Sulzer Weekend Success
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THE DARTMOOR PONY The Magazine of the Dartmoor Railway Supporters’ Association No.24 Spring 2016 £2.00 Sulzer Weekend Success The DARTMOOR PONY Issue No. 24 Editor: John Caesar E-mail: [email protected] DARTMOOR RAILWAY SUPPORTERS’ ASSOCIATION Website: www.dartmoor-railway-sa.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/dartmoorrailway.sa Postal Address: Peter Flick, Copse, Exeter Road, Sticklepath, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2NR Telephone: 01837 840670 E-mail: [email protected] The views expressed in the newsletter are not necessarily those of the Dartmoor Railway Supporters’ Association. FRONT COVER: Dartmoor Railway CIC personnel and DRSA volunteers line up with 45060 ‘Sherwood Forester’ and 47701 ‘Waverley’ at Okehampton on Sunday 24th January 2016 on the second day of the Sulzer Weekend. Photo: P. Wagstaff BACK COVER: Top: 66109 on the ‘Tre, Pol and Pen’ railtour which visited Okehampton and Meldon on Saturday 12th March 2016. Bottom: 33103 and 47701 at Okehampton with the 12.55 Meldon Viaduct to Coleford Junction on 23rd January 2016. Photo: David Hunt. 2 The Dartmoor Pony Spring 2016 CONTENTS Notes from the Chairman Page 4 Railway News Page 5 Membership Matters Page 9 DRSA AGM & Talk Page 10 Volunteers Rallying Round Page 12 DRSA Shop Page 14 Wildflower Gardening Page 15 Sulzer Weekend Page 16 What is Destination Okehampton? Page 18 Okehampton Rail Forum Meeting Page 20 West Somerset S&D Gala Page 22 Tre, Pol and Pen Railtour Page 24 ‘An insiginificant piece of line’ Page 26 Old Maps (Part 3) Page 28 Rosie’s Diary Page 29 The Dartmoor Pony Spring 2016 3 Notes from the Chairman Rev. Philip Wagstaff As we approach the new running and tourist season and as the heritage services have just started we have had news that the D05 Preservation are is going to bring 47828 down to the Dartmoor Railway, which is good news for everyone at the Railway. One of the recent DRSA projects has been the development and opening of the shop on Platform 2. Chris Horner and the team have been busy with the shop itself and have been looking at ways of developing this facility. The shop, together with the Arthur Westlake Museum, is an additional visitor attraction and the aim is to initially open the shop during the weekends. Please come along and say hello to Chris and the team and have a browse around. Thanks to everyone who has worked hard to bring this project to fruition. The shop and the station as a whole became busy when the charter UK from Railtours' 'Tre, Pol and Pen' tour visited Okehampton earlier in March. Hauled by 66109 and 66177, the 12 coach train brought in around 500 passengers, many of whom visited the buffet and the shop. Many complimentary comments about Dartmoor Railway were received from our visitors. There are some pictures on the website. I would draw your attention please to the AGM which is due to be held on Saturday 21st May at the Ockment Centre, North Street in Okehampton beginning at 6.30 pm. All members are invited to attend and to contribute to the conversations around the life of the railway. The committee have been exploring some changes to the constitution which we will bring to the AGM. Basically, what is being proposed is that all members of the committee will be elected annually at the AGM. It is envisaged that the officers will continue to be elected by the committee as it is constituted each year. During the meeting a report on the activity of the committee over the past year will be presented. Following our conversation and any votes being taken we will have a slide show given by Mr Amyas Crump entitled 'Around the Southern in North Devon'. 4 The Dartmoor Pony Spring 2016 Please come along if you can or if you’re not able to attend and you would like your views expressed to the meeting please let me know by e-mail to [email protected] or by post to the station. There will be much happening over the summer which the Association will be able to support. Please continue to look at the website for further details. I hope to see you at the AGM if you can make it – a summary report of the meeting will be in the next edition of the Pony. Thank you all for your support for Dartmoor Railway which is greatly appreciated. Railway News Dartmoor Railway welcomes D05 Preservation Following discussions with Dartmoor Railway CIC and DRSA, D05 Preservation has been offered a home for 47828. It is hoped to have the loco in service on the line as soon as possible. 