Garry Morris

Have just posted a picture of the Par Park Royal freightliner in the Diesel Hydraulic Group. Must have been one of the heaviest trains out of Falmouth Docks I would imagine.

Would very much like to know what working this was. May 1983 up freightliner near Aller Junction 50015+45145 heavily loaded. Nothing much happened all afternoon and then as I returned back to the car this turns up, hence strange angle, glad I got the first wagon in or no one woulld believe me! As there was no freightliner terminal further west I can't work this one out...Falmouth Docks or Friary? Any ideas?

D1030 (of Landore) on the Par Park Royal Freightliner. This train was only worked by Westerns on a handful of occasions because not many were air braked and those that were stayed in South Wales at the time. I don't know of any other photo in existence of a hydraulic on this train-prove me wrong!

Tis Newton Abbot carriage washer livery. I think they had an element of paint stripper in the machine!

Why ballast when there's no more traffic?

Finally connected up my scanner (Lidl bargain!) after having it sat around for six months so I can now subject the world to my slides and negatives. I hope to get better at colour corrections etc as time goes by. Will add more as and when. To start here's a lazy hot afternoon at Dainton on Tuesday 4th July 1978. 50031 'Hood' on Tavistock Yard to Stoneycombe empties and a return full working with 47 231 in charge, Please feel free to comment and add your own pictures to this thread. I will be posting some of mine that have been published, so apologies if you've seen any before. These two have never seen the light of day before. Anyone got pictures of locos actually in Stoneycombe sidings? The loaded train would be a nice one to model with a Shark on the back.

There is I believe a reported sighting of one at Birmingham New Street but no photographic evidence.

Thanks to everyone who posts pictures.Nostalgia is very therapeutic! With regard to 801/802 they were indeed separated with 801 languishing at Newton Abbot for some time. It is widely believed that they moved to Swindon on 21st July 1970. D839 Relentless collected Vanguard from Newton Abbot with a brake van and proceeded on to Exeter where Formidable and D830 Majestic were added to the convoy. This train left at 13.36 as 8Z36 bound for Swindon. Hence the picture of them coupled together in Swindon yard. There is a picture of this convoy posted somewhere. It would be interesting to build a full picture of these type of movements for disposal while we are all still here!

The whole idea of the LSWR line being put back just doesn't add up on any level financially. Politically the debate has to be had to keep the media happy. If money is to be spent then it should go on making the journey time from Tiverton Parkway to Plymouth faster than the bus. At the moment we have potentially faster journey times to Paddington! Bus replacement is a regular event in this part of the world anyway so a few more weeks wont do any harm in the long run. If there was a need to run freight by rail in this part of the world then there may be some justification to reopening but unless we acknowledge climate change and insist on 'green' conveyance of freight this need will never emerge. We have very few companies that choose rail to move goods in the Westcountry because economically they are discouraged to do so. It's cheaper by road as is the case for most passenger journeys.

Further to my posr #502. 1 The fact that a large town the size of Gloucester not on the mainline between Bristol and Birmingham is evidence that even one reversal is not tolerated. 2 After nearly 20 years of trying to reconnect Tavistock to Plymouth. It didn't happen. 3. Transport to the South West has never been deemed important by Westminster. The airport at Plymouth was allowed to close. We have bustitution every year (on the mainline-this is just more of the same). Track re alignment for higher speeds is unheard of in this part of the world and any rolling stock is generally what's left when everyone else has had the first pick. These are the realities. There is very little case for an alternative route particularly under the current set up where it is a buisness and not a public service. As regards the sea wall a stone barrier like that at Sidmouth will protect the wall very effectively. I note that the most vulnerable part of the line that is closest to the see stood firm (where the line enters the tunnel by Dawlish station)because there is a small breakwater. I would like to see railways on the agenda but personally I just don't see any enthusiasm for it by those who hold the purse strings though of course we do support the Indian Space programme...bizzare!

some facts: 1 It is not acceptable to reverse trains twice to get to Penzance. 2. There are no big revenue earning centres of population on the other route. 3.Paignton, Torquay, Newton Abbot and Totnes must remain connected to London for political reasons. These three reasons alone are why the Okehampton route will never be considered unless our country develops anything like a smidgeon of interest in Green issues. Ironically in a perverse way I think that this incident at Dawlish is the final nail of any chance of restoring Okehampton or Tavistock to the main network.

Whilst on the subject was it the Moorswater cement that swept past me on Laira embankment at 09.33 yesterday morning? It had a green Freightliner 66 on. Saw it in my interior mirror.

Track is in good condition and the branch has survived the new Londis Supermarket development. Lifting barriers and equipment of the level crossing beyond the scrap yard has been removed recently. I can't see why scrap isn't still taken. The scrap yard is busy. I noted on Bing maps ariel photo that a 66 was probably the last loco down the branch.

Excellent news.Wish something would happen on the Cattedown branch.