A rare opportunity had presented it's self with both Pathfinder Tours and Spitfire Railtours both requesting Class 37s to Penzance on the same day. This meant it was possible to to photograph both pairs along the sea wall at Dawlish have a brief track bash while they disappeared off to Cornwall. Than back to Devon for tea and more photos of the return trains.

 

We were to be joined by an old friend from "up north" who would come down to South Wales for a couple of days and then have a day out on the Saturday in Devon. This had been one of our favourite days out in the early 90s. We would come down to Dawlish or Teignmouth on the Rose Grove to Paignton train and return on it in after about 4 hours getting sunburnt on the sea wall and taking lots of photos of the passing trains, may of which were loco-hauled.

 

The Plan:

 

Early moring drive to Dawlish Warren.

 

Wait for both Railtours near Dawlish Warren as they are timed within 20 minutes of each other

 

 

Wait for the return railtours then drive home.

 

All this could be achieved using a Devon Day Rover which was a bargain £10 which included Gunnislake. The purchase of this ticket also meant we could leave the car in the car park all day and use the train service that operated every 30 minutes along the sea wall. Much easier than trying to keep finding parking spaces.

 

During the week up to the tour it had become clear by internet speculation that DBS were stuggelling to have 100% availability of there 37s and 401 and 670 were not going to produce. 40145 had been provided as a replacement which was fine by me.

 

Saturday 27/06/09

150221 at Bere Alston 27/06/09

 

The start on the Saturday morning was not too anti-social with only needing to leave at 06:00 and had elected to drive to Dawlish Warren. The weather also looked quite good but had suitably clouded over by the time we had arrive in Devon. 

 

Parked up at Dawlish Warren and walked down the sea front to Langstone Rock. For those of you who do not know this location, Langstone Rock is the big red lump on the sea front on the left of the train just after leaving Dawlish Warren station heading towards Dawlish. The drive had taken longer than I had anticipated and there was quite a crowd on anoraks holding the conents of Jessops on the rock when we arrived. Space was at a premium.

 

Climbed to the top of the rock and managed to squeeze into a suitable location. The children were very well behaved on top of the rock which is more than can be said for the adults. Stood between a retired railwayman and policeman who thought it would be a good idea to snap off small pieces of twig of the bushes and throw them on the assembled photographers below. They were also very insistent that number one son should purchase bacon sandwiches for everyone on the rock. This conversation continued as we bumped into them severel times during the day.

40145 Cockwood Harbour 27/06/09

 

I can recommend the bacon sanwiches at the Red Rock Cafe which is situated in from of Longstone Rock. You will be pleased to know number one son did not purchase them for all the photograpers on the rock.

 

The rest of the day was very uneventful with the trains all running to time.

 

The return shots of the first tour were taken at Dawlish Warren station where the bacon sandwich men were still looking for their food and were quite insistant that number one son should now purchase ice creams for all assembled as he had failed on the sandwiches earlier. 

 

Elected to go the Cockwood Harbour for the last shot of the day. The sound of 40145 thundering through the harbour was fantastic which brought back memories from 25 years earlier on summer relief trains from Blackpool. It still made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end all these years later...... end nostalga moment.

 

 

Number one son goes to examine a First Great Western HST at Newton Abbot