Michael L. Roach
The Nineteen Sixty Four Series
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART ONE
All Change on the Southern
Michael L. Roach
All Change on the Southern
Michael L. Roach
Sixty years ago in September 1964 it was all change on the railway lines around Exeter and on the Withered Arm to the west of Exeter with major changes to many aspects of railway operating. In no particular order: there would be almost no through trains beyond Exeter Central; all trains on the Withered Arm would be local trains; Waterloo to Exeter trains would be dieselised; final elimination of steam on the Exeter - Okehampton - Plymouth route; no steam west of Taunton on the Western Region (in theory); Callington Branch to be dieselised; Exmouth Junction's large fleet of N-class locos were mostly withdrawn with a few transferred elsewhere; and Plymouth's Laira Shed was to receive its last regular visiting steam engines.
That summer I spent more time than usual visiting and travelling on the ex-Southern lines west of Exeter, and the Taunton to Barnstaple line and recording the final weeks of steam on many lines. The resultant photographs will be shown in several parts in this new series mainly, but not exclusively, about the year 1964.
In this first Part I will start with a visit to Exeter Central Station around teatime on Saturday 22 August 1964, just two weeks before most of the changes kicked in.
That summer I spent more time than usual visiting and travelling on the ex-Southern lines west of Exeter, and the Taunton to Barnstaple line and recording the final weeks of steam on many lines. The resultant photographs will be shown in several parts in this new series mainly, but not exclusively, about the year 1964.
In this first Part I will start with a visit to Exeter Central Station around teatime on Saturday 22 August 1964, just two weeks before most of the changes kicked in.
Merchant Navy 35008 Orient Line stands at Central with 12 coaches on the 4.30pm to Waterloo. Copyright Michael L. Roach
34056 Croydon waits with the Okehampton to Surbiton car carrier train. Copyright Michael L. Roach
34056 departs four minutes later. Copyright Michael L. Roach
34032 Camelford runs light through the station heading for Exmouth Junction shed. Copyright Michael L. Roach
Pannier 4694 is seen during shunting operations. Copyright Michael L. Roach
There were two panniers on pilot duty that day – here is the second one 4610. Both panniers were shedded at Exmouth Junction, 4610 from August 1963 to October 1964; and 4694 from January 1963 to June 1965. The engine had previously been at Wadebridge for three years. Copyright Michael L. Roach
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART TWO
Exeter Central on 22.08.1964
Michael L. Roach
In Part 1 of this new series, I showed some photos taken at Exeter Central on Saturday 22 August 1964 just before a large number of changes were initiated at Exeter and on The Withered Arm. The remainder of the photos taken that day are attached to this article.
I travelled from Plymouth to Exeter at 2.45pm and returned from St. Davids at 7.39pm which gave me 2 hours and 20 minutes at Exeter Central to watch the comings and goings. All four legs of the rail trip were diesel-hauled by consecutively a Western, D63xx, Hymek and Western. A total of ten steam engines were seen at Exeter Central of five different classes: one Ivatt 2-6-2 tank; one BR Standard Class 3 tank; two ex-GWR pannier tanks; two Merchant Navy Pacific’s and four Bulleid Light Pacific’s. All ten engines were withdrawn and scrapped within three years.
I saw two ex-GWR pannier tanks at Central that day and described them as pilot engines, but they were much more than that. When necessary one or both would go down to St. Davids Station to assist a heavy train up the steep incline to Central usually by banking at the rear of the train. The very heaviest of the ballast trains from Meldon Quarry would have two engines at the rear and a pilot engine in front of the train engine, making four steam engines in all.
The first panniers to arrive at Exmouth Junction Shed were in late 1959, when the then Southern Region acquired a number of 57XX locomotives from South Wales sheds. Some did not last long, some moved on to other sheds and the last examples at Exmouth Junction were withdrawn in June 1965 with the closure of the shed to steam. They were 4655, 4666 and 4694. The website shedbashuk.blogspot.com provides an insight into what was on shed on various dates. For example, on Sunday 2 August 1964 there were five panniers on shed.
I travelled from Plymouth to Exeter at 2.45pm and returned from St. Davids at 7.39pm which gave me 2 hours and 20 minutes at Exeter Central to watch the comings and goings. All four legs of the rail trip were diesel-hauled by consecutively a Western, D63xx, Hymek and Western. A total of ten steam engines were seen at Exeter Central of five different classes: one Ivatt 2-6-2 tank; one BR Standard Class 3 tank; two ex-GWR pannier tanks; two Merchant Navy Pacific’s and four Bulleid Light Pacific’s. All ten engines were withdrawn and scrapped within three years.
I saw two ex-GWR pannier tanks at Central that day and described them as pilot engines, but they were much more than that. When necessary one or both would go down to St. Davids Station to assist a heavy train up the steep incline to Central usually by banking at the rear of the train. The very heaviest of the ballast trains from Meldon Quarry would have two engines at the rear and a pilot engine in front of the train engine, making four steam engines in all.
The first panniers to arrive at Exmouth Junction Shed were in late 1959, when the then Southern Region acquired a number of 57XX locomotives from South Wales sheds. Some did not last long, some moved on to other sheds and the last examples at Exmouth Junction were withdrawn in June 1965 with the closure of the shed to steam. They were 4655, 4666 and 4694. The website shedbashuk.blogspot.com provides an insight into what was on shed on various dates. For example, on Sunday 2 August 1964 there were five panniers on shed.
34089 602 Squadron is on the 5.54pm to Waterloo with 7C. Note the 70E shedplate. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The fireman of 34089 watches out for the signal to depart at 5.57pm a couple of minutes late. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
BR Standard Class 3MT 2-6-2 no. 82042 runs though the station LE. 82042 had ranged all over the
Western Region since construction in 1955. It had previously been at Taunton for three years and would end its days
at Gloucester one year later in August 1965. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
34107 Blandford Forum enters Central with a down stopping train past Ivatt 2-6-2T 41284. 34107 was
withdrawn the following month. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
35013 Blue Funnel Line enters Central under the footbridge with 8C on the 3.00pm from Waterloo. The
time is 6.31pm. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Five minutes later 35013 runs back to Exmouth Junction shed. The engine moved to Bournemouth Shed
the same month. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
4694 is ready to remove the middle three coaches of the 3.00pm from Waterloo including the RC. The
Plymouth portion has already departed, while the Ilfracombe portion was at the rear. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 3
Laira's Last Weekend
Michael L. Roach
In Part 1 of this new series one of the turning points mentioned was the end of steam engines reaching Plymouth via Okehampton and travelling out to a deserted Laira steam shed for turning and servicing before taking up it's return working to Exeter, via Okehampton again. This occurred twice a day and brought rebuilt Bulleid Light Pacifics and BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0s to Laira. These regular visits ended on the weekend of 5/6 September 1964, or that that is what I thought for 60 years. But in 2024 I read, in two different places, that the very occasional large passenger steam engine still arrived at Plymouth Station, and Laira, via Okehampton usually on a special train into the Autumn of 1964. The source of that information was Arthur Westington who was a driver at Friary and Laira. He recorded the last week of steam as 21 to 26 of September 1964 with at least seven 4-6-0s or 4-6-2s that week. Even after that he recorded BR Standard 5 no. 73118 King Leodegrance of Eastleigh Shed on Tuesday 29 September 1964
Here it must be said that steam engines, in the shape of BR Standard 2-6-4 tanks continued to reach Plymouth Station for another four months on commuter trains from Okehampton to Plymouth Station. The engines did not need servicing and stayed at Plymouth Station for a short time until it was time to return to Okehampton. The first one of the day was at 9.50am and the second was at teatime. I only travelled on that train just once, and it was notable for reasons which I will describe in a forthcoming instalment. Steam haulage of these commuter trains ceased on the first weekend of January 1965.
On the afternoon of Saturday 29 August 1964 I visited Laira steam shed for the last time before I thought it closed for good the following weekend when I would be away chasing steam to be seen in the later part. There was just one steam engine standing beside the pumping station after taking water. It was one of Mr. Bulleid's magnificent light pacifics which had been rebuilt into fine looking engines. It was 34096 Trevone of Exmouth Junction Shed. The engine had been transferred to Exmouth Junction in December 1957 from its previous shed of Ramsgate as a result of the Kent Coast Electrification, and only had two sheds in whole of its 15-year working life. The engine was condemned the following month in September 1964 and scrapped. I moved on across Plymouth to St. Budeaux to the last overbridge before St. Budeaux Victoria Road Station alongside Carlton Terrace where there was a good view of the former Southern Railway route to Okehampton and Exeter Central. The train worked by 34096 was the 4.52pm from Plymouth to Eastleigh and eventually Waterloo arriving at the ungodly hour of 3.48am. The train would cease to run a week later and the line would close with trains diverted to the former Great Western route to St. Budeaux. The engine and its six coaches and two vans was perfectly lit by the lowering sun.
I am indebted to Richard Hoskin for making a colourised version of the photograph which I think is very realistic.
Here it must be said that steam engines, in the shape of BR Standard 2-6-4 tanks continued to reach Plymouth Station for another four months on commuter trains from Okehampton to Plymouth Station. The engines did not need servicing and stayed at Plymouth Station for a short time until it was time to return to Okehampton. The first one of the day was at 9.50am and the second was at teatime. I only travelled on that train just once, and it was notable for reasons which I will describe in a forthcoming instalment. Steam haulage of these commuter trains ceased on the first weekend of January 1965.
On the afternoon of Saturday 29 August 1964 I visited Laira steam shed for the last time before I thought it closed for good the following weekend when I would be away chasing steam to be seen in the later part. There was just one steam engine standing beside the pumping station after taking water. It was one of Mr. Bulleid's magnificent light pacifics which had been rebuilt into fine looking engines. It was 34096 Trevone of Exmouth Junction Shed. The engine had been transferred to Exmouth Junction in December 1957 from its previous shed of Ramsgate as a result of the Kent Coast Electrification, and only had two sheds in whole of its 15-year working life. The engine was condemned the following month in September 1964 and scrapped. I moved on across Plymouth to St. Budeaux to the last overbridge before St. Budeaux Victoria Road Station alongside Carlton Terrace where there was a good view of the former Southern Railway route to Okehampton and Exeter Central. The train worked by 34096 was the 4.52pm from Plymouth to Eastleigh and eventually Waterloo arriving at the ungodly hour of 3.48am. The train would cease to run a week later and the line would close with trains diverted to the former Great Western route to St. Budeaux. The engine and its six coaches and two vans was perfectly lit by the lowering sun.
I am indebted to Richard Hoskin for making a colourised version of the photograph which I think is very realistic.
Rebuilt Bulleid pacific 34096 Trevone is seen on Laira steam shed at 3.40pm on the fine afternoon of Saturday 29 August 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Another view of 34096. The fence surrounds a pumping station which was at the bottom of a hole in the ground. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
34096 is viewed across the pumping station. The brick wall on the right held up the embankment which supported the track through the coaling stage. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
34096 heads out of Plymouth past Carlton Terrace on the Southern route one week before the line closed. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The same view of 34096 colourised by Richard Hoskin taken from a fuller (less cropped) version of the whole negative. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The going away shot of 34096. I am standing on a road bridge of which the parapet walls still survive. Note the rear of the signal box which is on the Western main line. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART FOUR
Ross-on-Wye - 05.09.1964 - Part 1
Michael L. Roach
The morning of Saturday 5 September 1964 found me at Ross-on-Wye for some two and a half hours between trains, both in the same direction. Not only did I want to photograph the station which had many similarities to Truro in architectural style, number of platforms, size of goods yard etc but also the trains passing through. The main difference was in the size of the engine shed with Ross's engine shed holding just two engines. Both were junction stations, and in terms of population Ross is half the size of Truro. However, while Truro Station is very much alive and well with over one million passenger uses per annum, Ross was demolished after the line closed. I also wanted to walk down to the River Wye to view a road bridge that had been completed a couple of years earlier. The M50 or Ross Spur motorway runs for 22 miles from Junction 8 of the M5 to a point just north of Ross. It was a very early motorway with most of its length being open for traffic in 1960. At its western end the road continues south westwards as a dual carriageway and a mile and a half from the end of the motorway the dual carriageway passes over the River Wye on a handsome bridge called Bridstow Bridge. The bridge has a 60-metre (203-feet) centre span and was opened in September 1960. The bridge was the recipient of design awards for its simple elegant design.
I arrived at Ross at 10.28am on the 9.48am from Gloucester Central consisting of 73025 with three coaches. I stayed at the station to watch a Manor go through in the opposite direction some 20 minutes later before walking the mile or so to Bridstow Bridge and back. My next train was the 12.56pm off Ross which arrived behind 4107 again with 3C, and this would take me on to Hereford, and later Worcester and other places to be described later. A total of 17 photos were taken at Ross Station and Bridstow Bridge because the line was due to close at the end of October 1964, and I could not be sure that I would return for the “last day.” In fact, I was able to attend, and it was a beautiful autumn day that has stuck in the memory bank ever since. The Gloucester to Hereford line remained steam-hauled until closure and was never dieselised.
Ross-on-Wye was a junction station just like Truro. Branch trains started from a bay at the eastern (Gloucester) end and immediately swung around in a long curve to head south-west towards the valley of the River Wye through the beauty spot that was, and is, Symonds Yat. It was here along the valley of the River Wye that British tourism commenced more than 200 years ago. The branch to Monmouth had closed more than five years earlier on the first weekend of 1959, as had the two other rail routes to Monmouth from Chepstow and Pontypool Road. This was a great pity as two of the routes traversed beautiful countryside and followed the Wye Valley or was close to the River Wye for 20 miles. The people of Ross have not forgotten their railway as there is a permanent reminder. On the way out of town to the north-east the B4234 passed beneath the railway and some bridge abutments have survived beside a small well-kept triangular public open space with a number of display boards giving the history of the lines and photographs of the station.
During the 1950s and early 1960s particularly the line through Ross came into its own. Although there was no Sunday service the line was opened specially on Sundays when the Severn Tunnel was closed for annual maintenance. The north to west expresses were diverted from Hereford via Ross and Gloucester bringing the site and sound of bigger engines and longer trains to the line. Few photographers were out to capture the diverted trains and photographs seem to be quite rare.
I arrived at Ross at 10.28am on the 9.48am from Gloucester Central consisting of 73025 with three coaches. I stayed at the station to watch a Manor go through in the opposite direction some 20 minutes later before walking the mile or so to Bridstow Bridge and back. My next train was the 12.56pm off Ross which arrived behind 4107 again with 3C, and this would take me on to Hereford, and later Worcester and other places to be described later. A total of 17 photos were taken at Ross Station and Bridstow Bridge because the line was due to close at the end of October 1964, and I could not be sure that I would return for the “last day.” In fact, I was able to attend, and it was a beautiful autumn day that has stuck in the memory bank ever since. The Gloucester to Hereford line remained steam-hauled until closure and was never dieselised.
Ross-on-Wye was a junction station just like Truro. Branch trains started from a bay at the eastern (Gloucester) end and immediately swung around in a long curve to head south-west towards the valley of the River Wye through the beauty spot that was, and is, Symonds Yat. It was here along the valley of the River Wye that British tourism commenced more than 200 years ago. The branch to Monmouth had closed more than five years earlier on the first weekend of 1959, as had the two other rail routes to Monmouth from Chepstow and Pontypool Road. This was a great pity as two of the routes traversed beautiful countryside and followed the Wye Valley or was close to the River Wye for 20 miles. The people of Ross have not forgotten their railway as there is a permanent reminder. On the way out of town to the north-east the B4234 passed beneath the railway and some bridge abutments have survived beside a small well-kept triangular public open space with a number of display boards giving the history of the lines and photographs of the station.
During the 1950s and early 1960s particularly the line through Ross came into its own. Although there was no Sunday service the line was opened specially on Sundays when the Severn Tunnel was closed for annual maintenance. The north to west expresses were diverted from Hereford via Ross and Gloucester bringing the site and sound of bigger engines and longer trains to the line. Few photographers were out to capture the diverted trains and photographs seem to be quite rare.
BR Standard Class 5 no. 73025 stands at Ross with the 9.48am Gloucester to Hereford. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
73025 leaves Ross for Hereford some 12 miles and 34 minutes away. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7815 Fritwell Manor runs into Ross with the 10.25am Hereford to Gloucester consisting of three coaches, three vans and one truck under a covered footbridge, like Truro. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7815 receives some checks while stopped at Ross before setting out for Gloucester Central 18 miles and 40 minutes away. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7815 sets out past the signal box. 7815 was withdrawn the following month. The engine had spent much of the mid-1950s at Laira and Newton Abbot Sheds piloting expresses over the South Devon banks. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The Gloucester line can be seen curving to the left in the distance, while the line to Monmouth curved sharply to the right. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view looking towards Hereford showing the former Monmouth Bay platform on the left and the two main through platforms on the right. The signal box dated from 1938 and replaced two earlier signal boxes. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART FIVE
Ross-on-Wye 05.09.1964 – Part 2
Michael L. Roach
This instalment carries on with the remaining photographs taken at Ross-on-Wye between trains on the morning of Saturday 5 September 1964.
Ross-on-Wye looking west from behind the signal box towards Hereford on 5 September 1964 showing the Monmouth Bay and the through platforms. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A similar view from in front of the signal box looking west. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Bridstow Bridge looking upriver. Note the amount of traffic coming off the M50 on a September morning in 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view looking west showing the elegant design of the bridge. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The underside of the bridge showing the individual prestressed beams supporting the bridge deck. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The forecourt of Ross Station with a BR delivery lorry parked up for the weekend. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
4107 arrives at Ross with the train that would carry me on to Hereford. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART SIX
Kitty C and the Port of Fowey
Michael L. Roach
The Kitty C is a cargo ship flying under the flag of Portugal and registered in Madeira. The ship is a general cargo ship 106 metres long and 15.5 metres wide. Stanlow is a port on the Manchester Ship Canal a short distance east of where the Canal commences on the bank of the River Mersey. The port deals mainly with oil products as it is located on the opposite bank of the Canal to the Stanlow Oil Refinery. The Kitty C sailed from Stanlow to Fowey arriving about 14.30 hours on Saturday 7 September 2024. Ships the length of the Kitty C are required to swing in the lower harbour at Fowey, take on a compulsory pilot, and are then towed astern by a harbour tug to the loading berths a mile and a half up the River Fowey. Historically most of the harbour pilots come from Polruan on the opposite bank of the river to Fowey. My 4x great grandfather Philip Salt (1749 - 1814) was a master mariner who sailed around the world and survived – a feat in itself in those days. He was born and lived in Polruan and finished his working days as a Fowey Harbour pilot. He must have been well-known in Polruan because he is buried inside the Parish Church under the floor of the north aisle under an engraved slate slab. The Parish Church is Lanteglos-by-Fowey situated in a remote valley two kilometres east of the village of Polruan.
The Kitty C had come to Fowey to load china clay and would have been meticulously cleaned before loading could commence to prevent any contamination of the clay to be loaded. It appears that all of the clay loaded into the Kitty C on Monday 9 September came from the store or was brought in by lorries along the private road from Par which was constructed on the route of the St. Blazey to Fowey railway line in 1968; but where did the clay originate from and why was it not brought by rail – perhaps there is a good reason. No clay trains ran to Carne Point on Monday 9 September but there was one on the 10th and another on the 11th September, both from Goonbarrow.
The ship only took on a part load before sailing very late, about 23.00 hours, on the day it was loaded. This was an hour or two after high water. The Kitty C's journey was short, only lasting a couple of hours before arriving at the Port of Plymouth, and mooring up at Victoria Wharves (about 02.30) which lies between Sutton Harbour and The Cattewater on the east side of the City. Victoria Wharves handle a greater variety of commodities than Fowey but one of the principal ones is china clay. As an aside I was there on the quayside many years ago when china clay in bags was being unloaded from a 12-ton railway box van. The wagon had travelled the enormous distance of just two miles from Marsh Mills dries on the east side of Plymouth. The one great advantage of the railway wagon in such circumstances is that there is no driver agitating to be unloaded asap. What is interesting about the china clay arriving at Victoria Wharves is that it comes from a completely different source, on Dartmoor, and possibly from a different company to that at Fowey The pattern of a ship being loaded with clay partly at Fowey and partly at Plymouth is a regular occurrence. The Kitty C sailed from Plymouth about 21.00 on 10 September for a destination in Spain - not mainland Spain but the port of Ceuta which lies on the south side of the Strait of Gibralter in a small Spanish enclave on mainland Africa. Another ship had sailed from Victoria Wharves to Ceuta some two months earlier – a journey of some six days. You can find the current position of the Kitty C by searching marinetraffic.com
I have been watching the ships coming and going at Fowey and Plymouth for a couple of months now to try to learn the patterns. Presuming I did not miss any ships, and I was looking twice a day, a total of seven ships arrived at Fowey in July 2024 which was not great, but August was even worse with just two ships arriving. The destinations of the ships leaving Fowey were ports around the Mediterranean or Plymouth and then on to the same ports around the Med. I think that in the past the principal destinations for Cornish clay were the ports in the Baltic, and particularly on the north side of the Baltic where there are vast forests and much paper is made. One wonders how those paper mills are now supplied with china clay ? Is Cornish clay production in a permanent state of decline ?
The Kitty C had come to Fowey to load china clay and would have been meticulously cleaned before loading could commence to prevent any contamination of the clay to be loaded. It appears that all of the clay loaded into the Kitty C on Monday 9 September came from the store or was brought in by lorries along the private road from Par which was constructed on the route of the St. Blazey to Fowey railway line in 1968; but where did the clay originate from and why was it not brought by rail – perhaps there is a good reason. No clay trains ran to Carne Point on Monday 9 September but there was one on the 10th and another on the 11th September, both from Goonbarrow.
The ship only took on a part load before sailing very late, about 23.00 hours, on the day it was loaded. This was an hour or two after high water. The Kitty C's journey was short, only lasting a couple of hours before arriving at the Port of Plymouth, and mooring up at Victoria Wharves (about 02.30) which lies between Sutton Harbour and The Cattewater on the east side of the City. Victoria Wharves handle a greater variety of commodities than Fowey but one of the principal ones is china clay. As an aside I was there on the quayside many years ago when china clay in bags was being unloaded from a 12-ton railway box van. The wagon had travelled the enormous distance of just two miles from Marsh Mills dries on the east side of Plymouth. The one great advantage of the railway wagon in such circumstances is that there is no driver agitating to be unloaded asap. What is interesting about the china clay arriving at Victoria Wharves is that it comes from a completely different source, on Dartmoor, and possibly from a different company to that at Fowey The pattern of a ship being loaded with clay partly at Fowey and partly at Plymouth is a regular occurrence. The Kitty C sailed from Plymouth about 21.00 on 10 September for a destination in Spain - not mainland Spain but the port of Ceuta which lies on the south side of the Strait of Gibralter in a small Spanish enclave on mainland Africa. Another ship had sailed from Victoria Wharves to Ceuta some two months earlier – a journey of some six days. You can find the current position of the Kitty C by searching marinetraffic.com
I have been watching the ships coming and going at Fowey and Plymouth for a couple of months now to try to learn the patterns. Presuming I did not miss any ships, and I was looking twice a day, a total of seven ships arrived at Fowey in July 2024 which was not great, but August was even worse with just two ships arriving. The destinations of the ships leaving Fowey were ports around the Mediterranean or Plymouth and then on to the same ports around the Med. I think that in the past the principal destinations for Cornish clay were the ports in the Baltic, and particularly on the north side of the Baltic where there are vast forests and much paper is made. One wonders how those paper mills are now supplied with china clay ? Is Cornish clay production in a permanent state of decline ?
The Kitty C is being loaded with clay from the articulated lorry (centre). Note the building centre right where rail wagons are unloaded. Behind this building is the transverser, which was used to move empty CDA wagons sideways onto the adjacent siding - now out of use as the JIA wagons are too long to fit on it. Copyright Jon Hird.
A view of the Port of Fowey looking south showing Fowey and Polruan (top right); the huge china clay store (middle left); and all the conveyors needed to move the clay around. Copyright Jon Hird.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 6A
Update to Part 6
Michael L. Roach
In Part 6 (above) I recorded the number of cargo ships arriving at Fowey in July and August 2024 to collect china clay for export, some of which had arrived at Carne Point by rail. The numbers were not good. As Part 6 was being published things took an unexpected and welcome turn for the better with three ship arriving at the port in just 24
hours. They were the following:
The destination of the clay was Antwerp in the case of Runner; Abu Qir, Egypt for Trio Firat; and Izmir, Turkey for Eems Rover. It was great to see Eems Rover at the quayside in Jon Hird's drone shot posted on 18.09.2024 The hatches are closed, the loading gantry is raised out of the way, and the ship is about to cast off. The official recorded time for leaving Fowey was 19.02 hours but it is believed that that is when the Fowey pilot leaves the vessel at the mouth of the river with the open sea ahead.
Whereas most of the ships arriving at Fowey are general cargo ships, one of the three (Runner) is also capable of carrying containers and is now on its way to Hamburg where it is due to arrive on 19 September 2024.
Watching Michael Portillo travel through Cornwall recently (but recorded many years ago), he met the late Ivor Bowditch of Imerys in a claypit. Ivor quoted the following figures as the end uses of the clay produced: coating paper 50%; ceramics 30%; the rest 20%; and that 85% of the clay produced in Cornwall was then exported.
hours. They were the following:
- Eems Rover from Ringaskiddy in Ireland near Cork
- Runner from Poole
- Trio Firat from Plymouth
The destination of the clay was Antwerp in the case of Runner; Abu Qir, Egypt for Trio Firat; and Izmir, Turkey for Eems Rover. It was great to see Eems Rover at the quayside in Jon Hird's drone shot posted on 18.09.2024 The hatches are closed, the loading gantry is raised out of the way, and the ship is about to cast off. The official recorded time for leaving Fowey was 19.02 hours but it is believed that that is when the Fowey pilot leaves the vessel at the mouth of the river with the open sea ahead.
Whereas most of the ships arriving at Fowey are general cargo ships, one of the three (Runner) is also capable of carrying containers and is now on its way to Hamburg where it is due to arrive on 19 September 2024.
Watching Michael Portillo travel through Cornwall recently (but recorded many years ago), he met the late Ivor Bowditch of Imerys in a claypit. Ivor quoted the following figures as the end uses of the clay produced: coating paper 50%; ceramics 30%; the rest 20%; and that 85% of the clay produced in Cornwall was then exported.
The EEMS Rover waiting departure from Fowey Docks on 17.09.2024. Copyright Jon Hird.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 7
The Bromyard Branch
Michael L. Roach
Sixty years ago, I travelled overnight from my home in Plymouth to Herefordshire and Worcestershire in search of steam, and at the end of the day I would again travel home overnight. The first steam of the day was Standard Class 5 no. 73025 from Gloucester Central to Ross-on-Wye, followed two hours later by large prairie 4107 from Ross to Hereford. At the end of the day, I caught the last train of the day from Hereford to Gloucester behind 7814 Fringford Manor of Gloucester Shed and formerly of Laira Shed in the Nineteen Fifties. The date of the trip was Saturday 5 September 1964 and the principal reason for the trip was to attend the last day of passenger services on the Bromyard Branch. Bromyard was previously a through station on a line heading west to Leominster on the Welsh Marches line but the Bromyard to Leominster section had closed some 12 years earlier. Having left Plymouth at midnight I finally reached Worcester Shrub Hill at 3.00pm having travelled the 29-miles from Hereford behind a Hymek hauling 4C. As an aside I believe that this was the last weekend that the Western Region used the 12-hour clock before going over to the 24-hour clock.
I caught the 4.10pm out from Shrub Hill to Bromyard. The branch had a really strange timetable; had this been a weekday the 4.10pm would have been the first train of the day in this direction, and the first of only two. On Saturdays there were five trains with six in the other direction. The train was a well-loaded bubble car no. W55018 which gave enough time at Bromyard to take some photos before returning at 5.15pm. I alighted at Henwick Station on the main line where I had just eight minutes before the 5.45pm from Shrub Hill to Bromyard arrived. BR and the Worcester shed master had turned up trumps by putting on a pannier tank with six well-loaded coaches. This was the penultimate train, as there was one last train on Saturdays at 10.15pm off Shrub Hill but I would not be there to see it. Leaving Henwick on time pannier 8793 did well with the six coaches but arrived Bromyard 7L. This gave the photographers fourteen minutes to take photos as the engine took water and ran around its train. 8793 did even better on the return trip leaving 2L and arriving Shrub Hill 4L a really good achievement considering that there was a lengthy 15mph permanent way restriction between Bromyard and Suckley, and this was a loaded train on the last evening of passenger services. 8793 was withdrawn at Worcester Shed just three months later.
I arrived back in Plymouth at 5.26am the next morning. Including an early morning side trip from Bristol Temple Meads out to Portishead in a DMU (also on the last day of passenger services) I had travelled a total of 526 miles in a little under 30 hours of which just 88 miles were steam hauled. This was typical of the time, but definitely worth it.
I caught the 4.10pm out from Shrub Hill to Bromyard. The branch had a really strange timetable; had this been a weekday the 4.10pm would have been the first train of the day in this direction, and the first of only two. On Saturdays there were five trains with six in the other direction. The train was a well-loaded bubble car no. W55018 which gave enough time at Bromyard to take some photos before returning at 5.15pm. I alighted at Henwick Station on the main line where I had just eight minutes before the 5.45pm from Shrub Hill to Bromyard arrived. BR and the Worcester shed master had turned up trumps by putting on a pannier tank with six well-loaded coaches. This was the penultimate train, as there was one last train on Saturdays at 10.15pm off Shrub Hill but I would not be there to see it. Leaving Henwick on time pannier 8793 did well with the six coaches but arrived Bromyard 7L. This gave the photographers fourteen minutes to take photos as the engine took water and ran around its train. 8793 did even better on the return trip leaving 2L and arriving Shrub Hill 4L a really good achievement considering that there was a lengthy 15mph permanent way restriction between Bromyard and Suckley, and this was a loaded train on the last evening of passenger services. 8793 was withdrawn at Worcester Shed just three months later.
I arrived back in Plymouth at 5.26am the next morning. Including an early morning side trip from Bristol Temple Meads out to Portishead in a DMU (also on the last day of passenger services) I had travelled a total of 526 miles in a little under 30 hours of which just 88 miles were steam hauled. This was typical of the time, but definitely worth it.
Bromyard looking towards the buffer stop with passengers waiting to board W55018 forming the 5.15pm to Worcester. The station area retained a good number of Great Western fir trees in 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Bromyard Station from the road bridge carrying the B4203. The area is now an industrial estate and retains a couple of Great Western fir trees. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
8793 has arrived at Bromyard with the six coaches of the 5.45pm from Shrub Hill. The time is 6.36pm. Part of the platform edging has been removed and is growing a good crop of weeds. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Another view of 8793 before it came off the train to take water and run round. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
8793 takes water. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
8793 is ready to take out the 6.50pm to Worcester Shrub Hill, the penultimate train to leave Bromyard. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A last view of 8793. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A wet evening at Hereford Station on 5 September 1964 sees 7814 Fringford Manor on the 9.42pm to Gloucester. The camera was held on top of a post with the shutter held open for five seconds at f4. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 8
Moving the Goods in the 1930s
Michael L. Roach
The Rail and Canal Traffic Act of 1854 obliged the railways (and canals at the time) to carry any and all of the goods offered to them, with a few exceptions. This was a complicated law with unforeseen consequences, especially when government control of the rates the railways could charge was introduced. Looking through a newly acquired batch of 1937 GWR Magazines a couple of items attracted my attention. The GWR undertook household, farm and factory removals and were prepared to quote for doing every aspect leaving the householder or factory owner to do very little. In the first photo are examples of GWR lorries carrying cattle, household furniture and items needing to be kept cold.
In the second example the GWR moved the complete contents of two factories from London to Cheltenham. The first factory was owned by Walker, Crosweller and the second by one of the firm's subsidiaries. That firm was called Spirax – a firm that still exists, now with a turnover in excess of £1.6 billion. The firm was called Spirax Sarco for many years but reverted to the simpler Spirax in 2024. One of Spirax's subsidiaries is called Watson-Marlow with a large factory in Falmouth, Cornwall. All the firms are involved in fluid management over a wide range of industries. The GWR also moved the furniture and household effects of some fifty employees of the two companies from London to Cheltenham. In total the GWR used 135 containers for the move. With the war starting two years later I expect the managers and staff were relieved to have moved out of London. The second image describes the factory move in more detail.
When I read the short piece in the third image for the first time I found it almost unbelievable. It described a pair of suitcases handed in at Dulverton Station at 10.00am on Thursday 2 September 1937 destined for Wendover near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. I tracked their journey using my GWR timetable via Taunton, Paddington and Princes Risborough. The earliest the cases could have arrived at Aylesbury Joint Station was at 6.50pm that evening and that was with some tight connections; but the article says the cases were actually delivered at Wendover at 6.30pm although the recipient may have had to collect them from Wendover Station which was not even on the Great Western. I went back to my timetable and looked at what trains would have been used if the cases left Dulverton slightly earlier. Leaving at 9.39am the cases would have reached Aylesbury Joint Station at 4.13pm which I think is much more likely, giving more time for them to be delivered to Wendover.
The two cases were sent by “Blue Arrow” which I had never heard of although I was familiar with the Red Arrow parcels service which I used, for my employer, in the nineteen sixties between Plymouth and Bristol. This was great service on the part of the Great Western Railway in 1937; but even more amazing the recipient of the suitcases then sat down and wrote a quick note to the stationmaster at Dulverton, and posted it in time to have the letter collected that evening. The letter was delivered to Dulverton Station the very next morning 3 September. There was no first or second class in those days, just the one standard service costing 1½ old pence at the time for a letter. Great service by the then state-owned Royal Mail as well.
In the second example the GWR moved the complete contents of two factories from London to Cheltenham. The first factory was owned by Walker, Crosweller and the second by one of the firm's subsidiaries. That firm was called Spirax – a firm that still exists, now with a turnover in excess of £1.6 billion. The firm was called Spirax Sarco for many years but reverted to the simpler Spirax in 2024. One of Spirax's subsidiaries is called Watson-Marlow with a large factory in Falmouth, Cornwall. All the firms are involved in fluid management over a wide range of industries. The GWR also moved the furniture and household effects of some fifty employees of the two companies from London to Cheltenham. In total the GWR used 135 containers for the move. With the war starting two years later I expect the managers and staff were relieved to have moved out of London. The second image describes the factory move in more detail.
When I read the short piece in the third image for the first time I found it almost unbelievable. It described a pair of suitcases handed in at Dulverton Station at 10.00am on Thursday 2 September 1937 destined for Wendover near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. I tracked their journey using my GWR timetable via Taunton, Paddington and Princes Risborough. The earliest the cases could have arrived at Aylesbury Joint Station was at 6.50pm that evening and that was with some tight connections; but the article says the cases were actually delivered at Wendover at 6.30pm although the recipient may have had to collect them from Wendover Station which was not even on the Great Western. I went back to my timetable and looked at what trains would have been used if the cases left Dulverton slightly earlier. Leaving at 9.39am the cases would have reached Aylesbury Joint Station at 4.13pm which I think is much more likely, giving more time for them to be delivered to Wendover.
The two cases were sent by “Blue Arrow” which I had never heard of although I was familiar with the Red Arrow parcels service which I used, for my employer, in the nineteen sixties between Plymouth and Bristol. This was great service on the part of the Great Western Railway in 1937; but even more amazing the recipient of the suitcases then sat down and wrote a quick note to the stationmaster at Dulverton, and posted it in time to have the letter collected that evening. The letter was delivered to Dulverton Station the very next morning 3 September. There was no first or second class in those days, just the one standard service costing 1½ old pence at the time for a letter. Great service by the then state-owned Royal Mail as well.
Photos of three different lorries and containers from the January 1937 Magazine. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The factory move described in the November 1937 Magazine. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The speedy transit of two suitcases described in the October 1937 Magazine. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 9
Milk Trains (2)
Michael L. Roach
In 1962 – Part 70 titled Milk Trains (1) posted on Monday 19 February 2024 (click here), I described my fascination with milk trains. They were quite unlike any other trains on British Railways with their 6-wheel wagons and were never seen on many lines. Even through Plymouth where I lived, right in the middle of two dairying counties, there were just two loaded and two empty trains of milk wagons daily of which there was only one (loaded) train at a time when it was likely to be seen and photographed. That train was the Penzance to Kensington milk train 3A31 which in September 1962 left Penzance at 12.20pm and stopped for traffic purposes at St. Erth, Dolcoath Siding, Lostwithiel, Saltash, Totnes and perhaps other places further east. I saw it many times, but looking back not enough. It was scheduled to pass Hemerdon Summit at 4.30pm where I spent many happy hours on Sparkwell Bridge in the late nineteen fifties watching trains after cycling there from my home in Plymouth, about 7 miles and 35 minutes away.
The first three images were taken in different places in Devon and Cornwall and the last image sets a conundrum for the reader. Where was the photograph taken and what type of train is in the photograph – milk, passenger or mixed ? The answer will be revealed in the next instalment about milk trains due to be posted on 10 October 2024.
The first three images were taken in different places in Devon and Cornwall and the last image sets a conundrum for the reader. Where was the photograph taken and what type of train is in the photograph – milk, passenger or mixed ? The answer will be revealed in the next instalment about milk trains due to be posted on 10 October 2024.
0-4-2T 1442 shunts milk tanks at Hemyock in deep snow on the afternoon of 5 January 1963 between passenger turns. We had travelled to Hemyock via Okehampton where the line had only just been cleared of snow drifts (at Sourton) and was soon blocked again by heavy drifting snow a few days later. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Brush Type 4 1643 roars through Totnes with 30 loaded milk tanks ready to attack Rattery Bank at 6.50pm on 17 May 1969 The reason for milk to head west, possibly to be made into milk powder, was a strike of dairy workers at Torrington. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
D834 passes St. Germans with the up milk of 7 loaded tanks at 4.27pm on 7 June 1969. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
More about this train in Part 10 of the series. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 10
Milk Trains (3)
Michael L. Roach
In Part 9 (above), I posed a question as to the location of the last photograph in that part and the answer was Carmarthen Station looking north in October 1964. A similar view is included with this part. Carmarthen was the hub of railways serving the two great dairying counties of Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire, where at that time there were several dairies and milk depots served by rail sending liquid milk to London daily. There was always great excitement at Plymouth Station on Summer Saturdays in the 1950s when a Carmarthen engine turned up occasionally; but things might not bes quite what they seemed, as if it had come all the way from Carmarthen or Swansea on a Summer Saturday it might well have run out of coal after all the traffic delays en-route so could have been serviced at Bristol and sent further west due to a shortage of tender engines at Bristol.
The line that headed north from Carmarthen in West Wales went through very pleasant, but sparely populated, countryside with distant views of the Cambrian Mountains before turning and heading down to the coast at Aberystwyth on the coast of Cardigan Bay. This is a land of small towns, villages and dairy farms. Passenger trains took two and a half hours to cover the 56 miles from Carmarthen to Aber. Because the line served no large towns there were never more than 5 trains each way even on a summer Saturday in the 1930s when the line was at its peak of popularity after the GWR publicity machine had been busy promoting the line. In the last few years there were just 3 passenger trains each way Monday to Friday with more on Summer Saturdays. However there was a substantial freight traffic originating on the line with hundreds of live cattle and thousands of gallons of liquid milk making their way eastwards towards London every day until the 1950s. My first trip over the line was on the 6.10am off Carmarthen on 22 July 1963 after travelling overnight from Plymouth diesel-hauled all the way. It was great to see 7810 Draycott Manor of Oswestry Shed at the head of four coaches and one truck – a true mixed train. The return from Aber at 11.55am was behind 7826 Longworth Manor of Carmarthen Shed with three coaches. During a five minute stop at Pont Llanio Station one loaded milk truck was attached to the rear of the train from the milk depot alongside the station.
My second trip over the line was 15 months later on 10 October 1964. I was staying at Gloucester for the weekend and left there very early to motor to Cardiff to meet a friend and catch the 7.35am dmu to Carmarthen. We arrived to find two coaches up against the buffers in the north-facing bay platform with 7826 Longworth Manor doing some shunting of empty milk tanks. 7826 was now based at Llanelly Shed, involving a 20-mile light engine movement at the beginning and end of the working day, because Carmarthen Shed had closed between my two visits. 7826 proceeded to add no less than eight empty milk tanks in front of the passenger coaches in the bay platform to form the 10.35am Carmarthen to Aberystwyth the second train of the day. The engine was way off the end of the bay platform and the train consisted of 7826 plus 8 milk tanks and 2 coaches – quite a load but no problem for the Manor. Four tanks were detached at Lampeter Station and would later be tripped down to Green Grove Siding and milk depot on the Aberayron Branch. The remaining four tanks were dropped off at Pont Llanio where there was a Creamery and milk depot alongside the station set in a tiny hamlet beside the River Teifi. More about Lampeter and Pont Llanio in a later part of the series.
In September 2024 I purchased the latest book about the line by Geraint Roberts (Lightmoor Press ISBN 9781 915069 405) and it's very good – it brought back a lot of memories. The book has 300 pages and perhaps 400-500 photographs but there are only a handful of photos showing milk tanks attached to a passenger train. Of those handful the largest number of milk tanks in a passenger train is four and there is not a single photo showing a passenger train with eight milk tanks, so I was very lucky that day to have such a number. I thought it was a regular occurrence that would have been captured by other photographers, but obviously that was not the case. My friend and travelling companion in October 1964 worked for BR in the Divisional Office at Cardiff at the time and perhaps used his position to ensure we had a worthwhile load. No matter how it came about it made a most memorable trip, complete with steam haulage, at a time when the diesels were taking over all trains in West Wales. Within a few months of my trip on 10.10.1964 the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line would close to passengers and dieselisation be completed west of Swansea.
Finally, in Part 9 I ended by posing the question was our train a passenger or a mixed train. The answer is that it was a passenger train also conveying milk tanks, and not a mixed train of passenger coaches and freight wagons. The reason is that milk and milk tanks are passenger-rated traffic. A wholly milk train, like the 12.20pm Penzance to Kensington, appeared in the Plymouth District Working Time Table of Passenger Trains but not in the Plymouth District WTT of Freight Trains.
The line that headed north from Carmarthen in West Wales went through very pleasant, but sparely populated, countryside with distant views of the Cambrian Mountains before turning and heading down to the coast at Aberystwyth on the coast of Cardigan Bay. This is a land of small towns, villages and dairy farms. Passenger trains took two and a half hours to cover the 56 miles from Carmarthen to Aber. Because the line served no large towns there were never more than 5 trains each way even on a summer Saturday in the 1930s when the line was at its peak of popularity after the GWR publicity machine had been busy promoting the line. In the last few years there were just 3 passenger trains each way Monday to Friday with more on Summer Saturdays. However there was a substantial freight traffic originating on the line with hundreds of live cattle and thousands of gallons of liquid milk making their way eastwards towards London every day until the 1950s. My first trip over the line was on the 6.10am off Carmarthen on 22 July 1963 after travelling overnight from Plymouth diesel-hauled all the way. It was great to see 7810 Draycott Manor of Oswestry Shed at the head of four coaches and one truck – a true mixed train. The return from Aber at 11.55am was behind 7826 Longworth Manor of Carmarthen Shed with three coaches. During a five minute stop at Pont Llanio Station one loaded milk truck was attached to the rear of the train from the milk depot alongside the station.
My second trip over the line was 15 months later on 10 October 1964. I was staying at Gloucester for the weekend and left there very early to motor to Cardiff to meet a friend and catch the 7.35am dmu to Carmarthen. We arrived to find two coaches up against the buffers in the north-facing bay platform with 7826 Longworth Manor doing some shunting of empty milk tanks. 7826 was now based at Llanelly Shed, involving a 20-mile light engine movement at the beginning and end of the working day, because Carmarthen Shed had closed between my two visits. 7826 proceeded to add no less than eight empty milk tanks in front of the passenger coaches in the bay platform to form the 10.35am Carmarthen to Aberystwyth the second train of the day. The engine was way off the end of the bay platform and the train consisted of 7826 plus 8 milk tanks and 2 coaches – quite a load but no problem for the Manor. Four tanks were detached at Lampeter Station and would later be tripped down to Green Grove Siding and milk depot on the Aberayron Branch. The remaining four tanks were dropped off at Pont Llanio where there was a Creamery and milk depot alongside the station set in a tiny hamlet beside the River Teifi. More about Lampeter and Pont Llanio in a later part of the series.
In September 2024 I purchased the latest book about the line by Geraint Roberts (Lightmoor Press ISBN 9781 915069 405) and it's very good – it brought back a lot of memories. The book has 300 pages and perhaps 400-500 photographs but there are only a handful of photos showing milk tanks attached to a passenger train. Of those handful the largest number of milk tanks in a passenger train is four and there is not a single photo showing a passenger train with eight milk tanks, so I was very lucky that day to have such a number. I thought it was a regular occurrence that would have been captured by other photographers, but obviously that was not the case. My friend and travelling companion in October 1964 worked for BR in the Divisional Office at Cardiff at the time and perhaps used his position to ensure we had a worthwhile load. No matter how it came about it made a most memorable trip, complete with steam haulage, at a time when the diesels were taking over all trains in West Wales. Within a few months of my trip on 10.10.1964 the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line would close to passengers and dieselisation be completed west of Swansea.
Finally, in Part 9 I ended by posing the question was our train a passenger or a mixed train. The answer is that it was a passenger train also conveying milk tanks, and not a mixed train of passenger coaches and freight wagons. The reason is that milk and milk tanks are passenger-rated traffic. A wholly milk train, like the 12.20pm Penzance to Kensington, appeared in the Plymouth District Working Time Table of Passenger Trains but not in the Plymouth District WTT of Freight Trains.
The 10.35am Carmarthen to Aberystwyth on 10 October 1964 looking north from the end of the platform. On the left, out of picture, are three further milk tanks and two passenger coaches up against the buffers. Time did not permit me to walk up on to the road bridge. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
My first view out the window from the front of the first coach. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
We are now 9 miles into the journey and half a mile south of the station at Llanpumpsaint. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
I have now moved to the rear of the last coach for this view out of the window. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7826 heads the train out of Llanybyther 22½ miles into the 56 mile journey at 11.47 (8L) one hour after leaving Carmarthen 11 late. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Also leaving Llanybyther which had one of several crossing loops on the route. Llanybyther is a small town with a major livestock market which survives to this day and which is famous for its monthly horse sales attracting buyers from all over Britain and Ireland. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 11
Cornish Mainline Stations Closed in October 1964 (1)
Michael L. Roach
There are currently 14 railway stations in the 75 miles between Saltash and Penzance; an average of 5¾ miles between each pair. The longest gap is St. Austell to Truro 14 miles; and the shortest Hayle to St. Erth just 1½ miles. None of the 14 stations deals with anything other than passengers (unless you know differently); no freight, mail, milk, newspapers or parcels traffic as there once was.
There were once many more stations on the mainline and in this article I will be looking at the last ones to close to passengers which is an amazing 60 years ago this month. So, no change in 60 years, and the possible re-opening of Carn Brea in the 1990s never happened. On and from 5 October 1964 the following stations closed to passengers:- Doublebois, Grampound Road, Chacewater, Scorrier, Gwinear Road and Marazion.
Looking a bit wider which were the last passenger stations to close, anywhere in Cornwall – I think it was the stations between Bodmin Road (now Bodmin Parkway) and Padstow, including Bodmin General and Bodmin North on and from 30 January 1967. Which were the first ones to close – Penponds (in 1852) and Angarrack second station (in 1853) both on the Hayle Railway. Further east the temporary station at Respryn closed in 1859 just 8 weeks after opening while the building of Bodmin Road Station was being completed. The last station to open (excluding heritage railways) was I think Boscarne Junction in 1964. But what was the last station to open anywhere in Cornwall that is still open to passengers ? I think it was Quintrell Downs Platform opened by the Great Western Railway on 2 October 1911 and now serving 3,000 passengers per annum.
There are at least two villages in Cornwall that have a railway adjacent or a short distance away that have never had a railway station provided; but they still could. They are Ponsanooth close to the Falmouth Branch and Coombe-by-St. Stephens beside the mainline between St. Austell and Truro. Ponsanooth in particular is a sizeable village surely deserving of an unstaffed halt, although I can see the difficulty of providing access to one as the single line comes off Ponsanooth Viaduct, crossing a minor road, and entering quite a deep cutting. However if the access was off the A393 Reduth to Falmouth road with a large car park it could become a park-and-ride station for both Truro and Falmouth. With two trains per hour in each direction for most of the day the Falmouth Branch has an excellent train service.
In addition to the current 14 stations and the 6 closed in October 1964 there were a further 9 which closed earlier. So with 6 plus 9 adding to 15 there are more closed stations on the main line in Cornwall than stations still open. With closure of the six stations imminent I decided to visit most of the doomed stations on Tuesday 8 September 1964 a month before closure. I had a West of England Rail-Rover so it was easy to hop between stations and backtrack as necessary; including walking from Marazion to Penzance and from Chacewater to Scorrier. Even so I did not manage to visit Doublebois that day. I left Plymouth at 09.15 and got back to Plymouth about 22.40 My last train was the 19.55 off Penzance, from St. Erth after visiting St. Ives. The 12.45 off Penzance was an 800-class Warship, but apart from that one trip to Gwinear Road every one of the other 8 trains was a 3-car dmu. Dieselisation of the main line had been completed a year or two earlier. In this first part I visit Marazion and Gwinear Road.
There were once many more stations on the mainline and in this article I will be looking at the last ones to close to passengers which is an amazing 60 years ago this month. So, no change in 60 years, and the possible re-opening of Carn Brea in the 1990s never happened. On and from 5 October 1964 the following stations closed to passengers:- Doublebois, Grampound Road, Chacewater, Scorrier, Gwinear Road and Marazion.
Looking a bit wider which were the last passenger stations to close, anywhere in Cornwall – I think it was the stations between Bodmin Road (now Bodmin Parkway) and Padstow, including Bodmin General and Bodmin North on and from 30 January 1967. Which were the first ones to close – Penponds (in 1852) and Angarrack second station (in 1853) both on the Hayle Railway. Further east the temporary station at Respryn closed in 1859 just 8 weeks after opening while the building of Bodmin Road Station was being completed. The last station to open (excluding heritage railways) was I think Boscarne Junction in 1964. But what was the last station to open anywhere in Cornwall that is still open to passengers ? I think it was Quintrell Downs Platform opened by the Great Western Railway on 2 October 1911 and now serving 3,000 passengers per annum.
There are at least two villages in Cornwall that have a railway adjacent or a short distance away that have never had a railway station provided; but they still could. They are Ponsanooth close to the Falmouth Branch and Coombe-by-St. Stephens beside the mainline between St. Austell and Truro. Ponsanooth in particular is a sizeable village surely deserving of an unstaffed halt, although I can see the difficulty of providing access to one as the single line comes off Ponsanooth Viaduct, crossing a minor road, and entering quite a deep cutting. However if the access was off the A393 Reduth to Falmouth road with a large car park it could become a park-and-ride station for both Truro and Falmouth. With two trains per hour in each direction for most of the day the Falmouth Branch has an excellent train service.
In addition to the current 14 stations and the 6 closed in October 1964 there were a further 9 which closed earlier. So with 6 plus 9 adding to 15 there are more closed stations on the main line in Cornwall than stations still open. With closure of the six stations imminent I decided to visit most of the doomed stations on Tuesday 8 September 1964 a month before closure. I had a West of England Rail-Rover so it was easy to hop between stations and backtrack as necessary; including walking from Marazion to Penzance and from Chacewater to Scorrier. Even so I did not manage to visit Doublebois that day. I left Plymouth at 09.15 and got back to Plymouth about 22.40 My last train was the 19.55 off Penzance, from St. Erth after visiting St. Ives. The 12.45 off Penzance was an 800-class Warship, but apart from that one trip to Gwinear Road every one of the other 8 trains was a 3-car dmu. Dieselisation of the main line had been completed a year or two earlier. In this first part I visit Marazion and Gwinear Road.
Marazion looking east on 8 September 1964. Note the camping coaches. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Marazion looking west. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Marazion looking west from the road bridge. I have no idea what the parcels train is doing. The time is 11.50. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The Helston branch platform at Gwinear Road. The branch had closed to passengers two years earlier. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Gwinear Road looking east. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The business end of a level crossing gate which was very long. Note the extra height of the gate post and the extra supports to the gate. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Gwinear Road looking west. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Gwinear Road looking east again. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 12
Cornish Mainline Stations Closed 1964 (2)
Michael L. Roach
In the last part (above), I visited Marazion and Gwinear Road Stations a month before closure to passengers in October 1964. After Gwinear Road, I spent an hour at Truro Station but took no photos, before moving on to Grampound Road arriving there at 3.47pm before doubling back to Chacewater arriving at 4.43pm.
The village of Chacewater was a good mile away from the station along a narrow country lane. Chacewater was the junction station for the other line to Newquay with trains running from Truro to Newquay via St. Agnes and Perranporth via a dedicated branch platform at Chacewater, but no longer as the line had closed completely 18 months before my visit.
Having taken my record photos, I then walked the 1¾ miles from Chacewater Station westwards to the next station – Scorrier, which was in the middle of a small dispersed settlement but there were many mines in close proximity. The Poldice Tramway formerly passed below the main line on the diagonal right beneath the extended platforms.
One strange anomaly of the up (eastbound) platform was a depression, with normal end-of-platform slopes each side, which effectively cut the platform into two parts. Regular passengers would have known of the dangers, but I just hope that there was normally a staff member on the platform to warn occasional passengers as an up train slowed to a stop. The depression can be seen in the first three photographs.
In this second part the photos record the scene at Chacewater and Scorrier on Tuesday 8 September 1964.
The village of Chacewater was a good mile away from the station along a narrow country lane. Chacewater was the junction station for the other line to Newquay with trains running from Truro to Newquay via St. Agnes and Perranporth via a dedicated branch platform at Chacewater, but no longer as the line had closed completely 18 months before my visit.
Having taken my record photos, I then walked the 1¾ miles from Chacewater Station westwards to the next station – Scorrier, which was in the middle of a small dispersed settlement but there were many mines in close proximity. The Poldice Tramway formerly passed below the main line on the diagonal right beneath the extended platforms.
One strange anomaly of the up (eastbound) platform was a depression, with normal end-of-platform slopes each side, which effectively cut the platform into two parts. Regular passengers would have known of the dangers, but I just hope that there was normally a staff member on the platform to warn occasional passengers as an up train slowed to a stop. The depression can be seen in the first three photographs.
In this second part the photos record the scene at Chacewater and Scorrier on Tuesday 8 September 1964.
Scorrier looking east from the up platform, 8 September 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking west at Scorrier showing the main station building on the down platform. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Scorrier looking east from the down platform. The Methodist Chapel is a prominent feature of the hamlet and is still in use as a place of worship. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
These large and heavy cast iron signs were once a common feature of many Great Western stations in order to deter passengers from using the board crossing. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Chacewater looking east from the down platform with the signal box and the modern station building beyond. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The island platform looking east. The line can be seen continuing to the left of the building. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking west from the island platform showing the cement silo which was there for many years holding “Blue Circle” cement in bulk. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Chacewater Station looking east from the road bridge, also showing Blackwater Viaduct extreme left. Chacewater Viaduct is a quarter mile further east. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 13
Cornish Mainline Stations Closed 1964 (3)
Michael L. Roach
In the last Part I visited Grampound Road but I saved the photos for this part. The last of the six stations to be covered is Doublebois 3¼ miles west of Liskeard. The station was located right beside the Liskeard to Bodmin main road at a crossroads, but there were less than a dozen domestic properties in the immediate vicinity. The station was located at the top of the 7-mile bank from Respryn; but one kilometre east of Doublebois Station was the larger village of Dobwalls. Why was the station not located at Dobwalls ? I thought that the answer lied a quarter mile north of the station in the shape of a big country mansion. The owners of such properties had money, influence and perhaps had invested in the company building the railway. Such factors may also have influenced the choice of location for Scorrier Station visited in the last part where there was also a big house a short distance from the station. However in the case of Doublebois the imposing manor house was not built until 1883 long after the railway and the station opened, so there must be another reason for the choice of location for the station.
I am quite sure that I visited Doublebois Station on another occasion and parked the car in the station forecourt but the negatives have not come to light or been scanned yet. The population of the Parish of Dobwalls is more than 2,000 and with the boundary of the main part of the village coming right up to the railway there may be a case for opening a station to serve Dobwalls one day, as with Ponsanooth and Coombe-by-St. Stephens mentioned in Part 11. It would not be right to leave this area without mentioning the much-missed Dobwalls Adventure Park. The chief attraction for railway enthusiasts was the extensive 7.25 inch gauge miniature railway based on American outlines which sadly closed down in 2006.
I am quite sure that I visited Doublebois Station on another occasion and parked the car in the station forecourt but the negatives have not come to light or been scanned yet. The population of the Parish of Dobwalls is more than 2,000 and with the boundary of the main part of the village coming right up to the railway there may be a case for opening a station to serve Dobwalls one day, as with Ponsanooth and Coombe-by-St. Stephens mentioned in Part 11. It would not be right to leave this area without mentioning the much-missed Dobwalls Adventure Park. The chief attraction for railway enthusiasts was the extensive 7.25 inch gauge miniature railway based on American outlines which sadly closed down in 2006.
Grampound Road looking east from the up platform just before 4.00pm on 8 September 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking west at Grampound Road. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking east from down platform at Grampound Road. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Doublebois Station looking east from the road bridge at 7.30pm on the evening of 28 April 1962, after a day photographing a railtour in Mid-Cornwall. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 14
Charlestown Harbour
Michael L. Roach
The harbour at Charlestown was constructed over a period of ten years from 1791 to export copper from local mines and must have been a major exercise in excavation for the time. The properties around the harbour were built at the same time and the whole harbour area remains little-altered. The harbour is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and part of the Cornwall & West Devon Mining Landscape WHS. The harbour area is very atmospheric which is why it is often used for filming historical dramas.
As copper mining, and later tin mining, declined in Victorian times something arose to take its place and that was the rapid expansion of the mining and export of kaolin or china clay from the huge deposits to the north of St. Austell. As china clay mining declines a new mineral is in demand to takes its place and that is lithium, which is needed for car batteries, and which occurs in the same areas as china clay. The production of lithium took a big leap forward with the opening of a 10,000 tonne per annum demonstration plant to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide in October 2024. The plant is owned by Cornish Lithium and located at Trelavour.
One of the smaller china clay mining companies was owned by the Tregothnan Estates – Tregothnan House is the home of Lord Falmouth. The Company was known as the Goonvean and Rostowrack China Clay Company, later changing the name to just Goonvean; and one of their main sites was at Trelavour mentioned above. Goonvean sold out to Imerys in 2014. It is believed that latterly Goonvean were the only company to use Charlestown Harbour for dispatching china clay but that ceased many years ago (20 to 30 ?). Since then Charlestown has been used as a base for sailing ships. I would call into Charlestown harbour occasionally when passing particularly in the 1970s and 1980s to see what coasters were present and take photographs.
Monday 7 May 1979 was a Bank Holiday. The following day I took a day off work and spent several hours at Charlestown in and around the harbour photographing the comings and goings. I was very lucky and had picked a good day. There were three coasters in port when I arrived at 12.30pm and three when I left five hours later. However I watched one leave and another arrive to take its place. Ships arriving have to be turned through ninety degrees which is done by warping. This was then done by dock workers with a rope attached to the each end of the ship.
There has never been a standard gauge railway line bringing china clay to the harbour because it wasn't originally necessary. The china clay arrived at the harbour by pipeline in slurry form and was dried in “dries” adjacent to the harbour from where it could be taken under the road in tunnels on a narrow gauge railway and dumped straight into the holds of the waiting ships down a sloping chute. The chutes were in use until the end of clay exports through the port of Charlestown and were doomed because of the clouds of fine dust released into the air, which was not at all environmentally friendly ! Charlestown is a “floating harbour” which means that water is normally retained in the harbour by a single lock gate. The gate can be lowered into the horizontal position when the water levels each side of the gate have been equalised which in practice (from observation) is about two hours before high water to two hours after high water, allowing boats to sail in and out. The china clay dries closed many decades ago after which all the clay arrived by road. Part of the site of the dries was later used as the Charlestown Shipwreck and Heritage Centre. In 2024 it was announced that the museum was for sale but there may have been no takers as museums are having a tough time at present. Later it was announced that the museum was to close with contents sold by Lay's Auctioneers of Penzance. The auction details say that there are some 8000 artifacts, from 150 shipwrecks, to be auctioned on 6/7/8 November 2024 at Lay's Saleroom in Penzance, with viewing of the artifacts on the four days before the first auction day on site at Charlestown.
The next port to the west was Pentewan which once also exported large volumes of china clay, but suffered continual problems with silting up. The last ship left Pentewan in 1940. Three miles to the east of Charlestown was the Port of Par, which had far more berths than Charlestown. The main commodity dealt with at Par was again china clay but it also imported materials like timber. There was a good view of Par Docks from main line trains and it was possible at times to see more than half a dozen coasters moored up. Par gradually lost out to Fowey as a result of the BR Docks at Fowey being leased to ECLP; the direct railway from Par to Fowey being converted to a haul road for china clay lorries; and the gradual shift to larger cargo ships. The last coaster left Par in 2007, leaving just the Port of Fowey to export china clay to other countries – a job that the port has been doing since 1869, although the history of the harbour goes back at least 400 years before that date.
Charlestown is well worth visiting if you have never been, and for readers living further away who would like a day out by train the village is located just one and a half miles from St. Austell railway station. Read more at the website - http://www.charlestownharbour.com
As copper mining, and later tin mining, declined in Victorian times something arose to take its place and that was the rapid expansion of the mining and export of kaolin or china clay from the huge deposits to the north of St. Austell. As china clay mining declines a new mineral is in demand to takes its place and that is lithium, which is needed for car batteries, and which occurs in the same areas as china clay. The production of lithium took a big leap forward with the opening of a 10,000 tonne per annum demonstration plant to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide in October 2024. The plant is owned by Cornish Lithium and located at Trelavour.
