April 2020

About all I can find today, 28 April 2020 for Dawlish Rail News Daily is the visit of Network Rail Class 950 No. 950001 heading west as 2Q08, 04.53 Bristol Temple Meads to Laira depot via the World, as it was raining I was not even going to go out, rear view of the set heading into Kennaway Tunnel.

We get some interesting trains through Dawlish, today, 27 April 2020 was no exception, with Class 66s Nos. 66155 and 66017 top and tale of MPV DR98906 and DR98956, set up for weed control work, running as train 3Z15 09.32 Didcot to St Blazey. The train is supported by the two 66s to enable social distancing of the train crew.

DB Class 66 No. 66074 hauls 10JNA 'Falcon' wagons with Class 66 No. 66082 on the rear past Dawlish on 25 April 2020 with train 6W11, the 10.28 Westbury to Burngullow.

Well my walk on 24 April 2020 had to be done an hour or so earlier than planned as the train of the day, 5M59 11.37 Laira depot to Leicester depot ran some 102min early in the west country. Good job it did as a little trace of good light was still available. The train consisted of two barrier coaches 6330 and 6338 and passes below Black Bridge, usually called Rockstone Bridge on the Dawlish Sea Wall.

Dawlish sunrise, 24 April 2020.

Only a short walk of about 50 steps today to provide the Dawlish Daily News. Great Western refurbished HST set GW11 (well almost), the final set of the conversion project, was returned to Laira today 23 April 2020 from Wabtec Doncaster. The train formed of vehicles barrier 6330, 49113, 48123, 48134, 48133, 49111 and barrier 6338 were powered by ROG Class 37 No. 37884 operating as 5V84, 11.33 Doncaster Wabtec to Laira, and is seen passing along the Dawlish Sea Wall on the approach to Kennaway Tunnel, passing the new sea wall top section.

EWS-liveried No. 66194 emerges from Kennaway Tunnel, Dawlish on 23 April 2020 with train 6C53, 12.14 Parkandillack to Exeter Riverside.

The only thing that Dawlish Daily News can bring you today, 21 April 2020 is a VERY rare six car DMU working of 143620, 150265 and 150249 passing Dawlish as 5Z76 13.45 Laira depot to Exeter depot (running a tad early). 143620 and 150249 had earlier worked empty from Exeter to Laira to collect defective 150265.

143620 and 150249 pass Dawlish on 21 April 2020 running empty from Exeter depot to Laira depot to collect defective No. 150265 and return it to Exeter.

Class 802 No. 802022 passes Dawlish on 21 April 2020 with train 1A80, the 08.18 Penzance to Paddington, while CrossCountry HST No. 43384 / XC04 / 43285 head westwith train 1V44, 06.11 Leeds to Plymouth.

My mornings walk turned out to be more complicated and strenuous than planned on 20 April 2020, as BAM have now closed the sea wall walkway between the viaduct and Coastguards bridge to enable deep soil and bedrock sampling. However, after climbing up and down stairs and meeting a few odd people, I reached the sea wall from when I managed to capture DB Class 66 No. 66082 hauling RailVac 3 - No. 7095150030 as train 6X54, the 05.30 Burngullow to Westbury. The RailVac had been working over the weekend in Cornwall. Return had to be the same way - too many steps.

No. 802022 heads west at Dawlish on 20 April 2020 with train 1C74, the 09.04 Paddington to Plymouth.

66082 down Dawlish, hauling Railvac3, 6X54 14.25 Westbury to Burngullow, 17 April 2020.

DR73121 down Dawlish, 6Q54 10.00 Taunton Fairwater to Tavistock Junction, for fuel. 17 April 2020.

66047 up Dawlish, 6C53, 12.14 Parkandillack to Exeter Riverside (clay), passing station car park worksite. 16 April 2020.

802021 passes sea wall construction at Dawlish on 15 April 2020 with train 1C86, the 15.04 Paddington - Penzance.

Great Western changed over the Sleeper stock on 14 April 2020, with eight cars from Penzance working as 5Z60 07.20 Penzance to Reading and six vehicles working in the opposite direction as 5Z79, 09.15 Reading to Penzance, a move required to allow maintenance work to continue during the lock down. The down train, powered by No. 57604 is seen approaching Kennaway Tunnel.

Great Western changed over the Sleeper stock on 14 April 2020, with eight cars from Penzance working as 5Z60 07.20 Penzance to Reading and six vehicles working in the opposite direction as 5Z79, 09.15 Reading to Penzance, a move required to allow maintenance work to continue during the lock down. The up train, powered by No. 57603 is seen passing along a very rough sea at Dawlish approaching Rockstone Bridge.

