Rivercider

There was a water supply at Bristol Temple Meads to enable steam heating boiler tanks to be filled. The hoses at the platform ends were there until at least the early 1980s. Here is the water stand pipe at the east end between platforms 7 and 9. Loco 31423 waits to depart with the 06.53 service to Portsmouth Harbour, 10/5/80. Edit - and at the west end adjacent to platform 10. West end pilot 08756 hauls a rake of new Mitsubishi vans out of Temple Meads to Pylle Hill, where they will be unloaded for road haulage to Royal Portbury Dock for export, 5/8/83 cheers

Yes I think so, I am probably guilty of thread drift. As mentioned above I believe the practice of swapping a Peak for Warship at Bristol Temple Meads was standard procedure on NE - SW services from the end of steam until about 1970. cheers

In the 1980s once the Portsmouth to Bristol service had become hourly worked by class 33s, with most trains extended to Cardiff, then it was common for there to be a loco change at Bristol. cheers

We have had threads about brake tenders on here before, without a definitive end date I believe. I would suggest the British Steel strike of 1980 that rendered many hundreds of unfitted coal wagons surplus to requirements would have seriously reduced the requirement for them. I can remember occasionally seeing a brake tender on the morning coal train from Severn Tunnel to Wapping Wharf in Bristol in about 1977 or 1978. Also the WR civil engineers fleet did not include any vacuum braked or air braked bogie vehicles for rail or track sections, so brake tenders were sometimes used on those trains until about 1980 or 1981, Edit - August 1977 was the date when the NCB was instructed to load only vacuum fitted vehicles for coal to Southern Region depots. cheers

Yes, as I read it there are three properties built in the old goods shed cheers

There is no simplifier for Plymouth, but looking through the list of trains the following call at Plymouth:- 1C02 00.55 MX Btl PW - PZ. NBA, NTA, NSA, NSAt, NTA, NBA (04.04 - 04.24) 1V64 14.06 SX Low Fell - Ply. (23.20) NBA. NKA, NKA. NKA, NBA 1C01 19.35 SX PZ - Btl PW. NBA, NTA, NSAt, NTA, NSA, NBA (21.29 - 21.44) 1C06 13.53 SX Ply - Btl PW. NAA, NKA, NKA, NAA 1E43 15.09 SX Ply - Low Fell. NBA, NKA, NKA, NKA, NBA + NBA, NKA, NKA, NBA (det Bham for Warrington) 1E41 17.23 SX Ply - Low Fell. NBA, NKA, NKA, NKA, NBA + NAA, NKA, NKA, NAA ( det Btl PW for WIllesden) 1M65 19.15 SX Ply - Willesden. NAA, NKA, NKA, NAA 1M99 22.11 SX Ply - Willesden. NAA, NTA, NSA, NTA, NSA, NSA, NTA, NSAt, NAA 1C84 21.53 SX Reading - Ply (01.10) NAA, NKA, NKA, NAA, , NAA, NKA, NKA, NAA 1V62 16.44 SX Warrington - Ply (22.52), NBA, NKA, NKA, NBA, NBA, NKA, NKA, NKA, NBA. 1V33 15.58 SX WIllesden - Ply (21.55) NAA, NKA, NKA, NAA, NAA, NKA, NKA, NAA 1V40 23.10 SX Willesden - Ply (03.43) NAA, NSAt, NTA, NSA, NSA, NTA, NSA, NTA, NAA. cheers

Back in the 1980s I saw and photographed a number of lightweight freight trains. Stockport 1984. A lightweight Speedlink trip aproaches Stockport behind 31213, 12/7/84 In 1982 there was a Moreton-on-Lugg to Severn Tunnel Junction service that called at Hereford to attach. A single van from Moreton-on-Lugg is the only load for 47285 arriving at Hereford, however the train was made up to a decent length with traffic from Hereford yard, 12/2/82, In the 1980s class 20s working singly was not something I saw often. I assumed that Rosyth may have been the origin for this short train headed by 20137 seen passing through Dunfermline, 20/6/83 cheers

Over the years there have been a number of threads on RMweb about the use of runners with class 03s, some may include useful information. Otherwise a search on Flickr might be of use. Use a search term like 'Norwich 03084' In 1981 the Norwich class 03 allocation comprised, 03084, 03086, 03158, 03197, 03370, 03397. A quick search showed that not all runners were yellow, cheers