One of the smaller china clay mining companies was owned by the Tregothnan Estates – Tregothnan House is the home of Lord Falmouth. The Company was known as the Goonvean and Rostowrack China Clay Company, later changing the name to just Goonvean; and one of their main sites was at Trelavour mentioned above. Goonvean sold out to Imerys in 2014. It is believed that latterly Goonvean were the only company to use Charlestown Harbour for dispatching china clay but that ceased many years ago (20 to 30 ?). Since then Charlestown has been used as a base for sailing ships. I would call into Charlestown harbour occasionally when passing particularly in the 1970s and 1980s to see what coasters were present and take photographs.
Monday 7 May 1979 was a Bank Holiday. The following day I took a day off work and spent several hours at Charlestown in and around the harbour photographing the comings and goings. I was very lucky and had picked a good day. There were three coasters in port when I arrived at 12.30pm and three when I left five hours later. However I watched one leave and another arrive to take its place. Ships arriving have to be turned through ninety degrees which is done by warping. This was then done by dock workers with a rope attached to the each end of the ship.
There has never been a standard gauge railway line bringing china clay to the harbour because it wasn't originally necessary. The china clay arrived at the harbour by pipeline in slurry form and was dried in “dries” adjacent to the harbour from where it could be taken under the road in tunnels on a narrow gauge railway and dumped straight into the holds of the waiting ships down a sloping chute. The chutes were in use until the end of clay exports through the port of Charlestown and were doomed because of the clouds of fine dust released into the air, which was not at all environmentally friendly ! Charlestown is a “floating harbour” which means that water is normally retained in the harbour by a single lock gate. The gate can be lowered into the horizontal position when the water levels each side of the gate have been equalised which in practice (from observation) is about two hours before high water to two hours after high water, allowing boats to sail in and out. The china clay dries closed many decades ago after which all the clay arrived by road. Part of the site of the dries was later used as the Charlestown Shipwreck and Heritage Centre. In 2024 it was announced that the museum was for sale but there may have been no takers as museums are having a tough time at present. Later it was announced that the museum was to close with contents sold by Lay's Auctioneers of Penzance. The auction details say that there are some 8000 artifacts, from 150 shipwrecks, to be auctioned on 6/7/8 November 2024 at Lay's Saleroom in Penzance, with viewing of the artifacts on the four days before the first auction day on site at Charlestown.
The next port to the west was Pentewan which once also exported large volumes of china clay, but suffered continual problems with silting up. The last ship left Pentewan in 1940. Three miles to the east of Charlestown was the Port of Par, which had far more berths than Charlestown. The main commodity dealt with at Par was again china clay but it also imported materials like timber. There was a good view of Par Docks from main line trains and it was possible at times to see more than half a dozen coasters moored up. Par gradually lost out to Fowey as a result of the BR Docks at Fowey being leased to ECLP; the direct railway from Par to Fowey being converted to a haul road for china clay lorries; and the gradual shift to larger cargo ships. The last coaster left Par in 2007, leaving just the Port of Fowey to export china clay to other countries – a job that the port has been doing since 1869, although the history of the harbour goes back at least 400 years before that date.
Charlestown is well worth visiting if you have never been, and for readers living further away who would like a day out by train the village is located just one and a half miles from St. Austell railway station. Read more at the website - http://www.charlestownharbour.com
My first view of the harbour at 12.30pm on Tuesday 8 May 1979 showing Birte of Plymouth on the left; Anna V on the right and Espero at the far end still being loaded. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A typical lorry of the period dating from 1975/76. This one belonged to Western Express Haulage which was owned by ECLP. Note the chimney of the former china clay dries. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Anna V has moved to the left of the dock to allow Espero to leave. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Espero is warped out of Charlestown. Note the waiting ships in the distance. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Eilean Glas sails into Charlestown. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Eilean Glas sails over the dock gate to enter the inner basin. Note the chimney again. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A last view looking south-east along the inner basin at 5.20pm on 8 May 1979. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Here is a view of real congestion at Charlestown, some 65 years earlier than when I was there in 1979. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
This diagram explains how the clay moved from the inlet pipe bringing the clay in slurry form through the drying process to the hold of the ship via a narrow gauge railway. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 15
The 10.35am Carmarthen to Aberystwyth
Michael L. Roach
A weekend in October 1964 found me staying just outside Gloucester where I had taken my parents to stay with my Mother's brother and his wife, so I felt free to go off in search of steam in West Wales. Because there was no convenient connecting train, and knowing I would be back very late I opted to drive to Cardiff and park the car at Cardiff General Station rather than Gloucester Station. The cost of parking on the south side of Cardiff General was two shillings (10p). To put that amount into context, I was probably earning around 20 to 22 p an hour at the time. I would have left Twigworth around 05.00 to 05.15 to be sure of getting to Cardiff in time to catch the 07.35 dmu to Carmarthen. In fact, the train departed 11 late and reached Carmarthen 34 late after, doubling its length at Swansea High Street from 3-car to 6-car. Upon arrival at Carmarthen our train mto Aberystwyth was being put together in the bay at the north end of the station used by some trains to Llandeilo as well.
The engine ended up by adding eight empty milk tanks to two passenger coaches with the engine, 7826 Longworth Manor, of Llanelli Shed was way off the end of the platform. There was only nine minutes between our arrival and scheduled departure time at 10.35am so I had no time to go anywhere else on the station to get a view other than that shown in Part 9 image 7720 from the end of the platform. In fact because of all the shunting our train again departed 11 late.
The Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line was single track, 56 miles long, and had just three passenger trains each way Monday to Saturday by this date, 10 October 1964. Passengers trains left Carmarthen at 06.10, 10.35 and 17.50 and Aber at 07.00, 11.55 and 17.40. These trains would normally cross in the passing loops at Tregaron, Strata Florida and Lampeter respectively, although they could cross almost anywhere if running late, as most of the stations had a passing loop and a signal box. Points to note en-route were the freight-only Newcastle Emlyn branch going off at Pencader Junction just north of Pencader Station (14½ miles); the freight-only Aberayron branch going off at Aberayron Junction just north of Lampeter Station (27½ miles); the milk depot and factory alongside Pont Llanio Station (34¾ miles); and the line turning through 90 degrees to the west at Strata Florida Station (42¼ miles) for reasons which will be explained.
The Carmarthen – Pencader – Newcastle Emlyn line was built by the Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway which never reached Cardigan. The Pencader – Strata Florida – Aberystwyth line was built by the Manchester and Milford Railway. At Strata Florida the line was due to head straight on to Manchester but the line was never built and this was the nearest the line got to Manchester some 140 miles away; it never reached Milford Haven either. Strata Florida to Aber was to be a branch line but became the main line. Both railways were taken over by the Great Western Railway. The M&M opened in sections in 1866 and 1867 (more on Wikipedia). Never having the finance to do what it wanted to do, the company decided that most of its station buildings would be made of prefabricated elements which were then very popular and available from a number of manufacturers. These were the first prefabs and consisted of a timber framework covered on one side with corrugated iron sheets of a panel size that could be transported and handled easily by two or three men. The buildings were particularly popular during the second half of the nineteenth century for village halls and chapels. Many survive and in the most unlikely places; a few years ago I spotted one in a residential road in Harrow, London, but generally they were used in rural areas. The M&M prefab buildings date from about 1866 and there is one to be seen in image 8268 at Pont Llanio. All the M&M examples were demolished when the line closed but just one example survived. Ten years ago, I wrote an article drawing attention to the one derelict example of an M&M corrugated iron station building then just about hanging on waiting for someone to take it on and rejuvenate it. I am happy to report that it has been completely renovated and now looks as good as new and better than it has looked in its 158 year history. More on this station building and Pont Llanio Station in a later instalment.
Our train left Carmarthen at 10.46 (11L) because of all the shunting, and the engine 7826 Longworth Manor coped well with the extra load. The first 14 miles of line to Pencader were particularly curvaceous as the track wound its way along river valleys, so I took several photos out of the drop-down window. Even after that there were still other curves to be used. At Pencader we crossed pannier tank 9677 with six wagons on a southbound freight. At Lampeter Station 4 milk tanks were detached from the train and left in the siding beside the goods shed; this took 3½ minutes. The wagons would be picked up later by a different engine and tripped down to Green Grove Siding, some 7 miles down the 12 mile freight-only branch to Aberayron. The siding had been constructed in 1951 specifically to serve a new milk factory. Our train left Lampeter 12L and carried on to Pont Llanio where the passenger coaches were left in the single platform while the engine detached the remaining four milk tanks; ran into the goods loop in front of the signal box to the north of the platform and left the wagons there. They would later be pulled back into the milk siding using a winch and winch wire. 7826 came back onto its train of two coaches and departed 15½ late, having taken 7 mins to detach the wagons. Later the loaded tanks would be left in the same position in the loop and picked up by a south-bound passenger train by reversing the whole train into the goods loop.
We would later have to wait 9 mins in the loop at Tregaron waiting for the 11.55am from Aber which we should have passed 5 miles further north at Strata Florida had we been on time. The train departed Tregaron 23½ mins late but by dint of slick train working reached Aber just 13½ mins late, after leaving Carmarthen 11½ late. A very creditable performance by the train crew. This was almost certainly one of the most interesting rail trips I ever made. Agricultural produce was the life-blood of the line as some of the other stations dispatched live cattle and sheep by the thousand. This rail traffic continued for a few years after the line closed to passengers in February 1965. I returned a few weeks later to try to repeat the trip but was disappointed to find that the line had been dieselised during those few weeks.
Most of the photos attached to this article show the station at Pont Llanio (Llanio Bridge in English). As old maps show there was very little at Pont Llanio between the arrival of the railway and the first milk depot thirty years later. A bridge over the river, a railwayman's cottage, a post office, one large house and a public house. The station was built principally to serve the village of Llandewi Brefi more than a mile to the south east. The village became famous some twenty years ago as the setting for the BBC comedy series “Little Britain.” Pont Llanio station opened to passengers on 1 September 1866 with the length from Lampeter to Strata Florida and closed to passengers on and from Monday 22 February 1965
The engine ended up by adding eight empty milk tanks to two passenger coaches with the engine, 7826 Longworth Manor, of Llanelli Shed was way off the end of the platform. There was only nine minutes between our arrival and scheduled departure time at 10.35am so I had no time to go anywhere else on the station to get a view other than that shown in Part 9 image 7720 from the end of the platform. In fact because of all the shunting our train again departed 11 late.
The Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line was single track, 56 miles long, and had just three passenger trains each way Monday to Saturday by this date, 10 October 1964. Passengers trains left Carmarthen at 06.10, 10.35 and 17.50 and Aber at 07.00, 11.55 and 17.40. These trains would normally cross in the passing loops at Tregaron, Strata Florida and Lampeter respectively, although they could cross almost anywhere if running late, as most of the stations had a passing loop and a signal box. Points to note en-route were the freight-only Newcastle Emlyn branch going off at Pencader Junction just north of Pencader Station (14½ miles); the freight-only Aberayron branch going off at Aberayron Junction just north of Lampeter Station (27½ miles); the milk depot and factory alongside Pont Llanio Station (34¾ miles); and the line turning through 90 degrees to the west at Strata Florida Station (42¼ miles) for reasons which will be explained.
The Carmarthen – Pencader – Newcastle Emlyn line was built by the Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway which never reached Cardigan. The Pencader – Strata Florida – Aberystwyth line was built by the Manchester and Milford Railway. At Strata Florida the line was due to head straight on to Manchester but the line was never built and this was the nearest the line got to Manchester some 140 miles away; it never reached Milford Haven either. Strata Florida to Aber was to be a branch line but became the main line. Both railways were taken over by the Great Western Railway. The M&M opened in sections in 1866 and 1867 (more on Wikipedia). Never having the finance to do what it wanted to do, the company decided that most of its station buildings would be made of prefabricated elements which were then very popular and available from a number of manufacturers. These were the first prefabs and consisted of a timber framework covered on one side with corrugated iron sheets of a panel size that could be transported and handled easily by two or three men. The buildings were particularly popular during the second half of the nineteenth century for village halls and chapels. Many survive and in the most unlikely places; a few years ago I spotted one in a residential road in Harrow, London, but generally they were used in rural areas. The M&M prefab buildings date from about 1866 and there is one to be seen in image 8268 at Pont Llanio. All the M&M examples were demolished when the line closed but just one example survived. Ten years ago, I wrote an article drawing attention to the one derelict example of an M&M corrugated iron station building then just about hanging on waiting for someone to take it on and rejuvenate it. I am happy to report that it has been completely renovated and now looks as good as new and better than it has looked in its 158 year history. More on this station building and Pont Llanio Station in a later instalment.
Our train left Carmarthen at 10.46 (11L) because of all the shunting, and the engine 7826 Longworth Manor coped well with the extra load. The first 14 miles of line to Pencader were particularly curvaceous as the track wound its way along river valleys, so I took several photos out of the drop-down window. Even after that there were still other curves to be used. At Pencader we crossed pannier tank 9677 with six wagons on a southbound freight. At Lampeter Station 4 milk tanks were detached from the train and left in the siding beside the goods shed; this took 3½ minutes. The wagons would be picked up later by a different engine and tripped down to Green Grove Siding, some 7 miles down the 12 mile freight-only branch to Aberayron. The siding had been constructed in 1951 specifically to serve a new milk factory. Our train left Lampeter 12L and carried on to Pont Llanio where the passenger coaches were left in the single platform while the engine detached the remaining four milk tanks; ran into the goods loop in front of the signal box to the north of the platform and left the wagons there. They would later be pulled back into the milk siding using a winch and winch wire. 7826 came back onto its train of two coaches and departed 15½ late, having taken 7 mins to detach the wagons. Later the loaded tanks would be left in the same position in the loop and picked up by a south-bound passenger train by reversing the whole train into the goods loop.
We would later have to wait 9 mins in the loop at Tregaron waiting for the 11.55am from Aber which we should have passed 5 miles further north at Strata Florida had we been on time. The train departed Tregaron 23½ mins late but by dint of slick train working reached Aber just 13½ mins late, after leaving Carmarthen 11½ late. A very creditable performance by the train crew. This was almost certainly one of the most interesting rail trips I ever made. Agricultural produce was the life-blood of the line as some of the other stations dispatched live cattle and sheep by the thousand. This rail traffic continued for a few years after the line closed to passengers in February 1965. I returned a few weeks later to try to repeat the trip but was disappointed to find that the line had been dieselised during those few weeks.
Most of the photos attached to this article show the station at Pont Llanio (Llanio Bridge in English). As old maps show there was very little at Pont Llanio between the arrival of the railway and the first milk depot thirty years later. A bridge over the river, a railwayman's cottage, a post office, one large house and a public house. The station was built principally to serve the village of Llandewi Brefi more than a mile to the south east. The village became famous some twenty years ago as the setting for the BBC comedy series “Little Britain.” Pont Llanio station opened to passengers on 1 September 1866 with the length from Lampeter to Strata Florida and closed to passengers on and from Monday 22 February 1965
7826 heads the train out of the loop at Llanybyther still with the full load of eight tanks as far as Lampeter. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Pont Llanio looking towards Carmarthen. The two coaches have been left in the platform while the engine deposits the four empty milk tanks in the loop. Note the very basic station building. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7826 has returned to its train. Note the signal box, the milk trucks in the loop, and the oil lamp. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Strata Florida showing how it was built on a sharp curve, with the Cambrian Mountains in the background. View taken out of the last window of the last coach. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Our train has arrived at Aberystwyth – the coaches are already being removed by the station pilot. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7826 is seen on its return working, the 5.40pm Aber to Carm at Pont Llanio. Note the very primitive “gents.” Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking the other way at Pont Llanio it can be seen that we left the carriage door open while we took our photos to ensure we did not get left behind. Had there been any sun it would have set a few minutes earlier. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 16
Tiverton 03.10.1964
Michael L. Roach
This trip was made one week before the trip over the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line described in Part 15. I set out from Plymouth on the 9.15am 3-car dmu. First stop was after just 16 miles at Brent Station for an hour because this was Brent's last day of passenger services before closure. I was probably surprised that there was not more resistance to the closure of the station as Brent is a large village or small town with a present population approaching 3,000 persons. A railway station would be very useful for the residents who work and commute to Plymouth, Totnes, Newton Abbot and Exeter. Just like Okehampton (population 9,000) South Brent is on the edge of Dartmoor, and actually within the Dartmoor National Park Boundary.
I moved on from Brent behind a Warship piloted by a North British Type 2 to Exeter St. Davids where I changed to a 3-car dmu for Tiverton Junction. It was the last day of stopping trains along the line from Exeter to Taunton; and for some reason the dmu stopped for 12 minutes at Cullompton to allow an express to overtake on the through line. The object of the trip was to travel from Tiverton Junction to Tiverton which I did several times on Saturday 3 October 1964. I also walked from Tiverton to Halberton to photograph the halt. The direct route from Exeter to Tiverton and going on to Morebath Junction and Dulverton had already closed exactly one year earlier on the first weekend of October 1963. The shuttle was one of the very few railmotors left in the country at the time and all my trains were operated by 0-4-2 tank 1450 with at first one autocoach (W228) and later two autocoaches (W225 and W228) This was the only steam left on the former GWR west of Taunton; and it was also the last day of passenger services between Tiverton and the Junction. Quite a day for closures, which included Tiverton Junction Shed as well.
At Tiverton Station the shuttle used the former Exeter to Dulverton (north-bound) up platform which was the platform adjacent to the main station buildings. Presumably because there was no direct signalled access to this platform the train had an interesting way of reaching that platform which I did not record at the time, but luckily the Railway Observer did record. The auto arriving from the Junction ran non-stop through the Dulverton to Exeter (south-bound) down platform and out on to the former Exe Valley line and then reversed back into the up platform. This gave passengers a much shorter walk from booking office to train than walking to the bay platform used when all three lines were still open to passengers. At the time of closure, it was quoted that Tiverton with a population of 12,000 was the largest town in Devon without passenger rail services. Sixty years later Tiverton Parkway is considered the railway station for Tiverton and very successful it is too attracting passengers from up to 100 miles or more to the west keen to avoid the low speed of trains on the Cornish main line. So which town in Devon can now claim the title of being the largest by population without a railway station? I think that it is Bideford with a population of well over 18,000 persons and much more with the adjacent towns of Westward Ho! Northam, Appledore and Instow. The present branch to Barnstaple must surely be extended to Bideford in the not-too-distant future.
I moved on from Brent behind a Warship piloted by a North British Type 2 to Exeter St. Davids where I changed to a 3-car dmu for Tiverton Junction. It was the last day of stopping trains along the line from Exeter to Taunton; and for some reason the dmu stopped for 12 minutes at Cullompton to allow an express to overtake on the through line. The object of the trip was to travel from Tiverton Junction to Tiverton which I did several times on Saturday 3 October 1964. I also walked from Tiverton to Halberton to photograph the halt. The direct route from Exeter to Tiverton and going on to Morebath Junction and Dulverton had already closed exactly one year earlier on the first weekend of October 1963. The shuttle was one of the very few railmotors left in the country at the time and all my trains were operated by 0-4-2 tank 1450 with at first one autocoach (W228) and later two autocoaches (W225 and W228) This was the only steam left on the former GWR west of Taunton; and it was also the last day of passenger services between Tiverton and the Junction. Quite a day for closures, which included Tiverton Junction Shed as well.
At Tiverton Station the shuttle used the former Exeter to Dulverton (north-bound) up platform which was the platform adjacent to the main station buildings. Presumably because there was no direct signalled access to this platform the train had an interesting way of reaching that platform which I did not record at the time, but luckily the Railway Observer did record. The auto arriving from the Junction ran non-stop through the Dulverton to Exeter (south-bound) down platform and out on to the former Exe Valley line and then reversed back into the up platform. This gave passengers a much shorter walk from booking office to train than walking to the bay platform used when all three lines were still open to passengers. At the time of closure, it was quoted that Tiverton with a population of 12,000 was the largest town in Devon without passenger rail services. Sixty years later Tiverton Parkway is considered the railway station for Tiverton and very successful it is too attracting passengers from up to 100 miles or more to the west keen to avoid the low speed of trains on the Cornish main line. So which town in Devon can now claim the title of being the largest by population without a railway station? I think that it is Bideford with a population of well over 18,000 persons and much more with the adjacent towns of Westward Ho! Northam, Appledore and Instow. The present branch to Barnstaple must surely be extended to Bideford in the not-too-distant future.
Here we see 1450 having just arrived at Tiverton with the 13.42 from Tiverton Junction on 3 October 1964, but what is the driver or fireman doing with that piece of string? Copyright Michael L. Roach
In this view at Tiverton looking south it can be seen that 1450 has propelled the single autocoach from the Junction. Much of the signage at the station was blue letters on a white background enamelled steel, possibly dating back to 1885 when the station was enlarged to cope with the new lines arriving at the station. Copyright Michael L. Roach
The train stands in the sun looking north. Copyright Michael L. Roach
The station was substantially built with two through platforms and a bay formerly for Tiverton Junction trains at the far end on the right. Copyright Michael L. Roach
In this view looking north it can be seen that the paint is peeling on autocoach W228 beneath the right-hand window. Copyright Michael L. Roach
The forecourt of Tiverton Station looking north with a classic sports car of the time prominent. It may be an Austin Healey 3000. Copyright Michael L. Roach
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 17
Halberton Halt 03.10.1964
Michael L. Roach
In Part 16, I described how I travelled from Plymouth to Tiverton on Saturday 3 October 1964 to witness and photograph the last day of passenger services from Tiverton Junction. The branch was originally broad gauge, 4¾ miles long and was opened in 1848 by the Bristol and Exeter Railway. Journey time was 12 minutes. Roughly half way between the town of Tiverton and the Junction was the village of Halberton, then on the A373, and half a mile north of the railway. The village had to wait 79 years after the opening of the branch before a halt was eventually provide to serve the village. It was the Great Western Railway which provided the short platform during their great halt-building era, to counter road competition.
The unstaffed platform was 109 feet (33 metres) long and had two relatively rare and unusual features. The platform and its waiting shelter were placed directly beneath an overbridge carrying a minor road south from the village, which provided a good walking or cycling route from village to halt. Immediately to the west of the halt, between the track and the railway fence was an orchard extending westwards for several hundred metres. Whether the orchard was deliberately planted or resulted from a regular passenger throwing their apple core out of the window at a similar spot each day is not known. I suspect the latter.
I stayed at Tiverton Station for half an hour and then set out to walk the 2¼ miles (net) to Halberton Halt, probably staying on the minor roads to the south of the railway line. A couple of shots from occupation bridges and then I was at the halt. There was room for the halt under the bridge because the overbridge had been built wide enough for double track which never materialised. It was a beautiful autumn afternoon with lots of sunshine. To the west of the halt the line was in a shallow cutting which has now been filled in and restored to the field it was before construction of the railway. The road bridge remains in-situ. All the trains in this part consist of 1450 and one auto-coach (W228).
The unstaffed platform was 109 feet (33 metres) long and had two relatively rare and unusual features. The platform and its waiting shelter were placed directly beneath an overbridge carrying a minor road south from the village, which provided a good walking or cycling route from village to halt. Immediately to the west of the halt, between the track and the railway fence was an orchard extending westwards for several hundred metres. Whether the orchard was deliberately planted or resulted from a regular passenger throwing their apple core out of the window at a similar spot each day is not known. I suspect the latter.
I stayed at Tiverton Station for half an hour and then set out to walk the 2¼ miles (net) to Halberton Halt, probably staying on the minor roads to the south of the railway line. A couple of shots from occupation bridges and then I was at the halt. There was room for the halt under the bridge because the overbridge had been built wide enough for double track which never materialised. It was a beautiful autumn afternoon with lots of sunshine. To the west of the halt the line was in a shallow cutting which has now been filled in and restored to the field it was before construction of the railway. The road bridge remains in-situ. All the trains in this part consist of 1450 and one auto-coach (W228).
In this photo I am stood on an occupation bridge about one third of a mile west of the Halt and the train is going away from me towards Tiverton. Note the apple trees and the shallow cutting. The time is 3.39pm. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
I have moved eastwards to a second overbridge and am looking east towards the Halt, and again the train is going away from me. The cutting is a bit deeper here, and was necessary because just behind me a short distance away the railway passed beneath the Grand Western Canal dating from 1814. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The auto-train enters Halberton Halt on the 4.15pm from the Junction to Tiverton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The same train leaves the Halt for Tiverton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
1450 propels the 4.15pm away from the Halt. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Halberton Halt looking east towards Tiverton Junction. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
1450 approaches Halberton Halt with the 4.35pm from Tiverton which I caught back to the Junction. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 18
Tiverton Junction 03.10.1964
Michael L. Roach
In Part 16 I described how I travelled from Plymouth to Tiverton Junction on Saturday 3 October 1964. Tiverton Junction Station had a poor train service with a gap of several hours in the up direction through the morning. In 1964 one would have changed into a local train at Exeter St. Davids to reach Tiverton Junction. Sixty years later Tiverton Junction's replacement Tiverton Parkway has a wonderful train service and one can travel from Plymouth to Parkway twice an hour by direct train in as little as 73 minutes. TVP has the quite remarkable figure of 526 scheduled train services per week, with a daily average of 1,436 passengers starting or ending their journey there with an average of 19 passengers per service. These figures are quite remarkable for a station that 60 years ago was lucky to survive the withdrawal of the local train service on and from 5 October 1964.
Tiverton Parkway is actually on the site of the former Sampford Peverell Halt closed in October 1964. Tiverton Junction Station was 1¾ miles further south towards Exeter. Tiverton Junction was enlarged in 1932, when some of the stations between Taunton and Exeter received similar treatment, with four lines through each station – two for through trains and two to platform stopping trains. The station closed on and from 12 May 1986, to be replaced by Tiverton Parkway.
After arriving at the Junction from Halberton at 17.07 I made two complete return trips to Tiverton and back that evening. The last scheduled train out of Tiverton on a Saturday was at 20.50. The train departed 1½ minutes late and reached the Junction just half a minute late – quite amazing for a last train; but it was all low-key, as if the residents of Tiverton had already given up on their trains after the withdrawal of their direct trains to Exeter on the Exe Valley Line. There were about two dozen people at Tiverton Station to see the last advertised train depart. All this was hardly surprising when one sees the rotten connecting service from Tiverton Junction. There were no trains off the junction heading north from 7.53 to 13.40; and heading south from 10.21 to 16.55
I thought it would be interesting to look at the ease and expense of getting from Tiverton Town Centre to Paddington by train in Summer 1964; and by bus and train in Autumn 2024. In 1964 one could leave Tiverton Station at 7.05, change at the junction and again at Taunton and arrive in Paddington at 10.55 on The Golden Hind, a journey time of 3 hours 15 mins. The next train off Tiverton with a main line connection was at 13.25 again changing at the junction and Taunton and arriving in Paddington at 16.45 on The Cornish Riviera Express, a journey time of 3 hours 20 mins. Fares from Tiverton were not given, but judging by Exeter and Taunton were about £2.00. In 2024 there is far more choice with a regular hourly bus to Tiverton Parkway Station. Leaving Tiverton Bus Station at 7.05 and changing at Parkway and Taunton one can arrive Paddington at 9.55 on The Golden Hind, a journey time of 2 hours 50 mins for a cost of £121.50 Leaving Tiverton at 13.45 with 20 minutes at Parkway one can travel by direct train to Paddington arriving at 16.29, a journey time of 2 hours 44 mins for a cost of £54.00 The official inflation factor from 1964 to 2024 is 25.4 times so the current fare on some trains of £54 is comparable.
A word about the last image which shows a down express approaching the site of the later Tiverton Parkway Station under an original Bristol & Exeter Railway overbridge dating from 1843. The bridge has been replaced with a modern structure carrying the dual-carriageway North Devon Link Road from the adjacent Junction 27 on the M5 Motorway. The newer bridge can be seen from the platforms at Tiverton Parkway.
Tiverton Parkway is actually on the site of the former Sampford Peverell Halt closed in October 1964. Tiverton Junction Station was 1¾ miles further south towards Exeter. Tiverton Junction was enlarged in 1932, when some of the stations between Taunton and Exeter received similar treatment, with four lines through each station – two for through trains and two to platform stopping trains. The station closed on and from 12 May 1986, to be replaced by Tiverton Parkway.
After arriving at the Junction from Halberton at 17.07 I made two complete return trips to Tiverton and back that evening. The last scheduled train out of Tiverton on a Saturday was at 20.50. The train departed 1½ minutes late and reached the Junction just half a minute late – quite amazing for a last train; but it was all low-key, as if the residents of Tiverton had already given up on their trains after the withdrawal of their direct trains to Exeter on the Exe Valley Line. There were about two dozen people at Tiverton Station to see the last advertised train depart. All this was hardly surprising when one sees the rotten connecting service from Tiverton Junction. There were no trains off the junction heading north from 7.53 to 13.40; and heading south from 10.21 to 16.55
I thought it would be interesting to look at the ease and expense of getting from Tiverton Town Centre to Paddington by train in Summer 1964; and by bus and train in Autumn 2024. In 1964 one could leave Tiverton Station at 7.05, change at the junction and again at Taunton and arrive in Paddington at 10.55 on The Golden Hind, a journey time of 3 hours 15 mins. The next train off Tiverton with a main line connection was at 13.25 again changing at the junction and Taunton and arriving in Paddington at 16.45 on The Cornish Riviera Express, a journey time of 3 hours 20 mins. Fares from Tiverton were not given, but judging by Exeter and Taunton were about £2.00. In 2024 there is far more choice with a regular hourly bus to Tiverton Parkway Station. Leaving Tiverton Bus Station at 7.05 and changing at Parkway and Taunton one can arrive Paddington at 9.55 on The Golden Hind, a journey time of 2 hours 50 mins for a cost of £121.50 Leaving Tiverton at 13.45 with 20 minutes at Parkway one can travel by direct train to Paddington arriving at 16.29, a journey time of 2 hours 44 mins for a cost of £54.00 The official inflation factor from 1964 to 2024 is 25.4 times so the current fare on some trains of £54 is comparable.
A word about the last image which shows a down express approaching the site of the later Tiverton Parkway Station under an original Bristol & Exeter Railway overbridge dating from 1843. The bridge has been replaced with a modern structure carrying the dual-carriageway North Devon Link Road from the adjacent Junction 27 on the M5 Motorway. The newer bridge can be seen from the platforms at Tiverton Parkway.
1450 is seen at Tiverton Junction on 3 October 1964 soon after arriving from Tiverton at 4.49pm. It has left W228 in the platform and is going off to collect another auto-coach. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
1450 returns with the second autocoach. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
1450 propels W225 down towards W228. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking north at Tiverton Junction on 3 October 1964. The huge running in board previously read “Change for Exe Valley and Culm Valley Branches”. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The first train of two auto-coaches leaves for Tiverton at 5.07pm. I am standing behind the signal box. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Tiverton Junction looking north on 7 July 1984 two years before closure. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Note the unusual point rod cranking as an express speeds through on the up main line 7 July 1984. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Warship 814 Dragon on the 08.50 Liverpool to Plymouth express of 13 coaches approaches the later site of Tiverton Parkway Station at high speed at 14.34 on 29 November 1969, running about 10 late. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 18A
Goodbye to Steam July 1964
Michael L. Roach
It was while completing Part 18 (click here), that I came across an article which will compliment Parts 16 to 18 about the last day of passenger services between Tiverton Junction and Tiverton on Saturday 3 October 1964. The article was by Russell Leitch and appeared in The Railway Observer. Here I am just going to quote a paragraph relevant to the Taunton - Exeter area. Later I may quote more of the article in a different context. I think that contemporary information is normally better than the same information being given out for the umpteenth time.
Russell Leitch was a Plymouth rail enthusiast born on 23 February 1916 and in 1939 he worked for the Plymouth & Stonehouse Gas Company whose gas works was alongside the GWR's Sutton Harbour Branch. He was active recording the locomotives and train workings in the Plymouth area throughout the nineteen thirties with his bunch of like-minded friends. It was said that at least one of them visited Laira engine shed every single day. It was Russell Leitch who brought all these records together in a book titled “Plymouth's Railways in the 1930's” with many photos of the trains themselves forming a wonderful record of, what, with hindsight, turned out to be the heyday and most glamorous period of the increasingly confident Great Western Railway. However the Southern Railway trains in the Plymouth area were not forgotten in the book which is highly recommended and can be purchased at modest cost. The gas industry was nationalised in 1949 and soon after Russell Leitch moved to Keynsham presumably to work at the head office of South West Gas in Bath. Many decades later he wrote a book titled “The Railways of Keynsham” which covered a much wider time span than his earlier Plymouth book.
Quote from The Passing Scene – Devonshire – July 1964 (Railway Observer December 1964):
“Travelling down to Devon by the Western Region route nowadays one really says good-bye to steam at Taunton, and even here, the shed is at the time of writing but a shadow of what it was a few months ago. The only steam seen on recent visits has been restricted to the Barnstaple branch and a transfer trip to Bridgwater which has been worked by pannier tank 9647 plus two odd occasions when a 28xx was seen on the down cement block train [note 1] and Grange 6803 seen standing at Norton Fitzwarren station. By the time one reaches Exeter one sees the first sign of integration of Western and Southern operations, motive power and rolling stock. It used to be at Exeter that there were two railways, or two regions, but never the twain did meet, except for the closely defined running powers of the Southern through St. Davids. It was therefore, a sign of the times when three GWR rail motor cars (still in capital stock) were in and around the Central carriage sidings, keeping company with two corridors , one in maroon, and one in chocolate and cream. Conversely, condemned SR green stock, prefixed W was at St. Davids and the old GW motive power depot was host to condemned SR Moguls and a West Country Pacific.”
Note 1: At this time there was a large cement silo in the goods yard to the north of the platforms at Exeter Central Station. This received regular block trains from Westbury Cement Works but also from Plymstock Cement Works at Plymouth. The trains from Plymstock were diesel-hauled but those from Westbury remained steam-hauled right through the summer of 1964 despite the nominal ban on the use of steam engines south west of Taunton on the ex-GWR main line. The RO earlier recorded other classes working the Westbury cement train. On 2 May 1964 it was 2-8-0 no. 4707 of Old Oak Common Shed on the cement just a few days before withdrawal; and on 27 June it was 4978 Westwood Hall of Westbury Shed. The RO recorded that even with three assisting locomotives 4978 only just managed to reach the top of the 1 in 37 incline from St. Davids to Central.
Russell Leitch was a Plymouth rail enthusiast born on 23 February 1916 and in 1939 he worked for the Plymouth & Stonehouse Gas Company whose gas works was alongside the GWR's Sutton Harbour Branch. He was active recording the locomotives and train workings in the Plymouth area throughout the nineteen thirties with his bunch of like-minded friends. It was said that at least one of them visited Laira engine shed every single day. It was Russell Leitch who brought all these records together in a book titled “Plymouth's Railways in the 1930's” with many photos of the trains themselves forming a wonderful record of, what, with hindsight, turned out to be the heyday and most glamorous period of the increasingly confident Great Western Railway. However the Southern Railway trains in the Plymouth area were not forgotten in the book which is highly recommended and can be purchased at modest cost. The gas industry was nationalised in 1949 and soon after Russell Leitch moved to Keynsham presumably to work at the head office of South West Gas in Bath. Many decades later he wrote a book titled “The Railways of Keynsham” which covered a much wider time span than his earlier Plymouth book.
Quote from The Passing Scene – Devonshire – July 1964 (Railway Observer December 1964):
“Travelling down to Devon by the Western Region route nowadays one really says good-bye to steam at Taunton, and even here, the shed is at the time of writing but a shadow of what it was a few months ago. The only steam seen on recent visits has been restricted to the Barnstaple branch and a transfer trip to Bridgwater which has been worked by pannier tank 9647 plus two odd occasions when a 28xx was seen on the down cement block train [note 1] and Grange 6803 seen standing at Norton Fitzwarren station. By the time one reaches Exeter one sees the first sign of integration of Western and Southern operations, motive power and rolling stock. It used to be at Exeter that there were two railways, or two regions, but never the twain did meet, except for the closely defined running powers of the Southern through St. Davids. It was therefore, a sign of the times when three GWR rail motor cars (still in capital stock) were in and around the Central carriage sidings, keeping company with two corridors , one in maroon, and one in chocolate and cream. Conversely, condemned SR green stock, prefixed W was at St. Davids and the old GW motive power depot was host to condemned SR Moguls and a West Country Pacific.”
Note 1: At this time there was a large cement silo in the goods yard to the north of the platforms at Exeter Central Station. This received regular block trains from Westbury Cement Works but also from Plymstock Cement Works at Plymouth. The trains from Plymstock were diesel-hauled but those from Westbury remained steam-hauled right through the summer of 1964 despite the nominal ban on the use of steam engines south west of Taunton on the ex-GWR main line. The RO earlier recorded other classes working the Westbury cement train. On 2 May 1964 it was 2-8-0 no. 4707 of Old Oak Common Shed on the cement just a few days before withdrawal; and on 27 June it was 4978 Westwood Hall of Westbury Shed. The RO recorded that even with three assisting locomotives 4978 only just managed to reach the top of the 1 in 37 incline from St. Davids to Central.
Here we see the Plymstock to Exeter Central cement train at Filham, just east of Ivybridge, hauled by a Western class diesel. The time is 18.42 on 31 July 1970. I am stood in Palace Lane but this gateway is now lost in vegetation. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 19
The Cattewater Branch and Wharves (1)
Michael L. Roach
It was in 1956 that I acquired my first bicycle and rather than walking or catching the bus to Laira Shed I would cycle there regularly. In summer this would often be in the evening and the bike would give me the flexibility to go on to Friary Shed as well. I would also regularly cycle around the commercial docks of The Cattewater, Victoria Wharves, Sutton Harbour and Millbay Docks to view the ships moored up. Sutton Harbour has not received any boats bringing coal from the north-east for the gas works since the conversion to natural gas in 1971; and Millbay Docks now deals mainly and perhaps exclusively with cross-channel ferry traffic; leaving the Cattewater and Victoria Wharves to receive a regular stream of cargo ships. One of the main exports is china clay through Victoria Wharves. The main imports are oil and cement through Cattewater Wharves. The cement comes from Spain while the oil products come from all over Europe with some from British ports. At present there are six large oil refineries in the UK but this figure will reduce to five when the Petroineos refinery at Grangemouth closes in 2025 or 2026. Occasional loads of refined product are received from Stanlow on the Mersey and the refineries at Immingham. The refinery at Pembroke, on the south side of the Milford Haven estuary, sends regular ship-loads to the Cattewater. The refinery is owned by Valero Energy of San Antonio, Texas who have a depot and tank farm a short distance from Cattewater Wharves. After several months of watching I have not witnessed the Exxon Mobil refinery at Fawley send a single ship-load of oil to The Cattewater. The total capacity of the British oil refineries is 58M tonnes per annum.
It was in 1957 that I acquired my first camera and started photographing railways. Although a few years later I started taking an interest in other forms of transport and landscapes it was railways that were the subject matter of ninety percent of my transport photos right through the nineteen sixties and seventies.
The history of Plymouth goes back thousands of years but it was only in 1928 that it became a city. For the next 50 years the eastern boundary of the City was the River Plym which had been used for navigation in its lower reaches. As the river silted up the quays and wharves moved downstream to The Cattewater which is the name given to the last 1½ miles of the River Plym below Laira Bridge until it flows into Plymouth Sound. On the south side of The Cattewater is the village of Turnchapel which once had a branchline railway terminating on the edge of the village, closed to passengers on and from 10 September 1951. On the north side of the Cattewater lies a ridge of limestone which was extensively quarried over a long period to provide building stone for the area. The grey limestone can still be seen on many public buildings in Plymouth. This area of about half a mile east-west and quarter mile north-south was later developed as an area for heavy industry as the quarries declined. There were only a handful of houses in the area and most of these were demolished as the industries advanced. The industries that gravitated to this area comprised almost every type of smelly, polluting and undesirable industry imaginable; e.g. Chemical works, glue factory, tannery, oil depots, tar distillery, gas works, lime kilns, cement works, manure factory, refuse destructor, power station etc. The ones I particularly remember from the 1950s and 1960s are the glue factory because of the awful smells, the metal bashers who were putting together structural steel (still using rivets perhaps), and the tar distillery again because of the smell. The number of factories is now greatly reduced but the oil depots have lived on through all the changes.
The first railway to enter this area was the Plymouth & Dartmoor which opened in 1823 but not to The Cattewater at first, followed by the LSWR which worked the P&D from 1880 and later built its own freight-only branch through the area avoiding the existing factories and works – hence the need for sweeping curves and tunnels through the remaining outcrops of limestone. The Cattewater Branch started at Cattewater Junction just over half a mile from Friary Station on the route to Plymstock and Turnchapel. The Branch served numerous sidings and depots en-route and finished at the gates of the privately-owned Victoria Wharves. In steam days the normal motive power for the Cattewater goods was the B4 0-4-0 tank class a design dating back to 1890 and built at the LSWR's own Nine Elms Works. The LSWR built its own goods station a short distance before the line crossed Cattewater Road on a level crossing. The Cattewater as a harbour dates back to at least 1708. A short distance inland from Cattewater Wharves are a couple of major tank farms and oil depots. Sixty years ago they were owned by Shell/BP (jointly) and Esso but now they have been sold on to Valero of Texas and Greenergy, a leading supplier of biofuels, recently taken over by a firm called Trafigura in August 2024.
When I first started going along the public road past Cattewater Wharves in the late 1950s it was a fascinating place. There was the railway line wending its way between buildings and through a series of unlined tunnels and across the road going on to Victoria Wharves; sidings everywhere; and small groups of parked rail wagons. There was little security in those far off days and I was able to take photos almost wherever I wanted. Most of the photos shown here were taken in the vicinity of the level crossing where the Cattewater Branch crossed from the north side to the south side of Cattewater Road at the west end of the main Cattewater Wharf. On the Wharf itself a railway line ran along the edge of the wharf connected to the branch at both ends to allow direct transfer of goods from ship to railway wagon. Some of the maps on the NLS website show the situation in the 1860s before the Cattewater Branch was built and the only railway in the area was the Plymouth & Dartmoor.
It was in 1957 that I acquired my first camera and started photographing railways. Although a few years later I started taking an interest in other forms of transport and landscapes it was railways that were the subject matter of ninety percent of my transport photos right through the nineteen sixties and seventies.
The history of Plymouth goes back thousands of years but it was only in 1928 that it became a city. For the next 50 years the eastern boundary of the City was the River Plym which had been used for navigation in its lower reaches. As the river silted up the quays and wharves moved downstream to The Cattewater which is the name given to the last 1½ miles of the River Plym below Laira Bridge until it flows into Plymouth Sound. On the south side of The Cattewater is the village of Turnchapel which once had a branchline railway terminating on the edge of the village, closed to passengers on and from 10 September 1951. On the north side of the Cattewater lies a ridge of limestone which was extensively quarried over a long period to provide building stone for the area. The grey limestone can still be seen on many public buildings in Plymouth. This area of about half a mile east-west and quarter mile north-south was later developed as an area for heavy industry as the quarries declined. There were only a handful of houses in the area and most of these were demolished as the industries advanced. The industries that gravitated to this area comprised almost every type of smelly, polluting and undesirable industry imaginable; e.g. Chemical works, glue factory, tannery, oil depots, tar distillery, gas works, lime kilns, cement works, manure factory, refuse destructor, power station etc. The ones I particularly remember from the 1950s and 1960s are the glue factory because of the awful smells, the metal bashers who were putting together structural steel (still using rivets perhaps), and the tar distillery again because of the smell. The number of factories is now greatly reduced but the oil depots have lived on through all the changes.
The first railway to enter this area was the Plymouth & Dartmoor which opened in 1823 but not to The Cattewater at first, followed by the LSWR which worked the P&D from 1880 and later built its own freight-only branch through the area avoiding the existing factories and works – hence the need for sweeping curves and tunnels through the remaining outcrops of limestone. The Cattewater Branch started at Cattewater Junction just over half a mile from Friary Station on the route to Plymstock and Turnchapel. The Branch served numerous sidings and depots en-route and finished at the gates of the privately-owned Victoria Wharves. In steam days the normal motive power for the Cattewater goods was the B4 0-4-0 tank class a design dating back to 1890 and built at the LSWR's own Nine Elms Works. The LSWR built its own goods station a short distance before the line crossed Cattewater Road on a level crossing. The Cattewater as a harbour dates back to at least 1708. A short distance inland from Cattewater Wharves are a couple of major tank farms and oil depots. Sixty years ago they were owned by Shell/BP (jointly) and Esso but now they have been sold on to Valero of Texas and Greenergy, a leading supplier of biofuels, recently taken over by a firm called Trafigura in August 2024.
When I first started going along the public road past Cattewater Wharves in the late 1950s it was a fascinating place. There was the railway line wending its way between buildings and through a series of unlined tunnels and across the road going on to Victoria Wharves; sidings everywhere; and small groups of parked rail wagons. There was little security in those far off days and I was able to take photos almost wherever I wanted. Most of the photos shown here were taken in the vicinity of the level crossing where the Cattewater Branch crossed from the north side to the south side of Cattewater Road at the west end of the main Cattewater Wharf. On the Wharf itself a railway line ran along the edge of the wharf connected to the branch at both ends to allow direct transfer of goods from ship to railway wagon. Some of the maps on the NLS website show the situation in the 1860s before the Cattewater Branch was built and the only railway in the area was the Plymouth & Dartmoor.
Oil tanker Vally and Esso rail tankers at Cattewater on 6 August 1959. Vally is facing the opposite way to what has been normal for many many years. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Eighteen years later and there is a line-up of Esso tankers in the same place as 1959. All five tankers were built in 1964; the two at the left end were empty and had arrived from Penzance MPD. The three on the right had arrived from Inverness Harbour with Avgas. The wall in the foreground is built of the locally quarried limestone and the date is Saturday 11 June 1977. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Standard 14-ton oil tank wagon belonging to Shell/BP and first registered by the GWR in December 1940 at the Cattewater goods station on 23 May 1970. This is the type of wagon that would then have been used to carry oil products to numerous small rail-connected oil depots like Quintrell Downs. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Bridgeman has brought oil products to Cattewater Wharf on 2 September 1978. Note the bow thruster. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Unloading coal from Blackthorn on Sunday 28 October 1979. The coal was for Plymstock cement works which has since closed. The cement works was only about one kilometre away from the wharf as the crow flies, but probably twice as far by road. Note the rails set in the road surface. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
BGL 633 V is a new Foden less than three months old. Before leaving the driver executed a shake-down stop to remove any loose coal from the bodywork. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 20
The Traditional Railway
Michael L. Roach
In the summer of 2015, we went to the Welsh Marches for a holiday staying in a small village between Leominster and Ludlow, and just 3 miles from the site of the former Woofferton Station closed on and from 31 July 1961. Woofferton was on the Welsh Marches line – an important north to south route from Manchester, Crewe and Shrewsbury to Newport, Cardiff and Bristol along the Welsh border. The line is important for freight as well as passengers and in steam days carried passenger trains from Liverpool and Manchester to Paignton, Plymouth and Penzance; meaning it was then known as the north-and-west route. Woofferton was the junction for a single line heading east through Tenbury Wells and Bewdley to Kidderminster. Woofferton is located in the extreme south of Shropshire almost on the boundary with Herefordshire and not far from Worcestershire. Although the station, and most of its buildings, are long gone Woofferton has an up goods loop and retains a mechanical signal box dating back to 1875 and semaphore signals, one of a number of mechanical boxes working ABS along the line. The line was built by the Shrewsbury and Hereford Railway in 1853 and was taken over jointly by the GWR and the LNWR, confirmed by an Act of Parliament in 1871. Much more of the complicated early history to be found on Wikipedia.
The Welsh Marches railway line retains one of the longest lengths of absolute block signalling in the whole of England and Wales. Branch trains left Woofferton heading nearly north but immediately turned through sixty degrees and headed east, but many trains only travelled five miles to Tenbury Wells where they terminated and returned to Woofferton. There were often, but not always, connections at Tenbury into trains which went on to Kidderminster (24 miles), or Hartlebury and Worcester. Woofferton box is just one of many signal boxes along the line worth photographing. The box is unusually square and much wider than a GWR box would be.
We had been to the Welsh Marches before and what I liked about the area was the very pleasant countryside and the proximity to Wales. The railway line was a bonus because it reminded me of how many railways were in the 1950s and 1960s before they were improved and lost so much of their character. The Welsh Marches line retains a bygone atmosphere with its historic signal boxes, semaphore signals and some original Victorian station buildings of brick and stone. The other things that enhance the whole experience are the freight trains, loco-hauled passenger trains and some manually operated level crossing gates; and no overhead electric wiring. Since I was there in 2015 most of the semaphore distant signals have been replaced by colour lights but what remains is a traditional railway from an era that disappeared from most of the railway network decades ago. There are very few lines in England Wales where all these features come together over many miles to give a traditional railway looking much as it would have done sixty years ago. Catch the traditional railway while you can.
There are many views of the semaphore signals at Woofferton, and many other locations, on the website: roscalen.com/signals. On the way home from Shropshire we stopped at Tintern Railway Station and Taunton Deane Service Area and saw at least one GWR railway coach at both locations!
The Welsh Marches railway line retains one of the longest lengths of absolute block signalling in the whole of England and Wales. Branch trains left Woofferton heading nearly north but immediately turned through sixty degrees and headed east, but many trains only travelled five miles to Tenbury Wells where they terminated and returned to Woofferton. There were often, but not always, connections at Tenbury into trains which went on to Kidderminster (24 miles), or Hartlebury and Worcester. Woofferton box is just one of many signal boxes along the line worth photographing. The box is unusually square and much wider than a GWR box would be.
We had been to the Welsh Marches before and what I liked about the area was the very pleasant countryside and the proximity to Wales. The railway line was a bonus because it reminded me of how many railways were in the 1950s and 1960s before they were improved and lost so much of their character. The Welsh Marches line retains a bygone atmosphere with its historic signal boxes, semaphore signals and some original Victorian station buildings of brick and stone. The other things that enhance the whole experience are the freight trains, loco-hauled passenger trains and some manually operated level crossing gates; and no overhead electric wiring. Since I was there in 2015 most of the semaphore distant signals have been replaced by colour lights but what remains is a traditional railway from an era that disappeared from most of the railway network decades ago. There are very few lines in England Wales where all these features come together over many miles to give a traditional railway looking much as it would have done sixty years ago. Catch the traditional railway while you can.
There are many views of the semaphore signals at Woofferton, and many other locations, on the website: roscalen.com/signals. On the way home from Shropshire we stopped at Tintern Railway Station and Taunton Deane Service Area and saw at least one GWR railway coach at both locations!
Looking north along the up goods loop which is just north of Woofferton Box. The bridge carries the A49 road across the railway. Until 1961 there was a down goods loop on the right hand side, when it became a siding which lasted until 1985. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The log train from Baglan Bay passes the loop. This is very useful for looping such 60mph freight trains to allow the 90mph passenger trains to overtake. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The outside of Leominster Station built by the Shrewsbury & Hereford Railway in 1853. The station has one train per hour in each direction and sees around 240,000 passengers per annum boarding or alighting. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A pair of 175s (175 104 and 111) head north through Leominster Station. These are the dmus that are coming to Devon and Cornwall next year. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
60085 approaches Woofferton with the 15.24 Baglan Bay to Chirk log train on 23 July 2015. It is only in summer that the train can be photographed here in daylight. The train now runs an hour later. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The log train passes Woofferton Signal Box. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Woofferton Signal Box built circa 1875. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
66616 is just south of Woofferton with the 13.30 Tunstead to Westbury loaded cement train on the evening of Sunday 26 July 2015. The train still runs on an as required basis. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
These 4-wheel cement wagons are all now out-of-use? Copyright Michael L. Roach.
At Taunton Deane on Saturday 25 July 2015 is HST first-class coach 41169 which seated 47 passengers. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Alley’s 15-litre MAN had the registration T900AHH and is currently taxed. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 21
Proposed Railway from Bodmin to Roche
Michael L. Roach
This instalment is the first of a trilogy about some of the railways around Bodmin, and a railway enthusiast born at Bodmin more than 150 years ago. How the articles link together will become apparent in the last of the three parts.
The attached scan comes from the GWR Magazine for July 1905, and is all about the new lengths of railway that the Great Western Railway were proposing to build and therefore seeking parliamentary approval for the works. It can readily be seen that many of the railways did gain approval, and were actually built, including some very useful cut-offs like Ashendon to Aynho which shortened the Great Western's route from London to Birmingham by 19 miles and led to the introduction of two-hour trains between the two cities.
I found the couple of lines at the bottom of the left-hand column particularly interesting. The GWR were planning to build a completely new railway from Bodmin, on the line from Bodmin Road to Bodmin General, to near Roche on the line from Par to Newquay. The thinking was to shorten the route for heavy expresses to Newquay and to obviate the ferocious climb of Luxulyan Bank of three miles, at gradients as steep as 1 in 37 (although the climb out of Bodmin Road was nearly as steep and started from the platform end with a sharp curve, but the bank was a bit shorter at 2½ miles and a little less steep at 1 in 40/61). It would have been fascinating to watch a heavy Newquay express banked out of Bodmin Road Station by the branch engine (borrowed for 20 minutes) from a standing start in the branch platform, round the sharp curve and over the viaduct.
Mulling over the proposed line in my head at first and having seen only words and no plan at that stage, my thought was to form a triangular junction outside Bodmin General Station and then have a second junction just west of the triangle. This would enable the Newquay expresses to serve Bodmin or bypass Bodmin. The existing line falls steeply from Bodmin General to Boscarne Junction down the side of a valley. The new line would have to cross this deep and wide valley and was obviously the wrong solution. Time to look at the OS 1:25,000 Explorer Map. The map showed that the more obvious solution was to form a junction at the west end of the long straight which starts just west of Carminnow Cross, with the junction between mileposts 276¼ and 276½ at the start of Quarry Curve, This was also the point where trains reached the summit level of the climb from Bodmin Road, and where banking engines would have dropped off the train right by the junction signal box.
From the junction, the proposed line would then head south-west before turning roughly west, passing to the south of the village of Lanivet until reaching Innis Downs. After that, the new line could stay a short distance north of the Bodmin to Truro turnpike road (later the old A30 before dualling) before rejoining the existing Par to Newquay line about a quarter of a mile west of Roche Station near the summit of the whole line. Those were just my original thoughts, and the actual route proposed by the GWR turned up in another article and will be shown later. The line was never built, of course.
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all readers of the CRS website. My thanks go to the Editor and all those who write in about my articles – your kind comments are much appreciated.
The attached scan comes from the GWR Magazine for July 1905, and is all about the new lengths of railway that the Great Western Railway were proposing to build and therefore seeking parliamentary approval for the works. It can readily be seen that many of the railways did gain approval, and were actually built, including some very useful cut-offs like Ashendon to Aynho which shortened the Great Western's route from London to Birmingham by 19 miles and led to the introduction of two-hour trains between the two cities.
I found the couple of lines at the bottom of the left-hand column particularly interesting. The GWR were planning to build a completely new railway from Bodmin, on the line from Bodmin Road to Bodmin General, to near Roche on the line from Par to Newquay. The thinking was to shorten the route for heavy expresses to Newquay and to obviate the ferocious climb of Luxulyan Bank of three miles, at gradients as steep as 1 in 37 (although the climb out of Bodmin Road was nearly as steep and started from the platform end with a sharp curve, but the bank was a bit shorter at 2½ miles and a little less steep at 1 in 40/61). It would have been fascinating to watch a heavy Newquay express banked out of Bodmin Road Station by the branch engine (borrowed for 20 minutes) from a standing start in the branch platform, round the sharp curve and over the viaduct.
Mulling over the proposed line in my head at first and having seen only words and no plan at that stage, my thought was to form a triangular junction outside Bodmin General Station and then have a second junction just west of the triangle. This would enable the Newquay expresses to serve Bodmin or bypass Bodmin. The existing line falls steeply from Bodmin General to Boscarne Junction down the side of a valley. The new line would have to cross this deep and wide valley and was obviously the wrong solution. Time to look at the OS 1:25,000 Explorer Map. The map showed that the more obvious solution was to form a junction at the west end of the long straight which starts just west of Carminnow Cross, with the junction between mileposts 276¼ and 276½ at the start of Quarry Curve, This was also the point where trains reached the summit level of the climb from Bodmin Road, and where banking engines would have dropped off the train right by the junction signal box.
From the junction, the proposed line would then head south-west before turning roughly west, passing to the south of the village of Lanivet until reaching Innis Downs. After that, the new line could stay a short distance north of the Bodmin to Truro turnpike road (later the old A30 before dualling) before rejoining the existing Par to Newquay line about a quarter of a mile west of Roche Station near the summit of the whole line. Those were just my original thoughts, and the actual route proposed by the GWR turned up in another article and will be shown later. The line was never built, of course.
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all readers of the CRS website. My thanks go to the Editor and all those who write in about my articles – your kind comments are much appreciated.
A page from the Great Western Railway Magazine for July 1905. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 22
Remembering 29 December
Michael L. Roach
As I suspect is the case with most adults, there will be dates in the calendar etched in the memory because of the events that occurred on those dates. I have just a couple: 29 March (sad); 15 October (happy); and 29 December (dramatic). I have written about 29 December 1962 before several times, so do not intend to say much this time. That date was the day that the last passenger trains ran from Plymouth to Tavistock South and Launceston, and they were steam-hauled right to the end by 4500/4575 light prairies and 6400 pannier tanks, much as they would have been in the 1930s (and even earlier in the case of the prairies).
Having made many trips over the line in the previous 20 months, I opted not to travel far on the trains on the last day, but to spend much of the daylight hours at Yelverton photographing the last trains to call at the station. The decision was made before seeing the weather forecast which was not good. After the booking office closed at 2.00pm the only shelter from the 60mph winds and driving snow was to stand on the west side of a building in the lee of the bitter easterly wind.
You can read more about the last weeks of 1962, that dramatic last day and the evening trip from Plymouth to Tavistock South in a previous series – click here
Having made many trips over the line in the previous 20 months, I opted not to travel far on the trains on the last day, but to spend much of the daylight hours at Yelverton photographing the last trains to call at the station. The decision was made before seeing the weather forecast which was not good. After the booking office closed at 2.00pm the only shelter from the 60mph winds and driving snow was to stand on the west side of a building in the lee of the bitter easterly wind.
You can read more about the last weeks of 1962, that dramatic last day and the evening trip from Plymouth to Tavistock South in a previous series – click here
5564 stands in Yelverton Station having just brought in the 10.40am Plymouth to Launceston. The overnight snow on the platform was 75 – 100 mm deep. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
6430 passes through Yelverton non-stop with the 10.53am Millbay to Tavistock South ECS train of four auto-coaches. 6430 is preserved on the Llangollen Steam Railway. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
6400 runs through Yelverton non-stop with the 2.00pm ECS train from Tavistock South to Millbay. Note the stop-board for freight trains. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 23
Western Region Diesel-Hydraulics (1)
Michael L. Roach
To welcome in 2025, and to do something different, I thought I would show some diesel-hauled trains from around 50 to 55 years ago, towards the end of the reign of the BR Class 42/43 Warship diesel-hydraulic locomotives and the BR Class 52 Westerns.
I took black-and-white negative film, with the very occasional colour negative film up until 1968. On the first weekend of August 1968, I stopped both, and started taking colour film only from then on.
On 5 May 1969, the Western Region commenced double-heading the Cornish Riviera Express with two Warships throughout between Paddington and Plymouth. The schedule was 3½ hours in both directions, between Paddington and Plymouth, on weekdays and winter Saturdays, with one stop at Exeter. On summer Saturdays the CRE was allowed 4 hours with no intermediate stops.
The first up train left Plymouth on 5 May at 13.30 in light rain behind 822 and 827 and was about quarter full. The down train left Paddington at 10.30, was about three quarters full, and surprised me by showing up 7 minutes early where I was behind 819 and 808.
There is only one slide to show of the double-headed CRE as I was then taking 8mm movie film most of the time. This instalment will start with diesels from that era 55 years ago in the summer and autumn of 1969. Look out for D836 Powerful which appears three times in the 19 images in Parts 23 and 24.
I took black-and-white negative film, with the very occasional colour negative film up until 1968. On the first weekend of August 1968, I stopped both, and started taking colour film only from then on.
On 5 May 1969, the Western Region commenced double-heading the Cornish Riviera Express with two Warships throughout between Paddington and Plymouth. The schedule was 3½ hours in both directions, between Paddington and Plymouth, on weekdays and winter Saturdays, with one stop at Exeter. On summer Saturdays the CRE was allowed 4 hours with no intermediate stops.
The first up train left Plymouth on 5 May at 13.30 in light rain behind 822 and 827 and was about quarter full. The down train left Paddington at 10.30, was about three quarters full, and surprised me by showing up 7 minutes early where I was behind 819 and 808.
There is only one slide to show of the double-headed CRE as I was then taking 8mm movie film most of the time. This instalment will start with diesels from that era 55 years ago in the summer and autumn of 1969. Look out for D836 Powerful which appears three times in the 19 images in Parts 23 and 24.
