Polbrock Bridge
Then and now
Andrew Jones
Then and now
Andrew Jones
Polbrock Bridge in February 1977. Copyright Andrew Jones
What a wonderful selection of photographs and articles during July. Your website goes from strength to strength.**
Following on from the past and present topics, here is Polbrock , taken approx 40 years apart. There is a Sunbeam Rapier parked outside John Jago’s house, where the crews of passing trains often delivered his daily cigarettes.
Trains were few and far between by the time the 1977 shot was taken, usually early in the morning, with an occasional evening goods. Nowadays taking this shot in 2017 is vastly more dangerous with speeding cyclists probably travelling at twice the speed of a goods train and taking a lot less care than railway staff would ever have been allowed!
For me the Camel Trail is a mixed blessing, but at least we can all still travel the route of this once famous line.
Keep up the good work!
Best wishes Andrew Many thanks Andrew.
N.B. ** The website is as good as all the pictures and news you all send many thanks to all for the support given.
Following on from the past and present topics, here is Polbrock , taken approx 40 years apart. There is a Sunbeam Rapier parked outside John Jago’s house, where the crews of passing trains often delivered his daily cigarettes.
Trains were few and far between by the time the 1977 shot was taken, usually early in the morning, with an occasional evening goods. Nowadays taking this shot in 2017 is vastly more dangerous with speeding cyclists probably travelling at twice the speed of a goods train and taking a lot less care than railway staff would ever have been allowed!
For me the Camel Trail is a mixed blessing, but at least we can all still travel the route of this once famous line.
Keep up the good work!
Best wishes Andrew Many thanks Andrew.
N.B. ** The website is as good as all the pictures and news you all send many thanks to all for the support given.
Polbrock Bridge in 2017. Copyright Andrew Jones.
Exeter Central
Ron Kosys
Ron Kosys
By 1988, the cement for Exeter Central was moved via the Speedlink network rather than a block train.
Consequently the traffic was tripped from Riverside by whatever loco was available whenever it was available, though early afternoon used to be the more regular time.
The location itself was a dream to photograph and it was very easy to rattle off half a roll of Kodachrome from the various photting locations available, especially when the weather was decent.
24th June 1988 saw 50002 do the honours. Note the larger capacity PCA are now in use.
Consequently the traffic was tripped from Riverside by whatever loco was available whenever it was available, though early afternoon used to be the more regular time.
The location itself was a dream to photograph and it was very easy to rattle off half a roll of Kodachrome from the various photting locations available, especially when the weather was decent.
24th June 1988 saw 50002 do the honours. Note the larger capacity PCA are now in use.
Exeter Central 24th June 1988. 50002 Superb on the 'cement'. Copyright Ron Kosys
Van explodes on Hayle Viaduct
Phil Hadley
Phil Hadley
Had it been peacetime just imagine what headlines this would have made in the West Briton and Cornishman Newspapers
Tuesday 12th January 1943
At about 1 o’clock whilst passing over Hayle Viaduct, one of the vans of a GWR goods train by some means exploded. The amazing thing about this incident is that, although blowing up to a height of 30 feet above the viaduct and then falling down into the middle of the town right in front of Clark’s Restaurant (now Warrens) the half-ton van failed to cause any damage to property or to injure any people. (Hayle in WW2 by Brian Sullivan)
Wednesday 13th February
Supt Sloman reports “1140 hours GWR permanent way blocked by derailed goods train 1 mile West of Saltash Station. Temporary suspension of traffic. Passengers being conveyed by road via Saltash & St Germans. Line likely to be opened 1400 hours today.” PWD
“Single line traffic resumed at 1545 hours.” PWD
Friday 15th February
Supt Sloman reports “1015 hours both lines are now clear.” PWD
Saturday 16th February
Wadebridge – Padstow/Bodmin/Launceston – The US Signal Corps assisted the Southern Railway by putting in a telephone control scheme. They ran 30 pair mile wires, 757 arms were cut in or changed, 28 new poles were erected and 137 new guy stays were put up. (US Signal Corps document dated 16th Feb 1944)
Sunday 30th May
At Launceston a link between LSWR and GWR lines opened to facilitate the ease of movement of military trains. BLP
Friday 16th July
Fowey US Army Ammunition Depot known as Depot O-655 storing ammunition in the fields adjoining the A390 between Dobwalls and Lostwithiel and utilising the Boconnoc Estate was activated. There were five railheads for this Depot with Doublebois, Liskeard, Lostwithiel and Bodmin Road Stations being four of them. The HQ was in Luxtowe House, Liskeard. (US National Archive)
Undated July
An ‘up’ goods loop was opened at Tremabe, just over a mile east of Doublebois. This closed in 1952. (The Great Western Railway in East Cornwall by Alan Bennett)
Tuesday 17th August
On the 17th August a meeting at the War Office in London changed the names of the US Army Depots to avoid confusion over their actual locations: Fowey became known as Liskeard and Launceston became known as Beaworthy. The original names had been chosen by the Americans! (US National Archives)
Thursday 19th – Wednesday 25th August
US Navy - An average of 43 ammunition trucks were unloaded each day at Fowey with 61 being the most in any one day. (US Navy Documents)
Thursday 2nd – Wednesday 8th September
US Navy - An average of 49 ammunition trucks were unloaded each day at Fowey with 103 being the most in any one day. (US Navy Documents)
Friday 3rd September
Launceston/Beaworthy US Army Ammunition Depot known as O-666 was activated storing the ammunition in the fields adjoining the roads north of the town with Egloskerry and Bridgerule & Whitstone stations providing two of the 8 railheads in the designated area. Towerhill was another. The HQ was at Winsford Towers at Beaworthy in Devon. The new sidings and marshalling yard at Halwill was still not finished. (US National Archive)
Saturday 4th September
Supt Beale “0930 hours a French boat No CC 1496 with 12 male escapees on board was found in the channel & towed to Newlyn, Penzance & landed at 1030 hours. She came from the French port of Concarneau. Immigration Officer is dealing with them & they will be conveyed to London on the night train from Penzance.” PWD
Thursday 14th October
Supt Burroughs “61 complete rounds of s. ammunition , 2 loose, 5 bullets & 3 empty cartridge cases found on railway track between Perranporth & St Agnes ¾ mile from Perranporth Railway Station having presumably dropped from an American aircraft. Collected by RAF.” PWD
Sunday 5th December
Supt Beale: “Grey metal container found in coach of train at Penzance. Detonator of land mine in container, one cannon shell and other explosive articles. Police enquiries resulted in explosives being claimed by US authorities. Officer left container in charge of man who left it in the train. Explosives used for purposes of lectures.” PWD
Friday 31 December
The GWR’s hotel at St Ives, the Tregenna Castle, saw visitor numbers for the year up 62% on pre-war figures. GWR
For earlier years in Phill's diary please click here.
