The Nick Perring Collection - Part 6
The View From Newton Abbot Signal Boxes & Gantries
Clive Smith
Here is an absolute treat taken by Nick from the signal gantry at the east end of platform 3 and 4. Full of little details like the old British Rail Bedford van I think and china clay wagons with hoods in the siding . The adjacent motorail siding has an old building with four windows which I think is where Nick and his S & T colleagues were based. 45140 pulls away with the 1M85 07.40 Penzance - Liverpool on the 12th February 1982.
A superb photo taken by Nick from Newton Abbot East Box in early 1982. The unknown 31s were heading to Laira and look like the 'Taunton Twins' as everybody knew the pair of class 31s that were usually stabled at Taunton as stand by locos to be called to rescue just about anything which they often did. Copyright Clive Smith (Original photographer Nick Perring).
A lovely photo of 50043 by Nick taken from Newton Abbot West signal box in either January 1981 or December 1980. The train looks like the 08.00 Bristol TM - Penzance with the tell tale buffet car behind the loco. What a place Newton Abbot was. Eagle was transferred to Laira in November 1980 from Bath Road and it looks like they gave it a temporary spruce up. Anything had to be an improvement on the standard Bristol filth & grime 'livery'. 50043 was repainted the following year. This slide of Nick's had no identification on it so the defining clues to identify 50043 are the close dominoes on the headcode and the lack of orange MU squares. Copyright Clive Smith (Original photographer Nick Perring).
Another fabulous photo from Nick taken from Newton Abbot East Box of 45002 on a mixed goods from Heathfield arriving off the branch with all the period railway infrastructure from the era. Note the shunter with the orange bib walking along the track by the train. Taken around February 1982. Copyright Clive Smith (Original photographer Nick Perring).
Another from East Box The train is the 1M85 07.40 Penzance - Liverpool in early 1982 which was occasionally double headed around this time . I think the fifty is 50038 which had been large logo since late 1980 The peak is a 45/1 . A line of clay hoods are parked up ready for a trip up the Heathfield branch. Carriage heating unit ADB968008 (24054) can be seen in the distance. A great image of the fabulous Newton Abbot station, semaphore signals, sidings and the closed depot as was that was severely rationalised in 1987 and which I still find hard to take in even now. Copyright Clive Smith (Original photographer Nick Perring).
45125 thrashes out of Newton Abbot with the 1V87 06.00 Aberdeen / 09.15 Glasgow - Paignton on the 31st July 1982. Nick took this shot from Newton Abbot West Box and it shows just how much the station has changed following the rationalising and re-signalling in 1987 with the sidings and closed motive power depot and loco works to the right. The departmental class 24 carriage heating unit ADB968008 (24054) can be seen in the background. Copyright Clive Smith (Original photographer Nick Perring).
Another cracker taken by Nick, this time from the signal gantry at the eastern end of platforms 3 and 4. Taken around August 1982 it's 45007 on an ECS. Copyright Clive Smith (Original photographer Nick Perring).
Many thanks Clive, some great photos from unusual and unrepeatable angles - Nick was very creative with his photography!
January Firsts
Craig Munday
Some seasonal weather and the resumption of the Carne Point clay brought out the camera on 5th / 6th Jan.
Seen from high above Lostwithiel on the hillside, 66122 swings onto the Fowey Branch with the Goonbarrow - Carne Point Clay on 05.01.2026. Copyright Craig Munday.
With some stubborn snow from the previous evening still on the floor, 66122 reverses the JIA's into Wheal Henry at Goonbarrow on 06.01.2026. Copyright Craig Munday.
150248 passes Goonbarrow Junction with a delayed service from Newquay, whilst 66122 waits to depart for Fowey. 06.01.2026, copyright Craig Munday.
66122 and 08752 at Goonbarrow with the famous red telephone box. 06.01.2026, copyright Craig Munday.
Many thanks Craig. Photography conditions so far this year have been superb - just a shame we are a little lacking on subject matter!
January 1976
Part 7
Roger Winnen
D1056 Western Sultan at Penzance. 31.01.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
D1041 Western Prince at Penzance. 31.01.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
D1041 Western Prince at Penzance. 31.01.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
An air-conditioned Western passing Long Rock. 31.01.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
The original photograph clearly wasn't taken in 1976, but this is the date when Roger took a photo of this photo of a GWR Bus at Penzance Station.
That's all from this batch of photos from 50 years ago, but join us next month for February's helping of 1976 pictures!
Many thanks to Roger for firing up the scanner and sorting these out for us.
Many thanks to Roger for firing up the scanner and sorting these out for us.
Cold Clay
Jon Hird
Picking up the story from Craig's photographs further up the page, 66122 departs Goonbarrow Junction and leaves behind the wonderful semaphores with the midday Fowey clay working. There's still some frost between the rails where the sun does not reach at this time of year. 06.01.2026, copyright Jon Hird.
More Western's identified
and a Class 150
Guy Vincent
The Western passing Keyham posted yesterday is, according to records, the now preserved D1013 Western Ranger. The loco displays a valid headcode but within a month or so these were progressively reset to show 0O00 or, with many of the Westerns their actual fleet numbers.
The photo from yesterday showing Hymek D7089 (latterly held here for use as a static carriage steam-heating unit) in the scrap line at Laira on 17th Jan. has previously featured on the site. It was taken just three or so weeks before the loco was towed away to T.J. Thomson’s yard at Stockton on Tees for disposal. The two Westerns parked further back in the same line are believed to be D1046 and D1064.
Finally, 150285 while waiting at a red signal on the up through line at Cardiff Central on 5th January. When in Wales I tend to notice and if possible photograph these now as in recent months there has been a large reduction in both booked work and numbers.
Guy V (currently suffering the dreaded winter lurgi!)
The photo from yesterday showing Hymek D7089 (latterly held here for use as a static carriage steam-heating unit) in the scrap line at Laira on 17th Jan. has previously featured on the site. It was taken just three or so weeks before the loco was towed away to T.J. Thomson’s yard at Stockton on Tees for disposal. The two Westerns parked further back in the same line are believed to be D1046 and D1064.
Finally, 150285 while waiting at a red signal on the up through line at Cardiff Central on 5th January. When in Wales I tend to notice and if possible photograph these now as in recent months there has been a large reduction in both booked work and numbers.
Guy V (currently suffering the dreaded winter lurgi!)
150285 while waiting at a red signal on the up through line at Cardiff Central on 5th January. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Many thanks Guy, for more Western wisdom and the 150 photograph.