47828 at Colchester on 25th May 2013 (Philip Wagstaff). The Dartmoor Pony Spring 2016 5 47828 will be moved from Longtown to Meldon depot by rail where volunteers from all parties will commence their work on preparing it for service on Dartmoor Railway for this season. 2016 Heritage Services Dartmoor Railway services for 2016 started on Good Friday, 25th March. Trains will run on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays between Okehampton and Meldon Viaduct. Services will be diesel operated until further noticed, initially using D4167 hauling Lab 11 and 61743. Note that Day Rovers now replace return tickets, allowing unlimited travel on the day of purchase. Please see our services page for timetables, fares and service updates: http://www.dartmoor-railway-sa.org/services Okehampton-Exeter Sunday Rover It is confirmed that train services will operate again this year on summer Sundays between Okehampton and Exeter from May 15th to September 11th. Please keep an eye on our website for updates. Rail Operations Paul Martin, Duty Manager As usual it’s a quiet time of year in terms of train movements. A number of engineering trains have been run mainly using the Polar Express locomotives. There was also some ongoing driver training for the Pioneer Diesel group on 45060 as a part of the hire deal. Usually 33103 was utilised at the other end of the rake. Hired-in coach 5647 left by road in February returning to the Mid- Norfolk Railway. The EMU stock, owned by Peter Spokes, were due to leave in March having being stabled at Meldon for a number of years. This all frees up more space in Meldon sidings and with Dartmoor Railway now having potential use of roads 12 to 14 again there is much more flexibility there. The Polar Express locomotives left on March 1st collected by the usual suspect, DCR Class 31 31452. Graham Isom conducted the train to and from Crediton. A few manoeuvres were required at Okehampton 6 The Dartmoor Pony Spring 2016 as the order of the locos needed changing after 45060 developed some faults on an engineering run. 33103 and 47701 were dropped off at Nemesis, Burton (the 33 already now moved on to Ecclesbourne Railway) and the 45 was stabled at Derby before completing its move to Barrow Hill later in the week. It is hoped that the Class 45 will be back next year for the Polar Express season. With the arrival of 47828 it should mean that 47701 will not be returning, though we’ve thought that before!! The start of the Meldon Shuttle heritage service was delayed until March 25th Good Friday with 08937, Lab 11 and 61743 performing the duties. Line Update Paul Martin, Duty Manager General maintenance of the track has been ongoing including jobs such as fishplate oiling and drainage improvements. The digging out of drainage ditches at Meldon Quarry especially making a significant improvement there. Track work Volunteers Charlie White has been carrying wanted out Signal & Telegraph checks and DR are about to implement plans jobs. The line was returned to 2 to install new signalling cabling between Okehampton and Meldon sections (Crediton–Okehampton & and also to extend Eastwards the Okehampton–Meldon) on March current siding serving Platform 2 18th. This was a week later than at Okehampton. Any DRSA planned but delayed to enable the member who would like to assist Tre, Pol & Pen charter train to go in this work will be most from Crediton to Meldon non-stop welcome. The work is scheduled th to start next month and it is hoped on March 12 . The Crediton to it will take place on both Meldon staff being taken out of use weekdays and weekends. If this for another year. The Okehampton interests you please email – Meldon staff is now in [email protected] with your details and availability. resplendent red! The Dartmoor Pony Spring 2016 7 D4167 moving the DRSA SR-type brake van on 18th March (Alistair Gregory) Major shunting at Meldon Quarry has seen the old engine shed cleared with the DRSA owned 1948 SR-type brakevan moved out to a new position. The shed is hopefully going to be put back into use with the integral pit being drained. The Mk3a sleeper and the CCT van were also moved into the yard from their long standing position next to Meldon buffet to open up that area. Work continues at Den Brook crossing with Alan Cocker seemingly living there Monday to Friday as crossing supervisor. The crossing is operational and DR presence is continuing whilst the crossing is in use for road vehicles. A 10 mph speed restriction was put in place before the Sulzer weekend and this was then increased to 20 mph on 11th March after remedial work was completed. In the week commencing February 29th the concrete 8 The Dartmoor Pony Spring 2016 pouring started with a large number of lorries using the crossing daily.