MY LIFE IN TRAINS
My Story - Part Twelve
Exmouth, Axminster Junction, Exeter and Templecombe,
and Newton Abbot
My first longer trip with the rover ticket took me to Exmouth, with change of trains at Exeter St David’s and Exeter Central. By this time the network of branches from Exeter Central appeared to be operated by Ivatt Class 2 and BR Standard Class 3 2-6-2Ts, with not an M7 in sight. I returned via Axminster Junction where I got the timings wrong and failed to see the Adams 4-4-2Ts on the branch train. Final stop of the day was Exeter for a trip round the shed and some spotting on the station.
The next day I went to Templecombe to see the fabled Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, changing at St David’s and Central again, and spent time bunking the shed, where the staff were friendly, and spotting on the SR station. I was a sixteen year old shy lad. Even though I had shed permits, as they were for a party, and not me on my ownsome, I didn’t report to the shed offices – I just bunked the sheds as usual throughout this holiday!
My photos from the next three days, the Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the middle of our holiday, were taken at Newton Abbot. Saturday was incredibly busy with trains taking passengers to and from their holiday resorts in Devon and Cornwall. All these trains were double headed over the Devon banks of Dainton and Hemerdon, between Newton Abbot and Plymouth, so there was plenty of action as pilot engines were attached and detached. Nothing ran on time!
All Photographs by Alan Lewis Chambers ©
By this time Exmouth was dominated by 2-6-2Ts - LMS Ivatt and BR Standard varieties. Here No 41318 pauses
while shunting the goods yard on 31 August 1960.
BR Standard Class 3 2-6-2T No 82023 arrives at Exmouth on a morning passenger train from Budleigh Salterton on 31 August 1960.
SR Rebuilt Merchant Navy 4-6-2 No 35004 ‘Cunard White Star’ heads an up express through Axminster Junction on 31 August 1960.
An impressive view of GWR 2-8-0 No 3830 at Exeter shed on 31 August 1960.
GWR Grange 4-6-0 No 6813 'Eastbury Grange' in Exeter shed yard on 31 August 1960 with St Davids station in the background.
Powerful SR Z Class 0-8-0T No 30955 assists a freight headed by N Class 2-6-0 No 31814 up the steep bank from Exeter St David’s
to Exeter Central on 31 August 1960.
Somerset and Dorset 2-8-0 No 53810 moves onto Templecombe shed on 1 September 1960.
SR S15 4-6-0 30831 heads west through Templecombe with a mixed freight on 1 September 1960.
LMSR 4-4-0 No 40697 was still working on the Somerset and Dorset on 1 September 1960 - here it is leaving the SR station at Templecombe
to go down the bank to the S&D tracks.
GWR 57xx 0-6-0PT No 3796 enters Newton Abbot station from the west on 2 September 1960.
GWR 2-6-2T No 5183 is ready to pilot GWR Castle 4-6-0 No 5023 'Brecon Castle' to the west from Newton Abbot on 2 September 1960.
My Dad is photobombing this shot, long before the term was invented, in his obligatory suit and shiny shoes.
A smart young lad watches GWR Modified hall 4-6-0 No 6968 'Woodcock Hall' arrive from the west at Newton Abbot on 3 September 1960.
North British diesel hydraulic No D6322 piloted GWR Grange 4-6-0 No 6831 'Bearley Grange' over the south Devon banks to Newton Abbot
on 3 September 1960.
GWR Grange 4-6-0 No 6849 'Walton Grange' has backed down onto GWR Castle No 5000 'Launceston Castle' and is ready to leave Newton Abbot
on 3 September 1960.
A close up of the nameplate on GWR Castle 4-6-0 No 4037 'The South Wales Borderers' at Newton Abbot on 3 September 1960.
Swindon built Stanier 8F 2-8-0 No 48420 is very much at home at Newton Abbot on 4 September 1960.
GWR 2-8-0 No 2841 is ready for duty at Newton Abbot on 4 September 1960.
GWR King 4-6-0 No 6002 'King William IV' leaving Newton Abbot tender first on the Kingswear portion of the 'Cornishman'
on 4 September 1960. Tender first so that it will be facing the right way at Kingswear for its next duty.
