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Day 6 : Friday 25 September

I'm vaguely aware of the shunting at Plymouth. It seems much gentler from the centre of the train.

Another misty morning as the train begins its Cornish stops. We pass 37671 running round its train at Par, then St. Austell with palm tress on the platform. Cornish scenery is thickly wooded hills and valleys. 150267 is the Falmouth train at Truro. The sea is visible at Hayle, where boats dot the river. Another 150 is the branch train at St. Erth.

Seagulls at Penzance. I feed them with a few biscuits that I have left over from yesterday. The Scilly Isles ferry waits in the harbour. A solitary yacht motors out and along the coast. 47829 reverses the stock for the 08:48 into platform 11. It starts to rain. 150239 comes in from St. Ives. "Thor" backs out with the sleepers.

We set off. The tide is in. Grey/green water laps at the shore next to the track. The causeway to St. Michael's Mount is covered over. The ex-pullman car "Calais" is in a sorry state next to the shore at Marazion. The sun peers through a gap in the clouds as we arrive at St. Erth. The down starter (on its very short post) lowers as we go past. The station is being repainted and the footbridge repaired. 37198 and 37037 stand in the sidings. As we pass Hayle, 158840 is preparing to stop. The line twists and turns through the hills - we cross the valleys on long viaducts. Signs of abandoned mine workings litter the hills.

The cathedral at Truro stands impressively above the town. A large boat is visible beyond. More boats in the harbour at Par, where the water is a bright shade of green.

The Fowey branch is visible before we get to Lostwithiel. A Transrail-liveried 37 is heading south along it. A train of china clay hoppers is standing in the station at Lostwithiel. Lots of stock at Bodmin Parkway, where the ex-signal box is decorated with hanging baskets. No traffic on the Looe branch as we pass over the top.

The river comes into view at St. Germans. A few moored boats and lots out of the water at a boatyard. More boats, an expanse of water and Plymouth and the dockyards visible in the distance. We slow down. The Royal Albert Bridge comes into view, with the road bridge beyond. Saltash station and then we cross back into Devon. A ferry plies the river below. We cross over the ex-LSWR main line twice before it joins us at St. Budeaux. There is a better view of the dockyards from here. Plymouth station is no distance away.

The sun pops out briefly as 47829 departs from Plymouth. The driver of the London train cleans the windscreen of the lead power car 43117 "Newton Abbot 150". 47844 arrives from Wolverhampton. A Virgin-liveried engine on an almost Virgin-liveried train (one carriage is still in Intercity livery). It runs round and waits for departure. HST's arrive and depart. 47780 arrives with 47788 in tow, shunts 47788 onto one of the stabled mail trains, drops it off and backs onto the second.

Up over Rattery and down again into Totnes, past Totnes Littlehampton, where a few passengers are waiting for the train. Climbing again to Dainton summit - no signal box nor sidings - and down again to Newton Abbot. The refurbishment looks almost finished here, most of the scaffolding has been dismantled. There are a lot of people waiting to board. Part of the carriage shed has been demolished and the engine shed is missing its roof. Lots of rail lengths lie in the yard, including a crossover complete with sleepers.

The river is mist-shrouded. Boats in various stages of (dis)repair sit on and off the water. Many more boats and a freighter at Teignmouth. On the sea front after Teignmouth station. Not really a day for walking but there are a few hardy souls about. Old sleepers form part of the sea defences. The tide is still high. A succession of tunnels. There are more people on the seafront between Dawlish and Dawlish Warren.

We leave the sea behind and head inland for Exeter. Exmouth is just visible in the mist, beyond the myriad of boats. A few dinghy sailors are out and boats are navigating the canal toward Exeter. We pass the site of Exeter West signal box and the line from Central comes down to meet us. This is a popular train from Exeter too. Riverside yard is not too busy. 37429 stands on a ballast train. Shortly we pass Cowley Bridge Junction, where the ex-LSWR route leaves.

