Mike_Walker

They wouldn't have put a diamond there, instead there would be a simple point off the loop. The idea of using diamonds was to keep the number of facing points on a passenger line to a minimum. Moretonhampstead was such a location where the yard was accessed from the loop which was on the opposite side of the running line to the yard.

A couple of observations on the above. Firstly, the 64xx and 4 trailer "Auto sandwiches" in the Plymouth area often trailed a pair of milk tanks although the photos I've seen these have been westbounds therefore empty. At Marlow, the loco routinely went on shed with the trailer attached both for water during the day (the tank at Marlow was the only water source on the branch) and sometimes overnight too. They used to shunt the yard with the trailer attached. In addition to Bodmin I can think of Henley, Woodstock, Uxbridge Vine Street, Windsor and Staines West where the station building was at the end of track (although the latter was originally a house that pre-dated the railway) and I'm sure there were others.

At one time, HSTs were plugged in to a shore supply whilst at Paddington to allow both power cars to be shut down and the a/c kept working. With shorter turn round times the practice ceased. The same shore supply was originally used for the Blue Pullmans for the same reason.

A friend who worked Minehead booking office before he moved away welcomed the move away from Edmundson to more modern tickets as it made cashing up at the end of a shift a doddle. Ironic when you realise the WSR printed Edmunson tickets for many heritage lines.

And nowhere more so than the USA and Canada!

There's nothing new in the buffer policy. Back in 1976 I travelled on a CPR RDC2 from Edmonton down to Calgary. Having seen it arrive at Edmonton in the morning with the baggage end leading I was somewhat surprised to see it had been turned for the return trip. When I mentioned this to the conductor he told me that it was standard practice. The line suffered an abnormal number of grade crossing collisions and turning the unit ensured the passengers were kept as safe as possible. How very reassuring! We made it to Calgary without incident.

Steve's @railtec-models 3D number plates are so superb to look at and easy to apply I can't think why anyone would bother with traditional etched brass plates now.

My Dad had one of those when I were a lad. I'm surprised that in the risk averse H&S obsessed world you can still buy such things.

Update. GWR have now advised us they will be holding a "celebration party" on the Marlow branch next Tuesday morning - the 27th, the actual 150th anniversary - where they will unveil their specially "decorated" train which suggests possibly naming a 165. There has been a spate of 165 namings in the past couple of weeks: Henley and Twyford hero Norman Topsom OBE has migrated from 166204 to 165119 and Roger Watkins has moved from 166220 to 165120. This is because 166s no longer work in the London Division and both names are more connected with this part of the GWR network although for some time Norman fronted GWR's sponsorship of ITV weather forecasts in the South West so would be a familiar face down there even if his name is not so widely known.

An interior view of Wolverhampton PSB. Very alien to those of us brought up on WR panels.

Going through my collection for something else I came across another variation not listed by Longworth. Set L360 comprising Class 116 DMBS W50083 and Class 121 DTS W56285 at Marlow on 22 September 1972. W50083 was a long time unique member of the London Division fleet and over the ears appeared in many different 2 and 3 car sets.

Yes, in addition to the unexpected crowds, the abiding memory of the day is the continual rain. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to hold it on St. Swithen's Day! If anyone's in the area and wants to come along tonight, it's at the Bourne End Community Centre SL8 5SX at 7.30pm.

Sadly, fifty years on we've not been able to mark the 150th in a similar manner but l am doing a presentation to the Marlow & District Railway Society tomorrow on the history of the branch.

Chipping Sodbury still floods despite NR literally spending millions there and the Badminton lines were shut or reduced to single line (they are bi-directional) for some weeks earlier this year due to flooding and/or landslips.

We go back to wattle and daub. 😂

Graham, Not quite sure what you mean by: "Bourne End. I've no idea why it was set up like that" but station evolved, as do most, over the years. The run round loop alongside the bay was essential until regular auto operation of the Marlow Donkey started in the mid-1930s. The double junction allowed through working onto the Marlow branch in either direction from High Wycombe and was regularly used for rail-river specials to Marlow from far and wide in addition to daily through workings. Both the loop and double junction were removed early in 1956 when the South 'Box closed and the line layout was rationalised. Today it's hard to believe four tracks once headed out round the curve towards Marlow, merging into a single line before reaching the first crossing. I tried explaining this to GWR's Route School Manager a few years ago and he didn't believe me until I showed him the photographs! Much as I'm biased towards Bourne End, I do think something based on Dulverton has much to commend it.

My secondary school was called a "Technical High School". We had engineering and woodworking workshops and learnt things like technical drawing. Yet we had a head who distained such things. When I, and others, wanted to leave after O Levels and take engineering apprenticeships, he was appalled and tried to insist (unsuccessfully) we stayed on for A levels and studied the "arts". He even sent us all bus passes for the following term! The year after we left, its name was changed to the John Hampden Grammar School and all the technical aspects of the school were banished. This was despite the town already having a respected boys' grammar school. But those who wanted to study technical subjects were left we no opportunity until further education. Sadly, Bucks and High Wycombe are not unique and I suspect it might be even worse today given the risk adverse nature today - we had some spectacular "incidents" in the workshops in my time alone but nobody got hurt; apart from a singed ear from "Sir"!

As mentioned earlier, Hugh Longworth's 'British Railways First Generation DMUs' contains lists of WR (and others) set numbers for 1965, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1985, 1988 and 1990.

Having "endured" the WR Class 103s on a regular basis on the Marlow branch in 1970/71, none of the photos I took then or have seen elsewhere show set numbers when on the branch. However, on the KDH Archive there is a picture of W50413 and W56168 carrying the set number 113 (no prefix) on the Windsor branch on 8 July 1971. Hugh Longworth lists 50411/56166 as L111 in 1972 along with 50412/56167 as L112; 50413/56168 as P113 and 50414/56169 as P114. I have my own photo of 50414/56169 running as P201 at Paignton on 30 September 1972. So, it would appear these 4 sets got the 11x numbers sometime in the first half of 1971 which were still being carried when two were transferred to Plymouth early in 1972 then renumbered sometime after. I have photos of the WR London Division 117s and 118s wearing unprefixed 4xx set numbers in 1970 but with prefixes by 1972. The same applies to the Class 121 SPCs and their associated DETs 1xx and 2xx respectively with the last two digits corresponding to the last two digits of the running number.

It's not so much a question of capacity on the SWML down to Southampton but rather on the GWML. Since the May TT change which saw the full EL service launched, finding paths for the additional freights has been a challenge to say the least so any chance of using an alternative would be welcomed. Waking neighbours reminds me of a tale regarding Little Kimble on the Princes Risborough to Aylesbury line many moons ago. At the time, BR were working only a couple of passenger trains a day and the station building had been converted into a private dwelling. One night the peace was shattered by a heavy freight passing through and a again a couple of hours later. Next morning the home owner contacted BR to enquire what it was. The chap on the other end thought for a minute and replied: "Oh, that'll have been the new rubbish train (Northolt to Calvert) which we are starting." "You mean this will be a regular thing?" "Yes, and once we get up to speed it will be twice daily". "For how long?" "The initial contract is ten years." House was on the market within days!

Is it not the other way round...? 😁

According to my contact in GWR control yesterday, the line reopened with a 50 TSR from the start, certainly a "from the cab" view of the first train crossing on GWR's Twitter feed would support the 50 limit - certainly wasn't 20! GWR ran a couple of test trains on Thursday followed by the planned but unadvertised shuttles on Friday. NR had advised both GWR and XC that it "might be possible" to run public services on Friday and perhaps Thursday but both replied that they couldn't plan around possibilities and would stick to the advertised Saturday reopening thank you.

I understand there is a 50mph TSR in effect over the bridge for a couple of weeks.

No, it's an hourly public service. Running on a VST (Vert Short Term) plan which wasn't advertised in advance for obvious reasons. Full, normal, service from start of play tomorrow. Most freights today seem to either be diverted or cancelled but there do appear to be a couple later today according to RTT which includes the Banbury Road stone train so earlier reports that it would continue to be diverted until the earthworks consolidate appears not to be the case.

They did indeed on the Blue Pullmans and after the Midland sets were transferred to the WR canny passengers always booked 2nd class on the Bristol Pullman. It used the former LMR sets which had been all 1st class - the WR simply designated the seats furthest from the kitchens as seconds; presumably on the basis that if you were a second class passenger your meal might not be quite so hot as the waiter had further to walk! I agree about the quality of GWR Pullman dining - the last "silver service" dining on UK "ordinary" passenger services. Long may it continue despite the best efforts of DafT to kill it.