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Seen at the railway
An informal diary of recent interesting news and activity at the railway. We are indebted to all our local correspondents and photographers for this material:
Museum Donations
Recently, Okehampton Station was visited by DRA's good friend Colin Burges of the Exeter and Teign Valley Railway. Colin very kindly donated 4 items for the station museum. They were a London & South Western Railway padlock (stamped 'L& SWR Co' on the shackle), two Southern Railway coat buttons, a wheelset back-to-back gauging rod (stamped 'SRly GAUGE No12 LOCO CONTOUR E'), and the last working timetable for the through route (inscribed 'Okehampton Booking Office').
The gauging rod needs some explanation. The back-to-back dimension of a rail vehicle's wheelset is the distance between the inner faces of the pair of wheels. On a standard gauge (4' 8 1/2 ") rail, it has a nominal dimension of 4' 5 5/8". It is important that the dimension isn't undersized (i.e. the wheels too close together), otherwise when passing through points there is a danger of one wheel derailing as the other is constrained by the checkrail. To check this parameter, locomotive sheds kept a gauging rod such as this one. If it would fit between the wheels then the wheelset was OK.
The hardware items are now on display in the Arthur Westlake Museum. The timetable has been added to the already rather large document and photograph backlog of DRA's hard working archive volunteer, David Naylor.
Following his visit, Colin unloaded his bicycle from his little truck, and rode a 35 mile route through Halwill and Hatherleigh. You can read all about it here, in number 98 in a series of travelogues, mostly on West Country railway themes, which enjoy the title 'Scouting'. They are affectionate and highly informative essays, with occasional necessary acerbity; you might like to set aside a couple of evenings and read the whole series.
 The interesting, if not very photogenic, gauging rod. |
 LSWR padlock and SR coat buttons (not to same scale!) |
 1967-1968 working timetable |
DMU Variety
Unusually on Sunday Feb 18th there were 5 different types of DMU formations at Okehampton: 2 car 158, 3 car 158, 3 car 166, 2 car 150 and 4 car 150 units. This was the most variety ever at Okehampton on one day, they were variously on Paignton and Exeter St Davids revised services due to line closure between St Davids and Central for planned Engineering works. Dave Ellis's photos below show the 166.
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Looking west towards the wilderness |
Unusual Visitors
Our thanks to local resident Dave Ellis, who is our eyes and ears around Okehampton Station and stayed up late for a couple of these.
 Class 66 66113 on the Plymouth end of a late evening railhead treatment train (RHTT) in Okehampton Station. |
 Class 66 66097 on the Exeter end of a late evening RHTT in Okehampton Station. |
 A change from the usual class 150s - GWR Class 166 'Networker Turbo' 166219 at Okehampton on a scheduled Sunday service. |
How things were
 Class 20s 20169 and 20184 at Meldon Quarry with Fielding & Watts/Pathfinder's 'Devonshire Dart' railtour. |
50 years since Pathfinder started operating railtours, here's a splendid image of one of their offerings in 1984. Meldon Quarry has changed a tad since. Does anyone recall seeing the train, or travelling on it? Our thanks to Chris Milner for permission to use the photo.
New shop floor
The renovation of the floor of our shop and the NPA visitor centre has been completed (by Ryan's), and looks fantastic.
 Tom and Graham admiring the new floor |
 Photographer: Tony Hill |
Traction variety
The latest period of industrial action resulted in the use of former �??Thames Turbo�?? 2-car class 165 DMU 165137 on Okehampton services. Our thanks to Dave Ellis for a couple of pictures of one of the workings, with a quiet Okehampton station looking its best in glorious weather.
