Captain Kernow

They still do!!!

Ha! Just seen this go onto the depot at Exeter for fuel!

This just oozes atmosphere, reminiscent of the end of steam in the North West in 1968 etc. Really excellent!

More steam on Friday, with 5029 again passing Dawlish at 12/32 with a steam charter from Westbury to Plymouth, returning at 17/32. 'Earl of Mount Edgecombe' works to Plymouth on a pre-positioning move with the GUV water carrier and it's support coach on Friday afternoon, passing Dawlish at 16/38. On Saturday we have more charter trains, with D1015 working a charter from Solihull to Plymouth, passing Dawlish at 11/41, returning behind 5043 at 16/02. D1015 returns a bit earlier with a shorter charter train (looks like the downward stock splits to form the two trains), passing Dawlish at 15/21.

Stopped off up there again this afternoon, on the way back from an abortive trip to Expressway Models at Buckfastleigh (Thomas event in full swing and they didn't have what I wanted anyway...), from this angle, it's not looking too bad: But when you turn round slightly to the right, you get this: Anyone know approximately when farmers remove polytunnels from their land?

A slightly faded early colour slide of Ham Lane crossing:

Several weeks of mid-week overnight possessions yet...

The South Polden Light Railway have somehow got hold of 'Marcia' on loan from the K&ESR. Here the little Peckett shunts the private siding of the Bleak Moor Peat & Sedge Company: (The Peckett is a working model, scratchbuilt by Brian Clarke over 30 years ago, and is currently on loan).

Nice scene, and not something seen modelled very often!

A 'Spamcan' was a fairly unusual choice of motive power for a Bristol TM to Templecombe local, presumably the rostered 75XXX wasn't available?

Gary is right here. The Reversible facility was originally installed for emergencies and in connection with planned engineering works. Approx 2 years ago, discussions took place between ourselves and the local TOCs regarding using the reversible facility to improve train performance and punctuality, so it's only used when something is running out of course, and the signaller can improve punctuality by sending a train via the reversible. As a result of the way this facility was introduced, it's not necessary to inform drivers at Dawlish Warren any longer, unless something else calls for this. In order to ensure that station platforming at Dawlish and Teignmouth isn't upset (resulting in passengers potentially being on the wrong side for their stopper), you will often find that it's the fast (non-stop) train that takes the Reversible, travelling over it at the maximum permitted speed in the Wrong Direction of 50 mph.

They are there, not too many, to be sure, and some of these run at night. One day time freight is the timber train for Heathfield, which usually goes down at lunchtime/early afternoon on a Weds and returns approx 24 hours later.

Oh dear, what have I started now?!

But of course, but only if you bring your own Blue Pullman or Beyer Garratt! (Well, but it must have 3-link couplings - are you ready for torture?!)

40569 is a somewhat unusual visitor on the Somerset Levels, now returning light to Templecombe:

Lovely, Darren. The scene would make a super little layout in it's own right!

Part of this will be to do with sighting of the crossings from approaching trains, Rich. There would have been very little warning in terms of sighting alone, for a barrow crossing at Starcross station. Those to the jetties are just a little way on towards Exeter, so sighting is a bit better, but even these need 'supporting' by Whistle boards.

Hi Catweasel - sorry but I've only just noticed your question. I don't see why you couldn't slim down a set of standard P4 wheels, or even turn down the existing Hornby ones (although I think you'd be left with a brass wheel tread, which I personally don't like). It is also possible to move the side frames out (and it wouldn't need to be by much), but the Ultrascale solution was designed to make it unnecessary. However, a friend has recently bought one and turned the existing Hornby wheels down for EM gauge and refitted them, without having to move the sideframes, I believe.

I'd have to check, Jeff (on leave this week), but I think there are two separate signals (DM203A and DM203B). There is no barrow crossing at Starcross station, but there are a small number of pedestrian foot crossings in the area, which give rise to the requisite Whistle boards. None of these crossings are in any way linked to the signalling (and so don't have white lights or the like, either).

Will do, Robin, but if the polytunnels are still there just before, it may yet be down to Royal Mail! The trees concerned are quite high up, but generally, although many trees have nice green leaves on them, not all do, and the overall effect is still quite 'wintery'...

I've just had a proper look at the 'train tracker' thing, and Jeff is exactly right. The number associated with an auto signal berth indicates the closest full milepost, so 'D206' actually refers to the real signal 'DM206', which is an auto signal on the Down Main line, approx 206 miles from Paddington (via Bristol).

Reading this, I thought that RailEx might be a good opportunity to hand over a memory stick with some full size backscene images on it, but I went up there the other day, to see how developed the trees were with regards to getting covered in nice green leaves. They aren't ready by some way yet, but also three of the distant fields are now covered in polytunnels, which don't look very '1930s'. Hopefully they'll be removed in a few weeks and there's always the postal system for the memory stick!

Waiting to be loaded at the peat works: Porters room: Crossing Keepers cottage garden, Ham Lane crossing: