Captain Kernow

The weather chart shows a breeze from the North-west at the moment...

The A4 replaces the diesel at Westbury on the Down and vice versa on the Up. Otherwise is load 11 passenger coaches when diesel-hauled (Woking - Westbury - Woking) and 11 coaches plus support coach when 60007 is on the front (Westbury - Kingswear - Westbury). Max permissable speed when diesel-hauled is 95 mph, max permissable speed when hauled by A4 is 75 mph. Trust this clarifies.

Yes, it was always our plan to work on the restoration of the roadway this week.

Yes, these times correspond to the published Notice for this train.

I believe you are correct. There is certainly a steam charter to Kingswear this Thursday.

7F waits for the road...

PVA straight onto plasticard poster boards, IIRC, Robin...

Waiting for the train:

The local runs into 'Engine Wood'...

He's gonna have to model that, Neil, I just know it! Anyway, perhaps John and I will badger him until he does!

Quick shot over the top of the hedgerow, not really enough time to get the camera set up properly...

Thanks, I was quite impressed myself, but CTMK is still cursing the day I spilt half a pot on the dining room carpet...!

Combine the two - just imagine the eloquent prose that must adorn his own lavatorial walls!...

With any luck, the staff concerned will have reported it (they are pretty good with that kind of thing), and the BTP at Exeter will be checking the CCTV...

No, I think it went from being a passenger coach to a departmental vehicle.

Having been born and brought up in Bath during the last few years of the S&D was, sadly, no guarantee that one could actually see it in action. My memories of it as an operational railway are, alas, all too few. I just didn't realise what it was, until it had gone... These photos are just superb, Dave, the quality is excellent. I know some of us bemoan the fact that we can't go back in time with a digital camera, but most of these are just as if you were doing just that (minus the time machine, perhaps!).

Ah, possible crossed wires here (not in a literal sense, as was actually the case with my AMR handheld unit last weekend.. )... What's happening on 12th April is that we return to full normal signalling and speeds between Cogload Jct and Bridgwater. As regards the Sea Wall section, we have had to implement a simplified signalling section for reopening, due to the extent of earlier storm damage and complexity of repairs (that really don't like having other worksites active at the same time). As such, there is a long, temporary block section from just east of Teignmouth to just west of Dawlish Warren, in both directions. The signals concerned are being worked and there is no need for trains to stop for 'ticket working' etc. Whilst this does increase headways along the Sea Wall section, it will only last until the weekend of 26th and 27th April, when there will be another possession to effect full repairs and bring full, normal signalling back at that time. In the interim, we can run 95% of the booked WTT service. The possession at the end of this month will run from Sat evening to Mon morning, but special arrangements are being made to allow two Up direction steam charters through on the Sunday afternoon only. All this is being done with full agreement and buy-in from all affected train operators, naturally. In the meantime, repair works continue on the non-rail parts of the wall, restoring the masonry outer face at Sea Lawn Terrace (which requires the containers to be removed, of course), and a lot of other minor jobs.

Let me assure you, in the clearest terms possible, and without the slightest chance of any ambiguity, and absolutely no chance of erroneous interpretation, that the chances of this taking place are precisely Zero!

Oh, and the light engines (66s) seen on the webcams etc. last night were the final 'route proving' runs up and down the line between Exeter and Newton Abbot, to ensure all track circuits operated correctly today.

Unbelievable scenes at Dawlish station as my Voyager stopped briefly by special stop order, to allow various VIPs from Plymouth and Cornwall off, all going to the special celebrations that start when the special HST from Paddington arrives. Can't say any more right now, just keep watch on the BBC and other news services.... And no, I'm not going there myself, as Andy says, I have to attend a couple of meetings in Bristol today.... Didn't keep watch on this thread late evening yesterday due to still feeling like cr*p, due to back still not good and a raging cold... , so I don't really feel like mixing with all the crowds anyway...

I'm trying to get something done about this...

Not sure who's actual responsibility this is, but what I do know is that our contractor, in consultation with the local authority and the residents, is starting repair works there soon. Yes, there are a number of ECS positioning moves, to get both FGW and XC ready for the morning start of service.