Regarding the working of the Atlantic Coast Express, and other services that combined at Barnstaple Junction, I understand that Ilfracombe services took priority as that had been considered the main line since the 1930, (this reversed the priority as the Bideford/Torrington line was first to open). I have read a couple of accounts of combining trains at Barnstaple Junction, and looking at the timetables I have it seems to have been standard practice. The first arrival into the up platform would be the Torrington portion, generally worked by a tank loco, with through coaches for Waterloo next to the loco. The loco would uncouple and run-round to the rear, and once station work was complete draw the train back out onto the Torrington line. Then the arrival from Ilfracombe ran into the up platform, normally worked by a WC BB or N class, which either worked through or was changed. The Torrington loco now propels back into the up platform and the through coaches are attached to the rear of the Ilfracombe portion. The train is now complete to go forward to Exeter. The summer 1956 timetable shows train times to support this working, with arrivals from Torrington about 10 minutes before the Ilfracombe portion. Torrington dep 08.10, Barnstaple Junction arr. 08.41 Ilfracombe dep 08.10, Barnstaple Junction arr. 08.51, & dep 08.54 Torrington dep 10.30, Barnstaple Junction arr. 11.03. Ilfracombe dep 10.30, Barnstaple Junction arr. 11.13 & dep 11.16. Trains from Waterloo to Ilfracombe & Torrington show the same priority with the Ilfracombe portion away first. Barnstaple Junction arr. 3.25pm dep 3.27pm to Ilfracombe. Barnstaple Junction dep 3.32pm to Torrington. I assume the tank loco for Torrington with local coaches waits either in the down loop platform, or out on the Torrington single line, to back on to the Torrington portion once the Ilfracombe portion has got away. Very smart station working in any event, cheers

Have a look at Paul Bartlett's site. A quick trawl through his photos of VDAs suggests there were quite a few in the new livery by 1982, and I found 201014 in the new livery at Horwich in August 1980 https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brvda cheers

I took a couple of general photos which include the signals at Lostwithiel back in 2019. A Castle class HST set departs from Lostwithiel, with power car 43154 trailing, (power car 43092 was on the front), 17/6/2019 The view from the up platform at Lostwithiel looking west, 17/6/2019 cheers

Another couple of photos from my trips to Cornwall in 2021, semaphores at the east end of Par, and then the west end of St Erth. The east end of Par, looking east. 3/11/2021 The west end of St Erth with a HST departing for Penzance, the rear power car looks to be 43027, 3/11/2021 cheers

There is a collection of semaphores still remaining at the west end of Truro, The west end of Truro station. the Falmouth bay platform is on the left. 7/11/2022 cheers

Yes it does look like 45034 is starting to cross from the relief to the main line. Here are a few more photos taken from my visits to Gaer Junction, this time looking west towards Cardiff in the down direction. A general view looking west. The relief lines are on the left. On the up main 33005 approaches with a Cardiff Central to Crewe service. On the right the line up through Gaer Tunnel towards Park Junction and Ebbw Vale had recently been singled. 19/5/82 When I spent time at Gaer JUnction it was not unusual for a freight service to be held on the down relief waiting access into A D Junction Yard, or the docks. A short distance haul of export coil from BSC Llanwern to Newport Docks for export is on the down relief at Gaer Junction behind 37176. This was one of the last revenue earning traffic flows to be conveyed in unfitted vehicles, these were coil C and coil J (TOPS code KCO or KJO). In the background the rear of a train of coal in 21t minfits (TOPS MDV) is coming down from Park Junction, probably coking coal for BSC Llanwern.1/12/81 The steel coil train was held waiting to go into the docks, and I was able to walk to the next bridge, which I think is the Cardiff Road bridge, to photograph it again. Waiting access into either A D Junction yard or Newport Docks 37176 stands on the down relief at Gaer Junction. 1/12/81. Happy days. cheers

Here are a couple of the signals at St Erth, taken in February this year. St Erth 19/2/2023 St Erth with set 150261 arriving from St Ives 19/2/2023 cheers

I am no signalling expert, so will leave the detail to others. I assume this is a GWR station, but it might help to know what period you are modelling, possibly BR (WR)? Sometimes the signalling at small stations like this will have changed over time, either being simplified, or perhaps removed altogether. Also what level of service do you plan to run? A small station like this would probably never normally see more than one train at a time, but it is your world and Rule 1 applies . cheers

