Trainspotting 

Easter in South Devon...1955 (1)
 
 DAY 1: SATURDAY 9th APRIL: 
 
An early start from the Midlands in the Old Faithful Morris Minor, LNP 154, off down the A38, and by sunrise we had passed Bridgwater. Where shall we start, father asked?. Somewhere between Cogload and Taunton, I replied. And so it was at Creech St Michael that we began our Easter 1955 tour. We arrived at 7.05am, and here is what we saw in the next hour and a half or so.
 
  CREECH ST MICHAEL: 7.05am to 8.40am:  
 
DOWN LINE:
 
7.35am: 5060 Earl of Berkeley passed on West of England Mail
8.11am: 5503 called on 7.08am Yeovil-Taunton (3)
8.18am: 4088 Dartmouth Castle passed on 10.25pm Manchester-Penzance 
8.21am: 2881 passed on Empty "Ocean Liner Express" stock (8+v)
8.26am: 6995 Benthall Hall passed on West of England Parcels (13v)
8.39am: 6938 Corndean Hall called on 6.55am Bristol-Taunton (4+3m+v)
  
UP LINE:
  
7.10am: 6875 Hindford Grange called on 7.00am Taunton-Bristol (5)
7.15am: 4664 (0-6-0PT) passed on up Freight (slow line)
7.17am: 1362 (0-6-0ST) passed up Light Engine (main line)
8.00am: 6864 Dymock Grange passed on 7.50am Taunton-Paddington 
8.28am: An unidentified 93xx class 2-6-0 passed on up Freight (46+b)
 
We then drove on a few miles to Norton Fitzwarren for a half hour stay, then,  after stopping for a snack, continued to Tiverton Junction for a brief visit.
 
 
  NORTON FITZWARREN & TIVERTON JUNCTION 9.00am to 11.00am. 
  
DOWN LINE:
 
9.08am: 6800 Arlington Grange passed on Paddington-Newton Abbot Mail (12v)
 
UP LINE:
 
9.21am: 5323 passed on up Freight (43+b)
9.28am: 6009 King Charles II passed on 7.15am Plymouth-Paddington (10)
 
10.53am: 5053 Earl Cairns passed on The Devonian, Paignton-Bradford (11)
10.57am: 5571 departed (from Bay platform) on up Freight
 
  Exeter was to be our base, so we continued our drive down the A38, and decided to call at Cowley Bridge Junction, where we knew there was an overbridge, with good views in either direction. But there was somewhere that was even better. Father worked his charm, and we were in the signal box, where we stayed for a fascinating 2 hours. Here is what we saw:
 
  COWLEY BRIDGE JUNCTION: 11.45am to 1.50pm:  
 
DOWN LINE (Up Southern):
 
11.48am: 5994 Roydon Hall passed on down Freight
11.58am 31833 + 30710 passed on Plymouth/Cornwall portion of the "ACE" (6)
12.06pm: 4930 Hagley Hall passed on relief service to Paignton (10)
12.12pm: 34031 Torrington passed on Ilfracombe portion of the "ACE" (5)
12.17pm: 1468 passed on 11.10am Dulverton-Exeter (2) 
12.26pm: 4096 Highclere Castle passed on 7.30am Paddington-Paignton (12)
12.37pm: 34002 Salisbury passed on 11.00am Plymouth Friary-Brighton (10)
12.47pm: 2844 passed on down Freight (load 46+b)
12.59pm: 6029 King Edward VIII passed on 9.30am Paddington-Plymouth (9)
1.32pm: 6994 Baggrave Hall passed on 12.20pm Taunton-Exeter (4+2w)
1.43pm: 6026 King John passed on 10.30am "Cornish Riviera Express" (12)
 
UP LINE (Down Southern):
 
12.05pm: 5362 passed on 11.47am Exeter Central-Plymouth Friary (5+6v)
12.10pm: 4084 Aberystwyth Castle passed on 7.30am Penzance-Manchester (11)
12.21pm: 7761 (0-6-0PT) passed on up Pick-up Freight (1+b)
12.45pm: 5058 Earl of Clancarty passed on up "Torbay Express" (10)
12.55pm: 5075 Gladiator passed on 7.55am Penzance-Swansea (9)
1.01pm: 1449 passed on 12.54pm Exeter-Dulverton (2)
1.05pm: 6978 Haroldstone Hall passed on 1.00pm Exeter-Taunton (6)
1.07pm: 6343 passed up Light Engine
1.25pm: 34056 Croydon passed on 9.00am Waterloo-Plymouth Friary (4)
1.40pm: 34060 25 Squadron passed on 9.00am Waterloo-Barnstaple (3)
1.48pm: 6010 King Charles 1 passed on Up "Cornish Riviera Express" (12)
 
 
So at 1.50pm we said our farewell and thanks to the Cowley Bridge signalman and ten minutes later were standing on Exeter St Davids station.
 
