Lyme Regis Branch : Freight workings and Camping Coaches

[Blobrick]

I m currently reading "From Devon to Dorset The Story of the Lyme Regis Branch" by M Smith and G.Reeve.  I noted with interest that there seemed to be no photographs of any form of freight working on the branch and this got me wondering.

I see from a WTT that there was one return freight working over the branch each day (Sundays excepted) , leaving Lyme Regis at 06:15 each morning, arriving at Axminster at 06:45 with a return working leaving Axminster at 07:23, arriving at Lyme Regis at 07:53. 

I suspect the reason that there appears to be no photos of these workings is the early hour a which these moves were made. Has anyone ever come across such photos?

The only photo l ve seen showing any kind of freight traffic was a BR 12t Box Van being marshalled at the front of a Lyme Regis service, dated 1958.

 

Has anyone come across any other photos showing freight of the branch?

 

Bob C

Edited November 29, 2022 by Blobrick

[Rivercider]

The book 'South West Railwayman' by Donald King has quite a lot devoted to reminiscences 

of the line, and some pictures, one is of freight.

On page 45 Ivatt 2-6-2T 41307 is seen at Combpyne, formed as far as I can see as:-

loco, 12t van, 16t steel min, 12t SR van, 16t min, 16t min, LMS brake van,

 

cheers  

 

[Blobrick]

2 hours ago, Rivercider said:

The book 'South West Railwayman' by Donald King has quite a lot devoted to reminiscences 

of the line, and some pictures, one is of freight.

On page 45 Ivatt 2-6-2T 41307 is seen at Combpyne, formed as far as I can see as:-

loco, 12t van, 16t steel min, 12t SR van, 16t min, 16t min, LMS brake van,

 

cheers  

 

Hi Kenny, many thanks for the information, it all helps

 

Cheers

 

Bob C

[eastglosmog]

Not a full freight train, but "Branchlines of the Southern Railway Vol 2" by Reeves and Hawkins (Wild Swan, 1983) has a picture of what is said to be a mixed train at Lyme Regis in 1903, when Terriers provided the motive power (the mixing seems to be restricted to one van).

[Blobrick]

2 hours ago, eastglosmog said:

Not a full freight train, but "Branchlines of the Southern Railway Vol 2" by Reeves and Hawkins (Wild Swan, 1983) has a picture of what is said to be a mixed train at Lyme Regis in 1903, when Terriers provided the motive power (the mixing seems to be restricted to one van).

Many thanks, for that tip. It's a little early, for me as l am primarily interested in the last few years of the branch's existence between 1958-60. It was during this time, the largest amount of photos seem to have been taken, alas sans freight traffic. However the photo you mentioned does along with the late 50s one l ve found suggest that possibly mixed traffic was allowed? 

[KeithMacdonald]

14 hours ago, Blobrick said:

Has anyone come across any other photos showing freight of the branch?

 

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/l/lyme_regis/

and

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/l/lyme_regis/index100.shtml

 

[Nearholmer]

Have you got the OPC Southetn Branchlines books? One of those includes a very good section on Lyme Regis which may include clues.

[KeithMacdonald]

On Flickr

 

 

[JohnR]

Interesting selection of wagons there. A local (ish) coal factor - Bradford & Sons of Yeovil. A BP tank wagon and a coal wagon from E Foster of London. Foster are still a going concern - although no longer coal merchants!

[Adam]

44 minutes ago, JohnR said:

Interesting selection of wagons there. A local (ish) coal factor - Bradford & Sons of Yeovil. A BP tank wagon and a coal wagon from E Foster of London. Foster are still a going concern - although no longer coal merchants!

 

A truly local factor - Bradfords had (have) their head office in Yeovil, but had offices/depots across the area including Lyme, I think. There was certainly a depot at Seaton, for example.

 

Certainly some freight went to Lyme in mixed trains. See these two from the amazing collection of Roger Joanes on Flickr:
 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2022 by Adam

[Rivercider]

I have looked in other books. I can see no freight train photos in:-

Main Lines to the West - The Branch Lines by Nicholas and Reeve.  Irwell Press

Southern Branch Lines - by C Gammell   OPC 

Southern Steam in the South and West - by Arlett and Lockett  OPC.

