Diesel locos on the St Ives Branchline?

[Masboroughlad]

I know a class 40 made it down the St Erth to St Ives branch a couple of years ago.

Anybody know if other diesel locos been down there? Any pictures?

 

[Birdbrain]

Yes they have!

D1015 top and tail with 40145 http://www.flickr.com/photos/darkprince66/4616091614/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjm2009/8180316279/

50033 http://www.flickr.com/photos/scenicrail/8238286434/

And probably some more too. (Not my pictures)

 

[83G/84D]

I recall that 2 Class 20's went down on the Chipmans weedkiller train (20901 & 20904 were the regulars on this). DBS 66's have been down more recently on engineers trains top and tailed.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Have a google for st ives six bells junction - There's a few mentioned, e.g. http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/90s/940319pt.htm

 

[83G/84D]

According to the Sectional Appendix loco's of RA5 (maximum) can traverse the St Ives branch at a maximum of 10 mph. The only exception being to assist a failed train or working to or from a possession.

 

[Sun Chariot]

19/03/94: The Cornish Caper. Hoovers '7 + '50 at one end, '33 at the other. Foul weather thrown in for free. You can find a clip on YouTube, too.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

St Ives station closed to goods traffic in 1963. There.were.also.through.coaches to St Ives until sometime in the sixties from Paddington.
So I suspect that various diesel hydraulic types will have worked to St Ives.

Presumably weeds were killed at intervals after that - so class 25/37/47 are also possible?

 

[Whistler40145]

16/05/97-18/05/97: The Pirates of Penzance. 31407+31466 at one end with 37674 at the other end.

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[83G/84D]

16/05/97-18/05/97: The Pirates of Penzance. 31407+31466 at one end with 37674 at the other end.

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One of the 31's was defective at Par on the return run if I recall correctly and got detached and put in the siding by the station.

 

[Whistler40145]

31466's batteries were flat and couldn't be restarted at Long Rock. 37674 had been already been paired up with 31407 in multiple at Penzance, 31466 was dead behind the other locomotives and was dropped off at Par with the 37/31 combination working through to Birmingham New Street for a pair of 31/1s forward.

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[yorksrob]

Out of interest, How do they get special trains down there with such a tight schedule and no passing loops ?

 

[Whistler40145]

IIRC The Pirates of Penzance was timed to get up the branch & straight back to St Erth, passing the unit there as it was a service from Penzance.

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[yorksrob]

IIRC The Pirates of Penzance was timed to get up the branch & straight back to St Erth, passing the unit there as it was a service from Penzance.

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Ah, I'm guessing that might be difficult now as the passenger train shuttles back and forth from St Erth most of the day.

 

[Masboroughlad]

This is all very interesting. Thanks all.

Out of interest, could a 125 traverse the branch? Or a Voyager?

 

[ChiefPlanner]

This is all very interesting. Thanks all.

Out of interest, could a 125 traverse the branch? Or a Voyager?

HST sets have a very low RA routing - (about 98 tons for a power car) - so no problems really bar length and gauge clearance) - they have been to Aberystwyth for example with no problem.


Voyagers - not far off - but a 150x2 does the job very well...

 

[Whistler40145]

The only problem with a full HST set would be if it fouls the Track Circuits at St Ives.

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[83G/84D]

The only problem with a full HST set would be if it fouls the Track Circuits at St Ives.

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What?

There are no track circuits at St Ives, the line is one train working with a train staff so they are not required. The line only has track circuits as far as Lelant Saltings.
The short platform at St Ives would be an issue though.Just checked and Voyagers are NOT cleared for the St Ives branch or Falmouth branch.