  EXETER ST DAVIDS: 2.00pm to 2.40pm:  
 
DOWN LINE (Up Southern):
 
2.07pm: 34062 17 Squadron called on 11.35am Plymouth Friary-Waterloo (5)
2.12pm: 5024 Tiverton Castle called on Down "Cornishman" (12)
2.20pm: 34029 Lundy called on 12.20pm Ilfracombe-Waterloo (5)
2.24pm: 7000 Viscount Portal called on Wolverhampton-Paignton relief (8)
 
UP LINE (Down Southern):
 
2.06pm: 5078 Beaufort arrived on Kingswear portion of up "Cornishman" (4)
2.14pm: 5934 Kneller Hall arrived on Penzance portion of up "Cornishman" (6)
2.21pm: 34033 Chard called on 11.00am Waterloo-Ilfracombe "ACE" (5)
2.26pm: 5078 Beaufort left on up "Cornishman" (10)
2.30pm: 34032 Camelford called on 11.00am Waterloo-Plymouth/Cornwall "ACE" (7)
2.36pm: 5060 Earl of Berkeley called on 1.10pm Plymouth-Liverpool (5+2v)
 
Other locomotives seen at Exeter St Davids were 5003 Lulworth Castle, 7027 Thornbury Castle, 5976 Ashwicke Hall, and 0-6-0PT's nos 9629 and 9765.
 
1015 County of Gloucester was seen passing Starcross at 3.01pm on the 1.50pm Kingswear-Paddington (TC) (5)
 
Our next port of call was Newton Abbot, and after obtaining permission from the Shed Foreman, we did a tour of the Loco Shed
 
  NEWTON ABBOT M.P.D (83A)  
 
Britannia class 4-6-2 nos 70022 Tornado and 70024 Vulcan. 
King class 4-6-0 no 6022 King Edward III.
Castle class 4-6-0 nos 5019 Treago Castle, 5024 Carew Castle, 5028 Llantilio Castle, 5038 Morlais Castle, 5059 Earl St Aldwyn, 5071 Spitfire, 5098 Clifford Castle.
County class 4-6-0 no 1010 County of Caernarvon.
Hall/Modified Hall class 4-6-0 nos 4930 Hagley Hall, 6933 Birtles Hall, 7905 Fowey Hall.
Grange class 4-6-0 nos 6822 Manton Grange, 6827 Llanfrechfa Grange, 6836 Estevarney Grange.
Manor class 4-6-0 nos 7806 Cockington Manor, 7812 Erlestoke Manor.
28xx class 2-8-0 nos 2809, 2844.
22xx class 0-6-0 no 2208.
51xx class 2-6-2T nos 4145, 5103, 5113, 5196.
45xx class 2-6-2T nos 4583, 5557.
44xx class 2-6-2T nos 4405, 4406.
Std 82xxx 2-6-2T nos 82009, 82033.
14xx class 0-4-2T nos 1439, 1470.
2 x 57xx 0-6-0PT, 1 x 94xx 0-6-0PT, 1 x 16xx 0-6-0PT, 1 x 74xx 0-6-0PT.
 
Total 39 locos
  
In the LOCOMOTIVE WORKS were:
 
Hall class 4-6-0 no 6940 Didlington Hall
43xx class 2-6-0 no 6319
31xx class 2-6-2T no 3186
4 x 45xx 2-6-2T
3 x 0-6-0PT
 
34030 Watersmeet arrived at NEWTON ABBOT STATION on the 3.15pm ex Plymouth. 
 
So back to Exeter to find a "Bed and Breakfast", and then a late afternoon meal. So what next?.  A return to Cowley Bridge Junction where we found another obliging signalman.
 
  COWLEY BRIDGE JUNCTION: 5.45pm to 7.30pm: 
 
DOWN LINE (Up Southern):
 
5.45pm: 82018 passed on Crediton-Exeter Milk (3m)
5.58pm: 5967 Bickmarsh Hall passed on Bradford-Paignton relief (10)
6.18pm: 30709 passed on Freight from Torrington (27+b)
6.29pm: 4098 Kidwelly Castle passed on "Devonian" (Bradford-Paignton) (12)
6.33pm: 1449 passed on 5.25pm Dulverton-Exeter (2)
6.42pm: 2845 passed on down Freight (29)
6.50pm: 6027 King Richard I passed on 3.30pm Paddington-Penzance (10)
6.53pm: 34060 25 Squadron passed on 4.48pm Ilfracombe-Exeter Central (3+2v)
7.10pm: 5362 passed on 4.40pm Plymouth Friary-Eastleigh (4+3v)
7.27pm: 31813 passed on Up Empty Stock
 
UP LINE (Down Southern):
 
5.50pm: 6021 King Richard II passed on 1.20pm Penzance-Paddington (10+2v)
6.02pm: 1429 passed on 5.55pm Exeter-Dulverton (2)
6.06pm: 31845 passed on 5.52pm Exeter Central-Okehampton (4+1m)
6.15pm: 6387 passed on 5.15pm Newton Abbot-Taunton (6+v)
6.36pm: 5021 Whittington Castle passed on 12.20pm Penzance Milk (11m)
6.46pm: 34051 Winston Churchill passed on down Empty stock (8)
6.49pm: 5019 Treago Castle passed on up Empty stock (10)
6.57pm: 75025 passed on 3.00pm Waterloo-Plymouth Friary (5)
7.07pm: 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair passed on 3.00pm Waterloo-Ilfracombe (5)
 
And at 7.30pm, our day, which had started at 3.00am, concluded.