Monday 3rd June 2019
Evening visit to Bere Ferrers for the Tamar Belle hosted by Chris Grove
The members travelled to Bere Ferrers on the 18.23 service from Plymouth (ex-Liskeard) to Gunnislake, picking up further participants en route.
Chris Grove met us at the "main line" station and escorted us around to the Tamar Belle Heritage Centre, before explaining the many items in his collection.
The frame is mounted inside the wagon in the previous photo. Whilst this arrangement has never been documented in this country, the Germans apparently used mobile wagon mounted signal "boxes" in the Second World War. So perhaps there is a prototype for everything!
The levers are connected to an impressive array of upper quadrant semaphores, but please remember to use the rag to avoid tarnishing the freshly polished metal handles!
Next -a ride on a train: All Aboard!
The cab-riders climb onto the footplate of Hunslet "Lord St. Levan" (named after a PD&SWJ 0-6-0T)...
Whilst the rest are shown to Third Class!
Chris at the controls of the Hunslet...
...which look a touch "Heath Robinson"!
The spacious cab is explained by it being of the same design as the steam locos Hunslet were still producing at the time, except without the intrusion of a firebox.
The spacious cab is explained by it being of the same design as the steam locos Hunslet were still producing at the time, except without the intrusion of a firebox.
After a very enjoyable al fresco buffet dinner, it was the turn of "Earl of Mount Edcumbe" to do some run-pasts:
We closed the evening with the obligatory "gallery" shot:
Before returning home on the 22.46 to Plymouth.
Thanks again to Chris Grove and the Tamar Belle for their warm hospitality and a thoroughly entertaining evening.
For more information on the Tamar Belle, including the heritage centre, dining, group hospitality and accommodation, please visit their website at:
www.tamarbelle.co.uk
Thanks again to Chris Grove and the Tamar Belle for their warm hospitality and a thoroughly entertaining evening.
For more information on the Tamar Belle, including the heritage centre, dining, group hospitality and accommodation, please visit their website at:
www.tamarbelle.co.uk
Monday 17th June 2019
The Rowtor Military Target Railway, Okehampton
Built in 1959 (on the formation of an earlier line), the Rowtor Target Railway was a 1,480-foot (450 metre) long 24" (610 mm) gauge line.
On the east side of the site lies the stone built shed, situated off one of the two reversing loops that allowed continuous unmanned running.
The shed still houses a Wickham trolley, despite the fact that the railway was believed to have fallen into disuse in the 1970s
The view looking west from the end of the balloon loop...
The "straight" runs behind an earth berm. The train used to carry a wooden "tank" target. The track and train were sunk down below the berm for protection...
...And just as well! :
The balloon loop at the eastern end of the line with the members enjoying the North Dartmoor vista.
The group shot. Afterwards, some headed home, whilst a small party headed to another nearby target railway -this one even older...
This is where the line crosses what is now the military access road: easy to miss if you didn't know it was there...
...But look closer and evidence of the railway appears from beneath the moor! This railway is much older and is believed to date back to the Boer War. This piece of track is remarkably well preserved considering it is well over 100 years old -there's even a timber sleeper still in-situ.
Thanks go to our members Jeremy Clark and Bernard Mills for their research and guidance on this trip.
Thanks go to our members Jeremy Clark and Bernard Mills for their research and guidance on this trip.
Monday 9th September 2019
Chris James: "Broad and metre gauge railways in Spain, Portugal and Argentina over the years."
For our first indoor meeting of the Autumn-Winter 2019 season, we were treated to some of Chris James' vintage slides from Spain and Portugal, mostly taken in the 1970s and '80s, as well as a digital presentation of his more recent trip to South America.
The presentation started with the Porto suburban narrow gauge system radiating out from Trindade station, before covering a number of other metre gauge systems in Portugal. There was also plenty of action on the mainline and although Chris sadly missed the CP 1800 Class (based on the EE Class 50), there were plenty of shots of CP 1400 Class "Portuguese Class 20s".
In Spain, we saw a variety of mainline trains, but it was noted the rundown state of the classic broad gauge network in favour of the standard gauge high speed lines. There were a number of shots of some of the impressively large RENFE steam classes at work, as well as coverage of the narrow gauge systems in Mallorca and the large metre gauge network in the north of the country that links with Hendaye in France.
After the tea break, we moved to South America with coverage of Argentina's rail network, which used to feature British manufactured steam locomotives. The modern scene is the usual DMUs and US built diesel locomotives. The network slipped into a state of decay under privatisation and has recently been renationalised. Chris' trip started in Buenos Aires and took in the famous "Old Patagonia Express" or La Trochita.
