South Devon Mixed Traction weekend 20 & 21 June

Just saw this on Facebook

Steam locos
TKh 5374 “Lord Oliver Brown” from Plym Valley Railway
GWR 1369

Diesel loco
25262

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Isn't 5526 available?

 

Love this. I'd been wondering if the TKh might have any trips away. I still haven't actually seen it in action at the PVR but am keen to this year and like the idea of it having a longer run and I'd imagine a bigger load at the SDR too. That plus the 25 makes this very appealing to me.

 

I went yesterday. I think the TKh is best suited to shunting a steel works! To be honest, the Buckfastleigh site is looking in a run down condition. I understand that a major spruce up is planned. A pity nobody can be found to slap some grease on the stored , rusting, locos.

 

I was there on Sunday and my experience was rather different. The TKh proved very popular with visitors and it was great to see so many people scanning the QR code on the cab side to make donations to Children’s Hospice South West. It was heartwarming to see families asking questions about the locomotive and taking an interest in its history and purpose.

Every heritage railway in the country is facing significant challenges at present. Rising costs, increasing regulatory requirements, and a decline in disposable income amongst both enthusiasts and the wider public are affecting the entire sector. At the same time, changes to retirement ages and pensions mean many people are volunteering later in life and often have less time available than previous generations.

No volunteer or employee is spending their day firing staples into a bin to pass the time. Across the heritage railway movement, people are working extremely hard to keep railways running, maintain infrastructure, restore vehicles and improve the visitor experience with limited resources. There is always more work to do than there are people, time and money available to do it.

I’ve been involved with the South Devon Railway for 26 years and, when I look back at photographs from the early years after the Dart Valley Railway era, the site is considerably more presentable today than it was then. Progress has been made, even if it isn’t always immediately obvious.

There is also more improvement planned. Planning permission has now been approved to divert the road away from the station forecourt, improving the visitor experience, and a new shed is planned which will provide covered accommodation for a significant amount of currently exposed rolling stock.

Constructive criticism is always welcome, but it is worth recognising the wider challenges facing heritage railways and the efforts being made by volunteers and employees to improve things.

If people would like to see heritage railways continue, the most effective ways to help are to volunteer, donate, buy shares where available, or simply visit and support them. Heritage railways depend on the support of volunteers, shareholders, donors and visitors, and on people encouraging others to do the same.

Positive support, practical help and constructive suggestions achieve far more than simply pointing out what is wrong.

 

Had I not been present when the first train ran on the fledgling Dart Valley Railway I may be inclined to support your viewpoint. The fact is, that whatever the individual efforts and examples of best practice the overall scene at Buckfastleigh gives an aura of dilapidation. I also take issue with your comment that "constructive criticism is always welcome" when you know very well it is not. I am well aware of the wider challenges facing heritage railways, all the more reason for them to avoid looking like a failed business.

 

To be fair the original post was about the fledgling South Devon Railway in the early 90s not the fledgling DVR in the late 60s, although my visit last month the site was very much more untidy than in my previous visits. I hope the new direction takes shape quickly.

 

I can see how some parts of the South Devon site could give the impression brennan and JBTEvans describe, but honestly I think for a general public visitor the railway's made huge progress in the last few years. It's my local line so I probably make a dozen or so visits each year, and for the areas I'll head to when there with my family, it certainly doesn't look rough at all. The newish expanded seating area outside the food cabin in the car park and the garden area by the yard, for instance. I noticed a great new 'guide to the line' type display in the car park at Staverton on Sunday. We're all big fans of the menu at the main cafe at Buckfastleigh (which I imagine it now run by an external company, but gives a good impression of the railway).

Yes, there are a few stored locos around. But you have to go deep to the back of the yard to find most of these, only 5786 is really super-visible in a main visitor space - and I wouldn't say that looks any worse than Lady Angela did when on display (but fading) in that siding next to the cafe for years. Dumbleton Hall was a prominent eyesore for a long time. I really don't think the rusting loco count in public place count has got any worse in the 15 years I've been a very regular visitor!

Is it fair to say there's also been a bit of an unenviable run of locos coming due for 10-year overhauls in relatively quick succession? Feels like three Panniers and 5542 were all withdrawn from service very close to each other and are now awaiting workshop space (though work is under way on some).

One thing that maybe hasn't helped is 10 or so years ago, most derelict stock was in the far end sidings where the carriage shed is now, so you'd only see it if you were an enthusiast keen to poke around and find out of the way stuff. Now it's moved to the 'new' (relatively) sidings down beyond the garden railway and Lee Moor shed, and you do get a distant view of these from the footbridge, but that's only slightly more visible and you really have to go looking for it.

I honestly think for a general public visitor who wasn't exploring sidings and far flung corners, Buckfastleigh would look just fine. I haven't read any of the links yet but I've seen a fair few local media headlines about major improvements and new facilities being approved too, so I can see where stumpytrain's positivity for the future comes from.

Oh and the day to day rolling stock is generally in much better shape now than a few years ago too!

Anyway, Mixed Traffic Weekend - a very pleasant afternoon of trundling along and getting some different pictures. I hadn't seen the TKh in action before and found it very endearing - as did many, many visitors by the look of it. The double-header with 1369 was enjoyably unusual and the 25 looked and sounded great. Loadings seemed very respectable too. Great to see 1420 looking increasingly close to a return to service too.

Only downside on Sunday afternoon was the timetable slipping. I've had a good run lately of galas staying quite close to time and had a bit of an optimistic plan considering I needed to be at work in the evening and that meant a bit of a stressful end to the day. Not sure how late things got at the end - I tried to fit in one last photo of the final double-headed run coming back to Buckfastleigh but had to give up on that. I couldn't tell if anything specifically went wrong or if timings were just a bit tight on elements such as the double run round of the (unexpected, that was just 1369 on the wTT I was sure!) mid-afternoon double-header or the TKh taking the freight back to Staverton, shunting it away and coupling up to 1369's service train.

Another good SDR visit overall, though, and I'm just so pleased to see regular special events there again and the railway making a lot of really positive moves for a non-enthusiast audience lately.

 

That's great for you but I can't see how you've come to that conclusion. A BSK in faded livery was on prominent display from the platform when I went in May, together with 2 kitchen carriages, one in grey, which are clearly not fit for service. The lack of greenery on the island is noticeable and the station running in board has gone but still has the posts in place. The likes of 6412 and 6430 are on display on the walk to the workshop viewing area and gardens etc which is signposted. 5786 looks a rust bucket amongst weeds and is the welcome to the cafe/shop! There's then the awaiting work stock stored at Totnes. I really want the SDR to succeed but it has fallen a lot since the early 2010s, no more vintage buses and rare use of diesel locomotives is also a shame. The on train catering is excellent though, will give them that.