10. The Western Ambassador Railtour-29.04.78

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1978 > 10. The Western Ambassador Railtour-29.04.78

A trip to the Torbay and South Devon Railway in order to see some Westerns in action. This was associated with The Western Ambassador railtour that brought hundreds of enthusiasts down from London to sample some Class 52 haulage. I went down with my teacher from school, Mr. Brush and two friends from school, Richard Staynings and Guy Vincent. As Mr. Brush did not drive, his wife drove us down in their Vauxhall Cresta.

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Images 1-18 of 18 displayed.

D1010 & 08032 or 08033, stored & stabled, Merehead Quarry
On our way down to Devon we stopped off at Merehead Quarry in Somerset. The gates were open so we wandered down into the yard and found D1010 'Western Campaigner' stored. Behind it is one of the two (at the time) resident shunters 08032 or 08033. D1010 had been bought by the Foster Yeoman company with plans to restore it and rename it 'Western Yeoman'. These plans did not come to fruition with the Western eventually passing to the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group who restored it. It now resides at the West Somerset Railway.
Keywords: D1010 08032 08033 stored stabled Merehead Quarry

D1010, stored, Merehead Quarry
D1010 'Western Campaigner' is seen stored at the Merehead Torr Works quarry. Foster Yeoman bought the loco. from BR on its withdrawal a year earlier in 1977. The intention was to restore it and rename it 'Western Yeoman'. The DEPG took responsibility after a couple of years and completed a full restoration. Its Maybach music can be enjoyed today on the West Somerset railway.
Keywords: D1010 Merehead Quarry

46021, unidentified down working, Exeter St
This is the only picture that I have a train passing Exeter St. David's on the centre relief line. It was pretty rare for trains not to stop at St. David's and to capture an express on an unidentified down working was an achievement for me! The picture is taken from a position on the station footbridge. Notice how quiet the platforms are, how often would St. David's look like this on a Saturday morning now?
Keywords: 46021 down working Exeter St.Davids station

D1013, 13.45 Kingswear-Paignton, Churston station
We arrived at Churston station approximately midway along the length of the Torbay and Devon Railway (as it was called then) just in time to see D1013 'Western Ranger' arrive with the 13.45 Kingswear to Paignton service. The train is seen from the A3022 road bridge, a view today that is not possible because of expansion around the station environs. In the background are the buildings of Churston Ferrers Grammar School.
Keywords: D1013 13.45 Kingswear-Paignton Churston station

D1013, 13.45 Kingswear-Paignton, Churston station
D1013 'Western Ranger' waits at Churston with the 13.45 Kingswear to Paignton. My spotting companion, Guy Vincent, is seen holding his cassette recorder up to capture the sounds of the Maybach engine but the member of staff looks as through he is going to challenge Guy with regard to his position on the station ramp! This was the last day of operation on the Torbay and Devon Railway before D1013 moved to its new home on the Severn Valley where it has resided ever since.
Keywords: D1013 13.45 Kingswear-Paignton Churston station

D1013, 14.30 Paignton-Kingswear, Broadsands Viaduct SX893574
D1013 'Western Ranger' works hard on the gradient from virtually sea-level at Goodrington to this point where it crosses Broadsands Viaduct just before Churston. It was a shame that it was such a dull day for our visit to Devon to see the two resident Westerns in action on what was to be their final day in service on the line.
Keywords: D1013 14.30 Paignton-Kingswear Broadsands Viaduct SX893574

D1013, 14.30 Paignton-Kingswear, Broadsands SX893574
A going-away shot of D1013 'Western Ranger' taking the 14.30 Paignton to Kingswear past Broadsands near to Churston in south Devon. The red nameplates, unique to D1013, enhance the looks of this fine looking locomotive complete with its white lined wheels.
Keywords: D1013 14.30 Paignton-Kingswear Broadsands SX893574

D1013, stabled, Kingswear station
D1013 'Western Ranger' rests at Kingswear station having worked a return train to Paignton with D1062 'Western Courier' having taken over. Just look at the line of fine 60s and 70s cars lined up in the car park, close examination reveals not a foreign interloper almost them!
Keywords: D1013 stabled Kingswear station

