If Lyme Regis Branch had survived

[Calthrop]

I made a return journey on the branch in August 1965 (he bragged annoyingly), when it was being worked by a bogie diesel single unit -- 121 or 122, I take it.

 

[yorksrob]

If I'm not mistaken I think in it's latter years the Axminster - Lyme Regis branch service was in the hands of class 121/122 railcars Rob, having said that I'm currently scouring my books trying to find an image to confirm it.

Oh thanks for the confirmation. I've only ever seen pictures of diesel locos hauling carriages previously.

 

[yorksrob]

Indeed they were, and not just Bubbles but 118s too. I’ve just blatantly ripped off a couple of photos from the interwebnet to prove it...
Here’s a photo by Robert W Carroll of a 118 at Lyme Regis.
View attachment 42543

And here’s a photo by erm ‘Fatbusbloke’ (sometimes parents can be so cruel), of a class 122 Bubble waiting for your custom in the bay at Axminster...
View attachment 42544

Ah, if only it was 'waiting for my custom' (insert wistful emoji).

 

[Ash Bridge]

I made a return journey on the branch in August 1965 (he bragged annoyingly), when it was being worked by a bogie diesel single unit -- 121 or 122, I take it.

Oh we're not jealous about that....honestly

Oh thanks for the confirmation. I've only ever seen pictures of diesel locos hauling carriages previously.

Haha you beat me on that one though, I'd only ever seen pictures of railcars!

Indeed they were, and not just Bubbles but 118s too. I’ve just blatantly ripped off a couple of photos from the interwebnet to prove it...
Here’s a photo by Robert W Carroll of a 118 at Lyme Regis.
View attachment 42543

And here’s a photo by erm ‘Fatbusbloke’ (sometimes parents can be so cruel), of a class 122 Bubble waiting for your custom in the bay at Axminster...
View attachment 42544

Thanks for digging out those lovely shots Mr Cowley, I searched yesterday evening to no avail.

 

[JohnR]

Oh thanks for the confirmation. I've only ever seen pictures of diesel locos hauling carriages previously.

I'm not sure any diesel locomotives hauled coaches on the Lyme Regis branch. If there was a railcar failure, it went back to steam haulage, just as the Seaton line did.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm not sure any diesel locomotives hauled coaches on the Lyme Regis branch. If there was a railcar failure, it went back to steam haulage, just as the Seaton line did.

I'll have to dig out my books to check.

 

[randyrippley]

interesting reading for anyone interested in the Lyme Regis line
http://www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk/lrm/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/12_the_lyme_railway.pdf

The line terminated high above Lyme by the then new Victoria Hotel, leaving its passengers along walk into town – no cliff railway down to the sea, as at Lynton. Run with dedication by local staff, saddled with unsuitable locomotives and second hand coaches it was prey to motor bus competition after only two decades - having itself having seen off one of the last railway - sponsored rural horse bus routes and caused terminal decline of sea cargo across the Cobb

The Journey on the Lyme Branch

By Steam Train the six miles and three quarter miles from Axminster to Lyme. The Lyme Billy! What an evocative thought!

Shortly after the long express of matching green coaches had receded into the distance our little Victorian engine, well polished, hauling its single, old, but comfy green-painted, rather fusty, steam-heated brake coach, and any through coaches, would shuffle out of the bay platform. One single white disc or lamp would be shown on the engine, centrally placed on the buffer beam, meaning “Lyme Regis Branch please”. Not that there was anywhere else we could go now. Near the disc was usually a can of steam cylinder oil, warming by the smokebox to soften it.

Two of these engines would be needed if the branch train was more than three coaches altogether, an extra Adams Tank engine having come out especially from Exeter for the task. This would be exchanged at the end of Saturday for the one that had been shedded at Lyme Regis all week, no doubt looking forward to a good boiler wash-out and a well-deserved rest shunting the sidings at Exmouth Junction.

Soon our train would be climbing with a gentle, but firm exhaust to get over first the main line and then the Musbury road at Abbey Gate, near the modern carpet showroom over a bridge, now completely vanished. Then climbing harder on the 1:40 ruling gradient, squealing around the sharp curves in Trill Woods amidst the bluebells (not for nothing was this also called the Bluebell Line), then by Hartgrove Farm to breast the windy top at Combpyne Station, the only stop, 470ft above sea level....

 

[randyrippley]

I'm not sure any diesel locomotives hauled coaches on the Lyme Regis branch. If there was a railcar failure, it went back to steam haulage, just as the Seaton line did.

the eighth photo on this page http://www.semgonline.com/location/lymeregis_01.html shows the runaround loop at Lyme as having been removed by 1965, so by then loco haulage of any type would have been unlikely

 

[yorksrob]

Haha you beat me on that one though, I'd only ever seen pictures of railcars!
.

I have to say, having looked through my books, I can't find any pictures of diesel locos on the line. Perhaps it was a DMU I was thinking about afterall !

 

[Ash Bridge]

I have to say, having looked through my books, I can't find any pictures of diesel locos on the line. Perhaps it was a DMU I was thinking about afterall !

Since reading your post I'd been racking my brain about what type of loco it could have been e.g. Class 22, 35 etc. but non seemed to quite fit the geographical location, anyway thanks for now putting me out of my misery

 

[yorksrob]

Since reading your post I'd been racking my brain about what type of loco it could have been e.g. Class 22, 35 etc. but non seemed to quite fit the geographical location, anyway thanks for now putting me out of my misery

I think I imagined a class 33 down there for some reason.

 

[JohnR]

I think I imagined a class 33 down there for some reason.

The lines west of Salisbury were transferred to the Western in 1963, so it is unlikely to have been a 33, who didnt appear on the route until 1971. When locos were used on other ex-SR lines, it tended to be a 22, but I dont recall any on the Lyme branch.

 

[Harbornite]

here's my short story about those time - hope you like!

http://www.atlantic-coast-express.co.uk/ace-2/ace-6

A good read, you really set the scene well. My only recommendation (and a very minor one at that) is possibly ditching the italics.

 

[rogACE]

A good read, you really set the scene well. My only recommendation (and a very minor one at that) is possibly ditching the italics.

thanks!

 

[randyrippley]

I'm not sure any diesel locomotives hauled coaches on the Lyme Regis branch. If there was a railcar failure, it went back to steam haulage, just as the Seaton line did.

It was built as a light railway - would any mainline diesel locos actually have been allowed on it?

 

[30907]

It was built as a light railway - would any mainline diesel locos actually have been allowed on it?

No reason why not, Light Railway status is about operating methods and speeds rather than axle-load. I would guess a D63xx (as on the Hemyock branch) would have been OK.

 

[Cowley]

No reason why not, Light Railway status is about operating methods and speeds rather than axle-load. I would guess a D63xx (as on the Hemyock branch) would have been OK.

It’s an interesting question though.
I can’t seem to find any photos of diesels on the branch. As you say a D63xx would seem a possibility.

 

[yorksrob]

Bere Alston to Gunnislake was built as a light railway and gets occasional 37's.