A trip to the SW to check out the Castle HSTs, take a look at the Cornwall main line with its surviving GW signalling, and sample Pullman dining had been in the back of my mind for some years, during which time Okehampton had reopened (last visited in 1971). Then the news of the drastic reduction in HST diagrams and the impending closure of Truro, Par and Lostwithiel boxes made matters urgent.
Opportunity knocked last week with a family break to Bath: with my wife and daughter happy to do Jane Austen-y stuff, 1 March was free. Planning was slightly complicated by St Austell to St Erth being closed for resignalling so (1) Truro was off-limits and (2) only half the service beyond Plymouth was running. Ticketing was a compromise between economy and flexibility, so an Anytime to Tiverton Parkway (not much more than the Offpeak, and allowing an early start), Devon Day Ranger to Plymouth and an Offpeak thence to Par did the trick. I was aiming to stop off for photos at Dawlish and the three stations with semaphores.
Overnight downpours had just stopped when I left our apartment for Bath Spa station, the rest of the day was blustery with showers. Having discovered to my surprise (from the forum's tame OJP) that Westbury is a permitted route to the SW, I boarded the quiet 0735 (0628 Cardiff-Portsmouth, a pair of 158s) for the run to Westbury, followed by the almost empty 9-car 0703 Paddington-Paignton through to Exeter SD.
The 0939 Okehampton was booked conveniently from Platform 3 after the Exmouth-Paignton at 0934 - only that had to follow my down London, which was 3 late, so Exeter box quite rightly switched the 0939 to Platform 1 - fortunately I spotted the 150 as it crossed over from the Down Southern and sprinted over the footbridge for an on-time departure.
As expected, the train was lightly loaded - the return 1024 off Okehampton wasn't, with a decent 60+ on board including a primary school class from Whitstone near Bude (had they come on the service bus?). Okehampton station, even without the footbridge roof, looked very impressive, and I had time to check out the bus interchange, shop and TVM. I went through to Central and straight back (1114 Barnstaple, 3-car 165) and on to Dawlish on the (moderately busy) 5-car 0859 Cardiff-St Austell.
After admiring the new sea wall and footbridge (which IMO is quite in keeping with Dawlish's 30s concrete platform buildings, currently being refurbished) it was on to Newton on the 0937 ex Padd, where I swapped to the following 1004 down to Plymouth, both slightly late.
Only two HSTs were booked out last week; the 1343 to St Austell (power cars 43092/97) was a pleasure to travel in - quiet, comfortable and with excellent acceleration; the journey was enlivened by an unexpected signal stop short of St Germans. I alighted at Lostwithiel, wandered into the pleasant little town for a coffee, and came back in time to join a couple of other photographers on the platform; sadly, there was no freight about, but the returning HST made a fine sight.
The following train (43098/198) was 8min late off Plymouth, having waited for connections, and was much busier. I left it at Par (where the Newquay train was very lightly loaded, in and out), rejoining it on the return as far as Liskeard. Liskeard has one of the rare centre-pivoted semaphores, which makes for variety, and of course the Looe branch; I was intrigued to see chocolate-and-cream retro signs on the Looe platform (there are also some on the Gunnislake platform at Plymouth - those should be green by rights). I returned to Plymouth on the 1719 IET to Gloucester.
I'd taken the precaution of booking a First Advance to Exeter on the 1816 Pullman as it was a Friday, but with no passengers from further West it was unnecessary - there was only one other customer for dinner until Exeter. Service was superb, and the meal (mackerel followed by coq au vin) delicious; bread, water and coffee is included. I thought it excellent value (by Southern England standards) but declined to pay £15+ for a half bottle of wine, making do with cider. It was, of course, dark by the time we passed Newton, though the waterside section has its attractions even then; Taunton was reached on time.
I had intended to wait for the 2003 through to Bath, but I'd had enough of IET Standard class - fine if you like sitting bolt upright, but not otherwise - so I swapped to the preceding 5-car XC which was by far the busiest train I'd used all day (though I did get a window seat), and finally, after exploring Temple Meads for a while, the 2050 Weymouth (166) back to Bath, arriving on time at 2107.
