Rivercider

I would agree that the working at Powderham has cement empties (from either Barnstaple, Exeter, or also Chippenham which also received cement from Plymstock in the late 1970s) . I think the slate powder traffic had ceased by then. The 6V53 Clayliner from Stoke on Trent to St Blazey was booked to detach and attach other traffic at Exeter Riverside, so it may be this train. cheers

Yes I think that is most likely, I have the Local Trip Booklet from May 1975. Trip No.9 was a Bath Road class 31 diagram and worked to Newcourt SX. 7B78 12.45 Exeter Riverside to Newcourt cheers

Great work there Rob. Your ears must be burning! This afternoon I was over in Cardiff at a show, and talking to one of the exhibitors. We were both in appreciation of your layouts set in a run-down urban location, cheers

The number 87603 relates to the TOPS location number for New Cross Gate. I have a copy of the Southern Region CCE Wagon Guide issued in October 1983, it lists all the dual piped traffic brake vans in TOPS wagon pool 9218 and mentions they may be used on Departmental trains when specially authorised by the Chief Operating Manager. There were 26 brake vans listed, all allocated to a specific yard and stencilled with the TOPS location number of the 'home' location to which they were to be returned after use. There were 3 vans held at New Cross Gate (87603) for contingency purposes:- B954661, B954750, B954759. cheers

Of course it is not just inundation from the sea that is the problem along the sea wall. As has been mentioned many times in this thread there is also the ongoing problem of rock falls from the cliffs on the inland side of the track. I have made several trips along the coastal route in recent months and see that the rock fall shelter at the east end of Parsons Tunnel is well progressed. (Note that the 'original' Parsons Rock has long since succumbed, and fallen into the sea.) I also notice extensive work taking place above Kennaway Tunnel to stabilise the cliff face on Lea Mount, none of that is cheap either. I suspect that calls for another inland route will not go away, cheers

I don't know how often there is a problem at Dawlish, but there was also single line working on Tuesday (17th). I went down to Newton Abbot for the day (for an excellent evening talk organised by Friends of the Railway Studies Collection in Newton Abbot Library). The GWR website had warned of possible disruption from 19.30 and although my return train departed Newton Abbot on time at 21,25 we were held outside Teignmouth as single line working had been introduced over the up line along the sea wall. After some 20 minutes delay we proceeded on and at Dawlish there was a failed 5-car 800/802 set lights out in the down platform, cheers

I have a copy of the WR Freight Train Loads Book dated April 1964. The northern part of the S&D is shown under the Bristol Division. Page 30 shows steam-hauled main line freight load limits for Bath to Templecombe Upper, but page 38 diesel-hauled main line freight trains has no entry for the S&D. The southern part of the S&D is shown under the Plymouth Division. Page 89 show steam-hauled loads for Bath to Evercreech, and Templecombe to Broadstone, but page 99 for diesel-hauled freight trains has no entry for the S&D. Edit - from my later BR career in the Bristol Area Freight Centre we knew that if there was a published load for a particular loco class over a route then that was authorisation for the loco working. cheers.

There is quite a bit of information about the transportation of ball clay in the book 'The Potters Field' by LTC Rolt, which covers the South Devon ball clay industry. Also included some photos including of the clay loading ramp at Teignbridge in 1948. Some of the ball clay went west to Fowey for export, some went to Avonmouth for export, and a modest amount by rail to Teignmouth for export, though much more clay was road hauled to Teignmouth. cheers

You are correct that wooden bodied opens with an end door were used for export clay traffic via Carne Point, Fowey. Starting in 1955 BR started building wagons to diagram 1/051 which were very similar to GWR built vehicles already then in traffic, eventually 875 of them were built, B743000 - B743874. Of those (edit) 300 were unfitted as built, but were vacuum braked later. Originally they were flat sheeted when loaded, but rain water ingress caused contamination of the load, so the tarpaulin bar arrangement was fitted from about 1974/75. Bachmann have made a model in OO, but it is an old model, quite dated by modern standards. China clay traffic to domestic destinations was sent in wooden bodied open highfit wagons (some with metal ends). The wagons eventually included in the pool included pre-nationalisation vehicles from each of GWR/LMS/LNER/SR, as well as BR built. Some were fitted with roller bearings, but not all. These went loaded to locations in the Potteries, Scotland, and Kent amongst others. Some of the end tippers were also later used on domestic traffic, and remained flat sheeted for that traffic. The familiar St Blazey to Stoke on Trent 'Clayliner' started running around 1964/65 after BR made an effort to capture more domestic clay traffic. Previously much domestic clay went by sea and canal to destination. cheers

