The North Devon Line
Barnstaple, North Devon, England
another "content over style" heritage web page from Steve Johnson`s "Cyberheritage"
THE PHOTOGRAPHIC COLLECTION
The Devon Banks and Newton Abbot
click above to enlarge
all taken 1983 - 89: mostly 1987
Between Plymouth and Newton Abbot, both in Devon lie a series of severe gradients that in steam days would test locomotives to the full. Even today when it seems a High Speed Train can go up one as fast as it comes down, they still make the locomotive work to it's maximum capacity.
My best memories of the banks are of the summer of 1987 when I would park up along a shady lane, that hide a good vantage point to pass the time of day, not by the clock, but my the summer rail services.
While on these trips I first really grew to love a good well cooked hard boiled egg!
a class 47 on a freight train passes through Plympton
a class 47 on a freight train passes through Plympton
47 650 at Wrangton...and again
a class 50 westbound near Ivybridge
a class 47 rounds Hemerdon summit
50 033 near Ivybridge with a very small freight indeed
a mint condition Network South East class 50 hurries eastwards in the Cornwood area
a class 47 on a goods working in the same location as above
also as above an "Inter-City" livery class 47 heads east on a three coach mail/parcels train
a Railbus "Skipper" class 142 unit heads westwards at Wrangton
a class 37 on a freight working of china clay hoods heads west near Ivybridge
47 650 heads east at Ivybridge
a class 47 on a freight working heads east at Ivybridge
a class 50 at an unknown loaction
a 1985 view of Newton Abbot signal box at night......and again
a DMU approaches Aller Junction
a class 50 passes the signal box at the east of Newton Abbot in 1983
a class 47 passes the signal box at the western end of Newton Abbot station
a HST departs westwards from Newton Abbot under a fine array of signals......and again
a mint condition Network South East class 50 024 at Plymouth Station
a class 47 on a passenger turn "down the branch" to Torquay and Paignton
x 2 of class 31 double heading on a passenger turn "down the branch" to Torquay and Paignton
class 50 012 on a passenger turn "down the branch" to Torquay and Paignton
x 2 of class 31 double heading on a passenger turn "down the branch" to Torquay and Paignton
a class 45 on a passenger turn "down the branch" to Torquay and Paignton
a class 31 on a passenger turn "down the branch" to Torquay and Paignton
class 50 012 on a passenger turn "down the branch" to Torquay and Paignton
class 50 004 on a passenger turn "down the branch" to Torquay and Paignton
a DMU runs "down the branch" to Torquay and Paignton
a DMU approaches a fine signal gantry on the approach from the east to Aller Junction...and again........and again
the fine G.W.R lower quadrant signal gantry at the west of Newton Abbot station....and again
a DMU passes Aller Junction signal box....and again
50 049 heads due west at Aller Junction
50 007 - the green 50 - Sir Edward Elgar, formerly Hercules, heads due west at Aller Junction
