News Archive for August 2021

Published on 30th August 2021

GBRf continue to deliver thousands of tonnes of ballast to the Crediton - Okehampton re-opening project, with two further loaded trains of ballast delivered to the site over the course of the bank holiday weekend.

Two trains of 15 Network Rail autoballasters have dropped ballast along the route.

GBRf Class 66/7s No.66776 and No. 66732 'GBRf The First Decade 1999 - 2009 John Smith - MD' 'top and tail' 6G73 10:00 Crediton - Westbury through Creech St Michael on the 27th August 2021.

Running 90 minutes ahead of schedule GBRf Class 66 No. 66750 'Bristol Panel Signal Box ' is pictured in 'top and tail' formation with classmate No. 66715 'Valour' on Bank Holiday Monday 30th August 2021. The pair operated 6G70 09:00 Crediton - Westbury having completed a ballast drop on the Okehampton line.

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Published on 30th August 2021

The Midland Pullman operated by Locomotive Services Ltd made its second appearance at Taunton on bank holiday Monday 30th August 2021.

The 'Devonian Pullman' operated between Peterborough and Kingswear with a Pullman style dining service on board the train. Tickets for the trip were marketed at £155 First Class (Non-dining) and £310 (Pullman Dining).

The visit of No. 43046 'Geoff Drury 1930-1999' and No.43055 to Kingswear also provided a very rare visit of a HST to the Paignton and Dartmouth railway, the last known visit of an HST to Kingswear being in July 1999. The striking HST blue and white-liveried HST set is pictured passing through the Taunton area.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 29th August 2021

The Royal Duchy charter on Sunday 29th August 2021 was hauled by LMS 4-6-0 No. 45690 'Leander' which was making its first known appearance at Taunton since being built in 1936.

The Railway Touring Company charter started at Slough being hauled to Taunton by West Coast Railways Class 47 No.47772. The charter should have visited Par but upon arrival at Taunton the Class 47 was sent back to Southall for attention, meaning the Plymouth - Par leg of the tour was cancelled. At Taunton No. 45690 'Leander' (which had arrived the previous night, and was serviced at Bishops Lydeard) was attached for the run over the Somerset and Devon banks to Plymouth. The Royal Duchy charter later returned to Taunton where a loco swap took place where No.47245 had been sent from Slough to haul the last leg back to Slough.

Published on 28th August 2021

Locomotive Services Ltd provided a pair of Class 47 locomotives to 'top and tail' the 'Dartmouth Regatta Statesman' charter into Devon on Saturday 28th August 2021.

Classic Intercity swallow-liveried No.47828 lead the dining charter in both directions (which involved a double run round). The loco on the rear of the train was No.47614 (No.47853) which carries BR blue livery. The 1Z68 05:52 High Wycombe - Kingswear arrived into Taunton seven minutes ahead of schedule for a pathing stop at 10:14, and later returned as 1Z69 17:25 Kingswear - High Wycombe pausing briefly in Platform 4 19:17 to 19:20.

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Published on 27th August 2021

Network Rail are continuing their clearance of over thirty years of vegetation clearance and tree growth in the village of Creech St Michael.

The situation got the point in 2019 when Taunton Trains reported two trees which were touching train bodies as they passed through the village, work is now well underway to clear encroaching buddleia, bushes, and undergrowth, while specialist tree teams are working to remove large overhanging trees which would fowl both running lines if they ever fell. Specific areas have been taped off where wildlife has been found to be living to allow those species to migrate prior to cutting back.

We are pleased to report that the offending tree on the north side of the occupation bridge at Creech St Michael has been removed reducing the risk of the tree falling onto the track, the added bonus for enthusiasts is this now provides a much clearer view of passing trains from the safe overbridge location.

We have provided a selection of images to illustrate the differences from the same viewpoint over the past 30 years.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 27th August 2021

The Network Rail New Measurement Train (NMT) diagram operated in a revised pattern on Friday 27th August 2021.

Normally the test train will visit Penzance, Paignton, Taunton, Bristol, Taunton and London Paddington, however because of the current engineering work at Bristol Temple Meads the set operated a revised pattern only visiting Exeter. Both former LNER powercars No.43299 and No.43290 operated 1Q18 06:11 Reading Triangle Sidings - Exeter St Davids (passing Taunton at 07:27, 35 minutes ahead of schedule), the set returned north as 1Q43 08:37 Exeter St Davids - Derby RTC routed via London Paddington and Oxford. Due to early running the set was also held in Platform 4 at Taunton for 25 minutes, before departing right time at 09:46. The train was formed of Network Rail test coaches 975984 975814 977993 977994 977995.

