cornwall driver depots

[Johncleesefan]

Hey people,

Down the line my family would like to move to Cornwall.
We're thinking par at the moment but could anyone in the know tell of other driver depots in Cornwall and relevant info relating to them. Ie the operator, routes, shift patterns etc

Many thanks.

 

[tlionhart]

2 depots. Main one being Penzance and a small one at Par.
Penzance cover;

Penzance-Plymouth
Long Rock TMD
Branch lines; Newquay, Falmouth, St Ives
I think they also sign Looe?

Traction wise;
HST (only as far as Plymouth and Par-Newquay), Class 57 (depot only), Class 143

You could also consider Plymouth (very popular!) and live in the border area of Cornwall or Devon.

A number of blokes on this forum based at Plymouth and Exeter should be able to clear/add to what I've wrote

 

[iantherev]

More likely to be 150 & 153 in Cornwall - 143s are now very rare that side of the Tamar.

 

[Johncleesefan]

Nice one fellas, cheers.

Il be loosing the 153s soon and chasing them west then lol.

Hows solo driving working out Mr lionhart? My messenger is spazzed haha

 

[richw]

153s are going from GWR soon, leaving 150/2s as only DMU in Cornwall, with Hst and 57, and maybe the 802(?)s

 

[Ash Bridge]

153s are going from GWR soon, leaving 150/2s as only DMU in Cornwall, with Hst and 57, and maybe the 802(?)s

Is there an approximate date for the 153s going yet? Was on one back in early June whilst on holiday, 11:09? weekday dep. from Liskeard to Looe and it was absolutely rammed, it will be good to have the higher capacity of a 150 available full time, not just at weekends and during high season.

 

[Shaggy]

2 depots. Main one being Penzance and a small one at Par.
Penzance cover;

Penzance-Plymouth
Long Rock TMD
Branch lines; Newquay, Falmouth, St Ives
I think they also sign Looe?

Traction wise;
HST (only as far as Plymouth and Par-Newquay), Class 57 (depot only), Class 143

You could also consider Plymouth (very popular!) and live in the border area of Cornwall or Devon.

A number of blokes on this forum based at Plymouth and Exeter should be able to clear/add to what I've wrote

Hmm not quite.

Penzance has two depots, West and HSS. West sign 150 & 153s. HSS sign the same but also 08s, 57s (depot and mainline) and HSTs. Route wise it's Pnz-Exd (certainly for HSS, not sure about West, certainly to Plymouth) also the St Ives branch. West also sign the Falmouth branch.

Par drivers sign 150s and 153s. Also sign Falmouth, Looe, Newquay and Gunnislake branches. Sign also Penzance to Plymouth (possiby Exeter, not sure).

Par depot is unlikely to take any qualified anytime soon but Penzance West seem to regularly have openings.

 

[PHILIPE]

Is there an approximate date for the 153s going yet? Was on one back in early June whilst on holiday, 11:09? weekday dep. from Liskeard to Looe and it was absolutely rammed, it will be good to have the higher capacity of a 150 available full time, not just at weekends and during high season.

5 x 153s might be staying, owned by a different ROSCO
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Hmm not quite.

Penzance has two depots, West and HSS. West sign 150 & 153s. HSS sign the same but also 08s, 57s (depot and mainline) and HSTs. Route wise it's Pnz-Exd (certainly for HSS, not sure about West, certainly to Plymouth) also the St Ives branch. West also sign the Falmouth branch.

Par drivers sign 150s and 153s. Also sign Falmouth, Looe, Newquay and Gunnislake branches. Sign also Penzance to Plymouth (possiby Exeter, not sure).

Par depot is unlikely to take any qualified anytime soon but Penzance West seem to regularly have openings.

Penzance are involved on the Main Line on 57s but on Summer Saturdays only.

 

[Johncleesefan]

Nice one shaggy thanks for that. I've raised the question with my comps manager as a somewhere down the line approach so utilizing all info available

 

[Ash Bridge]

5 x 153s might be staying, owned by a different ROSCO

Ah, wasn't aware of that possibility, thanks! Would the intention be to continue using them as single units or running them as pairs or strengthening the 150s etc. when needed?

 

[Shaggy]

5 x 153s might be staying, owned by a different ROSCO
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Penzance are involved on the Main Line on 57s but on Summer Saturdays only.

And also as and when required due to resourcing requirements. If no Exeter or Plymouth drivers are available to work the sleeper between Penzance and Exeter then Penzance HSS drivers are competent to do so (and not infrequently do).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

More likely to be 150 & 153 in Cornwall - 143s are now very rare that side of the Tamar.

Not allowed west of Newton Abbot (except the Paignton branch) anymore I thought?

