Re: Cornish Freightliner Query
Yesterday, we published a query from a reader who asked about a Freighliner service from the 1970's. We have received two excellent responses from Roger Geach and Guy Vincent, as shown below.
Roger Geach writes:
Youd have to be awake early to see this.. Monday to Fridays.
4C64 0136 Park Royal - Par, due Plymouth Station 0616, arrived Par 0715 - could run early of course.
Few if any pictures of this working exist.
And from Guy Vincent:
I was interested to read of the Freightliner working between Par and Park Royal in the early 1970s. So, a trip into the "loft library" to answer the question posed by Paul Kiver.
From Modern Railways magazine August 1968 pages 444-445.
P444. Illustration by C H S Owen of "The newly introduced Par - Park Royal Freightliner passing Aller Jcn hauled by Brush Type 4 diesel D1641". The headcode is 3A44 and the train consists of 4 flat wagons, 3 loaded with three white Freightliner-branded box containers, the 4th flat with only one container (10 containers in total). Behind these are 4 sheeted china-clay wagons. Date May 1968.
P445. "Par Freightliner's nightly round trip"
"The Par - London Park Royal Freightliner, which started on May 20th, is making a 520- mile round trip every weekday night. Leaving Cornwall just after 1700 it arrives back at Par at 0845 the following morning. Initially confined to a five-car set. The first major customer is English China Clays, who are using the train to serve the John Dickinson Paper Mills at Watford. Other business to London is expected to include meat, ice-cream, broccoli, potatoes, and fish. From London the WR is hoping for general merchandise for distribution over a wide area of Cornwall. The Par terminal is only intended as a temporary arrangement until a Freightliner terminal is constructed at St Blazey".
Courtesy of Ian Allan publishing, now owned by Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincs.
From the BR (WR) Working Timetable Section 3 dated 4 May 1970 to 2 May 1971.
Outbound working : 4A64 1550 Par to Park Royal Freightliner. Air braked, max. load 550 tons.
Return working: 4C64 0136 Park Royal to Par Freightliner. Air braked, max. load 550 tons.
Info from Modern Railways Dec. 1968 P623:
From 11 Nov. 1968 a Plymouth portion was added to the Par - Park Royal FL service. Five wagons from or to each terminal departing Par at 1555 and Plymouth Friary at 1625, arriving at Park Royal at 2152. Westbound departure at 0136 from Park Royal, arriving at Plymouth Friary 0640 and Par 0710. Portions were combined / detached at Tavistock Junction yard. A hired crane loaded and unloaded containers in Friary yard pending completion of the FLT.
Both services were routed via Athelney, Westbury and Newbury and I've attached scans of the WTT pages showing both services as published (below).
An internet search result implied that these workings only lasted from 1968 to 1970, but I cannot confirm this to be correct.
Youd have to be awake early to see this.. Monday to Fridays.
4C64 0136 Park Royal - Par, due Plymouth Station 0616, arrived Par 0715 - could run early of course.
Few if any pictures of this working exist.
And from Guy Vincent:
I was interested to read of the Freightliner working between Par and Park Royal in the early 1970s. So, a trip into the "loft library" to answer the question posed by Paul Kiver.
From Modern Railways magazine August 1968 pages 444-445.
P444. Illustration by C H S Owen of "The newly introduced Par - Park Royal Freightliner passing Aller Jcn hauled by Brush Type 4 diesel D1641". The headcode is 3A44 and the train consists of 4 flat wagons, 3 loaded with three white Freightliner-branded box containers, the 4th flat with only one container (10 containers in total). Behind these are 4 sheeted china-clay wagons. Date May 1968.
P445. "Par Freightliner's nightly round trip"
"The Par - London Park Royal Freightliner, which started on May 20th, is making a 520- mile round trip every weekday night. Leaving Cornwall just after 1700 it arrives back at Par at 0845 the following morning. Initially confined to a five-car set. The first major customer is English China Clays, who are using the train to serve the John Dickinson Paper Mills at Watford. Other business to London is expected to include meat, ice-cream, broccoli, potatoes, and fish. From London the WR is hoping for general merchandise for distribution over a wide area of Cornwall. The Par terminal is only intended as a temporary arrangement until a Freightliner terminal is constructed at St Blazey".
Courtesy of Ian Allan publishing, now owned by Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincs.
From the BR (WR) Working Timetable Section 3 dated 4 May 1970 to 2 May 1971.
Outbound working : 4A64 1550 Par to Park Royal Freightliner. Air braked, max. load 550 tons.
Return working: 4C64 0136 Park Royal to Par Freightliner. Air braked, max. load 550 tons.
