Heritage railway's top team turn the table for spectacular visitor
The Bodmin and Wenford Railway's team on the turntable ^ Ben Harding, Tony Hallworth, Jimmy James and Chris HattonMain line steam returned to Cornwall in spectacular fashion on Sunday with a visit by Battle of Britain class locomotive Tangmere.
But, although The Royal Duchy trip to Par was marred by the train slipping to a standstill on the homeward journey, the fact it could travel into Cornwall at all was due to the good offices of a team from the Bodmin and Wenford Railway.
On Friday four members of the heritage railway hastily carried out some much needed maintenance on the St Blazey turntable at the request of tour operator West Coast Railways.
The brief was to ensure the equipment, the only means of turning a locomotive west of the Plymouth triangle, was in good operational order.
Although listed, the turntable is surplus to requirements of its owner, freight company
DB» Schenker, and has not been used since last September.
The Bodmin and Wenford Railway^s press officer Jimmy James said that, following negotiations with D B Schenker, the four members of the heritage railway were allowed on site on Friday.
The turntable team of Tony Hallworth, Chris Harding, Jimmy James and Ben Harding ^ who was celebrating his 21st birthday, got stuck into the task. They oiled, greased and tested the 70ft turntable, and found it was in working order.
^The pit in which it sits was full of vegetation and years of accumulated litter. All this had to be removed, and the drains unblocked,^ said Jimmy.
Although each having Personal Track Safety Certificates for operating on the Bodmin and Wenford Railway the volunteers were unable to help with the turning on Sunday as these certificates did not apply at the St Blazey site.
West Coast Railways, which expressed gratitude for the local volunteer support, will be looking into ensuring that training for the required certificates will be made available so the men can help with further steam excursions.
Unfortunately the return journey of The Royal Duchy saw Tangmere slipping to a standstill while climbing the stiffly graded Hemerdon Bank east of Plymouth. West Coast Railways operations manager south Andy Taylor said this was due to ^a squall of rain^ which made the track slippery for the nine-coach train.
^This engine has come up with the same load numerous times as have other locomotives,^ he said. ^We have an investigation going on and may recommend that in future we drop the load bar by one coach.^
The train was drawn back into Plymouth by a diesel and, courtesy of First Great Western, the passengers were taken back to Bristol on a normal service train.
A spokesman for West Coast Railways said with main lines getting busier the company was hoping to develop more steam excursions into Cornwall. ^We are looking forward and feel there is a market to develop. There are opportunities to explore in Cornwall.^
Two more Royal Duchy steam specials running from Bristol to Par are scheduled on August 16 and September 6.
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