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pb_devon

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Everything posted by pb_devon

  1. There is an interview for local radio on BBC Sounds with Will Smith of the SDR about the making of the episode. I cannot work out how to link to the clip, so search on the Sounds site.
  2. The loco used was GWR 45xx 5526. As the series is set in present day South Devon, no fiddling with era was required. The elephant in the room is all the filming is done in Looe and South East Cornwall!
  3. The above drama (?) featured a murder on a steam railway train, of a performer in a train murder mystery trip. Railway scenes were filmed at the South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh, with a (presumed) cgi generated tunnel portal, as the SDR does not have a tunnel! Another cgi scene had a distant scene of a steam train crossing Calstock viaduct (on the Gunnislake branch of NR). Certainly cgi as if they had done it for real us locals would have surely heard of it! It is a BBC programme so available on iplayer.
  4. This subject was discussed on the Swiss Railways groups.io forum in January. Essential reading is this in-depth analysis https://jonworth.eu/the-future-of-long-distance-train-services-through-the-channel-tunnel/ In summary…it’s wishful thinking!!
  5. I have a note that it was seen in Booths scrapyard in August 2007.
  6. I think you are being unnecessarily negative about the scheme. If Falmouth, Truro, St Austell and (especially) Newquay residents get an improved rail service, surely that’s to be lauded?
  7. Another example is Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth. An internal 30 minute service operated between the three separate yards, only connected by tunnels. Stock was converted goods wagons, loose coupled to one of the yards fleet of industrial locos (latterly diesels). The significant feature was six classes of accommodation! Full details in the book Devonport Dockyard Railway by Paul Burkhalter, now OOP but s/h copies available. Some images on the Transport Treasury website.
  8. I can answer that Mike. I’m now retired, but about a dozen years ago one bit of my job was Dockyard traffic management. I commissioned a study in connection with this, which looked at where Dockyard and Naval Base employees lived. Very few were nearby, and most resided in the leafy suburbs around the city. The outcome showed that commuting by car was widespread (I think we knew that already!) I note that about 2 years ago a dockyard special bus has been running weekday morning and afternoon, presumably in an attempt to reduce dependency on the car.
  9. It will probably be due to the cost of keeping the branch line track etc maintained to a suitable standard. That cost would be wholly to the nuclear traffic, whereas the main line would be standard track access.
  10. The Industrial Railway Society groups.io forum has very recent (April/May 2023) reports on current ops and visits. https://groups.io/g/IndustrialRailwaySociety
  11. Looked in yesterday and very well attended! A small venue so quite cosy. On again today.
  12. My experience is a large rail served dockyard in south west England. Cobbled areas were at older rail installations (now disused) and a check rail was provided to maintain the ‘groove’ as cobbles can get displaced. Tram rail usage is more modern and as a result is in tarmac and concrete surfaced locations.
  13. Dapol used to do a Hoare Bros wagon for Antics https://www.hattons.co.uk/305668/dapol_ant031_3_plank_open_wagon_hoare_bros_antics_special_edition/stockdetail Maybe s/h somewhere.
  14. And Christow Station is home to the Exeter & Teign Valley Railway heritage centre https://www.teignrail.co.uk
  15. The ‘go to’ website for all things South West is the Cornwall Railway Society. Mortonhampstead branch here http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/mortonhampstead-and-teign-valley-branch.html Teign Valley here http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/teign-valley-branch.html
  16. Some suggestions: The London Metropolitan Archives has an extensive photo archive. Both Britain from Above and Historic England have aerial photos which might have something.
  17. Agreed! Though it’s useful to have a plan B in case that file you pre-ordered titled “High Wycombe station staff 1861” turns out to be empty/something completely different/ lost!! A back-up list of other, seemingly, less likely files may well turn out to be exactly what you want. That’s often my experence. Good luck!
  18. There is a National Archives guide to researching railway workers: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/railway-workers/ That would seem to be a good place to start! Plus their bookshop has a number of books on how to find records.
  19. Oh dear…..wait for the Wednesday jokes (bless his soul) 😁
  20. As this requires a FB account (which I refuse to have), please can you do whatever is necessary so we can see the item. Thank you.
  21. The Swelltor line still has sleepers insitu, plus the headshunt bufferstop remains (stone with timber beam). Most of the other trackbeds can be easily traced.
  22. Nuclear flask traffic, either from power stations….or if you want really niche…MOD waste from Devonport Dockyard to Sellafield.
  23. This might be a better link for the wider resources available: https://www.library.wales/collections/learn-more/maps
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