Items added on the 19h September 2016 Those added most recently come first

Link to the Turning at Laira.
Footage by Nick Dyke

For a link to 'The turning at Laira and also other Cathedrals Express footage click  here  www.youtube.com/watch?v=k90S8CPsvvA

Privileged shots at Laira
Nick Dyke

​Nick is a GWR driver and route instructor based in Plymouth, He has 27 years railway experience and was a shunter at St Blazey back in the 90's, Driver at St Blazey from 98 to 04 then a driver at Par from 04 to 08 and been at Plymouth since 2008! So well qualified and authorised to be within railway property.  Many thanks Nick.

Laira 6201 turning 18th Sept. 2016 Copyright Nick Dyke

From another angle 6201 turning 18th Sept. 2016 Copyright Nick Dyke

The famous nameplate! 18th Sept. 2016 Copyright Nick Dyke

Coaling at Laira 18th Sept. 2016 Copyright Nick Dyke

Running past on speedway curve. 18th Sept. 2016 Copyright Nick Dyke

47 746 which took 6201 to Laira for turning on the triangle. 18th Sept. 2016 Copyright Nick Dyke

TRAIN CRASH 1973
Doug Nicholls

Take a close look at this picture, vans upside down in the field, a couple of spectators, maybe police, a breakdown train, or was it goods passing. It looks like the line has recently been singled - any ideas. Copyright Doug Nicholls

Hi Keith

This is one of Doug Nicholls slides I have scanned and shows a derailment. , Doug thinks it was near Axminster .

The date on the slide is a process date of  June 1973 .

Note vanfits and a tank wagon that have come off. I wonder if any readers can add further details of this derailment and confirm if it is nr Axminster.

Many Thanks

Roger Geach , slide credit to Doug Nicholls please 

A very quick reply from John Cornelius - Morning Keith, having had a good look at the pic, I would say its at Coaxden Bridge where the A358 road crosses the line a couple of miles on the Chard side of Axminster.
If you look centre left you can see vehicles on the roadside.
Also the goods train is hauled by a D10XX CLASS 52 loco.
 I don't recall this accident as I wasn't on the railway at that time.
I've enjoyed the coverage of 6201,a lot of busy cameras!!,plus all the other inputs.  cheers JOHN C.     Thank you John.

More on the Rail Crash above - many thanks to Tony Hill.  I remember this extensive derailment caused I think by a severe hotbox/sheared journal on a Vanfit..this was the 19.25 (or thereabouts) M-F freight from Avonmouth Royal Edward Yd to Ponsandane which for some reason (either due planned or emergency closure somewhere on the Bristol to Exeter main line) was diverted via Westbury and Yeovil to Exeter Riverside. This train mainly conveyed Vanfits of animal feedstuffs from the Avonmouth Mills & Docks and fertiliser from the ICI works at Severn Beach for the then still several rail served goods yards in Devon & Cornwall. The sacks were manhandled into and out of the wagons on sack trucks, with no pallets or forklifts, yet alone dumpy bags or in bulk ! Once the M5 motorway opened this rail traffic was soon lost to road transport as the Agricultural merchants found it quicker, more efficient with less handling, and cheaper to send their lorries up and collect it themselves, delivering direct to their depots and farm customers. Tony Hill                               Many thanks Tony

And still more - this time from David Tozer.  The line was blocked between 7th and 11th March near Fosse Way Bridge, Axminster. The freight train was hauled by a 'Peak' when nine wagons were derailed. The freight train was diverted from it's usual route via Taunton. The service started at Severn Tunnel Junction and was bound for Riverside Yard. The wagons conveyed large bags of fertiliser produced at Ince and Elton, Merseyside and was for delivery in Devon and Cornwall. The loco involved was D 1003 and not a Peak according to the link I sent you. 
                        Many thanks David - what else is there to learn?

And if you thought that was all:-  Morning Keith, some interesting comments on the derailment near Axminster.
Dave Tozer says it was at Fosse road bridge,which is probably the correct name for it. When I worked at Axminster Station the pw gang always called it Coaxdon bridge, after the little hamlet close by, so that's the name I have always known it by. The photo is taken looking towards Chard junction.
Thinking back a bit, I do recall seeing a box van in the field when passing by in the train one day on the way to Exeter and wondering how it got there.So now I know.
Learning all the time. CHEERS  JOHN C. 

On a visit to Plymouth on Saturday 10th October 2016 I bumped into a Railway Photographer on Plymouth Station by the name of Melvyn Melluish from Exeter.
He informed me that the driver of this freight train derailment was his father Bill Melluish. The farmers locally did quite well from this incident as it was carrying fertiliser.
He also mentioned that he had some newspaper cuttings of the event.
Roger Winnen
Many Thanks  Melvyn

Newton Abbot
John Cornelius

Two engines ready for the Devon banks ahead. Copyright John Cornelius

Morebath Junction
Mike Morant

5700 class 0-6-0PT no 3794 in charge of the 12.30 Dulverton - Exeter approaching Morebath Junction on 3/6/63.
[Mike Morant collection]

A delightful countryside shot of a rural branch train - many thanks Mike.