Rewe to Cogload-03.08.79

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1979 > 15. West of England Bike Tour-29.07-04.08.79 > Rewe to Cogload-03.08.79

The penultimate day found me still in darkest Devon with a fair bit of riding to do. After a great night at my proper campsite in Rewe I set out to return to Cogload for the next night as I had an 'unofficial' visit to the box arranged. With a few stops on the way, I made it back to Cogload and set up camp behind the box again. As it transpired I need not have done so as I spent the whole night in the box 'assisting' the signalmen on duty!

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50048, 08.57 London Paddington-Paignton (1B38), Tiverton Junction station
On the return ride, I again called in at Tiverton Junction. With the rail connected oil terminal in the background, 50048 'Dauntless' takes the centre road with the 08.57 London Paddington to Paignton. However, I am not convinced, forty years on, that this is actually this working as I believe that this was not usually composed of Mk. II stock and fifty hauled. This station oozed GW character and I made a number of very enjoyable visits right up to and after it closed. Also, note the truncated siding to the far right with the embankment of the M5 motorway beyond it. This was the former Hemyock branch line that closed to passengers in September 1963 but stayed operational for access to the creamery until October 1975 with the construction of the M5 causing the line to be cut.
Keywords: 50048 08.57 London Paddington-Paignton 1B38 Tiverton Junction station

50023, 10.30 London Paddington-Penzance, Whiteball
Having surmounted Whitaball summit and exited the tunnel that is just out of sight around the corner, 50023 'Howe' opens up and gets the 10.30 Paddington to Penzance up to speed again and onwards towards Exeter. A couple of nights previously I camped wild in a field behind the trees to the right. Despite being withdrawn in 1990, it lingered on as a source of spares until being cut-up at Barrow Hill in 2004.
Keywords: 50023 10.30 London Paddington-Penzance Whiteball

50022, 11.25 Newquay London-Paddington, Silk Mill junction
Technically, not a very good photograph taken into the light, 50022 'Anson' brings, what I believe to be, the (Fo) 11.25 Newquay to London Paddington past Silk Mill's impressive up home bracket signals.
Keywords: 50022 11.25 Newquay London-Paddington Silk Mill junction

Smithy, Cogload signal box
Inside Cogload Signal Box on a very hot and humid summer afternoon. The signalman, Smithy, is seen posing in front of the levers and block instruments. He was a lovely chap and I spent a very pleasant few hours in the box even if he was rather preoccupied with the number of those tiny little black thunder flies that had invaded! After closure in 1985, the box was split in half and removed a few metres behind its location to the field in which I had camped. It spent a while there before being removed on low-loaders that navigated the canal towpath! It now resides at the Coleford Great Western Railway Museum in the Forest of Dean
Keywords: Smithy Cogload signal box

50013, unidentified down train, Cogload signal box
In the last vestiges of evening light, 50013 'Agincourt' swings off the direct London line via Westbury and joins the Bristol lines. It was heading an unidentified down working. It is somewhat strange that my records do not positively identify this working as it was taken from Cogload signal box and I had probably pulled the levers to give it the road myself! Notice the red colour light that marked the fringe of the Bristol Panel. This is the signal that I unintentionally caused to clear to green next morning causing quite a panic! I love the lighting in this photograph, typical of a warm summer's evening.
Keywords: 50013 unidentified down train Cogload signal box

Images 1-5 of 5 displayed.