The Bristol Railway Archive

hi all, anyone out there got any pics of Wrington Vale and Cheddar Strawberry line in full steam?
My dad once had a framed picture of the Flying Scotsman passing through Wrington once, didnt think much at the time, but now i have turned into an old sod i have a big interest!
Anyone can help i would be very grateful.

Jim

dragonryder wrote:My dad once had a framed picture of the Flying Scotsman passing through Wrington

Jim

I think it's safe to say that Flying Scotman never visited the Wrington Vale line. Might there be another place called Wrington somewhere on a main line?

However there are some nice shots of the Cheddar Valley on this very site.

hi andy, i know, i thought the same.
it happened once and we had the photo to prove it.
hard to believe i know, but definetly true.

perhaps you meant wrangaton on the south devon rollercoaster?

the a3s had a 22 ton axle weight, and the blagdon branch was a light railway of 57xx panniers etc, and shut to passenger workings in about 51 and goodsin 63 i think. i dont recall her ever doing a cheddar valley railtour!

hi again, i too find it a little unbelievable, but i am convinced it was true, i had a framed picture of it as a kid. think a family member has it now so i will try and get hold of it and scan it in then post here.
do you have any pics of blagdon station in action, i used to live opposite the old wrington station then moved to blagdon a few years later so am very interested.

many thanks

I have a 4 page article on the Wrington Vale Light Railway in the November 1959 Railway magazine that I can scan if you'd like to see it? There's not much in the way of pics, but it's a nice summary of the history of the line.

(no mention of the FS though...)

yes, would be interested to see.
i been doing a little research into this, it may not of been wrington but possibly yatton.
i know the picture was taken by the bloke that used to work the wrington signal box. i know the whereabouts of one of the prints, which i should be able to lay my sweaty hands on and scan it in.

Taken me a while! I have permission from The Railway Magazine to reproduce this, so big thanks to them.

excellent, many thanks for taking the time!!!
much appreciated!

dont suppose anyones knows any websites showing old maps of the course of the line, i got a fairly good idea, but a few places i am unsure about.
maybe i should just buy a book?!?

hello all, ok, time for me to admit i was wrong!
wasnt wrington, it was yatton, just got a copy of the picture.
it was taken on 19th october 1963 bythe chap that used to work the wrington signal box... this explains my confusion, anyway, i not seen the picture since i was about 12 years old probably 16 years ago.

i will be scanning in and posting on the site in the next few days...

jim

dragonryder wrote:i will be scanning in and posting on the site in the next few days...

Well, I'm looking forwad to that! Does the photo carry any kind of explanation as to why it was there?

hi, no unfortunatly not, just says "passing by the bristol and exeter signal box at yatton".

madhattie wrote: Does the photo carry any kind of explanation as to why it was there?

http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk says it is this:

19th October 1963

Ian Allan
???

Locos Used 4472, 7317 & 7332

Route :

Loco(s) Route
4472 London Paddington - Bath - Taunton
7317 + 7332 Taunton - Barnstaple Junction - Ilfracombe
7317 + 7322 Ilfracombe - Barnstaple Junction - Exeter Central
4472 Exeter Central - London Waterloo

Source : John Clifford (from contemporary sources)

I saw it at Exeter Central