Also in South America Chris took a ride on the the Rio Mulatos-Potosi Line in Bolivia,which is the third highest railway system in the world. The railway hosts what was the World’s highest railway station (before Tanggula station on the Qinghai-Tibet railway opened in 2006): Cóndor at an elevation of 15,072 feet above sea level.
The Plymouth Railway Circle would like to thank Chris for his allowing us to share in his fascinating and varied journeys around the world on narrow and broad gauges.
The presentation started with the Porto suburban narrow gauge system radiating out from Trindade station, before covering a number of other metre gauge systems in Portugal. There was also plenty of action on the mainline and although Chris sadly missed the CP 1800 Class (based on the EE Class 50), there were plenty of shots of CP 1400 Class "Portuguese Class 20s".
In Spain, we saw a variety of mainline trains, but it was noted the rundown state of the classic broad gauge network in favour of the standard gauge high speed lines. There were a number of shots of some of the impressively large RENFE steam classes at work, as well as coverage of the narrow gauge systems in Mallorca and the large metre gauge network in the north of the country that links with Hendaye in France.
After the tea break, we moved to South America with coverage of Argentina's rail network, which used to feature British manufactured steam locomotives. The modern scene is the usual DMUs and US built diesel locomotives. The network slipped into a state of decay under privatisation and has recently been renationalised. Chris' trip started in Buenos Aires and took in the famous "Old Patagonia Express" or La Trochita.
Also in South America Chris took a ride on the the Rio Mulatos-Potosi Line in Bolivia,which is the third highest railway system in the world. The railway hosts what was the World’s highest railway station (before Tanggula station on the Qinghai-Tibet railway opened in 2006): Cóndor at an elevation of 15,072 feet above sea level.
The Plymouth Railway Circle would like to thank Chris for his allowing us to share in his fascinating and varied journeys around the world on narrow and broad gauges.
Monday 23rd September 2019
Amyas Crump: "Peter Gray's Westcountry" Part 2.
Amyas returned one year on for another look at the archives of sadly-missed railway photographer and long-time PRC member, Peter Gray. In a change from the first part of the presentation in 2018, this was a digital show as Peter's original slides (a collection of over 70,000) were bequeathed to the Great Western Society and have since taken up residence in their archive.
Peter's signature style of showing the railway in its surrounding scenic setting was again on good display. Over the course of the evening, we were treated to colour images of the numerous Westcountry branches that Peter visited during their final years, both by train and on his Velocette motorcycle. Amongst these were the St. Ives branch (Peter's favourite), with a cab ride on 4571, the Kingsbridge branch, the Helston branch and the Exe Valley line.
Of particular local interest were the images of the Plymouth-Launceston branch, with a personal highlight being the rare shot of 5568 passing Cann Cottages.
Monday 7th October 2019
John Gulliver: "The Barnstaple line: yesterday, today and the future." Part 2
John returned with the second part of his analysis and commentary of the Barnstaple branch. He started by giving a summary of last years topics as a reminder and then continued with new material, John's presentation was very interesting and thought provocative and with personal involvement with the public transport scheme in North Devon he was able to give a excellent opinion on the future of the branch and the transport hub in the future.
We thank John for coming down and visiting us.
We thank John for coming down and visiting us.
Monday 21st October 2019
Lou Watkins and Mervyn Kendall: "Switzerland: a tale of two trips."
This evening we were treated to an evening of Swiss raill by two PRC members; the first half of the evening Mervyn Kendall presented his September 2017 trip with Lou, where they travelled from West Switzerland to the East and back again. Using an excellent Powerpoint presentation Mervyn showed some excellent photographs, with detailed descriptions of the trip.
After the tea break Lou Watkins gave his presentation of their trip back to Switzerland in February 2018 for their visit to the RhB Snowblower over the Bernina pass.Again Lou presented an excellent Powerpoint presentation with lots of photographs and videos of the Snowblower in action which proved very popular with the audience. I think seeing the videos made many of the viewers make notes about doing the experience themselves.
We thank Mervyn and Lou for two excellent presentations and a very enjoyable evening.
After the tea break Lou Watkins gave his presentation of their trip back to Switzerland in February 2018 for their visit to the RhB Snowblower over the Bernina pass.Again Lou presented an excellent Powerpoint presentation with lots of photographs and videos of the Snowblower in action which proved very popular with the audience. I think seeing the videos made many of the viewers make notes about doing the experience themselves.
We thank Mervyn and Lou for two excellent presentations and a very enjoyable evening.