Freight workings between Exeter and Salisbury between mid 80’s to mid 90’s (NSE Era)

[TravisM]

We’re there many (if any) regular freight workings over the “West of England” line (the mule) between Exeter and Salisbury in the NSE era of mid 1980’s until mid 1990’s, or had most, if not all had been routed away by then.

 

The only freight I can think of in that time period, was the Quidhampton tanks or was that routed via Westbury?  

[Rivercider]

5 hours ago, jools1959 said:

We’re there many (if any) regular freight workings over the “West of England” line (the mule) between Exeter and Salisbury in the NSE era of mid 1980’s until mid 1990’s, or had most, if not all had been routed away by then.

 

The only freight I can think of in that time period, was the Quidhampton tanks or was that routed via Westbury?  

The Quidhampton tanks were never routed that way, on Speedlink they were routed via Westbury/Severn Tunnel Junction, but later went via Eastleigh.

Milk from Chard Junction finished in 1980, though there was a very short term traffic flow many years later (to Stowmarket?).

There was a local trip working from Exeter to Pinhoe and Whimple in the early 1980s. 

Two Meldon ballast empties went down from Salisbury that way in the morning, I think one loaded train came back that way for a while, but mostly the loaded trains ran via Westbury and reverse.

In the Speedlink Coal Network there was a MWFO loaded service calling at Yeovil Junction and Exmouth Junction CCD, the empties returned via Taunton.

At the east end of the route there was a weekly(?) service from Ince and Elton to the Gillingham and Andover UKF fertiliser depots.

I think the Cliffe Vale clay train also got diverted that way a few times due to engineering blockades or emergency.

Other than that there was no booked freight traffic, regular wagon load through trains having ceased in the 1960s.

 

cheers 

[guzzler17]

2 hours ago, Rivercider said:

In the Speedlink Coal Network there was a MWFO loaded service calling at Yeovil Junction and Exmouth Junction CCD, the empties returned via Taunton.
 

Which threw up this oddity in November 1992

 

East Usk to Yeovil Junction via Westbury - loaded hoppers.

Yeovil Junction to Exmouth Junction - light engine

Exmouth Junction to East Usk via Taunton - empty hoppers

 

Information taken from a Trainload West document.

 

[phil-b259]

9 hours ago, jools1959 said:

We’re there many (if any) regular freight workings over the “West of England” line (the mule) between Exeter and Salisbury in the NSE era of mid 1980’s until mid 1990’s, or had most, if not all had been routed away by then.

 

The only freight I can think of in that time period, was the Quidhampton tanks or was that routed via Westbury?  

Given the long single line sections and limited passing opportunities from the 1960s rationalisation I would have thought  the only freight between Salisbury and Exeter was stuff that originated or had its destination mid route.

 

Problem is by the 1990s the Governments stance that rail freight had to turn a profit meant what traffic there was from said ‘mid route’ sidings had gone over to road transport.

[Rivercider]

6 hours ago, phil-b259 said:

Given the long single line sections and limited passing opportunities from the 1960s rationalisation I would have thought  the only freight between Salisbury and Exeter was stuff that originated or had its destination mid route.

 

Problem is by the 1990s the Governments stance that rail freight had to turn a profit meant what traffic there was from said ‘mid route’ sidings had gone over to road transport.

I would agree with that. I think most of the station freight facilities along the route were withdrawn in or before 1967 when the route was rationalised.

Exmouth Junction CCD opened in 1967 taking over the site of the concrete works, and also some of the sidings of the former up side marshalling yard at Exmouth Junction which was then closed, (all marshalling taking place at the former GWR Riverside Yard).  All coal traffic was centralised at the CCD from that date.

The two empty ballast train workings heading west from Salisbury were early morning services where paths were available. At times the passenger train timekeeping was chronically poor over the route, so just pathing passenger trains was problem enough.

 

cheers 

[SED Freightman]

The SR Working Timetable, Section WK, commencing 13/05/1985 shows the following services on the route between Wilton Jn and Exeter Central :-

 

DOWN

6L59 0433 (FO) Salisbury E Yd to Gillingham UKF Sdg arr 0513 - Company Train

7V80 0535 (SX) Salisbury E Yd to Meldon Quarry - Vacuum Braked, RCE a/c. Ran via Westbury (rev.) and Yeovil Jn.

7V08 0905 (MO) Woking Down Yd to Meldon Quarry - Vacuum Braked, RCE a/c

7V08 0954 (MSX) Salisbury E Yd to Meldon Quarry - Vacuum Braked, RCE a/c

6L75 1115 (SX) Salisbury East Yd to Dinton MoD Sdg arr 1144 - Air Braked Service

7V84 1305 (FSX) Salisbury East Yd to Exeter Riverside Yd - Vacuum Braked, RCE a/c

 

UP

6L78 1225 (SX) Dinton MoD Sdg to Salisbury East Yd arr.1259 - Air Braked Service

7O70 1130 (FSX) Meldon Quarry to Salisbury East Yd arr.1549 - Vacuum Braked, RCE a/c

6L83 1614 (FO) Gillingham UKF Sdg to Andover UKF Sdg arr.1726 - Company Train

7O70 1130 (FO) Meldon Quarry to Salisbury East Yd arr.1732 - Vacuum Braked, RCE a/c