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Trainspotting |
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Easter in South Devon...1955 (2) |
| DAY 2: SUNDAY 10th APRIL 1955: | ||
| We had decided that
Sunday would be a more leisurely day. In any case the main lines would
not be busy. An ideal day for a shed visit, and where better than
Exmouth Junction, which in the mid 1950's had an allocation of around
120 locomotives. But first we had a mid morning drive eastwards to
explore a few of the Southern stations. We called at Whimple, Sidmouth
Junction, Honiton, and also one or two lineside locations. Then in the
early afternoon we made our way to Exmouth Junction shed (72A), obtained
the ok from the Foreman, and had a leisurely walk round.
The details of what we saw during the morning, and what was on 72A shed in the afternoon, are shown below. |
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| WHIMPLE, SIDMOUTH JUNCTION, and HONITON: | ||
| 34027 Taw Valley called at Whimple 11.18am on the 11.00am Exeter-Yeovil (3+v) | ||
| 30823 (S15 4-6-0) called at Whimple 11.41am on the 10.16am Yeovil Jc-Exeter (5+3v) | ||
| 82025 left Sidmouth Junction 11.50am on a Sidmouth branch service. | ||
| 35001 Channel Packet passed Honiton 12.22pm on the 10.00am Plymouth-Waterloo (12) | ||
| 34003 Plymouth arrived Honiton 1.11pm on the 12.42pm from Exeter Central (2) | ||
| EXMOUTH JUNCTION SHED...72A | ||
| MERCHANT NAVY CLASS 4-6-2: | |||
| 35003 Royal Mail | 35004 Cunard White Star | ||
| 35013 Blue Star (70A) | 35015 Rotterdam Lloyd (70A) | ||
| 35023 Holland-Africa Line | 35024 East Asiatic Company | ||
| 35029 Ellerman Lines (73A) | |||
| WEST COUNTRY/BATTLE OF BRITAIN 4-6-2: | |||
| 34002 Salisbury | 34013 Okehampton | ||
| 34014 Budleigh Salterton | 34015 Exmouth | ||
| 34016 Bodmin | 34023 Blackmore Vale | ||
| 34024 Tamar Valley | 34025 Whimple | ||
| 34026 Yes Tor | 34028 Eddystone | ||
| 34033 Chard | 34034 Honiton | ||
| 34049 Anti-Aircraft Command (72B) | 34050 Royal Observer Corps (72B) | ||
| 34051 Winston Churchill (72B) | 34055 Fighter Pilot (72B) | ||
| 34057 Biggin Hill | 34058 Sir Frederick Pyle | ||
| 34060 25 Squadron | 34061 73 Squadron | ||
| 34069 Hawkinge (73A) | |||
| CLASS S15 4-6-0: 30823, 30832, 30841, 30842, 30843, 30844, 30845. | ||
| CLASS H15 4-6-0: 30331, 30332. | ||
| CLASS N 2-6-0: 31831, 31833, 31834, 31835, 31836, 31837, 31843, 31844, 31846, 31847. | ||
| CLASS T9 4-4-0: 30709, 30711, 30712, 30715. | ||
| CLASS 700 0-6-0: 30691, 30315 (both Snow-plough fitted) | ||
| CLASS 0395 0-6-0: 30564 (Snow-plough fitted) | ||
| CLASS Z 0-8-0T: 30954 (Collision damage) | ||
| CLASS E1/R 0-6-2T: 32124, 32135, 32695, 32697. | ||
| CLASS 0415 4-4-2T: 30582, 30584. | ||
| CLASS M7 0-4-4T: 30021, 30024, 30025, 30045, 30323, 30374, 30667, 30668, 30669, 30671, 30676. | ||
| CLASS 02 0-4-4T: 30199, 30232. | ||
| CLASS 82xxx BR 2-6-2T: 82011, 82017, 82018, 82023. | ||
| Notes: 35029 and 34069 were Stewarts Lane (73A) locos, unusual in the west. 35024 and 34024 were in the Repair Shops: 34050 and 30954 had suffered collision damage. 78 locos in total were on shed. | ||
| DAY 3: MONDAY 10th APRIL: | ||
| The plan for Monday was the "Atlantic Coast Express", leaving Exeter Central at 12.30pm, up to Salisbury, then back on the 2.43pm service, the 1.00pm from Waterloo, due back in Exeter at 4.41pm. Plus whatever else could be squeezed in, spotting wise. So we started the day with yet another spell at Cowley Bridge, and later, spent a very pleasant evening at Powderham and Starcross. Another unforgettable day. | ||
| COWLEY BRIDGE: EXETER CENTRAL: SALISBURY and return | ||
| 34021 Dartmoor passed Cowley Bridge 10.11am on 8.15am Plymouth-Waterloo | ||
| 6010 King Charles I passed Cowley Bridge11.31am on the 7.30am Truro-Paddington | ||