Were any of the responses to your two earlier topics of any use to you? You had previously asked about the suitability of visible or scenic fiddle yards - which can be successfully made to work. You also posted a draft plan, which you said would be based on the southern end of the WCML, is this related to either of those queries? Without knowing what you intend to operate it is difficult to give advice. cheers

I have found this posted on Flickr by Peter Brabham, which seems to show the working to which you refer? Also mentioned by Brian (br2975) up thread. Looking down the valley at North Rhondda pit, July 1951. From Flickr, taken by Derek Chaplin - Peter Brabham collection, cheers

You have it, well done! I had eliminated all the places I could think of in Devon, Somerset, and Bristol. I can see why the photo of D7046 may have been thought to be Weston, Hymeks were quite commonly seen there and the hill in the background might be mistaken for Worlebury Hill in Weston. I did for a while wonder if the train might have been leaving Locking Road excursion station. Here is a photo from Flickr taken at the west end of Weston station An unidentified Hymek departs Weston-super-Mare heading west. Note Worlebury Hill in the background. From R W Carroll collection cheers

Good points there. To me although the exhibition is the main point of the day out, when travelling by train (or bus) I can enjoy the views along the way. A number of the venues I have attended several times (Larkrail and RailWells to name two) also provide a pleasant walk, with the chance to stop for some retail therapy, something to eat, or a pint or two along the way, cheers

Though I do have a large and growing book collection I am probably not in the main target audience for this type of book as I don't normally like books that are overly technical. My interest is more to the operating side of the railway, how the requirements for more powerful or faster locomotives are balanced against other considerations such as cost or axle loading, and arguments with the civil engineer. Also information on where the classes were commonly found during their life, and sort of traffic they worked. I prefer books that read well, perhaps because the author has included anecdotes relating to the subject, and then realise that I have also picked up some technical information along the way. Some cross-referencing is a good idea, and I always appreciate a chart or two, cheers

On a handful of occasions I went to Lawrence Hill, and once to Stapleton Rd to take photos. I think one time the train I caught back south had come from North Filton. There may have been a couple of timetables when the afternoon service from North Filton went through to Weston cheers

Being of good health I have always preferred to walk rather than drive the one mile distance to station/work for the last 45 years. It keeps me fit, saves money, saves pollution, save hassle looking for parking. I am probably not a typical exhibition visitor. As a former railwayman I have railway travel concessions, so can get cheap travel, but even though I can drive I almost always get to shows by public transport (and walk if needed). Living in Weston-super-Mare I attend 10 or so exhibitions a year, most of these are/were regular, others one-off:- Nailsea & District at Nailsea - train and walk. Burnham & District at Highbridge - train (or bus) and walk Taunton - train and walk Minehead - Train, bus, steam train Exeter - train and walk (shorter walk from new Marsh Barton station). Culm Valley at Willand - train and walk Barnstaple - train and walk Salisbury at Wilton - train and walk RailWells at Wells - bus and walk Bristol at Thornbury - train /shuttle bus. Since no shuttle bus I drove once - never again. Melksham - train / shuttle bus Warley - train (so crowded at New Street I felt it dangerous, and crowded at Bham Int - I have not been since) DEMU Burton-on Trent - train and walk Cheltenham - train and walk Cardiff Small Show - train and walk Barry & Penarth at Cogan - train and walk LarkRail at Bath - train and walk. EDIT - must not forget RMweb Taunton Staplegrove - train and walk. And using my car Weston-super-Mare my local show - car(!) 3 miles from home. Note in the recent Weston show, at the changed venue, parking was so crowded, with cars parked on curbs and pavements all around that I drove back home then walked there! Edington - car cheers

The 'ghost train' continued to run in Bristol into the 1980s. North Filton platform was located on the Henbury line between Stoke Gifford/Bristol Parkway, and Hallen Marsh. There was one morning service in, and one afternoon service out for the benefit of staff working at the British Aerospace and Rolls Royce factories at Filton. I am certain that other local passengers, wise to the train, would use it between Temple Meads, Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road, and Filton Junction. The May 1980 Bristol Temple Meads station working book shows:- 2B05 06.35 Parson Street calls 06.42 - 06.45 (plat 5) for Lawrence Hill, Stapleton Road, Filton Junction, and North Filton. The train was booked 6 car DMU, though later 3 cars would suffice, cheers

One unusual working which would fall under your general question was the Meldon workers train. Meldon Quarry was a Southern Railway owned ballast quarry in a remote location west of Okehampton, a number of workers cottages had been built near the quarry. A small staff halt was built at Meldon to enable staff to travel to/from Meldon, certain trains stopping unadvertised on request. Also a passenger coach was attached to the front of a loaded stone train and worked as far as Okehampton, I think for the use of family members going to town. I am not sure if this was a daily or weekly arrangement. cheers