 Class 165 165137 at Okehampton |
 165137 opposite some of Okehampton's well tended flower beds. |
The first use of a class 165 on the Dartmoorline was a few weeks earlier
 Some welcome variety; Class 165 Networker Turbo DMU 165132, based at Bristol St Phillips Marsh Depot, replaced the regular class 150 units on several services on May 3rd |
The Meldon Line
Whilst visiting the railway to present new rail signs to campaign groups (see news item 23/04/23 'Signs of things to come'), Colin Burges cycled along the Meldon section and looked at the effect of 3 years without maintenance:
 Photographer: Colin Burges |
 Photographer: Colin Burges |
 Someone has gone to great lengths and hazard to add unintelligible graffiti. |
 Photographer: Colin Burges |
Activity at Okehampton's transport hub
 Class 158 Super Sprinter 158769 deputising for the usual class 150 on the 1225 Okehampton to Exeter Central. |
 Class 158 158769 in Okehampton platform 3 |
 The three buses lined up shortly before departure are the 1025 to Launceston, 1030 to Exeter via Whiddon Down and Tedburn and 1025 to Bude |
 Through the Waiting Room window: Welcoming flowers as often provided in the past at stations, the 1930’s ‘Art Deco’ furniture, the 1025 train to Exeter Central (with about 40 passengers), a deserted Downside platform bench and in the distance the former Goods Shed, now a Youth Hostel. |
Preparations for February lineside works
 Photographer: Tony Hill |
The above shows a low loader delivering a Road Rail Digger from Quattro Plant�??s Newton Abbot Liverton Depot to the site of Okehampton Parkway station car park, for use on lineside drainage improvements during the planned closure of the Okehampton line and North Devon line from Monday 20th to Friday 24th February. Details of the replacement buses are on our Services page.
Station team
 Some of Okehampton Station's unsung heroes. Volunteer wardens - 2 Daves and Geoff - take a break during one of their regular patrols keeping the station looking tidy and cared for. |
Busy Sunday at Okehampton
Our roving reporter Tony Hill was at a busy Okehampton Station on December 4th with his little camera, recording the following, emphasising the station's emerging role as a local transport hub.
 Some of the 75 or so passengers about to board the 1125 train to Exeter Central |
 The 1130 service 118 Rail Link bus to Tavistock operated by Dartline |
 The 1228 service 6 bus to Bude, operated on Sundays by Plymouth Citybus ‘Go Cornwall’. |
Okehampton booking office and waiting room
Our thanks to Richard Burningham of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership for the following photos, showing the latest status of the Platform 3 booking office and waiting room:
 Photographer: Richard Burningham |
 Photographer: Richard Burningham |
 Photographer: Richard Burningham |
 Photographer: Richard Burningham |
 Photographer: Richard Burningham |
Some recent Okehampton images
 Network Rail contractors at work in Okehampton Station carpark cutting back overhanging trees to improve the clearance for double decker buses. |
 Photographer: Tony Hill |
 Photographer: Tony Hill |
 Photographer: Tony Hill |
 Photographer: Tony Hill |
Upgrade work on the Dartmoor Line
Our thanks to Dave Ellis, Tony Hill, Tom Baxter,Colas driver Alan Peters and David Tozer for this selection:
 Seen on Sun 10th July 2022 near Stoke Canon is the 0815 Engineers train from Crediton to Westbury with Colas class 70 locos 70815 and 70808, having been loaded overnight Sat/Sun 9th/10th July with the last of the spoil and ballast to be cleared from the Fatherford trackworks improvements carried out over the April 25th to May 9th 2022 Okehampton line blockade. |
 Early morning at a verdant Sampford Courtenay. Colas Rail Freight 70808 working 6C22 from Okehampton to Westbury with spoil/ballast from recent blockade works near Fatherford. |
 Fancy road/rail vehicle (RRV) access point at the north end of the Okehampton car park. |
 Close-up of the Strail access point |
 View from Camp (Park) Bridge (number 610). The Military sidings area was quite useful for access on this job and the working area had been stoned out for the occasion. |
 View from the Granite Way of the HOBC under Camp Bridge. |
 Colas Class 70 70803 with the HOBC from the Granite Way |
 70803 going so slowly with the HOBC that Tom was able to overtake it. |
 Some of the stuff excavated from the cutting at Fatherford which jammed the conveyor system. |
 70803 with the HOBC at Okehampton Station. Also apparent is the much improved Platform 3 building roof and canopy. |
 Not quite as elegant as a Drummond T9, but fairly capable nevertheless. |
 Privatised military vehicle recovery. Oddly prescient registration number. |
 The high output ballast cleaner train departing Okehampton |
 Looking west towards Fatherford from the Exeter Road overbridge on the Okehampton outskirts. |
In the above image the new track and ballast, laid in April 2021, has been temporarily removed, to allow further traxcavation (Tony's word!) and preparation of the now single line formation, laying of waterproof membrane, installation of improved and larger pipe drainage system, prior to reinstatement of track and new ballast with a planned line speed of 65 mph at this location. The extensive tree removal and slope stabilisation works done here, by Network Rail contractors in 2021, can be seen on the downside cutting.
