What a relief - a day trip to Brizzol!
30th January 2021
23rd December 1983
WHO REMEMBERS THE CHRISTMAS RELIEF TRAINS?
Christmas shoppers' special? 45122 has the 2B30 13.10 to Weston Super Mare ready for departure.
Two days before Christmas, 1983, I decided to take a day trip up to Bristol Temple Meads. The attraction would have been the prospect of Christmas relief trains, plus the parade of locos coming on and off the adjacent Bath Road depot. For a railfan Temple Meads really did have everything: a busy and impressive main line station and a traction maintenance depot fully visible and accessible from the platform, with a constant coming and going of locos for attention. It was like being at a gala event every day!
I've always been a prolific note taker on my travels!
I set off from Axminster on the 2V54 06.03 Salisbury to Exeter St. Davids, hauled by 50008 "Thunderer", passing 50021 "Rodney" at Honiton with 1O06 06.48 Newton Abbot to London Waterloo; there's an interesting through journey you can't make any more! A short break at St. Davids netted a few locos on shed there, a couple of '31s, a Class 45 "Peak" no. 45103 and Class 46 no. 46052. A few Class 33s were also keeping busy this morning I noticed. 33005 worked the 1B18 07.50 Bristol Temple Meads to Penzance, and 33015 was on 2B18 09.25 Exeter St. Davids to Paignton. Two parcels trains passed through, both hauled by "Duffs". 47138 on an up parcels and 47248 on a down parcels at about 10.00. But what my notes tell me now, and something for which I have no explanation, was the sighting of "Grid" no. 56033 heading west light engine. What on earth was that all about? A "grid" this far west in 1983 was unheard of. Sadly I never found out, and nor did I take a photo!
Cue the relief trains! My train to Bristol was the 09.13 Paignton to Newcastle relief, hauled by steam-heat 47106. On the way past Riverside yard I noted "Peak" no. 45036 on a freight and 08760 stabled. A couple more shunters were at Taunton: 08800 was the station pilot and Ruston & Hornsby PWM no. 97652 was at the concrete depot.
From the platform end: 08398, 37204 and 45050 sit in front of the main depot buildings.
I stayed at Temple Meads for a few hours, observing the trains and taking pictures. I was still learning to use my first SLR camera - the Nikon EM - and on reflection I probably made the mistake of buying Boots owned brand colour slide film! The photos are a bit grainy, not helped by the dullish weather, although the poor light would have forced the use of a higher ASA film and I think the Boots film was probably 200 or 400 ASA.
47567 enters the station under the cavernous arched train shed roof, with the 09.50 Plymouth to Liverpool Lime Street relief.
Bath Road held plenty of locos of course, Classes 08, 31, 33, 37, 45, 46, 47 and 56. 47085 "Mammoth" was a welcome sight, passing through the station with a rake of caustic soda tanks from Bridgwater and then later going onto the shed. Who will ever forget the aroma around Bridgwater thanks to the cellophane works!
47085 "Mammoth", one of the original Western Region "namers" rolls on to Bath Road after earlier bringing a caustic soda tank train from Bridgwater. I assume the train was taken to Stoke Gifford Yard.
Class 33s held sway on the Cardiff to Portsmouth services, with 33024, 33027 and 33028 observed. "Peaks" seemed to dominate the relief trains. 45015 was in charge of then 09.40 Leeds to Plymouth and 45050 took over from 47214 on the 10.35 Wolverhampton to Penzance. 47214 had been declared a failure and was removed by 08398 and taken on to the depot. Even 45122 was working the 2B30 Bristol Temple Meads to Weston Super Mare local service!
In disgrace! 47214 is dragged onto the depot by 08398 after failing on the 10.35 Wolverhampton to Penzance relief.
My return home was made on three separate trains. I took 45015 as far as Taunton on the previously-mentioned 09.40 Leeds to Plymouth relief, followed by 47474 on the 14.37 London Paddington to Plymouth relief. 33062 was my transport back to Axminster on 1O24 17.33 Exeter St. Davids to London Waterloo.
Writing these words now, 37 years later, you are reminded just how normal this all was. Much as I would have looked forward to and enjoyed the day out, nothing would have been a surprise back them (except, perhaps, that Class 56 at Exeter!). But today I don’t think I would contemplate a day out to Temple Meads. Granted, the station is still the architectural splendour that it has always been but the trains are less appealing and Bath Road depot is a distant memory. I seem to recall being a little disappointed with my photos once they came back from the developer, but now I can appreciate them in a wholly different way and be satisfied that I did record that ordinary day when relief trains were very much part of the seasonal activity on our railways.