Info from Modern Railways Dec. 1968 P623:
From 11 Nov. 1968 a Plymouth portion was added to the Par - Park Royal FL service. Five wagons from or to each terminal departing Par at 1555 and Plymouth Friary at 1625, arriving at Park Royal at 2152. Westbound departure at 0136 from Park Royal, arriving at Plymouth Friary 0640 and Par 0710. Portions were combined / detached at Tavistock Junction yard. A hired crane loaded and unloaded containers in Friary yard pending completion of the FLT.
Both services were routed via Athelney, Westbury and Newbury and I've attached scans of the WTT pages showing both services as published (below).
An internet search result implied that these workings only lasted from 1968 to 1970, but I cannot confirm this to be correct.
Working Time Table supplied by Guy - please click an image for enlargement. Copyright Guy Vincent.
Many thanks to Guy and Roger for the excellent answers. Hopefully this answers Pauls query.
Early doors at Penzance
Andrew Triggs
A few shots from Saturday morning, there was a decent forecast, which failed to materialise with the grey cloud cover most of the day.
57602 'Restormel Castle' on final approach with the late running 1C50 from London Paddington, heading to Platform 4 at 08.14 (20 late). 15.11.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
Shortly after, staff training run with 175114 and 175007, crossing over the point work, heading for Platform 2 with 5Z21 06.16 Plymouth-Plymouth, again late running at 08.35. 15.11.21025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
57602 propelling 5C50 away from Platform 4 to Longrock Depot, departing 17 early at 08.39. 15.11.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
158798 approaching Marazion working 2C10 06.28 Exeter St Davids-Penzance. 15.11.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
175007 with 175114 passing Marazion at 09.41 (14 early) with the return 5Z21 06.16 Plymouth-Plymouth. 15.11.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
An early start to the day for you Andrew, but the results are great, many thanks.
Present day on the Exmouth Branch
Roger Geach
Part 2
165104 on the stops at Exmouth. 11.11.2025, copyright Roger Geach.
Exmouth Station frontage. 11.11.2025, copyright Roger Geach.
Many thanks, Roger. A few more images of this trip to follow tomorrow.
HST Memories
Paul Barlow
A couple more of a full length HSTs at Liskeard.
43196 was scrapped at SIMS Newport December 2022. 43182 is still in service in Scotland.
43196 was scrapped at SIMS Newport December 2022. 43182 is still in service in Scotland.
43196 and 43182 arriving at Liskeard on the 1203 Paddington to Penzance. 27.08.2018, copyright Paul Barlow.
43196 and 43182 at Liskeard on 1203 Paddington to Penzance. 27.08.2018, copyright Paul Barlow.
Many thanks Paul. They really show the gradient change at Liskeard.
Chasing Castles - the final countdown
Clive Smith
43093 arrives at St Erth with the 2C16 10.15 Plymouth - Penzance with 43198 on the rear. 15.11.2025, copyright Clive Smith.
43198 departs St Erth on the rear of the 2C16 10.15 Plymouth - Penzance with 43093 on the front. 15.11.2025, copyright Clive Smith.
43189 arriving at St Erth with 2C49 12.41 Plymouth - Penzance and 43186 on the rear. 15.11.2025, copyright Clive Smith.
43156 on the blocks at Penzance platform 4 with the 2P30 17.15 Penzance - Plymouth with 43004 on the front. 15.11.2025, copyright Clive Smith.
2P30 17.15 Penzance - Plymouth at platform 8 at Plymouth. 43004 front. 43156 rear. 15.11.2025, copyright Clive Smith.
Many thanks Clive. Time is running out - get them while you can.
Busy moment at Shrub Hill
Steve Widdowson
A busy moment at Worcester Shrub Hill with 67023 tnt with 67027 on the Worcester SH RHTT (3S31 1156 Swindon - Worcester Shrub Hill), also 172338 & 166212 with services for Bristol Temple Meads. 16.11.2025, copyright Steve Widdowson.
A colourful scene, many thanks Steve.
Didcot 'Skips'
Alan Peters
The Colas class 67's working the Gloucester circuit reverse at Didcot Parkway on Monday mornings, 67027 is seen at the London end of 3S33 and 67023 'Stella' at the Country end, the train will continue to Evesham via Oxford due to engineering work at Worcester and then return to Swindon on 27/10/25.
67027 and 67023 at Didcot with the RHTT on 27.10.2025. Copyright Alan Peters.
67027 and 67023 at Didcot with the RHTT on 27.10.2025. Copyright Alan Peters.
Many thanks as ever Alan, you certainly cover some ground.