D862 heads through St. Germans with the down Cornishman on the afternoon of 7 June 1969. It was then 7 years old and lasted another 2 years. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
An unidentified Warship heads through Menheniot with a down 12C express at 17.17 on Saturday 14 June 1969 as another of the same class intrudes into the picture with an up train. I hope that the driver of the up “milk” has spotted the aspect of the starting signal before his view was blocked by the down train, although the signal box may have been switched out by this time. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
D1011 leaves Hemerdon Woods with 12C on the up CRE on the first Saturday of the enhanced summer timetable – 14 June 1969. The train left Penzance at 10.15 and Plymouth at 12.30 then running non-stop to Paddington due 16.30 The house is called Sherwell. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
D836 crosses the Royal Albert Bridge with an up freight of 27 wagons at 20.20 on the evening of Monday 14 July 1969. The first wagon is carrying a Holman compressor made in Camborne at a time when the Holman factory had more than 3,000 employees. The factory was razed to the ground and replaced by a Tesco store more than 30 years ago. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
D836 is seen crossing the River Plym at 19.03 with 34 wagons soon after leaving Tavistock Junction on the evening of Saturday 12 July 1969 heading for Cornwall. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
D866 passes Hackney Box's home, or outer home, signal with the 11C 09.06 Sheffield – Paignton on Saturday 23 August 1969. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
D834 passes under the public road to the west of Whiteball Tunnel with a down freight at 13.14 on Saturday 29 November 1969. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Super power for three coaches at a misty Rattery Box on 11 October 1969. The train is the 12.15 Penzance to Exeter St. Davids and the locos are D817 and D1019. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
D864 is about to pass the entrance to Hemerdon down loop with 12C on the 08.50 Liverpool to Plymouth on Saturday 7 February 1970. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
D865 is seen about 200 metres further east and 12 minutes earlier than the previous image with a down engineering train which was put into Hemerdon loop. Behind the loco was diesel shunter PWM652. NLS have an OS 25-inch of this area dating from 1854-63. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 24
Western Region Diesel-Hydraulics (2)
Michael L. Roach
In this second part, we continue the images of Western Region diesel-hydraulics and take it up to 1976, which was the last complete year of the Western Class.
Warships 825 and 808 head down towards Tigley Box with the up CRE on a winter Saturday - 21 February 1970. The train left Penzance at 11.25 and Plymouth at 13.30 then calling at Exeter only arriving Paddington at 17.00 Compare with the summer times given in the caption to the third image of Part 23. The telegraph poles had just been felled after the cables were laid in the troughs seen on the right. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
One of my favourite locations in late May/early June was here about a quarter of a mile west of Forder Viaduct in a deep cutting on the 1908 diversionary route because of the profusion of rhododendrons. The train is the down CRE running 55L behind D836 on 7 June 1970. The rhododendron “ponticum” is considered an invasive species in many countries but is much more colourful than what has now invaded the sides of this cutting. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
831 heads towards Dainton Box and Tunnel on Saturday 17 October 1970 with the 16.15 Plymouth, via Newport, to Liverpool Lime Street where arrival was scheduled at 01.14 next day. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
844 and 7098 leave Brent up loop with a special train at 12.52 on Tuesday 13 October 1970. The train had been looped to allow Peak-class no. 74 to pass with the up Cornishman at 12.39 running late. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
An unidentified Western passes Crabtree, Plymouth and approaches Laira Junction on 29 April 1971. The adjacent dual carriageway was then being constructed. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
1047 passes Hemerdon Box with 20 wagons at 15.15 on Wednesday 20 December 1972. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
An immaculate 1045 passes Menheniot Station at 15.44 on Saturday 8 September 1973 with an express from Paddington. I had attended the Liskeard Traction Engine Rally earlier in the day. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
1034 passes Menheniot with 7C on the 14.35 from Penzance on 08.09.1973. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
1028 is leaving Camborne with an up express on Sunday 7 March 1976 having run wrong line from St. Erth during track works. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 25
North Cornwall March 1964
Michael L. Roach
On Saturday 28 March 1964 I made an afternoon trip from Plymouth to North Cornwall by car. First stop was at Dunsland Cross which was about 40 miles and an hour and a quarter from Plymouth. I stayed in the area of Halwill and Hole for the next three hours photographing every train that was available at first. From 6.10 to 6.30pm Halwill Junction Station came to life with the arrival of the 5.32 from Bude at 6.11; the 5.57 from Okehampton to Padstow calling 6.21-6.22; the departure of the 6.25 to Bude; and the departure of the 6.30 to Torrington. I saw none of these at Halwill because I had departed early to be sure of seeing the 6.30pm train further up the line to Torrington. The Halwill to Torrington line was 20½ miles long and at the north end the 7¾ miles from Petrockstow to Torrington was used by freight and passenger trains, with the principal freight being ball clay from opencast pits. However the 12¾ miles from Halwill to Petrockstow were used by just two passenger trains in each direction at 8.52am and 4.00pm off Torrington and 10.38am and 6.30pm off Halwill Junction. I opted to see the 6.30 train pass through Hole at 6.39pm but actually at 6.42pm that evening behind Ivatt 2-6-2T no. 41283 hauling just one passenger coach. This was an easy afternoon/evening trip lasting less than six hours but the trips to be described in the next two instalments were much more demanding.
I read a lot, particularly old magazines, and just occasionally I am in almost total disbelief at what I am reading. This was such a case on the evening of 18 January 2025 the day before Part 25 was submitted to the CRS webmaster. Just a few lines in the October 1925 Railway Magazine concerning train working on the Looe Branch on the August Bank Holiday weekend that year which I would like to share with readers. The passenger trains were being worked by the GWR's 4400-class prairie tanks that day, a class dating from 1904. with driving wheels measuring 4 feet 1½ inches in diameter. Only eleven were ever built because they were followed just two years later by the much more numerous 4500-class prairie tanks which had driving wheels six inches larger at 4 feet 7½ inches. Smaller driving wheels equals better hill-climbing ability so the 4400s always gravitated to the sheds providing power for the steepest gradients like the Princetown Branch. St. Blazey Shed received examples of the 4400-class within two years of the first one being built which were used on the branch lines to Newquay and Fowey. It would be 18 years before two members of the class were out-stationed to Moorswater Shed to work the Looe Branch in November 1924.
This is what the Railway Magazine reported: “On August Bank Holiday, 3 August 1925, the Looe and Liskeard branch was worked by two trains made up to 10 and 11 main-line coaches, and worked by GW 2-6-2 tank engines, nos. 4400 and 4410. From Coombe Junction to Liskeard, which includes a gradient of 1 in 35, assistance was provided by no. 4405.” What a magnificent sight and sound the three engines would have made pounding up the bank with ten coaches. 4405 was based at Laira Shed, Plymouth, at the time which suggests to me that it had worked down the main line with an excursion train from Plymouth to Looe. Ten coaches would have been a good load for a single 4400 engine. There were three inclines to be surmounted in the 18 miles between Plymouth and Liskeard at gradients as steep as 1 in 60/68/74 The standard load for a 4400-class engine along the Cornish main line was 280 tons or say eight coaches; so if 4405 did bring 10 coaches down from Plymouth it would have been given extra time but would have made a great sight climbing up the 3-mile bank through St. Germans Station.
Although he was not as famous as fellow-Cornishman Richard Trevithick many of you will have heard of the Cornish inventor Sir Goldsworthy Gurney who was an early exponent of designing and building steam road passenger carrying carriages. In the Sunday Times of 19 January 2025 was an article about the struggles of British cathedrals to cover their running costs due to the high cost of energy bills. There are 97 cathedrals in Britain (including Anglican and Catholic) and you may have noticed in some a large black cast iron stove with external ribs to increase the surface area available for heating these huge spaces. The stove was designed and patented in 1856 by Sir Goldsworthy Gurney and is called the Gurney Stove. They were originally coal-fired, later oil-fired and now gas-fired. Quite amazingly three Gurney Stoves are still in use in 2025, 160 years after being invented, at Durham, Ely and Peterborough Cathedrals. More than 10,000 Gurney Stoves were made in three different sizes.
I read a lot, particularly old magazines, and just occasionally I am in almost total disbelief at what I am reading. This was such a case on the evening of 18 January 2025 the day before Part 25 was submitted to the CRS webmaster. Just a few lines in the October 1925 Railway Magazine concerning train working on the Looe Branch on the August Bank Holiday weekend that year which I would like to share with readers. The passenger trains were being worked by the GWR's 4400-class prairie tanks that day, a class dating from 1904. with driving wheels measuring 4 feet 1½ inches in diameter. Only eleven were ever built because they were followed just two years later by the much more numerous 4500-class prairie tanks which had driving wheels six inches larger at 4 feet 7½ inches. Smaller driving wheels equals better hill-climbing ability so the 4400s always gravitated to the sheds providing power for the steepest gradients like the Princetown Branch. St. Blazey Shed received examples of the 4400-class within two years of the first one being built which were used on the branch lines to Newquay and Fowey. It would be 18 years before two members of the class were out-stationed to Moorswater Shed to work the Looe Branch in November 1924.
This is what the Railway Magazine reported: “On August Bank Holiday, 3 August 1925, the Looe and Liskeard branch was worked by two trains made up to 10 and 11 main-line coaches, and worked by GW 2-6-2 tank engines, nos. 4400 and 4410. From Coombe Junction to Liskeard, which includes a gradient of 1 in 35, assistance was provided by no. 4405.” What a magnificent sight and sound the three engines would have made pounding up the bank with ten coaches. 4405 was based at Laira Shed, Plymouth, at the time which suggests to me that it had worked down the main line with an excursion train from Plymouth to Looe. Ten coaches would have been a good load for a single 4400 engine. There were three inclines to be surmounted in the 18 miles between Plymouth and Liskeard at gradients as steep as 1 in 60/68/74 The standard load for a 4400-class engine along the Cornish main line was 280 tons or say eight coaches; so if 4405 did bring 10 coaches down from Plymouth it would have been given extra time but would have made a great sight climbing up the 3-mile bank through St. Germans Station.
Although he was not as famous as fellow-Cornishman Richard Trevithick many of you will have heard of the Cornish inventor Sir Goldsworthy Gurney who was an early exponent of designing and building steam road passenger carrying carriages. In the Sunday Times of 19 January 2025 was an article about the struggles of British cathedrals to cover their running costs due to the high cost of energy bills. There are 97 cathedrals in Britain (including Anglican and Catholic) and you may have noticed in some a large black cast iron stove with external ribs to increase the surface area available for heating these huge spaces. The stove was designed and patented in 1856 by Sir Goldsworthy Gurney and is called the Gurney Stove. They were originally coal-fired, later oil-fired and now gas-fired. Quite amazingly three Gurney Stoves are still in use in 2025, 160 years after being invented, at Durham, Ely and Peterborough Cathedrals. More than 10,000 Gurney Stoves were made in three different sizes.
Ivatt 2-6-2T no. 41206 approaches Dunsland Cross Station with 2C on the 3.39pm Halwill to Bude train on Saturday 28 March 1964; where it crossed 31824. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
At the same spot as the previous image and six minutes later N-class 31824 leaves Dunsland Cross with two coaches and two vans on the 3.11pm Bude to Okehampton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
31835 is hauling the 4.24pm Okehampton to Bude train taken from the overbridge about 1½ miles south-east of Halwill Junction Station; 28 March 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The 3.13pm Padstow to Okehampton is seen leaving Halwill Junction at 5.30pm on 28 March 1964 behind 31821. The station is just out of the picture on the right. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Ivatt 2-6-2T no. 41283 leaves Hole Station with the second and last passenger train of the day to Torrington. Hole was the first station along the line 3 miles from Halwill Junction in an area of very small villages and sparse population. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 26
Day Trip to Crumlin
Michael L. Roach
In the last part I described a half day trip by car to do some railway photography in North Cornwall around Halwill Junction Station without actually visiting the station. Two weeks later I made a completely different type of photographic trip by train and lasting more than 24 hours. This was not the longest such trip I made as six months earlier I had made a 30-hour day trip to Yorkshire and Lancashire using a cheap excursion ticket for Plymouth Argyle fans to watch an away match at Rotherham.
On Friday 10 April 1964 I left home about 11.30pm to walk to Plymouth Station where I bought a cheap day return to Bristol Temple Meads for 32 shillings (£1.60). My train was the 8.55pm Penzance to Paddington sleeping car train which was scheduled to leave Plymouth at midnight. Arrival at Temple Meads was at 3.33am some four minutes early. I then had to wait 2½ hours for my next train which was the first train of the day to South Wales at 6.05am. I never enjoyed BTM in the middle of the night but it was OK while the refreshment room was open. I think it was then open 23 hours a day from memory. At Newport I changed into the first daytime train north at 7.03am alighting at Pontypool Road at 7.20am.
The objective on Saturday 11 April 1964 was to travel the 42 mile route to Neath via Nelson, Quakers Yard, Aberdare and Hirwaun which had several lines connecting to it where it was possible to change for places like Rhymney, Dowlais, Merthyr, Caerphilly and Pontypridd. The line had a relatively good passenger service and carried many freight trains. I would spend more than ten hours on the line in total working my way westwards before travelling the full length on return. This was a line which saw a wonderful variety of steam engines of many different classes and sizes. This is best illustrated by my return trip from Neath to Pontypool Road aboard the 2.55pm from Swansea High Street from Neath at 3.26pm when I passed the following steam engines: 4157 (at Rhigos Pond); 3807 (Aberdare on a freight train); 9488 (Quakers Yard); 6144 (at Crumlin); and 4668 (at Hafodyrynys). Although I had travelled the line before I was here to pay my last respects because closure to passengers, and some of the line completely had been agreed. Closure came two months later but I would be at another line that closed that day. My journey home from Pontypool Road was at 7.03pm on a train which had through coaches from Glasgow and Manchester to Plymouth, due 12.36am.
Six miles west of Pontypool Road the line crossed a deep and wide valley on the magnificent Crumlin Viaduct. This was built between 1853 and 1857 of cast and wrought iron in the years before the invention of the Bessemer Process and mild steel. There were just five large all cast/wrought iron viaducts in Britain. By “all” I mean with cast or wrought iron piers as well as spans. There were many more with wrought iron spans on stone or brick piers and even more which I would consider as bridges because they spanned rivers rather than valleys. Of the five viaducts listed below just two remain and none carry trains. Three were demolished after the lines they were on closed completely:- Crumlin, Belah and Deepdale, with the last two being located high in The Pennines on the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway between Barnard Castle and Tebay on the WCML. The two remaining extant examples are at Meldon on Dartmoor, near Okehampton and Bennerley, near Ilkeston in Derbyshire. Meldon, in particular, is in a magnificent setting and well-worth visiting together with the advantage of the Meldon Dam and Okehampton Station being close by. Wikipedia tells us that the Crumlin Viaduct was the least expensive bridge of its size ever constructed. It cost £62,000 to build which equals £5.95 million today – a real bargain.
The five large all-metal viaducts were:
On Friday 10 April 1964 I left home about 11.30pm to walk to Plymouth Station where I bought a cheap day return to Bristol Temple Meads for 32 shillings (£1.60). My train was the 8.55pm Penzance to Paddington sleeping car train which was scheduled to leave Plymouth at midnight. Arrival at Temple Meads was at 3.33am some four minutes early. I then had to wait 2½ hours for my next train which was the first train of the day to South Wales at 6.05am. I never enjoyed BTM in the middle of the night but it was OK while the refreshment room was open. I think it was then open 23 hours a day from memory. At Newport I changed into the first daytime train north at 7.03am alighting at Pontypool Road at 7.20am.
The objective on Saturday 11 April 1964 was to travel the 42 mile route to Neath via Nelson, Quakers Yard, Aberdare and Hirwaun which had several lines connecting to it where it was possible to change for places like Rhymney, Dowlais, Merthyr, Caerphilly and Pontypridd. The line had a relatively good passenger service and carried many freight trains. I would spend more than ten hours on the line in total working my way westwards before travelling the full length on return. This was a line which saw a wonderful variety of steam engines of many different classes and sizes. This is best illustrated by my return trip from Neath to Pontypool Road aboard the 2.55pm from Swansea High Street from Neath at 3.26pm when I passed the following steam engines: 4157 (at Rhigos Pond); 3807 (Aberdare on a freight train); 9488 (Quakers Yard); 6144 (at Crumlin); and 4668 (at Hafodyrynys). Although I had travelled the line before I was here to pay my last respects because closure to passengers, and some of the line completely had been agreed. Closure came two months later but I would be at another line that closed that day. My journey home from Pontypool Road was at 7.03pm on a train which had through coaches from Glasgow and Manchester to Plymouth, due 12.36am.
Six miles west of Pontypool Road the line crossed a deep and wide valley on the magnificent Crumlin Viaduct. This was built between 1853 and 1857 of cast and wrought iron in the years before the invention of the Bessemer Process and mild steel. There were just five large all cast/wrought iron viaducts in Britain. By “all” I mean with cast or wrought iron piers as well as spans. There were many more with wrought iron spans on stone or brick piers and even more which I would consider as bridges because they spanned rivers rather than valleys. Of the five viaducts listed below just two remain and none carry trains. Three were demolished after the lines they were on closed completely:- Crumlin, Belah and Deepdale, with the last two being located high in The Pennines on the South Durham & Lancashire Union Railway between Barnard Castle and Tebay on the WCML. The two remaining extant examples are at Meldon on Dartmoor, near Okehampton and Bennerley, near Ilkeston in Derbyshire. Meldon, in particular, is in a magnificent setting and well-worth visiting together with the advantage of the Meldon Dam and Okehampton Station being close by. Wikipedia tells us that the Crumlin Viaduct was the least expensive bridge of its size ever constructed. It cost £62,000 to build which equals £5.95 million today – a real bargain.
The five large all-metal viaducts were:
It will be noted that Crumlin was not only the oldest, it was also the longest and the highest, and was quite jaw dropping to see perhaps because of its height in an urban area. Because of concerns over its structural integrity the number of tracks had been long ago reduced from two to one and an 8mph speed restriction imposed. It was magnificent when viewed from any angle and any level. I caught the 7.38am from Pontypool Road to Crumlin High Level Station at the far (west) end of the viaduct; then walked one mile east across the valley photographing the viaduct from various positions finally ending up at Hafodyrynys Platform to travel on westwards thus getting two trips across the viaduct in quick succession, plus another one later that day.
Interestingly as the Crumlin Viaduct was being built of cast and wrought iron Henry Bessemer was inventing and patenting his process for the mass production of steel which would soon become the metal of choice for bridge spans; and yet in France Gustave Eifel was building the magnificent Garabit Viaduct of wrought iron between 1882 and 1884; i.e later than any of the viaducts listed earlier and long after steel had been invented. Garabit has a total length of 565 metres and a height of 404 feet.
Interestingly as the Crumlin Viaduct was being built of cast and wrought iron Henry Bessemer was inventing and patenting his process for the mass production of steel which would soon become the metal of choice for bridge spans; and yet in France Gustave Eifel was building the magnificent Garabit Viaduct of wrought iron between 1882 and 1884; i.e later than any of the viaducts listed earlier and long after steel had been invented. Garabit has a total length of 565 metres and a height of 404 feet.
My train leaves Crumlin High Level Station for Aberdare where it terminated, behind 0-6-2T no. 6659. Note the platform edging slabs which have been removed because of frost damage 15 months earlier in the severe winter of 1962-63 – they would not be replaced with the line proposed for closure. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Crumlin Viaduct as seen looking north from the closed Crumlin (Low Level) Station on the Western Valleys Branch. The station was then still intact apart from the removal of some platform edging slabs. The picture was taken at 8.20am on the morning of Saturday 11 April 1964. It was a dull start to the day. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking west along the axis of the viaduct showing a close-up view of a pier showing the arrangement of the 14 cast iron columns in 3 rows of 4 with an extra one at the outside of the centre-line. These outside ones have a pronounced rake on them. Note also the diagonal ties and struts both in the vertical and horizontal planes. Each lift was 5.2 metres (17 feet) high; so there is more than 15 metres (50 feet) of columns shown here. The object sat on the cross-member is believed to be a cat or dog. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A general view along the north side of the viaduct. The person admiring the structure was not known to the photographer, but with a duffle bag has got to be a railway enthusiast. Note the mineral wagons on the line below the viaduct and the fact that the farthest spans are on a curve. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
It is 8.36am and two men tend to their pigeons in a motley collection of buildings believed to have been swept away long ago. The railway across the viaduct had been single for many years with an 8 mph speed restriction. For comparison the Garabit Viaduct has a speed limit of 10 km/h (6.2 mph). Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 27
Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)
Michael L. Roach
Sir Winston Churchill was a British statesman, military officer, writer and painter who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. He was one of the most famous Englishman of the twentieth century and one of the leaders of the free world during World War Two. The day after the new President of the United States was installed on Monday 21 January 2025 Sir Winston's bust was restored to its place in the Oval Office at The White House in Washington DC, after having been in store for four years. This was entirely appropriate as Sir Winston had died 60 years earlier on 24 January 1965 at the age of 90 years. He was given a state funeral on 30 January 1965 at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. There has been only one state funeral since then, that of Queen Elizabeth the Second on 19 September 2022. After the funeral service at St. Paul's Cathedral Sir Winston's coffin was taken along the River Thames by barge to Waterloo Station to be taken by train to Hanborough Station in rural Oxfordshire. The coffin was then taken one mile east by road to be buried in the churchyard of St. Martin's Church at Bladon. Appropriately the funeral train was hauled by Southern Railway Battle of Britain class 4-6-2 no. 34051 “Winston Churchill” then based at Salisbury Shed. The engine was constructed at Brighton Works in December 1946 and was withdrawn from BR service in September 1965 to be preserved by the National Railway Museum.
The funeral train was routed from Waterloo through Reading, Didcot and Oxford. I decided that this was one train that I just had to see even though it was a journey of more than 190 miles to Didcot. I left Plymouth at 06.35 and Bristol TM at 10.15 arriving at Didcot at 11.41 both journeys being hauled by a Warship in the 800 series. Still undecided where to see the funeral train I journeyed on to Oxford. The 203 miles to Oxford had cost me 51 shillings (£2.55) for two cheap day returns.
Oxford was very busy with north - south freight and passenger trains as it still is, and in January 1965 many of them were still steam-hauled for the next 12 months; one of the last steam outposts on the Western Region. I stayed at Oxford for 80 minutes photographing trains but decided that this was not the place to see the funeral train. I headed back south again just seven miles to Culham to do some more photography, but again decided that this was just not the place to see the funeral train. The station was just too closed-in to see the whole train, so I headed north across the fields for half a mile to an overbridge. It was a cold damp miserable day which was perhaps appropriate to accompany a sombre occasion because in some ways the death of Sir Winston Churchill really did signal the end of an era.
My guide that day was the OS 1-inch map and I could see that if I continued to head north, after photographing the funeral train, I would come to a bridge across the River Thames where I was able to take more photos before the light faded completely. I had no idea what the bridge was called but 58 years later I would learn that it was called Nuneham when on 11 April 2023 all rail traffic across the bridge was stopped at short notice due to a failing abutment. The bridge had been constructed 180 years earlier by the GWR as part of its Didcot to Oxford Branch and was showing its age. The line was said to be carrying 40 freight trains per day and with passenger trains added and simple maths was probably carrying in excess of one million tonnes of train per month. I believe that the original bridge abutments were founded on wooden piles driven into the clay.
My journey home started at Oxford at 17.17 and took in the last train of the day at 21.15 off Bristol TM. This was hauled by a Hymek to Taunton where a North British Type 2 came on to the six coaches. It was a dreadful journey starting 33L and reaching Plymouth at 01.53 the next day – 65L - because of trackwork and signal delays at several places between Bridgwater and Teignmouth. This was a journey to be endured rather than enjoyed after a long day. In 2025 the last train of the day leaves Bristol TM half an hour later and covers the 128 miles to Plymouth in two hours.
Winston Churchill's funeral saw the largest gathering of world leaders in history up to that point with representatives from 112 countries. Among the more interesting ones present was King Frederick 9th of Denmark, because seven years later he would also die in the first month of the year, and he was also carried to his final resting place by funeral train hauled by two steam engines. That train is believed to be the last funeral train to have run in Europe.
In the present century the funeral train which should have run and didn't was that of our late Queen as her body was brought back from Scotland to London for the funeral. I believe that a carriage had been adapted to carry the coffin several years earlier and there is a Royal Train to carry the family accompanying the coffin. The coffin could have been put on a train at Edinburgh and have travelled via Carstairs, Carlisle, Settle, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Bedford and St. Albans. Yes, I know the train would have taken seven or eight hours to reach London by that route as it reduced speed at the major stations but hundreds of thousands of the Queen's subjects would have turned out to see the train pass. In fact the coffin was flown from Edinburgh to London.
Apart from 18 months at Nine Elms and Exmouth Junction Sheds in 1950-51 34051 spent the whole of its time after Nationalisation at Salisbury Shed. The engine was withdrawn from normal service eight months after it hauled the funeral train in September 1965. One would have expected it to be in demand for hauling rail tours but I could find only one – the SLS Bulleid Pacific Rail Tour of 23 May 1965 starting and finishing at Birmingham Snow Hill. 34051 operated the first leg of the railtour to Salisbury via Reading West Junction. I am obliged to Richard Hoskin for providing a photo of 34051 at Solihull where the rail tour stopped to pick up passengers.
The funeral train was routed from Waterloo through Reading, Didcot and Oxford. I decided that this was one train that I just had to see even though it was a journey of more than 190 miles to Didcot. I left Plymouth at 06.35 and Bristol TM at 10.15 arriving at Didcot at 11.41 both journeys being hauled by a Warship in the 800 series. Still undecided where to see the funeral train I journeyed on to Oxford. The 203 miles to Oxford had cost me 51 shillings (£2.55) for two cheap day returns.
Oxford was very busy with north - south freight and passenger trains as it still is, and in January 1965 many of them were still steam-hauled for the next 12 months; one of the last steam outposts on the Western Region. I stayed at Oxford for 80 minutes photographing trains but decided that this was not the place to see the funeral train. I headed back south again just seven miles to Culham to do some more photography, but again decided that this was just not the place to see the funeral train. The station was just too closed-in to see the whole train, so I headed north across the fields for half a mile to an overbridge. It was a cold damp miserable day which was perhaps appropriate to accompany a sombre occasion because in some ways the death of Sir Winston Churchill really did signal the end of an era.
My guide that day was the OS 1-inch map and I could see that if I continued to head north, after photographing the funeral train, I would come to a bridge across the River Thames where I was able to take more photos before the light faded completely. I had no idea what the bridge was called but 58 years later I would learn that it was called Nuneham when on 11 April 2023 all rail traffic across the bridge was stopped at short notice due to a failing abutment. The bridge had been constructed 180 years earlier by the GWR as part of its Didcot to Oxford Branch and was showing its age. The line was said to be carrying 40 freight trains per day and with passenger trains added and simple maths was probably carrying in excess of one million tonnes of train per month. I believe that the original bridge abutments were founded on wooden piles driven into the clay.
My journey home started at Oxford at 17.17 and took in the last train of the day at 21.15 off Bristol TM. This was hauled by a Hymek to Taunton where a North British Type 2 came on to the six coaches. It was a dreadful journey starting 33L and reaching Plymouth at 01.53 the next day – 65L - because of trackwork and signal delays at several places between Bridgwater and Teignmouth. This was a journey to be endured rather than enjoyed after a long day. In 2025 the last train of the day leaves Bristol TM half an hour later and covers the 128 miles to Plymouth in two hours.
Winston Churchill's funeral saw the largest gathering of world leaders in history up to that point with representatives from 112 countries. Among the more interesting ones present was King Frederick 9th of Denmark, because seven years later he would also die in the first month of the year, and he was also carried to his final resting place by funeral train hauled by two steam engines. That train is believed to be the last funeral train to have run in Europe.
In the present century the funeral train which should have run and didn't was that of our late Queen as her body was brought back from Scotland to London for the funeral. I believe that a carriage had been adapted to carry the coffin several years earlier and there is a Royal Train to carry the family accompanying the coffin. The coffin could have been put on a train at Edinburgh and have travelled via Carstairs, Carlisle, Settle, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Bedford and St. Albans. Yes, I know the train would have taken seven or eight hours to reach London by that route as it reduced speed at the major stations but hundreds of thousands of the Queen's subjects would have turned out to see the train pass. In fact the coffin was flown from Edinburgh to London.
Apart from 18 months at Nine Elms and Exmouth Junction Sheds in 1950-51 34051 spent the whole of its time after Nationalisation at Salisbury Shed. The engine was withdrawn from normal service eight months after it hauled the funeral train in September 1965. One would have expected it to be in demand for hauling rail tours but I could find only one – the SLS Bulleid Pacific Rail Tour of 23 May 1965 starting and finishing at Birmingham Snow Hill. 34051 operated the first leg of the railtour to Salisbury via Reading West Junction. I am obliged to Richard Hoskin for providing a photo of 34051 at Solihull where the rail tour stopped to pick up passengers.
6823 Oakley Grange heads north through Oxford with a general freight train on 30 January 1965. It was then shedded at Oxley, Wolverhampton and was withdrawn just five months later. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
An unidentified Hall-class engine heads through Oxford with a short freight. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
6967 Willesley Hall of Oxford Shed heads south with oil tanks through Culham Station. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Rebuilt Battle of Britain Class 4-6-2 no. 34071 601 Squadron of Eastleigh Shed heads north through Culham with a passenger train. The class were common at Oxford where they usually came off to turn and head back south. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
34051 with the Funeral Train is seen about half a mile north of Culham Station. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The Funeral Train heads away north shortly to cross the River Thames. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
An unidentified Hall-class engine heads south across the River Thames at Nuneham. It was the nearest abutment which failed in April 2023. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Here is 34051 stopped at Solihull Station to pick up passengers ten minutes after leaving Snow Hill on the Bulleid Pacific Rail Tour of 23 May 1965. Copyright Richard Hoskin
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 28
Queen Victoria's Funeral
Michael L. Roach
The second of February marks the 124th anniversary of the funeral of Queen Victoria.
Part 27 outlined the life of Sir Winston Churchill with particular reference to his funeral and last journey by train from London to Oxfordshire in January 1965. Sixty four years earlier and also in the month of January Queen Victoria died and this is a little about her funeral and funeral train; but first a bit about the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. The LBSCR existed as a corporate entity from 1846 to 1922 when it became part of the Southern Railway Group. The LBSCR brought 457 route miles to the Southern; for comparison the LSWR brought 1,020 route miles, including many miles in Devon and Cornwall. The LBSCR extended from Portsmouth and Cosham in the west to Hastings in the east, and northwards to London where it had three major stations at Kensington, Victoria and London Bridge.
Osborne House on the Isle of Wight was built between 1845 and 1851 as the summer home and rural retreat for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Queen died at Osborne House on 22 January 1901 at the age of 81 years after reigning for more than 63 years. The state funeral took place on Saturday 2 February 1901 at Windsor Castle; having been 64 years since the previous funeral of a monarch. Queen Victoria's coffin was conveyed by boat from Cowes to Gosport where it was taken to a railway station. Gosport Station was built by the LSWR in 1841 at the end of a 4½ branch from Fareham. It closed to passengers in 1953 and to goods in 1969. However the coffin was taken to Victoria's private station at the end of an extension to the branch within Royal Navy property.
The funeral train was hauled from Gosport to Fareham by an LSWR engine where the train reversed. The engine was then provided by the London, Brighton and South Coast and it was at Fareham that one of Billinton's new 4-4-0 B4-class engines no. 54 “Empress” came on to the train to haul it to London via Havant Junction (scheduled time 9.15am), Ford Junction (9.36), Horsham (10.05), Dorking (10.23), Mitcham Junction (10.43), Clapham Junction (10.54), Grosvenor Road (10.58) and arriving at Victoria (11.00am). In fact the funeral train departed Gosport 8L and Fareham 10L but by dint of some fast running reached Victoria two minutes early. The train was reputed to have reached 80 mph on the level between Havant and Ford Junction. The first of the B4-class class had come out of Brighton Works in December 1899 and they had a good reputation. OS Nock described the class as among the finest passenger locomotives of their day. Several of the class passed to BR on nationalisation but none were preserved. “Empress” was withdrawn in May 1951. Although there are many LBSCR engines in preservation there appears to be only one Billinton engine which is E4 0-6-2T “Birch Grove.”
Many crowned heads had travelled to Gosport to travel on the train and because of this someone in authority had decided that no photographers would be allowed anywhere near the line which was patrolled by an army of railwaymen to enforce it. The result was very few photographs of the funeral train taken by members of the public. The trip to London was only the first leg of the trip to Windsor. At Victoria the coffin was put on a gun-carriage to be taken across London by road the 2½ miles to Paddington Station. Seven of the eight coaches on the first leg belonged to the LBSCR but the coffin travelled in a GWR coach from that Company's Royal Train no. 229 which was taken around London by way of Battersea, Addison Road, Uxbridge Road and Westborne Park to Paddington to be available for the second leg of the journey. The GWR stationed a railwayman on both sides of the line every 25 yards all the way from Paddington to Windsor. The train was hauled by a 4-4-0 named “Royal Sovereign” although it was actually 3373 “Atbara” in disguise, temporarily carrying the nameplates of 3050. From the GWR station in Windsor the coffin was taken to St. George's Chapel within Windsor Castle for the funeral service. It was the first royal funeral for which a printed Order of Service was produced.
Now Windsor has a second railway station at Riverside which pre-1923 was owned by the LSWR. You may ask why Queen Victoria's funeral train did not go direct to Windsor & Eton Riverside. I think there are a couple of reasons. Firstly it would have denied Londoners the chance to see the funeral procession from Victoria to Paddington. Secondly Victoria had made her first train journey from Slough to Paddington on 13 June 1842 some seven years before the branch to Windsor & Eton Central opened, and normally used the Great Western route to Windsor; and thirdly, and most importantly, Queen Victoria would pass through the London Station named after herself.
The information used in this article has been sourced from Wikipedia and The Railway Magazine for March 1940. My thanks go to both organisations.
Part 27 outlined the life of Sir Winston Churchill with particular reference to his funeral and last journey by train from London to Oxfordshire in January 1965. Sixty four years earlier and also in the month of January Queen Victoria died and this is a little about her funeral and funeral train; but first a bit about the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. The LBSCR existed as a corporate entity from 1846 to 1922 when it became part of the Southern Railway Group. The LBSCR brought 457 route miles to the Southern; for comparison the LSWR brought 1,020 route miles, including many miles in Devon and Cornwall. The LBSCR extended from Portsmouth and Cosham in the west to Hastings in the east, and northwards to London where it had three major stations at Kensington, Victoria and London Bridge.
Osborne House on the Isle of Wight was built between 1845 and 1851 as the summer home and rural retreat for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The Queen died at Osborne House on 22 January 1901 at the age of 81 years after reigning for more than 63 years. The state funeral took place on Saturday 2 February 1901 at Windsor Castle; having been 64 years since the previous funeral of a monarch. Queen Victoria's coffin was conveyed by boat from Cowes to Gosport where it was taken to a railway station. Gosport Station was built by the LSWR in 1841 at the end of a 4½ branch from Fareham. It closed to passengers in 1953 and to goods in 1969. However the coffin was taken to Victoria's private station at the end of an extension to the branch within Royal Navy property.
The funeral train was hauled from Gosport to Fareham by an LSWR engine where the train reversed. The engine was then provided by the London, Brighton and South Coast and it was at Fareham that one of Billinton's new 4-4-0 B4-class engines no. 54 “Empress” came on to the train to haul it to London via Havant Junction (scheduled time 9.15am), Ford Junction (9.36), Horsham (10.05), Dorking (10.23), Mitcham Junction (10.43), Clapham Junction (10.54), Grosvenor Road (10.58) and arriving at Victoria (11.00am). In fact the funeral train departed Gosport 8L and Fareham 10L but by dint of some fast running reached Victoria two minutes early. The train was reputed to have reached 80 mph on the level between Havant and Ford Junction. The first of the B4-class class had come out of Brighton Works in December 1899 and they had a good reputation. OS Nock described the class as among the finest passenger locomotives of their day. Several of the class passed to BR on nationalisation but none were preserved. “Empress” was withdrawn in May 1951. Although there are many LBSCR engines in preservation there appears to be only one Billinton engine which is E4 0-6-2T “Birch Grove.”
Many crowned heads had travelled to Gosport to travel on the train and because of this someone in authority had decided that no photographers would be allowed anywhere near the line which was patrolled by an army of railwaymen to enforce it. The result was very few photographs of the funeral train taken by members of the public. The trip to London was only the first leg of the trip to Windsor. At Victoria the coffin was put on a gun-carriage to be taken across London by road the 2½ miles to Paddington Station. Seven of the eight coaches on the first leg belonged to the LBSCR but the coffin travelled in a GWR coach from that Company's Royal Train no. 229 which was taken around London by way of Battersea, Addison Road, Uxbridge Road and Westborne Park to Paddington to be available for the second leg of the journey. The GWR stationed a railwayman on both sides of the line every 25 yards all the way from Paddington to Windsor. The train was hauled by a 4-4-0 named “Royal Sovereign” although it was actually 3373 “Atbara” in disguise, temporarily carrying the nameplates of 3050. From the GWR station in Windsor the coffin was taken to St. George's Chapel within Windsor Castle for the funeral service. It was the first royal funeral for which a printed Order of Service was produced.
Now Windsor has a second railway station at Riverside which pre-1923 was owned by the LSWR. You may ask why Queen Victoria's funeral train did not go direct to Windsor & Eton Riverside. I think there are a couple of reasons. Firstly it would have denied Londoners the chance to see the funeral procession from Victoria to Paddington. Secondly Victoria had made her first train journey from Slough to Paddington on 13 June 1842 some seven years before the branch to Windsor & Eton Central opened, and normally used the Great Western route to Windsor; and thirdly, and most importantly, Queen Victoria would pass through the London Station named after herself.
The information used in this article has been sourced from Wikipedia and The Railway Magazine for March 1940. My thanks go to both organisations.
Queen Victoria's funeral train passes Carshalton on 2 February 1901
The funeral train was hauled from Fareham to Victoria by LBSCR's 4-4-0 no. 54 “Empress”
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 29
More on Crumlin Viaduct
(and Other Bridges and Viaducts)
Michael L. Roach
In Part 26 I described a day trip from Plymouth to Crumlin in1964 to pay my last respects to a magnificent railway viaduct which was shortly to be closed to all rail traffic and likely to be demolished. Demolition started 60 years ago in the summer of 1965 and was no easy task. History records that no less than six demolition contractors came and went before British Railways found one that could actually do the work; but first we must go back and learn a bit more about the viaduct.
I alighted from a train at Crumlin High Level Station on the Pontypool Road to Neath line and walked down into the Ebbw Valley to visit the Low Level Station. This had closed to passengers on 30 April 1962 but was still intact and freight trains still passed through on their way to the steel works at the head of the valley. It was only from down here at ground level that one could truly appreciate the sheer scale of Crumlin Viaduct towering over the valley. In fact the viaduct was in two parts and crossed two valleys. The longest crossed the Ebbw Valley on seven 150 feet spans; while the shorter part crossed the Kendon Valley with three 150 feet spans.
Crumlin Viaduct was built by the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway Company as part of their Taff Vale Extension Railway which aimed to link their own line at Pontypool with the Taff Vale Railway at Quakers Yard. The line crossed a number of valleys on major viaducts as at Hengoed; but the major crossing was at the Ebbw Valley where the proposed railway was 200 feet (61 metres) above the bottom of the valley. The Engineer for the line was Charles Liddell, but he did not design the necessary viaduct. He invited various contractors to submit tenders for building the two bridges needed to their own design. The winner of the competition was Thomas William Kennard (1825 – 1893) who started with an advantage over the others tendering as his family already owned iron-works capable of casting some of the iron which was used in his all-metal design. Kennard tried different combinations of span length and number of piers and finally settled on 150 feet spans and 6 piers / 7 spans for the main part of the viaduct. Crumlin was also a very economical structure to build costing £62,000. The railway across the viaduct was opened on 1 June 1857 and throughout its life the viaduct was the highest (i.e tallest) railway viaduct in the United Kingdom.
The superstructure of Crumlin Viaduct contained 1,133 tons of wrought iron in the trusses which were manufactured at the Blaenavon Ironworks just 10 miles away. The 1,368 tons of cast iron in the piers came from the Falkirk Ironworks in Scotland which was owned by the Kennard Family, and which came most of the way by sea. Cast iron is good in compression but not good in tension. Wrought iron is much better at coping with the tension that would arise in the bottom flange of the 150 feet spans. The main difference between cast and wrought iron is that the latter has been hammered or wrought. At the same time as the viaduct was being built, Henry Bessemer was inventing the Bessemer Process for the mass production of steel which would replace cast and wrought iron in bridge structures. Kennard established an iron-works below the viaduct which no doubt helped during the construction of the viaduct and the works later established a good reputation for bridge building at home and abroad.
One of the bridges supplied with iron from the Viaduct Works was the Lydbrook Viaduct just 30 miles away to the north-east of Crumlin. This was a wrought iron lattice truss type bridge with three main spans plus stone arch approaches at each end crossing the Lydbrook Valley just before it met the Wye Valley. The two main piers were built of the same stone as the approach spans. The main spans were 120 feet, 150 feet and 120 feet. The centre span was the same length as the main spans of the Crumlin Viaduct. The trusses were similar to those provided in hundreds of other road and rail bridges throughout the world. Lydbrook Viaduct was constructed between 1872 – 74 and opened to traffic 26 August 1874. The viaduct was designed by the Severn & Wye Railway's own Chief Engineer George William Keeling (1838 – 1913) and he was also the joint designer of the Severn Bridge. The first of the two adjacent Meldon Viaducts was built 1871 – 74 and opened to traffic two months after Lydbrook on 12 October 1874. The trusses at Meldon were were also made of wrought iron.
The last image attached to this article shows Lydbrook Viaduct as it neared completion in 1874. The line across the viaduct was the last link in joining the River Severn to the River Wye by rail constructed by the Severn & Wye Railway. The following year (1875) work started on building a rail bridge across the River Severn (opened 1879) by the Severn Bridge Railway Company just to the north of Sharpness Docks. The two Companies amalgamated the same year and in 1894 were taken over to become the Severn & Wye Joint Railway; jointly owned by the Great Western and Midland Railways. The railways of the Forest of Dean and the Joint Railway have a fascinating history and I still remember that night in October 1960 when the first item on the 10.00 o'clock news was the fact that two barges carrying petroleum products had collided with one pier of the Severn Bridge in thick fog; brought down two spans of the bridge; exploded and been engulfed in flames. Five men lost their lives and the bridge was never repaired.
Lydbrook Viaduct was a magnificent structure which just like Crumlin dominated its setting but I regret I never got to see it before it was demolished between August 1965 and March 1966. The firms that demolished Lydbrook was R.S.Tyley of Barry working with Cox and Danks one of the most well-known names in scrapping steam engines in the 1960s.
The firm that actually demolished Crumlin Viaduct was Bird's of Risca – more at thebirdgroup.co.uk/history. Risca is a village located six miles south of Crumlin in the same valley. My sincere thanks go to Robert Darlaston for supplying the two colour images accompanying the article which show the piers of Crumlin in June 1965 just two months before demolition commenced. Looking at the site of the viaduct on Streetview it looks as though parts of the Viaduct Ironworks may still exist adjacent to Lawn Terrace. The windowthroughtime website (which was new to me) describes Crumlin Viaduct as “one of the most significant examples of technological achievement during the Industrial Revolution.” Crumlin Viaduct was one of the first railway structures to be photographed throughout the construction period and I anticipate that some of those photos have been used in a recently published book on the subject. Coming from Lightmoor Press I am sure that it will be first class record in words, photos, maps and diagrams.
I alighted from a train at Crumlin High Level Station on the Pontypool Road to Neath line and walked down into the Ebbw Valley to visit the Low Level Station. This had closed to passengers on 30 April 1962 but was still intact and freight trains still passed through on their way to the steel works at the head of the valley. It was only from down here at ground level that one could truly appreciate the sheer scale of Crumlin Viaduct towering over the valley. In fact the viaduct was in two parts and crossed two valleys. The longest crossed the Ebbw Valley on seven 150 feet spans; while the shorter part crossed the Kendon Valley with three 150 feet spans.
Crumlin Viaduct was built by the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway Company as part of their Taff Vale Extension Railway which aimed to link their own line at Pontypool with the Taff Vale Railway at Quakers Yard. The line crossed a number of valleys on major viaducts as at Hengoed; but the major crossing was at the Ebbw Valley where the proposed railway was 200 feet (61 metres) above the bottom of the valley. The Engineer for the line was Charles Liddell, but he did not design the necessary viaduct. He invited various contractors to submit tenders for building the two bridges needed to their own design. The winner of the competition was Thomas William Kennard (1825 – 1893) who started with an advantage over the others tendering as his family already owned iron-works capable of casting some of the iron which was used in his all-metal design. Kennard tried different combinations of span length and number of piers and finally settled on 150 feet spans and 6 piers / 7 spans for the main part of the viaduct. Crumlin was also a very economical structure to build costing £62,000. The railway across the viaduct was opened on 1 June 1857 and throughout its life the viaduct was the highest (i.e tallest) railway viaduct in the United Kingdom.
The superstructure of Crumlin Viaduct contained 1,133 tons of wrought iron in the trusses which were manufactured at the Blaenavon Ironworks just 10 miles away. The 1,368 tons of cast iron in the piers came from the Falkirk Ironworks in Scotland which was owned by the Kennard Family, and which came most of the way by sea. Cast iron is good in compression but not good in tension. Wrought iron is much better at coping with the tension that would arise in the bottom flange of the 150 feet spans. The main difference between cast and wrought iron is that the latter has been hammered or wrought. At the same time as the viaduct was being built, Henry Bessemer was inventing the Bessemer Process for the mass production of steel which would replace cast and wrought iron in bridge structures. Kennard established an iron-works below the viaduct which no doubt helped during the construction of the viaduct and the works later established a good reputation for bridge building at home and abroad.
One of the bridges supplied with iron from the Viaduct Works was the Lydbrook Viaduct just 30 miles away to the north-east of Crumlin. This was a wrought iron lattice truss type bridge with three main spans plus stone arch approaches at each end crossing the Lydbrook Valley just before it met the Wye Valley. The two main piers were built of the same stone as the approach spans. The main spans were 120 feet, 150 feet and 120 feet. The centre span was the same length as the main spans of the Crumlin Viaduct. The trusses were similar to those provided in hundreds of other road and rail bridges throughout the world. Lydbrook Viaduct was constructed between 1872 – 74 and opened to traffic 26 August 1874. The viaduct was designed by the Severn & Wye Railway's own Chief Engineer George William Keeling (1838 – 1913) and he was also the joint designer of the Severn Bridge. The first of the two adjacent Meldon Viaducts was built 1871 – 74 and opened to traffic two months after Lydbrook on 12 October 1874. The trusses at Meldon were were also made of wrought iron.
The last image attached to this article shows Lydbrook Viaduct as it neared completion in 1874. The line across the viaduct was the last link in joining the River Severn to the River Wye by rail constructed by the Severn & Wye Railway. The following year (1875) work started on building a rail bridge across the River Severn (opened 1879) by the Severn Bridge Railway Company just to the north of Sharpness Docks. The two Companies amalgamated the same year and in 1894 were taken over to become the Severn & Wye Joint Railway; jointly owned by the Great Western and Midland Railways. The railways of the Forest of Dean and the Joint Railway have a fascinating history and I still remember that night in October 1960 when the first item on the 10.00 o'clock news was the fact that two barges carrying petroleum products had collided with one pier of the Severn Bridge in thick fog; brought down two spans of the bridge; exploded and been engulfed in flames. Five men lost their lives and the bridge was never repaired.
Lydbrook Viaduct was a magnificent structure which just like Crumlin dominated its setting but I regret I never got to see it before it was demolished between August 1965 and March 1966. The firms that demolished Lydbrook was R.S.Tyley of Barry working with Cox and Danks one of the most well-known names in scrapping steam engines in the 1960s.
The firm that actually demolished Crumlin Viaduct was Bird's of Risca – more at thebirdgroup.co.uk/history. Risca is a village located six miles south of Crumlin in the same valley. My sincere thanks go to Robert Darlaston for supplying the two colour images accompanying the article which show the piers of Crumlin in June 1965 just two months before demolition commenced. Looking at the site of the viaduct on Streetview it looks as though parts of the Viaduct Ironworks may still exist adjacent to Lawn Terrace. The windowthroughtime website (which was new to me) describes Crumlin Viaduct as “one of the most significant examples of technological achievement during the Industrial Revolution.” Crumlin Viaduct was one of the first railway structures to be photographed throughout the construction period and I anticipate that some of those photos have been used in a recently published book on the subject. Coming from Lightmoor Press I am sure that it will be first class record in words, photos, maps and diagrams.
Crumlin Viaduct looking north from the closed Low Level Station on the Western Valleys Branch. This photo was taken at 8.20am on the morning of Saturday 11 April 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view west along the south side of Crumlin Viaduct. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Not the best of images, but the only one I have of a train crossing the Viaduct – Churchward mogul 2-6-0 no. 6361 of Aberdare Shed was hauling the 7.45am Aberdare to Pontypool Road, one of many passenger trains not to run the full length of the line. The engine was withdrawn the following month. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
This view looking north is believed to show the two tallest piers of the 7-span main viaduct on Whit Monday – 7 June 1965. Each lift was 17 feet (5.2 metres) high. Not sure what the large maroon car is, but it might be an Austin Westminster. Copyright Robert Darlaston.
Believed to be piers 5 and 6 from the eastern end. The bridge at the base carried the Western Valleys freight-only line over the River Ebbw. Copyright Robert Darlaston.
The finishing touches are being made to Lydbrook Viaduct in 1874 with some temporary works still in place. The quality of the stonework is quite superb. A great pity the viaduct did not survive as a cycleway and footpath. No Copyright.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 30
DIDCOT to SWINDON
Michael L. Roach
On 7 February 2025 Ken Mumford related how he took his young grandson to Ashbury Crossing to watch trains. The location is just half a mile east of the location of Shrivenham Station which closed to passengers on 7 November 1964. For the record these are the mileages of the key locations in the area:
Didcot Station 53m 10c
Uffington Station 66m 43c
Knighton Crossing 69m 00c
Ashbury Crossing 71m 05c
Shrivenham Station 71m 42c
Highworth Junction 76m 28c
Swindon Station 77m 24c
Ken's mention of this area rang a bell with me as I had written an article about this length of railway some years ago. It is a real-life story which may be of interest to one of our readers – Dave Letcher the well-known Cornish enthusiast and photographer. The article was first published in the Welsh Railways Research Circle's Newsletter No. 161 for Winter 2019 (website wrrc.org.uk) and is reproduced here unchanged. For the record it may be more than 24 miles from Didcot to Swindon, but today's passenger trains regularly complete that leg of their journey in 16 minutes start to stop.
Didcot Station 53m 10c
Uffington Station 66m 43c
Knighton Crossing 69m 00c
Ashbury Crossing 71m 05c
Shrivenham Station 71m 42c
Highworth Junction 76m 28c
Swindon Station 77m 24c
Ken's mention of this area rang a bell with me as I had written an article about this length of railway some years ago. It is a real-life story which may be of interest to one of our readers – Dave Letcher the well-known Cornish enthusiast and photographer. The article was first published in the Welsh Railways Research Circle's Newsletter No. 161 for Winter 2019 (website wrrc.org.uk) and is reproduced here unchanged. For the record it may be more than 24 miles from Didcot to Swindon, but today's passenger trains regularly complete that leg of their journey in 16 minutes start to stop.
THE MYSTERY of the MISSING PASSENGER
Michael L. Roach
Michael L. Roach
It sounds like the title of an Agatha Christie novel but its actually a true story based on a newspaper report from the same era that many of Christie's detective novels were set in; i.e. the 1930s. The actual title of the newspaper report was “Mystery of Missing Passenger on the G.W.R.” and it appeared in the Western Mail of Friday 23 December 1938. I came across the report by accident while looking for something else in December 2018 some 80 years after it first appeared. It was doubly interesting because the missing man was also a railwayman. The report was very brief because the newspaper was hitting the streets just 12 hours after the man disappeared, and went as follows:
The 7.45pm train from Paddington to Cardiff on Thursday night was stopped at Didcot when a signalman saw a carriage door open. Upon examination of the carriage a bag belonging to Mr. WTG was found. A search of the train was made but Mr. G could not be found, so the line was being searched as well. Later reports said that the train was the 7.55pm from Paddington to South Wales and that it was stopped at Highworth Junction, Swindon and not as reported earlier.
Walter Thomas Griffiths was born on 25 December 1883 at Griffithstown, Pontypool between the suburbs of Pontymoile to the north and Sebastopol to the south. The area was named after Henry Griffiths the first station master of Pontypool and New Inn station. Beginning work at the age of 13 as a baker's boy, Walter would later work at the steelworks at Panteg before joining the Great Western Railway at Pontypool Shed on 30 April 1901 as a cleaner earning 2 shillings and 4 pence a day [11.7p in decimal]. He progressed through 3rd class, 2nd class to 1st class fireman via postings at Dock Street (Newport), Ebbw Junction, Dowlais, Reading, Dock Street again and Ebbw Junction again. On 19 October 1928 WTG was granted 12 months leave without pay while he served as Mayor of Newport, and he was allowed to purchase first class privilege tickets during this period. A year later he was allowed to work in the Dock Street link so that he could continue his work as a Councillor for the County Borough of Newport.
WTG must have had a great sense of public duty as he was also rising through the ranks in the National Union of Railwaymen, and on 24 December 1936 he was granted 12 months leave of absence without pay for 1937 in order to carry out his duties as President of the NUR. Two years later he was granted an extension of 12 months covering 1939, that was on 1 December 1938. The final entry in the GWR records reads “22/12/38 Deceased – Accident off duty” So how did Walter Thomas Griffiths come to fall from the Paddington to Cardiff express two days before Christmas 1938.
Walter Griffiths body was found beside the track between Knighton Crossing and Uffington in Wiltshire at 8.40am the day after he had fallen from the train, and Uffington was where the inquest opened on Saturday 24 December 1938. The inquest was adjourned for the Coroner and the jury to inspect the coach, the door and its door fastenings, and for inquiries to be made of who had actually stopped the train. A friend confirmed that there was no reason for Mr Griffiths to take his own life. At the resumed inquest the following Friday a travelling companion called Maurice Brunnock gave evidence that Mr Griffiths was sober, in good spirits and looking forward to his birthday two days later on Christmas Day when he would be 55 years old. Both Mr Griffiths and Mr Brunnock went to sleep full length on the bench seats of the compartment. When Mr Brunnock awoke it was because he was cold. The outer door was open and his travelling companion was gone; the guard was fetched and it was he who stopped the train.
The Coroner reported that he had travelled in a similar coach the day before in the dark and he found that the outer door reflected the door of the compartment. It was possible for a man just waking from sleep to open the wrong door, and they knew from their own experience that passengers did attempt to do so. The Jury suggested that the railway company should consider abolishing inside door fastenings. We know from subsequent events that passengers continued to fall from railway carriage doors until the introduction of central locking more than 50 years later. The Jury returned a verdict of “Accidental Death.” This was a sad end for a man who had risen from humble beginnings to be a major player in the public life of Newport and of the trade union movement.
I used to enjoy travelling in the same type of railway carriage that was involved in this tragedy, because they had a door to every compartment on both sides of the train. If you were travelling alone, or with other enthusiasts, you could have the windows down on both sides of the train and look out almost continuously as the train rounded the curves, by dodging from side to side, and even sit down occasionally when there was nothing to see. This style of coach was very common up to about 1960 but then disappeared rapidly as they were replaced by BR Mark 1 coaches.
The 7.45pm train from Paddington to Cardiff on Thursday night was stopped at Didcot when a signalman saw a carriage door open. Upon examination of the carriage a bag belonging to Mr. WTG was found. A search of the train was made but Mr. G could not be found, so the line was being searched as well. Later reports said that the train was the 7.55pm from Paddington to South Wales and that it was stopped at Highworth Junction, Swindon and not as reported earlier.
Walter Thomas Griffiths was born on 25 December 1883 at Griffithstown, Pontypool between the suburbs of Pontymoile to the north and Sebastopol to the south. The area was named after Henry Griffiths the first station master of Pontypool and New Inn station. Beginning work at the age of 13 as a baker's boy, Walter would later work at the steelworks at Panteg before joining the Great Western Railway at Pontypool Shed on 30 April 1901 as a cleaner earning 2 shillings and 4 pence a day [11.7p in decimal]. He progressed through 3rd class, 2nd class to 1st class fireman via postings at Dock Street (Newport), Ebbw Junction, Dowlais, Reading, Dock Street again and Ebbw Junction again. On 19 October 1928 WTG was granted 12 months leave without pay while he served as Mayor of Newport, and he was allowed to purchase first class privilege tickets during this period. A year later he was allowed to work in the Dock Street link so that he could continue his work as a Councillor for the County Borough of Newport.
WTG must have had a great sense of public duty as he was also rising through the ranks in the National Union of Railwaymen, and on 24 December 1936 he was granted 12 months leave of absence without pay for 1937 in order to carry out his duties as President of the NUR. Two years later he was granted an extension of 12 months covering 1939, that was on 1 December 1938. The final entry in the GWR records reads “22/12/38 Deceased – Accident off duty” So how did Walter Thomas Griffiths come to fall from the Paddington to Cardiff express two days before Christmas 1938.
Walter Griffiths body was found beside the track between Knighton Crossing and Uffington in Wiltshire at 8.40am the day after he had fallen from the train, and Uffington was where the inquest opened on Saturday 24 December 1938. The inquest was adjourned for the Coroner and the jury to inspect the coach, the door and its door fastenings, and for inquiries to be made of who had actually stopped the train. A friend confirmed that there was no reason for Mr Griffiths to take his own life. At the resumed inquest the following Friday a travelling companion called Maurice Brunnock gave evidence that Mr Griffiths was sober, in good spirits and looking forward to his birthday two days later on Christmas Day when he would be 55 years old. Both Mr Griffiths and Mr Brunnock went to sleep full length on the bench seats of the compartment. When Mr Brunnock awoke it was because he was cold. The outer door was open and his travelling companion was gone; the guard was fetched and it was he who stopped the train.
The Coroner reported that he had travelled in a similar coach the day before in the dark and he found that the outer door reflected the door of the compartment. It was possible for a man just waking from sleep to open the wrong door, and they knew from their own experience that passengers did attempt to do so. The Jury suggested that the railway company should consider abolishing inside door fastenings. We know from subsequent events that passengers continued to fall from railway carriage doors until the introduction of central locking more than 50 years later. The Jury returned a verdict of “Accidental Death.” This was a sad end for a man who had risen from humble beginnings to be a major player in the public life of Newport and of the trade union movement.
I used to enjoy travelling in the same type of railway carriage that was involved in this tragedy, because they had a door to every compartment on both sides of the train. If you were travelling alone, or with other enthusiasts, you could have the windows down on both sides of the train and look out almost continuously as the train rounded the curves, by dodging from side to side, and even sit down occasionally when there was nothing to see. This style of coach was very common up to about 1960 but then disappeared rapidly as they were replaced by BR Mark 1 coaches.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 31
Carmarthen to Aberystwyth
Michael L. Roach
This instalment marks the sixtieth anniversary of the last day that passenger trains ran north from Carmarthen to Aberystwyth; except that they didn't, because they only ran part way. At the north end the line had been breached by flooding in the week ending 12 December 1964, and with the withdrawal of passenger trains already approved the line was not repaired and buses bridged the gap for two months. The line was 56 miles long and single throughout with many crossing loops. There were only three passenger trains each way and had been for many years. The line passed through sparsely populated but fertile countryside, and the largest town en-route Lampeter has a population of just 2,500 persons now. The next largest towns were Llanybyther (1,600), Pencader (1,050) and Tregaron (900).
When I made my first trip along the line on Monday 22 July 1963, the line was still intact as I headed north from Carmarthen behind 7810 Draycott Manor of Oswestry Shed (then coded 89D) with 4 coaches and one 4-wheel wagon. As the train left Carmarthen at 6.10am there were just two of us aboard. We would stop at the first three stations without picking up a single passenger. At Pencader (15 miles) the wagon was shunted off into a siding and three passengers joined the train. This would be the pattern throughout with many stations, providing no passengers. Arriving at Aberystwyth at 8.43am 34 passengers alighted from the train, which had become a commuter train for the northern half of the line. My second trip was behind 7826 Longworth Manor of Llanelly Shed on Saturday 10 October 1964. Between my two visits, Carmarthen Shed had closed with its remaining locos transferred to Llanelly Shed meaning a 20-mile LE movement. The train conveyed eight empty milk tanks between the engine and the two passenger coaches.
With or without Beeching the line was doomed as far as the passenger service was concerned, and the last trains ran on Saturday 20 February 1965. But, goods traffic (which meant principally milk traffic), continued for a further eight years to 1973. We will now look at images of some of the stations along the line starting at the southern end.
The last scan shows the timetable in Summer 1950 when there were more trains and even a limited stop through service from Cardiff to Aberystwyth for just six Saturdays in high summer. This was a throwback to the pre-war timetable. Is there any chance of the line being reinstated one day as part of a long-distance north to south route – I doubt it as there is far less road traffic on the A485 road compared to the A49 on the east side of Wales which is a main transport corridor with an excellent and frequent train service serving the towns along the A49.
When I made my first trip along the line on Monday 22 July 1963, the line was still intact as I headed north from Carmarthen behind 7810 Draycott Manor of Oswestry Shed (then coded 89D) with 4 coaches and one 4-wheel wagon. As the train left Carmarthen at 6.10am there were just two of us aboard. We would stop at the first three stations without picking up a single passenger. At Pencader (15 miles) the wagon was shunted off into a siding and three passengers joined the train. This would be the pattern throughout with many stations, providing no passengers. Arriving at Aberystwyth at 8.43am 34 passengers alighted from the train, which had become a commuter train for the northern half of the line. My second trip was behind 7826 Longworth Manor of Llanelly Shed on Saturday 10 October 1964. Between my two visits, Carmarthen Shed had closed with its remaining locos transferred to Llanelly Shed meaning a 20-mile LE movement. The train conveyed eight empty milk tanks between the engine and the two passenger coaches.
