South Devon Railway

The South Devon Raillway just keeps on getting better and better.

That lineside hut by Hood Bridge - I know things have to be maintained, but a slightly decrepit appearance gives this superb location that extra bit of BR 1950s authenticity. A photo spot I'd to see would be some way of getting a shot of a train coming up towards Buckfastleigh, past the mediaeval bridge - i.e. a footpath between the main road and the railway. I guess it would get pretty crowded!

John

 

The area has been cut back to the fence line (but leaving the odd tree here and there) and it is now possible to view the bridge from the fence line and get a photo of down (Buckfastleigh bound) trains as they come under the bridge. \/

 

Thanks Ganger. As I recall at that point is the steepest part of the line 1 in 40 ish so engines working hard normally and usually shut off just past there.
Other good places for photos are:
From the back road to Colston where you can get a picture of Nursery Pool bridge.
Main road to Totnes at Caddaford curve. Convenient lay by to park in.
Riverford Bridge aka Hood Bridge. Lay by on Buckfastleigh side and shot from bridge includes rail and river and relayed section. Also clearance work has been done here.
Staverton-footpath towards village then Nappers Crossing.
Anyone know of others (without trespass)

 

Footpath runs around dartington area on other side of river bank betwen totnes and staverton for quite some distance! Im sure someone whos walked it would know more exact details but a brilliant place to get reflection shots in the river as its relatively still and clear here!

 

Yes I know someone who went for a walk down the footpath and got some quite sucessful shots but I'm not sure where he stopped for them though

 

I been on that footpath once, got two alright shots, would have been a lot better if I was any good at taking photos. But to get there, what you have to do is go past Kevics in Totnes, I think its the secon right after that, but don't quote me......check on google maps!

just follow the road down till you get to the footpath, don't think its double yellows, and just find the place that you want!

 

It's here, Dartington Lane, on Google Maps with satellite pix...

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&sourc ... 13733&z=17

Kevics is the King Edward VI Community College.

There's also an interactive map of footpaths within the Dartington Estate at...

http://www.dartington.org/grounds-and-g ... and-access

The OS 1:25,000 maps (for anywhere) are available for viewing / printing on the OS website at ...

http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/

BTW, I've found when using the OS Get-a-map site, that when you've got the area of map that you want, if you click on "print/save/copy" in the top right, that opens the required map in a separate window. As it is, on that page, it views/prints a bit small. If you then right click on that image to save it and then open that JPEG in your usual photo software, you can print the maps much bigger on a full sheet of A4 - handy when going walkabouts.

Regards

Andrew

 

I have just uploaded some of the various pics I have collected during the winter on the SDR to my Fotopic site http://www.kelvinsgallery.fotopic.net Have a look and see

 

I have just uploaded some more pics of the various activities over the last three weeks (08.03.09-22.03.09) on the SDR.
Unfortunately they were taken on my Mobile so some aren't very good but others are very good.

 

Thanks, Kelvin for sharing those photos - very interesting and an encouragement to come to the gala from 4 to 13 April. I've always wanted to get a photo of Hood Bridge itself in the background with a Buckfastleigh train approaching, and the bubblecar looked so authentic. Also enjoyed seeing the smaller diesels. I wanted to come on 15 March, but too tied up with approaching family holiday.

John

 

I'll add some more as I get them, it's quite fortunate recently that we've happened to be working near the lineside so I was able to take them

 

Nanstallion I have just added some more picture to my collection taken today have a look and hope you enjoy them

 

Has anyone visited the SDR yet to see the rather full running shed

 

Yep. Had fun shunting the yard all afternoon, have to say it looks like a totally different place when loco's are lined up four side by side across the yard/shed. 6695, 5786 and 3803 in steam tommorrow, 5786 debuting in BR black (transfers applied late tonight).

 

I've noticed (From Kelvin Stapleton's nice image gallery) that 'carnarfon' (Can never spell it), a 4 wheel diesel, GUV and a few vans have taken the place of the old 'camping coaches' at Buckfastleigh.
http://www.kelvinsphotos.fotopic.net/p59397332.html
http://www.kelvinsphotos.fotopic.net/p59397331.html

Has this siding been reconnected? And is there anything in store for the camping coaches?

All the best
Corbs

 

Hi Corbs

The siding you refer to is not connected to the rest of the railway as such, however when stock needs to be moved in and out, a temporary connection is made by slewing the first siding over in the yard.

This in fact was done just this week in order to shunt things around a bit. The siding now holds a number of box vans used by one of the on site diesel groups as stores and works vehicles, whilst at the Totnes end 4920 Dumbleton Hall has been placed in the siding. This now makes for a more presentable image when viewed from the platform, and indeed looks very much like the Hall is working a van train.

The Ruston shunter, Kitson and frames of 2873 have been moved to the north end of the site to a position less prominent and more out of the public eyeline (although it is still possible to view them).

The coaches you mention have been sold on. The two ex GWR Camp coaches have gone to the West Somerset along with the remains of a Collett coach that used to be stabled at the very end of the headshunt. These are to be used as part of the WSR vintage train project and as such provide the vehicles with a much more secure future. The white coach that was atbled in the siding (body in two halves on an ex LSWR underframe) has also been sold and is expected to move south for restoration as a holiday home somewhere in Cornwall I think.

Hope that answers your questions.

 

Thanks for the quick and accurate reply as always!

Thats a really good idea, one of the downsides of Buckfastleigh platform was definitely the stock awaiting restoration. This way the vans can be useful whilst not getting in the way, and Dumbleton herself is being used despite being out of ticket!

Good to hear about the transfer of the stock to the WSR too, would be nice to see them being used.
Has anything taken the place of the ruston and kitson in the headshunts?

 

Well spotted corbs I never noticed the changes actually but wasn't reall ylooking at the sidings.

Would you like me to take a pic of the headshunt at the weekend for you as I'll be there for the 1940's weekend.
If you aren't going to be!!

 

Yes please No money at the moment unfortunately so no holidays.

 

The sdr niw has an unoficial web site with lots of great pics and news updates at http://www.sdronline.org.uk