I enjoyed my trips over to the Newport area taking photos in the late 1970s and early 1980s. There was always plenty of activity. Looking west off the end of the platform at Newport. Stratford silver roof 47363 approaches on the up relief line with a loaded petroleum train, the east end of the two tunnel can be seen in the background. 17/7/80. The west end of the two tunnel at Gaer Junction where I spent happy hours taking photos. 45034 emerges from the old tunnel on the down relief line with a vacuum braked freight service. 1/12/81 On a few occasions I also walked over the Usk to take photos from the multi-storey car park adjacent to Maindee West Junction. One of the named WR 47s 47088 Samson heads west at Maindee West Junction with a tank train. probably fuel tanks for Canton. 10/2/82 cheers

Thanks. I am enjoying learning about train services, like the bricks, I knew of but never saw myself. The Lawrence Hill pilot duty did not go as far as Filton (which I think had been shunted from Stoke Gifford), but the 03 did make a weekday trip as far as Stapleton Road where there was a scrap yard on the up side north of the station, Birds and Pugsleys each had a siding and loaded 16t mins of scrap - Llanelli was the destination I remember. The scrap was weighed at Lawrence Hill where there was a weighbridge, also occasionally used by the civil engineers to weigh things like wagon loads of scrap chairs. The pilot also worked daily trips to Avonside Wharf, with presflos of cement for the Blue Circle depot on Avonside Wharf, and seasonal trains of molasses for Distillers. The main traffic at Lawrence Hill yard was cement from Aberthaw in presflos, but also bagged and loaded in vans, heavy dirty work to unload I imagine, cheers

Although the brick traffic had finished before I started work in the Bristol Area Freight Centre in 1978 Lawrence Hill Yard in Bristol was still busy. The brick siding was taken over by Ketton Cement traffic in about 1980 when they transferred their Bristol area depot to there from Portishead (where they had been the last regular freight customer. I have a few photos which should help to explain the geography of Lawrence Hill. A general view of Lawrence Hill Yard, taken from the Midland Railway bridge that spanned the north end of the yard. The brick siding with tarmaced hard standing can be seen on the middle right, the cement silo belonged to Ketton cement. The siding curving to the right is the one that connected to the former Midland Route into Bristol. 28/9/83 Lawrence Hill yard pilot 08949 is on the siding that connected the yard with the former Midland route, it will propel the 18 molasses tanks from Kings Lynn down to Distillers Co. depot at Avonside wharf, for this reason there is another brake van at the other end on which the shunters will ride. Bristol area trip loco 47104 stands on the brick siding 28/9/83. The Lawrence Hill pilot duty had been a class 03 until 1980, thereafter a class 08 was cleared to shunt at AVonside Wharf. Here is 03382 locally known as Noddy, (03121 was the other regular loco). The black girder bridge at the north end of the station formerly carried the Midland Railway into Bristol from the north, 6/5/80 Looking north off the Midland Railway bridge towards Stapleton Road. The connection from Lawrence Hill Yard can be seen above 31273 which has just arrived with a special working from Taunton East Yard to Lawrence Hill with empty cement presflos which are returning to Aberthaw and will be attached to the afternoon service for Severn Tunnel Junction, 22//4/81, cheers

It was my impression, that as the amount of wagon load freight traffic shrank then the civil engineers fleet seemed to expand to take over some of the vacated sidings, and even complete yards (like Bristol East Depot), cheers

From the Devon County Council website, the station is part of the Devon Metro, so I take it the Paignton to Exmouth services will be the only regular calling trains, https://www.devon.gov.uk/marsh-barton-railway-station/background/ cheers

A good question. The latest information for station opening is 'Spring 2023', while the exhibition is 22nd and 23rd July 2023, cheers

It is adjacent to the large Marsh Barton Trading estate, there is also a footbridge over the River Exe into a residential area. . You can see the construction site clearly on Google Maps, search for Clapperbrook Lane East. The station will be handy for the Exeter Model Railway Exhibition, held at the Matford Livestock Centre - it would be a 15 minute walk. cheers

Even more so on the North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway, cheers

It was no North South divide for me, rather that I was not prepared to move house to keep my railway career going. Over the years I commuted from my home in Weston to work. My first couple of job moves were for promotion/progression, but from about 1988 onwards each job move was to dodge a bullet (office move or closure). Over the 30 year career I worked at Bristol, Swindon, Bristol (post withdrawn), Westbury, Bristol (office closed), Westbury (office closed), Bristol, Newport (job relocated), Bristol (job relocated back). Finally traincrew rosters moved from Bristol to Doncaster in 2007, so I took the money. I think I am right in that there were Mainline Freight staff who moved house from Nottingham to Doncaster for EWS, only to be relocated back out of Doncaster within a few years , cheers