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Well Nick - looks like Lapford to me, and the skew bridge and Ambrosia building really locate it. Keep up the good work. Matt

Superb picture, stand there now and it looks very very different. Love the old goods shed, which was dismantled around 92. Must acquire the books you mention cos I know how good the images of the line are on the Cyberheritage website. I started working in Barnstaple in Sept 90, timing my arrival perfectly for the removal of the run round loop under Sticklepath Bridge. Used to use it a fair bit to go to Exeter and onward to other points west then though. The line first fascinated me when we were on holiday in South Molton circa 77- Dad was driving us to Bideford in his MG 1300 and a 25 was chuntering along the causeway from Bideford to Instow with clay wagons. From that day on, anytime we were near the line I'd spend the trip with my eyes glued to the line, including on trips down to Exeter and Dawlish for some real traction and freight variety !

Has Portsmouth Arms north been done Rich, I was hoping I might see some engineering trains heading up to Barnstaple this week. If it's already been CWR'd I suspect not. Beautiful, beautiful line. Matt W

Apologies about the formatting above- my smartphone isn't so smart (user error). Matt W

Search me, they didn't seem to appreciate the bespoke traction and rolling stock.. Yeah, that's cracking , if that lot turned up I'd be delighted. Though they'd come from Okehampton I imagine. Am interested to see what turns up as I thought the bridges north of Yeoford are weight limited. Went for a job interview in Barnstaple in July 1990 and was hauled up there in 2 or 3 Mk1 coaches by a 50 which was either Triumph or Courageous. Earlier that summer had best train ride on the mainline ever from Exeter to Dawlish in a BG - there were two - hauled by a Railfreight distribution 47. Everyone was moaning at the Guard as he came round for tickets. I told him it was the best train journey of my life and I'd happily pay extra. The 47 was roaring and I had the droplight right down to drink in the sound. I see the the line is shut for 2 weeks from 26th October - from Yeoford to Barnstaple while the track is replaced with continuously welded rail. Does that mean 66s or 37s or 20s on engineering trains ? Interested as I don't think anything diesel and bigger than a 50 has been up the line since 1990. Might get my camera out as I'll be in the area. Matt W

Yeah, that's cracking , if that lot turned up I'd be delighted. Though they'd come from Okehampton I imagine. Am interested to see what turns up as I thought the bridges north of Yeoford are weight limited. Went for a job interview in Barnstaple in July 1990 and was hauled up there in 2 or 3 Mk1 coaches by a 50 which was either Triumph or Courageous. Earlier that summer had best train ride on the mainline ever from Exeter to Dawlish in a BG - there were two - hauled by a Railfreight distribution 47. Everyone was moaning at the Guard as he came round for tickets. I told him it was the best train journey of my life and I'd happily pay extra. The 47 was roaring and I had the droplight right down to drink in the sound. I see the the line is shut for 2 weeks from 26th October - from Yeoford to Barnstaple while the track is replaced with continuously welded rail. Does that mean 66s or 37s or 20s on engineering trains ? Interested as I don't think anything diesel and bigger than a 50 has been up the line since 1990. Might get my camera out as I'll be in the area. Matt W

I see the the line is shut for 2 weeks from 26th October - from Yeoford to Barnstaple while the track is replaced with continuously welded rail. Does that mean 66s or 37s or 20s on engineering trains ? Interested as I don't think anything diesel and bigger than a 50 has been up the line since 1990. Might get my camera out as I'll be in the area. Matt W

Exactly Keith. There was also a pile of it just past the plate layers hut by Langstone rock where you drop down on to the beach from the sea wall. Good to know my memory isn't playing tricks. Used to love standing on the footbridge at Dawlish Warren station watching the procession of trains on the 4 track there. There's another picture showing the yellow and blue camping coaches, attributed to Ian Harrison in Strathwoods '70s Spotting Days on the Western Region' of an 08 held in the down platform waiting to scuttle to Newton Abbot. Quite a regular occurrence. All those lovely lower quadrants. Cheers Keith. Matt W

Just looking in Strathwoods 70s Spotting Days Round The West Country, there’s an image on page 17 of Western Pathfinder at the Warren, dated August 74 - and the coaches were an awful sky blue and pale yellow by then. Consistent with the decade style forgot ! I’d go for earlier or later and run 42/43 Warships, or named 50s post 78 when taste prevailed. (or just use rule 1). Looks a good track plan by the way. regards Matt W

I'd love to see those but no link - may have stumbled on them on Flickr as I found some good photos of a peak and a 50 (Hood) passing the Dawlish Warren in 1979 - and which shows a light blue coach in the background. Don't know if anyone else remembers, but there used to be remnants of light bullhead rail next to the footpath from the brick footbridge at Dawlish Warren as far as the plate layers hut which used to be by the Langstone Rock. Always wondered if it dated from the 30s when the GWR laid in a temporary siding as far as where Red Rock cafe is now, to lay down the stone and boulders protecting the railway back to the warren - picture of it in one of my books. Matt W

The camping coaches were faded light blue and yellow in the early 70's - seriously! I think they were replaced late70's/early 80's. I think there was a photo in one of the railway mags of them being taken away by a 31 before the yard connection was taken out. Regards Matt W

Supplement duly ordered and delivered. Worth it for the picture of a train at Brockweir heading towards Tintern alone. Some other wonderful images in there too. Not spotted any of the occaisionaly 'optimistic' DMU ids present in the original first volume. The volumes on the Devon and Somerset look rather tempting. Have to say , with their 'Red Panniers' featuring lots of colour images of my dear departed father, Lightmoor press is my favourite railway publisher. Come to think of it their Ruabon to Barmouth book is a peach too. Keep it up chaps - tboroughly excellent railway publishing. Kind regards Matt Wood

Superb work. Love the Met F class. Have a picture of my dad driving L52 near Rickmansworth hanging on the wall in my living room. Great work, and I love the brake van too. Best regards Matt Wood

Thanks for the tip off about the supplement. One of my favourite railway books and an absorbing insight into a different time when life was less hurried. Thanks Fenway. Matt W

Flipping ‘eck - really don’t like the airline type seating in that shot - and you’d be hard pressed to enjoy the views on your journey in that pair of seats on the right. The idea that travelling by train is an alternative to the car with comfort and the ability to enjoy the journey has been eroded to the point it almost counts for nothing. Cram em in, lowest common denominator ergonomics don’t do anything to encourage rail travel. I know, I know, it’s the DfT..but really ? Best regards Matt W

Well clearly those DVTs were thought a reasonable design response back in the day when BR was speccing new rolling stock. I'd just advocate flexible adaptable design and capacity - designing something so it can fulfil only 1 function is fine if your just interested in squeezing in the last punter- commuter services then, but you'd like to think longer distance travel and cross country would aspire to greater comfort. Best regards Matt W

Not if you don’t want an integrated transport policy - that be witchcraft ! Still if there aren’t enough seats and luggage capacity for travellers then cycle carrying capacity will be way down the list. Ok - maybe not on peak hour commuter trains but cross country and other long distance services should make provision absolutely. Coming back from Scotland a couple of years ago on the sleeper our bikes came down in a Ford Transit from Inverness which we met beside Euston Station. Struck me as nuts and still does. Of course, time was a BG would be in most cross country formations. TTFN Matt Wood

Ps - BR designed Driving Van Trailer has the best capacity for carrying push bikes - me and some mates go bike touring and the capacity of Voyagers and Pendolino’s to Carry bikes is laughable in the 21st Century. BR design considerations win again! Matt Wood

Totally agree with Mark above in post 102. Best coach ever was a Mk 2 - memorable journey from Cheltenham Spa to Exeter St David’s circa 89 behind a 47 on a scratch set when services were disrupted by flooding. Opened the ventilator window and enjoyed the run batting through the Somerset levels, roaring through cogload, growling up to Whiteball then racing the traffic on the M5 through Tivvy. I love travelling by train but even my appetite was sorely tested by a recent journey on ECML to Newcastle. Service missed a connection on the way up with consequent overcrowding on the cross country service we caught at Donny (with patently insufficient capacity). Return ride ‘a joyous’one with a reserved seat next to a window pillar Newcastle to Stevenage - and a stream of poor souls drifting through the coach after every stop in a fruitless search for a seat. . (And seat needed reserving about 3 weeks in advance to get a reasonable price). The attitude is driven by getting as many bums on seats as possible - not by passenger experience. Used to be much better under GNER and the service and integration with other services was immeasurably superior under BR. Just my opinion. Matt Wood

Having cycled round the Family Trail from the cycle centre at Cannop this morning (imagining Panniers and D9500s in my minds eye), it would have been rude not to have acquired one. I'm sure they'd have turned up at Tintern occaisionally. Thoroughly recommended. Matt W

Epic - ‘like’ for Jupiter is not good enough. Can see traces of most of her liveries! I think she was repainted at Laira not long after to see out her days with the coming and going arrow under the nameplate. Cheers. Matt W

Superb post Joseph. Thank you. I have a super little book called ‘watching the trains at Brill’ by Robert Avery which talks about Kings thundering through from ‘ Risborough to Bicester passing through at about 90 mph. Robotham and Stratford book on ‘the Great Central from the Footplate’ also has an amusing tale of a Black 5 hammering north at night to Ashendon Junction and realising the signals were showing the Banbury route rather than its intended route from the joint line to the GC mainline - too late. Best regards Matt Wood

Indeed — between Great Missenden and Amersham and then again through to Chesham and Ricky. I saw my first autumn leaf fall timetable on the Chiltern line. That picture bring back memories of British Rail ‘total route modernisation’ of the Chiltern line. Around the same time in 1992 they ran King Edward 1st and Nunney Castle top and tailed to Quainton to celebrate 100 years of the Met. Later that evening you could hear the distant crow of their whistles across Aylesbury as they observed the W board for the pedestrian foot crossing on Southcourt. Thanks for posting. Matt Wood

I have winter tyres too admiles, after 3 years of mild winters proving to be a very worthwhile investment. Drew puzzled looks from those driving other rear wheel drive vehicles the other week as they got less traction than a bullied pacific up from Exeter central....

Andy Superb images, simply superb - thanks for posting. Not far from here , I used to have my eyes turned to look out the back of my Dads MG1300 as we passed Merehead heading west on holiday to Dawlish. Used to be a hotbed for hydraulics. Cheers Matt W