19. Frome-29.09.79

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1979 > 19. Frome-29.09.79
I enjoyed a superb late summer day at Frome enjoying what seems like endless class 50 workings on west of England express services. I rode to Frome on my bike and back again.
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Images 1-12 of 12 displayed.

50042, 07.30 London Paddington-Penzance (1B24), Clink Road Junction With this slightly misty and soft morning light, it can only autumn! 50042 'Triumph' heads west with the 07.30 1B24 Paddington to Penzance. The train is seen passing Clink Road Junction signal box with the pointwork for the actual junction to the left of the image. Whilst the junction that takes the line into Frome is still very much in use, this spot is totally unrecognisable today with everything, including the typical GWR stone bridge, having been swept away with the box succumbing in October 1984. Keywords: 50042 07.30 London Paddington-Penzance 1B24 Clink Road Junction
50001, 07.50 Paignton-London Paddington (1A07), Clink Road Junction No doubt the interior of the Type 28B Clink Road Junction signal box will be rattling as 50001 'Dreadnought' passes at line speed leading the 07.50 Paignton to Paddington express. The box was opened relatively late in 1933 when the Frome avoiding line (or cut off as we colloquially referred to it) was constructed. The Frome line can be seen to the rear of the train curving off to the right that had, by this stage, been singled. Some thirty five yers later, the scene is virtually unrecognisable thanks to total lack of management of the lineside environment. In fact, the only thing still to provide any reference are the railings leading down to the signal box and the high tension wire pylons, see...... https://www.ontheupfast.com/v/photos/21936chg/28469035804/x59203-11-35-merehead-quarry-wootton Keywords: 50001 07.50 Paignton-London Paddington 1A07 Clink Road Junction
50039, 08.30 London Paddington-Paignton (1B34), Clink Road Junction 50039 'Implacable' approaches Clink Road Junction from the east powering the 08.30 Paddington to Paignton service. The train is about to pass Clink's down main and down Frome bracket signals. The cut-off (main) line post is taller as the more important route. The whole structure is late GWR/British Railways tubular steel construction painted in WR silver. The distant is motor operated. Keywords: 50039 08.30 London Paddington-Paignton 1B34 Clink Road Junction
50 022, 06.15 Penzance-London Paddington (1A15), Berkely Down ST793483 50022 'Anson' passes Berkely Down on the outskirts of Frome with the 06.15 Penzance to Paddington. I am standing in the interior angle of the mainline that the train is on and the route into Frome that is curving off to the right behind me. 50022 is looking rather works-stained, as many members of the class did at this time prior to their refurbishment. It was the eleventh 50 to enter Doncaster in May 1980 taking seven months before emerging looking somewhat different to how it does here! Keywords: 50 022 06.15 Penzance-London Paddington 1A15 Berkely Down ST793483
50013, 09.30 London Paddington-Penzance (1B44), Clink Road Junction ST794483 50013 'Agincourt' rushes westwards leading the 1B44 0930 Paddington to Penzance. It has just passed Clink Road junction at Frome, the up home of which can be seen to the left. Agincourt was to enter Doncaster works some four months after this picture was taken and to emerge six months later in June 1980. After another eight years in-service it was scrapped at Old Oak Common in June 1988. Keywords: 50013 09.30 London Paddington-Penzance 1B44 Clink Road Junction ST794483
50015, 10.05 Paignton-London Paddington (1A43), Blatchbidge Junction Taken from a foot crossing at Blatchbridge Junction located to the south of Frome where the cut-off and Frome station lines come together again. 50015 'Valiant' passes the signal box, the roof of which can be seen above the locomotive, leading the 10.05 Paignton to Paddington express. By an incredible coincidence, I visited this same spot thirty six years later in 2015 on exactly the same day and photographed the 11.30 Paignton to Paddington HST at an almost identical angle, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/29207532004/x43093-11-30-paignton-london-paddington Keywords: 50015, 10.05 Paignton-London Paddington (1A43), Blatchbidge Junction