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Published on 27th August 2021

Direct Rail Services (DRS) heavyweight Class 37 No.37716 operated light engine to Taunton on Friday 27th August 2021.

The Class 37 was sent to collect a YXA DR92656 wagon from Fairwater Yard and return it to Cardiff for maintenance. The loco operated as 0Y78 10:19 Cardiff Canton - Fairwater Yard arriving about 40 minutes ahead of schedule before collecting the single concrete sleeper wagon from Fairwater Yard and returning as 6Y68 13:07 Fairwater Yard - Cardiff Canton

From the records we currently hold it's thought to be the first time the loco has visited Taunton since 22-06-99 when it worked with 37042 on 6C21 14:50 Newport ADJ - St Blazey china clay flow.

To view the gallery, please click here.

Published on 21st August 2021

Both West Somerset Railway based Class 33 ‘Crompton’ locomotives Nos.D6566 (33048) and D6575 (33057) celebrated their 60th birthday on Saturday 21st August 2021.

The pair operated the 11:35 Bishops Lydeard – Dunster and 13:25 Dunster – Bishops Lydeard service in ‘top and tail’ formation. Both loco’s carried the number ‘60’ on the headcode blind, and the locomotive owner also cut a cake upon arrival at Dunster which was shared out with passengers on board. In addition to the Class 33 diesel diagram, DEPG ‘Hymek’ No.D7018 was also called into service at short notice to operate the 12:35 Bishops Lydeard – Dunster and 14:40 Dunster – Bishhops Lydeard service covering for the non availability of a serviceable steam locomotive.

The Southern Region of British Rail ordered 65 locomotives as part of the Kent Coast electrification scheme. The order went to Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company (BRCW) of Smethick, Birmingham. The scheme was designed to replace all steam locomotives in Kent. The first 65 were works numbers DEL 92-156, and were delivered 1960 and 1961. The order was soon increased to 98 locomotives, works numbers DEL 169-189 were the same as the first order, and delivered 1961 and 1962.

D6575 (No.33057) entered traffic in November 1961 built as BRCW works number DEL179. It was first allocated to Hither Green (73C) shed. In November of 1973 it was re-numbered to the British Rail TOPS numbering system as No.33057. In November 1985 it spent a time allocated to Stewarts Lane depot, before an overhaul in 1990 saw the loco allocated to Eastleigh. The loco gained the name ‘Seagull’ in September 1991, but only lasted until 1996 when fire damage saw the loco withdrawn from traffic. It spent the 9 years in storage owned by HNRC and moved between Strewarts Lane, Crewe, Barrow Hill, and was then sold to DRS who moved it to MOD Smalmstown. Amazingly in all these years spent in storage the loco was still fairly complete. It was sold in 2005 moving to the West Somerset Railway. The loco was originally purchased as a parts donor for resident No.33048, however after an inspection it was decided the loco was very much complete and the fire damage which had seen the loco taken out of traffic some 9 years previously was not as bad as BR had first thought. No.33057 has now spent 16 years in preservation under the care of Clive Burrows and the DEPG based at Williton, and has reached the grand age of 60 years old.

D6566 (No.33048) entered traffic in August 1961 built as BRCW works number DEL170. It was first allocated to Hither Green (73C) shed. In December of 197 is was re-numbered to No.33048. The loco stayed at Hither Green for most of its early life, before having an overhaul in April 1985 at Eastleigh, where upon completion was then reallocated to Stewarts Lane. The loco was an early casualty of the EWS locomotive upgrade program, and was taken out of traffic in 1997 where it was sold to Clive Burrows at the West Somerset Railway. No.33048 has spent 24 years on the West Somerset Railway and has been a popular member of the fleet, during its time on the line its carried multiple liveries and continues to see regular use.

Published on 9th August 2021

Monday 9th August 2021 proved to be very busy at Taunton with additional freight services operating in conjunction with the Bristol Temple Meads track remodelling project.

Hugh amounts of new track, points, sleepers and ballast have been transported to and from the site by rail. We have put together a selection of images from he morning period of trains arriving and departing from Taunton.

Published on 7th August 2021

With engineering work taking place to replace and remodel trackwork at Bristol Temple Meads rail regeneration, Cross Country services were diverted via Bath Spa and Westbury on Saturday 7th August 2021.

The diversion route allowed Cross Country to still operate their normal north / south routes, albeit via a slightly extended route. We have included two such images of diverted services taken at Oath.