Also

The Lyme Regis Branch  - by P Paye  Oakwood Press

Further edit

From Salisbury to Exeter  the Branch Lines by D Phillips  OPC also has no freight photos,

apart from the early photo of a road van on the front of a passenger service in the early 'Terrier' years. It does include a photo of 41297 and brake van on clearance trials at Combpyne in 1960, and a photo of ex LSWR 20t goods brake S54977 in 1955.

This book mentions that freight consisted mainly of coal, fertiliser, building materials including bagged cement, and general merchandise in vans or sheeted opens.

 

 

I would agree that the relative absence of freight train photos is because they ran early in the day. There are photos of freight in the yard at Lyme Regis 16t minerals being common. 

A lot of photos of the branch feature the double heading, which only occurred on a dozen or so days each year, so we get a false or biased view of the operation of the line,

 

cheers

Edited November 27, 2022 by Rivercider
add Oakwood Press book and OPC book

[JohnR]

I think it's in the Middleton Press book where there's a picture of a 12T van described as the weekly van from Nottingham for Boots.

[Kris]

45 minutes ago, Adam said:

 

A truly local factor - Bradfords had (have) their head office in Yeovil, but had offices/depots across the area including Lyme, I think. There was certainly a depot at Seaton, for example.
 

 

The head office is still in Yeovil. They have a long pre railway history.

[Blobrick]

4 hours ago, Adam said:

 

A truly local factor - Bradfords had (have) their head office in Yeovil, but had offices/depots across the area including Lyme, I think. There was certainly a depot at Seaton, for example.

 

Certainly some freight went to Lyme in mixed trains. See these two from the amazing collection of Roger Joanes on Flickr:
 

 

 

 

 

Great photos, thank you for the link. I note these are Flickr images, I m obviously very poor at undertaking searches especially on Flickr as l ve been through what l could find on there and missed these two gems, so thank you once again.

 

Can anyone identify the Brake van at the rear (where else!)  Is it a SECR vehicle?

Edited November 27, 2022 by Blobrick

[Dunsignalling]

Looks like a LNER Toad B retrofitted with steel duckets in place of the original wooden ones.

 

These, and the newer Toad E  ranged far and wide after the introduction of the Toad D (later developed into the BR standard type). One even made it as far as deepest Cornwall, based at Wadebridge for use on the Wenford Bridge branch

 

The "official" Lyme branch brake was, for many years,  20t ex-LSWR Road van, and later on one of the 15t SR Pillbox type.

 

John 

Edited November 27, 2022 by Dunsignalling

[Dunsignalling]

3 hours ago, Kris said:

The head office is still in Yeovil. They have a long pre railway history.

Bradfords still have premises in Seaton and Axminster (and elsewhere in East Devon), located on much the same sites as when they were rail served.

 

John

[Blobrick]

6 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

Looks like a LNER Toad D, or possibly a Toad B retrofitted with steel duckets in place of the original wooden ones.

 

These ranged far and wide after the introduction of the Toad E (later developed into the BR standard type). One even made it as far as deepest Cornwall, based at Wadebridge for use on the Wenford Bridge branch

 

The "official" Lyme branch brake was, for many years,  20t ex-LSWR Road van, and later on one of the 15t SR Pillbox type.

 

John 

 

Thank you for the info on the Brake van, not an RTR item currently, but who knows!  I suspect that the LSWR Road Van did not see much of the 1950s, if so does that mean the SR Pillbox type was the regular van during the 50s? If so would it have been a fitted or non fitted version?  any thoughts' anyone?

[Blobrick]

4 hours ago, Adam said:

 

A truly local factor - Bradfords had (have) their head office in Yeovil, but had offices/depots across the area including Lyme, I think. There was certainly a depot at Seaton, for example.

 

Certainly some freight went to Lyme in mixed trains. See these two from the amazing collection of Roger Joanes on Flickr:
 

 

 

 

 

I know  l am going to get shot by pestering folks, but is that a Maunsell Brake Composite coach in the top photo?