| 34014 Budleigh Salterton passed Cowley 11.41am on the 8.08am Salisbury-Ilfracombe | ||
| 1449 passed Cowley Bridge11.44am on the 11.40am Exeter-Dulverton | ||
| 4970 Sketty Hall passed Cowley 11.46am on a down Paignton additional service | ||
| 34032 Camelford arrived Exeter Central 12.12pm on the 9.50am Plymouth-Waterloo | ||
| 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair arrived Exeter Central 12.24pm on the 10.30am Ilfracombe | ||
| 35023 Holland-Afrika Line departed Exeter Central 12.30pm on the up "ACE" (12) | ||
| 30453 King Arthur seen near Sherborne on 12.36pm Salisbury-Exeter Central | ||
| 34045 Ottery St Mary, 34054 Lord Beaverbrook, 34056 Croydon were on Salisbury shed | ||
| 30857 Lord Howe (ex 10.54am Waterloo) and 32332 Stroudley were on Salisbury shed | ||
| 35023 Holland-Afrika Line departed Salisbury, load now 13, on the "ACE" at 2.16pm | ||
| 34055 Fighter Pilot arrived Salisbury 2.19pm on the 11.54am ex Waterloo (5) | ||
| 34030 Watersmeet arrived Salisbury 2.47pm on the 11.00am Plymouth-Brighton (11) | ||
| 34003 Plymouth worked the Plymouth portion of the 1.00pm Waterloo, from Exeter | ||
| 34004 Yeovil worked the Ilfracombe portion of the 1.00pm Waterloo, from Exeter | ||
| 31790 departed Exeter Central 4.44pm on the retimed 4.35pm to Salisbury (7+2v) | ||
| 30044 (M7 0-4-4T) departed Exeter Central 4.47pm on the 4.45pm to Exmouth (5) | ||
| 75025 arrived Exeter Central 5.11pm on the 2.23pm from Plymouth Friary (4+3v) | ||
| 32124 (E1/R 0-6-2T) was seen on Exeter Central banking duties. |
| The run on 35023 from
Exeter Central to Salisbury gave me several "80 plus" speeds,
83 below Seaton Junction, 89 at Crewkerne, and 83 at Yeovil Junction.
The loco was eased after Sherborne, but arrived punctually at Salisbury,
despite a severe signal check on the approach. Easily my most exciting
run to date. [view
log of 35023]
The return journey was on English Electric diesel no 10000 which at the time was a great dissapointment. Looking back now, I suppose I should be thankful that I did get one run with these unique locomotives. The journey itself was unremarkable. The 10 coach load was reduced to 8 at Templecombe, and we kept time comfortably. [view log of 10000] |
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| The day finished with a drive from Exeter down to Powderham, where we spent a pleasant hour and a half or so on the sea wall between Powderham and Starcross harbour. | ||
| STARCROSS: 5.40pm to 7.20pm | ||
| 5.44pm (Up) 6385 passed on the 5.15pm Newton Abbot-Taunton | ||
| 5.47pm (Down) 7316 passed on the 5.30pm Exeter-Newton Abbot | ||
| 6.00pm (Up) 6912 Helmster Hall passed on a Kensington Milk train | ||
| 6.10pm (Down) 34032 Camelford passed on the 4.30pm Taunton-Newton Abbot | ||
| 6.20pm (Up) 34062 17 Squadron passed on the 4.32pm Plymouth-Exeter | ||
| 6.30pm (Down) 7000 Viscount Portal passed on the Bradford-Paignton "Devonian" (11) | ||
| 6.41pm (Up) 2897 passed on a Parcels train (15v) | ||
| 7.03pm (Up) 5041 Tiverton Castle passed on the 6.30pm Newton Abbot-Exeter (5) | ||
| 7.16pm (Down) 6009 King Charles II passed on the 3.30pm Paddington-Penzance..19 late |
| So our third day, Easter Monday, came to a close. But not quite. Father was a keen Radio Ham, and had a RSGB (Radio Society of Great Britain) contact at Exminster, a "Ted Bright", whom he had regularly communicated with, but had never met. So we called in, and got an excellent welcome. Now Ted had two daughters, one of whom was "Hazel". She was 18 and a nurse at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. She was also blonde and a real "looker". A few months later, in July 1955, we were back in South Devon for our 2 week summer holiday, just up the road at Dawlish Warren. And Hazel appeared quite regularly. If only I had been a couple of years older !! |
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