Past Norton Fitzwarren Junction to Taunton, where trees grow on the disused island platform. We wait here for 10 minutes for an up HST to pass us. The old water tower reads "British Railways Taunton Freight Concentration Depot", but is surrounded by plant growth instead of wagons.

Past Bridgwater and Highbridge. No S&D. A sharp brake application and we branch left at Uphill Junction, onto the line to Weston-super-Mare. There is a PW slack on the single line after the junction. We cross 143621 at Weston-super-Mare. Back to the main line at Worle Junction.

Bristol. We pass an empty HST sat in the platform at Bedminster. (It later forms a Paddington service.) 47747 shunts a single mail van. A pair of 37's go through on Cargowaggons. 143620 forms the 14:05 from Cardiff and the 15:15 departure. I decide to catch it as the guard says that the Manchester will still be a 37. Apparently, it is quite common for a Pacer to do this turn, even though it is booked for the 37.

We depart on time and out-accelerate a late-running Newcastle-bound HST only to come to a stand at Dr Days Junction, as it is given priority. When we cross over to follow it, we are held up by an incoming 158. We pass 37703 on a permanent way train west of Pilning. Going through the tunnel is very noisy inside the 143, as we hurtle down and up again. It certainly feels like we're going faster than 75!

"Welcome to Wales" says the sign. It's raining. Severn Tunnel Junction - a large station, a few bus shelters and acres of weeds. 47759 goes past on a mail tain whilst we're stopped. We pass Llanwern steel works and a pair of 37's on a westbound freight. By Newport, it's pouring down. 37, 47, 56 and 60 at Godfrey Road. 09107 at Alexander Dock Junction.

50031 does work the 16:27 today! I take a picture as it arrives in the rain. At 16:40, a 37 arrives from Canton. It stops at the far end of the platform. Time passes. Four Freightliner 47's go through the centre roads light engine. Finally, at 16:44, the 37 rolls up - it's 412. Lots of people get on and we depart at 16:47. We pass the 4 47's at the Freightliner terminal.

There is a long pause at Abergavenny, as the guard has to walk to the rear of the train to close an open door. We pass a hot air balloon advertising Rover north of Pontilas. Its orange flame lights up the otherwise grey scenery. A second balloon is in a field just north. We're 5 minutes down leaving Leominster. I wonder about the chances of catching the Glasgow train at Crewe.

At Craven Arms, the Central Wales line joins us. The roof of the old shed is falling in and the signal box could do with a coat of paint. The driver does seem to be trying to make up time, judging by the loud station starts. It's not gaining us much time though. It's still misty and overcast.

Sutton Bridge Junction and Abbey Foregate signal box herald Shrewsbury. Four minutes late in, 3 minutes late out (we are booked a 2 minute stop). EWS-liveried coal hoppers are waiting to be unloaded in the coal yard behind Crewe Bank 'box.

Arrival time in Crewe approaches and passes. We pass 37040 and 08695 in Gresty Lane yard and finally arrive in platform 6 at 19:28 by the station clock. The monitor shows the 19:27 as "On time". I sprint up and down to platform 11. Crowds waiting and no train. The monitor shows the delayed 19:05 to Liverpool. There's a lady with a clipboard and radio. I ask her - the Glasgow is stuck behind the Liverpool. Phew! I didn't really want to have to catch the sleeper on its Carlisle stop.

The 19:27 arrives behind 90014 "The Big Dish" at 19:37 and finally departs at 19:40. We get slowly later as we head north - 18 minutes at Carlisle, where the Whitehaven and Dumfries trains are held for us. We arrive at Glasgow Central at 22:59 - six minutes down. 90024, in Railfreight livery is at the head of the sleeper. 47584 "The Locomotive and Carriage Works 1911", with name plate shaped like a steam locomotive's driving wheel, had brought the stock in.

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Day 7 (Saturday)

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Introduction Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Timetable Mileages

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Text and photographs Copyright J.D.Coleman 1998.

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