With or without Beeching the line was doomed as far as the passenger service was concerned, and the last trains ran on Saturday 20 February 1965. But, goods traffic (which meant principally milk traffic), continued for a further eight years to 1973. We will now look at images of some of the stations along the line starting at the southern end.
The last scan shows the timetable in Summer 1950 when there were more trains and even a limited stop through service from Cardiff to Aberystwyth for just six Saturdays in high summer. This was a throwback to the pre-war timetable. Is there any chance of the line being reinstated one day as part of a long-distance north to south route – I doubt it as there is far less road traffic on the A485 road compared to the A49 on the east side of Wales which is a main transport corridor with an excellent and frequent train service serving the towns along the A49.
Conwil Station on the late afternoon of 30 December 1964. The station served the village of Cynwyl Elfed. On the left is the A484 road and on the right the River Gwili. The GWR spear fencing still separates the public road from the site of the station. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Llanpumpsaint is seen late on the afternoon of 31 December 1964 as the light fades. Looking north towards Pencader and Aberystwyth. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Pencader looking north on 31.12.1964 there were sidings to the left and the right and previously an engine shed as this was the southern limit of the Manchester and Milford Railway which constructed the railway from here to Aberystwyth. The M&M was leased to the GWR in 1906 and completely taken over in 1911. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Bryn Teify on 31.12.1964 looking north. Although two passenger trains could not pass here a passenger train could pass a goods train. Note the very basic M&M corrugated iron station building. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Maesycrugiau looking north showing the only five minutes of sun in the whole of a bleak cold day of 31.12.1964. A good collection of basic buildings but there were very few houses within reasonable walking distance of the station. On 19 August 1890 there was a serious railway accident here when the boiler of a goods engine blew up luckily with no injuries to anyone. There is a full report on the Railways Archive website. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Llanybyther looking south. It was one of the most important stations on the line because of the adjacent livestock mart which had earlier dispatched thousands of animals on the hoof by rail. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The diesels have arrived on the line in the shape of a Class 37 heading north with empty milk tanks on 31 December 1964 through Pencarreg Halt. The flat field on the left is in fact a lake, although it is not obvious. I remember getting off the bus here and feeling cold as the temperature was only just above freezing. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking north at Lampeter which was the largest station on the line. I had arrived at Lampeter by bus on the morning of 31 December 1964 and then worked my way back to Carmarthen by walking 13 miles between stations plus train and bus. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7826 stands at Pont Llanio ready to depart after depositing four milk tanks in the loop outside the signal box in the distance. The milk depot was on the right and the tanks would have been winched into the depot by a wire. Note the M&M corrugated iron station building. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The driver of 7826 reads his newspaper at Tregaron while he waits for the 11.55am from Aberystwyth to pass the other way on 10 October 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The timetable for Summer 1950. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 32
Nelson & Llancaiach Station April 1964
Michael L. Roach
Four miles north of Pontypridd and a little to the east is the village of Nelson, Glamorgan; not to be confused with the town of the same name in Lancashire. The village in Wales was named after The Lord Nelson public house about 200 years ago, and today has a population of about 4,250. It once had a station called Nelson (Glam) at the end of a former Taff Vale Railway Branch some six miles long from Pontypridd with a single platform located between Ashgrove Terrace and Dynevor Street, just off Commercial Street which passed over the railway. The last timetable shows six trains each way with an extra one late on a Saturday evening to and from Pontypridd; with none on Sundays. The last passenger trains ran on Saturday 11 September 1932. The residents of Nelson were not too inconvenienced by the withdrawal of passenger trains as the village would have had a direct bus service to Pontypridd and had another railway station half a mile to the north called Nelson & Llancaiach, dating from 1912, which replaced an earlier station 15 chains to the east called Llancaiach which would have served Llancaiach Colliery.
In Part 26 I described an early morning visit to Crumlin Viaduct where I walked east to resume my train travel at Hafodyrynys Platform, which was alongside a colliery of the same name. Here I picked up the second train of the day westwards from Pontypool Road which turned up behind Hawksworth pannier 9488 which were relatively rare on passenger trains. I travelled eight miles behind 9488 to alight at Nelson & Llancaiach Station at 9.25am. This was one of the larger stations on the line with three platforms and avoiding lines to the north of the station for freight trains coming from Dowlais CH and Cwmbargoed. There was a junction to the south-east of the station, where the Dowlais line joined the Vale of Neath and a mile further on another line went off to join the Rhymney main line at Ystrad Mynach.
I had two spells at Nelson & Llancaiach Station with a trip to Dowlais Cae Harris in between. It was a very easy station to take photographs with opportunities at many different places in the area. Attached are scans of the last passenger timetable dated 9 September 1963 to 14 June 1964 for one direction only. This shows that 16 trains started, terminated or passed through in this direction between 6.17am and 9.40pm Monday to Friday. This was an interesting area at the time of my visit with much to see railway-wise. It is worth looking at old maps and consulting the website: treharrisdistrict.co.uk. There was no Sunday service and the last passenger trains ran on Saturday 13 June 1964.
The weather recently in Cornwall has been a mixture of rain and some sunshine, but earlier in February 2025 a high pressure area was stuck over Britain for about a fortnight. It was mostly dry and cold with Cornwall receiving strong easterly winds coming around the south side of the high pressure area gusting to gale force at times. It was much worse 70 years earlier in February 1955 with Britain in the grip of a brutal freeze and snowdrifts up to 30 feet (9 metres) deep in places. At 4.20am on 24 February 1955 BR Class 2 2-6-0 no. 78018 set out from Kirkby Stephen to travel over the Pennines to Barnard Castle on the Stainmore route with a mineral train, but the train soon became stuck in a snowdrift at 5.00am just north of Barras Station and west of Stainmore Summit.
In 1949 British Transport Films was formed to make documentaries about British transport in all its forms. The resulting films were and are highly regarded as records of the time. At the end of February 1955 a team was dispatched north to capture the heroic efforts of the British Railways workers rescuing 78018 and its wagons from the snowdrift. The resulting film “Snowdrift at Bleath Gill” only lasted ten minutes but was one of the most interesting of the 700 films made by BTF. Snowdrift at Bleath Gill can be viewed online and it will be seen that one of the engines operating the snowplough was sister engine 78017. Both engines were based at 51H Kirkby Stephen Shed.
In Part 26 I described an early morning visit to Crumlin Viaduct where I walked east to resume my train travel at Hafodyrynys Platform, which was alongside a colliery of the same name. Here I picked up the second train of the day westwards from Pontypool Road which turned up behind Hawksworth pannier 9488 which were relatively rare on passenger trains. I travelled eight miles behind 9488 to alight at Nelson & Llancaiach Station at 9.25am. This was one of the larger stations on the line with three platforms and avoiding lines to the north of the station for freight trains coming from Dowlais CH and Cwmbargoed. There was a junction to the south-east of the station, where the Dowlais line joined the Vale of Neath and a mile further on another line went off to join the Rhymney main line at Ystrad Mynach.
I had two spells at Nelson & Llancaiach Station with a trip to Dowlais Cae Harris in between. It was a very easy station to take photographs with opportunities at many different places in the area. Attached are scans of the last passenger timetable dated 9 September 1963 to 14 June 1964 for one direction only. This shows that 16 trains started, terminated or passed through in this direction between 6.17am and 9.40pm Monday to Friday. This was an interesting area at the time of my visit with much to see railway-wise. It is worth looking at old maps and consulting the website: treharrisdistrict.co.uk. There was no Sunday service and the last passenger trains ran on Saturday 13 June 1964.
The weather recently in Cornwall has been a mixture of rain and some sunshine, but earlier in February 2025 a high pressure area was stuck over Britain for about a fortnight. It was mostly dry and cold with Cornwall receiving strong easterly winds coming around the south side of the high pressure area gusting to gale force at times. It was much worse 70 years earlier in February 1955 with Britain in the grip of a brutal freeze and snowdrifts up to 30 feet (9 metres) deep in places. At 4.20am on 24 February 1955 BR Class 2 2-6-0 no. 78018 set out from Kirkby Stephen to travel over the Pennines to Barnard Castle on the Stainmore route with a mineral train, but the train soon became stuck in a snowdrift at 5.00am just north of Barras Station and west of Stainmore Summit.
In 1949 British Transport Films was formed to make documentaries about British transport in all its forms. The resulting films were and are highly regarded as records of the time. At the end of February 1955 a team was dispatched north to capture the heroic efforts of the British Railways workers rescuing 78018 and its wagons from the snowdrift. The resulting film “Snowdrift at Bleath Gill” only lasted ten minutes but was one of the most interesting of the 700 films made by BTF. Snowdrift at Bleath Gill can be viewed online and it will be seen that one of the engines operating the snowplough was sister engine 78017. Both engines were based at 51H Kirkby Stephen Shed.
5677 stands at Nelson & Llancaiach with the 9.35am to Dowlais Cae Harris on Saturday 11 April 1964. The train had started back at Hengoed High Level which gave connections from Cardiff. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Two and a half hours later 5677 has arrived back at N&L Station with the 11.32am from Dowlais CH to Ystrad Mynach. The coaches were non-corridor suburban. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking the other way it can be seen that there was a maze of pointwork just to the east of the station as 5677 departed for Ystrad. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Fifteen minutes later and 5605 has followed 5677 down from the Dowlais line with 20 wagons of coal from Cwmbargoed. These are all the larger mineral wagons with two doors each side and a capacity of 20 tons. The last wagonload of coal left Cwmbargoed in 2024. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
6612 passes through Nelson with a short coal train bound for the Quakers Yard direction. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The last passenger timetable – that for Winter 1963 – 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The last passenger timetable – that for Winter 1963 – 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 33
Nelson Station April 1964 – Part 2
Michael L. Roach
When the Pontypool Road to Neath passenger service was withdrawn I could not be there on the last day, Saturday 13 June 1964, because I was miles away at another closure nearer home in Somerset. The steam engines used on the last day of passenger services included tank engines 4110, 4121, 4639 and tender engine 6836 Estevarney Grange. Within 15 months all these engines had been withdrawn from service.
The line played host to a wide variety of steam engine classes. Regular classes were: 0-6-0 pannier tanks 5700, 6400 and 8400/9400; 0-6-2 tanks 5600/6600; 2-6-2 tanks 4100; 2-8-0 tanks 4200/5200; 2-8-2 tanks 7200; 2-6-0 tender 6300; 2-8-0 tender 2800 and Stanier 8F. Classes used possibly less frequently 4-6-0 tender 6800 Granges. Even though classed as a branch line the route could accept all classes of GWR steam engines except one – the only one to be banned was the King-class. The Castle class appeared occasionally hauling the Royal Train on at least two known occasions.
It may only have been 42 miles from Pontypool Road Station to Neath General Station, but it was double track all the way except for ¾ of a mile just west of Quakers Yard High Level Station over a viaduct and through a tunnel which remained single line throughout the line's existence. The route shared something in common with the Cornish main line in that very little was level – about 90 percent of both lines were on a gradient. At the eastern end trains were faced with a steep bank as soon as they passed onto the route proper – 3 miles at 1 in 45 but luckily most of the coal trains would have been returning empty mineral wagons to the collieries. At the west end the line started climbing as soon as it left the main line at Neath but after 9 miles the gradient stiffened considerably at Glyn Neath and coal trains faced 5 miles at 1 in 57/50/47. A small shed was located at Glyn Neath to provide banking engines; but coming down the bank was also difficult in the days of loose-coupled freight trains. On this bank loaded coal trains were heading in both directions – up the bank taking coal to England and down the bank for export though Swansea Docks.
The GWR were obviously worried about heavy loose-coupled trains coming down the bank so in 1924 they provided a lengthy sand-drag just over half way down at British Rhondda. The drag was on a loop adjacent to the main line and was a 1000 feet long. Experiments had shown that gravel was better than sand at slowing trains and the gravel was piled three inches (75 mm) above the running rails. The points were set for the loop and sand-drag until the train had safely stopped at the home signal. On Sunday 14 December 1924 the GWR conducted some experiments with loaded coal trains going through the loop and drag. First was Aberdare 2-6-0 with 826 tons behind the tender. Second was 2-8-0 tank 5240 with 1003 tons. The train was allowed to enter the loop at 33 mph with only a few handbrakes pinned down and travelled the full length of the drag before re-entering the main line through spring points hopefully at much reduced speed. The GWR declared the tests a complete success. 5240 spent three months at St. Blazey shed in 1955 and survived almost to the end of steam in South Wales, being condemned, fittingly enough, at Aberdare Shed in February 1964, from where it would have been working up and down Glyn Neath Bank. A short item in a GWR Magazine in 1917 recorded that the first type of sand drag in this country was brought into use by the GWR at Hayle in Cornwall in 1887. In the days of continuous brakes and no loose-coupled freight trains the sand drag has become a rare beast but in a great connection to history there is still one sand drag in Cornwall protecting a length of single track. It might be the only one in the whole of the West Country.
There were a large number of collieries either alongside or close to the route resulting in many groups of sidings and a large number of signal boxes; and of course a lot of trains. The GWR divided their service timetables (what BR called their working time tables) into 17 parts to cover the whole of the system. Part 11 covered just Pontypool Road to Neath plus the two branches to Merthyr. I think that shows just how important and busy the line was. For comparison the GWR's Taunton to Barnstaple Branch was 46 miles long; single for most of its length with far fewer trains; and yet was deemed worthy of being called a main line on the GWR map. The Barnstaple Branch was shown in Service Timetable No. 5 covering Highbridge/Castle Cary to Ashburton Junction (Totnes) plus nine branches. I attempted to count the number of signal boxes that a passenger train would pass after moving on to the route at Taff Vale Extension Junction just south of Pontypool Road Station in 1947. The answer was 46 boxes of which no less than 22 boxes were junction boxes. There were a further 12 boxes that had come and gone by 1947. 46 signal boxes in 42 miles, and a junction every two miles!
I could only find a couple of railtours traversing the line. The first became very well-known at the time because of the motive power. It was Ian Allan's “The Daffodil Express” of 18 May 1957 of nine coaches which left Paddington behind Castle 4090. Heading west down the Vale of Neath the train was double-headed by 3440 “City of Truro” and Churchward mogul 4358. At Crumlin Junction 3440 came off and proceeded across the Viaduct light engine, to be followed by 4358 with the 9C at the regulation 8 mph. The duo came off the train at Neath General but later hauled it along the main line from Swansea High Street to Newport where they again came off in favour of the Castle 4090 which hauled the train back to Paddington direct; whereas on the outward journey the train had travelled via Gloucester and Hereford to reach Pontypool Road.
I was on the second railtour to be described later in the series which was The Valley Wanderer of 24 April 1965 starting at Cardiff and finishing at Newport. The railtour travelled down the Vale of Neath line from Aberdare High Level to Neath Riverside behind large prairie 6116 with five coaches. I was also on the third railtour which was the Swansea Railway Circle's Rambling 56 Rail Tour of 31 July 1965, hauled throughout by 0-6-2 tank 6643 with four coaches. This crossed the Vale of Neath through Nelson & Llancaiach Station exactly as the Ystrad Mynach to Dowlais Cae Harris passenger trains had done until withdrawn 13 months earlier. By this second date there was very little steam left in South Wales and the remaining steam sheds were closing almost weekly.
The line played host to a wide variety of steam engine classes. Regular classes were: 0-6-0 pannier tanks 5700, 6400 and 8400/9400; 0-6-2 tanks 5600/6600; 2-6-2 tanks 4100; 2-8-0 tanks 4200/5200; 2-8-2 tanks 7200; 2-6-0 tender 6300; 2-8-0 tender 2800 and Stanier 8F. Classes used possibly less frequently 4-6-0 tender 6800 Granges. Even though classed as a branch line the route could accept all classes of GWR steam engines except one – the only one to be banned was the King-class. The Castle class appeared occasionally hauling the Royal Train on at least two known occasions.
It may only have been 42 miles from Pontypool Road Station to Neath General Station, but it was double track all the way except for ¾ of a mile just west of Quakers Yard High Level Station over a viaduct and through a tunnel which remained single line throughout the line's existence. The route shared something in common with the Cornish main line in that very little was level – about 90 percent of both lines were on a gradient. At the eastern end trains were faced with a steep bank as soon as they passed onto the route proper – 3 miles at 1 in 45 but luckily most of the coal trains would have been returning empty mineral wagons to the collieries. At the west end the line started climbing as soon as it left the main line at Neath but after 9 miles the gradient stiffened considerably at Glyn Neath and coal trains faced 5 miles at 1 in 57/50/47. A small shed was located at Glyn Neath to provide banking engines; but coming down the bank was also difficult in the days of loose-coupled freight trains. On this bank loaded coal trains were heading in both directions – up the bank taking coal to England and down the bank for export though Swansea Docks.
The GWR were obviously worried about heavy loose-coupled trains coming down the bank so in 1924 they provided a lengthy sand-drag just over half way down at British Rhondda. The drag was on a loop adjacent to the main line and was a 1000 feet long. Experiments had shown that gravel was better than sand at slowing trains and the gravel was piled three inches (75 mm) above the running rails. The points were set for the loop and sand-drag until the train had safely stopped at the home signal. On Sunday 14 December 1924 the GWR conducted some experiments with loaded coal trains going through the loop and drag. First was Aberdare 2-6-0 with 826 tons behind the tender. Second was 2-8-0 tank 5240 with 1003 tons. The train was allowed to enter the loop at 33 mph with only a few handbrakes pinned down and travelled the full length of the drag before re-entering the main line through spring points hopefully at much reduced speed. The GWR declared the tests a complete success. 5240 spent three months at St. Blazey shed in 1955 and survived almost to the end of steam in South Wales, being condemned, fittingly enough, at Aberdare Shed in February 1964, from where it would have been working up and down Glyn Neath Bank. A short item in a GWR Magazine in 1917 recorded that the first type of sand drag in this country was brought into use by the GWR at Hayle in Cornwall in 1887. In the days of continuous brakes and no loose-coupled freight trains the sand drag has become a rare beast but in a great connection to history there is still one sand drag in Cornwall protecting a length of single track. It might be the only one in the whole of the West Country.
There were a large number of collieries either alongside or close to the route resulting in many groups of sidings and a large number of signal boxes; and of course a lot of trains. The GWR divided their service timetables (what BR called their working time tables) into 17 parts to cover the whole of the system. Part 11 covered just Pontypool Road to Neath plus the two branches to Merthyr. I think that shows just how important and busy the line was. For comparison the GWR's Taunton to Barnstaple Branch was 46 miles long; single for most of its length with far fewer trains; and yet was deemed worthy of being called a main line on the GWR map. The Barnstaple Branch was shown in Service Timetable No. 5 covering Highbridge/Castle Cary to Ashburton Junction (Totnes) plus nine branches. I attempted to count the number of signal boxes that a passenger train would pass after moving on to the route at Taff Vale Extension Junction just south of Pontypool Road Station in 1947. The answer was 46 boxes of which no less than 22 boxes were junction boxes. There were a further 12 boxes that had come and gone by 1947. 46 signal boxes in 42 miles, and a junction every two miles!
I could only find a couple of railtours traversing the line. The first became very well-known at the time because of the motive power. It was Ian Allan's “The Daffodil Express” of 18 May 1957 of nine coaches which left Paddington behind Castle 4090. Heading west down the Vale of Neath the train was double-headed by 3440 “City of Truro” and Churchward mogul 4358. At Crumlin Junction 3440 came off and proceeded across the Viaduct light engine, to be followed by 4358 with the 9C at the regulation 8 mph. The duo came off the train at Neath General but later hauled it along the main line from Swansea High Street to Newport where they again came off in favour of the Castle 4090 which hauled the train back to Paddington direct; whereas on the outward journey the train had travelled via Gloucester and Hereford to reach Pontypool Road.
I was on the second railtour to be described later in the series which was The Valley Wanderer of 24 April 1965 starting at Cardiff and finishing at Newport. The railtour travelled down the Vale of Neath line from Aberdare High Level to Neath Riverside behind large prairie 6116 with five coaches. I was also on the third railtour which was the Swansea Railway Circle's Rambling 56 Rail Tour of 31 July 1965, hauled throughout by 0-6-2 tank 6643 with four coaches. This crossed the Vale of Neath through Nelson & Llancaiach Station exactly as the Ystrad Mynach to Dowlais Cae Harris passenger trains had done until withdrawn 13 months earlier. By this second date there was very little steam left in South Wales and the remaining steam sheds were closing almost weekly.
9488 slows to a stop at Nelson Station with the 11.05am Neath to Pontypool Road train on 11 April 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
9488 stopped at Nelson & Llancaiach Station. It was quite a large junction station. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
9488 departs for Pontypool Road some 14 miles away. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
5677 again entering the branch platform with the 12.37pm from Ystrad Mynach to Dowlais Cae Harris train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
5677 leaves for Dowlais at 12.49 taken from the road bridge. On the platform that day was a well-known photographer (R.E. Toop) capturing the train as it about to depart. His photograph can be seen in the Middleton Press book of the line. This is the classic view of a passenger train leaving Nelson for Dowlais CH. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
3634 of Aberdare Shed passes Nelson with another coal train heading west down the main line. The engine was withdrawn three months later. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The last passenger timetable – that for Winter 1963 - 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The last passenger timetable – that for Winter 1963 - 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 34
Meldon Viaduct February 1970
Michael L. Roach
Saturday 14 February 1970 dawned cold and clear. For me the beauty of such days in winter was that the light would be crystal clear when the sun did shine and ideal for photography.
When it had warmed up a bit, I set out after lunch to travel the 26 miles from my home in Plymouth to Meldon Viaduct, near Okehampton. From memory I parked on the road which passes beneath the viaduct leading up to the Quarry. I was not disappointed as the weather was immaculate.
I spent a lovely hour traversing the area including climbing up to rail level; there were no through passenger or freight trains of course as they had been withdrawn nearly two years earlier, but freight trains serving the adjacent quarry still shunted out on to the viaduct. There was still frozen snow which had turned to ice resting on the horizontal members of the trusses, but it was starting to melt in the sun. I also travelled further up the valley to take some photos of the planned Meldon Dam site.
It was a memorable day for a very lucky escape which sticks in the mind. As I walked down the road northwards to return the car I passed beneath the viaduct, and as I did so there was a terrific thud somewhere just behind me. A long length of ice had fallen more than 30 metres and landed on the road surface just a couple of metres behind me. It was about 6 feet (1.8 metres) long and had broken into many pieces. I was alone that day.
When it had warmed up a bit, I set out after lunch to travel the 26 miles from my home in Plymouth to Meldon Viaduct, near Okehampton. From memory I parked on the road which passes beneath the viaduct leading up to the Quarry. I was not disappointed as the weather was immaculate.
I spent a lovely hour traversing the area including climbing up to rail level; there were no through passenger or freight trains of course as they had been withdrawn nearly two years earlier, but freight trains serving the adjacent quarry still shunted out on to the viaduct. There was still frozen snow which had turned to ice resting on the horizontal members of the trusses, but it was starting to melt in the sun. I also travelled further up the valley to take some photos of the planned Meldon Dam site.
It was a memorable day for a very lucky escape which sticks in the mind. As I walked down the road northwards to return the car I passed beneath the viaduct, and as I did so there was a terrific thud somewhere just behind me. A long length of ice had fallen more than 30 metres and landed on the road surface just a couple of metres behind me. It was about 6 feet (1.8 metres) long and had broken into many pieces. I was alone that day.
Here I am looking up the west side of the piers of the Meldon Viaducts on Saturday 14 February 1970. It can be seen that the two viaducts are similar but with many detailed differences. The time is 2.05pm. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The various structural elements look to be in good condition in 1970. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Here I am looking north-east through the piers of the eastern half of the viaducts, showing how the bottom of the piers was weighted down with concrete in 1944 with more added in 1959/60. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking north-east through the tallest piers. Rail level is 46 metres above the bottom of the valley. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
In this view looking towards Meldon Quarry it can be seen that the snow which has landed on the horizontal members has frozen but is now starting to thaw in the sunshine. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
At track level it becomes apparent that the track is still in use for shunting. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A final view looking north at 3.05pm on 14 February 1970. It must be cold as there is still some snow/ice attached to the vertical members. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 35
Bricks and the GWR
Michael L. Roach
In this instalment I am going to relate the little I know and have managed to glean about bricks and some of the bricks the Great Western Railway may have used over the years.
On 11th March (click here, scroll down) Tim Hughes posted a picture of a mystery object which I am fairly sure is a brick, because I used to have a similar one in the garden collected from a demolished building several decades ago. What happened to my brick I do not know, as I no longer have it.
If we use signal boxes as an example the GWR built most of their boxes either of timber or brick once they had decided on their standard range. The brick boxes often used two different bricks of contrasting colours. Around the brick and door openings and the plinth used Staffordshire blue bricks – these were a very heavy, strong, high crushing strength and low water absorption engineering brick also used on the brick rings of multi-arch viaducts. Staffordshire blue bricks were not blue but actually coloured brown created by firing the red clay at a high temperature. More on Wikipedia. However the GWR's rules were not invariable and sometimes a box would have a wholly wooden superstructure above operating-floor or window cill level sitting on a brick base; and sometimes the contrasting colour bricks were omitted.
In the days when I was specifying the use of such engineering bricks the ones that were normally purchased by the contractor came from the Baggeridge Brickworks in the West Midlands. The rest of a signal box was normally constructed with a red clay facing brick of good quality. When Broadway Station on the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway was being rebuilt in 2017-18 I think it was constructed as described above. From memory the red facing bricks came from the Carlton Main Brickworks east of Barnsley. Perhaps someone from the Glos-Warks can confirm this. The resulting station buildings look very authentic and pleasing to the eye.
Just occasionally the GWR did not use a red facing brick for most of the superstructure of a signal box but one of a different colour. The best example that I know was that at Heathfield Station on the Moretonhampstead Branch erected at the north end of the through platform in 1916 to control the junction where the Teign Valley line from Exeter joined the Moretonhampstead Branch. Heathfield Box used a yellow or cream-coloured brick with the bricks coming from a brick and tile works which was just over the fence to the west of the station. The works was established in 1850 by Frank Candy and pre-dated the arrival of the railway opened to passengers in 1866. On old maps the works went by various names including in 1887 “Great Western Potteries & Brick Works.” After Heathfield Box was demolished I collected a yellow brick from the site around 50 years ago and I think it was similar, or identical, to the one that Tim Hughes showed in his photograph. What confirms the fact that the brick came from Heathfield is that the unusually shaped frog (the depression in the middle) is identical to a Candy brick illustrated on the internet. Candy not only made bricks and tiles but also a huge range of other earthenware pipes, fittings and chimney pots etc.
There is a lot more about the firm at: www.potteryhistories.com/candyhistory.html
For the sake of completeness I must describe one more type of brick associated with the Great Western Railway and that is the “GWR Plastic.” These were very common in the Plymouth area in the 1960s, and when I was on construction sites they often turned up. They were a common brick of no great strength and broke easily with a single deft blow from a brick hammer when the brickie wanted a half brick. I think that the GWR Plastic bricks were made by Westbrick either at their works at Steer Point or at Pinhoe, Exeter, or possibly both works.
I have had one new unused Baggeridge engineering brick in my small collection for more than 40 years and the first thing to say about it is that it is very heavy and expensive. It weighs more than 3 kilograms which is far more than most bricks, and equivalent to three bags of sugar. The equivalent Class B Blue 65mm Solid Wirecut Engineering Brick now costs up to £1.44 each. I also have another solid engineering brick in my collection and it is cream coloured, just like a Candy, but this one did not come from the Candy Works at Heathfield. It travelled nearly 600 miles from the Douglas Brickworks at Dalry, near Ardrossan to Cornwall perhaps by sea being used as ship's ballast or a return load. This one also weighs just over 3 kilograms.
More at: www.douglashistory.co.uk
Despite the widespread use of concrete blocks in this country the manufacture of bricks is still big business. There are three large groups of brick making companies and a smaller one (Michelmersh). Yet there is still room for smaller companies with just one works. A good example is the Northcot Brick Company whose works is adjacent to the railway line at the site of the former Blockley Station on the Cotswold Line. This is a family-owned company proud to proclaim that they still use coal-fired kilns. The history of brick making is a fascinating subject and a good introduction to the subject is the Shire Album “Bricks and Brickmaking.” Although Cornwall is normally considered to be a stone county with few brickworks there is a book solely devoted to Cornish Brick Making. Cornwall was also home to the more unusual calcium silicate brick made of china clay waste. If you come across a demolished signal box it is suggested that you collect a sample brick because every brick has a story to tell. Between the railway station at Heathfield and the town of Kingsteignton to the south east lie extensive deposits of ball clay which have been mined for hundreds of years. Much is exported through the port of Teignmouth but some used to leave by rail from Heathfield Station. The 2025 edition of Baker's Rail Atlas (which is highly recommended) describes the present limit of track at Heathfield as “Heathfield Imerys (disused).”
Most of the attached photographs of Heathfield Station were taken between 7.30 and 8.00am on Monday 7 June 1965. I had left home about 6.30am and was on my way to Evercreech Junction on the Somerset & Dorset to photograph a rail-tour organised by the Warwickshire Railway Society hauled by 9F no. 92238. The last colour image shows the station some 11 years later when the station building was boarded up and the signal box had been demolished. It was probably on that visit that I collected a brick from the demolished Heathfield signal box.
RECOMMENDED READING: GWR Signalling Practice ISBN 978-1-916112-20-9
On 11th March (click here, scroll down) Tim Hughes posted a picture of a mystery object which I am fairly sure is a brick, because I used to have a similar one in the garden collected from a demolished building several decades ago. What happened to my brick I do not know, as I no longer have it.
If we use signal boxes as an example the GWR built most of their boxes either of timber or brick once they had decided on their standard range. The brick boxes often used two different bricks of contrasting colours. Around the brick and door openings and the plinth used Staffordshire blue bricks – these were a very heavy, strong, high crushing strength and low water absorption engineering brick also used on the brick rings of multi-arch viaducts. Staffordshire blue bricks were not blue but actually coloured brown created by firing the red clay at a high temperature. More on Wikipedia. However the GWR's rules were not invariable and sometimes a box would have a wholly wooden superstructure above operating-floor or window cill level sitting on a brick base; and sometimes the contrasting colour bricks were omitted.
In the days when I was specifying the use of such engineering bricks the ones that were normally purchased by the contractor came from the Baggeridge Brickworks in the West Midlands. The rest of a signal box was normally constructed with a red clay facing brick of good quality. When Broadway Station on the Gloucester Warwickshire Railway was being rebuilt in 2017-18 I think it was constructed as described above. From memory the red facing bricks came from the Carlton Main Brickworks east of Barnsley. Perhaps someone from the Glos-Warks can confirm this. The resulting station buildings look very authentic and pleasing to the eye.
Just occasionally the GWR did not use a red facing brick for most of the superstructure of a signal box but one of a different colour. The best example that I know was that at Heathfield Station on the Moretonhampstead Branch erected at the north end of the through platform in 1916 to control the junction where the Teign Valley line from Exeter joined the Moretonhampstead Branch. Heathfield Box used a yellow or cream-coloured brick with the bricks coming from a brick and tile works which was just over the fence to the west of the station. The works was established in 1850 by Frank Candy and pre-dated the arrival of the railway opened to passengers in 1866. On old maps the works went by various names including in 1887 “Great Western Potteries & Brick Works.” After Heathfield Box was demolished I collected a yellow brick from the site around 50 years ago and I think it was similar, or identical, to the one that Tim Hughes showed in his photograph. What confirms the fact that the brick came from Heathfield is that the unusually shaped frog (the depression in the middle) is identical to a Candy brick illustrated on the internet. Candy not only made bricks and tiles but also a huge range of other earthenware pipes, fittings and chimney pots etc.
There is a lot more about the firm at: www.potteryhistories.com/candyhistory.html
For the sake of completeness I must describe one more type of brick associated with the Great Western Railway and that is the “GWR Plastic.” These were very common in the Plymouth area in the 1960s, and when I was on construction sites they often turned up. They were a common brick of no great strength and broke easily with a single deft blow from a brick hammer when the brickie wanted a half brick. I think that the GWR Plastic bricks were made by Westbrick either at their works at Steer Point or at Pinhoe, Exeter, or possibly both works.
I have had one new unused Baggeridge engineering brick in my small collection for more than 40 years and the first thing to say about it is that it is very heavy and expensive. It weighs more than 3 kilograms which is far more than most bricks, and equivalent to three bags of sugar. The equivalent Class B Blue 65mm Solid Wirecut Engineering Brick now costs up to £1.44 each. I also have another solid engineering brick in my collection and it is cream coloured, just like a Candy, but this one did not come from the Candy Works at Heathfield. It travelled nearly 600 miles from the Douglas Brickworks at Dalry, near Ardrossan to Cornwall perhaps by sea being used as ship's ballast or a return load. This one also weighs just over 3 kilograms.
More at: www.douglashistory.co.uk
Despite the widespread use of concrete blocks in this country the manufacture of bricks is still big business. There are three large groups of brick making companies and a smaller one (Michelmersh). Yet there is still room for smaller companies with just one works. A good example is the Northcot Brick Company whose works is adjacent to the railway line at the site of the former Blockley Station on the Cotswold Line. This is a family-owned company proud to proclaim that they still use coal-fired kilns. The history of brick making is a fascinating subject and a good introduction to the subject is the Shire Album “Bricks and Brickmaking.” Although Cornwall is normally considered to be a stone county with few brickworks there is a book solely devoted to Cornish Brick Making. Cornwall was also home to the more unusual calcium silicate brick made of china clay waste. If you come across a demolished signal box it is suggested that you collect a sample brick because every brick has a story to tell. Between the railway station at Heathfield and the town of Kingsteignton to the south east lie extensive deposits of ball clay which have been mined for hundreds of years. Much is exported through the port of Teignmouth but some used to leave by rail from Heathfield Station. The 2025 edition of Baker's Rail Atlas (which is highly recommended) describes the present limit of track at Heathfield as “Heathfield Imerys (disused).”
Most of the attached photographs of Heathfield Station were taken between 7.30 and 8.00am on Monday 7 June 1965. I had left home about 6.30am and was on my way to Evercreech Junction on the Somerset & Dorset to photograph a rail-tour organised by the Warwickshire Railway Society hauled by 9F no. 92238. The last colour image shows the station some 11 years later when the station building was boarded up and the signal box had been demolished. It was probably on that visit that I collected a brick from the demolished Heathfield signal box.
RECOMMENDED READING: GWR Signalling Practice ISBN 978-1-916112-20-9
Heathfield looking south-east towards Newton Abbot 4 miles away showing the junction pointwork in the foreground. Although the passenger trains had been withdrawn more than 6 years earlier the station was still fully signalled. The stone arch bridge in the distance carried the single carriageway A38 trunk road. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The north end of the 1916 GWR signal box. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A ¾ view of the box. It looks to me as though Staffordshire engineering bricks were not used except perhaps for the coping of the wall around the coal bin. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A full frontal view of the box and what surprised me was just how much variation there was in the colour of the Candy bricks used to build the box. In the foreground are some of the earthenware drainage products made by the firm. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking north at Heathfield on 26 September 1976. The signals and box have gone but the left hand track is still in use. In the yard on this date were open trucks loaded with ball clay destined for Wrexham in North Wales. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Tims 'mystery object' which inspired this article. Found in Lostwithiel in 2025. Copyright Tim Hughes.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 36
Heathfield – More About This Rural Junction
Michael L. Roach
The turnpike road from Newton Abbot to Moretonhampstead and Whiddon Down was built by the Newton Bushel Turnpike Trust. Newton Bushel was the old name for Newton Abbot. At a place then called Drum Bridge (now called Drumbridges) it crossed the Chudleigh to Brent turnpike road of 1755. Two miles north of the crossroads was the small town of Bovey Tracey which was once the centre of a number of potteries based on the clay to be found in the area. Just half a mile to the north-east of the crossroads a pottery and brickworks was established by Frank Candy in 1850. The Moretonhampstead and South Devon Railway built a branch line from Newton Abbot to Moreton which passed along the eastern boundary of the Candy Works. The line was opened on 4 July 1866 and worked by the South Devon Railway from the outset although there was no passenger station alongside the works at first. A station was opened alongside the works on I July 1874 and named Chudleigh Road, but the name was changed to Heathfield on 1 October 1882 because the first length of the Teign Valley Railway was about to open from Heathfield to Christow on 9 October 1882 and Chudleigh would then have its own station. The Teign Valley line was standard gauge and the Moreton Branch was broad gauge so for the first ten years until May 1892, and the gauge conversion, all goods had to be transhipped at Heathfield Station. The OS 25-inch of 1887/88 shows two completely separate railways in Heathfield Station.
Even after 1892 there was still no easy rail connection between the two lines. Trains arriving from Newton Abbot destined for the Teign Valley line were directed into a headshunt from which they had to reverse into the bay platform before setting out along the Teign Valley. The OS of 1905/06 shows this layout. Finally in 1916 the junction was rebuilt to allow direct access from the Newton Abbot direction on to the Teign Valley line, with a new signal box being provided to control the new layout. Meanwhile the Teign Valley had been extended from Christow to Exeter on 1 July 1903 and from then until closure the line became a useful diversionary route when the seawall at Dawlish was having problems.
Exeter to Heathfield passenger trains were withdrawn on an from Monday 9 June 1958 with the last trains running on the previous Saturday, as there was no Sunday service. The last timetable shows five trains each way with an extra one on Saturday evenings. There were good connections at Heathfield where passengers changed for Newton Abbot. The Newton to Moreton passenger trains were withdrawn just nine months later on and from Monday 2 March 1959. I made my only trip on this branch on the last day of passenger services Saturday 28 February 1959. The Moretonhampstead Branch was the subject of a failed preservation attempt.
I looked back through many of my GWR and BRWR timetables from 1902 to 1958 to see if any Teign Valley passenger trains ever left the branch and ran through to Newton Abbot. I did not find any doing so and passengers always had to cross the platform into a Moreton to Newton Abbot train. Connections were tight with as little as one minute timetabled between the arrival of one train and the departure of the other. Even in the other direction connections were tight with as little as two minutes allowed. However, some interesting features did come to light looking through the timetables. In Summer 1953 some Heathfield to Exeter passenger trains terminated at Alphington on Saturdays with passengers being advised that the connection was an Exeter Corporation Omnibus. The Summer 1932 timetable was also interesting. All trains were operated by a one class only steam rail motor car, so there was no running around at each end of the journey. This was used to advantage with some rail motors arriving at Heathfield from Exeter and then running north on the Moreton line 2¼ miles to Bovey Station which saved passengers a half hour wait for a Moretonhampstead train. Bovey now has a population of 8,000 persons, and although Heathfield still has very few houses it does have a huge industrial estate.
Even after 1892 there was still no easy rail connection between the two lines. Trains arriving from Newton Abbot destined for the Teign Valley line were directed into a headshunt from which they had to reverse into the bay platform before setting out along the Teign Valley. The OS of 1905/06 shows this layout. Finally in 1916 the junction was rebuilt to allow direct access from the Newton Abbot direction on to the Teign Valley line, with a new signal box being provided to control the new layout. Meanwhile the Teign Valley had been extended from Christow to Exeter on 1 July 1903 and from then until closure the line became a useful diversionary route when the seawall at Dawlish was having problems.
Exeter to Heathfield passenger trains were withdrawn on an from Monday 9 June 1958 with the last trains running on the previous Saturday, as there was no Sunday service. The last timetable shows five trains each way with an extra one on Saturday evenings. There were good connections at Heathfield where passengers changed for Newton Abbot. The Newton to Moreton passenger trains were withdrawn just nine months later on and from Monday 2 March 1959. I made my only trip on this branch on the last day of passenger services Saturday 28 February 1959. The Moretonhampstead Branch was the subject of a failed preservation attempt.
I looked back through many of my GWR and BRWR timetables from 1902 to 1958 to see if any Teign Valley passenger trains ever left the branch and ran through to Newton Abbot. I did not find any doing so and passengers always had to cross the platform into a Moreton to Newton Abbot train. Connections were tight with as little as one minute timetabled between the arrival of one train and the departure of the other. Even in the other direction connections were tight with as little as two minutes allowed. However, some interesting features did come to light looking through the timetables. In Summer 1953 some Heathfield to Exeter passenger trains terminated at Alphington on Saturdays with passengers being advised that the connection was an Exeter Corporation Omnibus. The Summer 1932 timetable was also interesting. All trains were operated by a one class only steam rail motor car, so there was no running around at each end of the journey. This was used to advantage with some rail motors arriving at Heathfield from Exeter and then running north on the Moreton line 2¼ miles to Bovey Station which saved passengers a half hour wait for a Moretonhampstead train. Bovey now has a population of 8,000 persons, and although Heathfield still has very few houses it does have a huge industrial estate.
Heathfield station buildings as seen from the approach road. Beyond the trees was a chimney of the brick and tile works. Note the new pre-cast concrete kerbing. The date was Monday 7 June 1965. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The station buildings bask in the sun six years after the last passenger trains were withdrawn. Note the clay pipes used as flower pots. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Another view of the signal box still intact and in use to signal freight trains in 1965. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A rear view of the signal box. The track in the foreground led to the bay platform used by Teign Valley passenger trains. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking along the track in the Newton Abbot direction showing the junction layout dating from 1916. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The heavy cast iron nameboard has been dropped and left for someone else to remove. I wonder if it still exists? Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The Summer 1932 timetable for both lines. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The Summer 1953 timetable showing Teign Valley trains making fill-in trips to Bovey and return. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 37
Trelonk Brickworks, Cornwall
Michael L. Roach
I wrote quite recently that every brick has a story to tell and this instalment carries on the subject of bricks with particular emphasis on one particular Cornish brickworks because many railway enthusiasts are interested in unusual and esoteric subjects as well as railways. In Part 35 I wrote a lot about the Candy brick and tile works near Heathfield railway station. If you live in Devon or Cornwall and in a house built before about 1960 there is a very good chance that the drains serving the house and the sewer in the road were constructed using Candy's salt glazed earthenware pipes of 4-inch and 6-inch diameter respectively because Candy's were the major local manufacturer. The firm also used salt glaze on bricks to produce a glazed brick which were used to build public toilets etc.
Since moving into our present 1910-built house (which has Candy drain pipes and fittings) I have removed four cast iron firegrates. One of the part bricks removed from the rubble behind a firegrate was marked “TRELONK” which was one of the 70-odd Cornish brickworks that have ever existed; and in 2025 and for many years previously the number of brickworks in Cornwall is, I believe, zero. I did not know where Trelonk was but guessed that it was more likely to be a place rather than a surname.
Trelonk bricks were never common because the brickworks was only operational for about 15 years. The brickworks was located about three quarters of a mile south-west of the small village of Ruan Lanihorne (then all one word) and just west of Trelonk Farm on the north bank of a small creek at its junction with the River Fal at NG SW 886 412. There are no public footpaths in the area.
The brickworks had two beehive kilns connected to a square chimney (which it is believed still exists) and two drying sheds. It also had its own quay. The brickworks was located in a very sparsely populated area with the nearest public road some distance away. It would have been logical for much, if not most, of the output of bricks to leave by small sailing ship or river barge to be offloaded and used at the towns and villages on the banks of the river such as Falmouth, Penryn, St. Mawes and Truro. At Falmouth the docks had started to be developed from 1860 and was the logical place for Trelonk bricks to reach civilisation as the docks dealt with the loading/unloading of cargoes as well as the well-known ship repairs. The use of water transport is confirmed by a report in the Western Morning News for Monday 3 April 1893 which reads as follows:
“On Saturday evening a man named Prinie, of Ruanlanihorne, left Trelonk Brickworks with a barge laden with bricks, and proceeded down the Ruan River. As he did not return a search was made, and his body was found in the river near the barge, which was sunk. It is supposed the barge was overladen, and sank during a squall.”
I suspected that the dead man's name had been mis-reported. He was actually found living in Churchtown at Ruan Lanihorne. He was baptised Luke Ball Prime in 1835, one of four children; a married man with no children of his own. Apart from one census which I could not decipher Luke Prime was an agricultural labourer right through his life, including on census date 5 April 1891. Yet just two years later he is taking a sailing barge down the River Fal single-handed with day light fading. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, and it was because he was also deaf, and in one census dumb as well. I could find no other reports after 3 April 1893 except for one when probate was granted in the sum of £162. Because Luke Prime was expected to return home the same evening I am thinking that he did not have a huge number of bricks aboard his barge and he was not taking them very far. Perhaps this was one of multiple trips taking them to a quay where they could be stacked on the quayside to await the arrival of a larger sailing vessel. The quay that fits that bill was Roundwood Quay at NG SW 839 404. Roundwood Quay is just half a mile north of King Harry Ferry just off the main channel of the River Fal and could accept sailing ships up to 300 tons. It is about 3½ miles by water from Trelonk Brickworks to Roundwood Quay, which was built to export tin and copper ores.
The owner of the land where Trelonk brickworks was situated was one Arthur Tremayne of Carclew. A large house just off the A39 road at Perranarworthal. He signed a lease with the four partners of the enterprise in 1891 of whom the chief protagonist was John Truscott Paull of Trelonk (Farm). When the works closed 15 years later only one of the four was still involved and that was JM Bennetts the company secretary. The 1907 OS map, revised the previous year, shows the works as disused. On the opposite bank of the Tuckingmill Creek was a china clay works, also disused, which the OS wrongly annotated as a brickworks. I wondered where the brickyard workers lived as there were no houses nearby. Looking right through the 300-odd persons living in the village of Ruan Lanihorne produced interesting results. Of course there might have been workers living much further away but I found none in the adjacent parish of Veryan. In the 1891 census there were just 4 employees at the brickworks and all from the parish of Ruan. Two brickyard labourers aged 14 and 16 years, and two brick makers aged 23 and 28 years. Interestingly the brick makers both lived locally but both had been born in Wellington, Somerset which was famous for its brickworks. In the 1901 census the number of workers was similar at four employees but the men had changed completely. Living on site at the brickworks was foreman brickmaker William C Lobb (aged 32) with his wife and four children, and lodging with him was his brother Richard Lobb (25). Living in the village of Ruan was brickmaker William Baker (18) and in the adjacent village of Veryan was Robert Trevarton or Trevarthen who gave his occupation as bargeman. Before they worked here at the brickworks, and after it closed, all these workers gave their occupation as Ag. Lab. - agricutural labourer.
Now there is no point in making hundreds of bricks a day if you cannot sell them, and to do that they have to be transported to where they are needed; prices have to be competitive; and people have to be be persuaded to buy your bricks rather than your competitors. Here Trelonk faced an immediate problem as there was no road, and not even a footpath, to the brickworks. A few may have gone across fields and then by road to Ruan Lanihorne by horse and cart; but history records that the vast majority of the output travelled by water. For those bricks not being used in the towns and villages around the Fal estuary the logical place to take them was to Falmouth Docks where the sailing vessel could moor up against the Western Breakwater and the bricks put straight into railway wagons on the quay for transport elsewhere. In the Falmouth, Truro, Redruth and Camborne area Trelonk would have faced stiff competition from the St. Day Brickworks which had already been in business for 30 years before Trelonk started; but St. Day Brickworks closed soon after Trelonk in 1912. I suspect it was competition that closed Trelonk Brickworks after just 15 years; and transport difficulties would have played their part because of their dependence on the tides and on a rapidly silting river.
The village of Ruanlanihorne is situated on the Ruan River but just half a mile downstream the river met the River Fal. Turn right and go up the River Fal and in just a quarter of a mile is the normal tide limit but three miles further upriver is the small town of Tregony and the lowest bridge across the River Fal. A thousand years ago Tregony was a thriving and important inland port but silting of the river stopped the boats reaching Tregony some 500 years ago. As well as the normal silt that comes off fields the river was carrying waste from copper mining, tin mining and china clay extraction – the last right up into the 1960s. The results of all this debris being brought down the Fal over hundreds of years is plain to see in large areas of saltmarsh and large areas of silt at low water. A good way to see this, and everything else of interest, is to make the trip from Falmouth to Truro by pleasure boat, which is highly recommended.
There are some historians who say that the Trelonk Brickworks used a proportion of river silt in the manufacture of their bricks mixed in with the clay from their adjacent quarry. I wonder what the effect of the salt in the silt was on the strength and durability of the bricks. Not good I imagine. The London Daily Chronicle of 28 February 1906 carried a public notice that the Trelonk Brick and China Clay Company Limited was being voluntarily wound up and creditors should send their claims to the liquidator, a Truro accountant.
Less than half a mile west of Ruan Lanihorne on the minor road to Lamorran is a small quay just long enough and wide enough to park a couple of cars. This is a fascinating place to be an hour or two before high water as the water rises slowly higher and silently to cover the mud. The quayside is surfaced with bricks and a couple of granite mooring posts remain in-situ. We have enjoyed a couple of late afternoon picnics at this isolated spot which can be seen to good effect on streetview. It is called Hyde's Quay and was built in the late 1800s as the quay in the middle of Ruan Lanihorne silted up; which had itself replaced the quay at Tregony as that became silted up in the sixteenth century.
In conclusion I still cannot get my head around how a 58-year old man with problems could be expected to sail a barge down the River Fal single-handed with the attendant dangers of wind and tide. He would likely have had help to load the bricks on to the barge at the brickworks; and he may have been able to call on help to unload the barge at Roundwood Quay because there were a couple of properties nearby. He would surely need help to stack them on the quay because there would have been several hundred bricks each time. It is possible that Luke Prime was not a direct employee of the Trelonk Brickworks but an independent carrier paid by the load and willing to take risks. Unfortunately I could not find a newspaper report of the inquest.
Since moving into our present 1910-built house (which has Candy drain pipes and fittings) I have removed four cast iron firegrates. One of the part bricks removed from the rubble behind a firegrate was marked “TRELONK” which was one of the 70-odd Cornish brickworks that have ever existed; and in 2025 and for many years previously the number of brickworks in Cornwall is, I believe, zero. I did not know where Trelonk was but guessed that it was more likely to be a place rather than a surname.
Trelonk bricks were never common because the brickworks was only operational for about 15 years. The brickworks was located about three quarters of a mile south-west of the small village of Ruan Lanihorne (then all one word) and just west of Trelonk Farm on the north bank of a small creek at its junction with the River Fal at NG SW 886 412. There are no public footpaths in the area.
The brickworks had two beehive kilns connected to a square chimney (which it is believed still exists) and two drying sheds. It also had its own quay. The brickworks was located in a very sparsely populated area with the nearest public road some distance away. It would have been logical for much, if not most, of the output of bricks to leave by small sailing ship or river barge to be offloaded and used at the towns and villages on the banks of the river such as Falmouth, Penryn, St. Mawes and Truro. At Falmouth the docks had started to be developed from 1860 and was the logical place for Trelonk bricks to reach civilisation as the docks dealt with the loading/unloading of cargoes as well as the well-known ship repairs. The use of water transport is confirmed by a report in the Western Morning News for Monday 3 April 1893 which reads as follows:
“On Saturday evening a man named Prinie, of Ruanlanihorne, left Trelonk Brickworks with a barge laden with bricks, and proceeded down the Ruan River. As he did not return a search was made, and his body was found in the river near the barge, which was sunk. It is supposed the barge was overladen, and sank during a squall.”
I suspected that the dead man's name had been mis-reported. He was actually found living in Churchtown at Ruan Lanihorne. He was baptised Luke Ball Prime in 1835, one of four children; a married man with no children of his own. Apart from one census which I could not decipher Luke Prime was an agricultural labourer right through his life, including on census date 5 April 1891. Yet just two years later he is taking a sailing barge down the River Fal single-handed with day light fading. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, and it was because he was also deaf, and in one census dumb as well. I could find no other reports after 3 April 1893 except for one when probate was granted in the sum of £162. Because Luke Prime was expected to return home the same evening I am thinking that he did not have a huge number of bricks aboard his barge and he was not taking them very far. Perhaps this was one of multiple trips taking them to a quay where they could be stacked on the quayside to await the arrival of a larger sailing vessel. The quay that fits that bill was Roundwood Quay at NG SW 839 404. Roundwood Quay is just half a mile north of King Harry Ferry just off the main channel of the River Fal and could accept sailing ships up to 300 tons. It is about 3½ miles by water from Trelonk Brickworks to Roundwood Quay, which was built to export tin and copper ores.
The owner of the land where Trelonk brickworks was situated was one Arthur Tremayne of Carclew. A large house just off the A39 road at Perranarworthal. He signed a lease with the four partners of the enterprise in 1891 of whom the chief protagonist was John Truscott Paull of Trelonk (Farm). When the works closed 15 years later only one of the four was still involved and that was JM Bennetts the company secretary. The 1907 OS map, revised the previous year, shows the works as disused. On the opposite bank of the Tuckingmill Creek was a china clay works, also disused, which the OS wrongly annotated as a brickworks. I wondered where the brickyard workers lived as there were no houses nearby. Looking right through the 300-odd persons living in the village of Ruan Lanihorne produced interesting results. Of course there might have been workers living much further away but I found none in the adjacent parish of Veryan. In the 1891 census there were just 4 employees at the brickworks and all from the parish of Ruan. Two brickyard labourers aged 14 and 16 years, and two brick makers aged 23 and 28 years. Interestingly the brick makers both lived locally but both had been born in Wellington, Somerset which was famous for its brickworks. In the 1901 census the number of workers was similar at four employees but the men had changed completely. Living on site at the brickworks was foreman brickmaker William C Lobb (aged 32) with his wife and four children, and lodging with him was his brother Richard Lobb (25). Living in the village of Ruan was brickmaker William Baker (18) and in the adjacent village of Veryan was Robert Trevarton or Trevarthen who gave his occupation as bargeman. Before they worked here at the brickworks, and after it closed, all these workers gave their occupation as Ag. Lab. - agricutural labourer.
Now there is no point in making hundreds of bricks a day if you cannot sell them, and to do that they have to be transported to where they are needed; prices have to be competitive; and people have to be be persuaded to buy your bricks rather than your competitors. Here Trelonk faced an immediate problem as there was no road, and not even a footpath, to the brickworks. A few may have gone across fields and then by road to Ruan Lanihorne by horse and cart; but history records that the vast majority of the output travelled by water. For those bricks not being used in the towns and villages around the Fal estuary the logical place to take them was to Falmouth Docks where the sailing vessel could moor up against the Western Breakwater and the bricks put straight into railway wagons on the quay for transport elsewhere. In the Falmouth, Truro, Redruth and Camborne area Trelonk would have faced stiff competition from the St. Day Brickworks which had already been in business for 30 years before Trelonk started; but St. Day Brickworks closed soon after Trelonk in 1912. I suspect it was competition that closed Trelonk Brickworks after just 15 years; and transport difficulties would have played their part because of their dependence on the tides and on a rapidly silting river.
The village of Ruanlanihorne is situated on the Ruan River but just half a mile downstream the river met the River Fal. Turn right and go up the River Fal and in just a quarter of a mile is the normal tide limit but three miles further upriver is the small town of Tregony and the lowest bridge across the River Fal. A thousand years ago Tregony was a thriving and important inland port but silting of the river stopped the boats reaching Tregony some 500 years ago. As well as the normal silt that comes off fields the river was carrying waste from copper mining, tin mining and china clay extraction – the last right up into the 1960s. The results of all this debris being brought down the Fal over hundreds of years is plain to see in large areas of saltmarsh and large areas of silt at low water. A good way to see this, and everything else of interest, is to make the trip from Falmouth to Truro by pleasure boat, which is highly recommended.
There are some historians who say that the Trelonk Brickworks used a proportion of river silt in the manufacture of their bricks mixed in with the clay from their adjacent quarry. I wonder what the effect of the salt in the silt was on the strength and durability of the bricks. Not good I imagine. The London Daily Chronicle of 28 February 1906 carried a public notice that the Trelonk Brick and China Clay Company Limited was being voluntarily wound up and creditors should send their claims to the liquidator, a Truro accountant.
Less than half a mile west of Ruan Lanihorne on the minor road to Lamorran is a small quay just long enough and wide enough to park a couple of cars. This is a fascinating place to be an hour or two before high water as the water rises slowly higher and silently to cover the mud. The quayside is surfaced with bricks and a couple of granite mooring posts remain in-situ. We have enjoyed a couple of late afternoon picnics at this isolated spot which can be seen to good effect on streetview. It is called Hyde's Quay and was built in the late 1800s as the quay in the middle of Ruan Lanihorne silted up; which had itself replaced the quay at Tregony as that became silted up in the sixteenth century.
In conclusion I still cannot get my head around how a 58-year old man with problems could be expected to sail a barge down the River Fal single-handed with the attendant dangers of wind and tide. He would likely have had help to load the bricks on to the barge at the brickworks; and he may have been able to call on help to unload the barge at Roundwood Quay because there were a couple of properties nearby. He would surely need help to stack them on the quay because there would have been several hundred bricks each time. It is possible that Luke Prime was not a direct employee of the Trelonk Brickworks but an independent carrier paid by the load and willing to take risks. Unfortunately I could not find a newspaper report of the inquest.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 38
Dowlais Cae Harris
Michael L. Roach
In Parts 26, 29 and 32 I described a day trip from Plymouth to travel the cross-country route from Pontypool Road to Neath for the last time, but not on the last day of passenger services; including visits to stations at Crumlin and Nelson & Llancaiach. Nelson was the junction station for the steeply graded branch to Dowlais Cae Harris. Dowlais once had several railway stations which I hope to cover one day, but it has not had any standard gauge railways for many many years. Residents wishing to get on a train will travel two miles downhill all the way to the centre of Merthyr Tydfil. Together Dowlais and Merthyr were once far larger and more important than Cardiff because of three major industries – iron ore extraction, coal mining and iron making.
The line from Nelson to Dowlais was 9½ miles long and steeply graded with long lengths at 1 in 40/42. The summit was at Cwmbargoed Station where in the exchange sidings alongside were always many mineral wagons waiting to be loaded with coal or waiting to depart. There were very few houses at Cwmbargoed as it was a bleak place on a par with Princetown but with none of the facilities that Princetown has to offer. On first sight I thought it strange that Cwmbargoed should have a luggage label printed for it but the people who lived there would have wanted their luggage returned when they went on holiday. As my train approached Cae Harris Station it passed the engine shed; a sub-shed of Merthyr Shed. For the last few years the shed only had one class of steam engine working from it and that was Collet's 1924 design 0-6-2 tank numbered 5600 and 6600 upwards. They were used on both the passenger and coal trains and were ideal for the steep gradients; and in all the photos I have seen every one was facing north without exception. The shed received a new coaling plant in 1958.
Iron has been used for thousands of years but only in small quantities for implements and weapons. The technology reached Britain about 450BC. Iron smelting took off in the eighteenth century with the invention of the blast furnace able to make larger quantities with sites in South Wales at Blaenavon, Merthyr and Dowlais among others. Founded in 1759 the Dowlais Ironworks became the largest in the world with 18 blast furnaces at its peak in 1845. It was the first works to make steel in 1865 and became famous after making the iron used to make the rail track for the Stockton and Darlington Railway opened 200 years ago this year. The works closed in 1987.
Dowlais had a lot of railways and several railway stations of which Cae Harris was one of the most convenient being a short distance off the main road through the town. This was the turnpike road from Merthyr to Abergavenny, later the A465, but now bypassed by The Heads of The Valley Road. A little further east up the main road was the other main station called Dowlais High Street built on an embankment where the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny line crossed the main road. Although Cae Harris was a terminal station for passengers one line in the adjacent goods yard continued north between the houses and crossed the main road on the level to reach all the industrial works to the north. The gap in the houses can be still be seen and on the opposite side of High Street someone has thoughtfully laid a short length of track to remind residents of their heritage. Dowlais now has no standard gauge railways, but it does have a narrow gauge railway in the shape of the Brecon Mountain Railway whose southern terminus is at Pant on the edge of Dowlais.
Until very recently coal was extracted in a huge area of open-cast workings to the south of Dowlais and to the east of Merthyr. The coal was washed and graded and loaded into rail wagons at Cwmbargoed which had the first passenger station 2¾ miles out of Dowlais Cae Harris. Cwmbargoed continued dispatching coal trains until 2024.
My first trip on the line was on Saturday 10 December 1960 on a day trip. I travelled up from Cardiff General in a dmu to Merthyr and then took a return trip to Hirwaun in auto-coach 194 hauled/propelled by pannier 6416 of Merthyr Shed. On returning to Merthyr Station I walked the two miles uphill to Dowlais Cae Harris Station where I bought an ordinary return to Ystrad Mynach. The outward and return trips were hauled by 5696 with two coaches; and for those interested in GW coaches they were numbered W6816W and W6817W. At Dowlais I/we walked downhill to Merthyr to catch a 6-car dmu back to Cardiff, where I was staying; but my friend Charles Fennamore who was with me that day then had to travel back to Ogmore Vale by train and bus. Many of the Valley lines had been dieselised two years earlier and this day was part of a plan to travel all the remaining steam operated lines before they were either dieselised or closed to passengers. In all I made four visits to Cae Harris. Most of the below photos come from the visit on 11 April 1964 with some from an earlier visit on 3 September 1962.
The line from Nelson to Dowlais was 9½ miles long and steeply graded with long lengths at 1 in 40/42. The summit was at Cwmbargoed Station where in the exchange sidings alongside were always many mineral wagons waiting to be loaded with coal or waiting to depart. There were very few houses at Cwmbargoed as it was a bleak place on a par with Princetown but with none of the facilities that Princetown has to offer. On first sight I thought it strange that Cwmbargoed should have a luggage label printed for it but the people who lived there would have wanted their luggage returned when they went on holiday. As my train approached Cae Harris Station it passed the engine shed; a sub-shed of Merthyr Shed. For the last few years the shed only had one class of steam engine working from it and that was Collet's 1924 design 0-6-2 tank numbered 5600 and 6600 upwards. They were used on both the passenger and coal trains and were ideal for the steep gradients; and in all the photos I have seen every one was facing north without exception. The shed received a new coaling plant in 1958.
