Items added on 20th January 2018 Those added most recently come first

South Devon today
Travelling by train and the
Rail Replacement Coaches
Roger Winnen

Over a number of weekends until the 10th February 2018 the main line is closed between Plymouth and Totnes for engineering work in the Brent area. Rail Replacement Coaches are operating between Plymouth and Totnes and also Exeter to Plymouth. All trains terminating and departing at Totnes are using the up main line from Plymouth on the old creamery side. However all the connecting coach services are using the other side of the station, the down side to Plymouth.  All passengers having to cross the footbridge or make a long detour by foot around to the other side. It would be more helpful if everything was on the same side!
Many thanks to David Tozer and friends for updating me with movements during the day.

180120a The Rail Grinding Train at Tavistock Junction viewed from a Rail Replacement Coach, Roselyn of St Blazey. Copyright Roger Winnen

180120b The Whistle Stop Cafe at Paignton Railway Station a very good place to eat and drink. I also took a photograph of the Booking Office at Paignton, however I was asked not to show it on any website of which I respected their wishes.. Copyright Roger Winnen

180120c 70816 at Marley Head with a train of track panels viewed again from the Rail Replacement Coach. Copyright Roger Winnen

180120d 70816 heads through Dawlish Station with the track panels recovered from the Brent area. - Copyright Roger Winnen

180120e Perfect light at Exeter St David's as a Waterloo service arrives. Copyright Roger Winnen -

180120f 66093 Approaches Exeter St David's on an empty spoil train bound for Westbury. Copyright Roger Winnen

Newquay
Alan Harris

An early view of the east side of Newquay station. Courtesy the Alan Harris Collection Copyright.

Bodmin General
​Original Signal Box
Roger Winnen / Chris Osment

The late Gordon Dobbs, former President of the Cornwall Railway Society stands on the steps of the previous Bodmin Signal Box in May 1972. Copyright Roger Winnen. What a shame this box was demolished.

A very nice comparison between the old and the new is made using this photograph of Bodmin General Signalbox taken by Chris Osment on the 3rd August 2011 Copyright Chris Osment who was given Official B & W permission for this location

Portbury traffic
Ron Kosys

Ron writes :- In 2005 I renewed my links with Bristol Airport but my visits were nowhere near as frequent as they were in the mid-1980's. Most of the time they seemed to coincide with poor weather. I got enough of that at home!
On 19th May 2009 I was heading for the M4 at Avonmouth and negotiating the roads around Ashton Gate when I noticed through the houses an mgr sitting at the commencement of the Portbury branch. They normally sat here waiting for the barriers at the level crossing to drop before entering the Gorge and heading for the docks at Portbury. Close to the level crossing was a bridge from which I could photograph the mgr. But would I make it in time?
 
The traffic crawled towards the A4; the barriers dropped just as I was approaching the crossing. A quick left into a convenient lay-by. Grab a camera and run up onto the bridge, to get totally soaked and a phot of 66070 heading for Portbury with the 4F61 1050 empties from Aberthaw Power Station.
This was the only time I managed to photograph a freight on the Portbury branch.  Well done and many thanks.

66070 seen at Ashton Gate on the 19th May 2009 with the 4F61 the 1050 Aberthaw - Portbury Copyright Ron Kosys

Problem solved
John Cornelius

​One of the biggest headaches we have at 'YRC' Yeovil Junction, is the low narrow railway underbridge, which presents problems of getting larger items on or off site. Several years ago we were 'gifted' some redundant ex-Port of Bristol railway wagons.
After their arrival by road to the upside yard, it left us in a quandary as how to get them across to our site on the down side.
The quickest and easiest option of moving them across by rail was deemed too expensive for the company. So our site engineer came up with an idea of constructing a low two wheel sledge to do the job and that was how we got them under the bridge and onto the site.
At a later date the sledge was used again to bring the four small diesel locos across, once the cabs had been removed to reduce height.

Copyright John Cornelius

The problem was getting the PBA wagon which had been delivered by road to the up goods yard to the north of the station to the Yeovil Railway Centre which has been established in the Goods Shed area to the south of the station complex. Map reproduced from the OS 6" map with permission of the National Library of Scotland.

Seen from the north side. Copyright John Cornelius.

There are more pictures of the ingenious solution to the problem in the Yeovil Railway History section, click here and scroll down to 2004.
Congratulations to the devoted YRC team on a fine effort.