If I'd waited a few minutes at the foot crossing I'd just taken pictures of I'd be able to provide you with proof!
HST + MK1 at Taunton?
HST + MK1 at Taunton?
I maybe have spent too long in the sun today as I swear I saw a single HST power car moving slowly east just outside Taunton with a MK1 coach in tow at about 16.30 today. There was a hedge between the path I was on and the tracks which was annoying as I couldn't see a lot, just a flash of "Barbie" and the roof and tail end of a MK1.
If I'd waited a few minutes at the foot crossing I'd just taken pictures of I'd be able to provide you with proof!
If I'd waited a few minutes at the foot crossing I'd just taken pictures of I'd be able to provide you with proof!
Ok other people saw it too...it was 43140 and a MK1 barrier coach
I've been wandering all over the mainlines today...level crossings are fun
Don't worry, one was a full automatic barrier, one a manual gate but with red/green lights and alarm, and I kept a watchful eye on the foot crossing and did NOT stand in the middle and take pictures on that one
I also visited Durston station site...there's nothing there at all. Even the old sign that once pointed to the station from the main road has gone. It was still there in the late 90's
I don't think I was supposed to go in there but the gates were wide open...thankfully the convoy of Network Rail vans that arrived did so when I was back on the "right" side
Lots of 66's about today...i think the Berks & Hants was shut from Cogload - Westbury for engineering works.
I've been wandering all over the mainlines today...level crossings are fun
Don't worry, one was a full automatic barrier, one a manual gate but with red/green lights and alarm, and I kept a watchful eye on the foot crossing and did NOT stand in the middle and take pictures on that one
I also visited Durston station site...there's nothing there at all. Even the old sign that once pointed to the station from the main road has gone. It was still there in the late 90's
I don't think I was supposed to go in there but the gates were wide open...thankfully the convoy of Network Rail vans that arrived did so when I was back on the "right" side
Lots of 66's about today...i think the Berks & Hants was shut from Cogload - Westbury for engineering works.
Last edited by James on Tue Jun 07, 2005 10:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
James,
Off the top of my head I have no idea what a MK1 coach looks like, but I was at Totnes today and a HST unit passed by at 15:32 with, what I would call a buffer carriage - dark brown (or green?!?! - colour blind!!!).
I know that the timing is exact from another picture that I took from the bridge there!.
Possibly the same train?
Cheers,
Andrew
Off the top of my head I have no idea what a MK1 coach looks like, but I was at Totnes today and a HST unit passed by at 15:32 with, what I would call a buffer carriage - dark brown (or green?!?! - colour blind!!!).
I know that the timing is exact from another picture that I took from the bridge there!.
Possibly the same train?
Cheers,
Andrew
Definitely...someone posted on SW Rail Gen that it was heading up past Dawlish at 15.54ajr wrote:James,
Off the top of my head I have no idea what a MK1 coach looks like, but I was at Totnes today and a HST unit passed by at 15:32 with, what I would call a buffer carriage - dark brown (or green?!?! - colour blind!!!).
I know that the timing is exact from another picture that I took from the bridge there!.
Possibly the same train?
Cheers,
Andrew
No pic?
It was probably this coach: http://chrisperkins.fpic.co.uk/p11043942.htmlajr wrote:Off the top of my head I have no idea what a MK1 coach looks like, but I was at Totnes today and a HST unit passed by at 15:32 with, what I would call a buffer carriage - dark brown (or green?!?! - colour blind!!!).
Looks green to me!
Re: HST + MK1 at Taunton?
Hmm I'm pondering whether the foot crossing would make a good photo location...there's great views along the embankment in both directions and it's on a sweeping curve which adds interest. It used to be 4 tracks but was "rationalised" to 2, so there's quite a distance between the top of the steps and the running lines, meaning that you can stay a safe distance away from trains passing at high speed.James wrote:If I'd waited a few minutes at the foot crossing I'd just taken pictures of I'd be able to provide you with proof!
I don't want to get in trouble with Network Rail though (or scare drivers!), so maybe it's not a good idea?
Any thoughts?
It's a boarded crossing between Obridge Viaduct and Bathpool bridge, taking a public footpath up and over the embankment from the riverside path about halfway along.ajr wrote:Yes - that was the same sort of 'buffer' coach!
Which foot crossing are you referring to?
I expect it has a name but I don't know it
I've cycled past it several times but yesterday was the first time actually crossed it (minus bike!).
It's not near the canal, but it connects with the recently-built cycleway which connects the Firepool and Priory Fields areas with the Hankridge Farm retail development, and utilises an old tramway arch between the rail and river spans.ajr wrote:I think that I've seen that from the train - roughly by Creech Castle?
I assume that it has only been built in the last five or so years - presumably when the council decided that canal walks would draw in the tourists!!; there definately wasn't a crossing there when I lived in Taunton!
The crossing itself looks pretty old...in fact, buried beneath the modern raised level of ballast are concrete blocks that appear to have supported a crossing when there were 4 tracks at the location.
Pics:
map
south side, looking north
bottom of "steps" on south side
old and new steps on north side
north side, looking south - not much ballast around that sleeper!
the view east towards Bathpool bridge
