South Devon Railway - heritage line, Buckfastleigh to Totnes

[whole diary]

[Lee]

Staff at a Devon heritage railway can no longer help children off trains , because of the risk of being accused of inappropriate behaviour (link below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7101226.stm

It follows a case in which a guard at another steam railway in Hampshire was convicted of indecently assaulting a six-year-old child.

South Devon Railway , which runs steam trains between Buckfastleigh and Totnes said the new policy was common sense.

But spokesman John Haslem admitted it was "a sad reflection on society".

[jester]

I believe most of the staff are volunteers and are probably not subject to the 'vetting' system applicable to engaging paid staff.
However, it is a sad fact and workers in the industry who are involved in assisting on a day to day basis do have to be on their guard.(no pun intended)

[Tim]

The Vetting requirements (PNC checks etc) make no distinction between paid and unpaid staff.  This is a problem for charities as they have to fork out the ^40 fee for checking each volunteer.  I know that my wife needed to be checked out for a voluntary music project she does in schools with handicaped children.

I am not sure whether volunteers at a railways woudl need to be checked - it is debatable as to whether or not they are "working with children or vunerable adults"

[Lee]

This Is Plymouth article link on the preserved railway between Totnes-Buckfastleigh.
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20257349&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

[Chris from Nailsea]

For full details, see http://www.southdevonrailway.org/News-and-Press-Releases/2008_Gronk_Aid_V.html

[devon_metro]

I happened to be at the South Devon Railway last weekend with some free tickets. A fantastic line, sadly the weather for tomorrow isn't looking great, and there is engineering works at Taunton!!

If anybody was planning to go and was put off can I suggest the much busier april/may gala!

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

im going but it does conflict with some photos i wanted to take... isnt there a divert threw yeovil tomorow with fgw stopping at local stations insted of swt .... hst's at wimple??

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

The South Devon Railway has bought a local steam boiler repair company to help it maintain its locomotives and safeguard jobs.

The voluntary organisation operates steam trains between Totnes and Buckfastleigh and has 13 trains.

It has acquired R.K. Pridham Engineering in Tavistock, whose founder was due to retire.

The purchase is intended to preserve the specialist equipment and skills needed to maintain the railway's stock.

Dick Wood, South Devon Railway general manager, said: "It's not only important to us for repairing our own railway engines in the future, but also for the whole heritage railway movement.

"It safeguards both the skilled expertise of boiler making and equipment in the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) for posterity, and also has ensured that some very skilled engineering jobs have been retained in the West Country.

R.K. Pridham's engineers and equipment have already been relocated to the South Devon Railway's base at Buckfastleigh.

The railway attracts more than 100,000 visitors a year and has about 400 volunteers.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

The South Devon Railway (SDR) has announced a record year.

It carried 112,000 passengers in 2010 - the highest number in its 19-year history.

In December alone, 10,000 passengers rode on the "Santa, carols and mince pie" steam trains, setting a new record for winter traffic.

The railway has also secured its future by purchasing the freehold of the seven-mile (11km) track between Buckfastleigh and Totnes.

Dick Wood, manager of the trust which runs the railway, said success had been achieved by broadening the "nostalgic" appeal to people of all ages and providing improved visitor facilities.

"We know that our visitors come back again and again to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of steam in the Devon countryside and to soak up this nostalgic and most relaxing form of transport," he said.

2010 will mark the 20th anniversary of the SDR trust taking over the Dart Valley Railway.

[LiskeardRich]

spot the error in that article


Well done to the steam railway on that achievement!!

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Steam railmotor back on South Devon line after 100 years


The steam railmotor, which has been hired from the Great Western Society, was one of the last to be built in 1908

A steam powered train has returned to a Devon railway after more than 100 years. The Great Western Railway Steam Railmotor was last seen on the Totnes to Ashburton line in 1905, the South Devon Railway (SDR) said.

Dick Wood, from SDR, added it was the "grandfather of all modern trains". It was introduced in 1903 and ran locally around Plymouth, Exeter, Teignmouth and between Totnes and Ashburton.

Mr Wood said 99 steam railmotors were built between 1903 and 1908. He said it was "totally unique".

"The reason why they disappeared was because they were victims of their own success," he added. "They couldn't carry the number of people who wanted to travel on them, so Great Western expanded the principle and put them with a steam locomotive with up to four coaches, with the steam engine in the middle. Therefore you could carry nearly 500 people, quickly, efficiently and easily."

