Sunday 1 January 2012
Building flexibility and operational interest into the design
The diverging single line nature of Torr Giffard (TG) along with the goods and passenger runround facilities give good levels of potential operating interest for onlookers and operators alike. This potential can be multiplied if a period of railway history can be catered for rather than a single date. A train of thought (pardon the pun) at the moment is to plan a range of prototypical stock for September 1959, a 2nd for September 1963, a third for September 1966 and the last for September 1971. TG 1959 would see Southern steam classes 02, M7, Beattie Well tank, T9, N and WC/BB unrebuilt pacifics in action hauling mainly Bulleid and Maunsell stock. TG 1963 (ownership transferred to BR (WR)) would see a predominance of standard steam types, 1366 PT 0-6-0, Southern N class and WC/BB unrebuilt pacifics in action along with class 22 diesels. BR Mk1 and WR stock types begin to make bigger inroads amongst the SR types. DMUs start to appear. TG 1966 comes with some changes to the railway infrastructure of North Devon and Cornwall. The Halwill jnc and N. Cornwall route off the Plymouth line closed in 1966 and the Plymouth route itself is under threat with WR Warships working the through trains. The Bulleid coach sets have been disbanded. The Barnstaple and Ilfracombe routes have a fully dieselised service with WR Warships and Hymeks dominating, supported by DMUs. WR Westerns appear on ballast trains to Meldon quarry. By 1971 the class 22s are giving way to ex LMR 25s. The Ilfracombe route has closed and Meldon quarry is the limit of the Plymouth route. Fremington quay is a shadow of its former self. BR Mk1s and DMUs are the predominant passenger stock.
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