Southern Railway in Devon & Cornwall

Down 'Devon Belle' passing Farnborough http://zoom.it/csY9

8 July 1950 : View eastward, towards London: ex-LSW Waterloo - the West main line. (Cf. SU8656 : Down 'Bournemouth Belle' passing Farnborough http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2620910). This crack Pullman express left Waterloo at 12.00 for Plymouth Friary/Ilfracombe (due 17.17/17.27) and was noteworthy for its Observation Car (at the rear of the Ilfracombe portion), also for not calling at Salisbury but changing engines at Wilton instead. However, it ran in the Summers of 1947 - 1954 only, so was not a great success. Here the locomotive is Bulleid 'Merchant Navy' 4-6-2 No. 35019 'French Line C.G.T.' (built 6/45 as No. 21C19, renumbered 4/48, rebuilt 5/59, withdrawn 9/65)..

See up and down Devon Belle Pullman services from the observation car, views inside the car and a lineside view of the train. This film clip can be purchased from Pathe for £30: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/devon-belle/query/pullman

Busy scenes at Basingstoke, see the “Devon Belle” in full flight at 5:43, headboard, observation car. Plenty more of interest: http://youtu.be/CZUzO-Hy054

http://zoom.it/5Dss

Up 'Devon Belle' Pullman at Exeter St Davids

16 July 1949 : View northward, towards the Devon and Cornwall destinations on the SR - but away from those on the GWR/WR. Bulleid Light Pacific No. 34011 'Tavistock' (built 10/45 as No. 21C111, withdrawn 11/63) heads the Plymouth portion of the Up 'Devon Belle', which it will lift up to Exeter Central to join with the Ilfracombe portion (with its Observation- Car) for the journey to Waterloo. The train is at the central island platform used by SR trains (cf. SX9193 : Down SR express at Exeter (St Davids) http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2650264).

(Banking SR trains from Exeter St Davids to Exeter Central was necessary.)

http://zoom.it/BCy7

16 July 1949 : Exeter Central, Salisbury, London etc.: LSW main line; the GW main line to Penzance is to the right. All Up SR trains required to be banked on this curving half-mile of 1-in-36, here - in the pouring rain - by a Maunsell class E1R 0- 6-2T No. 32135 (built as LB&SCR Stroudley E1 No. 135 'Foligno' in 1/1879, rebuilt to E1R in 11/28, withdrawn 3/59).

Exmouth Junction and its Loco Shed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exmouth_Junction

Down SR express at Exeter (St Davids) http://zoom.it/uxSc

16 July 1949 : View southwards, towards Exeter Central etc. on SR, Plymouth, Penzance etc. on the WR: the two main lines to Devon and Cornwall converged at Exeter St Davids, but running in opposite directions. The SR trains constituted about one-third of the traffic and used the centre island platform, but had to be interwoven with the immense number of GW/WR trains - which on the Down side had only one platform (and a Through line). This is the middle of the day on a Summer Saturday - in pouring rain, the train being the 08.27 Relief Waterloo - Ilfracombe. The pilot engine is Maunsell SR N class No. 31875 (built 8/25, withdrawn 8/64), the train engine being ex-LSW Drummond T9 class 4-4-0 (built 8/1899, withdrawn 10/51). These two classes had worked most of the trains west of Exeter until the introduction of the Bulleid Light Pacifics just after the War, but were mainly ousted by 1949.

North from Exeter to Barnstaple and Ilfracombe http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/i/ilfracombe/index.shtml http://ookaboo.com/o/pictures/topic/13354005/Ilfracombe_Branch_Line Southern Railway's Only Narrow Gauge Railway, the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway

With vacuum brakes, full signalling, and a beautiful line and rolling stock). The Southern Railway’s narrow gauge seen in 1935 shortly before this system was closed. Rare film, all three. Plus, a T9 loco, headlamp-equipped Maunsell locos on the standard gauge, and a scene of an L&B loco being craned to standard gauge wagon for removal. http://youtu.be/epW1OaP3gcE http://youtu.be/MBJEV6Z54eY http://youtu.be/d1zZkYXdFXY

Mainline to Plymouth via Okehampton http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exeter_to_Plymouth_railway_of_the_LSWR

Meldon Viaduct, west of Okehampton on the main line to Plymouth. The viaduct seen from the viewing platform under the bridge: http://zoom.it/70bF

The famous Victorian wrought iron "Meldon Viaduct" in all its glory spanning the West Okement River. Now used as a path/cycle trail since reopening on 6 July 2002. The Granite Way cycle/walkway runs from Okehampton to Lydford.

Beyond Halwill Junction

Route of the “Atlantic Coast Express:” http://www.northcornwallrailway.co.uk/ace/index.html

(Atlantic Coast express history and photos.)

Halwill Junction station, with Up freight http://zoom.it/OM6W

17 April 1964 : View northward, towards Wadebridge and Padstow on the ex-LSW North Cornwall line, also the branches to Bude and to Torrington. The train is headed for Okehampton and Exeter, hauled by SR Maunsell N class 2-6-0 No. 31845 (built 9/24, withdrawn 9/64).

Maps and information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halwill_Junction_railway_station

More “Beyond Halwill Jct.” http://www.trenoweth.co.uk/NCR/route1.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Devon_and_Cornwall_Junction_Light_Railway http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bude_railway_station http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/p/padstow/index.shtml

Beattie Well Tanks on the Bodmin & Wadebridge http://youtu.be/1vvPzBOmszE http://youtu.be/9hGpuksENz8

TORRINGTON STATION: 24 April 1960 View NW, towards Bideford and Barnstaple; ex-London & South Western line from Bideford, Barnstaple Junction and Exeter, also continuing to Halwill Junction. The station and passenger services to Halwill ceased on 1/3/65 and from Barnstaple Junction on 4/10/65. Goods traffic lasted until 17/9/83 - on the Halwill line to Meeth Quarry well into 1982. In 1960 trains were being worked mainly by LMS-type Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2Ts, one of which is here approaching on a train from Barnstaple Junction.

Closure announcement of the above line is heard while film of the line is shown: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDpdD_eKdbs&feature=youtu.be

Compiled by Neil Cameron