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WC/BoB's on the Kingswear Line


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Have seen a few pictures of West Country / Battle of Britain??™s at the head of excursion trains to Goodrington Sands, or Kingswear in association with Rivert Dart trips in the early 1960??™s.

How often did these excursion run, plus did the rebuilt WC/BoB ever run on these services?

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There was apparently a regular daily crew training working of an SR loco over the ex-GWR main line from Exeter to Plymouth although I only ever recall seeing one myself despite regular hols and spending most of them on the beach at Dawlish or within view of the line up the estuary a bit near Shaldon.

I was a nipper at the time and it was the only SR loco I saw for years until I was old enough to travel or persuade Dad that Exeter station was a good place to spend some hard earned holiday time on.

The combined volume looked very sparse in certain areas - naked almost.

I've seen photos of these locos on the main line but I've never seen photos of SR locos on the branches and this comes as a bit of a surprise to me - I await other peoples comments with interest!

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The routine (and reciprocal) runs by SR and WR crews and locos over the respective Exeter-Plymouth routes was in case of either route being closed for any reason, so there would have been no need for SR service trains to use the Kingswear branch. Excursions are a different matter and would be attracted by events such as Dartmouth Regatta. As to whether rebuilt Bulleids could be used I don't know, the SR banned them in general west of Exeter, although I would be surprised if the WR route and Kingswear branch couldn't take them given they were cleared for Kings.

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As to whether rebuilt Bulleids could be used I don't know, the SR banned them in general west of Exeter,.

Rebuilt West Countries and Battle of Britains were permitted on the Plymouth line after the strengthening of Meldon Viaduct in, I think, 1960. The book 'The Okehampton Line' has several photos.

Rob

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check out six bells junction they have all the listings for railtours if they ran down there it will be on there. I know that the Light pacifics ran between newton abbot and plymouth keeping up the SR crews route knoledge of the line .thers plenty of photos of these.

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The published pictures I have seen are as follows but like you say are excursion trains only:-

 

34056 Croydon passing Torquay gas works on an excursion from Tavistock North to Goodrington Sands on 14th June 1958.

Middleton Press - Branch Line to Kingswear Vic Mitchell & Keith Smith.

 

34033 Chard piloted by 2-6-2T 5178 on 26th June 1959. Having run from Torrington dropped its passengers at Totnes had run empty to Kingswear. Picture taken passing through Kingskerswell station on the return journey.

Past & Present Special - The Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway Peter W.Gray.

 

 

Also on the same theme or engine change having taken place.

6965 Thirlestaine Hall heading empty SR stock to Kingswear in association with a River Dart Excursion at Goodrington signal box on 11th May 1962.

Bradford Barton ??“ Great Western Steam in the West Country.

 

SR Class N 31875 on a Bere Alston to Goodrington Sands Halt excursion on 16th June 1962 passing Cockwood harbour on the return trip.

Ian Allan Steam on West of England Main Lines, Peter W. Gray.

 

 

Re- Exchange Workings

In a same book as above, quoted against a picture of a West Country heading up to Dainton was that by the Summer of 1959 the previous regular exchange workings had been disrupted by the closure of stations and the arrival of the hydraulics such that the SR engine working over the Western region main line was the afternoon 4.35pm Plymouth ??“ Paignton then 7.20pm Goodrington Sands Halt ??“ Plymouth to/from Newton Abbot only.

As the rebuilt WC/BoB weight ban was lifted on the Plymouth road in 1960 certainly possible that a rebuilt engine could have taken over on the exchange workings to from Newton Abbot I guess!

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