 View east from the same Exeter Road overbridge as in the above photo. |
The view east shows some of the long welded track removed and the McCulloch Rail self propelled Panel Lifters used. The upside cess is full of water despite several days of dry weather. When, until 1971, this was a double line railway, with a line speed of 45mph, both cesses and their associated drainage systems were manually and regularly kept in a functioning condition.
 Colas Rail class 70 70803 arriving at Okehampton with the high output ballast cleaner train |
Okehampton braced
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
Work in progress at Okehampton Station (updated 05/02/2022)
We are grateful to Geoff Horner for the following series of photos showing the current state of progress with the refurbishment of Okehampton Station. Geoff was a bit disappointed not to find anyone actually working.
 The east end of the main station building on platform 3 |
 Looking west at the main building |
 West end of the main station building |
 The main building roof, seen from the footbridge |
 The signalbox |
 The signalbox seen from the road. |
 The east end of the main building, from the car park |
 1330 Dartline departure for Tavistock which connected with the 1317 arrival from Exeter |
Geoff returned the following week and encountered a bit more activity
 Work in progress on the platform 3 main building roof |
Footbridge lighting
A few photos from Tom Baxter showing the changeover of the electrics for the footbridge lighting. Completed by DCC Highways Lighting, using a team from their electrical contractor SSE. The job involved changing supply to come off the down platform side rather than up (i.e. now NR) side.
SSE rather amazingly got their truck loaded with lampposts and an onboard crane under Klondyke Bridge 609. A bridge that has caught up many in the past.
The job made a nice change from orange hi vis.
 Photographer: Tom Baxter |
 Photographer: Tom Baxter |
 Photographer: Tom Baxter |
Not our best signage
 Doctor Shop I presume? |
Reopening miscellany
 The first public train on reopening day, comprising 150233 and 150221, the 0632 for Okehampton waiting time at Exeter St.Davids |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 The Network Rail Track Testing Train with ex-LNER, now Colas, HST Power cars 43251 and 43272, at Okehampton briefly around 0800 before departing for Derby. |
 The NR track testing train passing the new GMS-R mast on the way back to Derby |
Celeb train
Our thanks to Paul Vodden who photographed the VIP special at Crediton:
 Very smart class 150 150233 arriving at Crediton |
 Photographer: Paul Vodden |
 Photographer: Paul Vodden |
 Photographer: Paul Vodden |
 Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport |
and at Okehampton
 Photographer: Paul Vodden |
 Photographer: Paul Vodden |
 Photographer: Paul Vodden |
 Some of the railway workforce who have contributed to the reopening effort. |
Final Preparations
 Photographer: Paul Vodden |
 Photographer: Paul Vodden |
Network Measurement Train
Recently the railway was visited by Network Rail's Network Measurement Train. We are grateful to David Tozer for the following image of it at Silverton on its return to the Railway Technical Centre at Derby.
 The Colas worked track testing Network Measurement Train with HST power cars 43274 and 43272 forming the 0025 (Sat) 1Q40 Exeter (Riverside) to Derby (R.T.C) via Crediton-Okehampton-Crediton three times. |
Class 158
A class 158 Super Sprinter unit attached to a class 150 unit ran from Exeter Depot to Okehampton and back on the morning of Saturday October 9th to test clearances etc for the class 158. Whilst regular Okehampton services are expected to be formed of class 150 units, at times class 158 and 165/66 units may instead be used.
 158750 and 150221 at Okehampton |
Driver Training
Driver training for the new Exeter service commenced on Monday September 20th.
 150246 preparing for departure. |
 150246 arriving at Okehampton platform 3 on another training run. |
 150246 arriving on the first driver training run. |
Platform 2 connection
The points and ground frame at the Meldon end of Okehampton station connecting the platform 2 road have been removed and replaced with plain track.
 Very tidy transition between old and new. |
 The truncated platform 2 track at the former station throat. |
 The ground frame, destined for the museum. |
 New sleepers at the Meldon end of Okehampton Station, preparatory to plain lining the ground frame operated points. |
 Superpower at Okehampton |
Ballasting
 GBRf class 66 66784 'Keighley & Worth Valley Railway' arrived overnight on July 20th with a train of autoballasters. After unloading it proceeded to Meldon to run round, then idled at Okehampton before heading back to Westbury late in the afternoon, via a second runround at Exeter Riverside. |
 Another view of 66784 with the train of autoballasters at Okehampton Station |
The Colas ballast tamper DR 73924 at Okehampton Station on July 7th. Thanks to Dave Ellis for the photos, and Tony Hill for the commentary.
