53. Trip to Bodmin Parkway-09.09.15

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2015 > 53. Trip to Bodmin Parkway-09.09.15

A delightful work trip all the way to Cornwall to collect a car. I travelled with my boss being collected from Bodmin Parkway station. We enjoyed an uneventful drive back to Northamptonshire in a somewhat anonymous Kie Cee'd.

Click here to search The Archive Files

Images 1-19 of 19 displayed.

350249, 06.54 Birmingham New Street-London Euston (1Y86), Northampton station
Besuited travellers wait to board the 06.54 Birmingham New Street to Euston service at Northampton station that is having another unit attached to the rear. With 350249 leaving, we took this service to London.
Keywords: 350249 06.54 Birmingham New Street-London Euston 1Y86 Northampton station London Midland Desiro

43124, GW 09.53 London Paddington-Old Oak Common HST depot ECS (5L28) & 43165, GW 09.45 London Paddington-Swansea (1B20), London Paddington station
With continuing evidence of extensive works taking place at Paddington station two HSTs sit at the blocks as awaiting their next moves with a third off to the right. 43124 will soon leave heading to Old Oak Common as the 5L28 empty coaching stock working. Next to it 43165 'Prince Michael of Kent' will leave at the rear of the 1B20 09.45 to Swansea. The former power car entered service in June 1981 as a spare power car never assigned to a set. The later was one of the fourth batch of HSTs delivered in September 1981 as part of set 253042 initially working on the north-east to south-west route.
Keywords: 43124 09.53 London Paddington-Old Oak Common HST depot ECS 5L28 43165 09.45 London Paddington-Swansea 1B20 London Paddington station First Great Western Prince Michael of Kent

43148, GW 06.42 Hereford-London Paddington (1P26), London Paddington station
As the passengers make their way towards the concourse at Paddington station the driver locks the cab of 43148. The HST service has just arrived as the 1P26 06.42 from Hereford. This particular power car has been on the Western Region since its entry into service in May 1981 as services to the west of England were introduced. At the time I probably cursed them passing me on the lineside as they were ousting the Class 50s but over forty years on thigs are now a little different as the HSTs themselves come to the end of their working lives.
Keywords: 43148 06.42 Hereford-London Paddington 1P26 London Paddington station FGW First Great Western

43141, GW 10.15 London Paddington-Cardiff Central (1B22), London Paddington station
HST power car 43141 sits at the rear of a service for the West Country. The train is occupying platform eight and in a short time, it will leave working the 1B22 10.15 to Cardiff Central.
Keywords: 43141 10.15 London Paddington-Cardiff Central 1B22 London Paddington station First Great Western FGW

332014, HX 09.55 London Paddington-Heathrow Airport T5 (1T43), London Paddington station
Having travelled on the continent and used trains to a form airports I have found most quick, efficient and good value. However, the fares charged by Heathrow Express to get to and from Central London are a complete embarrassment. It's an absolute scandal that jet-lagged visitors arrive having had a long overnight flight are then charged £30 to get into London to complete their journey; welcome to rip-off Britain! Some of this huge amount of money probably pays staff as witnessed here with no fewer than four HX employees chatting next to 332014 that will soon work the 09.55 to Heathrow's Terminal five.
Keywords: 332014 09.55 London Paddington-Heathrow Airport T5 1T43 London Paddington station

43133, GW 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance, `The-Cornish-Riviera` (1C77), London Paddington station
It's pleasing to see bicycles being loaded on to a train with relative ease. On many modern trains, the provision of bike spaces is extremely poor and with many needing compulsory pre-booking. The concept of integrated transportation methods is not exactly encouraged by these retrograde steps. 43133 will soon lead the down 'Cornish Riviera' away from Paddington as the fabled 1C77. However, its departure time is now somewhat earlier than in the past as the 10.06 to Penzance. My boss and I took this service to Bodmin Parkway and enjoyed a very comfortable trip indeed.
Keywords: 43133 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance, `The-Cornish-Riviera` 1C77 London Paddington station First Great Western FGW HST

43133, GW 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance, `The Cornish Riviera` (1C77), Exeter Riverside yard
Oh. the joy of droplight windows! From the down `The Cornish Riviera` with 43133 leading this scene shows the approach to Exeter passing through Riverside yard. A SWT unit is seen stabled in the distance.
Keywords: 43133 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance `The Cornish Riviera` 1C77 Exeter Riverside yard First Great western FGW

31285, stored un-serviceable, Exeter Riverside yard
Having been languishing in Exeter Riverside yard for some months 31285 looks somewhat forlorn and facing a very uncertain future. It was declared a failure and not able to move after being removed from a test train back in the spring. The handbrake was left on whilst it was at the back of a working and this wrecked a wheelset meaning it could only be removed by road. An attempt was made back in July but access issues thwarted it is removal. I suspect that 31285 has made its last journey on the railway or any railway for that matter.
Keywords: 31285 stored un-serviceable Exeter Riverside yard Network Rail

