Newquay 'Peak'
Clive Smith
Forty years ago. Think back to the Live Aid concert and this was the day. Having arrived on the 1V73 08.38 Manchester - Newquay, 45122 has run round and now awaits departure with the 18.00 to Plymouth. It would be just over two months before the last ever peak to Newquay. Let's hope 45118 makes an appearance at the resort soon to end that statistic. 45122 was originally numbered D11 and was the first of the class 45s.
The first peak Class 44s D1 - D10 were originally only fitted with the four disc style train identification system. During the last quarter of 1960 the first of the uprated BR/Sulzer Type 4's were released from Derby, D11 in September, D12 in October & D13 in November, all allocated to Derby (17A). With the decision to use a system of four character alpha/numeric train identification the current locomotive orders saw changes to their designs to accommodate the new train identification system. For the Peaks the initial change was the adding of two boxes on the nose end, split by the gangway doors that had been carried over from D1 - D10. With the discontinuance of the use of the nose end gangway doors these were generally removed and sheeted over as the locomotives went through Works.
45122 received its last classified repair during September 1985 and was withdrawn during April 1987. Source : derby sulzers site menu
The first peak Class 44s D1 - D10 were originally only fitted with the four disc style train identification system. During the last quarter of 1960 the first of the uprated BR/Sulzer Type 4's were released from Derby, D11 in September, D12 in October & D13 in November, all allocated to Derby (17A). With the decision to use a system of four character alpha/numeric train identification the current locomotive orders saw changes to their designs to accommodate the new train identification system. For the Peaks the initial change was the adding of two boxes on the nose end, split by the gangway doors that had been carried over from D1 - D10. With the discontinuance of the use of the nose end gangway doors these were generally removed and sheeted over as the locomotives went through Works.
45122 received its last classified repair during September 1985 and was withdrawn during April 1987. Source : derby sulzers site menu
45122 awaits departure from Newquay with the 18.00 to Plymouth. 13.07.1985, copyright Clive Smith.
Many thanks as always Clive, an interesting piece.
66168 - First and Last!
Neil Phillips
Whilst hunting through my old photo prints today I found these images from the early days of red Class 66 operation on 'the clays', specifically August 2002. Both locomotives have stories to tell - 66002 had been retained by EMD in London, Ontario for extended testing for a very long time, and following its eventual arrival in the UK it was immediately sent to Cornwall to work the china clay traffic, much to the annoyance of Class 66 spotters nationwide I would imagine! However since all 250 EWS Class 66s had been delivered by August 2000 (66001 and 66250 had been displayed side-by-side at the Old Oak Common Open Days of 5th/6th August of that year) I'm sure that my photos caught 66002 on a subsequent visit.
With 250 locos to choose from this may well have been 66168's first time on the clays, and as was well recorded a few months ago it was the last 'red Shed' to work these trains for DB Cargo as well, including the very last such working on 31st March 2026. Both machines still appear not long 'out of the box', a testament to the quality of the paint - a few examples are still running in the old EWS colours today and their paintwork has now lasted over two decades longer than anything applied to a WR diesel-hydraulic!
With 250 locos to choose from this may well have been 66168's first time on the clays, and as was well recorded a few months ago it was the last 'red Shed' to work these trains for DB Cargo as well, including the very last such working on 31st March 2026. Both machines still appear not long 'out of the box', a testament to the quality of the paint - a few examples are still running in the old EWS colours today and their paintwork has now lasted over two decades longer than anything applied to a WR diesel-hydraulic!
Second-built EWS Class 66 66002 arrives at Par with a rake of loaded CDA wagons bound for Fowey Docks. August 2002. Copyright Neil Phillips.
66002 awaits a clear path over the hill to Lostwithiel. August 2002. Copyright Neil Phillips.
Clear path granted and 66002 gets underway from Par. August 2002. Copyright Neil Phillips.
A still new-looking 66168 brings a rake of empty CDA wagons into Par station. August 2002. Copyright Neil Phillips.
66168 approaches Par Signal Box on its way back to Goonbarrow. August 2002. Copyright Neil Phillips.
66168 now in a different red livery waits at Par with the last DBC-hauled china clay working to Fowey. 31st March 2026. Copyright Neil Phillips.
66168 departs Par for Lostwithiel and Fowey Docks. 31st March 2026. Copyright Neil Phillips.
Many thanks Neil - well remembered/observed about 66168.
Class 66 - a side note
Simon Howard
Neil Phillps’s pictures of a nearly new 66002 prompted a memory. A few years ago I appointed a Non-Executive Director who had previously been very senior (I’m protecting him!) at EWS. He was a logistics/trucking man and was astounded by three things he encountered in his first week:
The railways are obviously better than they were, but they are starting from a long way back…
- He inherited the contract for 250 Class 66s but the contract had no specific deliverables in terms of performance, fuel consumption or availability. That would never happen with a fleet of new trucks, he told me.
- The previous week a 66 had caused mayhem as it had run out of fuel and caused a line blockage. “Why didn’t the driver look at the fuel gauge? That’s a pretty basic driver requirement. Trucks don’t stop on motorways because they’ve run out of fuel”. “There is no fuel gauge in the cab” came the reply. “The driver has to check on the lineside the fuel tanks”. You can guess the new executive’s response to that. Subsequently electronic repeater gauges have been fitted in the cab but apparently 70% are ineffective.
- ASLEF were threatening strike action in defence of a driver who had (again) Passed a Signal at Danger. “That’s unbelievable” my confidant said “in trucking the drivers are responsible for having (in his company’s case) a totally clean driving licence. We had a total commitment to safety”.
The railways are obviously better than they were, but they are starting from a long way back…
Great stuff Simon, many thanks - very interesting to hear some inside tales of the 66 introduction.
Monday's Clay
Jon Hird
A glimpse through a rare clear spot in the Luxulyan Valley. 66759 and the midday Goonbarrow - Fowey JIA's descend towards St. Blazey. 13.07.2026, copyright Jon Hird.
July 1976
Part 14
Roger Winnen
Looking from the Aqueduct down on to the Newquay Branch with D1021 Western Cavalier passing by underneath. 10.07.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
A Class 50 on the Newquay Branch heading for Newquay. 10.07.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
The Class 50 climbs to Luxulyan. 10.07.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
A Class 47 heading west at Par. 10.07.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.