 Colas Rail's Plasser and Theurer ballast tamper DR 73924 |
 A busy scene at Okehampton the tamper stabled on the former down platform line and a train of 20 'Falcon' bogie opens, with a Colas class 70 loco each end, being loaded with scrap sleepers for the NR Westbury materials recovery depot. In the distance can be seen stacks of more scrap track that has been ferried by road rail vehicles with trailers, back to Okehampton from along the 11 miles of track that has been renewed with concrete sleepers and continuous welded rail, currently in the process of receiving its final ballasting and tamping. |
 The tamper standing on the down platform siding extension, being refuelled from a road vehicle positioned in the Youth Hostel yard. |
Polar postscript
Scrap track removal
In recent weeks, heavy lorries have been used to remove the old track which was replaced during the relaying, much to the concern of local residents. However, on Wednesday June 23rd the first scrap track was despatched by rail from Okehampton to the NR materials recovery depot at Westbury. Some pictures below.
 70811 awaiting departure |
 Scrap rail materials being loaded at Okehampton. Colas class 70 70812. |
 View from the Okehampton Station footbridge of the train partially loaded with old sleepers |
 Colas class 70 70817 on the Exeter end of the train |
 Roadrailers unloading scrap track panels at the site of the former military sidings. |
 More scrap panels being unloaded, with the de-vegged Bridge 610 (Tors Road) in the background. |
Unusual Traction
 Kawasaki Mule in Okehampton Station |
Track renewal
Track renewal has started in earnest. We are grateful to Paul Vodden at Crediton Station, Dick Henrywood at Bow Station, Ron Kirby and Dave Ellis at Okehampton Station, Tony Hill out and about, and driver Alan Peters, for the following photos which give a flavour of the extent of the works.
Dick commented:- "Lots of passing activity at Bow Station in preparation for the arrival of two deliveries, the first hauled by Colas Rail 56302 with more sleepers but also the Balfour Beatty NTC track laying machine. It was followed by 70808 with yet more sleepers. The two were assembled at Okehampton and then passed again on the way back to their work site to the East of Bow. This was the first recorded Class 56 to visit the line for at least a decade". Dick also reminds us of the Bow Station information on his own website www.reynardine.co.uk/BowStation/BowStation.html.
Tony explained what was happening in his first 2 images:- "First job - sever and remove to lineside the old track with road rail vehicles and prepare the new trackbed, including surveying and marking out the centre etc. Spread some new bottom ballast (from lineside stockpile) if needed in readiness for when the relaying train starts at the east end of the existing CWR (continuous welded rail) at Bow, then working to just beyond Landsend level crossing and meet the existing CWR at milepost 186."
There's a Balfour Beatty video of the track construction machine at work here, and you can see footage of the BB equipment in use on April 19th east of Bow here.
A few more pictures of the track work, thanks to Dave Ellis:
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 After DRCIC closed for business at the end of 2019, much consternation was caused by the discovery of a damaged section of rail in the points at the Meldon end of Okehampton Station. NR took the repair in their stride, |
 Another view of the repaired point. |
Tamper at Bow Station:
 The Colas tamper, seen from the Bow Stationmaster’s bedroom window! |
A couple of photos from Ron Kirby taken on May 10th when relaying work started at Okehampton Station:
 Photographer: Ron Kirby |
 Photographer: Ron Kirby |
Thanks to Alan Peters for the next 4 photos, showing the scene at Meldon on the afternoon of Friday May 7th:
 Photographer: Alan Peters |
 Photographer: Alan Peters |
 Photographer: Alan Peters |
 Photographer: Alan Peters |
 Looking east from Sampford Courtenay main road overbridge |
 Looking west from Sampford Courtenay main road overbridge with roadrailers regrading the trackbed etc for 55mph running. |
 A view from the western end of the former goods yard at North Tawton |
 The Balfour Beatty New Track Construction train |
 The Balfour Beatty New Track Construction train approaching North Tawton, with Dartmoor in the background. |
 One of the NR signs responsibly erected; it is meant to refer to road traffic! |
 From Nymet Bridge (583) looking west towards Bow. |
 View from overbridge 583 near Nymet Tracey near Bow, looking east. |
 The scene at Okehampton the morning after |
 70808 arriving at Okehampton with more sleepers |
 The Balfour Beatty track laying equipment on the rear of 56302's train, with 70808 behind. |
 The track construction train arriving at Okehampton |
 56302 arriving at Okehampton |
 56302 arriving at Okehampton |
 The track laying kit passing through Bow |
 56302 at Bow Station |
 Balfour Beatty track laying equipment departing Crediton |
 Balfour Beatty track laying equipment |
 56302's Devon connection |
 Colas class 56 56302 |
 56302 with the engineering train passing 158950 at Crediton |
Nice touch from Network Rail
 We were pleased to see this notice near Greenslade Bridge, whereby Network Rail enjoins its staff and subcontractors to keep Devon tidy. |
Track work preparations
Signs of preparation work at Buttisland level crossing (188m 03c) near Butterlands Park farm. This User Worked LC is to be upgraded and have miniature red/green warning lights installed for users.
