martinT

Yes, they were both turned out in this style specifically for the royal train in May 1956 - several months before lined green became the new WR policy for mixed-traffic locos. There's a photo by S C Nash (B&W unfortunately) of the train approaching Barnstaple East Junc (with 6372 leading) in the Middleton Press book on the line. A cropped version of it appears in Madge's 'Railways Round Exmoor' (at least in the 1975 edition). Double headed trains weren't allowed over the 2 viaducts - I'd be interested in seeing the operating instructions for the train.

A long time ago - may be 20 years - there was something in GW Echo about these 2 unorthodox Moguls, I'll try to dig it out but it might take some time! Martin

Have a look at 6301 on Neil Dimmer's site here: Outside steam-pipes, so post March 1958 (using the date given by David Andrews in his Mogul monograph), & most definitely lined green on loco & tender (with later BR crest). It was withdrawn in October 1962 so I would surmise that it gained lined green livery in March 1958 & kept it the rest of its life (altho' it would be hard to tell towards the end). Both photos shew it with an unusual length of pipework just above the handrail running to the smokebox. Martin

The clearance issue was on the the Ilfracombe line so unmodified Moguls could be used to Barnstaple Junc. In fact all GW locos had to have their steps cut back to 8'4" to allow them to work beyond Barnstaple Junc. Martin

That was my first impression too - the animals look too big to be cows. A fascinating train. Martin

Ah - that's what it was all about so thanks James! I must admit to rather losing the will to live after a few minutes of it so turned to a Sudoku. I kept half an eye on it in case they returned to Great Budworth, where I had a flat above a tea shop almost 50 years ago, but they didn't, so I didn't even get a burst of nostalgia. Martin

This photo is reproduced in David Andrews' excellent monograph 'The Churchward 2-6-0s' published by Line One (1985) with the comment that pressure of space inside the works was so great that somekbox & cab roof are being painted in the open-air while steam is being raised!!! I'm not sure I'd have deduced this from the photo. The full date of 28th February is given. It's a bit odd that Dapol have gone for this odd & unattractive form of tender lining esp. as I think 6308 was unique. Lined black would have been more useful! Andrews records that 5370, 7313, & 9314 received such a livery. The Swindon version of fully lined green with the fender lined separately as happened initially on 6372 & 6385 in 1956 (May??, for Royal Train duties on the Barnstaple branch) & then on others from Jan 1957 looked wonderful - unfortunately fender-lining was soon stopped. From the one of the photos it looks as if Dapol are going to offer it. Martin

Benjamin Outram certainly needs a mention from time to time as he's now generally forgotten but was one of the first tramroad engineers who foresaw a national interconnected network rather than independent concerns that had been the norm. A national network would need a uniform gauge for which he recommended 4ft 2ins - 8ins wider than the 3ft 6ins that had been widely used. He died in 1805 at the early age of 41 but because of his influence 4ft 2in was widely used especially in south Wales.

This stretch of line from St Erth to Marazion wasn't doubled until June 1929. For a circa-1925 photo taken from the bridge, with what is probably the CRE (the stock matches that defined in the 1925 coaches programme) see Mike Morant's site: Notice the TPO mailbag exchange apparatus hut, which doesn't appear in the painting. Yes, there was such at Marazion in spite of the fact it was only a few miles from Penzance. According to Hosegood's book on GWR TPOs the apparatus was sited 350yds east of the station for up trains, & 605yds west for down trains. He gives a date of 1913 for first installation. There had been a level crossing at this point until about 1912 when the bridge was built, allowing for double track which allowed the very short headshunt to be extended as seen here. This stretch of Cornish main-line line wasn't the last to be doubled - that dubious honour fell to the section between Scorrier & Redruth, doubled in April 1930. I guess WW1 delayed all doubling work. Martin

He's just posted on his weathering thread: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/143117-tom-foster-weathering-bespoke-service/page/3/#comments

Thanks, & just to illustrate that non-smoking 1st class passengers weren't overlooked here's their compartment: Obviously there's no smoking in either today. The weather wasn't great I'm afraid but just to illustrate the first 5-coach trains since 1935 here are a couple of shots. The newly-delivered compo is the 2nd coach:

He rented Coed y Bleddiau cottage in 1925 overlooking the Festiniog (1 F in those days). It's now in the care of the Landmark Trust - see: https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/coed-y-bleiddiaus-residents/ He was succeeded by his friend Jack Philby, father of Kim. Tradition has it that William Joyce also stayed there but the Landmark Trust article refutes this. Coed y Bleddiau: 'Wood of Wolves' - the place of the last sighting of a wolf in Wales, in the C17th Martin

It's a Star - 4015 Knight of St John - on a down milk train passing Westbury West in the 1930s (but pre-1937 - red headlamp bodies).

