1. Evening drive to Devon-11.07.80

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1980 > 7. Devon Roadtour-11-13.07.80 > 1. Evening drive to Devon-11.07.80
After arriving traditionally late (as Graham usually did!) we left and picked up David in Bradford-on-Avon. We headed straight for Taunton stopping briefly at Silk Mill crossing. We camped near to Burlescombe right next to the railway and, after cooking our camp dinner, had a pleasant pint at a pub in the village to toast Graham's birthday.
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Images 1-7 of 7 displayed.

253033, down Golden Hind, Silk Mill Junction Just over six months old HST set 253033 passes Silk Mill Junction just to the west of Taunton's Fairwater Yard with the down Golden Hind. I believe that this train was the 17.20 Paddington to Plymouth service but I am open to correction. This power car will be one of either W43135 or W43136 both of which completed their working lives on the Western Region until their end in 2019. Notice Graham a little further forward than where I am standing - he always had more confidence when taking photographs on railway land than me! Keywords: 253033 down Golden Hind Silk Mill Junction HST 17.20 Paddington-Plymouth 43135 43136
Silk Mill Crossing signal box (GW, 1940) Silk Mill Junction signal box is seen from the rear basking in some welcome evening sunshine. The 1940 built type 12b box controlled a once very busy junction where the Dulverton and Minehead lines diverged. The Minehead branch is still in use of course as the West Somerset Railway but its regular services that have been talked about for many years directly into Taunton have never materialised. Notice the spire of Taunton's parish church St. John The Evangelist to the right-hand side. Keywords: Silk Mill Crossing signal box
50018, 16.52 London Paddington-Newton Abbot (1B20), Fairwater Yard I have ventured further into Fairwater Yard than I probably should have done to take this photograph! 50018 'Resolution' is seen passing under Silk Mill Junction's three doll home gantry leading the 1B20 16.52 Paddington to Newton Abbot service. Unfortunately, I am on the wrong side of the train for the sun at this time in the evening but the up twin doll bracket that permits access to Fairwater Yard is beautifully illuminated dominating the centre of the scene. Notice 45048 in the background waiting to leave the yard with a down MoD train. Keywords: 50018 Resolution 16.52 London Paddington-Newton Abbot 1B20 Fairwater Yard 45048
45048, down freight, Fairwater Yard How I managed to get this far into Fairwater Yard and remain unchallenged is quite a surprise! However, it has provided me with an opportunity to take a photograph of the down yard starter signals complete with their route describers both of which are controlled by Silk Mill Junction signal box. 45048 gets away from the yard in typical smokey style leading a down freight that looks as though it could have been of MoD origin with the two low loaders marshalled behind the loco and the 1920s vintage corrugated end wagons behind them. If anybody with local knowledge could advise as to what this working could have been please do get in contact with me. Keywords: 45048 down freight Fairwater Yard
50033, unidentified up parcels, Whiteball A pretty ropey photograph that I have resurrected from the rejects' box! I am not too sure why I wasted an expensive transparency knowing that the subject would have been completely in the shade and that the positioning of the engine would have been far too head-on! I was probably consumed by the noise from 50033 'Glorious' as it worked hard up the western side of Whiteball with an up parcel train. I took a photograph of what I suspect to be the same working on my bike tour the previous summer, see.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/26669856804/class-50-up-parcel-working-heazille but I am not sure what the service was so if anybody with local knowledge can advise me it would be appreciated. Keywords: 50033 unidentified up parcels Whiteball Glorious
Graham & UAM on his birthday, Burlescombe campsite On his birthday, Graham stands in the evening sunshine at our campsite at Burlescombe behind a well loaded UAM. The West of England mainline is just behind the hedge keeping up our tradition of trying to camp as close to the railway as we could. UAM 736J was to disgrace itself the following day with a split bypass hose that was a common malaise on the A-series engines of the time. Whoever would design an engine with a short rubber cooling hose that required the head to be removed to change it? Keywords: Graham UAM on his birthday Burlescombe campsite UAM736J
50026, unidentified up parcels, Burlescombe ST071168 Despite being some two years away from its refurbishment 50026 'Indomitable' looks very smart in the late evening sun. It is leading a second up parcels working that I also have not been able to identify climbing Whiteball bank near to the village of Burlescombe. The colour light is Whiteball's distant signal and is electronic due to the considerable distance from the signal box. Notice in the consist behind the GUV is a Southern van of which many examples were still in everyday use at this time. Our campsite for the night was just adjacent to where I am standing behind a hedge that made for a disturbed night as various trains, including Sleeper services, passed! Keywords: 50026 up parcels Burlescombe ST071168 Indomitable

Images 1-7 of 7 displayed.