Gary H

That'l be all the signal cables, signalling power supply cables, location cabinets totally screwed then! Soul destroying.............

While its a nice thought, with the greatest of respect I think the argument is that to have a circa 400 million pound new railway used as just a diversionary / 'as and when' route just wont stand up to the folk holding the purse strings! Especially when it would still have to be maintained, inspected, staffed and basicly run like any other route in the meantime. It just doesn't make sound financial sense from where Im sitting. edit typo.

What a great idea of using shipping containers filled with aggregate / concrete as a barrier!

Il be dammed! We may well have been! I didn't notice Everyone looks the same when we're all togged up to the eye balls in waterproofs. I keep a low profile with so many bosses around! We will have to meet up one day and get a team shot for the forum! Was passed on the following pic by a good friend /colleague on site yesterday. Not sure he realises his 'artiness'. Not a bad picture by anyone's standards!

There is also the added stublimg block of that 2 more very substantial structures, namely the Tavy and Tammerton viaducts are certainly not upto the standards required to run large intercity trains, letalone freight! (read fragile!) The existing route itself needs major investment on its own. I'd love to be proved wrong, but on this one there's stacks of negatives to address.

On the continuing discussion of the old LSWR route, its pretty much a non event! Just being realistic, It will never happen, end of.

This is quite correct. I was listening to a piece on TV a few weeks ago when the fair increases were announced. It was proved very obviously that one particular commuters 5 grand a year season ticket worked out cheaper than taking the car to work and its not hard to see how that is!

Yep, nail-on-head Paul. Passenger numbers down here are certainly increasing year-on-year for all the doubters on this thread! There is hardly enough rolling stock to carry them as it is!

It maybe cheaper but its cheaper for good reason! Having had a look at the Nat.EX website, the journey by coach you mention takes a fraction under 8.5 hours into Westminster. Looking on the Train Line.com, the same journey by train takes 5 hours 18 minutes with one change. I sooner pay the extra than sit on a coach for a day being at the mercy of traffic hold ups, road works, accidents etc etc. Not to mention the road works at Bristol on the M4 / M5 which seem to have been on-going for the last 17 years or so! What heck is that all about?

You must be joking! Not busy?? Try getting a line blockage granted to do anything on the track during the day there! You'l be lucky to get 10 minute windows! Indeed the signallers at Exeter PSB will not grant you hardly anything during the day because of the very fact that it is so busy! Talking from experience! As for single tracking it, ive not heard of such a daft idea over the last 12 pages.

I bet it made a bang when it went! Just 60 feet of that track is just over 10 tons!

You'd probably be done for pollution if you used those!

Indeed. I can report that 400 G44 sleepers have been ordered already as I was sat right next to my ole matey who orders all the plant and materials today! What I can also say is without a doubt, some of the most professional and experienced railway people on the planet are involved in this project. We'll crack this nut one way or the other!

Just a couple of pics from me, little point of repeating what has already been covered. You do get a very humbling feeling being there though, the massive power of the sea is not to be messed with! My heart does go out to the owners of the effected houses above. Ive a feeling that this weekend could be make or break!

That whistle although only run with air sounds fantastic, and I just love the purr of those SD40-2's on the back end. Quite fitting they used an all EMD consist too, only the best!

No, not anymore. I think there was a heating oil business there at one time. They are still there but are slowly being consumed by nature and the sea air, they're in a very poor state. The following wagon was until recently a feature of the small ex Telecoms yard just outside Exeter St Davids station. I grabbed this pic of it whilst refurbishment works were under way in the sidings about 12 months ago. I sadly neglected to take any pictures of it before it was lifted from its resting place, saw it many times over the last few years. It was practically encroached in mature Silver Birch trees that were just to the right in the shot! When I returned to the yard a couple of weeks later, it had gone, presumably sold for scrap. Shame really, it looked like it was in fairly good condition.

Ive spent a good few hours looking through you collections John, very enjoyable and bring back many memories! Excellent stuff.

I was thinking more along the lines of a Big Boys wheel arrangement Jamie aka '4884'. They could also ofcourse been thinking about the Challenger at the same time.

UP should be awarded extra style points for picking that SD70M with that road number! Nice touch there!

Excellent report Simon. Ive heard rumours in the not to distant past of plastic sleepers being trialled on NR infrastructure. Given the Americans 31 ton axle load, it should be a breeze to use them here I would have though? We shall see. I had a few trips along the FR must be some 33 years ago now! I can definitely recommend it, its a stunning and very interesting ride. Its funny you mention the confusion with the clips, you'll quite often see the same thing done (wrongly) on the big railway every now and again. E Clip = tail on the rail, Pandrol 401= tail on the sleeper / housing!

Is that the 'new' re tooled version? It looks the part!!

Without any shadow of a doubt Bob.

I think its a little concerning that upwards of 3 million quid's worth of kit has been sitting on a dockside for 2 weeks now instead of being out earning money for the owners. Down time and all that!

Im not sure but one thing these have that 56's, 66's and 70's don't is a lower axle loading! That maybe the clincher for something specific.

Word on the grapevine is that there is a specific contract in the offing these will be used on.