Tuesday 12th January 1943
At about 1 o’clock whilst passing over Hayle Viaduct, one of the vans of a GWR goods train by some means exploded. The amazing thing about this incident is that, although blowing up to a height of 30 feet above the viaduct and then falling down into the middle of the town right in front of Clark’s Restaurant (now Warrens) the half-ton van failed to cause any damage to property or to injure any people. (Hayle in WW2 by Brian Sullivan)
Wednesday 13th February
Supt Sloman reports “1140 hours GWR permanent way blocked by derailed goods train 1 mile West of Saltash Station. Temporary suspension of traffic. Passengers being conveyed by road via Saltash & St Germans. Line likely to be opened 1400 hours today.” PWD
“Single line traffic resumed at 1545 hours.” PWD
Friday 15th February
Supt Sloman reports “1015 hours both lines are now clear.” PWD
Saturday 16th February
Wadebridge – Padstow/Bodmin/Launceston – The US Signal Corps assisted the Southern Railway by putting in a telephone control scheme. They ran 30 pair mile wires, 757 arms were cut in or changed, 28 new poles were erected and 137 new guy stays were put up. (US Signal Corps document dated 16th Feb 1944)
Sunday 30th May
At Launceston a link between LSWR and GWR lines opened to facilitate the ease of movement of military trains. BLP
Friday 16th July
Fowey US Army Ammunition Depot known as Depot O-655 storing ammunition in the fields adjoining the A390 between Dobwalls and Lostwithiel and utilising the Boconnoc Estate was activated. There were five railheads for this Depot with Doublebois, Liskeard, Lostwithiel and Bodmin Road Stations being four of them. The HQ was in Luxtowe House, Liskeard. (US National Archive)
Undated July
An ‘up’ goods loop was opened at Tremabe, just over a mile east of Doublebois. This closed in 1952. (The Great Western Railway in East Cornwall by Alan Bennett)
Tuesday 17th August
On the 17th August a meeting at the War Office in London changed the names of the US Army Depots to avoid confusion over their actual locations: Fowey became known as Liskeard and Launceston became known as Beaworthy. The original names had been chosen by the Americans! (US National Archives)
Thursday 19th – Wednesday 25th August
US Navy - An average of 43 ammunition trucks were unloaded each day at Fowey with 61 being the most in any one day. (US Navy Documents)
Thursday 2nd – Wednesday 8th September
US Navy - An average of 49 ammunition trucks were unloaded each day at Fowey with 103 being the most in any one day. (US Navy Documents)
Friday 3rd September
Launceston/Beaworthy US Army Ammunition Depot known as O-666 was activated storing the ammunition in the fields adjoining the roads north of the town with Egloskerry and Bridgerule & Whitstone stations providing two of the 8 railheads in the designated area. Towerhill was another. The HQ was at Winsford Towers at Beaworthy in Devon. The new sidings and marshalling yard at Halwill was still not finished. (US National Archive)
Saturday 4th September
Supt Beale “0930 hours a French boat No CC 1496 with 12 male escapees on board was found in the channel & towed to Newlyn, Penzance & landed at 1030 hours. She came from the French port of Concarneau. Immigration Officer is dealing with them & they will be conveyed to London on the night train from Penzance.” PWD
Thursday 14th October
Supt Burroughs “61 complete rounds of s. ammunition , 2 loose, 5 bullets & 3 empty cartridge cases found on railway track between Perranporth & St Agnes ¾ mile from Perranporth Railway Station having presumably dropped from an American aircraft. Collected by RAF.” PWD
Sunday 5th December
Supt Beale: “Grey metal container found in coach of train at Penzance. Detonator of land mine in container, one cannon shell and other explosive articles. Police enquiries resulted in explosives being claimed by US authorities. Officer left container in charge of man who left it in the train. Explosives used for purposes of lectures.” PWD
Friday 31 December
The GWR’s hotel at St Ives, the Tregenna Castle, saw visitor numbers for the year up 62% on pre-war figures. GWR
For earlier years in Phill's diary please click here.
Wyke
John Cornelius
John Cornelius
Copyright John Cornelius