Iron has been used for thousands of years but only in small quantities for implements and weapons. The technology reached Britain about 450BC. Iron smelting took off in the eighteenth century with the invention of the blast furnace able to make larger quantities with sites in South Wales at Blaenavon, Merthyr and Dowlais among others. Founded in 1759 the Dowlais Ironworks became the largest in the world with 18 blast furnaces at its peak in 1845. It was the first works to make steel in 1865 and became famous after making the iron used to make the rail track for the Stockton and Darlington Railway opened 200 years ago this year. The works closed in 1987.
Dowlais had a lot of railways and several railway stations of which Cae Harris was one of the most convenient being a short distance off the main road through the town. This was the turnpike road from Merthyr to Abergavenny, later the A465, but now bypassed by The Heads of The Valley Road. A little further east up the main road was the other main station called Dowlais High Street built on an embankment where the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny line crossed the main road. Although Cae Harris was a terminal station for passengers one line in the adjacent goods yard continued north between the houses and crossed the main road on the level to reach all the industrial works to the north. The gap in the houses can be still be seen and on the opposite side of High Street someone has thoughtfully laid a short length of track to remind residents of their heritage. Dowlais now has no standard gauge railways, but it does have a narrow gauge railway in the shape of the Brecon Mountain Railway whose southern terminus is at Pant on the edge of Dowlais.
Until very recently coal was extracted in a huge area of open-cast workings to the south of Dowlais and to the east of Merthyr. The coal was washed and graded and loaded into rail wagons at Cwmbargoed which had the first passenger station 2¾ miles out of Dowlais Cae Harris. Cwmbargoed continued dispatching coal trains until 2024.
My first trip on the line was on Saturday 10 December 1960 on a day trip. I travelled up from Cardiff General in a dmu to Merthyr and then took a return trip to Hirwaun in auto-coach 194 hauled/propelled by pannier 6416 of Merthyr Shed. On returning to Merthyr Station I walked the two miles uphill to Dowlais Cae Harris Station where I bought an ordinary return to Ystrad Mynach. The outward and return trips were hauled by 5696 with two coaches; and for those interested in GW coaches they were numbered W6816W and W6817W. At Dowlais I/we walked downhill to Merthyr to catch a 6-car dmu back to Cardiff, where I was staying; but my friend Charles Fennamore who was with me that day then had to travel back to Ogmore Vale by train and bus. Many of the Valley lines had been dieselised two years earlier and this day was part of a plan to travel all the remaining steam operated lines before they were either dieselised or closed to passengers. In all I made four visits to Cae Harris. Most of the below photos come from the visit on 11 April 1964 with some from an earlier visit on 3 September 1962.
5696 stands in the sidings at Cwmbargoed with a rake of 20-ton coal wagons taken from the train. Note the precast concrete signal post. The houses on the horizon are some of the very very few in the area. 11 April 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
My train has arrived at the buffer stops at Dowlais Cae Harris at 10.10am on 11.04.1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
5677 runs around its two coaches outside Cae Harris Station over a double-slip point. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
5677 is ready to depart on the 11.32am to Ystrad Mynach. On the left is 5605 which had just arrived LE from Cwmbargoed where I saw it earlier. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
There were at least three sets of coaches on the branch. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Cae Harris station buildings seen on 3 September 1962. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The approach to Cae Harris station was on a sharp curve at the bottom of a steep gradient. Here we see that the area to the south of the town was pock marked by waste heaps. The engine shed was a sub-shed of 88D Merthyr Shed and closed in December 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
5655 outside the station. These powerful 0-6-2 tanks were rated 5MT by British Railways. All 200 in the class were withdrawn between 1962 and 1966 and 9 were preserved. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
5666 departs for Nelson at 4.15pm on 3 September 1962. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Cover of the pamphlet introducing improved diesel services on 15 September 1958. Some services had been dieselised earlier that year. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Map of the lines operated by DMU in September 1958. It was a little optimistic to include the line to Dowlais Top as I think there was just one train per day operated by DMU. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 39
Bodmin and Padstow 04.01.1964
Michael L. Roach
The year 1964 was the last of mostly steam-hauled trains on The Withered Arm lines in North Cornwall; although there were already some trains between Bodmin Road and Padstow hauled by North British Type 2 diesels in the D6300 series.
My first trip of the year was a day trip from Plymouth to Padstow by train on Saturday 4 January. The trip to Bodmin Road was in a 3-car dmu hauling a tail load of a parcels van. From Bodmin Road to General was a type 2 with two coaches on the 10.05am. From General I was on foot for nearly four hours, until boarding a train at Dunmere for Padstow.
In just 10¾ miles to Padstow I had two different steam engines numbers 41295 and 31874 on the two coaches. I was at Padstow for nearly 2½ hours finally leaving at 5.02pm by which time it was dark. There then followed three trips behind Ivatt tank no. 41295 Padstow – Bodmin North – Wadebridge – Bodmin Road where arrival at 6.49pm afforded a four minute connection into an up train hauled by one of the original Warship Class with five coaches.
A successful day out in the depths of winter, although I did not take many photos that day, so I have added a couple of photos from 1959 including one that surfaced recently that I had quite forgotten about. How long is it since there were semaphore signals at the location in the penultimate image.
My first trip of the year was a day trip from Plymouth to Padstow by train on Saturday 4 January. The trip to Bodmin Road was in a 3-car dmu hauling a tail load of a parcels van. From Bodmin Road to General was a type 2 with two coaches on the 10.05am. From General I was on foot for nearly four hours, until boarding a train at Dunmere for Padstow.
In just 10¾ miles to Padstow I had two different steam engines numbers 41295 and 31874 on the two coaches. I was at Padstow for nearly 2½ hours finally leaving at 5.02pm by which time it was dark. There then followed three trips behind Ivatt tank no. 41295 Padstow – Bodmin North – Wadebridge – Bodmin Road where arrival at 6.49pm afforded a four minute connection into an up train hauled by one of the original Warship Class with five coaches.
A successful day out in the depths of winter, although I did not take many photos that day, so I have added a couple of photos from 1959 including one that surfaced recently that I had quite forgotten about. How long is it since there were semaphore signals at the location in the penultimate image.
Ivatt 41295 of Wadebridge Shed stands at Bodmin North shrouded in steam at 10.30am on 4 January 1964. The engine moved to Yeovil five months later. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The 11.20am Bodmin North to Wadebridge passes Dunmere Junction behind 41295 on 04.01.1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The water tank in Pencarrow Woods on the Wenford Branch on the same day. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Two N-class engines at Padstow on 4 January 1964. At the platform is 31859 of Exmouth Junction leaving on the 2.52pm to Bodmin North while 31874 waits to gain the platform to take out the 3.13pm. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
31874 of Exmouth Junction is seen at Padstow on the 3.13pm to Okehampton on 4 January 1964. The engine was withdrawn two months later. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
4552 of St. Blazey runs into Bodmin Road with the 11.35am SO from Padstow past a GW wooden bracket signal on Saturday 18 July 1959. After taking water and running around 4552 would take out the 12.38pm SO to Wadebridge. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
4552 takes water as 6828 Trellech Grange of Truro Shed departs with the 11.15am off Newquay. This was a restaurant car train to Birmingham and Wolverhampton (due 7.58pm). The train ran via Stratford-upon-Avon. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 40
Y Glyn Crwydryn Railtour - 24.04.1965
Michael L. Roach
This instalment looks back to a railtour around South Wales in the Spring of 1965. There were several in the area that year, because steam was in rapid decline with few steam engines in daily use and steam sheds falling over like dominoes as they closed completely or closed to steam.
This was one of two railtours that I participated in, with the other being covered in three months time. This one was organised jointly by The West Glamorgan and The Monmouthshire Railway Societies and ran on 24 April 1965. It started and finished at Cardiff General and the route was Pontypridd, Aberdare LL, Hirwaun, Neath Riverside, Colbren Junction, Pontardawe, Swansea Eastern Depot, Jersey Marine, Felin Fran, Swansea High Street and Cardiff General. The tour lasted from 11.10 to 18.10 and was one of those rare occasions when RST (railtour standard time – an hour late) did not arise as the tour returned to Cardiff 1½ minutes early. This was despite leaving Colbren Junction 11L due to low water pressure and losing 20 minutes at Pontardawe when an enthusiast fell from a door and needed medical attention.
The load was five well filled corridor coaches. Large prairie 6116 of Radyr Shed hauled the first leg (Cardiff to Neath Riverside) and the last leg (Swansea High Street to Cardiff); the engine was condemned at Radyr two months later. The middle sections from Neath Riverside to Swansea High Street, lasted exactly three hours, when the train was double-headed by pannier tanks 4612 and 9675 both of Neath Shed with both engines being withdrawn within six months. 4612 was one of 16 panniers to enter preservation and now resides on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway in Cornwall.
This was a well-organised railtour which was a credit to the Societies organising it. I was grateful that it kept to time because I travelled from and to Plymouth to be there that day. The railtour fare was 40 shillings (£2) and it cost me a further 48 shillings to reach Cardiff. In the seven hours the railtour was en-route, I only noted one steam engine, and that was 2-8-2 tank 7248 of Llanelly Shed at Stormy Down Sidings.
This was one of two railtours that I participated in, with the other being covered in three months time. This one was organised jointly by The West Glamorgan and The Monmouthshire Railway Societies and ran on 24 April 1965. It started and finished at Cardiff General and the route was Pontypridd, Aberdare LL, Hirwaun, Neath Riverside, Colbren Junction, Pontardawe, Swansea Eastern Depot, Jersey Marine, Felin Fran, Swansea High Street and Cardiff General. The tour lasted from 11.10 to 18.10 and was one of those rare occasions when RST (railtour standard time – an hour late) did not arise as the tour returned to Cardiff 1½ minutes early. This was despite leaving Colbren Junction 11L due to low water pressure and losing 20 minutes at Pontardawe when an enthusiast fell from a door and needed medical attention.
The load was five well filled corridor coaches. Large prairie 6116 of Radyr Shed hauled the first leg (Cardiff to Neath Riverside) and the last leg (Swansea High Street to Cardiff); the engine was condemned at Radyr two months later. The middle sections from Neath Riverside to Swansea High Street, lasted exactly three hours, when the train was double-headed by pannier tanks 4612 and 9675 both of Neath Shed with both engines being withdrawn within six months. 4612 was one of 16 panniers to enter preservation and now resides on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway in Cornwall.
This was a well-organised railtour which was a credit to the Societies organising it. I was grateful that it kept to time because I travelled from and to Plymouth to be there that day. The railtour fare was 40 shillings (£2) and it cost me a further 48 shillings to reach Cardiff. In the seven hours the railtour was en-route, I only noted one steam engine, and that was 2-8-2 tank 7248 of Llanelly Shed at Stormy Down Sidings.
6116 stands at Hirwaun with the railtour on 24.04.1965. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking the other way at Hirwaun towards Neath. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The railtour has arrived at Neath Riverside where 6116 came off and the train reversed, and the headboards had to be moved to the front of the train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The enthusiasts stretch their legs at Neath Riverside looking towards Jersey Marine and Swansea. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The panniers have arrived at Colbren Junction on the line to the left of the signal box and then reversed into a platform not used by passenger trains for 30 years before running around the train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The two panniers take water, very slowly because of low pressure. It took a long time to top up both engines. Here we are looking towards Brecon. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The engines are coupled to the train ready to leave Colbren and travel down the freight-only line through Abercrave and Ynysygeinon Junction. The signals on the right are on the line to Neath. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
6116 takes water at Bridgend on its way from Swansea High Street to Cardiff General. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 41
EXETER February 1964
Michael L. Roach
In February 1964 I made three visits to Exeter by train. The first was on the 2 February, when I arrived on the 4.00pm from Waterloo - the only occasion that I travelled the full length of the Southern main line (although I had travelled parts of it many times before).
Merchant Navy 35022 gave a good account of itself, reaching a maximum of 82mph and sustaining an average of 80mph from Whitchurch North to Andover.
The second and third visits were on day trips from Plymouth on 15 and 29 February at a fare of ten shillings for a cheap day return (equivalent today £8.25). On both dates I travelled to Exeter via Okehampton behind 34054 on the Plymouth to Brighton through train, and on 29th returned on the Brighton behind the same engine, having stayed at Exeter for several hours.
On 15th I headed up to Barnstaple behind 34107 and then east to Taunton via Dulverton. From Taunton I travelled home direct behind a D800 Warship.
The reason for these trips was that it would already have been known that this was the last year of steam at Exeter, and a steam trip from Plymouth was something to be savoured while it was still available.
Merchant Navy 35022 gave a good account of itself, reaching a maximum of 82mph and sustaining an average of 80mph from Whitchurch North to Andover.
The second and third visits were on day trips from Plymouth on 15 and 29 February at a fare of ten shillings for a cheap day return (equivalent today £8.25). On both dates I travelled to Exeter via Okehampton behind 34054 on the Plymouth to Brighton through train, and on 29th returned on the Brighton behind the same engine, having stayed at Exeter for several hours.
On 15th I headed up to Barnstaple behind 34107 and then east to Taunton via Dulverton. From Taunton I travelled home direct behind a D800 Warship.
The reason for these trips was that it would already have been known that this was the last year of steam at Exeter, and a steam trip from Plymouth was something to be savoured while it was still available.
34054 with 8C on the Plymouth to Brighton at Exeter St. Davids on 15 Feb 1964. The engine had reached 70mph north of Bere Alston and at North Tawton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The Brighton is banked out of St. Davids by pannier tank 4655 on 15.02.1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The Brighton is banked out of St. Davids again but this time by pannier 3759 taken from the train hauled by 34054 again on 29 February 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
34054 is about to enter the tunnel on 29.02.1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
34020 is seen on the 1.10pm from Exeter Central to Salisbury. The first vehicle is a BR built autocoach no. 238. Out of picture were a further three coaches and six parcel vans. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
35017 runs through the station on its way to Exmouth Junction Shed after bringing in the 9.00am from Waterloo on 29.02.1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Z-class 30957 banks the three coaches and eight GUVs of the Surbiton car carrier out of St. Davids on 28 July 1962. The train was hauled by 34096. At the time Exmouth Junction had all eight of the class, but all were withdrawn before the end of 1962. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 42
PS WAVERLEY
Michael L. Roach
Publicity came early in April 2025 that PS Waverley would be returning to the ports on the South Coast of Devon and Cornwall at the end of August as it had done in 2024. The Waverley was built on the Clyde during 1945 – 1947 to replace a paddle steamer of the same name that had been sunk during the evacuation of Dunkirk; and both were named after Sir Walter Scott's first novel. The ship was built for the LNER and sailed on the River Clyde from 1947 to 1973. In 1974 it was sold to a preservation society who had already bought the paddle steamer Kingswear Castle from the River Dart. Originally powered by a coal-fired steam engine this was later changed to oil firing and remains so. The engine is a triple-expansion marine steam engine rated at 2,100 IHP which is similar to a large pacific-type steam locomotive. The paddle wheels are rigidly fixed to the main crank and cannot turn independently; so when it is facing the wrong way it has to execute a 3-point turn just like a motor car. The ship is 73 metres long and weighs 693 grt and can carry up to 925 passengers. The service speed is 14 knots (16 mph), but when I have been watching it online it tends to do a little more than this, around 14.8 knots (17 mph).
PS Waverley spends part of each summer season cruising on the River Clyde, its original stomping ground; but comes south for several weeks to do excursions in the Bristol Channel, Thames Estuary, South Coast etc. The ship is claimed to be the World's last sea-going paddle steamer and therefore rounding Lands End holds no problems for it. However it has been reluctant to visit the ports of Devon and Cornwall for many years but returned in the summer of 2024 to operate out of Penzance, Falmouth, Fowey, Plymouth and Dartmouth where it was present for, and I suspect the highlight of, the Dartmouth Royal Regatta.
It arrived in Falmouth on Tuesday 27 August and departed Dartmouth at 10.45am on Tuesday 2 September for a 6-hour one-way cruise to Swanage to take up its South Coast Excursions. Each day would see up to four individual trips, and passengers could partake of one, two, three or all four with coach travel returning passengers to their starting point. I only ever made one trip on the Waverley and that was an evening excursion from Swanage to Bournemouth and back without landing. Swanage pier was closed awaiting repairs at the time so we embarked and dis-embarked by small boat.
The highlight was undoubtedly visiting the engine room of Waverley and seeing the magnificent steam engine working hard. However, the photos used to illustrate this article date back even earlier to 1979 when the Waverley was working out of Plymouth. On that occasion the ship used Millbay Docks at the very pier that had been used by the GWR for landing trans-Atlantic passengers brought ashore, with the mails, by one of the railway's three tenders up until the early 1960s. In 2024 the Waverley used Plymouth's historic Sutton Harbour to embark its passengers.
On Saturday 19 May 1979 I visited Millbay Docks twice to see PS Waverley, and in between the two visits the ship made a trip out to the Eddystone Lighthouse. I witnessed the ship arriving each time and also being refuelled. Originally coal fired, the Waverley now burns low-sulphur medium fuel oil at the rate of 700 litres per hour at the service speed of 14 knots. It was Esso that supplied the oil in 1979 in the days when the firm had its own fleet of delivery lorries. At the time of writing (21.04.2025) Waverley is moored up on the River Clyde near the Glasgow Observation Tower.
PS Waverley spends part of each summer season cruising on the River Clyde, its original stomping ground; but comes south for several weeks to do excursions in the Bristol Channel, Thames Estuary, South Coast etc. The ship is claimed to be the World's last sea-going paddle steamer and therefore rounding Lands End holds no problems for it. However it has been reluctant to visit the ports of Devon and Cornwall for many years but returned in the summer of 2024 to operate out of Penzance, Falmouth, Fowey, Plymouth and Dartmouth where it was present for, and I suspect the highlight of, the Dartmouth Royal Regatta.
It arrived in Falmouth on Tuesday 27 August and departed Dartmouth at 10.45am on Tuesday 2 September for a 6-hour one-way cruise to Swanage to take up its South Coast Excursions. Each day would see up to four individual trips, and passengers could partake of one, two, three or all four with coach travel returning passengers to their starting point. I only ever made one trip on the Waverley and that was an evening excursion from Swanage to Bournemouth and back without landing. Swanage pier was closed awaiting repairs at the time so we embarked and dis-embarked by small boat.
The highlight was undoubtedly visiting the engine room of Waverley and seeing the magnificent steam engine working hard. However, the photos used to illustrate this article date back even earlier to 1979 when the Waverley was working out of Plymouth. On that occasion the ship used Millbay Docks at the very pier that had been used by the GWR for landing trans-Atlantic passengers brought ashore, with the mails, by one of the railway's three tenders up until the early 1960s. In 2024 the Waverley used Plymouth's historic Sutton Harbour to embark its passengers.
On Saturday 19 May 1979 I visited Millbay Docks twice to see PS Waverley, and in between the two visits the ship made a trip out to the Eddystone Lighthouse. I witnessed the ship arriving each time and also being refuelled. Originally coal fired, the Waverley now burns low-sulphur medium fuel oil at the rate of 700 litres per hour at the service speed of 14 knots. It was Esso that supplied the oil in 1979 in the days when the firm had its own fleet of delivery lorries. At the time of writing (21.04.2025) Waverley is moored up on the River Clyde near the Glasgow Observation Tower.
Waverley arrives at Millbay just before 1.00pm on 19 May 1979. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The passengers wait to disembark from Waverley. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Waverley receives a load of Esso fuel oil at Millbay Pier at 1.20pm on 19 May 1979. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Here I am looking almost due west showing a Brittany Ferries ship at the Ro-Ro terminal. For so many years the grain silo was a major feature of the docks – it is just out of the picture top left. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Waverley returns to Millbay at 4.00pm after a trip to the Eddystone Lighthouse which cost £3.95 for adults (equals £19 in 2025). Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The raked funnels and paddle wheels. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Waverley manoeuvres to face east at the wharf. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 42A
PS Waverley - Latest
Michael L. Roach
PS Waverley finished its stint on the Clyde Coast on Bank Holiday Monday 25 August and was due to start its South West and South Coast Cruises on Thursday 28 August 2025 working out of Falmouth and Penzance on the first day. That gave it a couple of days to sail down the Irish Sea and around Lands End. However the weather forecast for the next few days is for strong winds and severe swell off Lands End so the decision was taken that Waverley would make this repositioning move by travelling around the north of Scotland and down the East Coast of England taking much longer. Amazingly this mammoth voyage of more than 1000 nautical miles will be a first for Waverley. The cruises scheduled for 28 August from Falmouth and Penzance have already been cancelled. More information at Waverley excursions.co.uk
At the time of writing (8.30pm on 26 August 2025) Waverley is heading east about five miles off Thurso.
At the time of writing (8.30pm on 26 August 2025) Waverley is heading east about five miles off Thurso.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 43
Day Trip to Bude - 23.05.1964
Michael L. Roach
In steam days I made many rail trips where I was away for up to 18 hours, and sometimes even longer. I also made many day and half-day trips wholly by car where the objective was to photograph trains in the countryside between stations. In this I was inspired by the landscape photographs of expert photographers like Peter Gray, P.M. Alexander, J.F. Russell-Smith and later by Trevor Owen and I wanted to emulate them. I never had a formal bucket-list of places to visit, but there were places, particularly in Mid-Wales, where I waited years to get there and photograph a train in stunning scenery. It was not easy because these places were hundreds of miles from home, and some of the lines had just three passenger trains a day. Thirdly there were the hybrid trips where a day of car travel for lineside photography was interrupted by parking up at a railway station and taking a return trip along a line that was still steam worked. The 23 May 1964 was just such a day.
I headed north from Plymouth to the rail lines west of Okehampton. First stop was near Hatherleigh to capture the 10.38am Halwill to Torrington on film; this was the first of just two passenger trains a day over this part of the line. Because the train was booked to stop at Hatherleigh Station for several minutes I was able to see it on both sides of Hatherleigh. The photographs will be shown later in the year. I then retreated several miles to the summit of the whole ex-Southern route from Plymouth to Exeter south of Meldon Junction for the only time ever at this location. The objective was the 11.10am Plymouth to Brighton through train which turned out to be hauled by 34009 Lyme Regis of Nine Elms Shed with eight coaches. Earlier in the year the engine off the up Brighton returned with the down Brighton from Exeter but whether it did that day I do not know.
I then turned my attention to having a train trip from Okehampton to Bude and back. I went out on the 1.18pm off Okehampton which took 61 minutes for the 31 miles; returning on the 3.11pm off Bude. By the time I got to Bude the rain had set in so after taking two photos of the train engine 31812 I had to abandon photography for the day. In view of this I have included some photos of Okehampton to Bude trains later in 1964.
I headed north from Plymouth to the rail lines west of Okehampton. First stop was near Hatherleigh to capture the 10.38am Halwill to Torrington on film; this was the first of just two passenger trains a day over this part of the line. Because the train was booked to stop at Hatherleigh Station for several minutes I was able to see it on both sides of Hatherleigh. The photographs will be shown later in the year. I then retreated several miles to the summit of the whole ex-Southern route from Plymouth to Exeter south of Meldon Junction for the only time ever at this location. The objective was the 11.10am Plymouth to Brighton through train which turned out to be hauled by 34009 Lyme Regis of Nine Elms Shed with eight coaches. Earlier in the year the engine off the up Brighton returned with the down Brighton from Exeter but whether it did that day I do not know.
I then turned my attention to having a train trip from Okehampton to Bude and back. I went out on the 1.18pm off Okehampton which took 61 minutes for the 31 miles; returning on the 3.11pm off Bude. By the time I got to Bude the rain had set in so after taking two photos of the train engine 31812 I had to abandon photography for the day. In view of this I have included some photos of Okehampton to Bude trains later in 1964.
34009 Lyme Regis approaches Meldon distant signal with the 11.10am Plymouth to Brighton through train at 12.01 on Saturday 23 May 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
31812 waits at Bude to take out the 3.11pm to Okehampton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
As can be seen it was a very wet day at Bude, and this was my last photo of the day. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
2-6-4 tank 80041 stands at Okehampton waiting to take out the 1.40pm to Bude on Saturday 1 August 1964. At this time the Western Region were still using the 12-hour clock, until the timetable change in September 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
80041 returned from Bude on the 3.35pm Bude to Okehampton here seen at Halwill Junction at 4.13pm on 01.08.1964. The signal is off for the down ACE which would enter 3 minutes later running an hour late behind N-class 31859 with 8C. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
80036 is turned on the turntable at Okehampton before taking out the 12 10 to Bude on Saturday 24 October 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
80036 has arrived at Halwill Junction with the 12 10 from Okehampton on 24.10.1964. Although the original timetable had been issued to apply from 15 June 1964 to 13 June 1965 there had been so many changes in September 1964 that a 127-page Supplement was issued. The Supplement introduced the 24-hour clock to the Western Region and this was how the train times were written in the timetable, which commenced on 7 September 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
My ticket for parking the car at Okehampton Station on 23 May 1964. The two shilling charge allowed for parking any length of time on that one day. The car was a 1954 pea-green Ford Consul first registered in Birmingham. It only had a 3-speed gearbox. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The back of the parking ticket. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 44
Stockton & Darlington 200
Michael L. Roach
This instalment is going to cover the single most important railway anniversary for many years, which will occur later in 2025. It was 200 years ago that the first length of 25 miles of the Stockton and Darlington Railway opened on 27 September 1825 to both freight and passenger trains using mostly steam engines, although horse traction was also allowed at first. The first meeting of those who would form the company took place at The George & Dragon Hotel in Yarm in 1820. The company constructed various extensions to Middlesborough and Saltburn; and to Kirkby Stephen and the West Coast Main Line in two places. The S&D retained its independence until 1863 when it was taken over by the North Eastern Railway contributing some 200 route miles and 160 engines to the new owners. There will be various celebrations, exhibitions etc throughout the north-east and throughout 2025. There will also be events throughout Britain. The logo adopted for the celebrations uses the slogan “200 Years of Train Travel Since 1825.”
Now five years later another well-known railway opened which tried to claim some of the S&D's thunder. That railway was the Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened on Wednesday 15 September 1830. Claims made for the L&M were that it was the first to rely exclusively on steam power; first to be double track throughout; first to have a signalling system; first to be fully timetabled; and the first to carry mail. The L&M was taken over by The Grand Junction Railway in 1845. Another claim, although probably not coined until many years later, was that the L&M was the first inter-city railway in the world; however someone pointed out in the railway press earlier this year (2025) that in 1830 neither Liverpool or Manchester was a city – they were both still towns.
At the time of the 150 celebrations in 1975 there was a cavalcade of steam engines at Shildon past a series of viewing platforms. I am afraid there will be no cavalcade in 2025 but there will still be lots to see. Many of the S&D's original buildings still exist and have been preserved, and are well worth visiting. If you have not fixed your holidays yet then the North-East of England is well worth considering. There are many interesting stations, railway lines, countryside including three National Parks, a beautiful coastline and an enormous number of really fascinating towns and villages. You will not be disappointed. To be clear, the area that I am talking about is the territory of the North Eastern Railway (1854 – 1922) which stretched from the Humber to the Scottish Border and inland 40 to 45 miles from the coast. I was there in September 1975 for the 150 celebrations and have been back several times since and have never been disappointed. If you are just passing through the area then the one location which should not be missed is the wonderful North Yorkshire Moors Railway, which is in the top three of heritage lines in Britain and many would say is top. Attached to this article are some images from my week in the north-east in 1975.
The cavalcade took place on the afternoon of Sunday 31 August 1975 with the main grandstands located just south east of Shildon Station. At that point the railway is running from north west to south east and the viewing stands were located on the north side of the line. A seat cost £2.50 in advance and £3.00 on the day; while access to the site was just 50p. I chose to go further south east where the line is in a cutting. Was I being a skinflint in paying nothing to view the cavalcade. No, definitely not as I knew that if the sun shone the side of the engines nearest to the grandstands would be in shadow and I wanted to be on the sunny side of the engines as they passed. There were several visits by people rattling their tins for local charities which was nice to see.
The last few images show some of the 1975 brochures and guides etc. The most important one was the 80-page booklet “Rail 150 Exhibition Steam Cavalcade” which contained a complete one page potted history of each class of engine seen in the run-past. The ISBN is 0 9504223 0 4 and the booklet does occasionally appear on Ebay.
Now five years later another well-known railway opened which tried to claim some of the S&D's thunder. That railway was the Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened on Wednesday 15 September 1830. Claims made for the L&M were that it was the first to rely exclusively on steam power; first to be double track throughout; first to have a signalling system; first to be fully timetabled; and the first to carry mail. The L&M was taken over by The Grand Junction Railway in 1845. Another claim, although probably not coined until many years later, was that the L&M was the first inter-city railway in the world; however someone pointed out in the railway press earlier this year (2025) that in 1830 neither Liverpool or Manchester was a city – they were both still towns.
At the time of the 150 celebrations in 1975 there was a cavalcade of steam engines at Shildon past a series of viewing platforms. I am afraid there will be no cavalcade in 2025 but there will still be lots to see. Many of the S&D's original buildings still exist and have been preserved, and are well worth visiting. If you have not fixed your holidays yet then the North-East of England is well worth considering. There are many interesting stations, railway lines, countryside including three National Parks, a beautiful coastline and an enormous number of really fascinating towns and villages. You will not be disappointed. To be clear, the area that I am talking about is the territory of the North Eastern Railway (1854 – 1922) which stretched from the Humber to the Scottish Border and inland 40 to 45 miles from the coast. I was there in September 1975 for the 150 celebrations and have been back several times since and have never been disappointed. If you are just passing through the area then the one location which should not be missed is the wonderful North Yorkshire Moors Railway, which is in the top three of heritage lines in Britain and many would say is top. Attached to this article are some images from my week in the north-east in 1975.
The cavalcade took place on the afternoon of Sunday 31 August 1975 with the main grandstands located just south east of Shildon Station. At that point the railway is running from north west to south east and the viewing stands were located on the north side of the line. A seat cost £2.50 in advance and £3.00 on the day; while access to the site was just 50p. I chose to go further south east where the line is in a cutting. Was I being a skinflint in paying nothing to view the cavalcade. No, definitely not as I knew that if the sun shone the side of the engines nearest to the grandstands would be in shadow and I wanted to be on the sunny side of the engines as they passed. There were several visits by people rattling their tins for local charities which was nice to see.
The last few images show some of the 1975 brochures and guides etc. The most important one was the 80-page booklet “Rail 150 Exhibition Steam Cavalcade” which contained a complete one page potted history of each class of engine seen in the run-past. The ISBN is 0 9504223 0 4 and the booklet does occasionally appear on Ebay.
LNER 4-4-0 no. 246 “Morayshire” was the first engine I photographed in the cavalcade. It was a D49 dating from 1948 and was based throughout its life at Scottish sheds. Its BR no. was 62277. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
GWR pannier no. 7752 dated from 1930 and had been built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow, who were once the largest locomotive manufacturing company in Europe. None of the people in these first two photos had paid to watch the cavalcade. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Plaque at Shildon which is self-explanatory. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
An original S&D bridge. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The frontage of Darlington North Road Station which was opened to passengers by the S&DR on 1 April 1842 and is still used by hourly Northern trains to Shildon, Bishop Auckland and return. It should be noted that National Rail call the station North Road (Darlington) – code NRD. The former station building (behind the frontage shown) is used as a railway museum, and is well worth visiting. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
LNER A4 no. 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley on display at Darlington (Bank Top) Station during the week of the main events. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The George and Dragon Hotel at Yarm where the original meeting of the promoters of the S&DR took place. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The plaque explains all. The hotel is located in High Street, Yarm, which has a very wide main street because markets were held there, and this is typical of many northern towns and larger villages. Yarm is also famous for its railway viaduct which was completed in 1849 but not opened until 1852. The viaduct has a magnificent 42 arches spanning the broad valley of the River Tees. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The very first railway booking office anywhere in the world at Stockton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Again the plaque explains all. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Cover of The Calendar of Events 1975. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Cover of The Rail Trail. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Cover of The Darlington Souvenir Programme. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Cover of The Steam Cavalcade Souvenir Guide. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Page 76 of The Steam Cavalcade Souvenir Guide. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Page 80 of The Steam Cavalcade Souvenir Guide. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Part of the Cavalcade Supplement, which was printed at the last moment when the running order was known. The writing is my notes as I switched from still photographs to movie film and back again. The first engine passed me at 2.29pm and the last at 4.12pm. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 45
The Railway Stations of Dowlais
Michael L. Roach
There were four rail routes passing through or terminating at Dowlais up until the 1950s. Heading roughly north to south overall, along the eastern boundary of Dowlais was the secondary route from Brecon to Newport (Originally The Brecon & Merthyr). This had two stations both of which had crossing loops on the single line. The most important was Dowlais Top at the top of a long hill up from Merthyr and Dowlais. The site of the station can easily be identified in a piece of waste ground just north of the A465 and just east of the road leading into the present Asda store. The other was at Pant (Glam) on the northern outskirts of the present Dowlais built-up area but then convenient only for the the major cemetery for the two towns. Running roughly east to west overall was the secondary route from Abergavenny to Merthyr (Originally the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny). This also had two stations. The most important was High Street on a high embankment where the line crossed the main road from coming up from Merthyr. High Street Station was actually at Dowlais Top according to the OS map of 1901 with Dowlais Top Station further east. Further north along the line from High Street Station was Pantysgallog Halt Low Level which had a single platform. I have no photo of either of these stations.
Approaching from the south was the joint line (GWR and Rhymney Railway) from Nelson terminating at Cae Harris Station just off the main road and best for those going south to Cardiff and Newport. Approaching from the north was the short 1¼ mile branch from Pant (Glam) on the Brecon to Newport line terminating at Dowlais Central and much used by workers at the nearby factories and works. The extensive Ivor Iron Works dated from 1839 but there had been iron works in the area since 1759. Later there was an ammonia works in the area. Pantyscallog Halt High Level was half way along the short branch to Pant where branch trains started from a third single platform alongside the main station, at a slightly lower level. There is a story about Pantyscallog High Level Station. When my one-and-only photo of the halt was published in the Welsh Railways Research Circle's Newsletter about ten years ago I was contacted by an enthusiast who told me he was brought up in a house in the street on the left of the photo overlooking the railway in the 1940s and 1950s. He had been watching the trains passing right through his childhood and had worked in the steelworks. We collaborated on a couple of articles both of which were published in the prestigous Merthyr Historian. For many years Alistair has lived on the other side of the world in The Phillipines and has endured health problems and severe weather problems. I wish you well Alistair if you should be reading this.
So in an area just one mile wide and less than two miles long there were once 7 railway stations and for the last 60 years there have been none. However just north of that area is Brecon Mountain Railway's southern terminus at Pant. The best map to consult is Sheet 154 of the OS One inch Seventh Series from the mid-1950s, available on NLS. The built-up area of Dowlais is much larger now than it was then. I will now look at certain aspects of some of the stations.
In Part 38 I related how Dowlais Cae Harris was just one of 7 stations and halts in Dowlais. Cae Harris was just off the High Street and was the main station for passengers heading south to Nelson, Caerphilly and Cardiff. The other main station in the town was Dowlais High Street. The entrance to this station was just 100 metres up the main road at a point where the Methyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny line passed over the main road. High Street Station was for passengers heading east to Abergavenny and beyond and west to Merthyr, Aberdare, Neath and Swansea. The MTA line was an early casualty closing on and from Monday 6 January 1958. On the roads of the time it was just over 19 miles from Abergavenny to Merthyr, but by rail it was 23 miles. This disparity is explained by the MTA line making a large circle around the north side of both Dowlais and Merthyr to approach Merthyr from the south. The extra miles were necessary to lose height. At Dowlais High Street the railway was at an elevation of about 1,150 feet AOD while at Merthyr Station just 540 feet – a difference of 610 feet (186 metres). The gradient was falling at 1 in 45/50 for nearly the whole distance. At Morlais Junction another line came in from Pontsticill Junction the next station north of Pant (Glam) and from here to Merthyr the line was a joint railway originally MTA / B&M. The last station on the line before Merthyr was Heolgerrig Halt opened by the GWR on 31 May 1937 at a point where the line crossed over the main road heading west out of Merthyr. Just the other side of that road a superstore was opened a couple of years ago by Trago Mills; their only store outside Devon and Cornwall.
The first route to close was the Abergavenny to Merthyr in January 1958 with High Street and Pantysgallog LL. The Dowlais Central Branch was closed to passengers on 2 May 1960, although the branch trains had been annotated workmens trains for the last few years. Brecon to Newport closed on and from 31 December 1962. The last passenger station to close was Cae Harris on and from 15 June 1964. All 7 stations had been closed in just 6½ years. The Western Region had done their worst and Dowlais has now had no standard-gauge railway station for more than 60 years; except that Dowlais is part of the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough which is the smallest local authority in Wales and there is a passenger station at the bottom of that long steep hill in the middle of Merthyr itself. The population of the Borough is about 60,000 people.
Approaching from the south was the joint line (GWR and Rhymney Railway) from Nelson terminating at Cae Harris Station just off the main road and best for those going south to Cardiff and Newport. Approaching from the north was the short 1¼ mile branch from Pant (Glam) on the Brecon to Newport line terminating at Dowlais Central and much used by workers at the nearby factories and works. The extensive Ivor Iron Works dated from 1839 but there had been iron works in the area since 1759. Later there was an ammonia works in the area. Pantyscallog Halt High Level was half way along the short branch to Pant where branch trains started from a third single platform alongside the main station, at a slightly lower level. There is a story about Pantyscallog High Level Station. When my one-and-only photo of the halt was published in the Welsh Railways Research Circle's Newsletter about ten years ago I was contacted by an enthusiast who told me he was brought up in a house in the street on the left of the photo overlooking the railway in the 1940s and 1950s. He had been watching the trains passing right through his childhood and had worked in the steelworks. We collaborated on a couple of articles both of which were published in the prestigous Merthyr Historian. For many years Alistair has lived on the other side of the world in The Phillipines and has endured health problems and severe weather problems. I wish you well Alistair if you should be reading this.
So in an area just one mile wide and less than two miles long there were once 7 railway stations and for the last 60 years there have been none. However just north of that area is Brecon Mountain Railway's southern terminus at Pant. The best map to consult is Sheet 154 of the OS One inch Seventh Series from the mid-1950s, available on NLS. The built-up area of Dowlais is much larger now than it was then. I will now look at certain aspects of some of the stations.
In Part 38 I related how Dowlais Cae Harris was just one of 7 stations and halts in Dowlais. Cae Harris was just off the High Street and was the main station for passengers heading south to Nelson, Caerphilly and Cardiff. The other main station in the town was Dowlais High Street. The entrance to this station was just 100 metres up the main road at a point where the Methyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny line passed over the main road. High Street Station was for passengers heading east to Abergavenny and beyond and west to Merthyr, Aberdare, Neath and Swansea. The MTA line was an early casualty closing on and from Monday 6 January 1958. On the roads of the time it was just over 19 miles from Abergavenny to Merthyr, but by rail it was 23 miles. This disparity is explained by the MTA line making a large circle around the north side of both Dowlais and Merthyr to approach Merthyr from the south. The extra miles were necessary to lose height. At Dowlais High Street the railway was at an elevation of about 1,150 feet AOD while at Merthyr Station just 540 feet – a difference of 610 feet (186 metres). The gradient was falling at 1 in 45/50 for nearly the whole distance. At Morlais Junction another line came in from Pontsticill Junction the next station north of Pant (Glam) and from here to Merthyr the line was a joint railway originally MTA / B&M. The last station on the line before Merthyr was Heolgerrig Halt opened by the GWR on 31 May 1937 at a point where the line crossed over the main road heading west out of Merthyr. Just the other side of that road a superstore was opened a couple of years ago by Trago Mills; their only store outside Devon and Cornwall.
The first route to close was the Abergavenny to Merthyr in January 1958 with High Street and Pantysgallog LL. The Dowlais Central Branch was closed to passengers on 2 May 1960, although the branch trains had been annotated workmens trains for the last few years. Brecon to Newport closed on and from 31 December 1962. The last passenger station to close was Cae Harris on and from 15 June 1964. All 7 stations had been closed in just 6½ years. The Western Region had done their worst and Dowlais has now had no standard-gauge railway station for more than 60 years; except that Dowlais is part of the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough which is the smallest local authority in Wales and there is a passenger station at the bottom of that long steep hill in the middle of Merthyr itself. The population of the Borough is about 60,000 people.
0-6-2 tank no. 5666 is ready to leave Dowlais Cae Harris with two suburban coaches on the 4.15pm to Nelson on 3 September 1962. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
5677 has arrived at Cae Harris with the 9.35am from Nelson on 11 April 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view of Dowlais Top looking east on 3 September 1964. From here the line turned south across barren moorland to enter the South Wales coalfield. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The level crossing and signal box at the east end of Dowlais Top Station on 3 September 1962. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Pannier tank 4690 arrives at Pant (Glam) with the 2.25pm workmens train from Bargoed, which terminated here. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Pant Station looking north on the same day 3 September 1962. Through the white gate between the station building and the water tank a path led down to the third platform from where branch trains to Dowlais Central departed. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Dowlais Central Station looking south towards the buffers. Some of the buildings survive as part of Dowlais Leisure Centre. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Another view of Central Station. In the middle is the goods shed and on the right the former engine shed opened by the Brecon & Merthyr in 1898 and closed in May 1960. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Pantyscallog High Level Halt seen on 11 April 1964 when I arrived at Dowlais Cae Harris on a train from Nelson and walked here and to Central from Cae Harris. Note the terraced houses on the left. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 46
Somerton and Langport
Michael L. Roach
Somerton (pop. 5,500) and Langport (pop. 3,500) are two small towns in Somerset and to locate them they once both had railway stations on the main line from Paddington to Penzance They were approximately five miles apart and there was another station between them serving the villages of Long Sutton and Pitney. Two of the three stations dated from the opening of the Langport and Castle Cary Cut-off on 2 July 1906; Long Sutton & Pitney Station followed 15 months later. All three were closed to passengers on and from 10 September 1962. The milepost distances of all the relevant stations in the area is as follows:
Castle Cary - 115m 08c
Somerton - 125m 56c
Long Sutton & Pitney - 127m 70c
Langport East - 129m 73c
Taunton - 142m 71c
The 27¾ route miles between Castle Cary and Taunton Stations make it the longest stretch of railway between any two stations on the whole of the route from London to Penzance. The town of Langport also had a railway station on the former Bristol and Exeter Railway Branch from Durston (later Taunton) to Yeovil, called Langport West. Some photos of the two Langport Stations are attached on the last day of passenger services between Taunton and Yeovil. Somerton Station was visited by a CRS minibus tour in June 1984 when we were able to drive the minibus right up to the railway fence between the site of the former passenger and goods stations almost opposite the signal box, some 22 years after closure to passengers on 10.09.1962. The reason for lumping Somerton and Langport together in this article is that there has been a proposal on the table for some time to construct a single parkway station to serve the two towns. The logical place might be at the site of Long Sutton & Pitney Station where the line is in cutting alongside an unclassified (yellow) road which passes over the line on a bridge. This location has the added advantage of being roughly equidistant from both Langport and Somerton – about 3 miles by road, but the roads in the area are not great. The proposed location is close to the hamlet of Upton which retains its yellow circular AA village sign dating from the period 1906 – 1932. Although they were erected in their thousands there are only about 65 still in-situ.
The double-track Paddington to Penzance line passes through both Langport and Somerton with residential areas on both sides of the line in both towns. In the last twelve months a new factor has come to the fore. The Go-op Co-operative is a train operating company planning to operate train services across Somerset and Wiltshire linking main lines to smaller market towns and providing better connectivity. In November 2024 it won conditional approval for its services to begin no later than December 2026. A recent press release proposed seven services each way between Taunton and Westbury with some services extended north from Taunton to Weston-super-Mare and at the other end some extended to Swindon. Their trains would be operated by Class 153 single railcar and would stop at all stations. In view of the Go-op proposals I think it might be better to build new unstaffed stations right in the middle of both Langport and Somerton with medium sized car parks but within walking distance of the whole population of the two towns. This would save the awkward 3-mile trip to a single parkway station for those without cars and parking fees. Each station would serve at least half a dozen villages as well.
On Saturday 2 June 1984 the Outdoor Events Secretary organised a minibus trip to Somerset and Wiltshire visiting many locations where the manual signal boxes and semaphores were soon to be replaced. The Secretary then as now was Roger Winnen who has been doing a marvellous job for a very long time. Among the stations visited that day were Warminster, Dilton Marsh, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Frome and most of the junctions and junction boxes in the area. My last photo was of the up motorail train at Witham Friary at 6.09pm. The first photo of the day was taken at Hatch Station building at 10.15am with the second call at Somerton Station where we arrived at 10.55am. My photos appear below. A very full day with no rain. There were a couple of dull or cloudy periods but the vast majority of photos were taken in clear sun. A highly successful day out thanks to Roger. Engines photographed that day were: 33010, 33020, 33022, 33035, 47277, 47285, 47379, 50005, 50015 and 50037.
The Go-op proposals are a response to what the proposers see as an erratic train service at the existing smaller stations with long gaps and poor connections at times, and is aimed at improving travel within Somerset for local people. There are already a couple of expresses starting at Taunton and running to London Paddington via Bristol, but I think that there could be room for a semi-fast service from Taunton to Paddington via Westbury every two hours to provide more choice along the Berks and Hants line; and stopping at every station as far as Westbury. A recent article in The Sunday Times extolled the virtue of the existing railway stations and how those towns with a station were doing so much better than those without a railway station. However that success is a two-edged sword as the resultant escalation in house prices had put them out of reach of the local people brought up in those towns and now reaching adulthood. Finally this instalment finishes with some scans from 1905 which appeared in the GWR Magazine for July and August that year as the Langport and Castle Cary Cut-off was nearing completion.
All of the above was written before I searched the internet to see how great the pressure was for restoration of train services in the Langport / Somerton area and it became clear that there has been a vigorous campaign underway for several years. You can read more about the campaign at langporttransportgroup.org We wish the campaigners success in their campaign and feel sure that the demand is there from an ageing population and electric vehicles making private motoring too expensive for many families. A railway station or stations would also encourage the longer day trips by rail to Bristol, Bath, London and Weymouth for the 50,000 people in the catchment area.
Castle Cary - 115m 08c
Somerton - 125m 56c
Long Sutton & Pitney - 127m 70c
Langport East - 129m 73c
Taunton - 142m 71c
The 27¾ route miles between Castle Cary and Taunton Stations make it the longest stretch of railway between any two stations on the whole of the route from London to Penzance. The town of Langport also had a railway station on the former Bristol and Exeter Railway Branch from Durston (later Taunton) to Yeovil, called Langport West. Some photos of the two Langport Stations are attached on the last day of passenger services between Taunton and Yeovil. Somerton Station was visited by a CRS minibus tour in June 1984 when we were able to drive the minibus right up to the railway fence between the site of the former passenger and goods stations almost opposite the signal box, some 22 years after closure to passengers on 10.09.1962. The reason for lumping Somerton and Langport together in this article is that there has been a proposal on the table for some time to construct a single parkway station to serve the two towns. The logical place might be at the site of Long Sutton & Pitney Station where the line is in cutting alongside an unclassified (yellow) road which passes over the line on a bridge. This location has the added advantage of being roughly equidistant from both Langport and Somerton – about 3 miles by road, but the roads in the area are not great. The proposed location is close to the hamlet of Upton which retains its yellow circular AA village sign dating from the period 1906 – 1932. Although they were erected in their thousands there are only about 65 still in-situ.
The double-track Paddington to Penzance line passes through both Langport and Somerton with residential areas on both sides of the line in both towns. In the last twelve months a new factor has come to the fore. The Go-op Co-operative is a train operating company planning to operate train services across Somerset and Wiltshire linking main lines to smaller market towns and providing better connectivity. In November 2024 it won conditional approval for its services to begin no later than December 2026. A recent press release proposed seven services each way between Taunton and Westbury with some services extended north from Taunton to Weston-super-Mare and at the other end some extended to Swindon. Their trains would be operated by Class 153 single railcar and would stop at all stations. In view of the Go-op proposals I think it might be better to build new unstaffed stations right in the middle of both Langport and Somerton with medium sized car parks but within walking distance of the whole population of the two towns. This would save the awkward 3-mile trip to a single parkway station for those without cars and parking fees. Each station would serve at least half a dozen villages as well.
On Saturday 2 June 1984 the Outdoor Events Secretary organised a minibus trip to Somerset and Wiltshire visiting many locations where the manual signal boxes and semaphores were soon to be replaced. The Secretary then as now was Roger Winnen who has been doing a marvellous job for a very long time. Among the stations visited that day were Warminster, Dilton Marsh, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Frome and most of the junctions and junction boxes in the area. My last photo was of the up motorail train at Witham Friary at 6.09pm. The first photo of the day was taken at Hatch Station building at 10.15am with the second call at Somerton Station where we arrived at 10.55am. My photos appear below. A very full day with no rain. There were a couple of dull or cloudy periods but the vast majority of photos were taken in clear sun. A highly successful day out thanks to Roger. Engines photographed that day were: 33010, 33020, 33022, 33035, 47277, 47285, 47379, 50005, 50015 and 50037.
The Go-op proposals are a response to what the proposers see as an erratic train service at the existing smaller stations with long gaps and poor connections at times, and is aimed at improving travel within Somerset for local people. There are already a couple of expresses starting at Taunton and running to London Paddington via Bristol, but I think that there could be room for a semi-fast service from Taunton to Paddington via Westbury every two hours to provide more choice along the Berks and Hants line; and stopping at every station as far as Westbury. A recent article in The Sunday Times extolled the virtue of the existing railway stations and how those towns with a station were doing so much better than those without a railway station. However that success is a two-edged sword as the resultant escalation in house prices had put them out of reach of the local people brought up in those towns and now reaching adulthood. Finally this instalment finishes with some scans from 1905 which appeared in the GWR Magazine for July and August that year as the Langport and Castle Cary Cut-off was nearing completion.
All of the above was written before I searched the internet to see how great the pressure was for restoration of train services in the Langport / Somerton area and it became clear that there has been a vigorous campaign underway for several years. You can read more about the campaign at langporttransportgroup.org We wish the campaigners success in their campaign and feel sure that the demand is there from an ageing population and electric vehicles making private motoring too expensive for many families. A railway station or stations would also encourage the longer day trips by rail to Bristol, Bath, London and Weymouth for the 50,000 people in the catchment area.
Langport West Station on 13 June 1964 with 4593 calling with the 4.00pm from Yeovil Pen Mill to Taunton train on the last day of passenger services. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The former Langport East Station on 13 June 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Somerton Signal Box seen on 2 June 1984. The box was located on the south side of the line just off the west end of the platforms. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Somerton Box appears to be switched out at the time of our visit. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking west showing the minibus hired for the day. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Article from the GWR Magazine for July 1905. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Article from the GWR Magazine for July 1905. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Article from the GWR Magazine for August 1905. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Article from the GWR Magazine for August 1905. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Article from the GWR Magazine for August 1905. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Article from the GWR Magazine for August 1905. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 47
Dean Goods to Plymouth
Michael L. Roach
Willam Dean designed the 2301 class of 0-6-0 tender engine for the Great Western Railway. 260 were built between 1883 and 1889 and they became known as the “Dean Goods”, although they also hauled passenger trains on lightly laid lines. Withdrawals started in 1929 but there were still 54 to be passed to British Railways on nationalisation in 1948. The very last example, no. 2538, was withdrawn in May 1957 and cut up, but luckily no. 2516 withdrawn a year earlier was saved for preservation. It had spent its last few years working between Oswestry and Brecon. In that area, the Dean Goods were gradually replaced by 25 examples of the Ivatt 2-6-0 2MT engines built at Swindon during 1952-3. Comparative tests between the Dean Goods and the Ivatt 2-6-0s in the late 1940s showed that the older engines were just as good as the newer engines designed 60 years later, but the Ivatt 2-6-0s were good looking engines and popular with their footplate crews because of their enclosed cabs.
The 2301-class were always rare in Devon and Cornwall. Laira had one Dean Goods in 1925 number 2456. I do not know what good it was having just one of a class, unless it was kept for a specific purpose perhaps like hauling the Divisional Engineer's inspection coach.
Seventy years ago a fish train arrived in Plymouth most days around 12.30pm and sometimes the train brought a more unusual class of locomotive to Plymouth including the occasional Dukedog. In October 1952 the Railway Magazine reported that it was a Dean Goods that brought the fish train into Plymouth Station – no. 2445 of Bristol SPM Shed. The engine was withdrawn March 1953. I did not see it that day and have never seen a Dean Goods other than in a museum. The class were rare visitors to Plymouth and I don't think they ever worked into Cornwall. Their very low tractive effort meant they were no great use over the banks of South Devon main line, so there was no point sending them to Plymouth except with a lightweight train.
The journey home to Bristol for no. 2445 was if anything more interesting. The engine was rostered to return eastbound the next morning on a freight train for which it was totally unsuitable in view of the steep climbs of Hemerdon and Dainton banks. A powerful banker would have been provided on the banks likely to have been one of the large prairies 3186, 3187 or 5148 up Hemerdon Bank. Despite the banking assistance, 2445 only just made it to the top of Hemerdon Bank (two miles at 1 in 42), so would have been going very slowly as the banker dropped off somewhere around Sparkwell Bridge. By then 2445 would have been passing Hemerdon Box and powering along the near level past the goods loops and gently/smoothly stretching out the couplings between each pair of wagons of the rear half of the loose coupled train. But soon the engine would reach the points at the east end of the loops, pass over a low bridge over a minor road and start to go downhill at 1 in 197. This would be enough to make the rear wagons start buffering up to the wagons in front. But the downhill was only about a third of a mile long and as the driver hit the bottom of the dip he would have opened the regulator to climb the seven miles of gently rising gradients to Wrangaton Summit. Again he would be aware of the need to open out the couplings gently for fear of causing a “snatch” and breaking a coupling. It proved all too much for the driver and the little engine and he gave up the struggle and stopped the train at Brent. No. 2445 came off the train which was loaded to 54 wagons including the brake van. Drivers of loose-coupled freight trains used to say that the drivers of passenger trains had it easy with all their vehicles having screw couplings and continuous brakes, and with the train acting as one.
I would now like to outline the sometimes disastrous consequences of what happens when a coupling breaks with both examples being from Great Western territory. Most enthusiasts will know the basics of the head-on crash on the Cambrian main line between Abermule and Newtown on 26 January 1921 which was solely due to human error; there were 17 fatalities and 36 were injured. Sadly there was another head-on crash on the Cambrian main line as recently as October 2024, further west near Talerddig.
However, there was an earlier crash on the other side of Abermule Station on 24 July 1907. A special livestock train had departed from Aberystwyth at 8.15pm. All 16 vehicles had screw couplings and many had vacuum brakes, but they were not in use at the time of the accident. The total weight of the train was 157 tons. Near the front of the train were several livestock wagons and horse boxes with the horses being accompanied by grooms. The train passed through Abermule at 11.37pm where tablets were exchanged at 15mph and sometime afterwards the coupling broke behind the eight wagon on a down gradient of 1 in 287 and the front half of the train sped away and up the 1 in 547 after the dip. Meanwhile the rear half of the train was accelerating down the gradient and some five hundred yards after the dip the rear part caught up with and was in violent collision with the front half of the train.
Surprisingly many of the vehicles at the front and rear of the train stayed on the track and were undamaged, but it was disastrous for the horses and grooms. Two grooms died in the wreckage, two grooms were injured and the fireman was also injured. It is worth reading the full accident report in railwaysarchive.co.uk. The accident inspector was critical of the driver of the train for slowing down after eventually discovering the train had divided when he could have accelerated away from the runaway wagons and prevented the crash.
The second example is from Shrivenham and occurred at about 5.24am on the cold and frosty morning of 15 January 1936. A mineral train had left Aberdare at 10.30am (note the time) the previous day with 2-8-0 no. 2802 hauling 54 wagons again (just like the Dean Goods earlier) carrying 625 tons of coal in a train with a total weight of 1,108 tons. The drawbar parted between the 48th and 49th wagons at mileage 73m 51c. The six wagons behind the break weighed 121 tons and ran for 1m 31c before coming to a halt on the 1 in 834 falling gradient as the rolling resistance brought them to a halt on the main line. The main part of the train was put into a loop, with the signalman failing to spot that the train was not complete. The guard in the brake van of the mineral train failed to react quickly enough to put down detonators.
Meanwhile, the signalman at Shrivenham accepted the next train from the next box at Marston Crossing. So bearing down on the stationary wagons, and running under clear signals, was the previous night's 9.00pm sleeping car express from Penzance to Paddington of nine coaches hauled by King-class engine no. 6007 running at 50 to 60mph. The King came into violent collision with the stationary wagons at mileage 72m 20c about three quarters of a mile west of Shrivenham Station, with the King turning onto its right hand side. The driver and one passenger died and 10 passengers were seriously injured. The Inspecting Officer was critical of the Shrivenham signalman for failing to spot that the train was not complete; and also critical of the guard of the mineral train for failing to be alert, to realise that the train had divided, and to start putting down detonators to warn the driver of the express. The amount of detail in the accident report is quite exceptional and worth reading.
The 2301-class were always rare in Devon and Cornwall. Laira had one Dean Goods in 1925 number 2456. I do not know what good it was having just one of a class, unless it was kept for a specific purpose perhaps like hauling the Divisional Engineer's inspection coach.
Seventy years ago a fish train arrived in Plymouth most days around 12.30pm and sometimes the train brought a more unusual class of locomotive to Plymouth including the occasional Dukedog. In October 1952 the Railway Magazine reported that it was a Dean Goods that brought the fish train into Plymouth Station – no. 2445 of Bristol SPM Shed. The engine was withdrawn March 1953. I did not see it that day and have never seen a Dean Goods other than in a museum. The class were rare visitors to Plymouth and I don't think they ever worked into Cornwall. Their very low tractive effort meant they were no great use over the banks of South Devon main line, so there was no point sending them to Plymouth except with a lightweight train.
The journey home to Bristol for no. 2445 was if anything more interesting. The engine was rostered to return eastbound the next morning on a freight train for which it was totally unsuitable in view of the steep climbs of Hemerdon and Dainton banks. A powerful banker would have been provided on the banks likely to have been one of the large prairies 3186, 3187 or 5148 up Hemerdon Bank. Despite the banking assistance, 2445 only just made it to the top of Hemerdon Bank (two miles at 1 in 42), so would have been going very slowly as the banker dropped off somewhere around Sparkwell Bridge. By then 2445 would have been passing Hemerdon Box and powering along the near level past the goods loops and gently/smoothly stretching out the couplings between each pair of wagons of the rear half of the loose coupled train. But soon the engine would reach the points at the east end of the loops, pass over a low bridge over a minor road and start to go downhill at 1 in 197. This would be enough to make the rear wagons start buffering up to the wagons in front. But the downhill was only about a third of a mile long and as the driver hit the bottom of the dip he would have opened the regulator to climb the seven miles of gently rising gradients to Wrangaton Summit. Again he would be aware of the need to open out the couplings gently for fear of causing a “snatch” and breaking a coupling. It proved all too much for the driver and the little engine and he gave up the struggle and stopped the train at Brent. No. 2445 came off the train which was loaded to 54 wagons including the brake van. Drivers of loose-coupled freight trains used to say that the drivers of passenger trains had it easy with all their vehicles having screw couplings and continuous brakes, and with the train acting as one.
I would now like to outline the sometimes disastrous consequences of what happens when a coupling breaks with both examples being from Great Western territory. Most enthusiasts will know the basics of the head-on crash on the Cambrian main line between Abermule and Newtown on 26 January 1921 which was solely due to human error; there were 17 fatalities and 36 were injured. Sadly there was another head-on crash on the Cambrian main line as recently as October 2024, further west near Talerddig.
However, there was an earlier crash on the other side of Abermule Station on 24 July 1907. A special livestock train had departed from Aberystwyth at 8.15pm. All 16 vehicles had screw couplings and many had vacuum brakes, but they were not in use at the time of the accident. The total weight of the train was 157 tons. Near the front of the train were several livestock wagons and horse boxes with the horses being accompanied by grooms. The train passed through Abermule at 11.37pm where tablets were exchanged at 15mph and sometime afterwards the coupling broke behind the eight wagon on a down gradient of 1 in 287 and the front half of the train sped away and up the 1 in 547 after the dip. Meanwhile the rear half of the train was accelerating down the gradient and some five hundred yards after the dip the rear part caught up with and was in violent collision with the front half of the train.
Surprisingly many of the vehicles at the front and rear of the train stayed on the track and were undamaged, but it was disastrous for the horses and grooms. Two grooms died in the wreckage, two grooms were injured and the fireman was also injured. It is worth reading the full accident report in railwaysarchive.co.uk. The accident inspector was critical of the driver of the train for slowing down after eventually discovering the train had divided when he could have accelerated away from the runaway wagons and prevented the crash.
The second example is from Shrivenham and occurred at about 5.24am on the cold and frosty morning of 15 January 1936. A mineral train had left Aberdare at 10.30am (note the time) the previous day with 2-8-0 no. 2802 hauling 54 wagons again (just like the Dean Goods earlier) carrying 625 tons of coal in a train with a total weight of 1,108 tons. The drawbar parted between the 48th and 49th wagons at mileage 73m 51c. The six wagons behind the break weighed 121 tons and ran for 1m 31c before coming to a halt on the 1 in 834 falling gradient as the rolling resistance brought them to a halt on the main line. The main part of the train was put into a loop, with the signalman failing to spot that the train was not complete. The guard in the brake van of the mineral train failed to react quickly enough to put down detonators.
