Devon Diesel Era Photo Record

[alexross42]

This slide has recently been added to my collection, it's Aller Junction as it used to be and 47553 is passing through with the 12.20 Penzance to Paddington. It's nothing out of the ordinary except for the steam engine in the left-hand distance which looks as if it's being hauled on the down-line towards Paignton. It's hard to discern many further details but it looks like the shape of a Class 31 up front and the steam engine itself is prairie-shaped, maybe even the Paignton line's own 'Goliath'?

The photo was taken on 11th July 1979, I've done a bit of research in the usual online resources but found no details of what this move was....so any info is most welcome!

 

Another acquired slide, this one taken further down the Paignton line at Torre, 31404 on 31/03/82 with a Paignton to Exeter local:
 

Regards,
Ross

Edited May 1 by alexross42
added C47 info

[Halvarras]

4 hours ago, alexross42 said:

This slide has recently been added to my collection, it's Aller Junction as it used to be and 47553 is passing through with the 12.20 Penzance to Paddington. It's nothing out of the ordinary except for the steam engine in the left-hand distance which looks as if it's being hauled on the down-line towards Paignton. It's hard to discern many further details but it looks like the shape of a Class 31 up front and the steam engine itself is prairie-shaped, maybe even the Paignton line's own 'Goliath'?

The photo was taken on 11th July 1979, I've done a bit of research in the usual online resources but found no details of what this move was....so any info is most welcome!

 

 

Note the low positioning of 47553's number - this loco was built as D1956, one of Brush Loughborough's final nine turned out in blue from new, with cabside arrow logos and bodyside numbers aligned with them, placing the numbers this low -  1956 was briefly renumbered 47260 in this condition in 1974 before being called to Crewe Works for ETH fitting and renumbering again to 47553, but whoever did this in the paint shop must have been too used to applying the new numbers on top of the old ones and did the same on this one without thinking......

 

I was at Bristol Temple Meads on 2nd June 1973 and witnessed the rusty hulk of 5239 being towed west through the station by Class 47 1602, on its way from Woodhams at Barry to a new life as 'Goliath' - the only time I saw such a thing. But I wouldn't like to speculate on what's going on here!