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North Devon line services in 1980s


Ramblin Rich
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Here's a video of the line to Ilfracombe. It's set in the 70s rather than the 80s but it's so atmospheric. it's also comforting to see that it's not just modellers that only just have enough clearance to run round their trains!!!

 

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I recall reading that Newspapers were unloaded at both Eggesford and Umberleigh as part of the 0405 from Exeter and/or the 0617 Barnstaple to Exeter in the 1970's/early 1980s. Does anyone know if Eggesford and Umberleigh would have had BRUTES or any other type of trollies to assist with the unloading and movement of the newspapers?

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I recall reading that Newspapers were unloaded at both Eggesford and Umberleigh as part of the 0405 from Exeter and/or the 0617 Barnstaple to Exeter in the 1970's/early 1980s. Does anyone know if Eggesford and Umberleigh would have had BRUTES or any other type of trollies to assist with the unloading and movement of the newspapers?

Almost certainly not, unless it was a sack trolley carried in the newsagent's van; the individual bundles are quite small, and there wouldn't be many of them in rural locations like this.

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John, Andy - thanks for resurrecting this thread, some great memories there!

I am still intending to produce something based on the line, but life just has a habit of expanding to fill all waking hours.

I've been gathering stock, having various mk1s for loco hauled stock, class 101 and 108 DMUs and further stock to portray some news/parcels services, basically Mk1 BG, GUV, CCT and an ex-GWR Siphon G to modify into a newspaper van. Plus various air- and vacuum-braked wagons and UKF fertilizer vans.

Something will emerge with time, but I realise it will be 30 years ago this autumn when freight was withdrawn from Barnstaple. It would be nice to have something done to commemorate the anniversary but don't hold your breath! 

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John, Andy - thanks for resurrecting this thread, some great memories there!

I am still intending to produce something based on the line, but life just has a habit of expanding to fill all waking hours.

I've been gathering stock, having various mk1s for loco hauled stock, class 101 and 108 DMUs and further stock to portray some news/parcels services, basically Mk1 BG, GUV, CCT and an ex-GWR Siphon G to modify into a newspaper van. Plus various air- and vacuum-braked wagons and UKF fertilizer vans.

Something will emerge with time, but I realise it will be 30 years ago this autumn when freight was withdrawn from Barnstaple. It would be nice to have something done to commemorate the anniversary but don't hold your breath! 

Don't forget the Fruit Ds, Rich- they hung around on the branch for quite a while.

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Don't forget the Fruit Ds, Rich- they hung around on the branch for quite a while.

I think a couple of them might briefly appear at around 4 minutes into the youtube clip North Devon Railways part 1 linked above,

and there is a good view of freight traffic in Riverside Yard as the train passes by,

 

cheers

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Thanks FC, I think the Fruit Ds were in use in the late 70s into early 80s, almost dedicated to the Barnstaple line. I am toying with getting some milk tanks as well to flex the timescale back from the mid 80s.

John and Kevin, thanks for those further videos and comment. I'm only viewing on a phone now, have to get some time to look at those videos when back home.

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Were those the ones with the rather mysterious TDB 'traffic-departmental' numbers?

 

Bill

That's right Bill. I can't search properly (posting on the phone at the moment) but definitely some discussion earlier in this thread.

 

EDIT TO ADD - it was page 1 where the Fruit Ds came up!

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I'm looking at a Summer 1982 WTT which shows two loco hauled services south from Barnstaple on weekdays (2B64 at 07:13  and 2B79 at 2202), all the northbound services are however shown as DMU worked and there is no 0300 mail train from Exeter (which would in other years formed the 07:13 back. There are no other trains which could possibly form the 0713 so Is this likely to be an error or would some trains have deliberately been left out of the WTT?  I also note that there's no return working from Barnstaple showing a DMU with a tail load permitted for the newspapers van to return (an afternoon departure would be reasonable for this since the only way it seems that it could get back to Paddington would be via 3S15 1210 Penzance to Glasgow Parcels and 3A08 Bristol to Paddington Premium Parcels.

