on the River Tamar as the 08.47 Plymouth - Penzance crosses the Royal Albert Bridge with 43170 on the rear and 43155 out of sight on the front. Driving down the A38 I was met with both bridges superbly illuminated and so parked up at the bridge view car park and luckily this train was just approaching. 14th January 2022. Copyright Clive Smith.

(2) Superlative low winter morning sun illuminating Saltash waterfront and the bridge approach as the 1Q18 06.11 Reading Triangle - Paignton via Penzance New Measurement Train is about to pass through the station at 09.35. Now currently operated by ex-LNER power cars 43290 (rear) and 43299 (front)..Photographed from St Budeaux. 14th January 2022. Copyright Clive Smith.

(3) With my spinal chord re-arranged and a few sunny bridge fots to boot it was off to the top end of Plympton for my haircut appointment. With my remaining hairs snipped it was just a couple of minutes up the road to Hemerdon and perfect timing for the 08.50 Penzance - Cardiff Central ascending the 1 in 42 gradient in the morning sunshine headed by 43192 with 43092 on the rear. 14th January 2022. Copyright Clive Smith.

(4) Next up was my dentist at South Brent which is in the converted goods shed next to the railway at the site of the former Brent Station . My appointment was at 12.15 for two fillings and fortuitously the 1M49 11.53 Plymouth - Birmingham New Street which was on its third day of working with an XC HST was due to pass at 12.10. Ideal. Unfortunately the morning Dartmoor cloud had failed to shift resulting in the only dull shot of the day. 43366 is on the front and 43207 on the rear. 14th January 2022. Copyright Clive Smith.

(5) With barely enough time to eat my lunch I was out again for the 1Q18 06.11 Reading Triangle - Paignton via Penzance New Measurement Train now passing Daveys Bridge running fifteen minutes early at 13.55. 14th January 2022. Copyright Clive Smith.

Ankle, hair and teeth - what a glorious day. Many thanks Clive.
​

Shivering on shed. 1st Jan '79 
Exeter
Paul Barlow 

Here we see 25206 resting on Exeter St Davids shed on New Years Day - 1st January 1979.. Copyright Paul Barlow

Brrr - looking like Christmas Cake. Many thanks Paul.
​

Bodmin Parkway
Stephen Widdowson​

43172 together with 43187 power the 13.50 Paddington to Penzance on the 20th June 1987. Copyright Steve Widdowson

Many thanks Steve.
​

Letter from Burma
Roy Hart

I (KJ) wrote and thanked Roy for his response to a recent request b David Cooke concerning the last engine at Newton Abbot shed.
Dear Keith,
Thanks for your message. I must confess that I rather enjoy these 'mystery' cases which come up from time to time!
I suppose that there are fewer and fewer of us who have memories of these things. The other day I pulled out my old negatives from the 1960s, wondering about how to get them scanned. I found pictures of the GWS special in 1967 when the Hall and 1466 hauled four coaches from Plymouth to Didcot. Society members, limited to 100, were offered the ride - for the princely sum of 2 quid. I rode on it. Left home at 0530, rode the special as far as Westbury, took a DMU to Bristol and was home in bed at Trevingey by midnight!  On thinking about it though, this was 54 years ago (I was 16). How many of us who rode that train are left, I wonder?
All good wishes to you and Valerie. Hope to see you before too long.

Nway and Roy

Many thanks once more Roy - I hope you won't mind me publishing your letter - almost in full. Hopefully it will bring forth previously unseen pictures of the move. Isn't it possible to get a light weight scanner out there - we hope to see some of your collection - it must be fascinating.

Seen at Camborne - in memory of Jethro whose funeral occurred recently. The photographer is unknown but we're glad 'his train did stop Camborne'