winterbournecm

Merry Christmas from a congested Mount Charles 1981 style....

Waterloo sunset? Not quite - Sandy Hill sunset and 50003 looks set for a night run as the shadows grow longer. Thanks to the yellow aspect in my Bardic lamp!

Fraid so Chris - and the same Deperados on the platform ends hoping for some new numbers in their books. Though with the prices of the new stuff - they have a wait on their hands....

Obtained a replacement "daily shed" for the layout. The fuelling & servicing is now done in thios shed to the right of the class 47. A quiet Saturday sees 31105 loitering with some type 4s.

Hi mate - good to see youve been busy, you put me to shame, time and motivation slipped I'm afraid. I'm happy to supply you the details of the Scale link frets I sued for my palm trees bud. Give me yell here or on Fezbook.

Looking great as I look this morning through the windows of, erm Par box! Just a quick observation, it's difficult to see from the picture, but Liner siding is a tad wider from the Up Through Siding than you appear to have it mate. It makes quite a difference especially when viewed from Royal Bridge. It's very subtle - but these things make a fine layout outstanding!!

Photos from the weekend 20 / 21 Sept 2014.

Hot off the press.... The class 67 has been substituted by a gert bright red 66152!

Sun 21st 1Z37 08.48 Bristol TM to Par Steam loco 34067 Taunton 09.43 / 09.46 Exeter SD 10.27 / 11.45 (water) N Abbt 12.09 Plymouth 12.59 / 13.04 Liskeard 13.37 Par 14.07 14.30 ECS to Par up Through Siding & loco to St Blazey to turn 16.44 Loco Ex St Blazey to Par 1Z39 17.45 Par to Bristol TM Liskeard 18.25 Plymouth 18.55 / 18.59 N Abbt 19.43 Exeter SD 20.15 / 20.41 (water) Bristol TM 22.25

Sat 20th / Sun 21st sees two railtours in Cornwall: Sat 20th Pathfinder tours 1Z47 06.08 Eastleigh to Parkandillack Exeter SD 10.30 Newt Abbt 10.52 Plymouth 11.37 / 12.07 Liskd 12.38 / 12.41 Par 13.09 / 13.19 Burgullow 13.34 / 13.39 Parkandillack 14.09 / 14.24 Burgullow 14.54 / 14.59 Par 15.16 Hauled by a class 67 loco to Plymouth - this loco then runs onto rear of train for a class 66 to haul the train forward to Parkandillack. Stock then shunts across to St Blazey yard on arrival at Par Then forms.... 1Z48 17.20 Par to Eastleigh Par 17.20 Liskeard 17.47 / 17.50 Plymouth 18.18 / 18.30 N Abbt 19.08 Exeter SD 19.27 Eastleigh 23.37 The light class 66 leaves Par at 10.13 bound for Plymouth, the empty stock times are 15.20 Par - St Blazey & 16.54 return from BZ Sun 21st "The Royal Duchy" Bristol TM to Par The timings are a bit sketchy at the moment with a Plymouth Friary schedule still in the system. Full details ASAP....

Hello there Here are advance notice of the steam workings in Cornwall Fri 5th Sept to Mon 8th Sept. Fri 5th September. The trains runs 08.43 from Victoria to Exeter SD with 34067 & diesel via Salisbury & Honiton and arrives at Exeter SD at 15.35. Steam locos 5029 & 34046 arrive from Barton Hill (Bristol) at Exeter at 13.56 The Cornish leg is as follows: 1Z84 16.45 Exeter St Davids to Penzance 5029 & 34046 double headed Newton Abbt: 17.11 Plymouth 18.13 / 19.09 (water stop) Liskeard 19.44 Par 20.08 Truro 20.28 Camborne 20.48 Penzance 21.10 The locos then turn via St Blazey turn table on Saturday 6th (Tender first of course)!! 0Z46 11.18 Penzance to St Blazey Camborne 11.51 Truro 12.09 Par 12.41 / 12.47 0Z48 15.09 St Blazey to Penzance Par 15.21 / 15.26 Truro 15.58 Camborne 16.10 Penzance 16.39 The train then returns eastward on Mon 8th September 1Z66 09.02 Penzance to Exeter SD Camborne 09.24 Truro 09.38 Par 10.01 Liskeard 10.35 Plymouth 11.08 / 12.31 N Abbt 13.23 Exeter SD 13.50

A look at the new Bachmann class 101 running in on the layout. The unit looks well at home with it's class 108 counterparts, and a LIma 117. Just want the announcement of a Class 120 now and I'd be in DMU heaven!!