Edited by Main Line
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Barnstaple in 1981 with the Newspaper van in the centre road. I just missed seeing the island canopy and buildings as it had recently been demolished on my first visit. You can just see rubble in the old track bed and the patched tarmac on the platform.

Barnstaple0002.jpg

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Thanks for waking the thread again guys. Always good to see more!

I recently got a secondhand copy of John Nicholls's 1993 book 'The North Devon line' and the 'Devon and Cornwall Railfreight' book was finally published last week. Currently digesting the information in these. 'Railfreight' has a lot more info on the ball clay industry, mainly around Heathfield, but also the Meeth/Marland area. Lots to think about for the layout scheme. Yes, it's finally happening! Slowly....

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6 hours ago, Ramblin Rich said:

Thanks for waking the thread again guys. Always good to see more!

I recently got a secondhand copy of John Nicholls's 1993 book 'The North Devon line' and the 'Devon and Cornwall Railfreight' book was finally published last week. Currently digesting the information in these. 'Railfreight' has a lot more info on the ball clay industry, mainly around Heathfield, but also the Meeth/Marland area. Lots to think about for the layout scheme. Yes, it's finally happening! Slowly....

Good news that the layout is finally happening. Slowly.....

 

I had not heard about the 'Devon and Cornwall Railfreight ' book until you mentioned it on a thread somewhere. It sounds right up my street, what are your thoughts on it?

 

cheers 

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The book is good, migrated from the usual Silver Link paperback to a large hardback, which I think is what delayed production. Largely about post modernisation era and grouped by traffic type - Speedlink, Enterprise, China clay, ball clay, agricultural, aggregate, coal, cement, MoD etc. So slightly difficult to follow history of particular lines but definitely lots of info to pick through.

One review comments about picture quality, some do look like they are over enhanced so colours look false and details blurred. One steam loco image is elongated horizontally so the smoke box is oval! Largely good quality and mostly colour though.

I had vouchers from Christmas and birthday plus reduced price in a certain internet shop so value ok as far as I'm concerned ;) It is £40 full price though so a lot more than 'standard' Silver Link paperbacks. It's been a long time coming but I'm glad I've got a copy at last.

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14 hours ago, Ramblin Rich said:

...Lots to think about for the layout scheme. Yes, it's finally happening! Slowly....


:O:O

 

That is good news indeed...

 

Thanks for the tip off about the book too :good:

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Well, I remember when 'glacial progress' meant slowly going forward. Sadly it now means melting away :O So I won't compare my progress as such but it has taken since April to put boards down and decide where the tracks will go. :unsure:Hopefully this weekend I'll get the point control wire-in-tubes in place and point wiring done. I will start a thread when there's more than bare boards to show ;)

 

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Look forward to reading more on this. I'm working on a 1989/90 Barnstaple branch scenario allowing Hoovers and duffs on 2 coach banger sets. I've acquired or built much of the stock now just need the time to build the layout. I'm planning a fictional extension to Westward Ho! - there were a number of real proposals to take the main line onto this coast but they never happened of course. 

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19 minutes ago, fezza said:

Look forward to reading more on this. I'm working on a 1989/90 Barnstaple branch scenario allowing Hoovers and duffs on 2 coach banger sets. I've acquired or built much of the stock now just need the time to build the layout. I'm planning a fictional extension to Westward Ho! - there were a number of real proposals to take the main line onto this coast but they never happened of course. 

Sounds good. My scenario is a mash-up of Eggesford and Lapford, having a passing loop and a few sidings. Basedlate 70s to mid 80s with DMUs, short loco hauled sets, postal, news and freight including grain, fertilizer and timber in the station and cement, resin, military stores to Barnstaple. Clay and milk from the Torrington line as well. The traffic and locos vary through time but the infrastructure doesn't; I could easily stretch to the 50s on DMU subs. too ;) Need to save up for new 142 'Skippers' too...

This whole thread has been marvellous for the info given, I am grateful again and hope to bring it to fruition on the layout soon.

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