Rivercider

Hi Rich

may be of use, I have a copy of West of England Sectional Appendix dated June 1980.

Page 195, an entry 'Mixed Train Working Barnstaple - Exeter St. Davids.

The train endorsed 'mixed' in the WTT may convey coaching stock and freight vehicles from Barny - St Davids

in accordance with the following (9) instructions:-

abbreviated

1, max 8 coaching, 15 freight attached rear

2, milk or dang goods not permitted

3, fully fitted, brake op on last 2 vehs

4, brake van in rear not req, guard ride in passr brake

5, max 420 tonnes

6, max length not exceed 38 slus

7, max speed 45mph

8, loco brake in 'vac goods position'

9, guard to prepare a dvrs slip.

cheers

There is one picture in Paul Shannon's 'Rail freight since 1968 - Wagonload'

page 75, 09015 shunts a rake of VDA VGA VBA out of the yard on 9 July 1990.

The caption mentions that the yard remained active with steel, timber and cider until the demise of Speedlink.

There is an empty bogie wagon with high stanchions, but no sign of timber.

In 'The Freight only Yearbook No.1' by Michael Rhodes & Paul Shannon

page 80, 56045 passes the yard on 6B51 the 08.55 trip from East Usk with 3 ety PFB flats on September 13 1989

there is timber being loaded in the yard, on bogie wagons with high stanchions, and a couple of VGAs and some engineers (grampus?) in the yard.

hope this helps

cheers

Very tricky this.....

A bit like choosing my 3 favourite tracks of music, it depends on my mood.

But sticking the the brief, and restricting to layouts I have actually seen (I don't get out much!)

I have referred back to programmes since I re-started visiting exhibitions after a 20 year break,

and..... three that stand out for me are:-

1 (2008) Haven Wharf 00 (Originally known as Tetley sidings and built by Graham Gatehouse)

I had a long chat with the new owner while watching the theraputic shunting take place.

Only 2 meter x half meter, I realised I could find room for something like that in my flat.

2 (2009) Easington Lane EM by Ian Manderson

Fictitious location in the North East in 1976, blue diesels, run down, passenger service hanging by a thread,

just as I remember things from my serious train spotting days.

Bigger than Haven Wharf and oozing atmosphere, may be I could try something similar.

3 (2009) Penhallick 00 Finescale

Fictitious ex LSWR location in North Cornwall 1950s/60s.

The real thing was before my memory but what a stunning layout.

This is much bigger than anything I aspire to, but one can dream.

I do take the point that inspiration should come from the real thing, most railway modelling must, I presume,

be based on nostalgia, but those 3 layouts, amongst others have helped me to try to build my own little world.

cheers

Kings of Orient - The Odds

On Fire - Tone Loc

Nowhere Girl - B-Movie

Bristol Temple Meads had 2 station pilots when I worked in Bristol TOPS 1978-1985. Both pilots were dual braked Class 08 shunters.

One was the East End pilot, and as well as shunting stock and parcel vans as previously described also shunted Bristol NCL depot, and

worked trips to Kingsland Road Yard and Barton Hill Shops. The other pilot (the West End pilot) also shunted Pylle Hill sidings and worked trips to

Malago Vale carriage sidings. Both pilots were semi-permanently attached to BR freight brake vans (TOPS code CAR), which I understood

was to help activate track circuits when out running mainline, also acting as shunters trucks and accomodation.

One one occasion on a saturday morning one of the vans that had been performing that duty for some time was required to go for repair or maintenance.

The pilot was parked up outside our office on the High Level sidings behind Bristol Panel Box building, and we watched as the contents were transferred into the replacement van.

As well as the obvious shunters poles, hand and tail lamps there was various papers, books, magazines and an armchair! I remember some one

in the office joking that next would probably be a standard lamp!