Guest Jack Benson Posted August 20, 2019 Share Posted August 20, 2019 (edited) Hi, Looking to purchase books, magazine articles about the North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway. Advice please, thank you. Other relevant questions:- Motive power, was it just E1Rs, O2s and Ivatts. Were mixed trains normal practice, if so, what types of coaches? Was the principle goods traffic china clay or was there other traffic? Cheers JB Edited August 20, 2019 by Guest Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted August 20, 2019 Share Posted August 20, 2019 I've a book called An Illustrated History of the North Cornwall Railway by Irwell Press. It's a big book, lots of detail, lines, rise and fall, locos, carriages, freight. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JohnR Posted August 20, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 20, 2019 Cant go wrong by starting off with the Irwell Press book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Illustrated-History-North-Cornwall-Railway/dp/1903266890/ Its out of print, but should be available 2nd hand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted August 20, 2019 Share Posted August 20, 2019 They also do books "The line to Torrington" and "The Oakhampton Line" - similar content and very interesting reads. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted August 20, 2019 Share Posted August 20, 2019 (edited) Hi, North Devon Clay - Twelveheads and North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway - Forge Press Both specifically cover the line and both purchased. Which DMUs were used on the line? It was not particularly busy, just two trains a day and no Sunday workings. JB Edited August 20, 2019 by Jack Benson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold D9020 Nimbus Posted August 20, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 20, 2019 If DMUs were used on this line I presume they would have been class 122s which were certainly used on the North Cornwall line, but I'm not sure any ever were; I'm assuming you have evidence that some were. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted August 20, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 20, 2019 I’m a long way from my books, but think the line closed in 1965, and am not at all sure DMUs ever penetrated it. If so then a 122 would have been the class involved, as posted above. A Maunsell BCK, and later Bulleid ditto, were the usual coach in the late 50s, early 60s. Woodenhead mentions Branch Lines to Torrington, which is a Middleton Press book, and well worth obtaining. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JohnR Posted August 20, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 20, 2019 No, DMUs never made it onto that line - steam worked until the end. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted August 20, 2019 Share Posted August 20, 2019 58 minutes ago, JohnR said: No, DMUs never made it onto that line - steam worked until the end. Hi, Wiki ND&CJLR Mentions the use of DMUs over the route, hence my question. JB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted August 20, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 20, 2019 (edited) I cannot trace any reference EDIT : have now located images showing DMUs being used between Halwill and Torrington on the Light Railway though they regularly reached Torrington from Barnstaple in the line's later days. They also worked some of the last trains at the other end from Halwill to Bude, Padstow and Okehampton. Most were 122s but some were triples which I suspect were 116s. The main traffic seemed to be thin air. The passenger service was just a couple of trips, with a weekly Hatherleigh market train running for at least some of its years, and published accounts suggest the 3-man train crew often out-numbered passengers. China clay from Meeth and milk from there and Petrockstow(e) was hauled by class 22 diesels long after the passenger service ceased. The (e) is because the station didn't sport that letter on its sign AFAIK and neither for many years did the village itself. It seems to have crept into use perhaps through an Ordnance Survey error. The same is true of Yard(e). Edited August 20, 2019 by Gwiwer 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
csvt2004 Posted August 20, 2019 Share Posted August 20, 2019 A search on Flickr for "Halwill", shows W55000 at Hole 13/02/65 and W55000 at Hatherleigh 06/02/65. Both shots by Roger Joanes. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted August 20, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 20, 2019 Just now, csvt2004 said: A search on Flickr for "Halwill", shows W55000 at Hole 13/02/65 and W55000 at Hatherleigh 06/02/65. Both shots by Roger Joanes. Given the remote location and the generally thin photographic record could this possibly have been a one-off? This link also shows a triple claiming to be the last train from Hatherleigh in 1964 http://www.hatherleighhistory.co.uk/2014/last-train-from-hatherleigh-station/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted August 20, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 20, 2019 Not sure what period you are looking at Jack but I went on a railtour to Meeth in 1975. Two 4TCs sandwiching one of the SR through-wired RMBs with a 33/1 at each end. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted August 20, 2019 Share Posted August 20, 2019 Plymouth 3-car set P317 went over part of the route in August 1981, here at Petrockstowe https://www.flickr.com/photos/141326567@N03/27321315100/in/photolist-HChT7U-J6G6XX-HWqqv4-HWt28M-J3Th7V cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jack Benson Posted August 21, 2019 Share Posted August 21, 2019 9 hours ago, St Enodoc said: Not sure what period you are looking at Jack but I went on a railtour to Meeth in 1975. Two 4TCs sandwiching one of the SR through-wired RMBs with a 33/1 at each end. Definitely E1R and Ivatt 2MT, no interest in diesels. Thanks JB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
csvt2004 Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 There is a colour shot of a DMU in the Torrington bay platform at Halwill Jnc in "West country branch lines" by Peter Gray. Dated Autumn 1964. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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