In addition to the few shots here go to my Bristol and Bath Road gallery for more from this day trip.BRISTOL & BATH RD GALLERY
WHO REMEMBERS THE CHRISTMAS RELIEF TRAINS?
Christmas shoppers' special? 45122 has the 2B30 13.10 to Weston Super Mare ready for departure.
Two days before Christmas, 1983, I decided to take a day trip up to Bristol Temple Meads. The attraction would have been the prospect of Christmas relief trains, plus the parade of locos coming on and off the adjacent Bath Road depot. For a railfan Temple Meads really did have everything: a busy and impressive main line station and a traction maintenance depot fully visible and accessible from the platform, with a constant coming and going of locos for attention. It was like being at a gala event every day!
I've always been a prolific note taker on my travels!
I set off from Axminster on the 2V54 06.03 Salisbury to Exeter St. Davids, hauled by 50008 "Thunderer", passing 50021 "Rodney" at Honiton with 1O06 06.48 Newton Abbot to London Waterloo; there's an interesting through journey you can't make any more! A short break at St. Davids netted a few locos on shed there, a couple of '31s, a Class 45 "Peak" no. 45103 and Class 46 no. 46052. A few Class 33s were also keeping busy this morning I noticed. 33005 worked the 1B18 07.50 Bristol Temple Meads to Penzance, and 33015 was on 2B18 09.25 Exeter St. Davids to Paignton. Two parcels trains passed through, both hauled by "Duffs". 47138 on an up parcels and 47248 on a down parcels at about 10.00. But what my notes tell me now, and something for which I have no explanation, was the sighting of "Grid" no. 56033 heading west light engine. What on earth was that all about? A "grid" this far west in 1983 was unheard of. Sadly I never found out, and nor did I take a photo!
Cue the relief trains! My train to Bristol was the 09.13 Paignton to Newcastle relief, hauled by steam-heat 47106. On the way past Riverside yard I noted "Peak" no. 45036 on a freight and 08760 stabled. A couple more shunters were at Taunton: 08800 was the station pilot and Ruston & Hornsby PWM no. 97652 was at the concrete depot.
From the platform end: 08398, 37204 and 45050 sit in front of the main depot buildings.
I stayed at Temple Meads for a few hours, observing the trains and taking pictures. I was still learning to use my first SLR camera - the Nikon EM - and on reflection I probably made the mistake of buying Boots owned brand colour slide film! The photos are a bit grainy, not helped by the dullish weather, although the poor light would have forced the use of a higher ASA film and I think the Boots film was probably 200 or 400 ASA.
47567 enters the station under the cavernous arched train shed roof, with the 09.50 Plymouth to Liverpool Lime Street relief.
Bath Road held plenty of locos of course, Classes 08, 31, 33, 37, 45, 46, 47 and 56. 47085 "Mammoth" was a welcome sight, passing through the station with a rake of caustic soda tanks from Bridgwater and then later going onto the shed. Who will ever forget the aroma around Bridgwater thanks to the cellophane works!
47085 "Mammoth", one of the original Western Region "namers" rolls on to Bath Road after earlier bringing a caustic soda tank train from Bridgwater. I assume the train was taken to Stoke Gifford Yard.
Class 33s held sway on the Cardiff to Portsmouth services, with 33024, 33027 and 33028 observed. "Peaks" seemed to dominate the relief trains. 45015 was in charge of then 09.40 Leeds to Plymouth and 45050 took over from 47214 on the 10.35 Wolverhampton to Penzance. 47214 had been declared a failure and was removed by 08398 and taken on to the depot. Even 45122 was working the 2B30 Bristol Temple Meads to Weston Super Mare local service!
In disgrace! 47214 is dragged onto the depot by 08398 after failing on the 10.35 Wolverhampton to Penzance relief.
My return home was made on three separate trains. I took 45015 as far as Taunton on the previously-mentioned 09.40 Leeds to Plymouth relief, followed by 47474 on the 14.37 London Paddington to Plymouth relief. 33062 was my transport back to Axminster on 1O24 17.33 Exeter St. Davids to London Waterloo.
Writing these words now, 37 years later, you are reminded just how normal this all was. Much as I would have looked forward to and enjoyed the day out, nothing would have been a surprise back them (except, perhaps, that Class 56 at Exeter!). But today I don’t think I would contemplate a day out to Temple Meads. Granted, the station is still the architectural splendour that it has always been but the trains are less appealing and Bath Road depot is a distant memory. I seem to recall being a little disappointed with my photos once they came back from the developer, but now I can appreciate them in a wholly different way and be satisfied that I did record that ordinary day when relief trains were very much part of the seasonal activity on our railways.
In addition to the few shots here go to my Bristol and Bath Road gallery for more from this day trip.BRISTOL & BATH RD GALLERY