Prototype BR Devon late 60s early 70s

[Devonbelle]

Ive cracked on with scanning my fathers shots (John Stanford) and in some cases restoring same. So there are a selection below - couldn't find a shot of Western Thunder however.



First up - is a Peak in May 1972 passing through Churston - Ive never seen a shot before of a Peak south of Goodrington - I remember them in Goodrington carriage sidings alongs with 47s, 50s and Westerns,

Then a Warship (apols I don't have the name or number) about to leave Goodrington carriage sidings in May 1968 - note the insul fish vans on the right hand side of the shot.


Then July 1967 again - this time with D847 Strongbow passing over Paington South Level Crossing before the ghastly barriers were installed. The Warship has a van fit immediately behind it.


Summer 1972 - the full year of BRs operation of the Paignton Kingswear line with a DMU leaving goodrington - theres me in the left hand of the shot! I can just remember this last year and then a year later I recollect travelling on the days first Torbay Steam Railway service, which ran from Paignton BR station as the TSR Queens Park station wasn't finished.


Summer 1972 again and this time a 2 car Park Royal DMU - one of the pair which went to the nascent West Somerset Railway and this one is now at Helston, the unit is passing Waterside Holiday camp on the left (had a good shop which sold cider lollies) and on the right is Sultern Cove.


Summer 1972 and a Scammell mechanical horse in Paignton Goods Yard - which used to do local deliveries. Note the van fits behind the trailer and tractor unit - looking toward Goodrington

 

[SteadyRed]

1V72 was, if memory serves, the Leeds - Paignton service, obviously in this case going all the way to the end of the line at Kingswear.

 

[Phill Dyson]

Many thanks for sharing your fathers superb pics

I wonder if the green Warship could be D800 ' Sir Brian Robertson' ?....as the nameplate seems quite long & thin for a Warship plate ?

Cheers Phill

 

[Bob]

Wow! These are wonderful shots Paul, thanks for sharing them with us.
As you mention I cannot recall evidence of a Peak south of Goodrington either but there it is!....
....I could be naughty and comment that Churston looked better then than it does now with it being ruined by the various modern workshop buildings etc......
The one of the Scammell in Paignton goods yard is simply priceless.

Bob

 

[lancer1027]

WOW Some amazing shots there. Please do keep them coming.

Rob.

 

[Phill Dyson]

....I could be naughty and comment that Churston looked better then than it does now with it being ruined by the various modern workshop buildings etc......


Bob

Yes that thought crossed my mind too

 

[lancer1027]

I have had many a holiday at Paignton, when the kids were little we would go down to Goodrington Sands so they could play on the beach and i could watch the trains. Although these were when the Steam Railway was operating the line.

I do remember when i was little, about 7 or 8 me and my dad walked down the footpath by the carriage sidings to get the numbers of the locos with there stock. Unfortunately neither me or my dad remember or have any record of the numbers. I do however remember there was a Western, 47 and another loco. Can't believe my dad didn't take any pics.

They were the days...............

 

[Devonbelle]

Thanks for the comments, chuffed you like them. I've got a day today working on the local pway gang on the Avon Valley Railway ) then I'll upload some more. Including Hemyock branch, Ilfracombe, and first day Kingswear branch was steam operated - I scratched 4555 from the main platform at Paignton in 1973 - I was 6 but recollect the BR Shunter had a brand new orange vest on and a new yellow BR bump cap at Paignton as he was doing the run rounds with the 45xx. Probably his 15 minutes of fame as there were lots of VIPs around.

Ref Churston, it was at its best from 1978 / 79 (IMO) when the loop was reinstated and before those dreadful buildings went up about 1993. We used to stay in High Gables guest house, opposite Goodrington carriage sidings - summer Saturdays were quite frenetic - with upto 5 blue and grey rakes of coaches, a mix of Westerns, 47s and Peaks in the sidings.

Will share some more photos tonight. Regards Paul

 

[Phill Dyson]

Summer 1972 again and this time a 2 car Park Royal DMU - one of the pair which went to the nascent West Somerset Railway and this one is now at Helston, the unit is passing Waterside Holiday camp on the left (had a good shop which sold cider lollies) and on the right is Sultern Cove.

