Bridport Branch - Last Day 1975

[philwaglab]

In the Bridport Branch book it shows a recovery train on November 11th 1975 that year recovering the stop block at Bridport Station.

['CHARD]

Love the Humber Sceptre 'arrow'

[DavidB]

Well this thread has reopened some very powerful (Powerstock?) memories of a summer holiday in 1974, when my father, brother and I had a great time travelling up and down the branch in the cab of the Pressed Steel single unit. Beautiful scenery, with some impressively sharp curves and gradients, a very friendly train crew who explained the Bristol-based unit diagrams (out-stationed at Westbury during the week, as I recall) and talked about stopping to collect the occasional slow-moving pheasant for the pot if they were lucky. What with the bucolic Bridport level crossing (brake to a halt, guard climbs down, stops traffic, closes gates, waves train through, train stops again, guard opens and secures gates, climbs back into van, train restarts), plus the gentle rolling gait of the DMU at 30mph on jointed track, it really was a lovely experience. But we were the only passengers in both directions, which says it all. Much missed.

 

David

[maico]

Anyone know the date the last green coloured DMUs were being used on the line and what type?

[lapford34102]

121's and without checking  and the date of the last green may not be recorded would guess 68/69. Blue 121's (SYP, White cab roof) were in use early 67, maybe late 66

Hth

Stu

[MyRule1]

As this thread has come to life again I can add my Bridport story..

 

WE decided to visit in November 1974 and there had been various stories in the Railway Press about taxis being substituted for train. Undeterred we set off for Maiden Newton, via Weymouth, upon arrival at Maiden Newton we were indeed told that we would be taken onwards by taxi. Further enquires found that the reason was that the driver had refused to take the unit out due to a failed heater. However another driver was willing to do the turn so the following service was likely to be a train. After a liquid lunch we retuned to the station for our trip on the branch which included a walk down the trackbed to West Bay.

 

A few pictures from the day - note the Cl121 arriving for the service has three members of staff visible.