Photos of Steam and Diesel Specials & Heritage Lines

Have two lots to do over the next couple of days. On Saturday there will be pics taken of Black 5 'Lancashire Fusilier' on the 'Royal Duchy' and on 5/6 July the SDR have a special weekend with guesting engines GWR 2-6-2 No. 5542 and SR (USA Tank) No 65. Pics should be up by 8th July.

Add to that list D1015 which is due in Plymouth at 0947hrs today en-route to Penzance. Should be ready in time for it to go through.
It comes back through here again at 1900hrs or there about. I will be ready.

Herewith the first of the weekend. It is a Western Diesel I'm afraid. No. D1015 Western Champion masquerading as No. D1040 Western Queen.

D1040 Western Queen leaving Mutley Tunnel on the Cornishman 28th June 2014 en-route to Penzance.



The Return Leg. Apparently the loco had a split personality, with Champion on one side and Queen on the other.

Western Champion/Queen at Plymouth North Road.



Western Champion/Queen leaving Plymouth. (Note the interesting lamp on the front RH lamp bracket).

Herewith the pics of Black 5 No. 45407 Lancashire Fusilier at Plymouth on 29/6/14 hauling the Royal Duchy.

45407 entering Plymouth North Road en-route to Par.



45407 leaving Plymouth en-route to Bristol.



45407 at Mutley en-route to Bristol.



45407 about to enter Mutley Tunnel en-route to Bristol.




That's it for this week folks. Next week we have the SDR and the Royal Duchy (hauled by a different Black 5).

Sunday 6th July the following Steam Specials are coming through the region.

GWR Castle Class No. 5029 'Nunney Castle' on the Torbay Express and Black 5 No. 45407 'Lancashire Fusilier' on the Royal Duchy

Approximate timings for Dawlish are:

Torbay Express 11.15 hrs

Royal Duchy 11.25 hrs.

It's best to get there at least 30 minutes before hand as they often run early.

I hope to be at Dawlish if I can get there in time.

Here are the pics of this last weekend as promised.

SR USA Tank No. 65 (all at the South Devon Railway).









GWR 55xx Prairie no. 5542









LMS Black 5 No. 75407 'Lancashire Fusilier' entering and leaving Plymouth North Road on 6th July 2014.





That's it for now folks. More to follow later.

It was a Running Day on the local (Plym Valley Railway) yesterday so managed to get there and grab a few pics of 'Albert'.

Hope you like them.

























And for something different









"Now, where did I bury that bone?"



The diesel in the background is Class 50 'Royal Oak'.

Mainline Steam in Devon & Cornwall over the next few weeks.

17th. August. Torbay Express to Kingswear

25th August. Devon Belle. Waterloo to Exeter.

5th. September. Atlantic Coast Express. Waterloo to Penzance.

7th. September. Torbay Express to Kingswear.

7th. September. Royal Duchy. Bristol - Par.

8th. September. Atlantic Coast Express. Penzance to Waterloo.

16th. September. Clapham Junction to Kingswear. Loco 60019 Bittern.

Times/locos later once I know them.

More great pics Mick. Only a few weeks back, I was on google maps and came across the Plym Valley Railway. Has the railway line been extended past the old canal ?

Cheers, Gary.

The track at the Plym Valley now goes as far as Plym Bridge (about 1.5 miles). They can't go any further as the rest of the track bed has been set up as a National Cycle Track. Not only that they would need to strengthen and does repairs to the Cann Viaduct (big bucks that they haven't got). They have running days every so often, usually topped and tailed as they have no run round loop yet at Plym Bridge but sometimes they just have one engine on push-pull. If they top and tail it is normally Albert and a class 08 doing the duties but every so often the run Class 50 Royal Oak. It's much too big for the location really but it's fun. They did build a complete new platform at Plym Bridge capable of a four coach train. They are also laying in a siding where they can hold a loco so that on running days they can swap locos on each train. First train of the day would be topped and tailed and the tailed loco would take the train back leaving the other loco in the siding. Next train would be a single loco and the loco in the siding would take the train back and the train engine would then go to the sidings etc. There is still a lot of work to be done so that probably won't be starting till next year. The whole set up would make an interesting layout and sometime in the future I will try and get hold of a track plan and draw it out and put it up here.

Thanks Mick. Sounds like it will be an organised railway once the refurbishments/track laying gets done. You are also right about a model of the Plym Valley Railway. Could be fun as you can always run what you like ! ;-)

Cheers, Gary.

That's one of the things I like about the idea Gary, and small locos could rule the roost. I've been looking for something to run my Sentinel on, and well, it is the Plymouth one. Weather permitting I'm off down there again on Sunday as they are having another running day and there are a few details at the Marsh Mills end I want to clear up. I'm not sure but I think Royal Oak has been shipped out somewhere, that is something else I want to clear up.

Timings from Newton Abbot for the Torbay Express 17th August 2014
Loco is either Nunney Castle or Braunton
Newton Abbot 11.40hrs   Return 17.32hrs
Paignton 11.54hrs Return 17.15hrs
Kingswear 12.28hrs Return 16.50hrs
Best to be there at least 30 mins early.

Do you know if it's stopping anywhere Mick?.

I don't think so Alan. Go to http://www.uksteam.info/tours/t14/t0817k.htm for the full route and times etc. From what I can make out it isn't being delayed at Dawlish Warren either. As with all of these runs it's best to be early at any point as they do have a nasty habit of running early

Just started a new website on Steam in Devon and Cornwall along with Vintage Road Transport as well. The url is:

http://railandroad.esy.es/Pictures2/index.htm

There isn't a lot on there yet but it will grow.

What an excellent site Mick even at this early stage.:doublethumb

I'm working on it Alan. About another 150 odd pics to go up yet. Maybe close to getting it done by Xmas (Not saying which one though).

Next weekend. 25th August. The Devon Belle. 600163 Tornado. Last train before it goes off for overhaul. Running from Paddington to Exeter via Honiton. Times will be up later in the week.


Monday 18th August.
Further to above, it will be in Exeter at 1335hrs and departs about 1615hrs.

Forthcoming events
South Devon Railway
Friday 22nd August - Monday 25th August. Bank Holiday Rails and Ales.


Bodmin & Wenford Railway.
5th - 7th September. Autumn Steam Gala and Real Ales.