50007, 10.23 London Paddington-Paignton, Blatchbridge Junction A view that is totally impossible now due to rampant tree growth and the construction of the A361 Frome by-pass that runs parallel to the line in the field to the right. 50017 'Royal Oak' passes Blatchbidge Junction's down-home signal leading the 10.23 Paddington to Paignton train composed of a long rake of Mk. I stock. I know that the telegraph pole has split the locomotive in half but as it's a long-vanished feature of the railways I forgive myself for the photographic faux pas! Keywords: 50007 10.23 London Paddington-Paignton, Blatchbridge Junction
50009, 09.50 Plymouth-London Paddington (1A59), Blatchbridge Junction In a scene that can only be taken in early autumn, 50009 'Conqueror' is about to rattle the timbers of Blatchbridge Junction signal box that is to my right. It is leading the 09.50 1A59 Plymouth to Paddington composed of Mk. II air-conditioned stock with the customary Mlk. I BG marshalled behind the locomotive. Notice the dead elm tree above 50009, just one of the thousands that had succumbed to Dutch elm disease. Keywords: 50009 09.50 Plymouth-London Paddington 1A59 Blatchbridge Junction
50005, 12.23 London Paddington-Paignton (1B74), Blatchbridge Junction The 1938 built 28-lever type 28B Blatchbridge signal box was of all timber construction and in a pretty remote spot to the south of Frome. The line into the town, that emerged on to the mainline again at Clink Road Junction, curved away to the left behind the fourth coach of the train in this image. Note that the box still retains its GWR cast sign, however, in a shot taken just over a year later this had been replaced by a BR corporate sign, I wonder where it ended up? 50005 'Collingwood' heads westwards leading the 12.23 Paddington to Paignton 1B74 train. At the time of writing in 2019, this train is now worked by a class 800 IET. Keywords: 50005 12.23 London Paddington-Paignton 1B74 Blatchbridge Junction
47478, 12.30 London Paddington-Paignton (1B76) & 47119, up Foster Yoeman stone train, Blatchbridge Junction Taken from the B3092 road bridge south out of Frome 47478 is seen leading the 12.30 Paddington to Paignton. I was probably disappointed to see a class 47 on this working hoping for a class 50. It has just passed an up Foster Yoeman stone train, complete with its customary trail of dust, that was headed by 47119. The down-home signal for Blatchbridge Junction is seen on the wrong side of the line for sighting purposes due to the sharp left-hand curve. At this time, both 47s were Western Region based, the former at Old Oak Common and the latter at Cardiff Canton, neither of are with us today, Keywords: 47478 12.30 London Paddington-Paignton 1B76 47119 up Foster Yoeman stone train Blatchbridge Junction
50033, 13.45 Paignton-London Paddington (1A03), Clink Road Junction Taken against the afternoon light, 50033 'Glorious' is seen racing past Clink Road Junction signal box heading the 1A03 13.45 Paignton to Paddington. For years, this slide languished in the reject box deemed to be to badly exposed to make the cut. However, such is the ability of Photoshop to resurrect such images, a just about acceptable picture is presented here. Keywords: 50033 13.45 Paignton-London Paddington 1A03 Clink Road Junction
50044, 13.30 London Paddington-Penzance (1B52), Clink Road Junction Having spent a superb September day around Frome, this was my final picture before heading home on my bike. 50044 'Exeter' is approaching Clink Road junction leading the 13.30 Paddington to Penzance. This view is totally unrecognisable today with the embankments covered with trees and houses built to the left. The Frome by-pass cuts through the field to the right running parallel to the line. The only things that still place the scene are the stone bridge in the distance and the transmission pylon. Keywords: 50044 13.30 London Paddington-Penzance 1B52 Clink Road Junction

Images 1-12 of 12 displayed.