Motorail facilities

[Pigeon]

Some possible confusion here since the platform layout map on the NR website has platforms 1a and 1b the wrong way round (and doesn't show a and b for platform 2 at all). According to the signs on the platforms themselves, 1a and 2a are at the up (south) end, nearest the signal box; 1b and 2b are at the down (north) end, nearest the sheds.

The two bays at the end of platform 1a still have track but the platforms are used for parking cars, somewhat unofficially by the look of it. We always used to call these the "parcels bays" since that's what they were used for. There was a midday Saturday working that used them which used to turn up unexpected haulage sometimes - 40035 on one van springs to mind.

The one bay at the end of platform 1b is the old Motorail dock. That was filled in up to platform level and tarmaced, something like 20 years ago or more, and used to augment the parking provision for passengers' cars.

 

[Cowley]

Also on the subject of Motorail facilities, I managed to take this photo of the old loading ramp at Newton Abbot last week.



It looks like with a bit weeding it’d be ready to accept an Austin Princess or two...

 

[Ash Bridge]

Also on the subject of Motorail facilities, I managed to take this photo of the old loading ramp at Newton Abbot last week.

View attachment 54070

It looks like with a bit weeding it’d be ready to accept an Austin Princess or two...

Very interesting shot there Mr C, look at those BR(W) lamp standards still extant, and is that track still connected? I could visualise a rake of Carflats or Cartics with a class 46/47/52 (or perhaps an 08?) stood there waiting for that Princess to drive onto

 

[Cowley]

Very interesting shot there Mr C, look at those BR(W) lamp standards still extant, and is that track still connected? I could visualise a rake of Carflats or Cartics with a class 46/47/52 (or perhaps an 08?) stood there waiting for that Princess to drive onto

I didn’t unfortunately have time to explore further but I think it’s connected to the Heathfield branch?
I remember how much trackwork there was around Newton Abbot in the early 1980s and how decimated it was a few years later.

Edit - Just remembered that your avatar picture is of Newton Abbot.

 

[Ash Bridge]

I didn’t unfortunately have time to explore further but I think it’s connected to the Heathfield branch?
I remember how much trackwork there was around Newton Abbot in the early 1980s and how decimated it was a few years later.

Edit - Just remembered that your avatar picture is of Newton Abbot.

Presumably the original purpose of those bay platforms pre-Motorail days were to serve the Teign Valley Line & Mortenhampstead Branch line then? It really looks like it's in a time warp this forgotten about corner of the station....long may it survive!

 

[tiptoptaff]

Very interesting shot there Mr C, look at those BR(W) lamp standards still extant, and is that track still connected? I could visualise a rake of Carflats or Cartics with a class 46/47/52 (or perhaps an 08?) stood there waiting for that Princess to drive onto

I didn’t unfortunately have time to explore further but I think it’s connected to the Heathfield branch?
I remember how much trackwork there was around Newton Abbot in the early 1980s and how decimated it was a few years later.

Edit - Just remembered that your avatar picture is of Newton Abbot.

I believe it is but I will do some checking

 

[Taunton]

From our family experience at Newton Abbot in 1966 (post #4 above), on arrival at a main platform the station pilot 08 pulled the carflats back off the rear of our arrival and then shunted them into the dock where the cars drove off facing forwards.

On the return I vaguely recall the coaching stock was in the second bay alongside the cars in the dock, maybe for an hour or more before departure. When ready for departure the Class 47 pulled the stock forward, backd it (slowly) onto the carflats, and then set off from there. However, I also (even more vaguely) recall that those bays only connected to the Heathfield line, the main curving to the right immediately beyond the platform ends. I wonder which is right.

The train made the round trip in a day, leaving Lancashire early in he morning and returning there late evening. I doubt the Class 47 had fuel capacity for the 16 hour round trip plus running to and from Crewe depot so presumably it had to go on Newton Abbot shed to refuel. I wonder if this influenced the choice of Devon destination.

 

[d9009alycidon]

In later years Glasgow Central used a modified wagon for loading and unloading, the train went into platform 11 or 11A https://www.flickr.com/photos/15038...iqy-pCCDcV-ycAAsE-swcLK7-ziuTEy-ycAA7u-TtYPYz

The search for this photo brought up a similar wagon n use at Carlisle

Jim

 

[Ash Bridge]

From our family experience at Newton Abbot in 1966 (post #4 above), on arrival at a main platform the station pilot 08 pulled the carflats back off the rear of our arrival and then shunted them into the dock where the cars drove off facing forwards.

On the return I vaguely recall the coaching stock was in the second bay alongside the cars in the dock, maybe for an hour or more before departure. When ready for departure the Class 47 pulled the stock forward, backd it (slowly) onto the carflats, and then set off from there. However, I also (even more vaguely) recall that those bays only connected to the Heathfield line, the main curving to the right immediately beyond the platform ends. I wonder which is right.

The train made the round trip in a day, leaving Lancashire early in he morning and returning there late evening. I doubt the Class 47 had fuel capacity for the 16 hour round trip plus running to and from Crewe depot so presumably it had to go on Newton Abbot shed to refuel. I wonder if this influenced the choice of Devon destination.

Many thanks for all this Taunton, I'm intrigued by your vague recollection of these bays only having a connection onto the old Teign Valley line. Anyway after a session of Google searching I have found a shot of the route diagram installed in the former Newton Abbot East signalbox, and it appears to show that the now trackless bay to the right in Mr Cowley's shot did at the time have a mainline connection, The one that is still tracked on the left like you recalled does not not appear to do so and indeed goes in the Heathfield direction only. Is it possible do you think that the 47 and coaching stock were actually stood on the adjacent former Up through platform before setting back onto the Carflats of your train back then?

 

[Taunton]

It seems unlikely the coaches were sat at the Up Through for an hour or more awaiting departure. There were no passenger terminal facilities once you had loaded your car, the coaches served for that.

 

[Lucan]

I remember around 1990 at Bristol Temple Meads there were still signs in the forecourt pointing to "Motorail" at the south corner. There is an old arch there that leads through to a bay platform and outer siding (on the Up side, Down end, of the station); looks like the outer siding may have been used for the car loading.

 

[Grumpy]

In the late 1970's I used the service from Sheffield to Newton Abbot. It had started further north, either York or Newcastle with carflats added at Sheffield. I cant recall the loading arrangements, but I recall was that it was hauled throughout by a Brush type 2 which I thought at the time must have been the longest booked run for one of these in passenger service. Crew changes were at Saltley and Bristol. It ran via Camp Hill. Travelled back using a Newton Abbot to Crewe service. This was worked by a class 47 via Hereford. At Crewe the passengers had to exit the station and walk past the Crewe Arms hotel to the dock/platform at the east side of the line roughly opposite the old North shed.

 

[trubla]

I remember back in the late1970's using the over night motorrail from Birmingham International to Inverness and return. The train had started at Euston. Wife and I had a mk1 compartment complete with pillow and blanket to use. On the return as a class47 preferred the ground to the rails at Bushbury Junction we were diverted through Wolverhampton Station then turned left towards Bescot.

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

Wouldn't a motorail service have started at Kensington Olympia rather than Euston?

 

[Meerkat]

When I was a kid we went from Euston to Stirling on the sleeper motorrail, so they certainly went from there at one point

 

[Bald Rick]

The ramp is still at the buffers on Platform 17.