News Archive for November 2020

Published on 27th November 2020

With the leaf fall season nearing its end it's likely that the annual Rail Head Treatment Trains will be finishing and the locomotives sent for a nice soapy power wash to remove the months of rail grime which the locomotives have accumulated.

The 2020 season has been rare in the fact that neither of the southwest based Class 66s has been swapped during the season, with both locomotives completing the entire season in a fixed formation. It's fairly normal to expect one or both locomotives to be removed for some form of maintenance during the three month period that the RHTT set operates. On Friday 27th November 2020 DB Cargo operated No.66151 leads No.66155 south at Norton Fitzwarren operating 3J13 08:50 Westbury - St Blazey (via Salisbury) RHTT set returning to Cornwall.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 21st November 2020

Colas Rail Freight Class 37s stood in for the absent Network Rail NMT HST and Colas Class 67 locomotives on Friday 20th November 2020.

Having carried out track testing between London Paddington, Penzance, Paignton, and Bristol during the day split headcode Class 37/0 No. 37099 'Merl Evans 1947-2016' and No. 37254 'Cardiff Canton' arrived into Platform 3 while operating 1Z18 15:40 Paignton to Taunton via Bristol East Yard. Upon arrival, they changed direction and returned to London Paddington on the final test diagram of their shift, 1Q19 18:57 Taunton to London Paddington.

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Published on 18th November 2020

Colas Rail Freight and Freightliner operate the majority of freight services through the Taunton area.

This selection of images taken between the 15th and 18th November 2020 illustrates some of the interesting workings which have been captured passing through Taunton in recent weeks.

Published on 15th November 2020

We are currently continuing our progress through the older news pages and have now completed news and over forty more image uploads for September and October 2014.

Why not take a look at October 2014 and Septmeber 2014 pages, which are now live.

Published on 13th November 2020

Mid-November can see some of the best all-round colours in the trees which still have yet to drop their leaves.

This year a spectacular display of colour has occurred at Cogload Junction where a series of lineside trees have turned a golden orange providing a unique backdrop to northbound trains when using a 200mm lens. We have provided a selection of images taken at Cogload on the 13th November 2020 illustrating the fantastic array of golden brown leaves still on offer at this popular location.

Published on 9th November 2020

Freightliner Class 66/5 No. 66540 'Ruby' is a rare visitor to the southwest, however, on Saturday night, the loco dropped onto a long welded rail delivery train with classmate No.66605 to deliver long welded rail to Devonport nearly Plymouth.

The southbound service ran under the cover of darkness but returned on Sunday 8th November 2020. The Freightliner locos No. 66540 'Ruby' and No.66605 were captured operating on Sunday 8th November 2020 either end of 6Y97 08:24 Dockyard - Westbury long welded rail train.

Published on 5th November 2020

Direct Rail Services (DRS) returned north on Tuesday 3rd November 2020 in top and tail formation.

No.66304 lead No.66301 north in top and tail formation either end of nuclear flask KUA MODA 95770. The service operated as 6Z30 07:48 Devonport Royal Dockyard to Crewe Coal Sidings. Unusually one nuclear flask has been left at the Plymouth Naval Dockyard; both KUA flasks having been moved there in early September.

The interesting working is pictured passing the Taunton area.

Published on 4th November 2020

The first movements on the West Somerset Railway of 2020 occurred on the 2nd November 2020 just two days before the UK was plunged into the second covid lockdown.

DEPG Class 33 locomotives No.33057 (D6575) and No.33048 (D6555) operated one of the first workings on the West Somerset Railway in 2020 just two days before the second Covid lockdown of the year.

The pair of locomotives are seen approaching Crowcombe Heathfield station with newly repainted Quantock Belle Stock returning to Bishops Lydeard. Both locomotives also carried 'BE' on the head code blinds as a mark of respect for the passing of well known Class 33 enthusiast Barry Evans, who passed away in mid-October from Motor Neurone.

British Railways black 2-6-0 'Manor' No. 7822 'Foxcote Manor' arrives into Minehead on the 2nd November 2020 having taken over three hours to traverse the 19-mile line with its small engineer's train. The loco set off from Bishops Lydeard and is pictured upon arrival at Minehead with a Maroon CCT and crane making a very rare appearance on WSR Rails.