Route Availability of GWR Steam Engines and Associated Matters

[whole diary]

[eightf48544]

Another Brunel bridge from which Kings were banned is at Windsor on the branch from Slough.

There have been various suggestions that a King might have got to Windsor and Eton Central (in the dead of night) . However as far as we (Sough and Windsor Railway Society) know no documented evidence or photos have been found.

We are still looking if any one has any info SWRS^» (Slough and Windsor Railway Society - about) would like to hear.

Castles were OK as the famous photo of 7013 Bristol Castle hauling King George the VI funeral train.

Incidentaly for which we taken out of school and lined up by the line in a factory yard (transformers something L Thompson) near Starch Products between Slough and Langley.

In the summer most evenings after school there would be B1s Black 5s Standard 4 on Slough shed having worked excursions to Windsor many via High Wycombe Maidenhead and the West Curve at Slough many having also originated on the GC^» (Great Central Railway - link to heritage line).

IV changed to VI

[eightonedee]

I assume that's George VI - George IV died in 1830, so some one would have had to taken him up to the Liverpool to Manchester if the family wanted a funeral train to send him off!

[Andy]

Thanks stuving this was the bit I remembered:

More analysis here

Brunel's Royal Albert Bridge is the only rail link between Cornwall and the rest of Britain. Refurbishing it is a complex engineering project.
snip...
Load analysis
Part of the works will involve removing the lower diagonal braces, which were added in the 1970s. 'This was the result of analysis carried out at the time using perspex models loaded with weights,' says Lawlor. 'It was not until about 10 or 15 years ago that we had an actual idea of how the structure worked with modern computing techniques, because it is a highly redundant structure and the load paths are numerous, so trying to consider how the bridge worked when a load went across was too difficult for a long time.

'In the 1970s after analysis they added the lower diagonal braces. We have now discovered that some of the members are bent. On analysis you can see that they are not behaving in the way they were intended to, so they are fairly redundant in their current condition. We are taking those off and reproducing their tension with some strengthening work elsewhere, such as the hanger tops. These cracked every 20-25 years in some locations as a result of trains going over the bridge. We are strengthening those areas to address this cracking issue.'

snip...

I remember seeing the persex model in the 1970's at Derby. 


Whatever if the original strengthening work was done in 1969 - doubt if the Kings were permitted across the RAB before then end of steam.

Pedant mode: the RAB is not the only rail link between Cornwall and the rest of Britain. Calstock viaduct still carries passengers across the border as well.
In 1960, there were five working lines that crossed the border. I imagine the bridges across the Tamar of the other three were much less impressive (never seen any photos of any of them, strangely enough) as the crossings were further north.

[SandTEngineer]

If you want to understand what locomotives could go where on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) in 1931, up to WR days in 1957, see here: http://www.michaelclemensrailways.co.uk/article/gwr-route-availability-map-worcester/634 with this dowloadable map: http://www.michaelclemensrailways.co.uk/download.ashx?dok=302

[chopper1944]

Remarkable map of Route availability. You learn something every day.

[eightonedee]

Thanks S&T^▸ (Signalling and Telegraph) - hours of entertainment in those route availability maps and tables!

[smokey]

Pedant mode: the RAB is not the only rail link between Cornwall and the rest of Britain. Calstock viaduct still carries passengers across the border as well.
In 1960, there were five working lines that crossed the border. I imagine the bridges across the Tamar of the other three were much less impressive (never seen any photos of any of them, strangely enough) as the crossings were further north.

Working from South to North, I'd say the five railways that crossed the Border from ENGLAND into Cornwall are/were at and opened by,

1. Plymouth - Penzance Cornish Main Line at St Budeaux/Saltash Royal Albert Bridge (Cornwall Railway)

2. Bere Alston - Callington Line at Calstock Viaduct (Plymouth, Devonport and South-Western Junction Railway)

3. Plymouth to Launceston Line at Launceston (near Launceston Rugby Club & A30) (Launceston & South Devon Railway) Closed to Passengers 31/12/1962 Freight 28/2/1966

4. Halwill to Launceston Line at Launceston (North Cornwall Railway) Closed 3/10/1966

5. Halwill to Bude Line, Crossed into Cornwall Near Box's Shop (London & South Western Railway) Closed 3/10/1966

[Andy]

Pedant mode: the RAB is not the only rail link between Cornwall and the rest of Britain. Calstock viaduct still carries passengers across the border as well.
In 1960, there were five working lines that crossed the border. I imagine the bridges across the Tamar of the other three were much less impressive (never seen any photos of any of them, strangely enough) as the crossings were further north.

Working from South to North, I'd say the five railways that crossed the Border from ENGLAND into Cornwall are/were at and opened by,

1. Plymouth - Penzance Cornish Main Line at St Budeaux/Saltash Royal Albert Bridge (Cornwall Railway)

2. Bere Alston - Callington Line at Calstock Viaduct (Plymouth, Devonport and South-Western Junction Railway)

3. Plymouth to Launceston Line at Launceston (near Launceston Rugby Club & A30) (Launceston & South Devon Railway) Closed to Passengers 31/12/1962 Freight 28/2/1966

4. Halwill to Launceston Line at Launceston (North Cornwall Railway) Closed 3/10/1966

5. Halwill to Bude Line, Crossed into Cornwall Near Box's Shop (London & South Western Railway) Closed 3/10/1966

The two crossings near Launceston were definitely bridges over the Tamar but I'm not sure about the Bude line as the border deviates from the river in places. Whitstone & Bridgerule station, the stop before Bude, was in Devon, although Whitstone itself is in Cornwall.

[rogerpatenall]

Could always distinguish between a King and a Castle as they came under the road bridge at Castle Cary on an 'up'. The Kings always looked head on as if they were a bit dumpy and overweight - A Castle looked like a slim Boy Racer.

[eightonedee]

Moderators - just a thought - we've had quite a lot of typical Coffee Shop thread draft on this topic. Perhaps it should now be entitled "Random Thoughts on Route Availability of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Steam Engines and Associated Matters"? 

[SandTEngineer]

Moderators - just a thought - we've had quite a lot of typical Coffee Shop thread draft on this topic. Perhaps it should now be entitled "Random Thoughts on Route Availability of GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Steam Engines and Associated Matters"? 

Good idea.  As Data Manager I can do that (later).

Edit to add: Topic renamed to "Route Availability of GWR Steam Engines and Associated Matters"

[infoman]

A "form 1"

now thats a name I have not heard in a long time.

[rogerpatenall]

A "form 1"

now thats a name I have not heard in a long time.

Don't give me the shakes. Never had one myself.

[Red Squirrel]

Looks to me like a King is blue and a Castle is green ...

Peasant! 

A King is double red; a Castle is red...

[Umberleigh]

Looking on Google maps I found the remnants of a masonry viaduct abutment in the River Tamar just by where the river runs parallel to Launceston rugby club, so that’s one former England to Cornwall crossing