28th October 06 - The Cornubian

In a reverse of the route the previous week, this was the first ever departure of a King class locomotive from Penzance. A damp morning greeted the light engine move from St Blazey to Penzance and after a few hours attenging to water, coal and oiling the arrival of D1015 Western Champion with the train from Gloucester heralded our departure. They reckon there's only about a mile & an a half of straight track in Cornwall, there's probably only a similar amount on the level aswell.! The climbs to Gwinear Road, Buckshead Tunnel, Grampound Road, Treverrin Tunnel, Doublebois and Liskeard were all despatched in fine style, the King's 4 cylinder beat reverbating around the countryside. Bodmin General saw the fine sight of both Beatie Well Tanks whistling in salute as we drove on through the station. A long scheduled servicing stop at Plymouth mean't there was plenty of time for folks to stretch their legs, but once underway again a thick fog had decended on the region. The climb of Heremdon was completed without too much fuss, but steaming problems meant we topped the bank at about 15mph, this problems continued to take the shine off the running, Dainton bank also taking it's toll on the winded engine, only managing around 10mph into Dainton tunnel. Still, we were only a few minutes down arriving into Exeter for the final servicing stop of the day. On departing Exeter 6024 served notice that she & her footplate crew were back on form as we raced away into the evening. With the exhaust note getting faster & faster speed was maintaimed in the high 60's as we passed Cullompton on the rising gradients. This was reduced for the restriction through the overbridge at Stonehill but once put back to her task speed again rose back into the high 50's as past Burslecombe Church before diving into Whiteball Tunnel and onto our final stop at Taunton. Another sucessful run, the loco headed back onto the West Somerset Railway where she'll stay until November 18th before moving onto London.

21st October 06 - The Limited

The Duchy of Cornwall hasn't seen too many Kings of the Great Western Railway kind, running West of the Royal Albert Bridge being famously "out of bounds" to Collett's largest creation. So it's always a bit of an event when the loco heads across Brunel's wrought iron spans to take on the hills, valleys, viaducts, twists & turns that make up the mainline to Penzance. The run to Exeter from Taunton was soon completed climbing over Whiteball with the minimum of effort and once the servicing stop at Exeter was completed, the South Devon banks were next on the Agenda. The Westbound climb of Dainton bank is the one preservation record that eludes the loco and the chance to make recording breaking runs are few and far between. There are so many conditions that need to be "right on the day" to make those kind of things happen that it was somewhat "Murphy's law" that a late running service in front of us would result in signal checks on the approach to Newton Abbott and that was the chance gone once again. Not getting a green until past Aller Junction the loco was let loose on the bank and with plenty in reserve the loco strode over the summit with plenty to spare. The decent into Totnes was again under yellow signals so there was no run at Rattery either, but again the loco took in in her stride. All this delay meant a late arrival into Plymouth but the support crew soon had the servicing done and we were on our way over Brunel's famous bridge. The nine coach train is a comfortable load over the undulating Cornish road and with the poor weather forecast managing to stay away the Autumn colours made a picturesque back drop as the train strode on through the fantastic scenery. D1015 "Western Champion" took charge of the train back to London as it had done from Paddington to Taunton, looking splendid in freshly out shopped maroon and performing excellently on its return to mainline duties.

6024 is now the guest of EWS's St Blazy depot before re-tracing her steps this coming weekend on the return journey to Taunton.

6th, 7th & 8th October 06 - West Somerset Railway Autumn Gala

Another excellent well attended gala at the West Somerset Railway saw the loco perform faultlessly over the weekend. The engine hauled a single return trip on Friday and then two round trips on Saturday and Sunday with some double heading on Saturday with 9351 & 3850.