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KERNOW TODAY


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It is surprising that it has not happened already in NRs rush to unload useless assets.

One bean counter's 'useless asset' is an operations person's potentially useful asset for the future.

 

I've seen useful infrastructure thrown away far too often in the misguided pursuit of commercial sales or other 'economies'. Far better to mothball them until such time as they can be used again.

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  • 3 weeks later...

The 800s at Liskard 09.32 today.

 

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[/url] 5X90 North Pole lep Depot to Penzance at Liskard today 09.32. >5X90 North Pole lep Depot to Penzance at Liskard today 09.32. by mailrail, on Flickr">http://35299896352_191170ffa6_b.jpg5X90 North Pole lep Depot to Penzance at Liskard today 09.32. by mailrail, on Flickr

 

[/url] 5X90 North Pole lep Depot to Penzance at Liskard today 09.32. >5X90 North Pole lep Depot to Penzance at Liskard today 09.32. by mailrail, on Flickr">http://34656993753_619026018c_b.jpg5X90 North Pole lep Depot to Penzance at Liskard today 09.32. by mailrail, on Flickr

 

[/url] 5X90 North Pole lep Depot to Penzance at Liskard today 09.32. >5X90 North Pole lep Depot to Penzance at Liskard today 09.32. by mailrail, on Flickr">http://34625204404_1bf5eb2ab0_b.jpg5X90 North Pole lep Depot to Penzance at Liskard today 09.32. by mailrail, on Flickr

 

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>5X90 North Pole lep Depot to Penzance at Liskard today 09.32. by mailrail, on Flickr">http://35080073020_b71d62bf2a_b.jpg5X90 North Pole lep Depot to Penzance at Liskard today 09.32. by mailrail, on Flickr
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Today saw the first Class 800s (Intercity Express Train) enter Cornwall on a test run down to Penzance and back to North Pole depot.

 

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800003+800004 near Scorrier with 5X92 1247 Penzance to North Pole Iep Depot.

I still haven't been able to find out the provision on these things for cycle storage. I'm betting it's nothing like the lovely guard's area on the HSTs...

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Had the idea last night of taking a few pics of the late running Mazey day Cornishman railtour at roskear junction in Camborne , quickly realised the view along the track from the road is not very good, and I had forgotten to charge my camera ( phone) which shut down after a couple of pics, an earlier test at foundry road bridge just up the line, in typical Cornish mizzle, caught an up hst working and shows how overgrown the embankments are!!

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Edited by kernowtim
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The Maizey Day Cornishman railtour on Saturday appears to have pulled a bit of a triumph out of a potential disaster.

 

Hoping to see 2 x DRS 37s I was keeping an eye on RTT.

 

37069 failed at Worcester and was abandoned there, 37059 left with 10 coaches over 2 hours late and made it to Bristol nearly 3 hours late. At Bristol a FL 66 was scrambled and added to the front of the train, which went forward with both locos working together. There is some great footage on Youtube of the train storming down through Devon making up a bit of time. I saw it pass non-stop through Plymouth with both locos working hard about 2hr 30 down.

 

Departure from PZ was delayed until 5.20 - which then saw a remarkable run. By all accounts the train was prioritised above pretty much everything else, and given a clear run reaching Bristol in 3hrs 58mins! That must be one of the quickest runs in years!

 

I guess this shows the modern railway can work together at times! Well done to DRS and Freightliner for arranging the 66 at Bristol, and to NR and the signallers who arranged such a good run back to get everyone home. At Bristol a DRS 66 (scrambled from where?) was waiting to see the tour home to allow the FL 66 to return to it's planned duties.

 

While it wouldn't have been what everyone was expecting, I hope it was an enjoyable and eventful day out for those on board!

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  • 1 month later...

With the most likely final VegEx date looming, I'm asking a question posed by somebody else on another forum which nobody could answer. Just why is this summer Saturday only service nicknamed the VegEx ?

Planning to be on sep 2nd one.

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I always understood it was called Veg Ex because the enthusiasts who travelled on it were described in a derogatory was as 'vegetables' and it was an excursion for them.

Pretty much. The -ex suffix is ages old shorthand for excursion traffic. In BR days those included Adex (additional excursion - a relief to the timetabled service), Chartex (a privately chartered train, often a railtour), Footex (football special) and Mystex (mystery tour - which were quite popular at one time). So why not Vegex for an additional train used by the "vegetables" as much as anyone?

