Luxulyan Valley - (Bridges) Cornwall - Part to Newquay line

[DavidMatthewson]

I'm interested in what tender locos ran on this line - if any. I've seen various photos of tanks, - mainly Prairies - around Luxuylan and references to almost every tender loco apart from Kings (weight issues!) on this line but no photographic evidence.

 

Does anyone have any photos from this period showing tender locos on the line or can anyone suggest any where I might look further?

 

Many thanks

 

David

[Stubby47]

This page has a 2-8-0 pictured

 

Scroll down to just after the St Dennis map.

 

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/par-to-newquay-branch.html

 

There might well be other examples further down still.

 

Stu

[cary hill]

"The Newquay Branch and its Branches" (John Vaughan) (OPC) has a photo of Manor Class 7816 and Grange Class 6832 double-heading a 3 coach train in the Luxulyan Valley and also a photo of Hall 5972 and 43XX 6397 on a 12 coach Paddington to Newquay train banked by Prairie 5519.

[Kris]

There are numerous books with pictures of tender locos at Newquay. 

 

Kings were stopped from entering Cornwall due to the restrictions on the Royal Albert Bridge at Saltash. 

[edcayton]

Stubby, that's a tank loco in the photo you refer to. I have not seen a GWR 2-8-0 on the Newquay line, and the 47xx class were not allowed across the bridge. Maybe some hope here because they are building a new one. An LMS 8F has made it to Newquay in recent times.

 

Again, I have seen no evidence of the Collett 2251 0-6-0's in Cornwall. The GWR 4-6-0's-Manor, Grange, Hall, County and Castle were all regulars at Newquay. I don't think a King has got there, but my Dad and I went to see one at Par. 43xx moguls also appeared, I think more often on the less glamorous local trains. Generally the bigger loco's would have been on through trains on Summer Saturdays when most photographers were not at work.

 

I've not seen BR standards in general nor Britannias in particular at Newquay. The Brit's did work into Cornwall but AFAIK only to Penzance, I would love to see one of these on the branch.

 

Hope this helps

 

Ed

[Stubby47]

Yes, of course it is, ( what a pratt!).

 

However, it does mean my roster can include a 2-8-0, which I hadn't considered before

[TheSignalEngineer]

However, it does mean my roster can include a 2-8-0, which I hadn't considered before

St Blazey had a couple of 2-8-0 tanks for working clay trains. I have an old article somewhere about the traffic.  I will try to find it.

[edcayton]

They were mainly used over the hill and through St Pinnock tunnel to Fowey (heavy trains and steep gradients), but I have seen several photo's of them along the Newquay line, at least as far as St Dennis Junction. I have heard a rumour that at least one of the big 72xx 2-8-2 tanks was tried at St Blazey, but have not seen any photo's.

 

Ed

[cary hill]

They were mainly used over the hill and through St Pinnock tunnel to Fowey (heavy trains and steep gradients), but I have seen several photo's of them along the Newquay line, at least as far as St Dennis Junction. I have heard a rumour that at least one of the big 72xx 2-8-2 tanks was tried at St Blazey, but have not seen any photo's.

 

Ed

 

The 72xx may have been 7209 as it was apparently allocated to St Blazey for most of 1951/52. The regular 42xx locos for most of the 1950s (1952-59 approx) were 4206 and 4247.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Found the article i was thinking of, by R C Riley in the Trains Illustrated Summer Annual 1957. (Think that was the year as it didn't actually say)

 

The 2-8-0 tanks were used for the Pinnock tunnel route due to the severe gradients. 4215/98 were at St Blazey up to 1950 when a drop in traffic led to them being moved to South Wales. Small praries could only manage 12 loaded wagons against 20 for a 2-8-0T. A pick-up in traffic led to some having to go mainline causing disruption and eventually two 7200 tanks were loaned before 4206/4247 moved to St Blazey late in 1952. A 2-8-0T could do eight round trips between Par and Fowey per day. If only one was required they did other duties such as main-line freights and the St Dennis banker, or even ECS between Plymouth and Newquay on summer Saturdays

[TheSignalEngineer]

Rails currently have a 2-8-0T (R3223) for £74.50

[DavidMatthewson]

Many thanks to everyone for their help on this topic.

 

best wishes

 

David

[DavidMatthewson]

I know these are tanks not tenders, but interesting all the same. Originals can be found at:http://http://cornishmemory.com/item/WAT_24_200 & http://cornishmemory.com/item/WAT_24_216

 

and are shown here for research purposes only.

 

But I can't find any shots of tender hauled clay or pax stock on the line.. ;{

 

David

[TheSignalEngineer]

Found the article i was thinking of, by R C Riley in the Trains Illustrated Summer Annual 1957. (Think that was the year as it didn't actually say)

 

 

The article has a photo of Hall 5969 with 5 coaches passing St Dennis Jn on a Paddington - Newquay train c1955

[edcayton]

I would agree about not seeing tender loco's on clay trains. Too many reversals at a guess.

 

Slightly OT, but I have seen a couple of photo's of "Warship" diesels on the St Pinnock line. Does anyone know what load they could manage unaided?

 

Ed

[TheSignalEngineer]

I would agree about not seeing tender loco's on clay trains. Too many reversals at a guess.

 

Slightly OT, but I have seen a couple of photo's of "Warship" diesels on the St Pinnock line. Does anyone know what load they could manage unaided?

 

Ed

Locos allowed off the Plymouth - Penzance line were very restricted. The only branches that were subject to few restrictions were Newquay and Falmouth. The rest were virtually no-go areas for tender engines. There's a goldmine for Cornish freight information in this document http://www.michaelclemensrailways.co.uk/download.ashx?dok=118.

 

See page D82 for freight loco restrictions and somewhere around D70 for loadings.