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GWR 28xx and 2884 in Cornwall


TomJ
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Quick question. Did the GWR 2-8-0 tender engines ever cross the Tamar Bridge into Cornwall? I’ve not found a picture of one. But I rather like them and the Dapol model. 
 

Might have to apply for another Rule 1 license!

 

Thanks

 

 

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I have a lot of books on Cornwall's railways and I don't recall seeing any photos of these locos in any of them. I believe that the last main line steam run to Penzance behind 34002 'Salisbury' on 3rd May 1964 actually arrived at Plymouth behind 2887, was there a reason the 2-8-0 couldn't cross the Tamar, requiring the use of a 'foreigner'?!

Could one have turned up but not been recorded? Who knows - I'm aware of just one photo of a BR Standard 4MT (75025) in Cornwall, at Penwithers Junction in 1954.  Just before this BR had been showing off its new hardware in the form of 'Britannias' 70019 & 70024 working the down 'CRE' to Penzance, they were short-lived (local crews didn't like them) but there are a number of photographs of those.

I like 'Britannias', I used to have a Tri-ang-Hornby one with Magnadhesion, Synchro-Smoke and everything!

Sorry, I'm rambling a bit now....

 

Neil

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4 hours ago, TomJ said:

Quick question. Did the GWR 2-8-0 tender engines ever cross the Tamar Bridge into Cornwall? I’ve not found a picture of one. But I rather like them and the Dapol model.

 

Shed Bash

 

St Blazey - Saturday 29 June 1946 - 2827

http://shedbashuk.blogspot.com/2017_07_20_archive.html

 

Penzance - Tuesday 2 July 1946 - 2841

http://shedbashuk.blogspot.com/2017_07_12_archive.html

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6 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

I don't think they were banned. Possibly not much need for heavy freight locomotives in Cornwall.

 

 

Jason

 

Kings and 47xx's were banned from crossing the Tamar. I don't believe that any other class was. 

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28XX were definitely NOT prohibited from working between Keyham and Penzance.   47XX were not permitted beyond Keyham,  Kings' were originally not permitted beyond Devonport but this was extended to Keyham during WWII which means that 'Kings' and 47XX were not permitted over Weston Mill Viaduct.

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5 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

28XX were definitely NOT prohibited from working between Keyham and Penzance.   47XX were not permitted beyond Keyham,  Kings' were originally not permitted beyond Devonport but this was extended to Keyham during WWII which means that 'Kings' and 47XX were not permitted over Weston Mill Viaduct.

The 28s are noted as having blue route restriction, which puts them into the average when it comes to route availability. If pictures of them in Cornwall are thin on the ground, it may be for no more reason than that they weren't needed. 

 

Jim

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17 hours ago, mdvle said:

 

Shed Bash

 

St Blazey - Saturday 29 June 1946 - 2827

http://shedbashuk.blogspot.com/2017_07_20_archive.html

 

Penzance - Tuesday 2 July 1946 - 2841

http://shedbashuk.blogspot.com/2017_07_12_archive.html

 

News to me, but I'm always interested to find out about 'new' motive power in Cornwall. In my defence my books don't go back that far!

 

After 45 years away from Cornwall I'm about to move back to be within walking distance of St Blazey shed, not that there's much to see there these days. I remember it full of hydraulics........sigh.

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7 hours ago, Siberian Snooper said:

Known as 'Shakey Bridge' locally, there is a foot bridge attached to the viaduct, since closed to the public due to it being a possible means of illicit access to the naval base. It vibrates quite a bit when a train rumbles over it.

 

 

The footbridge is long gone, the last vestiges removed when WMV had the major refurbishment about 8/10 years ago.

But you’re right about Naval Base security being an issue, but in reality the decking had fallen into disrepair and closure was the way out of spending any money!

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Was/is there not an issue for large locos as regards the curve at the end of the Albert Bridge?

 

Talking of Shakey Bridge, I can remember (probably first trip out there on a Sunday morning, when we had a great fiddle ;) ) we were crawling across there waiting for the road to Bere Alston and a fully loaded train of bullets went past hauled by a 60 - I then realised just why it was called Shakey Bridge :D

Edited by LBRJ
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28xx's were based at Laria during the 50's, so even though they were not seen in Cornish sheds at this time there were certainly some that were close enough to be regularly used. 

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1 hour ago, Kris said:

28xx's were based at Laria during the 50's, so even though they were not seen in Cornish sheds at this time there were certainly some that were close enough to be regularly used. 

It might be that as they were used mainly on freight,

they could have been in use mainly overnight,

so not easy/likely to have been photographed.

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9 hours ago, rab said:

It might be that as they were used mainly on freight,

they could have been in use mainly overnight,

so not easy/likely to have been photographed.

It would have been less likely that they were used overnight as the signal boxes in Cornwall were closed during the middle of the night as far as I know. 

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  • 1 year later...

Two photos I’ve found:- 

 

2828 between Marazion and St Erth in May 1940. Bradford Barton Great Western Steam in Cornwall, p67.

 

3862 on Forder Viaduct (East end of the County), no date but it is a Peter Gray shot which usually means late 50s / early 60s and others by him in the same area in the book relate to that period. The caption comments that it was a rarity. The Great Western Railway in East Cornwall, Alan Bennett, p14. 

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