2014 has been a strange year train modelling wise. The recent hike in prices has seen me purchase very little, but a goldrush in August saw the long awaited Bachmann class 101 in blue & grey and Bachmann Inspection saloon come out together! Here is the Bachmann Inspection saloon getting acquainted with the patch. out for a spin with 37207. I dont recall the saloon bieng propelled in Cornwall, like Caroline has been been previously. Does anyone know the conditions / Traction propelling was permited?

A unseasonally damp July Saturday saw me take to the layout for a run. D1010 was stabled down to the loco spurs for a clay departure on Monday (wagons in the background). I couldnt resist trickling the other two 1000s down there to join her.

Bravo dear boy. The box is absolutely spot on in my opinion. I wouldn't worry too mauch about lever colours / position etc... Who's going to peer in and question it anyway? (well, me I guess LOL)! It's a work of art. Back to Mike's point about 17 FPL. It does lock both ways, but wont lock reverse with the DM signal SB40 off (by the river bridge). This is an old adage to a possible run through damage being minimized to the point blades only, and not taking the FPL with it apparently.

Test train class 37 x 2 Top n tailed Class 37 Locomotive, 1 Barrier Coach, TIC 2 (977974), PLPR 4 (72639), Class 37 Locomotive Tuesday 10th June 2014 1Q03 06.01 Plymouth to Truro Yard via Lipson Jn (Rev), Par (rev), Lostwithiel (Rev), Fowey, Lostwithiel, Liskeard (Rev), Lostwithiel, Newquay, Par & Truro Yard. Plymouth 06.01 Lipson Jn 06.05 / 06.12 Plymouth 06.16 Liskeard 06.38 Lostwl 06.53 via DGL Par 07.22 / 07.43 (Rev) via DGL Despite notice – Rev at 33 points Par not St Austell Lostwl 07.48 / 08.06 (Rev) via UGL Carne Point 08.17 / 08.34 Lostwithiel 08.44 Liskeard 09.00 / 09.10 (Rev) Lostwl DGL 09.24 / 10.21 Par 10.28 Goonbarrow 10.44 / 10.50 X Newquay 11.23 / 11.28 Goonbarrow 11.59 Par 12.18 / 12.28 Truro 12.48 / 12.54 Truro Yd 13.12 Wednesday 11th June 2014. 1Q03 04.34 Truro Yard to Plymouth via Falmouth Docks, Truro (Rev), Penzance, Laira (Rev) Truro 04.34 Falmouth Docks 05.40 / 05.18 Truro Yd 05.53 / 06.06 Camborne 06.25 St Erth 06.34 Penzance 06.43 / 07.28 St Erth 07.34/07.36 Camborne 07.44 Truro 07.57 Par 08.23 Lostwithiel 08.28 Liskeard 08.42 Plymouth 09.11 / 09.56 Laira 10.33 / 11.33

Here are the timings for the Branch Line Society’s Devon & Cornwall wanderings on 10th May 2014-05-08. I will be out & about armed with point clips to secure the many non-locked points & operate St Austell & Bodmin Ground frames for the movements. 2Z11 07.00 Exeter SD to Penzance Newton Abbt 07.55 Laira TMD 08.33 / 09.05 Mount Gould 09.10 / 09.12 Plymouth 10.22 / 10.48 Liskeard 11.15 Lostwithiel DGL 11.38 / 11.40 Par DGL 11.51 / 12.16 St Austell sdgs 12.35 / 13.05 Truro 13.24 St Erth 13.46 Penzance 13.54 / 14.20 Then visits Penzance station sidings & Reception line at Ponsandane 2Z12 15.30 Penzance to Exeter SD St Erth 15.37 Truro yard 16.00 / 16.05 Truro 16.13 / 16.15 Par 16.37 / 16.41 St Blazey 16.45 / 16.49 Par Chapel sdg 16.51 / 17.11 Bodmin Pkwy 17.24 / 17.28 Bodmin General* 17.32 / 17.39 Bodmin Parkway 17.43 / 17.44 Liskeard 17.55 Plymouth 18.20 / 18.31 N Abbt 19.09 Exeter SD 19.30 The reference to Bodmin General relates to the sidings at Bodmin Parkway – not the train actually visiting Bodmin General itself.

