The highlight of the day was the arrival of the up mid-morning Weymouth to Bristol train. I seem to remember that this arrived at 1117 and was locomotive hauled, as opposed to the usual multiple unit trains. It quite often has a class 46 peak or later a class 33 engine at the head and was often an opportunity for a 'cab' - providing the driver was in a good mood. Those days no longer exist. The station was remodelled in the mid 1980s and the downside building was demolished and replaced with a bus shelter. Although the station now has three platforms, I regret the loss of that building.
It is rather odd, that even today, if I glimpse at the clock at it is reading 1117 I am immediately transported back to the late 1970s and those stopping trains. Really odd that.
Here are Many more pictures of the station and the branch line to Weymouth.
Oh Ian you must be so young. When I started trainspotting, just along the mainline, at Taunton there were no diesels. Occasionally PWM652 (Petrol Working Motor) would trundle out of Taunton Concrete Works and make for Fairwater Yard. I remember well D601 heading the down Cornish Riviera Express (always known as the Reveera) in 1958. D602 didn't appear for a while then we saw D603, D 600 and D604. D602 Bulldog was the last to show having been recalled to works for some repair we were told. Happy days then and I like the blog.
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