All in all an excellent day, despite the chilly weather: punctuality well within my tolerances; trains clean, warm and mostly comfortable. It reminded me how much I enjoy riding trains on scenic routes, and how lovely the SW is. And I did everything I'd set out to do - what more can you ask?
Opportunity knocked last week with a family break to Bath: with my wife and daughter happy to do Jane Austen-y stuff, 1 March was free. Planning was slightly complicated by St Austell to St Erth being closed for resignalling so (1) Truro was off-limits and (2) only half the service beyond Plymouth was running. Ticketing was a compromise between economy and flexibility, so an Anytime to Tiverton Parkway (not much more than the Offpeak, and allowing an early start), Devon Day Ranger to Plymouth and an Offpeak thence to Par did the trick. I was aiming to stop off for photos at Dawlish and the three stations with semaphores.
Overnight downpours had just stopped when I left our apartment for Bath Spa station, the rest of the day was blustery with showers. Having discovered to my surprise (from the forum's tame OJP) that Westbury is a permitted route to the SW, I boarded the quiet 0735 (0628 Cardiff-Portsmouth, a pair of 158s) for the run to Westbury, followed by the almost empty 9-car 0703 Paddington-Paignton through to Exeter SD.
The 0939 Okehampton was booked conveniently from Platform 3 after the Exmouth-Paignton at 0934 - only that had to follow my down London, which was 3 late, so Exeter box quite rightly switched the 0939 to Platform 1 - fortunately I spotted the 150 as it crossed over from the Down Southern and sprinted over the footbridge for an on-time departure.
As expected, the train was lightly loaded - the return 1024 off Okehampton wasn't, with a decent 60+ on board including a primary school class from Whitstone near Bude (had they come on the service bus?). Okehampton station, even without the footbridge roof, looked very impressive, and I had time to check out the bus interchange, shop and TVM. I went through to Central and straight back (1114 Barnstaple, 3-car 165) and on to Dawlish on the (moderately busy) 5-car 0859 Cardiff-St Austell.
After admiring the new sea wall and footbridge (which IMO is quite in keeping with Dawlish's 30s concrete platform buildings, currently being refurbished) it was on to Newton on the 0937 ex Padd, where I swapped to the following 1004 down to Plymouth, both slightly late.
Only two HSTs were booked out last week; the 1343 to St Austell (power cars 43092/97) was a pleasure to travel in - quiet, comfortable and with excellent acceleration; the journey was enlivened by an unexpected signal stop short of St Germans. I alighted at Lostwithiel, wandered into the pleasant little town for a coffee, and came back in time to join a couple of other photographers on the platform; sadly, there was no freight about, but the returning HST made a fine sight.
The following train (43098/198) was 8min late off Plymouth, having waited for connections, and was much busier. I left it at Par (where the Newquay train was very lightly loaded, in and out), rejoining it on the return as far as Liskeard. Liskeard has one of the rare centre-pivoted semaphores, which makes for variety, and of course the Looe branch; I was intrigued to see chocolate-and-cream retro signs on the Looe platform (there are also some on the Gunnislake platform at Plymouth - those should be green by rights). I returned to Plymouth on the 1719 IET to Gloucester.
I'd taken the precaution of booking a First Advance to Exeter on the 1816 Pullman as it was a Friday, but with no passengers from further West it was unnecessary - there was only one other customer for dinner until Exeter. Service was superb, and the meal (mackerel followed by coq au vin) delicious; bread, water and coffee is included. I thought it excellent value (by Southern England standards) but declined to pay £15+ for a half bottle of wine, making do with cider. It was, of course, dark by the time we passed Newton, though the waterside section has its attractions even then; Taunton was reached on time.
I had intended to wait for the 2003 through to Bath, but I'd had enough of IET Standard class - fine if you like sitting bolt upright, but not otherwise - so I swapped to the preceding 5-car XC which was by far the busiest train I'd used all day (though I did get a window seat), and finally, after exploring Temple Meads for a while, the 2050 Weymouth (166) back to Bath, arriving on time at 2107.
All in all an excellent day, despite the chilly weather: punctuality well within my tolerances; trains clean, warm and mostly comfortable. It reminded me how much I enjoy riding trains on scenic routes, and how lovely the SW is. And I did everything I'd set out to do - what more can you ask?