Devonbelle
Western Thunderer
I became hooked on this part of Devon in 1982 when father took me as a awkward 15 year old on the last train to Torrington 6th November 1982.
Captain Kernow and Simon (and others Im sure) will recollect it carried a Last Atlantic Coast Express Headboard from Exeter - with the train hauled by the Taunton Twins (31174 and 31158). After that trip I became hooked, and walked the closed line - Peters Marland to Torrington in 1984 - track still down but lifting had just begun. And just kept going back to the area thereafter.
Some sort of North Devon 0 gauge shunty plank is on the cards - Ive built the baseboard, got the track, reworked a Heljan 31, reworked a Lima 33
and Ive a two car Met Cam DMU.
Anyway - enough of my
ramblings - here are a combination shots by self and father - taken what seems an eternity ago - at least the Barny line is still open and the beneficiary of some significant NR investment. The last train saw dire weather - hence fathers shots have more grain than the average silo. Ive seen better shots - taken on time exposures - but Im chuffed to have these few of the last day.
Just clock some of the cars, aside from the class 31, several Allegros, a Maxi, Triumph.
Now wind on two years and I was getting the measure of my first proper camera - as we walked Peters Marland to Torrington on 16th June 1984. Father and I got the train to Eggesford and the train we left at Exeter St. D was hauled by newly painted (and renamed) class 50 007 Sir Edward Elgar in GW green seen here leaving Exeter with the West box in view.
Eggesford - with an up train (33062) waiting to pass our down DMU.
Then inside Eggesford signal box (closed 1988)
We then had road motor transport to Peters Marland from Eggesford and walked into the clay works via the connection off the branch - the rails were shiny and obviously one of the clay works locos had been used on the internal line - quite a surprise 20 months after the last clay train.
Leading the line up is 0-4-0 Fowler named Progress - now preserved in working order at Torrington station, then Ruston 4 wheel diesel - followed by Peter an elderly 0-4-0 Fowler almost identical to the new Ixion model.
One of our group took it upon themselves to see if the Fowler diesel loco would start - yes it did! Although was hurriedly shut down before a gaffer from the clay works appeared!
Badslake between Yarde Halt and Torrington on the section of what was the light railway (opened 1925), it will be this look Ill try and capture on my microcosm of the line in 0 gauge.
. More to follow, going into 1985.
Rgds Paul
Captain Kernow and Simon (and others Im sure) will recollect it carried a Last Atlantic Coast Express Headboard from Exeter - with the train hauled by the Taunton Twins (31174 and 31158). After that trip I became hooked, and walked the closed line - Peters Marland to Torrington in 1984 - track still down but lifting had just begun. And just kept going back to the area thereafter.
Some sort of North Devon 0 gauge shunty plank is on the cards - Ive built the baseboard, got the track, reworked a Heljan 31, reworked a Lima 33
and Ive a two car Met Cam DMU.Anyway - enough of my
ramblings - here are a combination shots by self and father - taken what seems an eternity ago - at least the Barny line is still open and the beneficiary of some significant NR investment. The last train saw dire weather - hence fathers shots have more grain than the average silo. Ive seen better shots - taken on time exposures - but Im chuffed to have these few of the last day.Just clock some of the cars, aside from the class 31, several Allegros, a Maxi, Triumph.
Now wind on two years and I was getting the measure of my first proper camera - as we walked Peters Marland to Torrington on 16th June 1984. Father and I got the train to Eggesford and the train we left at Exeter St. D was hauled by newly painted (and renamed) class 50 007 Sir Edward Elgar in GW green seen here leaving Exeter with the West box in view.
Eggesford - with an up train (33062) waiting to pass our down DMU.
Then inside Eggesford signal box (closed 1988)
We then had road motor transport to Peters Marland from Eggesford and walked into the clay works via the connection off the branch - the rails were shiny and obviously one of the clay works locos had been used on the internal line - quite a surprise 20 months after the last clay train.
Leading the line up is 0-4-0 Fowler named Progress - now preserved in working order at Torrington station, then Ruston 4 wheel diesel - followed by Peter an elderly 0-4-0 Fowler almost identical to the new Ixion model.
One of our group took it upon themselves to see if the Fowler diesel loco would start - yes it did! Although was hurriedly shut down before a gaffer from the clay works appeared!
Badslake between Yarde Halt and Torrington on the section of what was the light railway (opened 1925), it will be this look Ill try and capture on my microcosm of the line in 0 gauge.
. More to follow, going into 1985.
Rgds Paul
