Honiton Incline landslip 3rd October 1960

[ROBERTBLAKE]

Does anyone have any details of this ? I have 3 photos all taken at Seaton Junction that day showing services backed up there. One of the photos shows Standard tank 80082 attached to 35026 LAMPORT & HOLT LINE which appears to be working the up 'ACE'. 2 weeks later 35026 was in Eastleigh Works undergoing 'Light Casual ' repairs.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Wasn't the date of the incident actually a couple of days previously? (I.e. Saturday 1st October 1960). A number of contemporary newspaper reports stating that a landslip some 60 feet long by 20 feet deep had blocked the mainline between Honiton and Seaton Junction, trapping two trains on the incline, this following torrential rain and flooding in the area.

Believe the 'down' line in the Exeter direction was subsequently reported as having partially re-opened Monday 3rd October 1960, this after having been shut for some 48 hours.

 

[70014IronDuke]

There are a number of esteemed regulars here who are very knowledgable about such historic matters Southern, but if you don't get an answer, your best bet is the Southern Railways Group, here

The Southern Railways Group Home Page

The Southern Railways Group exists to study and disseminate information about the Southern Railway, BR(S) and other railways in Southern England. Components for modellers including Phoenix Kits are also produced

srg.org.uk

I'd be very surprised if they don't have a lot of detail about this incident in there somewhere.

 

[ROBERTBLAKE]

Many thanks for the 2 replies so far. Much appreciated. I hadn’t realised the slip had maybe happened 2 days earlier.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Reportedly the 'Up' main line between Honiton and Seaton Junction wasn't cleared for normal working until the following weekend (Friday 7th October 1960/Saturday 8th October 1960).

 

[stuving]

There was torrential rain on Friday causing widespread flooding, especially bad in Exeter and on the Isle of Wight. That led to a bridge being "swept away" (allegedly) by the river Creedy, near Newton St Cyres, cutting the line to Crediton. It can't have been a big bridge as the repair took a week (but then the Creedy isn't a big river). Another bridge, on the Exmouth branch at Exton, was also damaged.

The landslip at Honiton (and a smaller one the Axminster side of Seaton Jn.) happened early on Saturday 1st. The newspaper train ploughed into that soon after it happened, at 4:30 a.m. The second, up, line was still being dug out on 5th, but I can't find any report of its reopening. I guess reporters were not interested in the difference between a full service and one reduced by single line working.

And then on 6th there was more heavy rain causing some flooding, though fortunately only locally. And that's what we had before (most) climate change.

 

[ROBERTBLAKE]

There was torrential rain on Friday causing widespread flooding, especially bad in Exeter and on the Isle of Wight. That led to a bridge being "swept away" (allegedly) by the river Creedy, near Newton St Cyres, cutting the line to Crediton. It can't have been a big bridge as the repair took a week (but then the Creedy isn't a big river). Another bridge, on the Exmouth branch at Exton, was also damaged.

The landslip at Honiton (and a smaller one the Axminster side of Seaton Jn.) happened early on Saturday 1st. The newspaper train ploughed into that soon after it happened, at 4:30 a.m. The second, up, line was still being dug out on 5th, but I can't find any report of its reopening. I guess reporters were not interested in the difference between a full service and one reduced by single line working.

And then on 6th there was more heavy rain causing some flooding, though fortunately only locally. And that's what we had before (most) climate change.

Many thanks for all the info re the Honiton landslip. I had no idea it was so serious. I research 35026 LAMPORT & HOLT LINE and have this photo of it at Seaton Jct on 3 October. Other photos show numerous down trains held at Seaton Jct awaiting clearance.