Here's one I took in around 1977/78? of the Park Royal DMU in the very early days of the WSR. I remember 'Victor' & 'Vulcan' the two industrial saddle tanks were the only working steam locos on the line at the time..........



Looking forward to your next installment

Phill

 

[Devonbelle]

A few more this evening - tonight a visit my father did on the Hemyock Branch with his pal Alan Taylor - they both worked for BR Western Region both having transferred from Birmingham to Bristol and had a brakevan permit to travel the branch - in March 1969 -







At the end of the trip coming off the branch, they clocked a Western on a UP TPO service at Tiverton Junc - note the oil sidings which had closed by the early 80s - when I went to Backwell School in North Somerset I used to see the Ellesmere Port to Tiverton Jn oil service which could have a 25 and a bucket (class 40) for haulage - seen from the school playing fields.


More tomorrow. Regards Paul

 

[Phill Dyson]

Lovely stuff Paul

 

[Captain Kernow]

Here's one I took in around 1977/78? of the Park Royal DMU in the very early days of the WSR. I remember 'Victor' & 'Vulcan' the two industrial saddle tanks were the only working steam locos on the line at the time..........

Phill - I'd say that that must have been 1978 at the earliest, as the signal box is visible in the background, and I don't recall it being moved until the winter of 1977 at the earliest. I'm pretty certain it wasn't there when I was volunteering in the summer of 1977, but by the next year, it had suddenly 'appeared', having been hauled down from Dunster by the Peckett 'Whitehead', as I recall.

Superb photos by the way, Paul, a real treat, many thanks!

 

[ZiderHead]

Some lovely shots of the D6300 there

 

[Bob]

Wonderful stuff Paul, you are really spoiling us.

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Paul,

some great pictures there, keep them coming please.

cheers

Mike

 

[Devonbelle]

Few more for you - whilst I take a break from decorating ;-)

Ifracombe - two days before the last train (which was 3rd October 1970). I was on the unit with father but really can't remember!




Next up - back on Stanford family hols - August 1973 and Flying Scotsman rolls into Goodrington - of equal interest is the trio of class 47s in Happy Valley Carriage Sidings - noting the Gresley buffet in one of the rakes -



Remaining on the Paignton Kingswear Line -


Same day but now at Paignton South and a 47 has arrived and waits to head to Goodrington C.S. and Flying Scotsman waits time before heading to Kingswear.


Wind back a few years again to May 1967 and a Warship crosses from the yard. The box remained well into the 70s, bereft of levers and acted as the train crew mess room for BR services in the yard.

First day of Torbay Steam Railway services - I can't discern the writing on fathers slide either May or June 1973. Note the lines still in to the goods yard still in situ and signalled. the line was purchased from BR at the end of 1972.


Same day - and 4555 reverses the train out of the Up platform, toward Goodrington. Lines clearly oouin the goods yard as a pallet is on the lines. The pleasant malting buildings have gone now - I guess late 80s/early 90s.


July 1972 and the Park Royal unit heads toward Paignton by Sultan Cove.


Summer 1969 with a DMU under the overall roof.


Goodrington CS - Summer 1969 with a Western waiting to leave the yard


July 1976 - the line to Paignton Goods Yard has gone. I included this shot as its unusual - Lydham Manor and 4588 are double heading a BR special (which had come in with a class 47), from the BR down platform line.

That concludes the 60s and 70s colour slides for Devon. I then have some 1980s North Devon shots - Ill start in a new thread - later this week. Regards Paul

 

[Bob]

Paul, Another superb batch and worthy of publication. The one of the Goodrington box with a Warship in the middle distance is incredible. I was 10 years old and vividly remember Flying Scotsman there in 1973 so those are particularly interesting to me. I took some B&W instamatic shots of 4472 that day but these are the dogs danglies.

 

[Simon]

Heaven!

 

[lancer1027]

WOW Fantastic pics

 

[westernfan]

Excellent images of the D63xx and milk tanks are there any more pics of north Devon workings in your collection ?