I don't know the area, but Flickr has a few views. The carriage wash at Mount Gould by 2/6/2010. Photo by John Ashton, Is this the view the other way? Mount Gould carriage wash 25/8/2019. Photo by Matt C cheers

As a child during the 1960s I lived in Exeter and although I now know that both Laira and Newton Abbot had an allocation of Hymeks at various times I do not remember regularly seeing them in Devon. My memories of visits to Exeter St Davids stabling point are of Warship class 42/43 and class 22s which carried out much of the local freight trip work in Devon and Cornwall. In 1970/71 the class 22s were replaced by class 25s for the local work, which they were designed for, and seemed to cover well enough. Likewise class 25s and 31s covered local freight work in the Bristol area once the 22s and Hymeks had gone, and they handled the traffic on offer. I do have a few recollections of Hymeks at work in Devon, including to Ilfracombe, though that leg of the journey could hardly be described as express work. Here are a few more photos from Flickr Hymeks at work in the West Country. At Plymouth D7003 has arrived with an inter-regional working on 22/3/62, photo by Kevin Whitehurst At Dawlish Warren D7000 heads east with the 15.20 Plymouth to Sheffield on 01/05/69. Photo from KDH archive Possibly at Burlescombe possibly D7012 heads east climbing towards Whiteball Tunnel. No date Photo by Richard, I believe Hymeks were regular visitors to Minehead, particularly on summer Saturday services. D7050 departs Minehead with a service for Paddington. No date. Photo by Anthony Guppy. cheers

There are a number of photos on Flickr of Hymeks on expresses. D7028 at Reading 27 July 1968 by snatmann D7037 at Stoke Gifford with a Pembroke Dock to Paddington 3 June 1963 by John Whiteley D7031 leaving Reading with a Weston-super-Mare to Paddington by Colin Alexander, ALso this described as being at Weston-super-Mare though I do not recognise the scene. D7046 departs with 12.35 SO Weston-super-Mare to Paddington, photo by late Colin Caddy, cheers

At various stages of my BR career I saw the daily Control Log, During the late 1980s one incident that I remember was as a result of an adult swan in the four foot on the Berks and Hants route. The log entry referred to a train being stopped and cautioned. When the train slowly approached the swan it refused to leave the track, but slowly made its way along the four foot to the next crossing point, where it left railway property, cheers

Lack of interior space in the Hymeks left no room to fit air brake equipment. Lack of interior space was common to all the hydraulic classes I believe, when the Westerns were fitted with air brakes one of the fuel tanks was removed to make room for the Westinghouse compressor, cheers

I agree, and to represent a particular location or area I always think it is better to have several examples of the dominant class(es). Over the decades I have doodled hundreds of layouts (and never built them), for a handful of the most interesting I went as far as working out a proposed stock list I might try to buy. Most plans were based in the West Country, usually secondary main lines, or busier branches. In most cases one or two loco classes predominated. Assuming 6-8 trains in use per layout my initial thoughts covered the following plans:- East Devon 1960s steam branch - 2 x M7, 3 x BR 3MT, 2 x Ivatt 2MT, 1 x O2. North Devon 1960s steam - 3 x WC, 3 x N, 1 x Ivatt 2MT 1 x M7. North/East Devon 1970 hydraulics - 3 x cl.42, 3 x cl.22, 1 x cl.08, 2 x DMU Cornwall/West Devon clay branch 1975 - 3 x cl.25, 1 x cl.52, 1 x cl.45/46, 1 x cl.47, 1 x cl.08, 1 x DMU North Devon 1980 - 3 x cl. 25, 1 x cl.31, 1 x cl.33, 2 x DMU, 1 x cl.08. South Wales valley 1980 - 5 x cl.37, 1 x cl.08, 2 x DMU Bristol/Avonmouth 1980 freight, 3 x cl.31, 1 x cl.37, 1 x cl.45/46, 1 x cl.47, 1 x cl.08 or 1 x PO shunter, 1 x DMU. cheers

We visited Haytor a few years ago and spent quite some time exploring to visible remains of the Granite Tramway. Understandably some of the granite blocks are in better condition than others, there is also what seems to be a 'prize length' where the track has been better cleared of soil and scrub. This was on the Holwell Tor Quarry branch of the tramway, I think that might be one of the holes associated with the operation of the pointwork. There is some debate as to whether theplate at the points was made with metal or wood, I don't think any have been found. 19/5/2021 This is the junction, the Holwell Tor Quarry branch leads away down to the right. 19/5/2021 cheers