Class 153, Class 142 & 142621, stabled, Exeter St. David`s depot
There has been a diesel facility adjacent to Exeter St. David's station for many years. It undertakes maintenance, some exams as well as fueling and cleaning. In this view from our train, as we depart from the station, three units are seen the only one identifiable is 142621 to the far right. In the coming years, this facility is set to expand massively with the arrival into service of the new bi-mode units that will also be maintained here.
Keywords: Class 153 Class 142 142621 Exeter St. David`s depot

220022, XC 13.25 Plymouth-Edinburgh Waverley (1S53), Plymouth station
220022 waits at platform seven of Plymouth station. In approximately fifteen minutes it will depart as the 1S53 13.25 5o Edinburgh Waverley. What a way to make such a long journey, cramped, noisy and overcrowded; what has gone wrong on our railways?
Keywords: 220022 13.25 Plymouth-Edinburgh Waverley 1S53 Plymouth station XC Cross Country

Class 43, GW 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance, `The Cornish Riviera` (1C77), Plymouth station
As our train, the 'Cornish Riviera', leaves Plymouth I have turned the camera towards the rear power car. I have not visited Plymouth station many times and only in recent years so have no images of some of the motive power synonymous with its past.
Keywords: Class 43 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance `The Cornish Riviera` 1C77 Plymouth station FGW First Great Western HST

220022, XC 13.25 Plymouth-Edinburgh (1S53) & 150127, GW 13.49 Plymouth-Penzance (2C47), Plymouth station
At Plymouth station 220022 waits to head north with the 13.49 to Edinburgh, Next to it 150127 will soon leave for Cornwall and in doing so will follow our HST as the 2C47 13.49 all stations stopper to Penzance
Keywords: 220022 13.25 Plymouth-Edinburgh 1S53 150127 13.49 Plymouth-Penzance 2C47 Plymouth station

Plymouth signal box (BR, 1960)
This unassuming 1960s structure is actually Plymouth signal box. It was constructed in 1958 and opened in November 1960. At that time it led to the immediate closure of six mechanical boxes. Over the next fifteen years the panel was gradually expanded leading to it taking over the signalling of an ever wider area. The Western Region appeared to be leading the way with these advances that makes it even more ironic that virtually all of Cornwall still remains to this day a bastion of classic mechanical signalling with very little modernisation having taken place!
Keywords: Plymouth signal box BR British Railway 1960

43133, GW 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance, `The Cornish Riviera` (1C77), Royal Albert bridge
HST power car 43133 leads the down 'Cornish Riviera' 1C77 accords the Royal Albert bridge leading from Devon into Cornwall. In the past, this iconic and magnificent structure crosses the Tamar and is also known as the Saltash bridge but that name has been applied to the adjacent road bridge that adds to the confusion!
Keywords: 43133 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance, `The Cornish Riviera` 1C77 Royal Albert bridge

43133, GW 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance, `The Cornish Riviera` (1C77), Royal Albert bridge
A closer view of the Royal Albert bridge as our train is about to pass on to the first of its two grand spans. Just behind is the grand Brunelian structure is one of the towers of the far from elegant 1962 Saltash road bridge.
Keywords: 43133 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance, `The Cornish Riviera` 1C77 Royal Albert bridge

43133, 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance, `The Cornish Riviera` (1C77), Royal Albert bridge
An iconic train crosses and equally iconic structure. The 1C77 Cornish Riviera enters the Roayl Duchy and is about to pass through Saltash station.
Keywords: 43133 10.06 London Paddington-Penzance, `The Cornish Riviera` 1C77 Royal Albert bridge

Down starter, Liskeard station
As a west country lad, I feel a warm sense of nostalgia when I see and hear the clunk of a lower quadrant signal! Liskeard's down starter has been lowered to allow us to leave the station. We are aboard the fabled 1C77 down Cornish Riviera that we will alight from at the next station, Bodmin Parkway.
Keywords: Down starter Liskeard station lower quadrant

Bodmin Road signal box (Now café) (GWR, 1887)
According to Historic England Bodmin Parkway signal box is a Type 3 dating from 1887, is listed at Grade II listed. They go on to state that this is the last Type 3 signal box to survive in England in its original location that is the main reason for its designation. With the BR rundown of the Cornish mainline the box was closed in May 1985 with the block post extended from Lostwithiel to Liskeard. The structure was retained and has been in use a café pretty much ever since.
Keywords: Bodmin Road signal box café GWR 1887

Tickets, Northampton-Bodmin Parkway
Our tickets from Northampton to Bodmin Parkway via London were pretty good value at £65 each (with our two together discount loaded). I thoroughly enjoyed the journey as most of it was on a comfortable and roomy HST. I sincerely hope that whatever replaces these fine trains in the coming years are as good!
Keywords: Tickets, Northampton-Bodmin Parkway

Images 1-19 of 19 displayed.