 Looking east towards Bow Station, the 60' rails are marked for 'cropping' by a snipping attachment on a Road Rail vehicle into short lengths for scrap. |
 Looking west, the track here was laid in 1959 and alongside lies the new continuously welded rail (made at Scunthorpe steelworks) together with some ballast that came by rail from Cliffe Quarry in Leicestershire, via Westbury; one of the last remaining Freight and Engineering train marshalling yards on the former BR WR. Lineside generators power the temporary electric lighting erected along the line for several miles for night working. |
Stock Move
March 22nd saw the much-anticipated move of DRCIC's rolling stock from Okehampton to Meldon, prior to its onward removal to the lucky purchasers.
 The former long-term contents of the platform 1 siding en route to Meldon behind Aggregate Industry's 08937. RMS's 31452 was on the rear for emergency braking. |
 The scene at Meldon the day after. |
 The bay siding, having been vacated by the attractive collection of vans and sleepers which occupied it for so long. |
 Work begins on clearing the vacated bay siding. A DRSA volunteer approaching a hazardous part of the DRCIC sleeper plumbing. |
Ballast train
 Cowley Bridge Junction Wednesday 10/03/2021. Colas loco 70812 heading the 1255 Crediton to Westbury via Exeter Riverside Yard, with 15 empty bogie wagons, mostly Falcons, with 70810 dead on the rear, having delivered the first trainload of ballast to a site on the Okehampton line. |
Another sleeper train
Another load of Doncaster-made concrete sleepers arrived on the February 25th 1946 Westbury to Okehampton, topped and tailed by Colas class 70s. The train is shown below unloading the following morning, before returning the wagons empty to Westbury, and thence to Doncaster.
 Colas class 70 70811 at Okehampton with sleeper train |
 Some of the new concrete sleepers being delivered to Okehampton |
Sleeper train at Bow
 Class 66 66723 'Chinook' paused briefly at Bow Station on January 28th, having delivered 2,520 concrete sleepers to Okehampton. The train was tailed by DB Cargo classmate 66039, its planned companion having failed before leaving Westbury the previous day. Unusual to see Freightliner and DB Cargo locos on the same working. |
Interesting rails
Transition rails have been delivered to Okehampton. They are 95lb/yd bullhead at one end transitioning to flat bottom at the other, made by the Austrian rail manufacturer, Voestalpine. Pictures below. I'm sure Hornby used to make something similar.
 Photographer: Tom Baxter |
 Photographer: Tom Baxter |
Another sleeper train at Okehampton
2 GBRf Class 66s powered the sleeper train on January 22nd. They were 66723 'Chinook' and 66748 'West Burton 50'. The train's 15 Salmon wagons carried another batch of about 2500 Doncaster made concrete sleepers.
 Photographer: Tony Hill |
 Photographer: Tony Hill |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
Sleeper train at Okehampton
After a distinct lack of activity for the last twelve months, the visit of a trainload of sleepers to Okehampton attracted a lot of attention, and we have been pleasantly inundated with pictures. A selection is shown below, with grateful thanks to all the photographers.
The train, topped and tailed by 70809 and 70815, originated at Westbury, and comprised 15 bogie 'Salmon' wagons with a total of 2,520 concrete sleepers.
It was the first time a class 70 diesel had been seen at Okehampton. Clearly a capable machine, just lacking input from Dugald Drummond with the styling.
 Photographer: Alan Peters |
 En route, at Crediton |
 Photographer: Alan Peters |
 Photographer: Alan Peters |
 DRSA team prepares to meet the intruder |
 Nose end detail |
 Photographer: Sue Baxter |
 Loaded wagon - 8 stacks of 21 slprs = 168 per wagon |
 Signs of spring at Okehampton |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
Unloading:
 Photographer: Alan Peters |
 Unlashing the last wagon |
 2 roadrailers grab 14 sleepers each to move from train to stack in the car park |
 The crane retracted |
Network Rail Track Testing Train
On Tuesday Jan 12th the 0950 special from Derby to Exeter Riverside transit move of a NR Track Testing Train worked by Colas locos 37099 and 37254 is seen passing through Highbridge station. This train was scheduled to do two track testing and recording runs, in connection with the Okehampton reinstatement, from Exeter to Okehampton and back very early on the morning of Wednesday Jan 13th, before returning to Derby.
