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Colas Rail Freight also operated a Sunday afternoon freight train through Taunton on the 18th August. The long welded rail train was returning from an overnight rail drop in Cornwall. Class 70/8 No.70807 rounds the curve at Cogload Farm while working the 6C97 08:20 Camborne to Westbury. At this point the train was running around 80 minutes ahead of schedule. (Photo: Simon Harling) |
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Following the failure of the Friday night up 'Nigh Riviera' service to London GWR operated an empty stock movement. Class 57/6 No.57604 operated the 5C99 08:50 Laira to Paddington with dead classmate No.57603 on the rear. Following the Friday night failure, No. 57604 had been attached to the rear of the down sleeper to Penzance to provide rescue and on Saturday as far as Laira, and continuing the move to London on the 18th. No. 57604 is seen emerging from the morning mist at Cogload. (Photo: Brian Garrett) |
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Great news for photographers! Network Rail have carried out extensive vegetation clearance on the bridge parapets on the popular bridge at Charlton/ Cogload. Trees have been reduced to saw off trunks and large amounts of vegitation cleared, some coping/ edging stones have also been repaired on the bridge itself. The shot taken on the 18th December shows the previously lost view from the 'up' side of the bridge. This view from the top of the bridge is also much improved and now provides a previously lost shot. Building Greater West liveried HST No.43144 passes Cogload while working the 1A78 08:40 Plymouth - Paddington service. (Photo: Brian Garrett) |
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Saturday 17th December saw some Winter Steam to end the season. 'The Cathedrals Express was operated from London Victoria to Bishops Lydeard (for Minehead) by BR (Southern Region) Rebuilt Light Pacific No.34046 'Braunton' (running as 34052 'Lord Dowding') sweeps through Cogload Junction at speed en route to The West Somerset Railway. At Bishops Lydeard the locomotive was removed for servicing while the WSR's own GWR Hall took the train forward to Minehead. (Photo: S A Ginn) |
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Colas Rail Freight Class 70/8 No.70805 is seen heading north through Taunton Platform 5 at 14:14 on the Moorswater cement empties on the 15th December 2016. The 6C36 10:09 Moorswater to Aberthaw was hauling PCA wagons: 10989 11054 11131 10671 11121 10999 10683 11063 11004 10673 10690 10698 10668 10692 10686 10689 10674 10667 11044 11128 11068 10669 11135 10696. This is now the third week of the new Moorswater cement operation. The working has settled down running to Cornwall on Wednesday and returning on Thursday , the booked paths are now: 6C35 02:50 Aberthaw to Moorswater, booked Taunton 06:47 & 6C36 10:09 Moorswater to Aberthaw, booked Taunton 15:02. It should be noted that these workings have been passing Taunton earlier than the booked times. (Photo: Nathan Williamson) |
| The Network Rail base at Taunton's Fairwater Yard is often used as a base for both the Network Rail HOBC set and TRT (TRS) sets. For many years the yard was a hive of activity while Network Rail renewed vast amounts of track and ballast in the South West. The familiar yellow wagons hauled by Freightliner Heavy Haul locomotives were a regular sight in the area. Network Rail has recently released a new Youtube video giving the most in depth look at how their machinery and renewal systems work. With much of the work taking place at night, it's not something the general public would generally get to witness, this new video gives a great insight into the amazing amount of effort which goes into keeping the trains operating on the rails of the UK. (Video: Network Rail) |
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The second run of the Moorswater Cement on the 8th December was in a little bit more visible light that the first. Class 70/8 No.70805 was the second locomotive to appear on the new Moorswater flow. The 6C36 Moorswater - Aberthaw empties are seen climbing the Devon side of Whiteball. (Photo: Simon Harling) |
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Wednesday 1st December wasn't the best of days to witness the inaugural run of the Moorswater – Aberthaw cement – a flow that has returned to Cornwall after a lapse of several years of absence. With a lot of the local area swathed in a blanket of thick freezing fog. Colas Rail Freight now operate this new flow having taken over from the previous hauliers Freightliner Heavy Haul. Class 70 No.70808 operated the first return train from Cornwall seen here passing a foggy Norton Fitzwarren. (Photo: Quentin Hawkes) |
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Also operating on the 1st December was Colas Rail Freight's other current south west flow (on behalf of DB Cargo). Class 70 No.70809 is seen climbing Whiteball with the 7C28 Exeter Riverside - Westbury stone empties, in a rare pocket of winter sunlight. (Photo: Quentin Hawkes) |
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