Edited by Gwiwer
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Pretty much. The -ex suffix is ages old shorthand for excursion traffic. In BR days those included Adex (additional excursion - a relief to the timetabled service), Chartex (a privately chartered train, often a railtour), Footex (football special) and Mystex (mystery tour - which were quite popular at one time). So why not Vegex for an additional train used by the "vegetables" as much as anyone?

Don't forget Crankex.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi

 

As the summeer comes to a close I thought a trip on the '57 hauled day coaches was in order.

I originally had planned to catch it from Redruth ,go to Par,wander round & return but SWMBO decided she wanted to go as well so we caught it to Plymouth then went to Gunnislake & back via a stop of at Par.

 

It was running 15mins late which meant only a couple of snaps were possible as our Gunnislake connection was waiting when we got to Plymouth.....

DRS 57310 Pride of Cumbria was in charge with a 'Wavy Lines 'Buffet & two green day coaches bringing up the rear......

The train was quit well patronised & quit comfy.....

 

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We passed a scene of dereliction at Burngullow.....

 

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Before catching 150128 to Gunnislake.....

 

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Being a 150/1 meant that as either there was no blind or it hadn't been drawn I could have a drivers eye view....

 

First the token with the key to unlock the ground frame at Bere Alston....

 

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Then Bere Alston Junction with the Guard unlocking the ground frame......

 

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The left hand track is to Plymouth & the right dropping away is to Gunnislake.......

 

Having rattled along to Bere Alston on what was once the Southern's main line the train went very slowly along it's way on the old light railway (Colonel Stevens I believe was involved ) which was very twisty & overgrown....

 

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A fine view from Calstock viaduct....

 

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Before we arrived at Gunnislake.....

 

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On the return a drivers eye view of North Rd station

 

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Then 150128 waits it's next trip back to Gunnislake

 

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Then on it's way....

 

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The quality of the pictures through the drivers cab (two panes of glass,one quite grubby ) aren't great but they give a different perspective.....

 

That's all for now....

I'll try to post more pics later when I get back from work or tomorrow....

 

Cheers Bill

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Hi

 

Well as threatened some more pics.....

 

On our return to Plymouth 150239 &153372 were awaiting their next trip to Newton Abbot....

 

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We caught an HST headed by 43029 with 43158 back to Par......

These are all Cornish pictures now....None from abroad !!!!!!!!

43029 adjoining the refurbished signal box at Par.....

Note the trailing loco 43158 fouling the up main as the train is so long/platform short.....

 

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It's great that the signal box has been retained & refurbished & that semaphores still reign....

But it now in my view lacks character.....

New steps ,no join in the wooden cladding,repainted......BUT it's still there......

I believe Adrian Vaughn states that it is the only remaining 'box that saw the broad gauge....Part of it anyway....As it was extended....

 

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We then walked through the park to Middleway crossing where we saw 221134  on the Newquay to Leeds....

 

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The yard area where the scrap was loaded was deserted except for some (probably) CDA wheelsets.......

 

Close to the entrance to the old wagon repair shop was 66206 in DB Shenker livery.....The first I've seen in this livery though  they've been down before....I've just not seen them......

 

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Als in the yard apart from a few JIA's were quit a few CDA's.....

These were all relogo'd DBS.......

Hopefully a good sign as there are lot's of rumours that Maen Carne are to get the clay hauling contract by road....

Hopefully as they've just been taken over & the CDA's have been relogo'd it might be a good sign....

Time will tell.....

 

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St Blazey depot is now also officially DBS...

 

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Amongst other trains that passed through Par while we were enjoying suitable refreshment at the Royal Inn was 150247/153368/15333 which arrived from the Plymouth direction , stopped ,then proceeded towards Truro& then returned quite quickly.....Quarter of an hour or so....I wasn't expecting to see it back so didn't time it.......

& then parked up in Chapel siding  emerging after the penultimate long distance train from Newquay had returned,one assumes to become the service train for the rest of the day.....

 

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Well there we have it....

A very enjoyable day....

The weather was good as was the company & refreshments.....

 

SWMBO enjoyed it so much she even said we must do another trip sometime soon......

 

I hope you enjoy my record of a day out on the train in mainly Kernow....

 

Cheers Bill

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It made a nice change for me to be in the right place at the right time today, to catch one of the celebrities plying its trade like it has done for the past 40 years.

43185 Leaves St Erth for Paddington on 1A83

These will be sorely missed (apart from the handfull of "GTI" modified sets of course).

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Just as typical though, there was an HST ECS working being dragged by 57XXX in the up direction not long after which I did miss.

 

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