Meanwhile, the signalman at Shrivenham accepted the next train from the next box at Marston Crossing. So bearing down on the stationary wagons, and running under clear signals, was the previous night's 9.00pm sleeping car express from Penzance to Paddington of nine coaches hauled by King-class engine no. 6007 running at 50 to 60mph. The King came into violent collision with the stationary wagons at mileage 72m 20c about three quarters of a mile west of Shrivenham Station, with the King turning onto its right hand side. The driver and one passenger died and 10 passengers were seriously injured. The Inspecting Officer was critical of the Shrivenham signalman for failing to spot that the train was not complete; and also critical of the guard of the mineral train for failing to be alert, to realise that the train had divided, and to start putting down detonators to warn the driver of the express. The amount of detail in the accident report is quite exceptional and worth reading.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 48
Walkham Viaduct
Michael L. Roach
On Wednesday 10 June 1964 I made an evening excursion to the valley of the River Walkham north-west of Horrabridge village which previously had a railway station on the Plymouth to Tavistock South railway line. The river rose in the centre of Dartmoor and flowed into the River Tavy about three miles south of Tavistock. About a mile west of Horrabridge the railway was forced to cross the valley of the Walkham which it did on a magnificent viaduct some 1100 feet long. Originally a Brunel timber structure on stone piers this was replaced in 1910 by a riveted steel truss girder design by the Great Western Railway. This lasted until the line closed at the end of 1962. The original Brunel structure carried a single line (broad gauge until 1892) but the new steel structure was designed to carry a double standard gauge line, but never did, and the line remained single track until the end. For both viaducts there were 17 spans, with 34 main girders in the steel structure. Each span was about 66 feet.
We parked at Bedford Bridge where the A386 crosses the River Walkham. We walked down the valley beside the river in pleasant evening sunshine, and I say we because there was a young lady with me that evening. She was a lovely young lady and I was sad when we parted after a couple of years but I was too young to settle down and I still had my other love – railways – and lots of travelling to do while there was still steam around for the next few years. We ended up at the bottom of the tallest piers of the Walkham Viaduct which were built of stone with later brick extensions. Track level was 132 feet above the lowest part of the valley. Walkham was a magnificent structure, and even in 1964 there would have been few people around who could have remembered seeing the previous timber super structure, because even though the north end of the viaduct was close to the main road from Plymouth to Tavistock the viaduct was not easy to see because of woodland on both sides of the valley. The viaduct was demolished and completely removed from the landscape including the piers, perhaps because it lay partly within the Dartmoor National Park.
If I had to put the railway bridges and viaducts of Devon and Cornwall in order then top would have to be the Royal Albert Bridge, followed by Meldon Viaduct, and third would have been the Walkham Viaduct. But with Walkham gone what would be number three now ? I think it would have to be Moorswater Viaduct just half a mile west of Liskeard Station, because of its great length, its height, its setting; and the public footpath crossing the line west of the viaduct makes photography easy from many angles. Another reason is that unlike most viaducts which have heavy stone parapet walls Moorswater has very delicate-looking iron balustrades. The other reason for choosing Moorswater is that there is another railway line passing beneath Moorswater Viaduct which is currently disused, but hopefully may be brought back into use one day. The existence of that line beneath the viaduct means there is a wealth of railway history in the valley contributing to the choice of Moorswater as third in my current list. And unlike Walkham Viaduct Moorswater Viaduct is easy to see being very visible from many angles with motorists travelling east along the A38 getting a particularly good view.
Bedford Bridge, where I parked the car, is also known locally as Magpie Bridge; and heading south from the car park is a side valley which the railway had to cross, which it did on a viaduct. The railway line across Magpie Viaduct and Walkham Viaduct opened in 1859 just seven weeks after the Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash. Now when I want the facts on the major railway bridges I turn to the normally-excellent “British Railway Bridges & Viaducts” published by Ian Allan in 1994; ISBN 0 7110 2273 9. However quite strangely Walkham Viaduct does not appear in the index of the book, nor in the text. Turning to 1859 and page 75 there is an entry for Magpie Viaduct which also mentions another viaduct on the line – Bickleigh, but not Walkham. Magpie is a very ordinary viaduct of no special merit, of a type that british railways had hundreds. Alongside the article on Magpie is a photo of a very long Brunel timber viaduct on stone piers which I am fairly sure is actually Walkham Viaduct. On the facing page (74) is a photo of Moorswater Viaduct which shows the delicate iron balustrade to good effect.
We parked at Bedford Bridge where the A386 crosses the River Walkham. We walked down the valley beside the river in pleasant evening sunshine, and I say we because there was a young lady with me that evening. She was a lovely young lady and I was sad when we parted after a couple of years but I was too young to settle down and I still had my other love – railways – and lots of travelling to do while there was still steam around for the next few years. We ended up at the bottom of the tallest piers of the Walkham Viaduct which were built of stone with later brick extensions. Track level was 132 feet above the lowest part of the valley. Walkham was a magnificent structure, and even in 1964 there would have been few people around who could have remembered seeing the previous timber super structure, because even though the north end of the viaduct was close to the main road from Plymouth to Tavistock the viaduct was not easy to see because of woodland on both sides of the valley. The viaduct was demolished and completely removed from the landscape including the piers, perhaps because it lay partly within the Dartmoor National Park.
If I had to put the railway bridges and viaducts of Devon and Cornwall in order then top would have to be the Royal Albert Bridge, followed by Meldon Viaduct, and third would have been the Walkham Viaduct. But with Walkham gone what would be number three now ? I think it would have to be Moorswater Viaduct just half a mile west of Liskeard Station, because of its great length, its height, its setting; and the public footpath crossing the line west of the viaduct makes photography easy from many angles. Another reason is that unlike most viaducts which have heavy stone parapet walls Moorswater has very delicate-looking iron balustrades. The other reason for choosing Moorswater is that there is another railway line passing beneath Moorswater Viaduct which is currently disused, but hopefully may be brought back into use one day. The existence of that line beneath the viaduct means there is a wealth of railway history in the valley contributing to the choice of Moorswater as third in my current list. And unlike Walkham Viaduct Moorswater Viaduct is easy to see being very visible from many angles with motorists travelling east along the A38 getting a particularly good view.
Bedford Bridge, where I parked the car, is also known locally as Magpie Bridge; and heading south from the car park is a side valley which the railway had to cross, which it did on a viaduct. The railway line across Magpie Viaduct and Walkham Viaduct opened in 1859 just seven weeks after the Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash. Now when I want the facts on the major railway bridges I turn to the normally-excellent “British Railway Bridges & Viaducts” published by Ian Allan in 1994; ISBN 0 7110 2273 9. However quite strangely Walkham Viaduct does not appear in the index of the book, nor in the text. Turning to 1859 and page 75 there is an entry for Magpie Viaduct which also mentions another viaduct on the line – Bickleigh, but not Walkham. Magpie is a very ordinary viaduct of no special merit, of a type that british railways had hundreds. Alongside the article on Magpie is a photo of a very long Brunel timber viaduct on stone piers which I am fairly sure is actually Walkham Viaduct. On the facing page (74) is a photo of Moorswater Viaduct which shows the delicate iron balustrade to good effect.
Looking north-west along the west side of Walkham Viaduct at 8.00pm on the sunny evening of 10 June 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking east up the River Walkham. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Another view along the west side showing the stonework of the piers. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
In this view, taken on 12 October 1964 during demolition, it can be seen that the later brick extensions were of substantial height needed to keep the track at its original level. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
This view shows one of the main girders at the Horrabridge end where the viaduct was on a curve. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 49
Calstock Church - 25.07.1964
Michael L. Roach
It's a few weeks since we visited an ex-Southern Railway line, so to rectify that we pay a visit to the Callington Branch near Calstock Parish Church during the last few weeks of steam haulage on Saturday 25 July 1964.
The line went over to DMU operation at the beginning of September 1964. The LMS Ivatt 2-6-2 tanks had been working on the line for many years, and in sole charge for the last few years. I travelled out from Plymouth by car to the length of line between Calstock and Gunnislake. The road between the two stations is direct and almost in a straight line but the railway describes a huge horseshoe curve in order to gain height. Leaving Calstock Station the gradients are steep, with more than two miles at 1 in 38 and 1 in 40. The Ivatt tanks were limited to 120 tons which equated to 3½ to 4 coaches depending on the weight of each.
I left home just before 10.30am and my first call was at Chilsworthy Halt - the first station north of Gunnislake and the point where the branch changes from basically heading north to heading west to reach Callington. It was a fine morning and the first train to appear was the 10.40am from Bere Alston, behind 41317 with a two coach set and two wagons as well (because this was one of the mixed trains, which by this time were very rare anywhere in the country).
There was then a long gap until two SO timed trains both leaving at 13.00 and crossing at Gunnislake Station at 13.21/13.24. To see them I had moved on to the horseshoe bend where it was not easy to find a photographic spot. First to appear was 41291 with the 13.00 from Bere Alston and 13 minutes later 41317 coasting down the 1 in 40 with the 13.00 from Callington. 41317 returned with the 13.58 from Bere Alston to Gunnislake, which with its return working at 14.24 off Gunnislake, only ran on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
I moved on again to a point where the railway ran alongside the minor road between Calstock Parish Church and Sandiways Crossing. At this point the line is on a spur of land with amazing views to the east across the very deep valley of the River Tamar, all the way to the high moors of Dartmoor between Dousland and Princetown some ten miles away. 41317 appeared again on the 14.55 from Bere Alston to Callington; it was my last photo of the day, so I must have been going out that evening. 41291 was seen just the once.
Both engines were based at Exmouth Junction Shed at the time, but 41317 had been based at Friary and Laira from May 1957 to September 1963. Although 130 of the Ivatt 2-6-2 tanks were built, only four entered preservation. Three of the four preserved engines had spent time at Barnstaple Junction Shed with one of them (41298) being there for ten years 1953 to 1963.
The line went over to DMU operation at the beginning of September 1964. The LMS Ivatt 2-6-2 tanks had been working on the line for many years, and in sole charge for the last few years. I travelled out from Plymouth by car to the length of line between Calstock and Gunnislake. The road between the two stations is direct and almost in a straight line but the railway describes a huge horseshoe curve in order to gain height. Leaving Calstock Station the gradients are steep, with more than two miles at 1 in 38 and 1 in 40. The Ivatt tanks were limited to 120 tons which equated to 3½ to 4 coaches depending on the weight of each.
I left home just before 10.30am and my first call was at Chilsworthy Halt - the first station north of Gunnislake and the point where the branch changes from basically heading north to heading west to reach Callington. It was a fine morning and the first train to appear was the 10.40am from Bere Alston, behind 41317 with a two coach set and two wagons as well (because this was one of the mixed trains, which by this time were very rare anywhere in the country).
There was then a long gap until two SO timed trains both leaving at 13.00 and crossing at Gunnislake Station at 13.21/13.24. To see them I had moved on to the horseshoe bend where it was not easy to find a photographic spot. First to appear was 41291 with the 13.00 from Bere Alston and 13 minutes later 41317 coasting down the 1 in 40 with the 13.00 from Callington. 41317 returned with the 13.58 from Bere Alston to Gunnislake, which with its return working at 14.24 off Gunnislake, only ran on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
I moved on again to a point where the railway ran alongside the minor road between Calstock Parish Church and Sandiways Crossing. At this point the line is on a spur of land with amazing views to the east across the very deep valley of the River Tamar, all the way to the high moors of Dartmoor between Dousland and Princetown some ten miles away. 41317 appeared again on the 14.55 from Bere Alston to Callington; it was my last photo of the day, so I must have been going out that evening. 41291 was seen just the once.
Both engines were based at Exmouth Junction Shed at the time, but 41317 had been based at Friary and Laira from May 1957 to September 1963. Although 130 of the Ivatt 2-6-2 tanks were built, only four entered preservation. Three of the four preserved engines had spent time at Barnstaple Junction Shed with one of them (41298) being there for ten years 1953 to 1963.
41317 approaches Chilsworthy Halt with the 10.40am Bere Alston to Callington on 25 July 1964 photographed from the adjacent road bridge. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41317 departs from Chilsworthy Halt. On the horizon is Hingston Down Quarry which once provided lots of stone traffic for rail transport. The Halt closed on and from 7 November 1966 when the Callington Branch was shortened to terminate at Gunnislake. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41291 pounds up the gradient on the horseshoe bend with the 13.00 Bere Alston to Callington train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
At the same spot 13 minutes later 41317 drifts down the bank with the 13.00 Callington to Bere Alston. The River Tamar is on the right but hundreds of feet below. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41317 returns with the 13.58 Bere Alston to Gunnislake train past an ancient and basic pway hut. Note the check rail. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41317 passes over Okeltor Crossing with the 14.24 Gunnislake to Bere Alston train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41317 approaches Sandiways Crossing with the 14.55 Bere Alston to Callington train. Behind the rear coach was a GWR SW (sound whistle) cast iron sign. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 50
Day Trip to Barmouth
Michael L. Roach
This instalment is the first of a number describing a day trip to Barmouth, not from Plymouth as that would probably have been impossible then, but from Gloucester where we were staying for the weekend. It was still a long day but worth the effort because it turned out to be my one and only chance to do the route from Ruabon to Barmouth Junction on the Cambrian Coast before it closed completely just six months later. I travelled to Gloucester on Friday 3 July 1964 with my parents to stay with my mother's brother and his wife at Twigworth for those who know Gloucester. On Saturday 4 July I was up early to drive to Hereford and park up. Although the Gloucester to Hereford passenger service continued to operate for another four months before closure to passengers the first train of the day would not have got me to Hereford in time to catch the 8.10am dmu to Shrewsbury; from where I had an eight coach train hauled by Black 5 no. 45305 of 6A Chester Shed. The engine survived to the very end of steam in August 1968. I alighted at Ruabon at 10.39am.
It was 54 miles from Ruabon to Barmouth through the very best of Welsh scenery. Although the line had been built by small local companies they were soon taken over by the Great Western Railway and the whole route westernised; and in 1964 it was still very much as it had been handed over by the GWR upon nationalisation in 1948, but in 1963 all these ex-GWR lines in north-east Wales had been transferred to the London Midland Region. The first six miles from Llangollen Line Junction to Llangollen Goods were double track but the rest was single throughout with many passing loops. The line followed the valley of the River Dee for many miles through absolutely superb scenery. Luckily you may still enjoy some of the best scenery by travelling on the Llangollen Steam Railway.
Ruabon to Barmouth Junction was the route to the Cambrian Coast from many places in north west England and this was reflected in an enhanced passenger service on Summer Saturdays mainly from mid-morning to mid-afternoon going down to the coast. My train was the 11.00am SO limited stop service from Ruabon to Pwllheli. One of the interesting aspects of the passenger service along the line was that the trains had a number of starting points off the route at both ends. When the passenger service was withdrawn on and from 18 January 1965 all passengers to the Cambrian Coast then had to travel south to Shrewsbury and on via Welshpool and Machynlleth.
My train of five coaches was hauled by Standard 4MT 4-6-0 no. 75006 of 6C Croes Newydd Shed, and the trip was notable for the huge disparity in speeds. The line to Barmouth started at Llangollen Line Junction ¾ mile south of Ruabon Station where the route forked off the main line to Shrewsbury. The first few miles after the junction were then highly industrialised and there was a bank lasting just one mile at 1 in 54 and 1 in 80. I started timing the train because of the unbelievably laboured progress; and timed the worst quarter mile at 110 seconds. This is a speed of just 8mph and the lowest speed that I have ever recorded on a train anywhere, except for crossing the Crumlin Viaduct where the speed limit was 8mph. In the 45 miles to Dolgellau our train passed three trains going in the opposite direction and saw another operating the shuttle from Bala Junction to Bala. Our first stop was at Corwen (16¼ miles) where our engine took water while waiting for a train in the opposite direction, which turned out to be class mate 75021 also of Croes Newydd. 75021 would later be transferred to Shrewsbury Shed and haul the very last down steam-hauled Cambrian Coast Express on 4 March 1967. Our train left Corwen 4L; on through single platform Cynwyd (18½) where the well-known trailer manufacturer Ifor Williams was, and still is, based. At the next station Llandrillo (21) we were kept waiting outside the station for two minutes while a train passed the other way. It was 75029 also of Croes Newydd but when brand new it was one of a batch of five sent to Laira Shed in May 1954, but it may have received a frosty reception there as it only lasted four months before moving on.
On from Llandrillo through the loop at Llandderfel (23¾) to a three minute stop at Bala Junction (27¼) where Ivatt 2-6-0 46442 of Croes Newydd Shed, with one coach, was making the connection from and to the town of Bala just half a mile up the former branch to Blaenau Ffestiniog. There was now a clear run of 18 miles to the next stop at Dolgellau but passing through crossing loops at Llanuwchllyn (32¼), Garneddwen (35), Drws-y-nant (38½) and Bontnewydd (42) at the regulation 15mph, in theory, to change tokens, plus no less than five other stations and halts. Now I do not like to see speeding vehicles on the road, but just as bad is aggressive acceleration on urban roads subject to a 20 or 30mph limit. What I witnessed that day on the railway between Bala Junction and Dolgellau can only be described as aggressive acceleration by an engine driver like nothing I have seen before or since. The engine may have passed the signalman at 15 but I think it was more like 20mph and the driver then accelerated rapidly out of each loop. Like most crossing loops the rails led in straight but then described a reverse curve at the far end exit over a cross-over.
The one station that I have never forgotten was at the next to last crossing place going downhill at a gradient of 1 in 65 through Drws-y-nant from the summit of the whole line at Garneddwen Halt. Most of the crossing loops were about 20 chains long (equals a quarter of a mile). In the case of Drws-y-nant the signal box was 5 chains before the end of the loop and the train itself was 5 chains long so the train had 10 chains to accelerate after changing tokens before I went over the cross-over. I was at the very rear of the train standing at the last window over the last bogie and it was frightening the speed the train was travelling over the reverse curve of the cross-over estimated to be 35 to 40 mph. The proof is in the timings as the train arrived at Dolgellau Station 12 minutes early having covered 18 miles in 29 minutes. In that 29 minutes tokens had been changed four times and the train had passed through nine stations and halts. A 41 minute allowance from Bala Junction to Dolgellau had been cut to 29 minutes. Frightening. The train spent 16 minutes at Dolgellau instead of the scheduled 4 minutes leaving on time at 12.54 Working the two coach shuttle of extra trains between Dolgellau (45¼) and Barmouth (54½) was 46520 of Machynlleth Shed. I have spent a lot of words on that half hour of rail travel because it was simply so out of the ordinary, unexpected and memorable.
The real highlight of any trip along the Cambrian Coast is the 800 yards crossing the estuary of the River Mawddach on Barmouth Bridge just before arriving at Barmouth itself and looking east at the superb views of the estuary with the mountains beyond. Barmouth Station was then an important railway centre but with the arrival of the dmus and the end of loco haulage it lost a lot of its importance. The nearest engine shed was the small sub-shed at Penmaenpool (47¼) west of Dolgellau.
In 2025 it is possible to make a day trip from Plymouth to Barmouth by train and return with just one change of trains in each direction at Birmingham New Street. You would not get long at Barmouth – just one hour. Leave Plymouth at 06.20 and get back at 22.50 The next part of the story devoted to this day out on 4 July 1964 is called “An Hour at Barmouth.”
(To be continued)
It was 54 miles from Ruabon to Barmouth through the very best of Welsh scenery. Although the line had been built by small local companies they were soon taken over by the Great Western Railway and the whole route westernised; and in 1964 it was still very much as it had been handed over by the GWR upon nationalisation in 1948, but in 1963 all these ex-GWR lines in north-east Wales had been transferred to the London Midland Region. The first six miles from Llangollen Line Junction to Llangollen Goods were double track but the rest was single throughout with many passing loops. The line followed the valley of the River Dee for many miles through absolutely superb scenery. Luckily you may still enjoy some of the best scenery by travelling on the Llangollen Steam Railway.
Ruabon to Barmouth Junction was the route to the Cambrian Coast from many places in north west England and this was reflected in an enhanced passenger service on Summer Saturdays mainly from mid-morning to mid-afternoon going down to the coast. My train was the 11.00am SO limited stop service from Ruabon to Pwllheli. One of the interesting aspects of the passenger service along the line was that the trains had a number of starting points off the route at both ends. When the passenger service was withdrawn on and from 18 January 1965 all passengers to the Cambrian Coast then had to travel south to Shrewsbury and on via Welshpool and Machynlleth.
My train of five coaches was hauled by Standard 4MT 4-6-0 no. 75006 of 6C Croes Newydd Shed, and the trip was notable for the huge disparity in speeds. The line to Barmouth started at Llangollen Line Junction ¾ mile south of Ruabon Station where the route forked off the main line to Shrewsbury. The first few miles after the junction were then highly industrialised and there was a bank lasting just one mile at 1 in 54 and 1 in 80. I started timing the train because of the unbelievably laboured progress; and timed the worst quarter mile at 110 seconds. This is a speed of just 8mph and the lowest speed that I have ever recorded on a train anywhere, except for crossing the Crumlin Viaduct where the speed limit was 8mph. In the 45 miles to Dolgellau our train passed three trains going in the opposite direction and saw another operating the shuttle from Bala Junction to Bala. Our first stop was at Corwen (16¼ miles) where our engine took water while waiting for a train in the opposite direction, which turned out to be class mate 75021 also of Croes Newydd. 75021 would later be transferred to Shrewsbury Shed and haul the very last down steam-hauled Cambrian Coast Express on 4 March 1967. Our train left Corwen 4L; on through single platform Cynwyd (18½) where the well-known trailer manufacturer Ifor Williams was, and still is, based. At the next station Llandrillo (21) we were kept waiting outside the station for two minutes while a train passed the other way. It was 75029 also of Croes Newydd but when brand new it was one of a batch of five sent to Laira Shed in May 1954, but it may have received a frosty reception there as it only lasted four months before moving on.
On from Llandrillo through the loop at Llandderfel (23¾) to a three minute stop at Bala Junction (27¼) where Ivatt 2-6-0 46442 of Croes Newydd Shed, with one coach, was making the connection from and to the town of Bala just half a mile up the former branch to Blaenau Ffestiniog. There was now a clear run of 18 miles to the next stop at Dolgellau but passing through crossing loops at Llanuwchllyn (32¼), Garneddwen (35), Drws-y-nant (38½) and Bontnewydd (42) at the regulation 15mph, in theory, to change tokens, plus no less than five other stations and halts. Now I do not like to see speeding vehicles on the road, but just as bad is aggressive acceleration on urban roads subject to a 20 or 30mph limit. What I witnessed that day on the railway between Bala Junction and Dolgellau can only be described as aggressive acceleration by an engine driver like nothing I have seen before or since. The engine may have passed the signalman at 15 but I think it was more like 20mph and the driver then accelerated rapidly out of each loop. Like most crossing loops the rails led in straight but then described a reverse curve at the far end exit over a cross-over.
The one station that I have never forgotten was at the next to last crossing place going downhill at a gradient of 1 in 65 through Drws-y-nant from the summit of the whole line at Garneddwen Halt. Most of the crossing loops were about 20 chains long (equals a quarter of a mile). In the case of Drws-y-nant the signal box was 5 chains before the end of the loop and the train itself was 5 chains long so the train had 10 chains to accelerate after changing tokens before I went over the cross-over. I was at the very rear of the train standing at the last window over the last bogie and it was frightening the speed the train was travelling over the reverse curve of the cross-over estimated to be 35 to 40 mph. The proof is in the timings as the train arrived at Dolgellau Station 12 minutes early having covered 18 miles in 29 minutes. In that 29 minutes tokens had been changed four times and the train had passed through nine stations and halts. A 41 minute allowance from Bala Junction to Dolgellau had been cut to 29 minutes. Frightening. The train spent 16 minutes at Dolgellau instead of the scheduled 4 minutes leaving on time at 12.54 Working the two coach shuttle of extra trains between Dolgellau (45¼) and Barmouth (54½) was 46520 of Machynlleth Shed. I have spent a lot of words on that half hour of rail travel because it was simply so out of the ordinary, unexpected and memorable.
The real highlight of any trip along the Cambrian Coast is the 800 yards crossing the estuary of the River Mawddach on Barmouth Bridge just before arriving at Barmouth itself and looking east at the superb views of the estuary with the mountains beyond. Barmouth Station was then an important railway centre but with the arrival of the dmus and the end of loco haulage it lost a lot of its importance. The nearest engine shed was the small sub-shed at Penmaenpool (47¼) west of Dolgellau.
In 2025 it is possible to make a day trip from Plymouth to Barmouth by train and return with just one change of trains in each direction at Birmingham New Street. You would not get long at Barmouth – just one hour. Leave Plymouth at 06.20 and get back at 22.50 The next part of the story devoted to this day out on 4 July 1964 is called “An Hour at Barmouth.”
(To be continued)
75006 stands at Ruabon with five coaches on the 11.00am to Barmouth on Saturday 4 July 1964. connecting trains from Chester and mine from Shrewsbury had already dropped off passengers. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
75006 takers water at Corwen while waiting for a train to pass in the opposite direction. If I had been a month later I would have passed another train at Llangollen – the 9.20am Barmouth to Birmingham Snow Hill which only ran for a very few weeks. Copyright Michael L. Roach
75021 arrives at Corwen with the 10.25am Dolgellau to Wrexham local train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
My train passes through Llandrillo Station as 75029 waits in the passing loop with the 8.45am Pwllheli to Birkenhead train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
75006 has arrived at Barmouth, where I alighted but the train carried on to Pwllheli where it was due at 2.50. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
75006 runs across Barmouth Bridge to turn on the triangle. The two steel spans were replaced like-for-like in 2023 during a £30M restoration. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 51
Somerton - An Unusual Arch Bridge
Michael L. Roach
I have been discussing various subjects with Colin Burges of Teignrail for some time and those discussions have always been interesting. Recently the two subjects that dominated were bridges and bricks, and in this instalment those two subjects come neatly together in an unusual brick arch bridge which is quite unique, unless you know of another one similar. The bridge was built by the Great Western Railway in 1906 as part of the Castle Cary to Langport Cut-off. A small black and white photo of the bridge nearing completion appears in the next to last image in 1964 – Part 46.
As the railway heads east from passing through Somerton the double track main line describes a huge curve. Much of it is on an embankment giving good views of the fields below. At the far end of the curve the railway passes over B3153 road from Somerton to Castle Cary, about 1½ miles east of Somerton, on a severe skew of 62 degrees. Normally, and even on a skew arch, the arch springs from a vertical wall / abutment which is parallel to the road, rails or canal that the bridge is passing over. In this bridge the arch springs from a flat area on the top of the abutment and is only an estimated 6 feet (1.8 metres) wide but there are six of these individual arches side-by-side arranged in a sawtooth pattern along the top of the abutment wall. This is highly unusual and was probably chosen because of the severe skew; and I cannot recall seeing another one similar before. One advantage of this design would be that the centreing would be used six times immediately rather than once, and perhaps never used again. At the beginning of June 2025 Colin Burges spent the weekend in Somerset and took the time to visit “six arches” bridge and take a number of photos which are reproduced here. Many thanks Colin.
As the railway heads east from passing through Somerton the double track main line describes a huge curve. Much of it is on an embankment giving good views of the fields below. At the far end of the curve the railway passes over B3153 road from Somerton to Castle Cary, about 1½ miles east of Somerton, on a severe skew of 62 degrees. Normally, and even on a skew arch, the arch springs from a vertical wall / abutment which is parallel to the road, rails or canal that the bridge is passing over. In this bridge the arch springs from a flat area on the top of the abutment and is only an estimated 6 feet (1.8 metres) wide but there are six of these individual arches side-by-side arranged in a sawtooth pattern along the top of the abutment wall. This is highly unusual and was probably chosen because of the severe skew; and I cannot recall seeing another one similar before. One advantage of this design would be that the centreing would be used six times immediately rather than once, and perhaps never used again. At the beginning of June 2025 Colin Burges spent the weekend in Somerset and took the time to visit “six arches” bridge and take a number of photos which are reproduced here. Many thanks Colin.
Somerton Road Bridge on 08.06.2025. Copyright Colin Burgess.
I wanted to run a string along the intersections to see if they were in line. If I held the ladder, would you ... ? 08.06.2025, copyright Colin Burgess
Somerton Road Bridge on 08.06.2025. Copyright Colin Burgess.
It looks as if the arches are separate, perhaps to allow for movement. A photo of the bridge under construction would be interesting to see. I take it the reasoning was that six parallel arches were easier to construct than one on the skew. And I wonder if the centering work had been, or was, used on another bridge. 08.06.2025, copyright Colin Burgess.
The unusual construction used on the Somerton Road Bridge. 08.06.2025, copyright Colin Burgess
Here's another unusual one on the "new" line, a replacement for the original just Up from it. Black Smock, between Curry Rivel and Athelney, carries only a minor road. I wonder if its design was dictated by the soil; it looks as if it would tolerate a lot of settlement. This view, impossible yesterday, I think was from the course of the road leading to the former bridge. 08.06.2025, copyright Colin Burgess
The Glastonbury Festival 2025
Castle Cary Station is in the middle of coping with its busiest week of the year. For those who live abroad and may not know it was the week of the Glastonbury Festival which lasted from 25 to 29 June 2025 at Worthy Farm BA4 4BY which is seven miles east of Glastonbury town centre. The gates were opened on Wednesday 25th and the festival goers will still be leaving today Monday 30 June. Many of the 210,000 attendees will arrive by train from all four points of the compass on normal service trains, but some will arrive on special trains from London Paddington and others on normal service trains making a special stop at Castle Cary the nearest railway station which is about six or seven miles from Worthy Farm. Castle Cary Station is a delightful country junction still with an original GWR flavour; and it could quite easily be overwhelmed by the large numbers alighting from arriving trains but the present incarnation of the GWR have years of experience of dealing with the Glastonbury passenger traffic. GWR will have drafted in extra staff and taken special measures to funnel the pedestrian traffic safely from the platform to the station forecourt on the north side where a fleet of buses is organised to transfer festival goers from the station to the festival site. If any of our readers travelled to the festival by public transport perhaps they would like to share their experience.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 52
An Hour in Barmouth 4 July 1964
Michael L. Roach
In Part 50 of this series, I described the outward leg of a day trip from Gloucester to Barmouth on the Cambrian Coast on Saturday 4 July 1964. While I was at Barmouth there was plenty of activity. The engine that hauled my train down from Ruabon – BR Standard Class 4MT 4-6-0 no. 75006 – came off the train at Barmouth and travelled back across Barmouth Bridge to turn on the triangle at Barmouth Junction, which was close to the south end of the bridge. I watched 75023 depart with four coaches on the 1.25pm SO to Birkenhead Woodside.
At 2.15pm Ivatt 2-6-0 46520 of Machynlleth Shed arrived with two coaches on the 1.41pm shuttle from Dolgellau, which a few years earlier would have produced a GWR 0-4-2 tank of the 1400 or 5800-classes.
75026 arrived with six coaches on the 12.45pm from Pwllheli which may have terminated here Mondays to Fridays but SO carried on to Wrexham General, although it did leave three of the six coaches behind; possibly to form the 2.20pm to Dovey Junction.
All the railway lines on the Western Region in North Wales north of Aberystwyth and Craven Arms were transferred to the London Midland Region on 1 January 1963. I have scanned the middle page (of three) in Table 85 of the LMR Summer 1964 timetable which covers the Machynlleth to Pwllheli Cambrian Coast line so that readers can see how the trains from and to Ruabon connected with the coast line trains.
I arrived at Barmouth (due 1.22pm) on the 11.00am SO from Ruabon and left Barmouth on the 2.18pm to Wrexham General. That trip will be described later. In the summer of 1964, all three lines which approached Barmouth Junction were 100 percent steam-operated but that would start to change the following year with the introduction of dmus and the last few steam-hauled trains went over to diesel in March 1967. This is a much revised version of an article which first appeared in Steam World magazine.
At 2.15pm Ivatt 2-6-0 46520 of Machynlleth Shed arrived with two coaches on the 1.41pm shuttle from Dolgellau, which a few years earlier would have produced a GWR 0-4-2 tank of the 1400 or 5800-classes.
75026 arrived with six coaches on the 12.45pm from Pwllheli which may have terminated here Mondays to Fridays but SO carried on to Wrexham General, although it did leave three of the six coaches behind; possibly to form the 2.20pm to Dovey Junction.
All the railway lines on the Western Region in North Wales north of Aberystwyth and Craven Arms were transferred to the London Midland Region on 1 January 1963. I have scanned the middle page (of three) in Table 85 of the LMR Summer 1964 timetable which covers the Machynlleth to Pwllheli Cambrian Coast line so that readers can see how the trains from and to Ruabon connected with the coast line trains.
I arrived at Barmouth (due 1.22pm) on the 11.00am SO from Ruabon and left Barmouth on the 2.18pm to Wrexham General. That trip will be described later. In the summer of 1964, all three lines which approached Barmouth Junction were 100 percent steam-operated but that would start to change the following year with the introduction of dmus and the last few steam-hauled trains went over to diesel in March 1967. This is a much revised version of an article which first appeared in Steam World magazine.
75023 stands in Barmouth Station with the 1.25pm to Birkenhead Woodside on 4 July 1964. There were then several sidings on both sides of the line. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
75023 departs over the level crossing past the signal box which can now be found at Glyndyfrdwy Station. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
75006 (which brought in my train) runs across Barmouth Bridge to turn on the triangle at the other end. The bridge is in a magnificent setting surrounded by mountains including Cadair Idris in the distance. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
46520 runs into Barmouth Station with the shuttle from Dolgellau. The level crossing carries the main access from the town centre to the beach. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The 12.45pm from Pwllheli to Wrexham General runs into Barmouth 16L behind 75026, while the Dolgellau shuttle is still at the other platform – note it was composed of high capacity suburban coaches with no corridor connections needed to carry the number of schoolchildren twice a day. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Part of Machynlleth to Pwllheli passenger timetable Summer 1964. No Copyright
Part of Machynlleth to Pwllheli passenger timetable Summer 1964. No Copyright
Map of British Railways showing lines in North Wales in 1956. No Copyright
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 52A
Cornish Broccoli Traffic
Michael L. Roach
This instalment shows articles from the Great Western Railway Magazine in the 1920s of how the Company dealt with and encouraged Cornish broccoli to travel further afield.
Record traffic in the week ended 14 April 1926.
Loading strawberries, which would have come from the Tamar Valley, at Saltash Station in July 1926. Strawberries would also have been loaded into railway wagons at the Southern Railway's Calstock Station.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 53
Louisa Roach 1825 - 1908
Michael L. Roach
Readers may have spotted that these articles are collected together in my tab titled “Extracts from the Diary of a Lifetime Enthusiast.” Although it is implied there is nothing there about railways and I am an enthusiast for many things, and occasionally write about subjects other than railways and today it is family history.
I was born in South Devon during World War Two and lived the first year or two of life in the heart of the (then) small village of Newton Ferrers opposite the rear of The Dolphin Inn in a tiny cottage. On the opposite side of the estuary of the River Yealm is the village of Noss Mayo; and at low water it is possible to walk across the river from one village to the other on a causeway. I moved to Plymouth, with my mother, when the threat of bombing had eased. My father was born in Plymouth in 1913, and would often refer to Newton and Noss as “The River Yealm” or just “The Yealm.” My grandfather was born in 1880 in Southend-on-Sea, because his father was a coastguard moved out of his home territory. He died in 1941, before I was born, one of the 1200-odd civilians who died in the Plymouth area as a result of enemy action. My great-grandfather was born at The Yealm in 1849. My great-great-grandfather was also born at The Yealm in January 1816, just six months after the Battle of Waterloo, and was called Charles Foster – so why is my surname not Foster ? My great-great-grandmother was called Louisa Roach and she was baptised 200 years ago today at Newton Ferrers Parish Church, and her address was given as Bridgend in Revelstoke Parish. She had an “interesting” life and lived to a good age for the time; and I would not have brought you this story if I did not think it was interesting. Apologies to those who think this story should not be here.
Louisa was born at Bridgend, the first child of James William Roach and Sarah Roach nee Crispin. Bridgend is both sides of the River Yealm at its lowest bridging point before it opens out into the tidal Yealm Estuary. The bridge carries the minor road from Newton Ferrers to Noss Mayo. James, Sarah and Louisa lived on the south side of the river in the Parish of Revelstoke, and there is a city called Revelstoke in British Columbia. The boundary between the two parishes runs down the centre of the river. The original Revelstoke Parish Church dates from 1226 and is very inconveniently situated on the cliffs one and and a half miles from where most of the parishioners live in the village of Noss Mayo and was abandoned in 1971, although it had already been replaced by a new parish church in the middle of Noss Mayo in 1882. Charles and Louisa would have hiked across fields to get to the original parish church for the baptism of their children, although there was a small chapel of ease in the village. There is a good history of the various churches on the Newton and Noss Parish Council website.
When she was still quite young Louisa was sent away to work on a farm about five miles to the north-east of Bridgend, and two miles east of Yealmpton Station, the nearest railway station to Newton Ferrers although the railway was not opened until 1898. There was another way of reaching Newton and Noss after 1898 and that was to alight at the next railway station west of Yealmpton at Steer Point and catch a steam ferry if the tides were favourable. The young Louisa would have had one day a week off when she could have walked home the five miles to Bridgend to see her family. It was probably during one of these visits that she was seduced by Bridgend neighbour Charles Foster who was nine years older than Louisa and should have known better. Louisa became pregnant when she was just 17¼ years old and her first child was born on 14 July 1843 when she was 18 years old. The baby girl was baptised Sally Ann Foster at Revelstoke. Charles and Louisa lived together as man and wife until his death in 1890. They went on to have a further ten children, making eleven in total over a span of 26 years. Charles and Louisa never married so all of the children were illegitimate. The couple could not marry because Charles already had a wife and a child when he began his affair with Louisa. Charles deserted his wife and child, but could not divorce her because divorce was impossible for the vast majority of the population at the time. It is believed that all eleven children were originally baptised with the surname Foster despite the fact that the parents were not married, but most were later altered to Roach by the anglican minister. Child number four was baptised at Revelstoke on 7 Oct 1849 and was William James Roach, my great grandfather.
Registration of births had commenced in 1837 and it is believed that all 11 children were registered with the surname Foster and that 10 of the 11 continued with that name for the rest of their lives. There was friction between the Fosters and the rest of the Roaches until at least the 1950s. Perhaps the most surprising fact of this story is that all eleven children survived to adulthood, which was nothing short of a miracle for the time, when one considers that the family lived in a tiny cottage with no running water, but they did have the river very close by to do their laundry. As an aside a generation later another of my forebears had eight children by two wives and lost five of the eight in infancy; but they did live in the slums of Looe Street, Plymouth in the 1870s.
Although I had been researching family history for some 16 years it was only now in July 2025 that I looked at the children of Louisa Roach. Only two of the lives could not be finalised and that was child no. 6 Clara Jane Foster (born 13.10.1854) who disappears after her marriage to John Mashford in 1877; and no. 9 Emmalena Foster born 10.09.1863 who just vanished after the 1881 census when she was just 17 years old and single. Of the remaining nine children many lived to a good age. First who was known to die was no. 3 Frederick Charles Foster (baptised 10.10.1847) who died at the age of 33; and second no. 1 Sally Ann Foster (born 14.07.1843 – a few days after her mother's 18th birthday) at the age of 40. Of the remaining 7 children their lives ended at ages from 72 to 91 with an average of 82 years, which again is quite remarkable for the first half of the twentieth century. Many lived in Plymouth, but no. 11 Edwin Albert Foster emigrated to Vancouver in 1913 with his wife and many children; the final total was 9 children. He was the very last of Louisa Roach's children to die, still in Vancouver, on 07.11.1952 at the age of 83 years. No. 7 Emily Julia Foster (born 08.02.1857) married Joseph Whitburn a shipwright from Feock, and lived in Falmouth for 70 years until her death there on 02.07.1948 at the great age of 91 years. She and Joseph had 7 children. The largest family was produced by no. 2 Matilda Foster (baptised 23.03.1845) who married Joseph Full in 1866. They had 11 children but in the 1911 census only 7 are still living. In total I found 53 grand children for Charles and Louisa from 10 known marriages. The fact that all 11 children survived to adulthood is a great testament to Charles and Louisa's parenting abilities.
What happened to my grandfather William James ? He was born on 17 September 1849 in the Parish of Revelstoke and baptised there on 7 October 1849 by the Curate Fred. W Pulling who could not have known of the parents situation at the time. Some months later the Reverend Pulling learnt that the couple were not married and amended the boy's name to William James Roach; writing single woman against Louisa and adding an explanatory note in the margin of the Register. The margin note reads: “Properly William James illegitimate son of Louisa Roach. Charles Foster's wife being yet alive – This correction is made in the presence of Louisa Roach January the 22nd 1850. Fred W. Pulling (Curate).” Even though he was registered as a Foster, William used the surname Roach throughout his adult life, the only one of Louisa's children to do so. There were many other Roaches in Newton and Noss at the time. The last time I looked at one of the last printed telephone directories there was just one Roach listed and that was at Bridgend. William joined the Royal Navy in 1867, and in the 1871 census was an ordinary seaman aboard ship in the Grand Harbour, Valetta. He was transferred to the Coastguard Service in 1877 where he worked for 22 years until 1899, and they dispatched him to Southend-on-Sea with his wife. It was there at Southend that all their three children were born in December 1877, March 1879 and July 1880.
The last child was Alfred George Roach, my grandfather. In 1901 Alfred married Celia Helen Tweddle one of the three children of the eight born to William Dolphin, born illegitimately in Maryport in 1818 who later adopted the surname Tweddle of his stepfather, a blacksmith in St. Bees. William Tweddle was a seaman who settled in Plymouth and had eight children by two wives with five dying in infancy when they lived at Looe Street, Plymouth. Alfred and Celia had six children with one dying in infancy. My father was called Harry and was born in 1913. There was a second Harry Roach in Plymouth and he was an engine driver at Laira in the 1950s, but he was not my father unfortunately, because my father had no interest in railways. My father was in business with his father as carpenters, joiners and shop fitters. On 1 April 1941 they were dispatched by the War Damage Commission to repair a shopfront that had been damaged by bombing the night before in Notte Street, Plymouth. The opposite side of the road had been flattened but lying among the rubble was a delayed action bomb which exploded as they worked on the shopfront. Alfred George was hit by a piece of shrapnel and died in hospital later the same day. My father was stood beside him and was unhurt. If it had been the other way around I would never have been born. The shops in Notte Street still stand on the north side of the road.
In 1901 Louisa Roach was a widow and lived alone in Union Place, East Stonehouse which would later merge with Devonport and Plymouth. Union Place ran parallel to Union Street and was a short distance from the Parish Church of St. Matthews, East Stonehouse and while she was there one of the Vicars who came and went was the Reverend JBB Collins. We will return to him one day as he was a railway enthusiast. Union Street was a mile long and contained one hundred public houses at the time. It had a reputation right up to the 1970s with the Royal Navy Police cruising up and down the street enforcing law and order among the sailors and picking up any who had had one drink too many. Louisa died on 21st January 1908 at 9 Parr Street, Plymouth the home of her daughter Mary Louisa Foster (child no. 8 – who had married her cousin Henry Foster). Louisa was buried on 25th January 1908 at Revelstoke at the age of 82 years; quite a remarkable age for the tough life she had lived bringing up 11 children, with all their associated nappies almost continuously for 30 years.
In conclusion, and for those with no interest in family history (yet), I say this. Before a television programme like “Who Do You Think You Are” starts filming with the star of the show there is an enormous amount of research to be undertaken for the programme makers to get the facts, and to the best of my knowledge only one programme was never made because the star had so little of interest in the his background. Almost everyone has interesting people and facts just waiting to be discovered in their family history.
I also include a couple of scans from the 1941 Great Western Railway Magazine. They come from the May 1941 and December 1941 editions respectively, and relate to Newquay and Hereford. Lastly a scan from a national newspaper of two letters which make interesting reading.
I was born in South Devon during World War Two and lived the first year or two of life in the heart of the (then) small village of Newton Ferrers opposite the rear of The Dolphin Inn in a tiny cottage. On the opposite side of the estuary of the River Yealm is the village of Noss Mayo; and at low water it is possible to walk across the river from one village to the other on a causeway. I moved to Plymouth, with my mother, when the threat of bombing had eased. My father was born in Plymouth in 1913, and would often refer to Newton and Noss as “The River Yealm” or just “The Yealm.” My grandfather was born in 1880 in Southend-on-Sea, because his father was a coastguard moved out of his home territory. He died in 1941, before I was born, one of the 1200-odd civilians who died in the Plymouth area as a result of enemy action. My great-grandfather was born at The Yealm in 1849. My great-great-grandfather was also born at The Yealm in January 1816, just six months after the Battle of Waterloo, and was called Charles Foster – so why is my surname not Foster ? My great-great-grandmother was called Louisa Roach and she was baptised 200 years ago today at Newton Ferrers Parish Church, and her address was given as Bridgend in Revelstoke Parish. She had an “interesting” life and lived to a good age for the time; and I would not have brought you this story if I did not think it was interesting. Apologies to those who think this story should not be here.
Louisa was born at Bridgend, the first child of James William Roach and Sarah Roach nee Crispin. Bridgend is both sides of the River Yealm at its lowest bridging point before it opens out into the tidal Yealm Estuary. The bridge carries the minor road from Newton Ferrers to Noss Mayo. James, Sarah and Louisa lived on the south side of the river in the Parish of Revelstoke, and there is a city called Revelstoke in British Columbia. The boundary between the two parishes runs down the centre of the river. The original Revelstoke Parish Church dates from 1226 and is very inconveniently situated on the cliffs one and and a half miles from where most of the parishioners live in the village of Noss Mayo and was abandoned in 1971, although it had already been replaced by a new parish church in the middle of Noss Mayo in 1882. Charles and Louisa would have hiked across fields to get to the original parish church for the baptism of their children, although there was a small chapel of ease in the village. There is a good history of the various churches on the Newton and Noss Parish Council website.
When she was still quite young Louisa was sent away to work on a farm about five miles to the north-east of Bridgend, and two miles east of Yealmpton Station, the nearest railway station to Newton Ferrers although the railway was not opened until 1898. There was another way of reaching Newton and Noss after 1898 and that was to alight at the next railway station west of Yealmpton at Steer Point and catch a steam ferry if the tides were favourable. The young Louisa would have had one day a week off when she could have walked home the five miles to Bridgend to see her family. It was probably during one of these visits that she was seduced by Bridgend neighbour Charles Foster who was nine years older than Louisa and should have known better. Louisa became pregnant when she was just 17¼ years old and her first child was born on 14 July 1843 when she was 18 years old. The baby girl was baptised Sally Ann Foster at Revelstoke. Charles and Louisa lived together as man and wife until his death in 1890. They went on to have a further ten children, making eleven in total over a span of 26 years. Charles and Louisa never married so all of the children were illegitimate. The couple could not marry because Charles already had a wife and a child when he began his affair with Louisa. Charles deserted his wife and child, but could not divorce her because divorce was impossible for the vast majority of the population at the time. It is believed that all eleven children were originally baptised with the surname Foster despite the fact that the parents were not married, but most were later altered to Roach by the anglican minister. Child number four was baptised at Revelstoke on 7 Oct 1849 and was William James Roach, my great grandfather.
Registration of births had commenced in 1837 and it is believed that all 11 children were registered with the surname Foster and that 10 of the 11 continued with that name for the rest of their lives. There was friction between the Fosters and the rest of the Roaches until at least the 1950s. Perhaps the most surprising fact of this story is that all eleven children survived to adulthood, which was nothing short of a miracle for the time, when one considers that the family lived in a tiny cottage with no running water, but they did have the river very close by to do their laundry. As an aside a generation later another of my forebears had eight children by two wives and lost five of the eight in infancy; but they did live in the slums of Looe Street, Plymouth in the 1870s.
Although I had been researching family history for some 16 years it was only now in July 2025 that I looked at the children of Louisa Roach. Only two of the lives could not be finalised and that was child no. 6 Clara Jane Foster (born 13.10.1854) who disappears after her marriage to John Mashford in 1877; and no. 9 Emmalena Foster born 10.09.1863 who just vanished after the 1881 census when she was just 17 years old and single. Of the remaining nine children many lived to a good age. First who was known to die was no. 3 Frederick Charles Foster (baptised 10.10.1847) who died at the age of 33; and second no. 1 Sally Ann Foster (born 14.07.1843 – a few days after her mother's 18th birthday) at the age of 40. Of the remaining 7 children their lives ended at ages from 72 to 91 with an average of 82 years, which again is quite remarkable for the first half of the twentieth century. Many lived in Plymouth, but no. 11 Edwin Albert Foster emigrated to Vancouver in 1913 with his wife and many children; the final total was 9 children. He was the very last of Louisa Roach's children to die, still in Vancouver, on 07.11.1952 at the age of 83 years. No. 7 Emily Julia Foster (born 08.02.1857) married Joseph Whitburn a shipwright from Feock, and lived in Falmouth for 70 years until her death there on 02.07.1948 at the great age of 91 years. She and Joseph had 7 children. The largest family was produced by no. 2 Matilda Foster (baptised 23.03.1845) who married Joseph Full in 1866. They had 11 children but in the 1911 census only 7 are still living. In total I found 53 grand children for Charles and Louisa from 10 known marriages. The fact that all 11 children survived to adulthood is a great testament to Charles and Louisa's parenting abilities.
What happened to my grandfather William James ? He was born on 17 September 1849 in the Parish of Revelstoke and baptised there on 7 October 1849 by the Curate Fred. W Pulling who could not have known of the parents situation at the time. Some months later the Reverend Pulling learnt that the couple were not married and amended the boy's name to William James Roach; writing single woman against Louisa and adding an explanatory note in the margin of the Register. The margin note reads: “Properly William James illegitimate son of Louisa Roach. Charles Foster's wife being yet alive – This correction is made in the presence of Louisa Roach January the 22nd 1850. Fred W. Pulling (Curate).” Even though he was registered as a Foster, William used the surname Roach throughout his adult life, the only one of Louisa's children to do so. There were many other Roaches in Newton and Noss at the time. The last time I looked at one of the last printed telephone directories there was just one Roach listed and that was at Bridgend. William joined the Royal Navy in 1867, and in the 1871 census was an ordinary seaman aboard ship in the Grand Harbour, Valetta. He was transferred to the Coastguard Service in 1877 where he worked for 22 years until 1899, and they dispatched him to Southend-on-Sea with his wife. It was there at Southend that all their three children were born in December 1877, March 1879 and July 1880.
The last child was Alfred George Roach, my grandfather. In 1901 Alfred married Celia Helen Tweddle one of the three children of the eight born to William Dolphin, born illegitimately in Maryport in 1818 who later adopted the surname Tweddle of his stepfather, a blacksmith in St. Bees. William Tweddle was a seaman who settled in Plymouth and had eight children by two wives with five dying in infancy when they lived at Looe Street, Plymouth. Alfred and Celia had six children with one dying in infancy. My father was called Harry and was born in 1913. There was a second Harry Roach in Plymouth and he was an engine driver at Laira in the 1950s, but he was not my father unfortunately, because my father had no interest in railways. My father was in business with his father as carpenters, joiners and shop fitters. On 1 April 1941 they were dispatched by the War Damage Commission to repair a shopfront that had been damaged by bombing the night before in Notte Street, Plymouth. The opposite side of the road had been flattened but lying among the rubble was a delayed action bomb which exploded as they worked on the shopfront. Alfred George was hit by a piece of shrapnel and died in hospital later the same day. My father was stood beside him and was unhurt. If it had been the other way around I would never have been born. The shops in Notte Street still stand on the north side of the road.
In 1901 Louisa Roach was a widow and lived alone in Union Place, East Stonehouse which would later merge with Devonport and Plymouth. Union Place ran parallel to Union Street and was a short distance from the Parish Church of St. Matthews, East Stonehouse and while she was there one of the Vicars who came and went was the Reverend JBB Collins. We will return to him one day as he was a railway enthusiast. Union Street was a mile long and contained one hundred public houses at the time. It had a reputation right up to the 1970s with the Royal Navy Police cruising up and down the street enforcing law and order among the sailors and picking up any who had had one drink too many. Louisa died on 21st January 1908 at 9 Parr Street, Plymouth the home of her daughter Mary Louisa Foster (child no. 8 – who had married her cousin Henry Foster). Louisa was buried on 25th January 1908 at Revelstoke at the age of 82 years; quite a remarkable age for the tough life she had lived bringing up 11 children, with all their associated nappies almost continuously for 30 years.
In conclusion, and for those with no interest in family history (yet), I say this. Before a television programme like “Who Do You Think You Are” starts filming with the star of the show there is an enormous amount of research to be undertaken for the programme makers to get the facts, and to the best of my knowledge only one programme was never made because the star had so little of interest in the his background. Almost everyone has interesting people and facts just waiting to be discovered in their family history.
I also include a couple of scans from the 1941 Great Western Railway Magazine. They come from the May 1941 and December 1941 editions respectively, and relate to Newquay and Hereford. Lastly a scan from a national newspaper of two letters which make interesting reading.
Report of a court case at Newquay Police Court.
Report of the opening of the first railway to arrive at Hereford.
Two recent letters from a national newspaper comparing HS2 and the Settle & Carlisle.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 54
Day Trip to London 17 July 1964
Michael L. Roach
The A303 was created on 1 April 1933 as the alternative London to Exeter route effectively an 85-mile bypass to the A30 through Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset. The A303 became a trunk road in 1958. In fact the A303 rejoined the A30 six miles east of Honiton, and still does – two roads into one. On the eastern outskirts of Honiton the A35 along the South Coast joined the A30 at the bottom of a steep hill – three roads into one. In 1964 the trunk road traffic still passed down the high street of the small town of Honiton and the traffic jams were horrendous and legendary as nose-to-tail traffic crawled through the town centre at low speed. In the Spring of 1964 the Ministry of Transport advertised the Invitation to Tender for construction of the Honiton Bypass – just 2¼ miles of dual carriageway which would take the A30 around the north side of the town. It did little for the A35 traffic which would now come down that steep hill and queue to turn east to access the bypass; but the bypass was a life-saver for the town of Honiton which became a pleasant place for travellers to stop and take a break, and it still is.
The firm that won the construction contract was Turriff Construction. I answered their advert for staff to work on the construction of the bypass; applied for the post of Junior Site Engineer and was lucky enough to get an interview in London. I travelled to London on Friday 17 July 1964 going up on the 8.30am Plymouth to Paddington arriving at 1.16pm just one minute late. The Turriff headquarters were in a new building facing onto the Great West Road at Brentford. How I travelled the seven miles from Paddington to Brentford is forgotten as it is not the easiest place to get to and would have taken about an hour. It was an impressive building 12 stories high and would have held hundreds of staff. I left after the interview with my expenses paid in cash; the main item would have been my train fare which was £5.40 for an ordinary return. I returned to Paddington station to catch the 6.30pm home to Plymouth. Both trains to and from London were Western-hauled; with the 6.30pm consisting of 15 coaches to Newton Abbot where 5 were detached for Paignton.
During the hour or so I was at Paddington at teatime I saw and photographed just two steam engines both on ECS workings. 6117 was seen leaving light engine after the train it brought in had departed. 6117 was then based at Southall Shed and was withdrawn there 14 months later. At 17.44 pannier 9405 brought in ten empty coaches for the 18.08 Fridays Only to Wolverhampton Low Level, which ran non-stop to Birmingham Snow Hill due 20.06. The 18.08 departed just two minutes ahead of the 18.10 to Birkenhead Woodside – first stop Banbury. This was the last time that I saw steam engines at Paddington. On the way home that evening just one steam engine was seen. At Tiverton Junction 0-4-2 tank 1450 with one auto-coach was providing the connecting train to Tiverton at 21.28
A couple of days later I received a letter from Turriff offering me a job on the Honiton Bypass Contract. I did not accept the offer for reasons now forgotten and stayed with my existing employer for another nine months before going to work for a different contractor. Turriff started work that Autumn and constructed the bypass over two years with the road opening to traffic in December 1966 at a cost of about £1,000,000. What has happened since to the roads in the area since 1966 ? The A30 dual carriageway has been extended westwards to Exeter. To the east of Honiton very little has been done to the A30 for many miles and the A35 still approaches Honiton down a steep hill with the need to turn right to get onto the bypass.
What happened to Turriff Construction ? Like many medium and large civil engineering contractors of the postwar period the firm is no longer in business having closed down in 1992. The firm was named after the surname of the founders and not the name of the small town of Turriff in Aberdeenshire. Seven years later I applied for another job on a road contract, but this time on the other side of the fence, on the resident engineer's staff. The contract was for widening and straightening several miles of the A470 through the woods to the north of Dolgellau, which was then in Merionethshire. The A470 is a trunk road 186 miles long (the longest in Wales) linking Cardiff and Llandudno. The scheme had been designed by the Merionethshire County Council, which was abolished on 1 April 1974. Interviews were held at County Hall in Dolgellau which was just north of the town in an elevated position overlooking the town and the railway station. Unfortunately the railway had closed in 1965 and the station was derelict. The nearest railway station is ten miles away at Barmouth, so we decided to drive the 250 miles from Plymouth to Dolgellau for the interview, which was at about 2.00pm on Tuesday 24 August 1971. We would have to spend at least one night in an hotel so opted to leave after lunch on Monday 23 August and stay overnight at Chepstow in both directions. Motoring north from Chepstow to Dolgellau on the Tuesday morning we passed a steam roller in action on another section of the A470 being improved at the Vulcan Arms, Doldowlod. The Vulcan Arms was then a pub but is now a service area. We stopped here that evening on the way back to Chepstow and photographed the roller which was Aveling 10-ton no. 11208 dating from May 1925 and then belonging to Radnor County Council, registration EP3339. It was the very last time that I saw a steam roller in real commercial use. The engine survived into preservation and was last heard of at Kington, Herefordshire. Reverting to the north-bound journey, at Llangurig we had a choice of two routes and opted to head westwards via the A44 to Aberystwyth and then Machynlleth. This enabled me to stop at Devils Bridge and watch the first train of the day arrive at the narrow gauge terminus behind no.8 Llywelyn at 11.07am.
I arrived at Dolgellau in good time for the interview and was led into a large room overlooking the town. It contained an enormous table about 8 – 10 metres long. I was the only one sat on one long side looking out the window at the mountains in the background. There were one or two people at each narrow end and the other long side was full of people, comprising the whole of the Highways Committee plus the County Surveyor and one or two of his assistants; about 20 people in all. Frightening, but I have to say they were very kind and considerate. I explained that if successful I would be buying a house in the area. However this was a time of rapid house inflation, gazumping and houses being sold within 24 to 48 hours of going on the market. The Committee knew of the housing problems in the area and suggested we walk down into the town and visit the estate agents to see what was available, come back and let them know how we got on. We walked down to the town looking over the bridge at the derelict railway station on the way. There were three estate agents in the town; two did not have a single house for sale on their books; and the third had one house which had been on the market for several months. It was nine miles away at Fairbourne which is an area of sand dunes. The house had settled and been strapped up with steel bands which was the reason for everyone, including me, saying no thank you. We returned to County Hall and explained the impossible housing situation and we parted amicably with my expenses being paid. Just a few weeks later I was offered, and accepted, a position with the Camborne-Redruth UDC which was also abolished on 1 April 1974; and that is how I came to live in Cornwall where I have now lived for more than 53 years.
The firm that won the construction contract was Turriff Construction. I answered their advert for staff to work on the construction of the bypass; applied for the post of Junior Site Engineer and was lucky enough to get an interview in London. I travelled to London on Friday 17 July 1964 going up on the 8.30am Plymouth to Paddington arriving at 1.16pm just one minute late. The Turriff headquarters were in a new building facing onto the Great West Road at Brentford. How I travelled the seven miles from Paddington to Brentford is forgotten as it is not the easiest place to get to and would have taken about an hour. It was an impressive building 12 stories high and would have held hundreds of staff. I left after the interview with my expenses paid in cash; the main item would have been my train fare which was £5.40 for an ordinary return. I returned to Paddington station to catch the 6.30pm home to Plymouth. Both trains to and from London were Western-hauled; with the 6.30pm consisting of 15 coaches to Newton Abbot where 5 were detached for Paignton.
During the hour or so I was at Paddington at teatime I saw and photographed just two steam engines both on ECS workings. 6117 was seen leaving light engine after the train it brought in had departed. 6117 was then based at Southall Shed and was withdrawn there 14 months later. At 17.44 pannier 9405 brought in ten empty coaches for the 18.08 Fridays Only to Wolverhampton Low Level, which ran non-stop to Birmingham Snow Hill due 20.06. The 18.08 departed just two minutes ahead of the 18.10 to Birkenhead Woodside – first stop Banbury. This was the last time that I saw steam engines at Paddington. On the way home that evening just one steam engine was seen. At Tiverton Junction 0-4-2 tank 1450 with one auto-coach was providing the connecting train to Tiverton at 21.28
A couple of days later I received a letter from Turriff offering me a job on the Honiton Bypass Contract. I did not accept the offer for reasons now forgotten and stayed with my existing employer for another nine months before going to work for a different contractor. Turriff started work that Autumn and constructed the bypass over two years with the road opening to traffic in December 1966 at a cost of about £1,000,000. What has happened since to the roads in the area since 1966 ? The A30 dual carriageway has been extended westwards to Exeter. To the east of Honiton very little has been done to the A30 for many miles and the A35 still approaches Honiton down a steep hill with the need to turn right to get onto the bypass.