The steam railmotor, which has been hired from the Great Western Society, was one of the last to be built in 1908. It has been hired for the Western Branch Line Gala until 24 February.

[TonyK]

From This is Devon:

South Devon Railway is hosting a Branch Line Gala Week from 16 February to 24 February on the line between Buckfastleigh and Totnes.

The gala offers a feast of Great Western Railway branch line action, including pannier, prairie and autotank hauled trains, plus the special guest appearance of the unique GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) steam railmotor No.93 from the Great Western Society.

This vehicle, whose restoration was completed in 2012, is of great historical importance. It is the precursor of today's multiple unit diesel and electric trains and the only vehicle of its kind surviving today. The coming of the steam railmotor enabled the Great Western Railway to provide cheaply additional services between normal passenger trains, and also to provide extra intermediate stopping places. This led to a huge increase in people's ability to undertake local travel and consequently to greatly increased traffic.

The nine-day event will include a variety of branch line style passenger services. Visiting Great Western Railway steam locomotives 0-4-2T No 1450 and 2-6-2T No 5542 will be joining home-based 0-6-0PT No 1369 and one, two and three-car auto (push and pull) trains will be running, including the first three-car GWR Class 55xx worked auto train in preservation!
There will be Great Western and British Railways era trains and even with Milk Tanks added as 'tail traffic' to add to the branch line atmosphere. The 1960s will be represented by BR^▸ (British Rail(ways)) diesel railcar No W55000 on Saturday evenings.

For more information see the South Devon Railways website

Another chance to see steam railmotor no. 93 in action!

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks for posting that, Four Track, Now! 

I've taken the liberty of adding the event to our Calendar, and for further information on the appearance of steam railmotor No. 93 on the South Devon Railway, see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=1031.msg126772#msg126772 

[TonyK]

Alas folr me, that will be the only weekend for months that I can't get to Devon

[Chris from Nailsea]

From Newton Abbot People:

Steam-powered train ^ not seen in South Devon for 100 years ^ thrills railway buffs

A steam-powered train ^ not seen in South Devon for more than a century ^ has been thrilling railway buffs at the South Devon Railway^


GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Steam Railmotor No 93, seen here arriving at Buckfastleigh station, is the star attraction at the South Devon Railway's Western Branch Line Gala

The Steam Railmotor, built in 1908 and finally restored last year, is the star attraction at the railway's Western Branch Line Gala which runs until this Sunday (24 February).

Described as a "feast" of Great Western Railway branch action, the gala proved hugely popular last weekend. With pannier, prairie and autotank-hauled trains, there was plenty for the many rail enthusiasts from Devon and around the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) who attended the event to enjoy.

But the undoubted star was the GWR Stream Railmotor No 93, which steamed gracefully up the line from Buckfastleigh to Totnes and back on special pre-booked trips.

Michael and Anne Cullum from Newton Abbot were making quite a day of it. "I saw that they were running some new trains here, so we thought we'd come down, go to Staverton, go to the pub, have some lunch, see the River Dart... it would be lovely," said Michael. "I like steam trains and the engineering side of it and all of that^ a bit of nostalgia. And the steam railmotor is interesting."

"I knew the railmotor was running, so I thought, 'I'm coming down!' " said Michael Baldry, a railway enthusiast from Bletchley, Buckinghamshire. "The railmotor was an attempt by the railways to make a self-contained vehicle. So although it's steam-operated, it still works on the same principle as modern diesel or electric trains. It can be driven in both directions, up and down the line and can do a quick turn-round. So that's why it was done, to speed things up."

Derek Cheesborough from Plympton was equally enthusiastic. "It's a marvellous piece of restoration," he said. "It's been virtually rebuilt and it's so smooth and quiet and a very comfortable ride."

The train that that they'd all come to see was built in 1908. Described as "totally unique", No 93 is the only surviving example of the Great Western Railway's original fleet of 99 steam propelled railcars. They were designed as local trains, making frequent stops on branch lines. Similar railmotors ran on the Totnes to Ashburton line around the early 1900s and also around Plymouth, Exeter and Teignmouth.

The railmotor was a victim of its own success. They proved popular but couldn't carry the number of passengers who wanted to travel on them. GWR expanded the principle, putting a steam locomotive in the middle of up to four coaches.

Renovation work on No 93 began in the 1990s. In July 2007 the project received more than ^760,000 of National Lottery funding and the rebuild ^ including a new steam power unit ^ was completed last year.

More pictures: South Devon Railway Western Branch Line Gala