October 14th 2025

14/10/2025

Clearing out St. Blazey
JGA's for scrap
Jon Hird

Last month, news (officially) broke that DB Cargo intend to pull out of St. Blazey depot, moving the between-job storage of the JIA fleet to the sidings at Goonbarrow and their maintainence work to Westbury.

Yesterday, 13.10, 66054 worked down to St. Blazey light loco from Goonbarrow and shunted the only remaining wagons (other than the M Power Kernow vehicles) over to a siding with hard standing, in order for them to be disposed of by means of scrap.

These 5 JGA wagons were brought to Cornwall in 2023 with the intention of bolstering the JIA fleet following the withdrawl of the CDA's, however, they were subsequently deemed unsuitable and have spent the past two years in storage at St. Blazey. Only one of the wagons made a journey from St. Blazey - Goonbarrow - Fowey and did so unloaded - the Imerys front loaders at Goonbarrow were unable to reach over the top-opening doors of the wagon in order to load it due to the relatively low roof of the shed.

66054 pulls the 5 JGA's out of the siding where they have spent the last year or more, ready to run round and propel them into the sidings near to Middleway Crossing for scrap. 13.10.2025, copyright Jon Hird.

Propelling the wagons back onto 'The Fowey Main' behind St. Blazey signalbox ready to be run round. 13.10.2025, copyright Jon Hird.

With the wagons deposited for the scrapman and the handbrakes applied, 66054 is detached and pulls away ready to return to Goonbarrow as 0Z05. 13.10.205, copyright Jon Hird.

66054 heads back to Goonbarrow over Middleway Crossing as 0Z05. 13.10.2025, copyright Jon Hird.

A look back to over 2 years ago when a JGA made it out of St. Blazey for an unsuccessful test run to Fowey. 66190 leads a short train of JIA's plus one JGA through Golant on the 20.09.2023. Copyright Jon Hird.

Last train to Turnchapel
Ross Griffiths

Whilst recently browsing a certain online auction site I stumbled across the below image - certainly not something that I was expecting to see but immediately stood out as being of great interest and a wonderful capture to add to my collection.

After successfully purchasing it I got in touch with the seller as he had listed it as being an original image that was taken by his Father - I'm always keen to credit original photographers where possible and the seller confirmed that his father's name is Ken Holdaway and for a few years up until the mid 1960s he was chairman of the Plymouth Railway Circle, being involved in the organisation of many railtours around that time.

The image shows what is believed to be the last ever train to run to Turnchapel, hauled by 0-4-4T M7 30034 and crossing Hooe Lake swing bridge on 30th September 1961.

(Many other great images of this branch and trip can also be viewed in Bernard Mills' wonderful book 'Backtracking around Friary, Laira and the Plym')

0-4-4T M7 30034 hauls what is believed to be the last ever train to run to Turnchapel, crossing Hooe Lake swing bridge on 30th September 1961. Copyright Ross Griffiths, original photographer Ken Holdaway.

Many thanks indeed Ross - an important photograph, well found and thanks very much for sharing it with us.

Re: 1964 - Part 69
Michael L. Roach

A co-incidental newspaper article published a day or two after Michaels most recent article (click here)

Many thanks to Michael for sending this follow-up piece.

Lee Moor Tramway Relic
Paul Burkhalter

I was walking along the Wotter branch of the LMT last week, and came across this piece of rail (in the foreground) in Lee Moor village. To the left of the white van is the track bed of the Wotter Tramway and the line to the top of Torycombe incline. The houses are Blackalder Cottages (on the 1906 25 inch OS map). Copyright Paul Burkhalter.

It's amazing how some of these relics survive through the ages, many thanks for sharing this with us, Paul.

Re: Phil's Mystery 'Peak'
Karl Hewlett

Regarding Phil Smith's image of a class 45 at Bristol Temple Meads, after a lot of looking at the shapes of the numbers then body side plating/panels, double or single BR arrow transfers, electrical flash plates, it took just one red plate at the bottom of the bodyside by the bogie to identify it as most likely to be 45068!

A previously unidentified 'Peak' at Bristol Temple Meads in 1984. Thanks to Karl we can now ID it as 45068. Copyright Phil Smith.

Many thanks Karl - great detective work!

Somerset Loco Action
Andrew Triggs

DBC 66054 working Load 13 JIAs passing Charlton Road overbridge working 6V76 10.35 Westbury Down T.C-Goonbarrow Junction DBC running 21 early at 11.08. 11.10.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.

GBRf 57303 with 57305 passing Charlton Road overbridge working 3S13 10.35 Westbury-Fairwater Yard RHTT, running 13 early at 12.05. 11.10.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.