What happened to Turriff Construction ? Like many medium and large civil engineering contractors of the postwar period the firm is no longer in business having closed down in 1992. The firm was named after the surname of the founders and not the name of the small town of Turriff in Aberdeenshire. Seven years later I applied for another job on a road contract, but this time on the other side of the fence, on the resident engineer's staff. The contract was for widening and straightening several miles of the A470 through the woods to the north of Dolgellau, which was then in Merionethshire. The A470 is a trunk road 186 miles long (the longest in Wales) linking Cardiff and Llandudno. The scheme had been designed by the Merionethshire County Council, which was abolished on 1 April 1974. Interviews were held at County Hall in Dolgellau which was just north of the town in an elevated position overlooking the town and the railway station. Unfortunately the railway had closed in 1965 and the station was derelict. The nearest railway station is ten miles away at Barmouth, so we decided to drive the 250 miles from Plymouth to Dolgellau for the interview, which was at about 2.00pm on Tuesday 24 August 1971. We would have to spend at least one night in an hotel so opted to leave after lunch on Monday 23 August and stay overnight at Chepstow in both directions. Motoring north from Chepstow to Dolgellau on the Tuesday morning we passed a steam roller in action on another section of the A470 being improved at the Vulcan Arms, Doldowlod. The Vulcan Arms was then a pub but is now a service area. We stopped here that evening on the way back to Chepstow and photographed the roller which was Aveling 10-ton no. 11208 dating from May 1925 and then belonging to Radnor County Council, registration EP3339. It was the very last time that I saw a steam roller in real commercial use. The engine survived into preservation and was last heard of at Kington, Herefordshire. Reverting to the north-bound journey, at Llangurig we had a choice of two routes and opted to head westwards via the A44 to Aberystwyth and then Machynlleth. This enabled me to stop at Devils Bridge and watch the first train of the day arrive at the narrow gauge terminus behind no.8 Llywelyn at 11.07am.
I arrived at Dolgellau in good time for the interview and was led into a large room overlooking the town. It contained an enormous table about 8 – 10 metres long. I was the only one sat on one long side looking out the window at the mountains in the background. There were one or two people at each narrow end and the other long side was full of people, comprising the whole of the Highways Committee plus the County Surveyor and one or two of his assistants; about 20 people in all. Frightening, but I have to say they were very kind and considerate. I explained that if successful I would be buying a house in the area. However this was a time of rapid house inflation, gazumping and houses being sold within 24 to 48 hours of going on the market. The Committee knew of the housing problems in the area and suggested we walk down into the town and visit the estate agents to see what was available, come back and let them know how we got on. We walked down to the town looking over the bridge at the derelict railway station on the way. There were three estate agents in the town; two did not have a single house for sale on their books; and the third had one house which had been on the market for several months. It was nine miles away at Fairbourne which is an area of sand dunes. The house had settled and been strapped up with steel bands which was the reason for everyone, including me, saying no thank you. We returned to County Hall and explained the impossible housing situation and we parted amicably with my expenses being paid. Just a few weeks later I was offered, and accepted, a position with the Camborne-Redruth UDC which was also abolished on 1 April 1974; and that is how I came to live in Cornwall where I have now lived for more than 53 years.
6117 leaves Paddington light engine on 17 July 1964 photographed from platform 1. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
9405 arrives at Paddington with 10 empty coaches for the 18.08 to Wolverhampton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
9405 arrives at Paddington with 10 empty coaches for the 18.08 to Wolverhampton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Vale of Rheidol no. 8 Llewelyn, in BR corporate blue livery, pulls up the last few yards of the steep gradient into Devils Bridge Station on 24 August 1971 with the well-loaded first train of the day from Aberystwyth. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Vale of Rheidol no. 8 Llewelyn, in BR corporate blue livery, pulls up the last few yards of the steep gradient into Devils Bridge Station on 24 August 1971 with the well-loaded first train of the day from Aberystwyth. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 55
Yeo Mill Halt 18 July 1964
Michael L. Roach
In the first eight months of 1964 I made several trips to the Taunton - Barnstaple line. This was a 45-mile route and a Great Western branchline from Norton Fitzwarren to finish at the former Southern Railway's Barnstaple Junction Station in 1964. On Summer Saturdays some long-distance holiday trains continued on the 15 miles to Ilfracombe on the North Devon Coast. The line served a number of small communities but no large towns. In this it was very similar to the 54-mile Ruabon - Barmouth route visited recently. Another similarity is that one can still travel between the ends of the routes by a longer alternative route. Ruabon to Barmouth closed in January 1965 still steam operated, while Taunton to Barnstaple was dieselised in September 1964 and closed two years later. The staple motive power for the last years of steam was the Churchward Mogul, a design dating back to 1911 which earlier would have been equally at home hauling 10 or 12 coaches along the main line. A quick glance at the Middleton Press book of the line confirms that the vast majority of passenger trains were hauled by Churchward Moguls with very occasional appearances by the BR Standard Class 3 in the 82000 series and the Southern's N-class. Ten years earlier in the early 1950s the Southern's T9-class and the GWR's 4500 prairie class also made appearances. The 4500s would probably have been regulars pre-war.
On Friday 17 July 1964 I made a day return trip to London for an interview, as described in Part 54 arriving home in the house at about 11.40pm. The next day I was off on the 60-odd miles to North Devon by car to do a day of lineside photography. The first five hours were spent in the vicinity of Yeo Mill Halt 19 miles east of Barnstaple Junction in pleasant countryside and there was no difficulty in taking photos in several different places. The last steam timetable was dated 15 June 1964 to 13 June 1965 with the last Saturday of the summer service being on Saturday 5 September 1964 with the line going over to dmus on Monday 7 September. However there were so many alterations on so many lines that a 127-page supplement was issued from 7 September and so many four months later that the timetable was reprinted to operate from 4 January 1965. I will include a scan of the Summer 1964 timetable from which it can be seen that there were six trains Monday to Friday and nine on Saturdays; with five through trains to Ilfracombe and seven from Ilfracombe. Of all the coastal resorts in Britain that lost their railway station the town of Ilfracombe was one of the worst affected because of its relative isolation. Visitors came to the rest of North Devon, which still had a railway station at Barnstaple, but declined to head north of Barnstaple in the same numbers as they did when Ilfracombe had its own railway station. The town was depressed for a couple of decades. The lines to St. Ives and Looe were both reprieved from closure at the eleventh hour and with the benefit of hindsight Ilfracombe should have been reprieved as well.
My notes record that I went first to a location between Yeo Mill Halt and Bishops Nympton & Molland Station. A very minor road leads off the B3227 (then the A361) to a hamlet called Bottreaux Mill. The road passed under the line and the bridge carrying the single rail track still exists with the trackbed converted into a farm track. Quite by chance a friend called Aidan Hall walked this length in early July 2025 and took the last image between Bottreaux Mill and Yeo Mill. Many thanks Aidan. The trackbed makes an excellent private road. I parked near the bridge and walked westwards through the fields for a couple of hundred yards to take the first few images; returned to the road and then walked eastwards to take more images. Then I moved on the short distance to Yeo Mill Halt itself where similarly the minor passed under the track but with even less headroom for road vehicles which means the bridge span has been removed, although the abutments survive; but one very strange anomaly is that one abutment is built of brickwork while the other abutment is built of stonework. The halt was opened on Monday 27 June 1932 to “continue the Great Western Railway Company's policy of providing facilities wherever there are prospects of obtaining new passenger traffic.”
In this area the line was following the valley of the River Yeo from one of its sources just north of East Anstey Station westwards to a point about a mile west of Bishops Nympton & Molland Station where after six miles the river left the railway and turned from heading west to head south west passing under the line to join the River Mole coming south from South Molton. I presume that the Lynton And Barnstaple Railway's engine “Yeo” is named after this river.
Towards the end of my spell on the Taunton to Barnstaple line that day I moved on from Yeo Mill Halt more than 10 miles to the west end of Filleigh Viaduct (also known as Castle Hill Viaduct), probably to be a bit closer to Barnstaple and the road home. Here I took two photos before moving to the road bridge by Filleigh Station for the last photo of the day. In the photo of 7337 coming off the viaduct there is a small square hut which is connected with the “motor economic system” of maintenance introduced on this and many other lines in the 1930s. It enabled a small motorised trolley to be manhandled on to the track between trains by the permanent way gang to carry themselves and their tools and materials to the worksite; but now they were occupying the track so needed a token. The introduction of the system, later just called the economic system, was not simple as it involved the installation of occupation control instruments, occupation key boxes and telephones at several places along the line. The signalmen at the adjacent signal boxes would be kept informed of the gang's intentions as they would need to approve the withdrawal of the token and occupation of the line.
This was my type of day out. An enjoyable day at the lineside in lovely countryside photographing Great Western steam engines on a Great Western railway line that was still one hundred per cent steam in dry summer weather. It could not last, and this was the last year that it was possible. The few remaining lines where it was still possible would all be dieselised or closed to passengers or completely by the end of that year 1964. With the dieselisation of the Taunton to Barnstaple line all the six Churchward Moguls based at Taunton were withdrawn at the beginning of September 1964 and the shed closed. The last few Churchward Moguls were stationed at Didcot Shed and Gloucester Shed, believed to be five in number, and they were withdrawn in October and November 1964. Of the 342 moguls built between 1911 and 1932 it is quite surprising that only two were preserved.
On Friday 17 July 1964 I made a day return trip to London for an interview, as described in Part 54 arriving home in the house at about 11.40pm. The next day I was off on the 60-odd miles to North Devon by car to do a day of lineside photography. The first five hours were spent in the vicinity of Yeo Mill Halt 19 miles east of Barnstaple Junction in pleasant countryside and there was no difficulty in taking photos in several different places. The last steam timetable was dated 15 June 1964 to 13 June 1965 with the last Saturday of the summer service being on Saturday 5 September 1964 with the line going over to dmus on Monday 7 September. However there were so many alterations on so many lines that a 127-page supplement was issued from 7 September and so many four months later that the timetable was reprinted to operate from 4 January 1965. I will include a scan of the Summer 1964 timetable from which it can be seen that there were six trains Monday to Friday and nine on Saturdays; with five through trains to Ilfracombe and seven from Ilfracombe. Of all the coastal resorts in Britain that lost their railway station the town of Ilfracombe was one of the worst affected because of its relative isolation. Visitors came to the rest of North Devon, which still had a railway station at Barnstaple, but declined to head north of Barnstaple in the same numbers as they did when Ilfracombe had its own railway station. The town was depressed for a couple of decades. The lines to St. Ives and Looe were both reprieved from closure at the eleventh hour and with the benefit of hindsight Ilfracombe should have been reprieved as well.
My notes record that I went first to a location between Yeo Mill Halt and Bishops Nympton & Molland Station. A very minor road leads off the B3227 (then the A361) to a hamlet called Bottreaux Mill. The road passed under the line and the bridge carrying the single rail track still exists with the trackbed converted into a farm track. Quite by chance a friend called Aidan Hall walked this length in early July 2025 and took the last image between Bottreaux Mill and Yeo Mill. Many thanks Aidan. The trackbed makes an excellent private road. I parked near the bridge and walked westwards through the fields for a couple of hundred yards to take the first few images; returned to the road and then walked eastwards to take more images. Then I moved on the short distance to Yeo Mill Halt itself where similarly the minor passed under the track but with even less headroom for road vehicles which means the bridge span has been removed, although the abutments survive; but one very strange anomaly is that one abutment is built of brickwork while the other abutment is built of stonework. The halt was opened on Monday 27 June 1932 to “continue the Great Western Railway Company's policy of providing facilities wherever there are prospects of obtaining new passenger traffic.”
In this area the line was following the valley of the River Yeo from one of its sources just north of East Anstey Station westwards to a point about a mile west of Bishops Nympton & Molland Station where after six miles the river left the railway and turned from heading west to head south west passing under the line to join the River Mole coming south from South Molton. I presume that the Lynton And Barnstaple Railway's engine “Yeo” is named after this river.
Towards the end of my spell on the Taunton to Barnstaple line that day I moved on from Yeo Mill Halt more than 10 miles to the west end of Filleigh Viaduct (also known as Castle Hill Viaduct), probably to be a bit closer to Barnstaple and the road home. Here I took two photos before moving to the road bridge by Filleigh Station for the last photo of the day. In the photo of 7337 coming off the viaduct there is a small square hut which is connected with the “motor economic system” of maintenance introduced on this and many other lines in the 1930s. It enabled a small motorised trolley to be manhandled on to the track between trains by the permanent way gang to carry themselves and their tools and materials to the worksite; but now they were occupying the track so needed a token. The introduction of the system, later just called the economic system, was not simple as it involved the installation of occupation control instruments, occupation key boxes and telephones at several places along the line. The signalmen at the adjacent signal boxes would be kept informed of the gang's intentions as they would need to approve the withdrawal of the token and occupation of the line.
This was my type of day out. An enjoyable day at the lineside in lovely countryside photographing Great Western steam engines on a Great Western railway line that was still one hundred per cent steam in dry summer weather. It could not last, and this was the last year that it was possible. The few remaining lines where it was still possible would all be dieselised or closed to passengers or completely by the end of that year 1964. With the dieselisation of the Taunton to Barnstaple line all the six Churchward Moguls based at Taunton were withdrawn at the beginning of September 1964 and the shed closed. The last few Churchward Moguls were stationed at Didcot Shed and Gloucester Shed, believed to be five in number, and they were withdrawn in October and November 1964. Of the 342 moguls built between 1911 and 1932 it is quite surprising that only two were preserved.
7306 plus 6C on the 11.25 Taunton – Barnstaple has just passed milepost 191 and over the minor road to Bottreaux Mill on Saturday 18 July 1964. There was a a connection at Taunton out of a train from Bristol to Kingswear. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
I have crossed to the south side of the track and a little further westwards among some trees and eight minutes later 6326 passes with 6C on the 11.05am Ilfracombe to Taunton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
I have now moved eastwards to the other side of the minor road where 7337 with 4C on the 12.20 Ilfracombe to Taunton is about to enter a shallow cutting. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7303 plus 6c On the 12.55 Taunton (11.35 off Bristol TM) to Ilfracombe passes an occupation crossing and small culvert about a quarter of a mile west of the bridge over the road. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Twenty-one mins later 6363 with 4C follows in the same direction with the 10.17 Cardiff General (13.27 off Taunton) to Ilfracombe at the same occupation crossing. The train had divided at Taunton with the front half of the train going to Minehead. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
There was now a two hour gap between trains during which I moved the short distance to Yeo Mill Halt and while I was there the five Churchward Moguls I had seen earlier started to return. Here I am looking north west with the boundary of the Exmoor National Park a short distance away on the horizon. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7306 with 3C on the 3.50pm Barnstaple to Taunton is seen entering the halt at 4.35pm. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The entrance to Yeo Mill Halt was beside the east abutment on the north side of the low rail bridge. Here I am stood part way up the flight of steps looking at the platform slope and notice board giving the times of trains. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
6326 plus 4C on the 4.03pm Taunton to Barnstaple stopping train slows to a stop at Yeo Mill Halt to pick up one passenger. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Another view of the Halt – the signs are looking tired and unloved. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7337 with 4C accelerates away from the 25mph speed restriction over Castle Hill Viaduct with the 5.45pm Taunton to Barnstaple train. Note the hut described in the text. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
7303 heads downhill and slows to 25mph to pass over Castle Hill Viaduct with the 17.57 Ilfracombe to Taunton. The load was 6C plus one one milk tank. The signal is Filleigh down distant and it looks as though it could be motor-operated. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
6363 is seen leaving Filleigh Station with 4C on the 18.50 Ilfracombe to Taunton train on time at 19.53 This was the last eastbound train of the day, but there was one more westbound when this one reached the far end of the line. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
In this view from early July 2025 Aidan Hall is looking eastwards along the trackbed half way from the road bridge at Bottreaux Mill to Yeo Mill. Copyright Aidan Hall
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 56
Taunton to Barnstaple Postscript
Michael L. Roach
This instalment brings together all the images that could not be used in Part 55 about Yeo Mill Halt on the Taunton to Barnstaple line. The first image shows the cover of the timetable from Summer 1964 commencing on 15 June 1964 and due to last 12 months. There were so many changes on 7 September 1964 that a 127-page Supplement was issued including some to the Monday to Saturday Taunton to Barnstaple route which then became 100 percent diesel; with steam haulage finishing on Saturday 5 September 1964. There were so many further changes to Western Region trains on 4 January 1965 that the WR timetable was completely reprinted. The earlier one dated 15 June was the first to use the 24-hour clock. The Taunton to Barnstaple line closed on and from Monday 3 October 1966 with the last passenger trains running on Saturday 1 October 1966. Normally I did not attend “last days” where lines had been dieselised but I made an exception for the Taunton to Barnstaple line. What I did was to travel along the line by car stopping at most of the stations to take a handful of photos at each of the station buildings, signal box and signals. In Part 55 I recommended Freddie Huxtable's history of the line. This is one of the best line histories I have ever seen, with hundreds of photographs and supporting documentation, and was a real labour of love by Freddie.
The cover of the Western Region passenger timetable for June 1964 to 1965. This was the first one to introduce the 24-hour clock.
Table 64 which applied from Monday 15 June to Saturday 5 September 1964, and which was the last steam timetable.
The cover of the Supplement dated 7 September 1964 which contained a number of alterations to Table 64 in a list. Table 64 now applied Mondays to Saturdays; there was no Sunday service. I believe that all trains were now operated by diesel multiple units.
The cover of the reissued and reprinted WR timetable applicable from Monday 4 January 1965. An encouragement to buy this revised timetable was the fact that it only cost one shilling against the two shillings and sixpence of the earlier full 1964-65 one.
The Table 64 timetable applicable from 4 January 1965. A small number of trains now ran to or from Torrington which may have been diagrammed to pick up the occasional milk tank making its way from Torrington to Taunton for a WR London destination.
Nothing to do with Taunton – Barnstaple but this pamphlet was used as a bookmark in the revised timetable and shows fares for day trips from Bath Green Park on the Somerset & Dorset just one year before closure.
Churchward Mogul no. 8318 leaves Penzance in 1934 with thirteen coaches. Engines in the 8300 series had extra weight inserted behind the buffer beam to minimise wear on the leading driving wheels caused by the many curves on lines such as the Cornish main line. Penzance had two moguls in 1921 and Plymouth had ten moguls in 1921.
A train is seen crossing Castle Hill Viaduct in 1926 behind a Churchward Mogul. The piers of the viaduct now carry a main road.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 57
Halwill to Torrington
Michael L. Roach
At the end of the Nineteenth Century, the north west of Devon was a sparsely populated depressed area. The government of the day passed the Light Railways Act of 1896 to assist such areas to have the benefits of a railway line. The Act allowed reduced standards of construction but the downside was that there were drawbacks including an overall 25mph speed limit. The North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway was formed to take advantage of the Act and open up north west Devon but by the time it opened it was probably already too late as motorised road transport was already improving dramatically. The line was built south from Torrington to Hatherleigh and Halwill Junction Station on the North Cornwall line from Okehampton to Wadebridge and Padstow. The line opened to passengers one hundred years ago on 27 July 1925. It was too late to be affected by the Grouping of the Railways under the 1921 Act, and remained independent until nationalisation in 1948, but was worked by the Southern Railway from opening until nationalisation.
Halwill to Torrington was the last new full-sized railway built in England until the 68-mile Channel Tunnel Rail Link known as HS1 opened on 14 November 2007. Comparison of any aspect of the two lines – earthworks, gradients, speed limits, curves, ballast, length of trains etc – would be stark; the two lines are completely at the opposite ends of the spectrum. Passenger traffic was never heavy and for the last few years there were just two passenger trains that travelled the full 20 miles of the route. Freight traffic was much healthier with the transport of ball clay being very important. The passenger trains had been dieselised before withdrawal on and from 1 March 1965 with the last trains running on Saturday 27 February 1965, with freight continuing on the northern section for a few more years. The lines at each end that the light railway had joined together did not last much longer than the line itself. The line from Barnstaple to Torrington closed on and from 3 October 1965; with the North Cornwall line through Halwill closing a year later on 4 October 1966.
My first trip over the line was on 6 August 1960 on a circular tour, Plymouth to Plymouth via Launceston, Halwill, Torrington, Barnstaple, Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, Dulverton and Exeter. My second was a return trip from Halwill Junction to Barnstaple and return on Saturday 29 June 1963 on the same train the 10.52am off Halwill returning on the 4.40pm off Torrington. On the outward leg 41210 had the usual one coach plus two box vans which were dropped off at Petrockstowe. On the return journey from Barnstaple I recorded that there were about 150 passengers in the two coaches as far as Bideford. From Torrington, behind 41214 there were 7 passengers with 2 alighting at Yarde, and 5 alighting at Halwill. My third and last trip was on The Exmoor Ranger Railtour of 27 March 1965 i.e after closure of part of the route. More about the railtour in the relevant section of this website, and on sixbellsjunction website.
On my first trip over the line in 1960 we caught the first train of the day, then timed at 10.52am, one coach hauled by Ivatt 2-6-2T no. 41314 of Barnstaple Junction Shed. I had earlier started making odd records on some of my rail journeys along branch lines and secondary routes. Sometimes it would be carriage numbers or passenger numbers, but on this journey from Halwill to Torrington I recorded the number of goods wagons in each of the goods yards passed en-route. Although long distance road haulage had commenced in the 1930s many customers had stayed loyal to the railways up until 1960. Many customers were based in goods yards and found it useful to use the loaded box vans for the temporary storage of their incoming goods. The main traffic in rural areas would be agricultural stores and domestic coal, both of which could stay in the wagon until needed, avoiding double handling into a store or bin. The first station was Hole where there were 3 wagons parked up beside the large warehouse (exact purpose unknown). At the next station Hatherleigh there were no less than 13 wagons parked up which seemed very good; and at Petrockstowe 5 wagons. The train had started from Halwill with 4½ passengers; adding one at Petrockstowe, one at Yarde and one at Watergate. No passengers alighted at intermediate stations so 7½ alighted at journey's end Torrington.
Halwill to Torrington was the last new full-sized railway built in England until the 68-mile Channel Tunnel Rail Link known as HS1 opened on 14 November 2007. Comparison of any aspect of the two lines – earthworks, gradients, speed limits, curves, ballast, length of trains etc – would be stark; the two lines are completely at the opposite ends of the spectrum. Passenger traffic was never heavy and for the last few years there were just two passenger trains that travelled the full 20 miles of the route. Freight traffic was much healthier with the transport of ball clay being very important. The passenger trains had been dieselised before withdrawal on and from 1 March 1965 with the last trains running on Saturday 27 February 1965, with freight continuing on the northern section for a few more years. The lines at each end that the light railway had joined together did not last much longer than the line itself. The line from Barnstaple to Torrington closed on and from 3 October 1965; with the North Cornwall line through Halwill closing a year later on 4 October 1966.
My first trip over the line was on 6 August 1960 on a circular tour, Plymouth to Plymouth via Launceston, Halwill, Torrington, Barnstaple, Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, Dulverton and Exeter. My second was a return trip from Halwill Junction to Barnstaple and return on Saturday 29 June 1963 on the same train the 10.52am off Halwill returning on the 4.40pm off Torrington. On the outward leg 41210 had the usual one coach plus two box vans which were dropped off at Petrockstowe. On the return journey from Barnstaple I recorded that there were about 150 passengers in the two coaches as far as Bideford. From Torrington, behind 41214 there were 7 passengers with 2 alighting at Yarde, and 5 alighting at Halwill. My third and last trip was on The Exmoor Ranger Railtour of 27 March 1965 i.e after closure of part of the route. More about the railtour in the relevant section of this website, and on sixbellsjunction website.
On my first trip over the line in 1960 we caught the first train of the day, then timed at 10.52am, one coach hauled by Ivatt 2-6-2T no. 41314 of Barnstaple Junction Shed. I had earlier started making odd records on some of my rail journeys along branch lines and secondary routes. Sometimes it would be carriage numbers or passenger numbers, but on this journey from Halwill to Torrington I recorded the number of goods wagons in each of the goods yards passed en-route. Although long distance road haulage had commenced in the 1930s many customers had stayed loyal to the railways up until 1960. Many customers were based in goods yards and found it useful to use the loaded box vans for the temporary storage of their incoming goods. The main traffic in rural areas would be agricultural stores and domestic coal, both of which could stay in the wagon until needed, avoiding double handling into a store or bin. The first station was Hole where there were 3 wagons parked up beside the large warehouse (exact purpose unknown). At the next station Hatherleigh there were no less than 13 wagons parked up which seemed very good; and at Petrockstowe 5 wagons. The train had started from Halwill with 4½ passengers; adding one at Petrockstowe, one at Yarde and one at Watergate. No passengers alighted at intermediate stations so 7½ alighted at journey's end Torrington.
A general view of Halwill Junction Station from the Torrington bay platform on Saturday 6 August 1960. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41314 waits to take out the 10.52am to Torrington on 06.08.1960. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Ivatt 41283 leaves Hole Station with the 6.30pm Halwill to Torrington on 28 March 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Two months later and 41283 is on the 10.38am Halwill to Torrington crossing the main road near Hatherleigh on 23 May 1964. I am looking towards Halwill. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41314 takes water at Hatherleigh Station on 06.08.1960 while working the 10.52am Halwill to Torrington train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 58
Day Trip to North Cornwall
Michael L. Roach
On Saturday 1 August 1964 I made a day trip from Plymouth to North Cornwall via Okehampton, and some aspects of the day were unusual. I left Plymouth on the 11:48 SO stopping train to Exeter Central which was Hymek-hauled that day; that was a big disappointment, and no photos were taken. At Okehampton BR 4MT 2-6-4 tank 80041 was waiting to take me down to Bude, a journey of 61 minutes; en route my train passed 80059 at Halwill waiting to take out the 14:12 to Launceston. At Holsworthy, 80038 was passed working the 14:00 Bude to Halwill, while N-class 31846 was shunting the goods yard. This was the last summer of a long-standing comprehensive timetable of trains on these lines, and just a month later the service would be drastically reduced. I took no photos at Bude that day which was really strange, but I see that I was nearing the end of a 36-exposure 35mm cassette so must have forgotten to put a spare cassette in my pocket before leaving home. At the time Ilford film was being used consistently – FP3 in summer (then 125ASA ?) and HP3 in the winter months (then 400ASA ?).
I had nearly an hour in Bude before returning on the 15:35 off Bude as far as Halwill Junction where arrival at 16:11 was 3 mins early. Here at Halwill I should have caught the 15:40 stopping train from Okehampton to Padstow, but the down Atlantic Coast Express was running more than an hour late so I caught that train instead - running roughly in the path of the 15:40, but making only the ACE's limited stops. The ACE left Halwill at 16:19 (69L); waited 6 mins at Launceston to pass 80037 on the 15:10 from Padstow and reached Wadebridge, where I alighted at 17:46 (56L). The ACE had five coaches but all other trains on the North Cornwall were 2C that day.
I had 47 mins at Wadebridge before returning east on the last train of the day the 18:20 from Padstow to Okehampton, where there was a connection for Exeter St. Davids. The train was due off Wadebridge at 18:32 and on this day had two engines hauling the two coaches. Whether this was normal or due to the late arrival of the down ACE is not known. The two engines were 31859 and 31406, both of Exmouth Junction Shed and both withdrawn a month later. At Otterham 31845 passed the other way on the 17:51 Okehampton to Padstow, which was the last train of the day of six on Saturdays. My train spent ten minutes at Halwill, arriving early and leaving late, and 31859 came off the train, probably before I realised. I failed to capture one photo of both engines on the train either at Wadebridge or Halwill. I am still perplexed as to why I did not walk up into the town at Bude and buy a film. At the time I was using a lot of film and probably buying them in bulk by mail order, and probably did not like the price that a chemist would charge for a single cassette.
My train from Padstow arrived at Okehampton at 20:42 (3E) giving a 20 minute connection into the 20:15 Exeter St. Davids to Plymouth, but it was running 20L on this day and when it did turn up it was a 3-car dmu of the Swindon built Cross-country class 120 type, instantly recognisable because they only had two windows at the front. I sat in the front seat and watched the view although it was almost dark as the train left Okehampton at 21:23 (20L). Arrival at Plymouth was at 22:27 (14L). It had been a strange day with only six photographs taken.
On a different subject, a news item for fans of North American railroads in case you missed it last week. At the end of July 2025 it was announced that Union Pacific was to take over Norfolk Southern. Union Pacific operates 8,300 engines over 32,200 route miles in 23 states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Norfolk Southern operates freight trains over 19,400 route miles in 22 states on the eastern side of the USA. So in a way the two railroads are a perfect fit and Union Pacific will now be operating freight trains from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast which is a journey of up to 3,000 miles or more. Union Pacific will be the first US coast-to-coast rail freight operator.
I had nearly an hour in Bude before returning on the 15:35 off Bude as far as Halwill Junction where arrival at 16:11 was 3 mins early. Here at Halwill I should have caught the 15:40 stopping train from Okehampton to Padstow, but the down Atlantic Coast Express was running more than an hour late so I caught that train instead - running roughly in the path of the 15:40, but making only the ACE's limited stops. The ACE left Halwill at 16:19 (69L); waited 6 mins at Launceston to pass 80037 on the 15:10 from Padstow and reached Wadebridge, where I alighted at 17:46 (56L). The ACE had five coaches but all other trains on the North Cornwall were 2C that day.
I had 47 mins at Wadebridge before returning east on the last train of the day the 18:20 from Padstow to Okehampton, where there was a connection for Exeter St. Davids. The train was due off Wadebridge at 18:32 and on this day had two engines hauling the two coaches. Whether this was normal or due to the late arrival of the down ACE is not known. The two engines were 31859 and 31406, both of Exmouth Junction Shed and both withdrawn a month later. At Otterham 31845 passed the other way on the 17:51 Okehampton to Padstow, which was the last train of the day of six on Saturdays. My train spent ten minutes at Halwill, arriving early and leaving late, and 31859 came off the train, probably before I realised. I failed to capture one photo of both engines on the train either at Wadebridge or Halwill. I am still perplexed as to why I did not walk up into the town at Bude and buy a film. At the time I was using a lot of film and probably buying them in bulk by mail order, and probably did not like the price that a chemist would charge for a single cassette.
My train from Padstow arrived at Okehampton at 20:42 (3E) giving a 20 minute connection into the 20:15 Exeter St. Davids to Plymouth, but it was running 20L on this day and when it did turn up it was a 3-car dmu of the Swindon built Cross-country class 120 type, instantly recognisable because they only had two windows at the front. I sat in the front seat and watched the view although it was almost dark as the train left Okehampton at 21:23 (20L). Arrival at Plymouth was at 22:27 (14L). It had been a strange day with only six photographs taken.
On a different subject, a news item for fans of North American railroads in case you missed it last week. At the end of July 2025 it was announced that Union Pacific was to take over Norfolk Southern. Union Pacific operates 8,300 engines over 32,200 route miles in 23 states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Norfolk Southern operates freight trains over 19,400 route miles in 22 states on the eastern side of the USA. So in a way the two railroads are a perfect fit and Union Pacific will now be operating freight trains from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast which is a journey of up to 3,000 miles or more. Union Pacific will be the first US coast-to-coast rail freight operator.
Standard 2-6-4 tank 80041 is seen at Okehampton Station eight minutes before departure on the 13:40 to
Bude train on 1 August 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking at the wider view it can be seen that parcels traffic was then an important part of operating
stations and passenger trains. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
80041 has been down to Bude and is seen here on its return at Halwill on the 15.35 Bude to Okehampton. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Three minutes after the previous picture and N-class 31859 enters Halwill with 8C on the down Atlantic
Coast Express running an hour late past 80041. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
It is 18:30 on 1 August 1964 and 31406 is back at Wadebridge with the 18:20 Padstow to Okehampton for
a 2 minute stop. Similar engine 31859 came on the front of the train before it departed just 11⁄2 minutes late. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Here is 31406 at Halwill Junction again single-headed after 31859 had detached and run off LE to
Okehampton or Exeter in advance of the passenger train. The crew must have been keen to get to home and dispose of their engine for the night. Although the 18:20 was here 10 minutes it was only 3L leaving as it arrived 4E. This
was the last photo of the day. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 59
Walkham and Moorswater Viaducts
Michael L. Roach
In Part 48 published here on 10 June 2025 I described an evening walk down the valley of the River Walkham, on the edge of Dartmoor on the 10 June 1964, to the magnificent railway bridge that was Walkham Viaduct on the Great Western's branch line from Plymouth to Tavistock South and Launceston. A great shame that it was demolished. Just two months later and I was back there again on an evening walk this time with a male friend and up at rail level. He was Charles Fennamore (1940 – 2018) with whom I did many trips between 1959 and 1965 when he left the West Country. Charles was an avid reader of the Western Morning News and may have read that demolition of Walkham Viaduct had commenced. On the evening of 13 August 1964 the viaduct was still intact although all the ballast had been removed. The first photo shows my friend standing at the south end of the viaduct on the concrete slab with the image giving a good idea of the length and width of the viaduct. The original timber superstructure had been built in 1859 for a single broad gauge track while the steel replacement of 1910 was constructed for a double narrow gauge track, which never materialised. Although the extra width of the bridge may have been in anticipation of more traffic and trains I read that it was just as much about the ease of placing the replacement steel girders outside the timber superstructure on the built up piers in order to keep the trains running most of the time during the lengthy reconstruction period by the Great Western's own men. Read more on the reconstruction in the article from the GWR Magazine attached. When one considers the length and width of the viaduct and the fact that trains were kept running most of the time I think it is an amazing testament to the abilities of the GWR's own bridge gangs in undertaking the largest and most complex of jobs.
In the second photo I am at the same location as the first photo but nearly 2½ years earlier when the trains were still running. The image shows small prairie 4567 coming off the viaduct at 4.15 in the afternoon with the returning Launceston to Tavistock Junction Goods. I have chosen this image because it shows that the single track ran down the centre of the viaduct and the track was ballasted across the viaduct. Now very often on steel or iron viaducts the longitudinal trusses are arranged directly beneath the running rails with the track supported on longitudinal timber beams, with timber struts and iron tie bars keeping the timber beams, and thus the rails at the correct gauge. It would have been a huge logistical problem to construct the concrete slab but it would have allowed the one line of rails to be moved over if the second line were ever built. On a later visit when the concrete slab had been broken out I recovered a piece of aggregate from which the concrete was made and it was a striking dark green in colour. Any suggestions as to the source of the aggregate ? The article in the GWR Magazine makes no mention of the concrete slab but I have photos of it being broken out which will be shown in a subsequent article on the demolition of the viaduct.
In Part 48 I suggested that with Walkham Viaduct demolished the third most interesting railway viaduct (after the Royal Albert Bridge and Meldon Viaduct) in Devon and Cornwall is Moorswater just west of Liskeard. In numerical terms Moorswater is 318 yards long and 147 feet high; this makes it the second longest in Cornwall and not quite so long as Walkham at 367 yards; the highest in Cornwall at 147 feet and higher than Walkham at 132 feet. Moorswater is longer and higher than any of the viaducts between Truro and Penzance (8 no.); between Truro and Falmouth (8 originally); and between Totnes and Plymouth (5 no.). Moorswater really is a beautiful bridge crossing a valley at an interesting location. Constructed by Brunel for the opening of the Cornwall Railway in May 1859 the original stone pier and timber superstructure viaduct was replaced by the present brick and stone structure on a new alignment opened in 1881. The area is nicely recorded in the OS 25-inch plan of 1881/2 which shows a single broad gauge line across the viaduct. Just to the north of the viaduct is a yard, which although unannotated, is believed to be the stonemasons yard where the stone for the viaduct was cut. In 1881 the Liskeard & Caradon Railway was still in operation, complete with Moorswater Station. The china clay works had not yet been built, and nor had the steeply graded railway line from Coombe Junction up to Liskeard Station on the main line. The Looe branch had not yet been taken over by the GWR and was still being operated by the L & C.
In Latest Input on 6 August 2025 Jon Hird showed some good views of the Moorswater area. Jon was also kind enough to take some drone pictures of Moorswater from the north side for this article because most published pictures of the viaduct are taken from the south side presumably because it is the side the light comes from for most of the time photographers are out and about and it is also easier to access. Another important factor is that the surviving Brunel stone piers are on the south side of the present viaduct and add atmosphere to the scene.
In the second photo I am at the same location as the first photo but nearly 2½ years earlier when the trains were still running. The image shows small prairie 4567 coming off the viaduct at 4.15 in the afternoon with the returning Launceston to Tavistock Junction Goods. I have chosen this image because it shows that the single track ran down the centre of the viaduct and the track was ballasted across the viaduct. Now very often on steel or iron viaducts the longitudinal trusses are arranged directly beneath the running rails with the track supported on longitudinal timber beams, with timber struts and iron tie bars keeping the timber beams, and thus the rails at the correct gauge. It would have been a huge logistical problem to construct the concrete slab but it would have allowed the one line of rails to be moved over if the second line were ever built. On a later visit when the concrete slab had been broken out I recovered a piece of aggregate from which the concrete was made and it was a striking dark green in colour. Any suggestions as to the source of the aggregate ? The article in the GWR Magazine makes no mention of the concrete slab but I have photos of it being broken out which will be shown in a subsequent article on the demolition of the viaduct.
In Part 48 I suggested that with Walkham Viaduct demolished the third most interesting railway viaduct (after the Royal Albert Bridge and Meldon Viaduct) in Devon and Cornwall is Moorswater just west of Liskeard. In numerical terms Moorswater is 318 yards long and 147 feet high; this makes it the second longest in Cornwall and not quite so long as Walkham at 367 yards; the highest in Cornwall at 147 feet and higher than Walkham at 132 feet. Moorswater is longer and higher than any of the viaducts between Truro and Penzance (8 no.); between Truro and Falmouth (8 originally); and between Totnes and Plymouth (5 no.). Moorswater really is a beautiful bridge crossing a valley at an interesting location. Constructed by Brunel for the opening of the Cornwall Railway in May 1859 the original stone pier and timber superstructure viaduct was replaced by the present brick and stone structure on a new alignment opened in 1881. The area is nicely recorded in the OS 25-inch plan of 1881/2 which shows a single broad gauge line across the viaduct. Just to the north of the viaduct is a yard, which although unannotated, is believed to be the stonemasons yard where the stone for the viaduct was cut. In 1881 the Liskeard & Caradon Railway was still in operation, complete with Moorswater Station. The china clay works had not yet been built, and nor had the steeply graded railway line from Coombe Junction up to Liskeard Station on the main line. The Looe branch had not yet been taken over by the GWR and was still being operated by the L & C.
In Latest Input on 6 August 2025 Jon Hird showed some good views of the Moorswater area. Jon was also kind enough to take some drone pictures of Moorswater from the north side for this article because most published pictures of the viaduct are taken from the south side presumably because it is the side the light comes from for most of the time photographers are out and about and it is also easier to access. Another important factor is that the surviving Brunel stone piers are on the south side of the present viaduct and add atmosphere to the scene.
My friend Charles stands at the south end of Walkham Viaduct at 7.25pm on the evening of Thursday 13 August 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
I am stood in roughly the same place as the previous photo as 4567 comes off the viaduct with the Launceston to Tavistock Junction goods at 4.15pm on Saturday 31 March 1962. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The newly-constructed wagons bringing the girders built by The Horsehay Company from Dawley in Shropshire to Devon in pairs. The Horsehay Ironworks was established in 1754.
The old and new Walkham Viaducts as published in the GWR Magazine in 1910, although the top photo was obviously taken several years earlier.
Most of the article in the GWR Magazine for October 1910 recording the reconstruction of the viaduct.
The small final piece of the article which was on the next page of the magazine.
Just gone 6am on Tuesday 05.08.2025, a GWR 'Castle Class' HST works the first down train into Cornwall over Moorswater Viaduct. Copyright Jon Hird.
The North face of Moorswater Viaduct. The drone is roughly above the A38 Liskeard bypass. 05.08.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 60
Walnut Tree Viaduct
Michael L. Roach
This instalment marks Part 60 in the 1964 Series since the first one was published on 22 August 2024. In view of recent subjects, I thought that we would have one more look at another of the great steel truss bridges on the Western Region before leaving the subject and also remember the sixtieth anniversary of a railtour which took place on 31 July 1965. The two subjects come together at the Walnut Tree Viaduct, which was located some six miles north west of Cardiff General Station, where the viaduct crossed the valley of the River Taff and the main line of the former Taff Vale Railway.
The viaduct was built by the Barry Railway to carry coal trains to the Company's Barry Docks for export. The whole ethos of the Barry Railway was to break the stranglehold (and delays) that Cardiff Docks and the Taff Vale Railway had on coal exports. The Barry directly served three main valleys – the Rhondda, the Taff and the Rhymney but also carried coal trains from other valleys. The railway was a remarkable success but with the Grouping of 1921-2 all the railways serving the South Wales coalfield were merged with the Great Western Railway. The double track across the viaduct carried the freight-only route from the Rhymney Valley via Caerphilly, a crossing of the South Wales Main Line and Wenvoe to Cadoxton close to the east end of Barry Docks.
Walnut Tree Viaduct was 1548 feet long (Walkham 1100 feet); had 7 spans (15 spans); truss height not found (9 ft 7½ ins); height 120 feet (132 feet); 2 tracks (one but space for 2); in use 1901-1967 (1910-1962); demolished (ditto). Although Walnut Tree and Walkham were very similar it will be noted that the length of each span at Walnut Tree was more than three times the length at Walkham and the depth of the steel truss was much larger; and it carried a lot more, and heavier traffic, than Walkham which had an easy life by comparison. In the first seven weeks after opening to traffic Walnut Tree carried more than 100,000 tons of coal across the valley below.
The railtour was the Swansea Railway Circle's Rambling 56 Railtour of 31 July 1965 which started at Cardiff General and finished at Newport High Street more than six hours later. The engine used was one of the GWR's 0-6-2 tanks designed in 1924, powerful for their modest size, and would have no difficulty with the light load of four coaches. The cost of the ticket was 35 shillings (£1.75). The engine was 6643 of Llanelly Shed and it was withdrawn shortly after the railtour. The year 1965 witnessed the final run-down of steam in South and West Wales and this was one of a number of railtours that took place that summer and autumn.
The viaduct was built by the Barry Railway to carry coal trains to the Company's Barry Docks for export. The whole ethos of the Barry Railway was to break the stranglehold (and delays) that Cardiff Docks and the Taff Vale Railway had on coal exports. The Barry directly served three main valleys – the Rhondda, the Taff and the Rhymney but also carried coal trains from other valleys. The railway was a remarkable success but with the Grouping of 1921-2 all the railways serving the South Wales coalfield were merged with the Great Western Railway. The double track across the viaduct carried the freight-only route from the Rhymney Valley via Caerphilly, a crossing of the South Wales Main Line and Wenvoe to Cadoxton close to the east end of Barry Docks.
Walnut Tree Viaduct was 1548 feet long (Walkham 1100 feet); had 7 spans (15 spans); truss height not found (9 ft 7½ ins); height 120 feet (132 feet); 2 tracks (one but space for 2); in use 1901-1967 (1910-1962); demolished (ditto). Although Walnut Tree and Walkham were very similar it will be noted that the length of each span at Walnut Tree was more than three times the length at Walkham and the depth of the steel truss was much larger; and it carried a lot more, and heavier traffic, than Walkham which had an easy life by comparison. In the first seven weeks after opening to traffic Walnut Tree carried more than 100,000 tons of coal across the valley below.
The railtour was the Swansea Railway Circle's Rambling 56 Railtour of 31 July 1965 which started at Cardiff General and finished at Newport High Street more than six hours later. The engine used was one of the GWR's 0-6-2 tanks designed in 1924, powerful for their modest size, and would have no difficulty with the light load of four coaches. The cost of the ticket was 35 shillings (£1.75). The engine was 6643 of Llanelly Shed and it was withdrawn shortly after the railtour. The year 1965 witnessed the final run-down of steam in South and West Wales and this was one of a number of railtours that took place that summer and autumn.
The railtour ticket gives more details of the route, which involved a number of propelling movements. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The railtour has arrived at the west end of Walnut Tree Viaduct after being propelled from Penrhos Junction. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
0-6-2 tank 6643 stands on the second span of the viaduct while on the right is the dolomite quarry. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The enthusiasts detrain from the railtour's four coaches. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The driver chats to an enthusiast. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The sun has come out to highlight the viaduct in its magnificent setting crossing the valley of the River Taff. Note the width of the top flange of the truss. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Walnut Tree had the same problems as Walkham with trees making it difficult to photograph. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
In this wonderful 80-year old photograph an empty coal train is heading up the valley beneath the viaduct while two coal trains head down the valley to the docks, both headed by GWR 0-6-2 tanks. Compare the trusses with the next image from Walkham Viaduct.
A scan of a single Walkham truss of 6 panels. The Walnut Tree truss visible in the previous image has many more panels.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 61
Burnley, 3rd August 1968
Michael L. Roach
Most enthusiasts, of any age, know that the first weekend of August 1968 was a major landmark in the history of Britain's railways with the closure of the last few steam sheds and the dieselisation of the last few steam-hauled freight and passenger trains which were all in the north-west of England. A friend and I decided we ought to be there to witness this major event. He was Patrick S. Rae (1937-2007) originally from Solihull, then living in Plymouth, and soon to move to Sidcup within a year or two, and spending half his life there on the outskirts of London.
There were to be a number of railtours that weekend and we would aim to photograph some of them out in the Lancashire countryside and to visit at least one steam shed, so we would need a car. We headed north on Friday 2 August 1968 leaving Plymouth after an early lunch. It was 160 miles of the A38 to Junction 8 of the M5 at Strensham where (I think) the motorway started in 1968. I had started to use colour slide film four days earlier at Longleat, which was far later than most photographers, due to financial considerations. It was an Ilford 20-exposure film which I probably chose because of their plastic mounts. People had warned me about Ilford colour results but I think the attached scans are good for the age of the originals. For the second film I switched to Kodak Ektachrome which had been my friend's first choice for some time. By a strange twist of fate the first colour photo of a railway engine was an electric one and not a steam engine. We stopped at Keele Services and there in the car park was a brand-new electric loco on a trailer starting out on the first stage of a journey from a local factory to the Pakistan Western Railway. It was a 25KV engine of 3,070 horse power and weighed 44 tons without its bogies. The trailer was being hauled by a Pickfords Scammell tractor unit registration ULY 904 which has survived into preservation.
Where we found bed and breakfast has been lost in the midst of time. Next morning we moved on to Burnley which we approached from the west along the A678 and A679 and it was while passing through the village of Rishton that we saw something that I had not witnessed for nearly 20 years and have not seen since and that was the daily milk being delivered by horse and cart. In the late 1940s our milk was delivered every day of the week by horse and cart in Salcombe Road, Plymouth; but then fuel of all types was in short supply and rationed, and petrol rationing did not end until 26 May 1950. There are a few small breweries that still use a horse and dray for very local deliveries e.g. Hook Norton in Oxfordshire. As we approached Rose Grove, Burnley it was to find an LMS 2-8-0 8F no. 48393 of Rose Grove Shed drifting down the grade heading east past Rose Grove Shed (at 10.56am). 48393 was hauling empty steel mineral wagons which had probably delivered coal to Huncoat Power Station just three miles away. This was an opportunity too good to miss so we decided to give chase which would not be difficult at the speed that the train was travelling at. The engine took water and we saw it next at Gannow Junction (11.15) where it forked right for the Calder Valley and the Yorkshire coalfield. From Gannow Junction there is a 5-mile climb on gradients of 1 in 68/71 to Copy Pit which enabled us to overtake the train as the 8F had 60 empty wagons in tow. It was seen passing Holme Chapel (11.30) and at Copy Pit Summit (11.40am) where 48191 passed in the opposite direction. My notes do not make clear whether 48191 had banked the train we were chasing or not.
We returned to Burnley to make our one and only visit to a steam shed during our visit to Lancashire and that was Rose Grove which was located on the north side of the line just east of Padiham Junction and just west of Rose Grove Station and two miles west of the centre of Burnley. The shed was built by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and opened in 1899 and was one of just three steam sheds to survive until the very end of steam. The others were at Carnforth and Lostock Hall (Preston). The shed was orientated east – west and just outside the rear wall of the shed passed the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and it was from the canal that the shed obtained the water for the steam engines. When an engine arrived at Crewe Works for overhaul the first action was to drain the water from the tender or the side tanks. It was said that the men draining out the water could always recognise a Rose Grove engine without looking at the shed plate by the fish that came out with the water. History does not record whether the fish were dead or alive. We were not alone that day as we toured the shed as there were lots of enthusiasts making their last visit to a steam shed, which was typical of track and buildings that had seen 70 years of use in a smoky environment.
To me as a transport enthusiast and a civil engineer the one thing that Burnley is known for is the Burnley Embankment which carries the Leeds and Liverpool Canal across the valley to the east of the town centre; and which is one of the seven wonders of the British Waterways system. It is in good company with the likes of Anderton Boat Lift and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. The Burnley Embankment is three quarters of a mile long and up to 60 feet (18 metres) above the surrounding ground. It took the navvies five years to build (1796 – 1801) and cost £22,000 – a bargain. I have only been back to Burnley once since 1968 and that was in 1996 when staying at Greenfield which has a railway station on the line from Manchester to Standedge Tunnel and Huddersfield.
We were at Rose Grove Shed from 1.30pm to just after 3.00pm that day and saw 29 steam engines. Many were dead and condemned but there were also 10 in steam. Only one engine came onto shed while we were there and that was 48715 at 2.00pm. Here is a list of engines on Rose Grove Shed applicable at 3.00pm on Saturday 3 August 1968:
Stanier 5MTs in steam
45156 (formerly Ayrshire Yeomanry)
Stanier 5MTs condemned
44899, 45096, 45350, 45382, 45447 (5 no.)
Stanier 8Fs in steam
48191, 48278, 48393, 48400, 48423, 48519, 48715, 48727, 48773 (9 no.)
Stanier 8Fs condemned
48062/115/247/257/323/384/410/448/451/665/666/715/727/730 (14 no.)
48773 was used on an LCGB railtour next day, with 48519 as standby. 48773 returned light engine from Carnforth at the end of the day, Sunday 4 August 1968, and was the last steam engine to arrive on Rose Grove Shed for attention.
The next day we spent the morning on the platform at Manchester Victoria Station where most, if not all, of the last-day railtours were routed. In the afternoon we were out in the Lancashire countryside about half a mile south of Entwistle station on the Bolton to Blackburn line and not far from Sough Summit. The summit lay at the top of a seven mile steep climb of which some five miles was at a constant 1 in 73. Four of the specials traversed the line while we were there, and all were double-headed. The last to pass was the RCTS Special which had started at Euston at 08.35 and was the longest train of the day at 13C. When it passed us it was running 169 minutes late; and so we took our last photos of the RCTS Special at 16.16 and headed for home 300 miles away.
In conclusion I think we very very lucky and privileged to come across one of the last steam-hauled freight trains on 3 August 1968. Freight trains still pass along this route with many timetabled but most of them are Q or run as required. There are few power stations left in Britain and even fewer using solid fuel as opposed to gas via a pipeline, but one of those is Drax which uses mostly imported biomass. One of the docks where the biomass is unloaded is Liverpool and some of the trains from Liverpool to Drax are routed via Burnley and Copy Pit.
There were to be a number of railtours that weekend and we would aim to photograph some of them out in the Lancashire countryside and to visit at least one steam shed, so we would need a car. We headed north on Friday 2 August 1968 leaving Plymouth after an early lunch. It was 160 miles of the A38 to Junction 8 of the M5 at Strensham where (I think) the motorway started in 1968. I had started to use colour slide film four days earlier at Longleat, which was far later than most photographers, due to financial considerations. It was an Ilford 20-exposure film which I probably chose because of their plastic mounts. People had warned me about Ilford colour results but I think the attached scans are good for the age of the originals. For the second film I switched to Kodak Ektachrome which had been my friend's first choice for some time. By a strange twist of fate the first colour photo of a railway engine was an electric one and not a steam engine. We stopped at Keele Services and there in the car park was a brand-new electric loco on a trailer starting out on the first stage of a journey from a local factory to the Pakistan Western Railway. It was a 25KV engine of 3,070 horse power and weighed 44 tons without its bogies. The trailer was being hauled by a Pickfords Scammell tractor unit registration ULY 904 which has survived into preservation.
Where we found bed and breakfast has been lost in the midst of time. Next morning we moved on to Burnley which we approached from the west along the A678 and A679 and it was while passing through the village of Rishton that we saw something that I had not witnessed for nearly 20 years and have not seen since and that was the daily milk being delivered by horse and cart. In the late 1940s our milk was delivered every day of the week by horse and cart in Salcombe Road, Plymouth; but then fuel of all types was in short supply and rationed, and petrol rationing did not end until 26 May 1950. There are a few small breweries that still use a horse and dray for very local deliveries e.g. Hook Norton in Oxfordshire. As we approached Rose Grove, Burnley it was to find an LMS 2-8-0 8F no. 48393 of Rose Grove Shed drifting down the grade heading east past Rose Grove Shed (at 10.56am). 48393 was hauling empty steel mineral wagons which had probably delivered coal to Huncoat Power Station just three miles away. This was an opportunity too good to miss so we decided to give chase which would not be difficult at the speed that the train was travelling at. The engine took water and we saw it next at Gannow Junction (11.15) where it forked right for the Calder Valley and the Yorkshire coalfield. From Gannow Junction there is a 5-mile climb on gradients of 1 in 68/71 to Copy Pit which enabled us to overtake the train as the 8F had 60 empty wagons in tow. It was seen passing Holme Chapel (11.30) and at Copy Pit Summit (11.40am) where 48191 passed in the opposite direction. My notes do not make clear whether 48191 had banked the train we were chasing or not.
We returned to Burnley to make our one and only visit to a steam shed during our visit to Lancashire and that was Rose Grove which was located on the north side of the line just east of Padiham Junction and just west of Rose Grove Station and two miles west of the centre of Burnley. The shed was built by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and opened in 1899 and was one of just three steam sheds to survive until the very end of steam. The others were at Carnforth and Lostock Hall (Preston). The shed was orientated east – west and just outside the rear wall of the shed passed the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and it was from the canal that the shed obtained the water for the steam engines. When an engine arrived at Crewe Works for overhaul the first action was to drain the water from the tender or the side tanks. It was said that the men draining out the water could always recognise a Rose Grove engine without looking at the shed plate by the fish that came out with the water. History does not record whether the fish were dead or alive. We were not alone that day as we toured the shed as there were lots of enthusiasts making their last visit to a steam shed, which was typical of track and buildings that had seen 70 years of use in a smoky environment.
To me as a transport enthusiast and a civil engineer the one thing that Burnley is known for is the Burnley Embankment which carries the Leeds and Liverpool Canal across the valley to the east of the town centre; and which is one of the seven wonders of the British Waterways system. It is in good company with the likes of Anderton Boat Lift and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. The Burnley Embankment is three quarters of a mile long and up to 60 feet (18 metres) above the surrounding ground. It took the navvies five years to build (1796 – 1801) and cost £22,000 – a bargain. I have only been back to Burnley once since 1968 and that was in 1996 when staying at Greenfield which has a railway station on the line from Manchester to Standedge Tunnel and Huddersfield.
We were at Rose Grove Shed from 1.30pm to just after 3.00pm that day and saw 29 steam engines. Many were dead and condemned but there were also 10 in steam. Only one engine came onto shed while we were there and that was 48715 at 2.00pm. Here is a list of engines on Rose Grove Shed applicable at 3.00pm on Saturday 3 August 1968:
Stanier 5MTs in steam
45156 (formerly Ayrshire Yeomanry)
Stanier 5MTs condemned
44899, 45096, 45350, 45382, 45447 (5 no.)
Stanier 8Fs in steam
48191, 48278, 48393, 48400, 48423, 48519, 48715, 48727, 48773 (9 no.)
Stanier 8Fs condemned
48062/115/247/257/323/384/410/448/451/665/666/715/727/730 (14 no.)
48773 was used on an LCGB railtour next day, with 48519 as standby. 48773 returned light engine from Carnforth at the end of the day, Sunday 4 August 1968, and was the last steam engine to arrive on Rose Grove Shed for attention.
The next day we spent the morning on the platform at Manchester Victoria Station where most, if not all, of the last-day railtours were routed. In the afternoon we were out in the Lancashire countryside about half a mile south of Entwistle station on the Bolton to Blackburn line and not far from Sough Summit. The summit lay at the top of a seven mile steep climb of which some five miles was at a constant 1 in 73. Four of the specials traversed the line while we were there, and all were double-headed. The last to pass was the RCTS Special which had started at Euston at 08.35 and was the longest train of the day at 13C. When it passed us it was running 169 minutes late; and so we took our last photos of the RCTS Special at 16.16 and headed for home 300 miles away.
In conclusion I think we very very lucky and privileged to come across one of the last steam-hauled freight trains on 3 August 1968. Freight trains still pass along this route with many timetabled but most of them are Q or run as required. There are few power stations left in Britain and even fewer using solid fuel as opposed to gas via a pipeline, but one of those is Drax which uses mostly imported biomass. One of the docks where the biomass is unloaded is Liverpool and some of the trains from Liverpool to Drax are routed via Burnley and Copy Pit.
New electric loco for Pakistan Western Railways seen at Keele Services on the evening of Friday 2 August 1968. The 1958 11-litre Scammell tractor unit survives in preservation. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
8F no. 48393 is leaving Gannow Junction for Copy Pit at 11.15am on Saturday 3 August. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
48393 passes Copy Pit signal box at 11.40am. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The gradient profile for the 5-mile climb from Gannow Junction to Copy Pit Summit.
The first engine photographed at Rose Grove Shed was 8F no. 48773 which was looking clean and very presentable because it was going to work an LCGB railtour the next day. The engine has an interesting history including working in Iran and Egypt. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Black 5 no. 45156. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
8F no. 48666 with 48191 behind. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
8F no. 48715 had come onto shed at 2.00pm and is seen here two minutes later. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Three minutes later and 48715 has moved up beside the ash heaps where the fire was mostly thrown out before the engine entered the shed at 2.15pm. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The rather typical interior of a steam shed. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Looking east out of the 6-road shed there is the normal array of notice boards; a chap who looks like the shed master; several railway enthusiasts; 48773 again. It was like an unofficial open-house at Rose Grove Shed that day. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A general view looking west. On the horizon are the cooling towers of the Huncoat Power Station. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 62
Michael L. Roach
Callington Branch
Around this time 61 years ago the Callington Branch passenger trains were enjoying their last week of steam haulage; i.e last few days of August / first few days of September 1964. I made an evening trip on the branch on 27 August by driving to Callington and making a return trip from that end – out at 19.25 off Callington returning on the 20.12 off Bere Alston. The engine was Ivatt 2-6-2 tank 41321. Water was taken at Calstock in both directions because none was available at Callington. At Gunnislake on the return journey something interesting happened as our train doubled in length from 2C to 4C as the engine picked up two empty coaches left by the 17.55 SX (19.04 SO) Bere Alston to Gunnislake. The reason for not taking the coaches on ECS to Callington by the earlier train was said to be so that the Plymouth crew could get to Callington quicker in order to catch the last bus home from Callington to Plymouth. I repeated the trip exactly on 3 September 1964 behind 41206 when all the same things happened. The branch was dieselised on and from Monday 7 September; and as there were no Sunday trains at that time the last steam trains ran on Saturday 5 September 1964. I could not be there as I was 175 miles away witnessing the closure of another WR branch. The dieselisation of the Callington Branch displaced three Ivatt 2-6-2s which had first arrived on the branch in 1952.
Hemerdon
The first two photographs attached were taken on 14 May 1961, and then no photos were then taken until four days later on 18 May at Hemerdon and are the last two attached. There are some words that just signify the GWR – Paddington, Swindon, Temple Meads, Brunel, Gooch, Dainton, Hemerdon and so on. I am sure that there may be some reading this who do not know exactly where Hemerdon Bank is or was. The bank started at Plympton Station which was four miles east of Plymouth North Road Station and it took its name from a very small village half a mile to the north of the railway line on the edge of Dartmoor, where tungsten is found. A mine was opened there in WW1 and WW2 to extract the metal from what are said to be the largest reserves in Europe. The mine closed in 1944 and was abandoned. For more than ten years various firms have been attempting to reopen Hemerdon Mine, but so far without reaching commercial production but with a constant demand for more money. For a couple of weeks the papers have been full of the latest search for another £70,000,000 of funding.
It is often said that opening a new mine is like pouring money down a hole in the ground, but this is not a deep pit mine as the tungsten is extracted by open cast or open pit methods. My first visit to the wartime mine was on 18 May 1961 when it was mostly intact but derelict and the last two photos show what remained at that time. As this article was being finalised on Friday 29 August the Western Morning News reported on the front page that the company aiming to bring the vast Hemerdon mine into full production, Tungsten West Plc, had received interest from none other than the Government of the USA to provide financial support. This would be in the form of a loan of $95M aimed at reducing dependence on China for the supply of this essential metallic element.
Around this time 61 years ago the Callington Branch passenger trains were enjoying their last week of steam haulage; i.e last few days of August / first few days of September 1964. I made an evening trip on the branch on 27 August by driving to Callington and making a return trip from that end – out at 19.25 off Callington returning on the 20.12 off Bere Alston. The engine was Ivatt 2-6-2 tank 41321. Water was taken at Calstock in both directions because none was available at Callington. At Gunnislake on the return journey something interesting happened as our train doubled in length from 2C to 4C as the engine picked up two empty coaches left by the 17.55 SX (19.04 SO) Bere Alston to Gunnislake. The reason for not taking the coaches on ECS to Callington by the earlier train was said to be so that the Plymouth crew could get to Callington quicker in order to catch the last bus home from Callington to Plymouth. I repeated the trip exactly on 3 September 1964 behind 41206 when all the same things happened. The branch was dieselised on and from Monday 7 September; and as there were no Sunday trains at that time the last steam trains ran on Saturday 5 September 1964. I could not be there as I was 175 miles away witnessing the closure of another WR branch. The dieselisation of the Callington Branch displaced three Ivatt 2-6-2s which had first arrived on the branch in 1952.
