Totnes Riverside to Buckfastleigh

We took a trip up the valley on the South Devon Railway behind the ex-GWR 0-6-0 panier tank No. 6412. The journey is through a tranquil sylvan landscape with shafts of sunlight intermittently piercing the canopy of trees on the river bank. The peace is only broken by the steady beat and exhaust from the locomotive as it pulls its string of Mark 1 coaches up the slope at a suitably sedate pace. This is attractive rural England at its best. The branch line is so typical of its type, serving occasional country towns and connecting them to the nearest main line. When we first came here, trains ran in to the main line station, but the potential bottleneck on the up track at the rail bridge over the Dart immediately to the east meant Riverside became the necessary start point for the heritage line, so that workings did not encroach on main line operations. That’s fine, as it’s only a short walk between the two, and the replacement terminus is itself a delightfully re-constructed period piece. Near Staverton, we passed 4500 Class 2-6-2 tank No. 5526 on a freight working that included brake van experience opportunities.

    

Mayflower viewed from Dartmouth

B1 Class No. 61306 Mayflower visited Kingswear on Saturday 17^th August, heading a special train from Bournemouth. Viewed from across the Dart estuary on the promenade at Dartmouth, the aperitif was provided by Manor Class No. 7827 Cookham Manor.

Tornado

We were lucky enough to find Class A1 No. 60163 Tornado being prepared for action outside Loughborough sheds yesterday after a long time out of service. It is expected that she will be running on the GCR this weekend.

Churnet Revisited

We had a nice day out yesterday on the Churnet Valley Railway in the Staffordshire moorlands, with morning and afternoon return trips from Froghall station, before finishing off with a cup of tea in the attractively presented buffet. The nameplate of Coronation Pacific No 46254 City of Stoke on Trent, high up on the wall, was a great reminder of an engine we saw many times at Crewe in our train spotting days.

The USA Class S160 is a distinctive steam loco, but not a type that we came into contact with in our youth. She did a good job on the sustained uphill sections at the top of the line, warranting her choice as the regular go-to motive power class used by the railway.

Thanks are due to Debbie in the office, for helping us to rearrange our visit, and to Richard on the platform, who obliged by taking our group photo in the café and for providing helpful directions during the day.

Black Five to Par

On Sunday 18^th August, Stanier Class Five No. 44871, sporting Scottish style number plate and a matching 65J Stirling shed plate, headed the Railway Touring Company special over the Devon banks to Par. She is seen here blasting through Totnes station in fine style as she approaches the climb to Rattery.

Railart 2024

The Guild of Railway Artists' annual Railart exhibition is open daily from 10.00 until 4.00 until the 29th September. The location is the upstairs room above the railway museum at the Severn Valley Railway's Kidderminster station. The former grain store provides a spacious viewing space where each painting is individually lit from above by the bespoke system provided for the event. This year there are 42 paintings by 21 guild members on display, rather less than in some previous years, though the standard remains high and the subjects varied. Though photorealist paintings of the age of steam continue to predominate, led by the work of Guild fellows, John Austin, Malcolm Root and Philip D Hawkins, the more impressionist charcoal images from Emma Safe provide an interesting diversion. 

  

Yesterday at Nuneaton

 I spent a few hours on the platforms at Nuneaton yesterday and took some photos.