66084 / 10 Auroballaster / 66004 down Dawlish, 6W01 08.32 Westbury - Burngullow, 11 April 2020.

43384 / - / 43285 down Dawlish, 1V44 06.11 Leeds - Plymout, 11 April 2020.

150244 + 150238 down Dawlish, 2T13 09.55 Exmouth - Paignton, 11 April 2020.

43062 + 977984 + 975814 + 977993 + 977994 + 975984 + 43014 up emerging from Kennaway Tunnel, Dawlish, 1Z18 15.40 Paignton to Taunton via Bristol Temple Meads. 10 April 2020.

43014 + 975984 + 977994 + 977993 + 975814 + 977984 + 43062 down Dawlish,1Q18 04.22 Reading Triangle - Paignton via Penzance and Dawlish Warren, second run west from Dawlish Warren. 10 April 2020.

143620 + 143617 up Dawlish Coastguards, 5Z76 09.58 Exeter Depot to Exeter Depot via Newton Abbot (test run after store). 10 April 2020.

143617 + 143620 down Dawlish, 5Z76 09.58 Exeter Depot to Exeter Depot via Newton Abbot (test run after store, 10 April 2020.

43014 + 975984 + 977994 + 977993 + 975814 + 977984 + 43062 down Dawlish, 1Q18 04.22 Reading Triangle to Paignton via Penzance and Dawlish Warre, 10 April 2020.

On 7 April 2020 Class 70 No. 70809 brought 22 KSA, IWA from Baglan Bay to Exeter Riverside and then split the train and ran as two portions from Exeter Riverside to Hackney Yard, Newton Abbot for storage. The second westbound run, 6B65 19.10 Exeter Riverside - Hackney Yard Newton Abbot is seen heading towards Kennaway Tunnel.

Well, I never thought I would see the log train back on the sea wall! Today, 7 April 2020 Class 70 No. 70809 brought 22 KSA, IWA from Baglan Bay to Exeter Riverside and then split the train and ran as two portions from Exeter Riverside to Hackney Yard, Newton Abbot for storage. The first westbound run, 6B62 15.49 Exeter Riverside to Hackney Yard is seen passing the wall construction at Dawlish. Nine top sections now in position.

Freightliner Class 66 No. 66522 passes along the sea wall at Dawlish on 5 April 2020 with train 6Y98, the 17.09 Taunton Fairwater to Lostwithiel. loaded welded rail train.

66532 passes Dawlish Coastguards bridge on 5 April 2020 with train, 6Y97, the 08.35 Liskeard to Fairwater Yard, Taunton, with a part loaded long welded rail train.

It is very kind of these men at Freightliner to provide a suitable pictorial subject just when it was 'Walkies' time. On 4 April 2020, Class 66 No. 66522 leads a long welded rail delivery train (with No. 66532 on the rear) as train 6Y97, 13.30 Westbury to Lostwithiel via Ponsandane.

Well, after yesterdays erection (1 April 2020) of the first three top panels of the new Dawlish Sea Wall. The walk on 2 April was to see how it looks from the sea side. Voyager No. 220015 is seen heading west on the down line with 1V42, 06.10 Derby to Plymouth. They have kept their word and the top will still allow passengers on trains to see the sea and view. At present the actual walking level has still to be considerable raised, as at present the top of the concrete return wall is about 7ft 6in above the walkway. For those interested, cement pumping continued all night at the Kennaway end, with very little more to install at this stage. Work on the drains at the tunnel end is continuing.

150239 and 150249 pass along the new Dawlish sea wall, note first hop panels fitted at far end. 2F12 09.17 Paignton - Exmouth. 2 April 2020.

150219 and 150249 down Dawlish, passing first new top sections, 2T11 08.54 Exmouth - Paignton. 2 April 2020.

My walk on 1 April 2020 had to be timed with the passing of a rather unusual working 6Z83, 12.10 Newton Abbot Hackney Yard to Westbury, formed of Colas Rail Freight Class 70 No. 70807 and one 4-wheel PCA cement wagon No. 10683. The PCA was taken out of an Aberthaw to Moorswater cement working several months ago with wheel set issues and has been at Hackney yard ever since. The train with a load of just 44 tonnes and 28ft in length is seen approaching Dawlish station.

43158 / GW06 / 43004 approach Dawlish, 5Z74 11.45 Laira depot to Bristol SPM depot, 1 April 2020.

Erection of the first of the new Dawlish Sea Wall top panels, 1 April 2020.

Dawlish Trains www.dawlishtrains.com

April 2020