Hemerdon
The first two photographs attached were taken on 14 May 1961, and then no photos were then taken until four days later on 18 May at Hemerdon and are the last two attached. There are some words that just signify the GWR – Paddington, Swindon, Temple Meads, Brunel, Gooch, Dainton, Hemerdon and so on. I am sure that there may be some reading this who do not know exactly where Hemerdon Bank is or was. The bank started at Plympton Station which was four miles east of Plymouth North Road Station and it took its name from a very small village half a mile to the north of the railway line on the edge of Dartmoor, where tungsten is found. A mine was opened there in WW1 and WW2 to extract the metal from what are said to be the largest reserves in Europe. The mine closed in 1944 and was abandoned. For more than ten years various firms have been attempting to reopen Hemerdon Mine, but so far without reaching commercial production but with a constant demand for more money. For a couple of weeks the papers have been full of the latest search for another £70,000,000 of funding.
It is often said that opening a new mine is like pouring money down a hole in the ground, but this is not a deep pit mine as the tungsten is extracted by open cast or open pit methods. My first visit to the wartime mine was on 18 May 1961 when it was mostly intact but derelict and the last two photos show what remained at that time. As this article was being finalised on Friday 29 August the Western Morning News reported on the front page that the company aiming to bring the vast Hemerdon mine into full production, Tungsten West Plc, had received interest from none other than the Government of the USA to provide financial support. This would be in the form of a loan of $95M aimed at reducing dependence on China for the supply of this essential metallic element.
View of Luckett Station looking towards Gunnislake on the evening of Sunday 14 May 1961. The empty wagons could be waiting to enter Hingston Down Quarry about 1½ miles away nearer Gunnislake. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
02-Class no. 30225 rounds the curve east of Luckett Station with the 6.32pm Callington to Bere Alston train on 14.05.1961. The last 02s at Friary departed in 1962. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41275 stands at the branch platform at Bere Alston ready to depart with the 3.15pm to Callington on 23.03.1962. The engine moved to Wadebridge the following January. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41275 takes water at Calstock. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41216 stands outside Callington Shed at 4.10pm on 14.05.1961. The engine moved to Barnstaple Junction the following January. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41275 is ready to depart five minutes later with the photographer aboard the 4.23pm to Bere Alston. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Ivatt 41321, then of Exmouth Junction Shed, is seen at Callington on the evening of 27 August 1964 just before taking out the 19.25 to Bere Alston. The engine was condemned at Exmouth Junction in July 1965. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Hemerdon mine on the afternoon of 18 May 1961, showing the extensive buildings which had been out-of-use since 1944. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The mine buildings seen from the approach road. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 63
Launceston Branch Centenary 1965
Michael L. Roach
The first railway to reach Launceston was built by the Launceston & South Devon Railway from Tavistock to a terminus in the valley to the north of the Town via Lydford and Lifton; and it opened to the public on 1 July 1865. Throughout its history the passenger trains ran from Launceston to the main station in Plymouth. This route was also the first to close to passengers on and from Monday 31 January 1962; but passenger trains continued to serve the town by the former London South Western Railway's North Cornwall route until 3 October 1966. The Great Western Society commemorated the opening of the line with a railtour called The Launceston Branch Centenary Tour 1865 – 1965 which ran on Sunday 5 September 1965. The steam engine chosen to haul the four coaches was Ivatt 2-6-2 tank 41283 of Templecombe Shed, which had earlier 1963-4 been based at Barnstaple Junction. I did not realise until now that this was the same engine that had come to our rescue on 5 October 1963 when travelling on a Taunton to Barnstaple train behind a Churchward Mogul with a tender full of rubbish which refused to burn. 41283 was sent out from Barnstaple Junction and met our train at East Anstey where it came on to our train in place of 7337 and departed 114 minutes late.
When the line closed at the end of 1962 Launceston to Lifton was retained for freight to and from Lifton but this was switched to Lydford – Lifton on 7 September 1964. This railtour is believed to be the only passenger train to use the Lydford to Launceston line after closure to passengers. The railtour started at Exeter St. Davids at 12.20 and finished there seven hours later. The route was Okehampton, Lydford, Lifton, Launceston, Halwill Junction, Bude, Halwill Junction and Okehampton. For this particular railtour I decided to chase it by car, which allowed me to get ahead of it and photograph it at places where it was just passing through without an official photo stop. Another factor which probably swayed the decision to chase it was that the previous day I was linesiding on the Cambrian main line and did not get home until midnight. My first stop of the day was at Okehampton station to see the railtour arrive and make its first photo-stop of the day with several more before I arrived at Ashbury for a last photo from the road bridge on a very dull evening. Next to last was Tower Hill where from memory there were four of us gathered on the road bridge to see the special pass. One was the well-known Plymouth enthusiast Harold Liddell and another was Syd Sponheimer whose photos of the special appear in the railtour section of the CRS website (click here and scroll down).
There is a good section on the history of Launceston's railways on the following website: launcestonthen.co.uk
When the line closed at the end of 1962 Launceston to Lifton was retained for freight to and from Lifton but this was switched to Lydford – Lifton on 7 September 1964. This railtour is believed to be the only passenger train to use the Lydford to Launceston line after closure to passengers. The railtour started at Exeter St. Davids at 12.20 and finished there seven hours later. The route was Okehampton, Lydford, Lifton, Launceston, Halwill Junction, Bude, Halwill Junction and Okehampton. For this particular railtour I decided to chase it by car, which allowed me to get ahead of it and photograph it at places where it was just passing through without an official photo stop. Another factor which probably swayed the decision to chase it was that the previous day I was linesiding on the Cambrian main line and did not get home until midnight. My first stop of the day was at Okehampton station to see the railtour arrive and make its first photo-stop of the day with several more before I arrived at Ashbury for a last photo from the road bridge on a very dull evening. Next to last was Tower Hill where from memory there were four of us gathered on the road bridge to see the special pass. One was the well-known Plymouth enthusiast Harold Liddell and another was Syd Sponheimer whose photos of the special appear in the railtour section of the CRS website (click here and scroll down).
There is a good section on the history of Launceston's railways on the following website: launcestonthen.co.uk
The railtour arrives at Okehampton for the first photo-stop of the day on 5 September 1965. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A heavily cropped version of a photo in the railtour section showing a rake of wagons at Launceston on their way to or from Lifton where they were loaded with rice puddings from the Ambrosia factory. The railway container pre-dated the ubiquitous shipping container by several decades and were originally heavily advertised for domestic house removals where they could travel door-to-door. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
41283 has arrived at the Launceston GW station which was closed to passengers on 30 June 1952 when the branch trains arriving from Plymouth moved to the former LSWR/SR station alongside. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The railtour passes through Holsworthy on its way down to Bude. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The railtour arrives at Whitstone & Bridgerule on its way back from Bude. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Stopped at Whitstone & Bridgerule. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Stopped at Dunsland Cross. Points to note – the mechanical lubricator and the SC plate for a self-cleaning smokebox. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The last photograph of the day as the railtour passes Ashbury on the very dull evening of 05.09.1965. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 64
Oxley Shed September 1965
Michael L. Roach
In Part 61 I described a visit to a steam shed on the London Midland Region where the canal ran past the back wall of the shed building and allegedly the shed took the water for the engines from the canal. This is the story of another steam shed where the same thing was said to happen but this time the shed was originally on the Western Region. The shed was Oxley which was coded 2B in September 1965, but earlier had been 84B. Oxley Shed was the freight shed for the Wolverhampton area and was located on the south side of the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury line between Dunstall Park Station and the triangular junction where the Kingswinford Branch (from Stourbridge Junction) joined the main line. The canal was the Wolverhampton Level of the Birmingham Canal Navigations just east of Aldersley Junction. Oxley Shed was built by the GWR in 1907 while the passenger shed for Wolverhampton was at Stafford Road built in 1854 and rebuilt in the early 1930s. It closed in September 1963 when the remaining steam engines transferred to Oxley.
I set out by car on 31 August 1965 for a few days away staying in B and B to do some lineside photography and some rail trips. The specific reason for the trip will be revealed in a later instalment. The first night was spent at Shrewsbury where I often gravitated to the same area of the town at Coton Hill to find a bed and breakfast. Next day I travelled by train to Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Stourbridge and Tyseley. All the trains were either dmu or diesel-hauled, and most notable of recording was railcar W55012 (preserved on the Weardale Railway) working the 1½ minute trip from Stourbridge Junction to Town. Several steam engines were seen en-route and three steam sheds visited at Oxley, Stourbridge Junction and Tyseley. In this instalment I will show the photos taken that day in 1965 at Oxley Shed. Earlier in the year on 24 April 1965 there were 25 diesel and 53 steam engines shedded here.
I set out by car on 31 August 1965 for a few days away staying in B and B to do some lineside photography and some rail trips. The specific reason for the trip will be revealed in a later instalment. The first night was spent at Shrewsbury where I often gravitated to the same area of the town at Coton Hill to find a bed and breakfast. Next day I travelled by train to Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Stourbridge and Tyseley. All the trains were either dmu or diesel-hauled, and most notable of recording was railcar W55012 (preserved on the Weardale Railway) working the 1½ minute trip from Stourbridge Junction to Town. Several steam engines were seen en-route and three steam sheds visited at Oxley, Stourbridge Junction and Tyseley. In this instalment I will show the photos taken that day in 1965 at Oxley Shed. Earlier in the year on 24 April 1965 there were 25 diesel and 53 steam engines shedded here.
9F no. 92049 of 8B Warrington Dallam Shed receives some attention in the sunshine on 1 September 1965. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
8F no. 48510 of 16C Derby Shed stands in the sun. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A general view looking north west towards the sheds, showing a flower bed on the left ? The canal was on the left and the main line on the right of the shed. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A clean Black 5 no. 45447 of 6J Holyhead Shed receives fresh supplies of coal. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Another view north west showing the coaling stage. The shed was ideally orientated to photograph the engines for several hours each day when the sun shone. I was there at around 11.00am having walked to the shed from Wolverhampton Low Level Station. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 65
Laira Open Days
Michael L. Roach
It is often forgotten or overlooked that the Pilgrim Fathers originally set out for the New World not from Plymouth but from Boston in Lincolnshire fleeing religious persecution. They set out in two hired ships with one carrying the pilgrims and the other carrying all the stores they would need for the trip across the Atlantic and the early days in America. One of the ships was giving problems so there were calls into Dartmouth and Plymouth for repairs, but it became clear that the smaller ship, the Speedwell, was in no fit state to cross the Atlantic. The pilgrims transferred to the larger ship carrying the stores which was called the Mayflower finally leaving Plymouth in just one ship on 6 September 1620, and first sighting land on the other side on 9 November 1620.
The 400th anniversary of this heroic voyage in 2020 was celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic but the years of detailed planning in Plymouth were severely disrupted by the Covid Pandemic which meant that many events were postponed until 2021 and then cancelled completely. Fifty years earlier the 350th anniversary was celebrated during the summer of 1970 and one of the events planned was to open the British Railways diesel depot at Plymouth to the public for one day on 26 September 1970. The depot was then only about eight years old and I think that this was the first open day. Both it and the year's celebrations were a great success with crowds taking advantage of a chance to see inside the diesel depot.
The second that I attended took place on Saturday 7 September 1985 as part of the GWR 150 Celebrations. We travelled up from Cornwall by train and then took advantage of the dmu shuttle from Plymouth Station to a temporary scaffold platform at the depot. There were three standard gauge steam engines on display including small prairie 4555 again. There was also an interesting selection of freight wagons on display many of which have disappeared from regular use. Most of my photos of the 1985 Open Day will appear in a later part of the series. I am not sure just how many open days there have been at Laira but the only other one that we attended was on 15 September 1991 when there were examples of the following diesel and electric classes on display: class 37, 42, 47, 50, 52, 55, 58, 59, 60, 86 and 90.
On 21 August 2025 Alstom and GWR announced a £75M contract to maintain the 26 strong fleet of Class 175 dmus at Laira. The units were built by Alstom between 1999 and 2001 and previously operated in Wales and The Borders. The class 175s will now travel between Barnstaple, Exeter and Penzance from later in 2025.
The 400th anniversary of this heroic voyage in 2020 was celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic but the years of detailed planning in Plymouth were severely disrupted by the Covid Pandemic which meant that many events were postponed until 2021 and then cancelled completely. Fifty years earlier the 350th anniversary was celebrated during the summer of 1970 and one of the events planned was to open the British Railways diesel depot at Plymouth to the public for one day on 26 September 1970. The depot was then only about eight years old and I think that this was the first open day. Both it and the year's celebrations were a great success with crowds taking advantage of a chance to see inside the diesel depot.
The second that I attended took place on Saturday 7 September 1985 as part of the GWR 150 Celebrations. We travelled up from Cornwall by train and then took advantage of the dmu shuttle from Plymouth Station to a temporary scaffold platform at the depot. There were three standard gauge steam engines on display including small prairie 4555 again. There was also an interesting selection of freight wagons on display many of which have disappeared from regular use. Most of my photos of the 1985 Open Day will appear in a later part of the series. I am not sure just how many open days there have been at Laira but the only other one that we attended was on 15 September 1991 when there were examples of the following diesel and electric classes on display: class 37, 42, 47, 50, 52, 55, 58, 59, 60, 86 and 90.
On 21 August 2025 Alstom and GWR announced a £75M contract to maintain the 26 strong fleet of Class 175 dmus at Laira. The units were built by Alstom between 1999 and 2001 and previously operated in Wales and The Borders. The class 175s will now travel between Barnstaple, Exeter and Penzance from later in 2025.
Small prairie no. 4555 was only 46 years old when it was displayed at the Laira Open Day in 1970 and had only been in preservation for some 6 years. Those figures are now 101 and 61 years. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The cover of the souvenir programme for the 1985 Laira Open Day.
The programme's diagrammatic track layout of the Laira Depot.
The list of exhibits in 1985.
(Terry Nicholls photo of steam engines in the roundhouse)
(History of Railways in Plymouth)
(Laira's 1985 allocation of diesels and dmus)
The first engine we saw as we entered the 1985 open day was the broad gauge 4-2-2 replica “Iron Duke”. The original was designed by Daniel Gooch and was the first engine built at Swindon Works being turned out in 1846. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 66
The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
Michael L. Roach
What is the most sorely missed railway line in Devon and Cornwall? Near the top of some enthusiast's list would be a line that probably no living enthusiast has ever travelled on from end-to-end, because it closed 90 years ago this month. That railway line is the narrow-gauge Lynton and Barnstaple where the last trains ran on 29 September 1935. The L and B Association's Autumn Gala and Annual Meeting are held each year on the last weekend in September and this year will take place on Sat/Sun 27/28 September 2025. The line was more than 19 miles long and was originally 597 mm gauge but is now 600 mm gauge. Unfortunately, the last owners the Southern Railway could not make it pay and closed it completely in 1935. This was a great shame as if the line had survived four more years to September 1939 it might have survived the Second World War and with continuing fuel shortages after the war to the early 1950s when the preservationists might have stepped in much earlier taking their cue from the very similar lines in Wales that were saved.
As I was writing this article, I had also been bringing along a story about the Cambrian Coast and a trip on the equally wonderful and dramatic Vale of Rheidol narrow-gauge line, and that also made me think about the Festiniog Railway. All three railways were approximately the same gauge. How did the V of R come to survive and the L & B not survive and be closed 90 years ago. There is no obvious reason at first glance. All three lines started at a locally important coastal town. All three made their way up into the hills on steep gradients. Two terminated in relatively isolated small towns, Blaenau Festiniog and Lynton, but the third (the V of R) terminated in a remote hamlet (Devils Bridge) with a small fraction of the population of the two towns. All three railways lost their original purpose long ago and yet it was the V of R that survived the easiest. Why was that and could the L & B have survived had it had different owners in the 1930s. The L & B was the longest at 19¼ miles with a journey time of 1½ hours and the V of R was 11¾ miles with a journey time of 1 hour. The V of R has been a summer-only operation for a very long time operating between one and four trains a day in the 1930s according to the day of the week. Perhaps the Southern Railway should have operated the L & B as a summer-only operation and tried to develop somewhere in the middle as a tourist hot-spot, for connecting motor bus tours of Exmoor. If Blackmore Gate had been selected for this role the excursionists would have had nearly an hour and 11¾ miles of narrow gauge travel from the Barnstaple end and 7½ miles from the Lynton end. The railway could have operated a round-robin for car owners parking at Blackmore Gate; by train to Lynton; bus or walk to top of the cliff railway to Lynmouth; and then bus across Exmoor from Lynmouth back to Blackmore Gate.
In this short piece I have said little about the history or operation of the line because there is plenty available in books and online. On 29 September I hope that we will remember the Lynton and Barnstaple and pray that one day in the future conditions will be right for the line to be resurrected in its entirety. I finish with a log of a typical journey along the line in the 1930s in which the train left Lynton one minute late and arrived Barnstaple two minutes early.
As I was writing this article, I had also been bringing along a story about the Cambrian Coast and a trip on the equally wonderful and dramatic Vale of Rheidol narrow-gauge line, and that also made me think about the Festiniog Railway. All three railways were approximately the same gauge. How did the V of R come to survive and the L & B not survive and be closed 90 years ago. There is no obvious reason at first glance. All three lines started at a locally important coastal town. All three made their way up into the hills on steep gradients. Two terminated in relatively isolated small towns, Blaenau Festiniog and Lynton, but the third (the V of R) terminated in a remote hamlet (Devils Bridge) with a small fraction of the population of the two towns. All three railways lost their original purpose long ago and yet it was the V of R that survived the easiest. Why was that and could the L & B have survived had it had different owners in the 1930s. The L & B was the longest at 19¼ miles with a journey time of 1½ hours and the V of R was 11¾ miles with a journey time of 1 hour. The V of R has been a summer-only operation for a very long time operating between one and four trains a day in the 1930s according to the day of the week. Perhaps the Southern Railway should have operated the L & B as a summer-only operation and tried to develop somewhere in the middle as a tourist hot-spot, for connecting motor bus tours of Exmoor. If Blackmore Gate had been selected for this role the excursionists would have had nearly an hour and 11¾ miles of narrow gauge travel from the Barnstaple end and 7½ miles from the Lynton end. The railway could have operated a round-robin for car owners parking at Blackmore Gate; by train to Lynton; bus or walk to top of the cliff railway to Lynmouth; and then bus across Exmoor from Lynmouth back to Blackmore Gate.
In this short piece I have said little about the history or operation of the line because there is plenty available in books and online. On 29 September I hope that we will remember the Lynton and Barnstaple and pray that one day in the future conditions will be right for the line to be resurrected in its entirety. I finish with a log of a typical journey along the line in the 1930s in which the train left Lynton one minute late and arrived Barnstaple two minutes early.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 66A
The Lynton and Barnstaple
Michael L. Roach
When I completed Part 66 about the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway I included a log of a typical journey along the line from the Lynton end in the 1930s, but I could not find the details, which turned up soon after the article was submitted. The 9.25am train off Lynton was hauled by Manning Wardle 2-6-2T “Taw” and consisted of two bogie coaches and two empty bogie wagons weighing a total of 25 tons. Taw had hauled the first passenger train on 14 March 1898. The 9.25am was driven by Alfred Nutt of Yeo Vale, Barnstaple (1878 – 1964); in 1921 he was a fireman on the L and B, and he was also a fireman in 1901 and 1911. The log is repeated here:
I also include with this addendum scans of the July 1922 Lynton and Barnstaple timetable which was probably the last summer before the takeover by the Southern Railway which itself was formed in 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921 known as The Grouping. It shows that the L&B exaggerated the length of the line to 19½ miles so that from the Barnstaple end the mileage of most of the stations was a nice whole round number. It would be interesting to see timetables, summer and winter, from the 1930s if anyone has them.
July 1922 up timetable L to B.
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July 1922 down timetable B to L.
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NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 67
S & D 200 – The 1975 Cavalcade
Michael L. Roach
In Part 44 published on 22 May 2025 a first look was taken at the 200th anniversary of the modern railway when all the various components came together for the very first time in County Durham with the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway on 27 September 1825. I explained how I was there in 1975 timing my visit to see the cavalcade. In this part I showcase some more views of the engines in the 1975 Cavalcade which took place at Shildon on Sunday 31 August 1975 as the engines passed before me, and hundreds of others, in a cutting between Shildon and Heighington Stations, which was part of the original route.
GWR Manor-class 4-6-0 no. 7808 was built at Swindon in 1938, and was one of the last to be withdrawn from service. On 1 December 1965 there were just two Manors left, both at Gloucester Shed, and both withdrawn that month. The two were 7808 and 7829 with both being withdrawn on 31 December 1965. 7808 was purchased for preservation the following month while 7829 travelled down to Newport to be scrapped at Cashmore's. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
LNER V2-class 2-6-2 no. 4771 was built at Doncaster in June 1936. The class had 3 cylinders and a tractive effort of 33,730 lbs and was rated 6MT by BR. The class had a terrific reputation for haulage capacity, could deputise for the LNER Pacifics, and would regularly take 20 coaches out of Kings Cross during WW2. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
LNER A4-class 4-6-2 no. 4498 was built at Doncaster in November 1937. As 60007 the engine hauled the SLS's fiftieth anniversary tour on 23 May 1959 from Kings Cross to Doncaster and return, reaching the quite amazing speed of 112mph on the descent of Stoke Bank; believed to be the highest speed ever recorded on a railtour. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
GNR C1-class no. 990 “Henry Oakley” was built at Doncaster in 1898. The class were the first 4-4-2s in Great Britain. The engine was withdrawn in October 1937 and spent many years in York Railway Museum. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
LNWR Precedent Class 2-4-0 no. 790 “Hardwicke” was built at Crewe in 1873. With a tractive effort of just 10,918 lbs the class was rated 1P. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Midland Railway Johnson Compound 4-4-0 no. 1000 was built at Derby in 1902. The class was alleged to be the only successful “compound” engines to run in Great Britain. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 68
Remembering Torrington and Ilfracombe
Michael L. Roach
In this instalment we are going to remember the railway lines that fanned out from Barnstaple to the towns of Torrington and Ilfracombe, both now sadly closed and lifted. Although Torrington was a through station, it was effectively a terminus from both directions. Trains from Barnstaple and Bideford to the north all terminated here, with the passenger trains being withdrawn on and from 4 October 1965 and the last trains running on Saturday 2 October 1965. Trains from Halwill Junction and Hatherleigh to the south also terminated at Torrington; they were withdrawn on and from 1 March 1965. Trains from Barnstaple to Ilfracombe were withdrawn on and from 5 October 1970 with the last passenger trains running on Saturday 3 October 1970. Freight facilities had been withdrawn from Ilfracombe on 7 September 1964.
As part of my researches for this article, I looked at the populations of all the towns and villages served by these two railway lines to see whether the numbers were now large enough to justify reinstating the lines. The figures were interesting and will be revealed in a future instalment. The book recommended below has good coverage of both lines as well as the Lynton and Barnstaple which we visited recently to mark the ninetieth anniversary of closure.
RECOMMENDED READING: The Southern Railway's Withered Arm by Stephen Austin
As part of my researches for this article, I looked at the populations of all the towns and villages served by these two railway lines to see whether the numbers were now large enough to justify reinstating the lines. The figures were interesting and will be revealed in a future instalment. The book recommended below has good coverage of both lines as well as the Lynton and Barnstaple which we visited recently to mark the ninetieth anniversary of closure.
RECOMMENDED READING: The Southern Railway's Withered Arm by Stephen Austin
Ivatt 2-6-2T no. 41312 has arrived at Torrington from Barnstaple with 2C as seen here. It would run around, change platforms, add 3C and take out 5C on the 12.45pm to Barnstaple on Saturday 6 August 1960 with us aboard the train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Here we see two engines in the station at Ilfracombe on the afternoon of 6 August 1960. On the left is 34061 73 Squadron; on the right is 31849 during shunting operations. The two engines together took out the 2.55pm which we used as far as Barnstaple Junction. The load was two parcels vans and three coaches. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 69
The Missing Link
Michael L. Roach
This series has shown a large number of steam age photographs recently, so now for something completely different as Monty Python would have said more than fifty years ago in the sketch comedy series aired on the BBC from 1969 to 1974. Where is the most needed length of railway route in the country, and here I am not talking about the Tavistocks and Portisheads but the length that was never built in the first place and is now desperately needed. I don't know but can make a suggestion for southern Britain. My wife's nephew was born and brought up in Redruth but has lived in Southampton for many years. He travels regularly between the two locations, and mostly by train. I believe that many of his trips were via the South Western main line changing at Salisbury until recently, but earthwork problems have reduced the service to 2-hourly so for the moment his trips are mostly via Westbury. If you look at a rail map both are a reasonable rail journey; but what if he lived in Bournemouth or Poole, he would then be travelling back on himself for an hour or more and at extra cost. Travelling from Exeter to Bournemouth National Rail comes up with several possible routes, including via the Great Western main line and changing at Westbury and Southampton, or changing at Reading; and even via Bristol Parkway and Reading. Exeter to Bournemouth via Reading is 213 miles of rail travel for a net distance of 85 miles / 2½ hours by road. Choose your adjective to describe that rail journey; and of course the poor passenger is being charged for all those rail miles 2½ times what is really necessary. The journey time and the cost must deter most people from travelling from Exeter to Bournemouth by train. Mind you the road journey is not wonderful – the road is a complete hotch potch of varying lengths and styles from modern dual carriageway to some lengths that have seen no improvement (other than the surface of the road) since they were built by the Turnpike Trusts 200-250 years ago.
One possible solution is to suggest a new rail line from Crewkerne Station to Maiden Newton Station; but starting from a junction one kilometre east of Crewkerne and using the junction of the former Bridport Branch at Maiden Newton only about 12 miles of totally new construction. It need only be single line because if designed for 100mph running even with slowing down and accelerating from the junctions 10 minutes should be adequate to cover the new route. This would allow two trains per hour to pass each way, although I envisage a train every 2 hours at first from Exeter to Ashford International. This train service would speed the residents of Exeter, Dorchester, Poole, Bournemouth, Southampton, Portsmouth, Chichester, Worthing, Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings to connect at Ashford with trains to the Continent through the Channel Tunnel. It would not be a particularly fast journey with a number of reversals, slower lengths, and other lengths needing upgrading; but I am sure that it would be popular with continental travellers and people going the other way to Devon and Cornwall to have a through train and avoid London.
How about the route itself between Crewkerne and Maiden Newton ? I looked in some detail to make sure the route was feasible and it is not easy in places. Starting one kilometre east of Crewkerne Station, just after the South West main line crosses the A3066 road the line would have to rise at about 1 in 40 for 7 km to a point alongside Corscombe Cross on the A356 but lower to pass under the side roads; then fall at 1 in 170 for 6 km alongside the A356 to Kingcombe Cross Roads; finally falling at 1 in 55 for 5 km to join the alignment of the former Bridport Branch at Tollerford. plus 1 km; giving a total length of about 19 km or 12 miles. This article was only meant to talk about general principles, but having discovered that the route is quite difficult in places it gets worse because almost the whole route lies in the Dorset National Landscape; what was previously called An Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I can foresee a lot of opposition to a new railway along this route, which would probably kill it at birth.
It would be sensible to move the new link northwards to shorten its length and make the gradients easier. I think that this would mean much more doubling of the existing lines at each end, both of which are single track. I looked at a route from the South West main line at the east end of Sutton Bingham Reservoir due east to a point just north of Yetminster Station. This would have generally easy gradients and be only 4½ km (3 miles) long and outside the AONB. Because of its shortness and proximity to Yeovil I would make it double track and provide a Yeovil Parkway Station where the new line crosses over the A37 main road just three miles south of the town centre.
Now a brief look at the present Eurostar passenger services through the tunnel which commenced in November 1994. In its first year of operation Eurostar carried 3 million passengers and in 2024 19.5 million. This equates to some 2,000 an hour now but with the aim of raising this figure to 5,000 an hour which is more than half the figure for Heathrow Airport at present. The record number of Eurostar passengers was 45,000 in a single day in Spring 2025. At present the destinations from St. Pancras International are believed to be Paris 17 trains per day; Brussels 8; and Amsterdam 5; with the aim of running to Cologne, Frankfurt and Geneva by 2030. None of those 30 trains a day has stopped at Ebbsfleet or Ashford since 2020. Considering that Eurostar has been going for more than 30 years the plans all look a bit unambitious, and not a single train from a British provincial city as was originally planned. This has been spotted by competitors who also want to run passenger trains through the Channel Tunnel but one of the sticking points is capacity to maintain the high speed trains at the one and only depot at Temple Mills in East London. While at present every passenger has to make their way to London to board a train through the tunnel it must surely be sensible to reopen Ashford to Channel Tunnel passengers and perhaps for the occasional train to start from there to connect with the trains along the South Coast from Exeter terminating at Ashford, which would also ease the pressure on St. Pancras where expansion is difficult.
As a proportion of the population of Great Britain (69M) the present passenger numbers travelling through the tunnel at 19.5M represents 28 percent. The population of the main towns served by the railway stations between Exeter and Ashford is approaching 2M; and if we apply the same percentage to those living along the route this suggests a potential usage of 560,000 passengers per annum. At six trains per day that is 250 passengers per train – more than enough to justify running them.
A cloud on the horizon is the new European Entry – Exit System coming into force on 12 October 2025 which is one more reason not to have all the eggs in one basket, at St. Pancras. Naturally I am disappointed that my route from Crewkerne to Maiden Newton is not very feasible, but having to move it north to the outskirts of Yeovil does not alter the principal of direct trains between Exeter and the South Coast which would be good for the residents and tourists to both areas. To reinforce the need for improvements to the Exeter to Yeovil Junction section of line the MP for Honiton and Sidmouth spoke in Parliament on Thursday 11 September 2025 on that very subject saying that improvements were needed to this ailing service; and adding that the reduced timetable and slower trains had caused chaos for commuters.
On the day that this article was submitted to the webmaster (08.10.2025) Gemini Trains, a start-up train company, announced that the company had placed an order with Siemens for an initial ten trains. The company plans to start and terminate its trains through the tunnel at Stratford in east London and stop at Ebbsfleet as well.
One possible solution is to suggest a new rail line from Crewkerne Station to Maiden Newton Station; but starting from a junction one kilometre east of Crewkerne and using the junction of the former Bridport Branch at Maiden Newton only about 12 miles of totally new construction. It need only be single line because if designed for 100mph running even with slowing down and accelerating from the junctions 10 minutes should be adequate to cover the new route. This would allow two trains per hour to pass each way, although I envisage a train every 2 hours at first from Exeter to Ashford International. This train service would speed the residents of Exeter, Dorchester, Poole, Bournemouth, Southampton, Portsmouth, Chichester, Worthing, Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings to connect at Ashford with trains to the Continent through the Channel Tunnel. It would not be a particularly fast journey with a number of reversals, slower lengths, and other lengths needing upgrading; but I am sure that it would be popular with continental travellers and people going the other way to Devon and Cornwall to have a through train and avoid London.
How about the route itself between Crewkerne and Maiden Newton ? I looked in some detail to make sure the route was feasible and it is not easy in places. Starting one kilometre east of Crewkerne Station, just after the South West main line crosses the A3066 road the line would have to rise at about 1 in 40 for 7 km to a point alongside Corscombe Cross on the A356 but lower to pass under the side roads; then fall at 1 in 170 for 6 km alongside the A356 to Kingcombe Cross Roads; finally falling at 1 in 55 for 5 km to join the alignment of the former Bridport Branch at Tollerford. plus 1 km; giving a total length of about 19 km or 12 miles. This article was only meant to talk about general principles, but having discovered that the route is quite difficult in places it gets worse because almost the whole route lies in the Dorset National Landscape; what was previously called An Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty. I can foresee a lot of opposition to a new railway along this route, which would probably kill it at birth.
It would be sensible to move the new link northwards to shorten its length and make the gradients easier. I think that this would mean much more doubling of the existing lines at each end, both of which are single track. I looked at a route from the South West main line at the east end of Sutton Bingham Reservoir due east to a point just north of Yetminster Station. This would have generally easy gradients and be only 4½ km (3 miles) long and outside the AONB. Because of its shortness and proximity to Yeovil I would make it double track and provide a Yeovil Parkway Station where the new line crosses over the A37 main road just three miles south of the town centre.
Now a brief look at the present Eurostar passenger services through the tunnel which commenced in November 1994. In its first year of operation Eurostar carried 3 million passengers and in 2024 19.5 million. This equates to some 2,000 an hour now but with the aim of raising this figure to 5,000 an hour which is more than half the figure for Heathrow Airport at present. The record number of Eurostar passengers was 45,000 in a single day in Spring 2025. At present the destinations from St. Pancras International are believed to be Paris 17 trains per day; Brussels 8; and Amsterdam 5; with the aim of running to Cologne, Frankfurt and Geneva by 2030. None of those 30 trains a day has stopped at Ebbsfleet or Ashford since 2020. Considering that Eurostar has been going for more than 30 years the plans all look a bit unambitious, and not a single train from a British provincial city as was originally planned. This has been spotted by competitors who also want to run passenger trains through the Channel Tunnel but one of the sticking points is capacity to maintain the high speed trains at the one and only depot at Temple Mills in East London. While at present every passenger has to make their way to London to board a train through the tunnel it must surely be sensible to reopen Ashford to Channel Tunnel passengers and perhaps for the occasional train to start from there to connect with the trains along the South Coast from Exeter terminating at Ashford, which would also ease the pressure on St. Pancras where expansion is difficult.
As a proportion of the population of Great Britain (69M) the present passenger numbers travelling through the tunnel at 19.5M represents 28 percent. The population of the main towns served by the railway stations between Exeter and Ashford is approaching 2M; and if we apply the same percentage to those living along the route this suggests a potential usage of 560,000 passengers per annum. At six trains per day that is 250 passengers per train – more than enough to justify running them.
A cloud on the horizon is the new European Entry – Exit System coming into force on 12 October 2025 which is one more reason not to have all the eggs in one basket, at St. Pancras. Naturally I am disappointed that my route from Crewkerne to Maiden Newton is not very feasible, but having to move it north to the outskirts of Yeovil does not alter the principal of direct trains between Exeter and the South Coast which would be good for the residents and tourists to both areas. To reinforce the need for improvements to the Exeter to Yeovil Junction section of line the MP for Honiton and Sidmouth spoke in Parliament on Thursday 11 September 2025 on that very subject saying that improvements were needed to this ailing service; and adding that the reduced timetable and slower trains had caused chaos for commuters.
On the day that this article was submitted to the webmaster (08.10.2025) Gemini Trains, a start-up train company, announced that the company had placed an order with Siemens for an initial ten trains. The company plans to start and terminate its trains through the tunnel at Stratford in east London and stop at Ebbsfleet as well.
Part of the national railway map for the South and South West.
The local rail map showing GWR routes in black and other routes in grey.
A well-timed follow up - the below newspaper item was printed a couple of days after publishing the above article:
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 70
Barmouth to Ruabon 4 July 1964
Michael L. Roach
I have already described my day trip from Gloucester to Barmouth in Part 50 published here on 25 June 2025; and the hour I actually spent in Barmouth in Part 52 on 4 July 2025. In this part, I journey back up the line from Barmouth on the Cambrian Coast to Ruabon on the opposite (east) side of Wales. The first image shows the gradient profile from which it can be seen that upon leaving Dolgellau, trains faced a 10-mile climb up to the summit of the whole line at Garneddwen Halt and loop at gradients of 1 in 91, steepening to 50/58. It was down this bank on the outward journey that the driver of my train took extreme liberties leaving the passing loops under aggressive acceleration at far more than the 15mph speed restriction in place for exchanging tokens and passing over the crossover. However, I was wrong in saying that it was five chains from the signal box to the crossover - that was from the previous signal box – in fact they were adjacent.
The return trip was on the 2.18pm from Barmouth which hung around in Barmouth Station until 2.42pm for reasons which I could not discover at the time. It hardly mattered as the train had such a leisurely schedule and light load of three coaches, that 36 miles later it departed Cynwyd Station at 4.11pm on-time, and after waiting five minutes at Bala Junction to pass the 1.35pm Chester to Barmouth train of four coaches hauled by classmate 75009. Another train was passed at Llangollen and that was the 4.00pm from Wrexham to Bala hauled by 46509 with four coaches. My train reached Ruabon one minute early.
For more than three miles the line was right alongside Bala Lake and from the point where the lake flowed out to form a river the line then followed the wonderful valley of the River Dee for 23 miles to Sun Bank Halt. Eighty years ago, near the Halt, there was a serious rail accident which could have been a major disaster if it had involved a passenger train. The train involved was the 3.35am Chester to Barmouth mail and newspaper train hauled by Churchward Mogul no. 6315. In total darkness the engine fell into a void caused by a wash-out just a few days after the end of WW2. Details can be read in the next to last image attached.
The 3.35am from Chester was an interesting train. The working timetable describes it as a mail and freight train, but it also carried newspapers and possibly parcels and perishables. In the early stages of its journey after Ruabon the train stopped only at Llangollen and Corwen then Llandrillo after which it stopped at most of the staffed stations. In October 1946 the train terminated at Barmouth Station at 7.32am having taken 4 hours from Chester. There was also a passenger and mail train from Whitchurch to Aberystwyth, with Pwllheli received its mail via Caernarvon and Afon Wen. There does not appear to be a specific mail train from Machynlleth to Portmadoc, so presumably the mail and newspapers travelled by normal passenger trains.
The return trip was on the 2.18pm from Barmouth which hung around in Barmouth Station until 2.42pm for reasons which I could not discover at the time. It hardly mattered as the train had such a leisurely schedule and light load of three coaches, that 36 miles later it departed Cynwyd Station at 4.11pm on-time, and after waiting five minutes at Bala Junction to pass the 1.35pm Chester to Barmouth train of four coaches hauled by classmate 75009. Another train was passed at Llangollen and that was the 4.00pm from Wrexham to Bala hauled by 46509 with four coaches. My train reached Ruabon one minute early.
For more than three miles the line was right alongside Bala Lake and from the point where the lake flowed out to form a river the line then followed the wonderful valley of the River Dee for 23 miles to Sun Bank Halt. Eighty years ago, near the Halt, there was a serious rail accident which could have been a major disaster if it had involved a passenger train. The train involved was the 3.35am Chester to Barmouth mail and newspaper train hauled by Churchward Mogul no. 6315. In total darkness the engine fell into a void caused by a wash-out just a few days after the end of WW2. Details can be read in the next to last image attached.
The 3.35am from Chester was an interesting train. The working timetable describes it as a mail and freight train, but it also carried newspapers and possibly parcels and perishables. In the early stages of its journey after Ruabon the train stopped only at Llangollen and Corwen then Llandrillo after which it stopped at most of the staffed stations. In October 1946 the train terminated at Barmouth Station at 7.32am having taken 4 hours from Chester. There was also a passenger and mail train from Whitchurch to Aberystwyth, with Pwllheli received its mail via Caernarvon and Afon Wen. There does not appear to be a specific mail train from Machynlleth to Portmadoc, so presumably the mail and newspapers travelled by normal passenger trains.
Map of the area before nationalisation in 1948.
A simplified gradient profile of the route showing the 10-mile climb from Dolgellau to Garneddwen.
4MT 4-6-0 no. 75026 waits at Bala Junction to cross a train in the other direction, unusually signalled on the right of the island platform. The line to Bala, half a mile away, went off to the right at the far end of the station. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
75009 enters Bala Junction with 4C on the 1.35pm Chester to Barmouth train. Note the GWR cast iron sign in Welsh and English. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
75026 stands at Glyndyfrdwy. This signal box was demolished and its Llangollen Railway replacement is located much closer to the level crossing behind the photographer. The box opened at 4.15am to signal the 3.35am from Chester. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Another view of 75026 at Glyndyfrdwy. 75026 had a double chimney. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The Ruabon to Barmouth timetable for Summer 1964.
The Barmouth to Ruabon timetable for Summer 1964.
Details of the Sun Bank accident as reported in the GWR Magazine.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 71
Cirencester
Michael L. Roach
Cirencester is a pleasant market town, of Roman origin, situated in The Cotswolds equidistant from both Gloucester and Swindon. When the railway was constructed between these two larger towns it passed some four miles to the south west but a branch line was built and opened at the same time; an example of a very early branch line. The branch started at Kemble and finished at a terminus on Tetbury Road to the west of the Market Place and town centre. This station was later called Cirencester Town.
In the first few days of April 1964 a colleague at work, who was not a railway enthusiast, asked me where I was going the following weekend and I said it could be Kemble in Gloucestershire because of railway closures; because one of the attractions was that there were to be two closures as a second branch travelled in the opposite direction from Kemble to the town of Tetbury which was also in The Cotswolds. In the end I decided not to go, principally I think because it was a long way and diesel closures were not my scene. Cirencester also had a second through station on the Midland & South Western Junction Line which had closed on and from 11 September 1961.
Both branches closed on and from Monday 6 April 1964, with the last passenger trains running to Tetbury on Saturday 4 April operated by railbus W79978. The last trains to Cirencester ran on Sunday 5 April operated by railbus W79977. Both railbuses were built by AC Cars of Thames Ditton in Surrey, with one of them surviving into preservation. Also on the Sunday both branches were covered by a railtour organised by the Gloucestershire Railway Society. This consisted of 0-4-2 tank no. 1472 with two autocoaches. 1472 had earlier been based at Newton Abbot Shed and it would be active on the last day of the Gloucester to Chalford passenger service some six months later.
We have visited Cirencester many times since 1964 and when we stayed there in August 1991 the forecourt of Town Station was being used as a bus terminus so it was a good chance to take a couple of bus photographs; and in the absence of any railway photos it is those bus photos which I show here. Stroud's buses operated under the “Stroud Valleys” name for some ten years from 1983 to 1993 and all three buses photographed that day were in Stroud Valleys green livery. The area is now served by Stagecoach. The next to last image is a page from the latest Great Western Echo which is the quarterly journal of the Great Western Society. The GW Echo has interesting articles and beautiful photographs, really well printed on the finest quality paper, and is highly recommended.
The reason for writing this article now is to publicise the Cirencester History Festival from 24 October to 2 November 2025. On Saturdays 25 October and 1 November the 1841-built Brunel-designed Grade II Listed Cirencester Town Station building will be open from 10.00 to 16.00 free of charge and without booking. The last bus photograph shows the north facade and part of the west facade of the station building which looks extremely attractive to my untrained eye, and well worth saving.
In the first few days of April 1964 a colleague at work, who was not a railway enthusiast, asked me where I was going the following weekend and I said it could be Kemble in Gloucestershire because of railway closures; because one of the attractions was that there were to be two closures as a second branch travelled in the opposite direction from Kemble to the town of Tetbury which was also in The Cotswolds. In the end I decided not to go, principally I think because it was a long way and diesel closures were not my scene. Cirencester also had a second through station on the Midland & South Western Junction Line which had closed on and from 11 September 1961.
Both branches closed on and from Monday 6 April 1964, with the last passenger trains running to Tetbury on Saturday 4 April operated by railbus W79978. The last trains to Cirencester ran on Sunday 5 April operated by railbus W79977. Both railbuses were built by AC Cars of Thames Ditton in Surrey, with one of them surviving into preservation. Also on the Sunday both branches were covered by a railtour organised by the Gloucestershire Railway Society. This consisted of 0-4-2 tank no. 1472 with two autocoaches. 1472 had earlier been based at Newton Abbot Shed and it would be active on the last day of the Gloucester to Chalford passenger service some six months later.
We have visited Cirencester many times since 1964 and when we stayed there in August 1991 the forecourt of Town Station was being used as a bus terminus so it was a good chance to take a couple of bus photographs; and in the absence of any railway photos it is those bus photos which I show here. Stroud's buses operated under the “Stroud Valleys” name for some ten years from 1983 to 1993 and all three buses photographed that day were in Stroud Valleys green livery. The area is now served by Stagecoach. The next to last image is a page from the latest Great Western Echo which is the quarterly journal of the Great Western Society. The GW Echo has interesting articles and beautiful photographs, really well printed on the finest quality paper, and is highly recommended.
The reason for writing this article now is to publicise the Cirencester History Festival from 24 October to 2 November 2025. On Saturdays 25 October and 1 November the 1841-built Brunel-designed Grade II Listed Cirencester Town Station building will be open from 10.00 to 16.00 free of charge and without booking. The last bus photograph shows the north facade and part of the west facade of the station building which looks extremely attractive to my untrained eye, and well worth saving.
Leyland National SD3075 rests between turns. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Bristol VR SD5543 and Leyland National SD3503 are seen in difficult lighting conditions. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
It was 9.00am in the morning and the rear ends were better illuminated. Behind the Leyland National single decker (in shadow) is the north facade of the 1841 Brunel station building. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
This railbus operated the last timetabled train from Kemble to Tetbury with a capacity load on the evening of 4 April 1964. It is seen at Laira in June 1964 on its way to St. Blazey. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 72
Mixed Bag 1977 (1)
Michael L. Roach
In this short season of “Mixed Bags” I will show some colour photos from 1977, which I remember well because of my personal experiences that spring and summer. I scanned a single slide from 22 May 1977, for a forthcoming article and decided to scan all the interesting railway slides in the months around it. 1977 was the year that Queen Elizabeth the Second celebrated her Silver Jubilee having been on the British throne since 1952. In this instalment all the images were taken on Monday 2 May 1977. This was not a Bank Holiday but it was the day of Padstow Hobby 'oss Day, which would normally be on the 1 May, but presumably not on a Sunday. We left home very early to be sure of getting a parking space and after watching the celebrations in clear sun, moved on to several other locations in Mid-Cornwall including some railway ones – my family were very tolerant of my hobby. One of the locations was Draw Wood in the Glynn Valley which I had wanted to visit for some time. Draw Wood was originally built as a Brunel timber viaduct 208 metres long and 13 metres high but when reconstruction came in 1875 it was replaced by a large volume of fill supported by a tall stone retaining wall; the only one done like that although others were replaced by normal embankments.
Here we see slate powder from Delabole Quarry being loaded into Presflo wagons in Wadebridge goods yard on 2 May 1977. The lorry was an ERF registration OAF674F first registered in July 1968 and which may still exist. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The Presflo wagons were similar to those that carried cement. This particular one was built by Metro Cammell in 1957. It is believed that the slate powder was taken to Kent there to be used in the manufacture of heavy duty roofing felt. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Four hours later and I had walked to the Draw Wood retaining wall in the Glynn Valley to see this 3-car dmu pass on a down train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
This gradient post was close to the retaining wall and looks like a recent replacement, basically in Great Western style, but not quite. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Half a mile to the west of Draw Wood is Derrycombe Viaduct. Here we see 50004 with 15 milk tanks on the second milk train of the day. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 72A
Draw Wood
Michael L. Roach
In Part 72 I wrote how Brunel's wooden viaduct at Draw Wood had been replaced by an embankment and retaining wall and I wondered how it had actually been done and the trains kept running. The answer was quite simple the track (then single broad gauge) was moved on to a new alignment alongside the original viaduct, which was on a gentle curve. The straight at the west end was extended; and at the east end the opposite-hand curve was extended before a very short new straight. The two straights were joined by a much shorter curve of smaller radius than the original curve moving the formation southwards. This left the wooden viaduct intact until the track could be slewed to join the track on the new embankment. The original timber viaduct was demolished but the 17 dwarf piers were left in-situ and 15 of them can be seen on the OS 25-inch published in 1882. The dwarf piers could well be still there in this the 150th anniversary year of the viaduct being replaced. The stone for building the retaining wall and the making the embankment could well have come from the GWR's own Westwood Quarry just a mile and a half away to the east.
The Plymouth Divisional Civil Engineer at the time of the reconstruction of the wooden viaducts was Peter John Margary, who had a very illustrious career. Born in 1820 he started working on railways in 1838 on the Bristol & Exeter; then the South Devon Railway; the Cornwall Railway; and several others. He was Brunel's chief assistant at the time of Brunel's death and tasked with completing all the schemes underway at the time.
The Plymouth Divisional Civil Engineer at the time of the reconstruction of the wooden viaducts was Peter John Margary, who had a very illustrious career. Born in 1820 he started working on railways in 1838 on the Bristol & Exeter; then the South Devon Railway; the Cornwall Railway; and several others. He was Brunel's chief assistant at the time of Brunel's death and tasked with completing all the schemes underway at the time.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 73
W. N. Pellow M.I.Mech.E., M.I.Loco.E.
Michael L. Roach
Anyone who applied for a “shed permit” to visit a Western Region engine shed in the first half of the 1950s would have received a short letter in return. The letter would have been headed W.N.Pellow Motive Power Superintendent Western Region. He retired on 5 May 1954 having reached 65 years of age but I think that the Western Region went on using his headed notepaper for some time afterwards. I did not apply for many but what I particularly remember about them was how small the piece of paper was – even smaller than A5 I think. When Mr. Pellow applied to be a Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in November 1935 he was recommended by some real heavyweights – C.B.Collett; F.W.Hawksworth and W.A.Stanier no less.
William Nicholas Pellow was born at St. Blazey on 5 May 1889 the first child of William (1860-1951) and Elizabeth Pellow (1864-1942). In 1891 the family lived at Lamb Park, St. Blazey and William senior was a locomotive engine fitter. In 1901 the family are still there now given as no. 2 Lamb Park PL24 2JB and William junior has been joined by two bothers and a sister. Lamb Park is a short distance from St. Blazey Shed on the opposite side of the A3082.
On 22 February 1904 William joined the Great Western Railway at St. Blazey Shed as an apprentice fitter, aged just 14 years and 9 months. In 1910 he finished his apprenticeship and became a fitter, but he had already moved to Swindon in 1908, where he entered the drawing office in February 1912 and in the 1921 census he gives his occupation as draughtsman. Although at irregular intervals, regular promotions soon followed to Loco Inspector Newport 1922; Assistant to Divisional Superintendent Newport 1924; Assistant Divisional Superintendent Wolverhampton 1924; Assistant to Loco Running Superintendent Swindon 1929; Divisional Loco Superintendent Bristol 1931; Divisional Loco Superintendent Old Oak Common 1939; and finally Motive Power Superintendent Western Region. This shows that the GWR were always keen to promote those who were keen, enthusiastic, and willing to learn and prepared to move around.
Pellow moved from Bristol to London in July 1939 and in the 1939 Register is living at 42 Gunnersbury Avenue, Ealing on what is now the A406 with wife Annie. The A406 provides a useful link between the M4 and the A40 roads. Sometime after retirement the couple moved back to Cornwall and by 1962 are living at Beach Road, Carlyon Bay. Pellow died on 24 June 1982 at Beach Road aged 93 years. In one of the last printed telephone directories for Cornwall there are 37 entries against Pellow in the residential listings with the vast majority in the western half of Cornwall and few in the eastern half.
Gunnersbury Avenue is an interesting road of mostly large detached houses built in the 1920s and 1930s judging by the style of architecture. I looked to see the occupations of the head of the households in 1939 and they were mostly middle-class professionals. One of Pellow's neighbours jumped out at me because he gave his occupation as “railway official.” He was in fact Frank R. Potter who was at the time Superintendent of the Line for the GWR. He was born in Harlington and had started work as a clerk with the GWR at West Drayton Station on 9 January 1895 at a salary of £40 per annum. Many promotions followed over the years, including a spell at Plymouth 1911 to 1913. His final promotion to Superintendent of the Line took place in 1936 and he retired at the end of 1940.
William Nicholas Pellow was born at St. Blazey on 5 May 1889 the first child of William (1860-1951) and Elizabeth Pellow (1864-1942). In 1891 the family lived at Lamb Park, St. Blazey and William senior was a locomotive engine fitter. In 1901 the family are still there now given as no. 2 Lamb Park PL24 2JB and William junior has been joined by two bothers and a sister. Lamb Park is a short distance from St. Blazey Shed on the opposite side of the A3082.
On 22 February 1904 William joined the Great Western Railway at St. Blazey Shed as an apprentice fitter, aged just 14 years and 9 months. In 1910 he finished his apprenticeship and became a fitter, but he had already moved to Swindon in 1908, where he entered the drawing office in February 1912 and in the 1921 census he gives his occupation as draughtsman. Although at irregular intervals, regular promotions soon followed to Loco Inspector Newport 1922; Assistant to Divisional Superintendent Newport 1924; Assistant Divisional Superintendent Wolverhampton 1924; Assistant to Loco Running Superintendent Swindon 1929; Divisional Loco Superintendent Bristol 1931; Divisional Loco Superintendent Old Oak Common 1939; and finally Motive Power Superintendent Western Region. This shows that the GWR were always keen to promote those who were keen, enthusiastic, and willing to learn and prepared to move around.
Pellow moved from Bristol to London in July 1939 and in the 1939 Register is living at 42 Gunnersbury Avenue, Ealing on what is now the A406 with wife Annie. The A406 provides a useful link between the M4 and the A40 roads. Sometime after retirement the couple moved back to Cornwall and by 1962 are living at Beach Road, Carlyon Bay. Pellow died on 24 June 1982 at Beach Road aged 93 years. In one of the last printed telephone directories for Cornwall there are 37 entries against Pellow in the residential listings with the vast majority in the western half of Cornwall and few in the eastern half.
Gunnersbury Avenue is an interesting road of mostly large detached houses built in the 1920s and 1930s judging by the style of architecture. I looked to see the occupations of the head of the households in 1939 and they were mostly middle-class professionals. One of Pellow's neighbours jumped out at me because he gave his occupation as “railway official.” He was in fact Frank R. Potter who was at the time Superintendent of the Line for the GWR. He was born in Harlington and had started work as a clerk with the GWR at West Drayton Station on 9 January 1895 at a salary of £40 per annum. Many promotions followed over the years, including a spell at Plymouth 1911 to 1913. His final promotion to Superintendent of the Line took place in 1936 and he retired at the end of 1940.
NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 74
Corwen, Denbighshire
Michael L. Roach
The Act of Union of Great Britain and Ireland was followed 15 years later by The Holyhead Roads Act of 1815 which set out to make a new or improved road all the way from London to the port of Holyhead, about 275 miles. It was the first major state-funded road project since Roman times and much later became the A5 trunk road. From London to Shrewsbury the road followed mainly existing roads but from Shrewsbury to Holyhead, 105 miles, the civil engineering works were extensive and included the suspension bridge across the Menai Strait. For some 12 miles from east of Llangollen to Corwen the new road followed the valley of the River Dee, and later a railway would be constructed in the same valley from Sun Bank Halt to Corwen. The engineer for the road and the Menai Bridge was Thomas Telford and many of his design features remain on the A5's passage through Wales. The road is still there to be enjoyed but British Railways closed the 54-mile Barmouth to Ruabon route in January 1965. However ten miles have been reopened as a heritage railway from Corwen to Llangollen and by chance those ten miles are, in my view, the best length of the Dee Valley for scenery and landscapes. This would appear to be confirmed by proposals to make the valley part of a new national park.
The Ruabon to Barmouth line was constructed by a number of local railway companies but they were soon all taken over by the GWR which over the years improved the stations with new buildings, signal boxes and more passing loops etc; but some of the original station buildings survived particularly between Llangollen and Corwen. One of the those stations is a favourite of mine. In this series I will look in more detail at some of the stations between Corwen and Ruabon, starting with Corwen and working eastwards.
The population of Corwen was 2,250 at the last census but has been gradually declining for at least 20 years. The area has a strong Welsh culture and the town centre hosts what may be the only statue to Owain Glyndwr anywhere. My guess would be that there are not many statues to people who lived longer ago in history. Glyndwr was the very last native-born Prince of Wales and he led a 15-year revolt against the English rule of Wales, but it failed and he died in battle in 1415 aged 61 years; 1415 was the same year that Henry V defeated the French at the Battle of Agincourt. The reason for mentioning all this is that there is a proposal on the table to create a new national park based on the Dee Valley and the Clwydian Hills. The favoured name for the national park is “Glyndwr” but there are concerns that this could stoke the flames of Welsh nationalism; and the last time that happened 60 years ago a number of holiday homes owned by people from the wrong side of Offas Dyke were destroyed by arson.
The railway station at Corwen was built by the Llangollen and Corwen Railway and was the largest intermediate station on the Ruabon to Barmouth line with extensive sidings, goods yard, engine shed and turntable together with a station building which survives. A short distance east of the platforms was a junction with a line leading off northwards to Rhyl 30 miles away. This had been built by the Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway. The 30 miles closed to passengers on three different dates, but continued to be used by summer excursions from 1951 to 1961. The trains were advertised as The North Wales Land Cruise and had a number of starting points including Llandudno and Rhyl. Common to all the excursions was the fact that they went in a circle Rhyl, Corwen, Barmouth, Afon Wen, Caernarvon and Llandudno. Closures in the 1960s led to the demise of the land cruise excursions. During a few days in Chester in 2002 we decided to do something similar to the Land Cruise's circular tour using the remaining railway lines, but that, as they say, is another story.
The station buildings at Corwen were built of stone and are alongside the A5 road at the western end of the town. On Saturday 12 December 1964 there was heavy rain over much of Wales with resultant flooding and damage to several railway lines. The Ruabon to Barmouth line was washed away in a couple of places and there was water between the platforms at Corwen. After the last train had passed along the line that Saturday evening several signalmen belled train out of section, put out the lights, locked up their boxes and went home never to return to their box again. The line was not repaired and buses replaced trains for a few weeks until the line closed completely on and from Monday 18 January 1965. The station buildings at Corwen were sold and became the showroom for Ifor Williams the well-known trailer manufacturers. My photo of the station frontage shows that station has been well maintained with a new glazed screen between the original end gables.
The Llangollen Railway has gradually re-laid the line from Llangollen and reached Corwen, to a temporary station, in 2014 with a permanent station opening in June 2023 some distance east of the original station. The heritage line is 10 miles long and covers the best 10 miles of the Dee Valley as I will attempt to show. The railway's website contains this interesting statement:- “This is not a leisure attraction disguised as a railway. It is a railway first and foremost.” I have spent some time at Corwen to set the scene for the next few parts.
The Ruabon to Barmouth line was constructed by a number of local railway companies but they were soon all taken over by the GWR which over the years improved the stations with new buildings, signal boxes and more passing loops etc; but some of the original station buildings survived particularly between Llangollen and Corwen. One of the those stations is a favourite of mine. In this series I will look in more detail at some of the stations between Corwen and Ruabon, starting with Corwen and working eastwards.
The population of Corwen was 2,250 at the last census but has been gradually declining for at least 20 years. The area has a strong Welsh culture and the town centre hosts what may be the only statue to Owain Glyndwr anywhere. My guess would be that there are not many statues to people who lived longer ago in history. Glyndwr was the very last native-born Prince of Wales and he led a 15-year revolt against the English rule of Wales, but it failed and he died in battle in 1415 aged 61 years; 1415 was the same year that Henry V defeated the French at the Battle of Agincourt. The reason for mentioning all this is that there is a proposal on the table to create a new national park based on the Dee Valley and the Clwydian Hills. The favoured name for the national park is “Glyndwr” but there are concerns that this could stoke the flames of Welsh nationalism; and the last time that happened 60 years ago a number of holiday homes owned by people from the wrong side of Offas Dyke were destroyed by arson.
The railway station at Corwen was built by the Llangollen and Corwen Railway and was the largest intermediate station on the Ruabon to Barmouth line with extensive sidings, goods yard, engine shed and turntable together with a station building which survives. A short distance east of the platforms was a junction with a line leading off northwards to Rhyl 30 miles away. This had been built by the Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway. The 30 miles closed to passengers on three different dates, but continued to be used by summer excursions from 1951 to 1961. The trains were advertised as The North Wales Land Cruise and had a number of starting points including Llandudno and Rhyl. Common to all the excursions was the fact that they went in a circle Rhyl, Corwen, Barmouth, Afon Wen, Caernarvon and Llandudno. Closures in the 1960s led to the demise of the land cruise excursions. During a few days in Chester in 2002 we decided to do something similar to the Land Cruise's circular tour using the remaining railway lines, but that, as they say, is another story.
The station buildings at Corwen were built of stone and are alongside the A5 road at the western end of the town. On Saturday 12 December 1964 there was heavy rain over much of Wales with resultant flooding and damage to several railway lines. The Ruabon to Barmouth line was washed away in a couple of places and there was water between the platforms at Corwen. After the last train had passed along the line that Saturday evening several signalmen belled train out of section, put out the lights, locked up their boxes and went home never to return to their box again. The line was not repaired and buses replaced trains for a few weeks until the line closed completely on and from Monday 18 January 1965. The station buildings at Corwen were sold and became the showroom for Ifor Williams the well-known trailer manufacturers. My photo of the station frontage shows that station has been well maintained with a new glazed screen between the original end gables.
The Llangollen Railway has gradually re-laid the line from Llangollen and reached Corwen, to a temporary station, in 2014 with a permanent station opening in June 2023 some distance east of the original station. The heritage line is 10 miles long and covers the best 10 miles of the Dee Valley as I will attempt to show. The railway's website contains this interesting statement:- “This is not a leisure attraction disguised as a railway. It is a railway first and foremost.” I have spent some time at Corwen to set the scene for the next few parts.
Table 100 from the BR(LMR) timetable for summer 1949 showing that trains did not go from Corwen to Rhyl direct but turned east at Denbigh to head for Chester nearly 30 miles away. The Ruabon to Barmouth timetable was shown in Part 70.
Typical signage on the A5 Historic Route at Betws-y-Coed. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Waterloo Bridge at Betws has been widened and strengthened but still looks exactly as designed by Thomas Telford 210 years ago; seen on 27 May 2011. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Here I am looking roughly south across the valley to the town of Corwen, with the River Dee in the foreground. The date is 22 May 2010. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Owain Glyndwr's statue in the middle of Corwen. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The Welsh people are proud of their history and culture. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
75006 takers water at Corwen while waiting for a train to pass in the opposite direction on 4 July 1964. A porter waits for the other train – a scene as old as the railways themselves. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
75021 arrives at Corwen with the 10.25am Dolgellau to Wrexham local train to cross my train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The frontage of Corwen Station photographed on the evening of 25 May 2010 somewhat altered although the gables are original. The station is now a showroom for Ifor Williams the well-known trailer manufacturers. Copyright Michael L. Roach.