 

[richw]

Not allowed west of Newton Abbot (except the Paignton branch) anymore I thought?

They still Make the occasional trip, very infrequent though. The ban was lifted some time ago,

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.o...-08410-hauling-the-night-riviera-to-the-depot

 

[Shaggy]

They still Make the occasional trip, very infrequent though. The ban was lifted some time ago,

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.o...-08410-hauling-the-night-riviera-to-the-depot

I sit corrected!

 

[tlionhart]

All is going well thanks mr.cleasefan!
I thought Bristol would be nearer to you?

I think most of the DMU are going and being replaced with LTV 166/165. I'm interested in what the other depots cover. Just goes to show how extensive the network is. I'm aware Exeter and Bristol have a west and HSS depots. (Seperate) I thought Penzance was just one depot, so interesting to see its split into 2. I take it Plymouth is the only HSS only depot (like Swansea is?)
But Exeter HSS sign pretty much everything in the depot? Both HSS and west work/traction combined?

P.S was Defo meant to say class 153 and not 143! Clumsy fingers

 

[PHILIPE]

Ah, wasn't aware of that possibility, thanks! Would the intention be to continue using them as single units or running them as pairs or strengthening the 150s etc. when needed?

A little premature to answer that yet, especially as many things are still up in the air.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

All is going well thanks mr.cleasefan!
I thought Bristol would be nearer to you?

I think most of the DMU are going and being replaced with LTV 166/165. I'm interested in what the other depots cover. Just goes to show how extensive the network is. I'm aware Exeter and Bristol have a west and HSS depots. (Seperate) I thought Penzance was just one depot, so interesting to see its split into 2. I take it Plymouth is the only HSS only depot (like Swansea is?)
But Exeter HSS sign pretty much everything in the depot? Both HSS and west work/traction combined?

P.S was Defo meant to say class 153 and not 143! Clumsy fingers

165/166s are not going to the West, more round the Bristol area
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

They still Make the occasional trip, very infrequent though. The ban was lifted some time ago,

http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.o...-08410-hauling-the-night-riviera-to-the-depot

Was there ever a ban ? The Class 142s known as Skippers at the time were removed from the Cornish Branches and transferred away because of their unsuitability for this type of work rather than route availability. There were cases of 143s going to Penzance back in Wales and Borders days and of 142s finding their way to Penzance when there was an allocation at Exeter from 2007 to 2011.

 

[DMU180]

A little premature to answer that yet, especially as many things are still up in the air.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


165/166s are not going to the West, more round the Bristol area

165/166 go to Bristol
150/158 go to Exeter/Plymouth/Penzance

143's leave
153's mostly leave

 

[Kentish Paul]

I take it Plymouth is the only HSS only depot (like Swansea is?)

Can you clarify. Are there no non HSS personel at Plymouth and Swansea ?

 

[PHILIPE]

165/166 go to Bristol
150/158 go to Exeter/Plymouth/Penzance

143's leave
153's mostly leave

Are 158s still going to the South West apart from, perhaps, the odd diagram. ? Latest is re-forming the 158/9s back into 2 Cars and running 2 Units (4 Cars) on Cardiff to Portsmouths. The position can change every day though !!!

 

[irish_rail]

Can you clarify. Are there no non HSS personel at Plymouth and Swansea ?

Correct, both Plymouth and Swansea are HSS only depots. However at Plymouth we do drive some units as well as HSTs, but no West only drivers at either depot...

 

[richw]

Was there ever a ban ? The Class 142s known as Skippers at the time were removed from the Cornish Branches and transferred away because of their unsuitability for this type of work rather than route availability. There were cases of 143s going to Penzance back in Wales and Borders days and of 142s finding their way to Penzance when there was an allocation at Exeter from 2007 to 2011.

The Cornwall railway society says there was in that link, I assume they are a correct?

 

[PHILIPE]

Could be ambiguous and depending on how you interpret it. My reading was they were banned from the duties they were working.

 

[richw]

In honesty I believed the ban applied to certain branch lines with sharp curves. The squealing of a 150 and 153 to Looe and Gunnislake is bad enough!

 

[W230]

Correct, both Plymouth and Swansea are HSS only depots. However at Plymouth we do drive some units as well as HSTs, but no West only drivers at either depot...

Could I query the inner working of the Exeter depot then too? HST/West or just HST work?

I've seen Par advertised for qualifieds before before but only once.

 

[PHILIPE]

Could I query the inner working of the Exeter depot then too? HST/West or just HST work?

I've seen Par advertised for qualifieds before before but only once.

HSS Drivers have a small amount of DMU work.

 

[Johncleesefan]

Nice one guys, think my intentions are Penzance preliminary on the west. Side. Cheers for all your responses.