57603 heads home
Neil Phillips
Hello Roger, Keith and Jon,
I missed the interesting Long Rock to Laira move with 57603/5 sandwiching sleeping car 10616 on Saturday, but spotted 57603's return just in time to go and catch it at Par. It was close behind an IET so crawled through the station, only getting the green at the last moment. The weather was rather dull and I expected others to have obtained better photos, but since none were published of this return movement here are mine for the record! Believe it or not, these are the first photos of one of these locomotives I have ever managed to take! This one had been D1830 and 47349 in a previous Sulzer-powered life.
Popping in to the St Blazey turntable on the way home I found MPower Kernow's Fowler 0-4-0 'Peter' now wearing a raincoat!
Regarding John Roberts' question on whether Winston Churchill's funeral was a national holiday resulting in a half-day closure of Truro School, I have no recollection now. This event occurred a year or so before John encouraged my interest in the railway scene - yes, I hold him responsible for a lifetime's distraction....thank you John, I now can't imagine going through life not knowing what a diesel-hydraulic was!
I well remember the shocking events of 27th August 1979, on both sides of Ireland - as fate would have it, for four months that summer I happened to be near Ardglass, just up the coast from Warrenpoint.......
Best regards,
Neil Phillips
I missed the interesting Long Rock to Laira move with 57603/5 sandwiching sleeping car 10616 on Saturday, but spotted 57603's return just in time to go and catch it at Par. It was close behind an IET so crawled through the station, only getting the green at the last moment. The weather was rather dull and I expected others to have obtained better photos, but since none were published of this return movement here are mine for the record! Believe it or not, these are the first photos of one of these locomotives I have ever managed to take! This one had been D1830 and 47349 in a previous Sulzer-powered life.
Popping in to the St Blazey turntable on the way home I found MPower Kernow's Fowler 0-4-0 'Peter' now wearing a raincoat!
Regarding John Roberts' question on whether Winston Churchill's funeral was a national holiday resulting in a half-day closure of Truro School, I have no recollection now. This event occurred a year or so before John encouraged my interest in the railway scene - yes, I hold him responsible for a lifetime's distraction....thank you John, I now can't imagine going through life not knowing what a diesel-hydraulic was!
I well remember the shocking events of 27th August 1979, on both sides of Ireland - as fate would have it, for four months that summer I happened to be near Ardglass, just up the coast from Warrenpoint.......
Best regards,
Neil Phillips
57603 passing slowly through Platform 1 at Par with Sleeping Car 10616 in tow. 8th February 2025, copyright Neil Phillips.
57603 almost comes to a stop, but not quite as the signal goes green. 8th February 2025, copyright Neil Phillips.
57603 accelerates away from Par with its light load. 8th February 2025, copyright Neil Phillips.
Fowler 0-4-0 'Peter' sports weather protection at the St Blazey turntable. 8th February 2025, copyright Neil Phillips.
Many thanks, Neil - the only shots I've seen of the return, well done for having a crack at it!
Bristol TM Snapshot
Martin Scane
There is precious little to record these days on my regular visits to Bristol but the NR Track Track Recording Unit was stabled at the Up end of Temple Meads this afternoon (09.02.2025) if it is of interest to readers. Copyright Martin Scane.
Many thanks, Martin - sad to see Bristol TM as sterile as it's become in recent years, it used to be a great place to spend a few hours.
Reading TCD
Alan Peters
The perils of night photography, my deleted picture of GWR 57605 'Totnes castle' at Reading Depot on 13th January 2024, the flare from the modern bollard lighting proved too overpowering making this shot unlucky for me! Copyright Alan Peters.
Many thanks, Alan - blimey those bollards are bright, aren't they? I suspect your last shot of 57605 for a little while.
Sunny Sunday
Jon Hird
66152 crosses the embankment at Lavrean, near Goonbarrow, at the end of its journey from St. Blazey to Goonbarrow with empty JIA wagons. For the last few weeks this train (6G03) has run on a Sunday morning, a welcome addition to the schedule. 09.02.2025, copyright Jon Hird.