[Dunsignalling]

34 minutes ago, Blobrick said:

 

Thank you for the info on the Brake van, not an RTR item currently, but who knows!  I suspect that the LSWR Road Van did not see much of the 1950s, if so does that mean the SR Pillbox type was the regular van during the 50s? If so would it have been a fitted or non fitted version?  any thoughts' anyone?

Further clarification made to my earlier post. Hornby has done both the Toads, but not the modified 'B'. Possibly doable by grafting a section from the Airfix/Dapol brake van kit into the Hornby B.

 

AIUI, the Road Van wasn't withdrawn until 1957 or '58. Pics and notes appeared in a recentish issue of British Railways Illustrated. There is a resin kit produced by Smallbrook Studios on the Isle of Wight. 

 

Cambrian Models do a plastic kit for the lightweight version of the "Pillbox".

 

AFAIK, none of the SR Pillboxes were vacuum fitted, though BR added pipes and valves to some. The preserved ones with the cylinders on the end platforms were built for the MOD during WW2.

 

John

 

 

Edited November 27, 2022 by Dunsignalling

[D9020 Nimbus]

31 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

Looks like a LNER Toad B retrofitted with steel duckets in place of the original wooden ones.

 

These, and the newer Toad D  ranged far and wide after the introduction of the Toad E (later developed into the BR standard type). One even made it as far as deepest Cornwall, based at Wadebridge for use on the Wenford Bridge branch

 

The "official" Lyme branch brake was, for many years,  20t ex-LSWR Road van, and later on one of the 15t SR Pillbox type.

 

John 

Wasn't it the Toad D which evolved into the BR standard van while the Toad E was a slightly warmed over Toad B? Hornby certainly seem to think so and have done both the main variants of the short LNER brake.

[Dunsignalling]

6 minutes ago, Blobrick said:

 

 

I know  l am going to get shot by pestering folks, but is that a Maunsell Brake Composite coach in the top photo?

It certainly looks like one, and should be if the photo is any later than mid-1958  when the LSWR rebuilt set was withdrawn.

 

Don't be scared of asking. Anybody that's offended just won't reply! 😉

[Blobrick]

4 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

Further clarification made to my earlier post. Hornby has done both the Toads, but not the modified 'B'. Possibly doable by grafting a section from the Airfix/Dapol brake van kit into the Hornby B.

 

AIUI, the Road Van wasn't withdrawn until 1957 or '58. Pics and notes appeared in a recentish issue of British Railways Illustrated. There is a resin kit produced by Smallbrook Studios on the Isle of Wight. 

 

Cambrian Models do a plastic kit for the lightweight version of the "Pillbox".

 

John

 

 

 

Would the Kernow models Road Van be suitable?

 

[Dunsignalling]

48 minutes ago, D9020 Nimbus said:

Wasn't it the Toad D which evolved into the BR standard van while the Toad E was a slightly warmed over Toad B? Hornby certainly seem to think so and have done both the main variants of the short LNER brake.

Rushes to Tatlow! You are entirely correct. Brain fade on my part. Post duly corrected.

 

The one in the pic is definitely a modernised B, though. The end stanchions are the giveaway. The E had flush-planked ends.

 

John

Edited November 27, 2022 by Dunsignalling

[Dunsignalling]

8 minutes ago, Blobrick said:

 

Would the Kernow models Road Van be suitable?

 

Unfortunately not, theirs is the smaller 10t type. Very nice as a cheat though!

 

Numerous types seem to have visited the line. If you want a suitable rtr suggestion I'd pick Hornby's Ex-LSWR brake, which is still readily available.

Edited November 27, 2022 by Dunsignalling

[Blobrick]

19 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

Unfortunately not, theirs is the smaller 10t type. Very nice as a cheat though!

 

Numerous types seem to have visited the line. If you want a suitable rtr suggestion I'd pick Hornby's Ex-LSWR brake, which is still readily available.

 

 

Thanks for the advice, l ll look out a suitable LSWR beastie, pity about Kernow's Road Van, lovely model! 

I take it that the Bachmann SR Pillbox is a "full fat" version and therefore now suitable either?

Edited November 27, 2022 by Blobrick