North Devon line services in 1980s

[LBRJ]

It is just that the headcode is obviously a class 1 train and from London...

[KeithMacdonald]

31 minutes ago, Ramblin Rich said:

Struggling to think where this would be though. 4 track section of line?

 

Good question.

Any clues about the date?

Given it's "31159" and where it was allocated...

https://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=D&id=5577&loco=5577

... it's either a long way from home, or perhaps those four tracks might be nowhere near North Devon?

[Cowley 47521]

8 hours ago, slow8dirty said:

Indeed. It's early enough to put forward a contender in the style of a radio show tenuous link however.

The same collection has an image, again undated, of 37175 bringing clayhoods into Newton Abbot yard.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C3Czs7qswwk/?igsh=MXRsOXlpdjc0MjB2Mw==

A search on class37.co.uk has her being transferred from north o the border in full West Highland LL regalia to Laira in May 86.

Displaced by the 37/4s and unsurprisingly a bit of a china clay beastie throughout much of 86/87 according to that site's sightings page. The photos show she lost her Eastleigh terrier somewhere between Sept 86 & April 87.

The same sightings page list her as being a regular performer on the Barnstaple branch mid August 87 - mid September , returning North in October that year. No other photo's or submissable evidence unfortunately.

Good stuff. 👍

I did wonder if it might have been 37175 as it was sent up the line one summer Saturday to rescue a failed 31/4 on a Barnstaple - Exeter run when my stepbrother and I were camped out at St David’s one day in 1987. Please excuse the poor quality photos but this is them arriving back at St David’s.

 

 

[Cowley 47521]

1 hour ago, Ramblin Rich said:

Great photo. Likewise i havent seen anything from thst era with 2 trains at Lapford.

I do remember discussions about there being a  short token for Crediton to Lapford, with a "lock in" facility on the Lapford loop ground frame so that other traffic could pass through. Presumably it would have to get to Crediton or Eggesford before the Lapford frame could be released.

Certainly adds something to the running options on my layout Rich. 😉

[Ramblin Rich]

43 minutes ago, LBRJ said:

Was 1C07 not some sort of postal or parcels working at the time?

Could be wrong there of course.....

 

33 minutes ago, LBRJ said:

It is just that the headcode is obviously a class 1 train and from London...

You're right, I hadn't noticed the time of day. It would be post and/or newspapers.

[Ramblin Rich]

On 19/01/2024 at 22:20, ChrisB said:

Rob Dark's other photo of the train with the assortment of stock for trials to Meeth. 

 

2 hours ago, Ramblin Rich said:

Struggling to think where this would be though. 4 track section of line?

 

1 hour ago, KeithMacdonald said:

 

Good question.

Any clues about the date?

Given it's "31159" and where it was allocated...

https://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=D&id=5577&loco=5577

... it's either a long way from home, or perhaps those four tracks might be nowhere near North Devon?

I've found the post in Facebook. Caption says:

Following Lewis Andrews recent post of a test train passing Bideford. Some research came up with the following. Here it is arriving at Torrington at 09.20 13 August 1981 with test vehicles for Meeth line Guard Darch plus inspectors, departed 09.25. 31 159, longwheel base railfreight van, bogie cargo flat wagon, bogie cargo van, long wheelbase railfreight van, empty clay wagons for Marland and BR brake van. Petrockstow to be used for runround.

 

So it's running into Torrington from the north, on the line closest to the station building. Nearer lines in the photo are the goods yard.

 

 

[KeithMacdonald]

26 minutes ago, Ramblin Rich said:

So it's running into Torrington from the north, on the line closest to the station building. Nearer lines in the photo are the goods yard.

 

Ah yes, it makes sense now, it's not the usual view of Torrington station is it? That bridge in the background is a good reference point. Here's a picture from the other side of that bridge, with those sidings visible on the left.

 

Quote

Clive Smith - 31158 Torrington 6th November 1982 - Couldn't be choosy about the motive power on this historic occasion. The train was a massive load 15 with 843 passengers and had left Bristol TM 10.08 with 31158 pictured and 31174 way down the other end. Advertised as the 'Last Train To Torrington' but it actually wasn't as a DMU covered the line some days later with chain-gang civic dignitaries.