Quote from: port perran on December 18, 2025, 02:32:15 PMHi Mick
Thinking about the SW part of the journey :
Bristol to Exeter is only 1 hour (almost exactly ) to include a 2 min stop at Taunton.
Exeter to Plymouth is around 47 mins including the usual Cross Country stops at Newton Abbot  and Totnes.
Plymouth to Penzance is more leisurely even at today's speeds and is usually 117 mins or so. It's further than you think and even Cross Country trains will make several stops eg Liskeard, Bodmin Road Parkway, Par, St Austell, Truro, Redruth, Camborne and PZ.
It's a long old haul. I should know as I used to do it often enough.
Hope that helps

Martin

Hi Martin,
Thanks for the info but you often mention 'is' whereas I'm going back 60 years or so. Would that still apply? I have not factored in any stops other than those in my rudimentary timetable which is, of course, a work of fiction

Quote from: crewearpley40 on December 18, 2025, 02:43:34 PMMick
Have you considered working timetables
Railwaybooks.co.uk
Transportpasttimes.co.uk
Sadly I can't help with steam locomotive haulage except rmweb
Formations maybe the odd Gresley or Stanier in the formation but a brake coach or two, corridor, open and a restaurant/ catering vehicle would be included and maybe a portion for Newquay/ St Ives and the lovely coastal destinations would be included

I'll check those timetables out, Chris, but am not aiming for total accuracy.
Steam does not feature in my imagined journey but coaching stock is up for discussion. Ta

Quote from: crewearpley40 on December 18, 2025, 02:43:34 PMFormations maybe the odd Gresley or Stanier in the formation

Given the route suggested, it's most likely a NE Region train, so Gresleys/Thompsons are possibles but Stanier very unlikely, especially odd single coaches - they tried not to because of the need for a gangway adaptor to fit to mk1s...

Quote from: crewearpley40 on December 18, 2025, 02:43:34 PMSadly I can't help with steam locomotive haulage

That's OK - neither the Deltic not the Western mentioned are steam locos 

There would very likely be 2 or 3 stops for a change of crew on the way (due to route knowledge) but potentially the same loco would work right through if it was a type known to all crews. Brush type-4 (cl 47) were, and the other possibility is a Peak.

As to formation, the closest example I can offer up is a 1966 Newcastle-Poole (via York/Derby/Oxford) 'Summer Saturday only' which is given as Brake-composite/First/First/Buffet/Second/Second/Second/Second/Brake-Second/Composite/Second. Doesn't specify whether corridor or open, I'd guess probably corridor for the firsts and brake-comp, but the rest could be either.

The Comp & Second after the second Brake are interesting - I'd guess at strengthening over the core formation, either Seasonal or Weekend so you could drop those two for a shorter formation.

Ear wiggo again. Another dismal performance in the making

Quote from: port perran on December 18, 2025, 02:40:48 PMThanks for that @Foxhound . That's the first time I've heard HMHB for a while - great fun.
I'm not a great fan of the punk/post punk stuff but HMHB were/are one of the better offerings.
If I recall, John Peel was a big exponent of them.

@port perran you're most welcome. John Peel was a huge champion for the band, and it was on his show that I first heard the glorious Trumpton Riots EP. They're still as vitriolic to this day, great social commentators.

Mick

Have you considered working timetables

Railwaybooks.co.uk
Transportpasttimes.co.uk


Sadly I can't help with steam locomotive haulage except rmweb

Formations maybe the odd Gresley or Stanier in the formation but a brake coach or two, corridor, open and a restaurant/ catering vehicle would be included and maybe a portion for Newquay/ St Ives and the lovely coastal destinations would be included

Quote from: Foxhound on December 18, 2025, 02:28:25 PM

Thank you, @Trainfish for sending me down the HMHB rabbit hole with your post in the Ashes thread. Happy days bashing type 2s and Tractors in Scotland in the mid-late 80s with these lads playing on the ghettoblaster....

God, this band are (still) brilliant.

Thanks for that @Foxhound . That's the first time I've heard HMHB for a while - great fun.
I'm not a great fan of the punk/post punk stuff but HMHB were/are one of the better offerings.
If I recall, John Peel was a big exponent of them.

Hi Mick

Thinking about the SW part of the journey :

Bristol to Exeter is only 1 hour (almost exactly ) to include a 2 min stop at Taunton.

Exeter to Plymouth is around 47 mins including the usual Cross Country stops at Newton Abbot  and Totnes.

Plymouth to Penzance is more leisurely even at today's speeds and is usually 117 mins or so. It's further than you think and even Cross Country trains will make several stops eg Liskeard, Bodmin Road Parkway, Par, St Austell, Truro, Redruth, Camborne and PZ.
It's a long old haul. I should know as I used to do it often enough.
Hope that helps

Martin

Thank you, @Trainfish for sending me down the HMHB rabbit hole with your post in the Ashes thread. Happy days bashing type 2s and Tractors in Scotland in the mid-late 80s with these lads playing on the ghettoblaster....

God, this band are (still) brilliant.

Quote from: Trainfish on December 17, 2025, 09:14:57 PMHalf Man Half Biscuit taught me about Fred.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQMTGJer-dU

Don't click this link if you don't like sweary words

Johnny looked out of his bedroom window and shouted to his Mum.....