Dawlish Trains www.dawlishtrains.com
June 2020
Can't remember the last time I saw three 158s coupled together on the Dawlish sea wall. On 30 June 2020, 2E22 15.50 Penzance to Exeter St Davids was formed of 158766, 158769 and 158767, seen heading towards Dawlish station from Kennaway Tunnel.
Just before 02.00 on the morning of 28 June 2020 we had double headed road/rail action on the Dawlish sea wall between the station and Kennaway Tunnel, one 'team' was working with ballast bags towards the station and this one was close to the tunnel and involved in digging out the drainage channel between the railway and new inner wall. Just a snap of the action with no flash or external light, just an ISO of 8000.
In a very lucky patch of sun in Dawlish on 27 June 2020, sees the down empty GW overnight/sleeper stock passing the almost complete rebuilt sea wall as it approaches Kennaway Tunnel. The train was running as 5Z50 07.25 Paddington to Penzance Long Rock after arriving with the up Penzance-Paddington 'overnight' service.The train is led by 57605 with No. 57603 on the rear. The 'bulge' in the sea wall, which will soon have an elevated seating area built, should provide a rather nice photographic vantage point.
On 25 June 2020, 6Y11, 17.52 Fairwater Yard, Taunton to Totnes, is seen at Exminster with No. 66414 leading the HOBC train and No. 66596 on the rear.
66106 + 60015 down Crofton, 6B33, 13.35 Theale - Robeston (following failure of 60 at Theale). 25 June 2020.
66420 + 59102 down Hungerford Common 6C64 15.26 Acton - Merehea, terminated at Westbury due to track defect at West Somerset Junction. 25 June 2020.
59001 down Hungerford Common, 6C76 14.39 Acton Yard - Whatley Quarry, 25 June 2020.
59002 up Hungerford Common, 6L21 13.23 Whatley - Dagenham, 25 June 2020.
66520 down Hungerford Common, 6V18 11.20 Allington - Whatle, 25 June 2020.
165112 up Hungerford Common, 2K39 13.41 Bedwyn - Reading, 25 June 2020.
165112 down, Hungerford Common, 2K42 12.12 Reading - Bedwy.
66952 down Crofton, 0Y08 10.45 Reading to Taunton RILA recording run. 25 June 2020.
802110 down Crofton, 1C78, 11.04 Paddington - Plymouth, 25 June 2020.
66605 up Crofton, 6A27, 06.17 East Usk - Hays & Harlington (Tarmac). 25 June 2020.
66012 up Crofton, 6M31 06.59 Bristol East Depot - Mountsorrel, 25 June 2020.
Freightliner No. 66512 and 59201 head west at Hungerford Common on 25 June 2020 with train 7C77, the 12.41 Acton to Merehead Quarry, which was terminated at Westbury due to a track defect at East Somerset Junction.
59103 pulls away from Hungerford station anf through Hungerford Common, 7A77, 11.39 Merehead to Theale Foster Yeoman, 25 June 2020.
Freightliner No. 66622 up Crofton, 6M20, 10.38 Whatley Quarry to Churchyard Sidings (St Pancras). 25 June 2020.
My first proper day out after lock-down was on 25/6/20 with ann excellent and most rewarding trip to the B&H main line in the Crofton and Hungerford area. Loads of Aggregate action with 59/0, 59/1 and 59/2 with 66s on turns. I’m my openion, one of the best captures was this, a view and subject I’ve wanted to take for a time. 59005 ‘Kenneth J Painter’ leads train 7A09 the 07.12 Merehead to Acton formed of 43 bogie wagons, rounds the curve at Crofton Pumping house, the beam engine pump house is behind and the glorious Kennet and Avon canal is in the foreground.
Above and Below. My two efforts on 24 June 2020 of train 6Y11, 17.52 Fairwater Yard, Taunton to Totnes, was at Starcross with No. 66414 leading the HOBC train and No. 66596 on the rear. Running a tad later tonight due to other traffic, the sun was almost off the train, but quite pleasing low light.
66012 up Starcross, 0Z66 15.17 St Blazey - Westbury, light loco, removing china clay loco from Cornwall due to a several week stop in Cornish CDA traffic. 24 June 2020.
Now sporting GW green livery ready for 'Castle' use, Nos. 43162 and 43156 approach Kennaway Tunnel on 24 June 2020 as 0V84 10.13 Wabtec Doncaster to Laira depot.