The mention of class 37s is interesting. In the period you're discussing, the 5 or 6 class 37s were mainly kept West of Exeter. The prime movers for the long distance traffic was type 4s. The class 37s were busy with the various clay hood duties, though did, of course, potter around Carbis, Drinninck and such with Tiger traffic too. Even the far west pick up freight for Chacewater cement was seldom a type 3. The class 45/46 & 47s did get some local turns whilst around BZ - even on the hoods between mainline duties.

So much for the prospects of a County awash with loco hauled trains! The weather was appalling really, and curtailed much of my expeditions out on Fri / Sat. I did venture out though - and got one sunny shot today. The others were pretty drab I'm afraid. Here they are: Fri 25th the VSOE from Victoria to Truro nears its journeys end at Dowgas with locos 67024 leading 67006 To demonstrate the cruel lighting changes, the local 2C48 passed by just 20 mins earlier in cracking sunshine! Sun 27th the Great Britain IV tour ran from Falmouth as 10.03 and passed Dowgas in fine fettle. It just caught a cloud sadly, but the picture isnt too bad. 5029 leads 34067. The Western loco in front! The VSOE was captured in fine light at Merthen Farm some time later with the 12.20 Truro to Victoria return.

Sun 27th looks to be a manic day in Mid Cornwall with the VSOE & Great Britian running. 5Z83 08.25 St Blazey to St Austell - stock for the Great Britain Par 08.39 / 08.50 (approx) St Austell 08.56 1Z85 09.01 St Austell to Bristol TM via Falmouth Docks Truro 09.24 / 09.25 Penryn 09.41 X 09.48 Falmouth Docks 09.56 / 10.03 Penryn 10.21 Truro 10.41 / 10.49 Par 11.14 Liskd 11.42 Plymouth 12.15 / 13.05 VSOE 5Z83 08.50 Tavistock Jn to Truro via Penzance Plymouth 09.05 Liskd 09.30 Par 09.50 Truro 10.10 Camborne 10.26 Pznce 10.42 / 10.49 Camborne 11.45 Truro 12.00 1Z83 12.20 Truro to Victoria Par 12.51 / 12.53 Liskd 13.16 Plymouth 13.40 / 13.47

Thanks - thats around 1980 in the picture above. The 25 has twin spot G39 headcodes.

Hello Brian Yes the only traffic I remember was oil and just remember the ICI traffic. There was coal there which may have had the odd wagon - but I cant confirm this. I have a picture of a mineral picture behind 25052 down there, but this may have been a barrier vehicle. Certanly ships were unloaded from ships from Barry. I remember the huge cranes beside the quay but regret no pictures of them. The shunt Tractor information I have is from a Facebook group called Nostalgic Hayle: am involved with a group on Facebook called Nostalgic Hayle, and there has been a lot of interest in the Hayle Wharves trains. One gem that came out this weekend was details of the road oil tank shunter that dealt with the tanks at the Esso depot. One chap who serviced it each week has identified it as 1967 AEC Mandator E reg numbered 9744. The guys from Copperhouse garage used to service it on a Friday afternoon.

Sorry meant to attach them yesterday, please respect Johns copyright chaps:

I have recently been given a collection of fabulous photos by John Lloyd. John worked at the Esso depot for many years, and operated the shunter tractor which hauled the tanks into the Esso plant. His collection shows regular rat visitor 25155 shunting the tanks, and some interesting shots inside the depot, including a partial picture of the tractor complete with buffer beam and draw hook attached.

Yes Im nights Par Sunday now Tim, so shall be unable to attend.