Please forgive me intruding in this way but rumour has it that one or two of you may have a passing interest in pre-grouping railways. I've just received the GWSoc's new 2020 calendar - reproductions of 12 paintings by Sean Bolan. I've long been a fan of his so just had to get it. Of the 12 there are 8 pre-grouping scenes (inc. 2 BG), & the other 4 aren't bad! £13 (inc.P&P) from Didcot (tel: 01235 817200). Martin

On 29th December 1967 I photographed an 08 propelling a ventilated van thro' Montpelier, heading towards Narroways Hill Junc & Stapleton Road. I guess it had come from Avonmouth because I think intermediate stations had lost their goods yards by then, but why propelling????

Count yourself lucky to have such arcadia! All crayfish, egrets, juvenile herons, & all other forms of life have recently been evicted from our local ditch - the Callow Brook, about 6 miles NW of Cambridge: About ¾ mile of it has been completely cleared of vegetation, any trees lucky to survive, such as these poplars, have been 'bollarded' as here! Martin

The latest edition of the GW Study Group's journal (Pannier 44) has an 8 page article 'GWR wagon brakes & the Board of Trade rules' by John Lewis which many will, I'm sure, will find interesting. See the Pannier page of the website: http://www.gwsg.org.uk/ for ordering details. Martin

The GW(SVR)Assoc has 3930, a diag C32 all-3rd 57' toplight, beautifully restored to 1920s condition, see: http://www.gw-svr-a.org.uk/3930.html - which has some interior views. It is I think the only fully restored express-stock compartment toplight in the country. Didcot has 3755, a diag D62 which is a non-corridor Bk-3rd, generally known as 'Main Line & City' suburban stock but it does have toplights. Martin

At the time I thought it a slightly strange comparison for Hennessy to make, but humuorous nevertheless - I wonder whether he is a closet GW enthusiast?

Heard earlier on the Today programme historian Peter Hennessy talking about his new book on Britain in the early 1960s. Politicians then were very 'broad gauge'! Most had experienced the depression of the 30s, fought in the war, managed the rebuilding of the UK & the rest of Europe, lived thro' the 50s & the peril of nuclear annihilation, & were coping with the end of empire. By comparison today's lot are very 'narrow gauge'. Brilliant! (With apologies to those not of a GW-persuasion). Martin

Unfortunately we didn't finish coach 5 for the Spring Gala but it's on its way today! (The late delivery of the u/f didn't help). See: https://www.lynton-rail.org.uk/trust/groups/pages/carriage-no5-its-way It's appearance at the Autumn Gala (28 & 29 September) is guaranteed so be there! Martin

Interesting - but it looks a bit too rural for the outskirts of Penzance (even assuming its a 1920s photo). Martin

Did this ever get resolved? My initial reaction was that it was Hemerden but a closer look quickly made me realise it wasn't. Martin

Nottingham certainly makes sense for tobacco traffic & I suppose the lack of corridor connections made Siphon Hs more secure which would have been an important consideration for cigarette traffic, but why does the 1940 Coaches Workings book give Sheffield as the destination? It wasn't a war-time traffic, I've been told separately that the 1937 book has similar workings. The HMRS' Siphons book gives the branding for 1422 & 1432 as 'Neath to Sheffield' with a date of 11/36. (There are no other brandings given).

I've just acquired a Bristol Division 'Working of Coaches' book for October 28 1940 UFN, a fascinating document which provokes more questions. There are lots of references to Siphon Gs, but only a pair of references to a Siphon H. The 9.15pm Swindon to York conveyed, at its head, a Siphon H that was making a Neyland to Sheffield journey. It had arrived at Swindon on the 8.48am from Fishguard. The return journey, given as Sheffield to Swansea, was made as last vehicle (behind 2 Siphon Gs from Sheffield to Helston & Penzance) on the 10.5pm York to Bristol. It was worked forward from Temple Meads on the 9.5am departure to Swansea. The provoked questions are of course: 'why a Siphon H? What was the traffic?' Martin