Above and Below: On another very pleasing sunny evening in the west this time at Powderham on 23 June 2020, the Network Rail HOBC set ‘top and tailed’ by Freightliner Nos 66696 and 66414 in Powerhaul livery head west as train 6Y11, the 17.52 Fairwater Yard, Taunton to Totnes.
Above and Below: On a very pleasing sunny evening in the west and water in Cockwood Harbour on 22 June 2020, the Network Rail HOBC set ‘top and tailed’ by Freightliner No’s 66414 in Powerhaul livery and 66596 crosses the harbour as train 6Y11, the 17.52 Fairwater Yard, Taunton to Totnes.
150243 and 150216 approach Cockwood Harbour, 2E32 19.20 Paignton - Exeter St Davids, 22 June 2020.
On Sundays Class 800s can venture to the west country, either 800/0s or 800/3s. On 21 June 2020, sets Nos. 800004 and 800028 approach Kennaway Tunnel, Dawlish with train 1C83, the 13.03 Paddington to Plymouth.
Above and below: In the last lumens of light on 20 June 2020, The Network Rail/Loram Rail Grinder set formed of DR79501-DR79507 (79501 being at the Exeter end), heads west at Dawlish with working 4Q03, 18.58 Bristol St Philips Marsh to Newton Abbot Hackney Yard. Seen on the sea wall at Dawlish and heading into Kennaway Tunnel. Would have been naive to have got tis in good light.
A bit of a flat light day in Dawlish on 20 June 2020, but bright enough to capture 'top and tail' DB Class 66s Nos. 66185 and 66192 powering train 6W02, 10.13 Westbury to Lostwithiel for overnight engineering work. Bit more sea wall done over the last few days.
In half decent light on 19 June 2020, GWR Class 57s Nos. 57603 and 57605 'top and tail' part of the GW Night Riviera set through Teignmouth, running as train 5Z71, the 08.30 Penzance Long Rock depot to Reading depot.
Looks like another of the classic views overlooking Dawlish is about to go, that from the footpath from Teignmouth Hill over Lea Mount. The problem in growth of bushes and trees, these are just too far away from the path to be reached for trimming and I do not have any long arm loppers. I reckon another week and the branches will be in the way of any pic. Shame. So, here we see a GW 2+4 set (GW03), with power cars 43004 and 43170 forming train 2C55, 16.56 Exeter St Davids to Plymouth 14 June 2020.
An hour before this train was due today, Sunday 14 June 2020, it was just like rain here in Dawlish, and I was about to let it go by unrecorded. THEN, sun starts to appear from the west, so I followed it as far as Teignmouth - and it worked. 6W04 09.30 Lostwithiel to Westbury formed of sleeper wagons and the track laying train, led by DB liveried No. 66165 with No. 66024 hanging on the rear passes through Teignmouth Station.
66080 up Dawlish Rockstone, 6W05, 08.32 Lostwithiel - Westbury (Autoballasters), 14 June 2020.
About all I can offer today, Saturday 13 June 2020, is 'top and tail' DB Class 66s passing the expanding new sea wall at Dawlish. 66165 and 66080 with 10 Autoballasters head west with train 6W05, 14.26 Westbury to Lostwithiel. Weather is a bit grim.
70812 emerges from Kennaway Tunnel, 6C36, 07.17 Moorswater to Aberthaw, 11 June 2020.. Note the water above the loco, shows how good this new wall actually is!
67023 and 67027 arrive at Dawlish Warren, crossing from up to down line, plus stand in NMT - 977983, 977868, 5981, 6264 1Q18, 06.09 Reading to Paignton via Penzance and Dawlish Warren, Penzance-Dalish Warren leg. 5 June 2020.
57603 + 17175, 12142, 10219, 10596, 10534, 10616, 10612, 10532, 5Z79, 09.30 Reading depot to Penzance (sleeper stock move. 5 June 2020.
67027 and 67023 plus stand in NMT - 6264, 5981, 977868 and 977983 1Q18, down Dawlish, 06.09 Reading to Paignton via Penzance and Dawlish Warren, first down leg 5 June 2020.
143619 + 150238 up Teignmouth, 2F14 10.20 Paignton - Exmouth. 2 June 2020.