 Photographer: Chris Redwood |
Working Platforms
 Two almost new road rail MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Working Platforms) have recently arrived at Okehampton Station for use on inspections of bridges and structures between Coleford and Meldon. |
Update 30/11/20
Some recent developments at the railway:
Specialist engineers have been much in evidence, surveying the track alignment, drainage, and bridge structures, to identify the remedial work which is required to bring the railway up to scratch.
They get around the railway on a Quattro road rail vehicle. It has six road wheels with balloon tyres, and four rail wheels. A flat bed trailer is attached at one end, and a six seat trailer at the other. Unlike many of its Wickham ancestors, it doesn�??t have any weather protection for the passengers. Those old gangers were wimps.
A representative of the Dartmoor National Park Authority has visited and is keen to improve the information display in the platform 2 carpark, and for the platform 3 booking office and/or shop to provide Moor visitors with travel advice for the Granite Way and north Moor.
With the assistance of the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership�??s Richard Burningham, plans are being made for comprehensive new signage for the station and its environs, including appropriate replica heritage material for platform 2.
Officials have surveyed the station site�??s accessibility for bus services, checking the layout and turning area.
It has emerged that the signal box is likely to be considered an integral part of the station estate, possibly creating further opportunities for DRSA.
 Quattro road rail vehicle and passenger trailer. |
Rail delivery Nov 25th/26th
 A ghostly 70813 departing Bow station at the back of an empty rail delivery train in the early morning of 26 November. Only the second known Class 70 to visit the line, 70805 having worked a similar delivery four days earlier. |
Rail delivery Nov 21st
The railway was visited by the 1724 Westbury to Okehampton LWR (long welded rail) train on the evening of November 21st. The train, hauled by Colas class 70 70805, with 66850 dead on the rear, unloaded 32 rails between Coleford and Bow. (Each rail is 216 m or 702 ft long, making a trainload just over 2 miles). Tony Hill saw it creeping along under the overbridge near Horwell Barton at 2245. The following morning the empty train departed Crediton for Westbury at 0900. We are grateful to Alan Peters and Guy Vincent for the photos below of the returning train.
 66850 'David Maidment' with the returning LWR train at Crediton CN3 signal. |
 70805 with the returning LWR train passing Berkley Marsh near Frome. |
Fallen tree
A couple of months ago, a tree fell, fouling the bay siding on the Meldon side of the Klondyke Road underbridge no. 610. At the time, it wasn't clear whose responsibility it was, but that seems to have been resolved, and recently it was cleared. Dave Ellis's photos (below) show the aftermath. Clearly there was some damage to the bridge guardrail.
As an aside, Dave's pictures provide an interesting view of the railway which will be unfamiliar to most folks except members of the Station Maintenance Team. GUV (General Utility Van) E86443 was the subject of a decent paintjob by the SMT in 2012. Now the BR Maroon is turning back to SR Green of its own accord. It was in use as the SMT workshop and store for many years, but this year all DRSA equipment has been removed from it, in preparation for its removal by the lucky purchaser. The last picture shows E86443 in better times, for comparison.
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 Photographer: Dave Ellis |
 The freshly painted and lettered GUV in the bay platform at Okehampton |
Roadrailer
 Photographer: Tom Baxter |
 Photographer: Tom Baxter |
Above, the Quattro Roadrailer departed on a lowloader on November 11th. The observant will notice that the Christmas train is still here.
Bridge work
 Bridge No. 584 at 187m 42c, near Bow Station over the Bow to Spreyton road, having vegetation removed by a Groundforce Team from Paignton, prior to inspection of its condition by Network Rail. |
Vegetation clearance on and around bridges between Coleford and Okehampton continues, prior to a full structural survey, with recent work at Bridge No.596 Fullaford 192 miles 35 chains (i.e. from Waterloo) and at Bridge No. 595 Greenslade 191m 55c:
 Greenslade |
 Fullaford |
 Fullaford |
At Okehampton Station
 Roadrailer in the car park |
 Last of the first load of sleepers loaded |
 Delivery of sleepers in the car park. |