D1013, stabled, Kingswear station (courtesy David Brush)
A second shot of D1013 'Western Ranger' stabled between duties at Kingswear station on the Torbay and Devon railway (as it was known then). This picture is a scan from a print given to me by my teacher who organised the trip to Devon for three of us lads!
Keywords: D1013 Kingswear station

D1062, 16.00 Paignton-Kingswear, Kingswear station
D1062 'Western Courier' looks resplendent in its maroon livery with small yellow ends as it arrives at Kingswear station with the 16.00 from Paignton. There were significant numbers of visitors at the Western event on the Torbay and Devon Railway largely to do with the fact that the event was in collaboration with the RPPR's 'Western Ambassador Railtour' from Paddington that brought a significant number of enthusiasts. This section of the car park has some foreign imports darkening the scene! A Peugeot 604 saloon, a Simca, a lovely green Citroen Dyane and an Opel Manta.
Keywords: D1062 16.00 Paignton-Kingswear Kingswear station

D1062, 16.00 Paignton-Kingswear, Goodrington Sands station
Taken from the leading coach behind D1062 'Western Courier' as it leaves Goodrington sands station with the 16.00 Paignton to Kingswear. I seem to remember that the driver really opened up D1062 as it left preparing for the sharp climb up to Churston station. It could only be the 70s; look at the flares and collar!
Keywords: D1062 16.00 Paignton-Kingswear Goodrington Sands station

D1062, 16.00 Paignton-Kingswear, Churston station
There were huge crowds at Chuston station, mostly behind me! Even though I'm near the front, one of my companions, Richard Staynings, has still managed to get himself into the shot to the right! We had just alighted from this train, the 16.00 Paignton to Kingswear, to take a picture and then headed on to its destination.
Keywords: D1062 16.00 Paignton-Kingswear Churston station

Numberplate, D1062, Churston station
Not a very good shot due to initial poor exposure but one that I have resurrected using some extensive Photoshop work! It shows the numberplate of D1062 'Western Courier' standing at Churston station heading the 16.00 Paignton to Kingswear train.
Keywords: Numberplate D1062 Churston station

D1013 & D1062, running round, Kingswear station
Having arrived at Kingswear on the train in the distance, I sprinted to the position that I am in in order to capture the final working of the day. In a view looking back towards the station D1013 'Western Ranger' and D1062 'Western Courier' are seen running round with a distinct trail of smoke from D1013's Maybach engines.
Keywords: D1013 D1062 running round Kingswear station

D1013, running round, Kingswear SX884514
D1013 'Western Ranger' is seen running round at Kingswear in order to get access to its next train, the final return working to Paignton. The Dart estuary is just behind the loco. and the hut to the left.
Keywords: D1013 running round Kingswear SX884514

D1013, 16.45 Kingswear-Paington, KIngswear SX884514
D1013 'Western Ranger' brings the 16.45 Kingswear to Paingnton out of Kingswear that can be seen in the background. To take this picture I surmounted a small concrete hut using all my Spiderman techniques, needless to say I was the only person there!
Keywords: D1013, 16.45 Kingswear-Paington, KIngswear SX884514

D1013, 16.45 Kingswear-Paington, KIngswear SX884514
D1013 'Western Ranger' brings the curtain down working the final train from Kingswear to Paignton service of the day and of its stay at the Torbay and Devon Railway. Along with D1062, both locomotives were to leave the railway and move to a new home on the Severn Valley. Here, the train is seen leaving Kingswear from a position atop a small concrete hut just outside of the station with the Dart Estuary in the background.
Keywords: D1013 16.45 Kingswear-Paington KIngswear SX884514

45016, unidentified up working, Paignton station
Taken from the footbridge just outside of Paignton station, 45016 leaves with an unidentified up working. This spot can still be used to take pictures and is very similar. That is off course except that the shops have changed and the semaphores have long-gone. Notice the enthusiast leaning on the barriers holding up his microphone to capture the sounds of the departing Peak on his cassette recorder that he's holding in his other hand.
Keywords: 45016 unidentified up working Paignton station

Images 1-18 of 18 displayed.