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Launceston Steam Railway |
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Launceston Steam Railway |
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On Sunday the 25th April 2004 a visit to Launceston steam railway took place with a good number of
club members and their friends in attendance. The visit kicked off with a conducted tour of the old railway
and gas works buildings which were found to contain many things of interest with several exhibits shown
working, such as the winding gear and drive motor from the old Scarborough Cliff Railway and which one day
may be installed at a site near to the railway premises. Many other things were found to be of interest like
the collection of old motorbikes, the newly built seam locomotive, antique lathes that are still used, various engines
and all manner of things that no-one could have anticipated seeing. The tour was conducted by Nigel and Kay Bowman who are the owners
of the railway. Before lunch we had an opportunity to ride on the train to the extremity of the track
which took us to the hamlet of Newmills in the beautiful Kensey valley. On the way back down some of the male contingent spotted
four young heifers enjoying the sun on the river bank!! Don't know what breed they were but they don't get up rear end first!! After a light lunch it was time to board the train and head off up the valley to alight at Margaret's Holt where we then had to walk up across an old cider orchard to reach our next destination at Newchurches Farm, the home of the Hunt family who had kindly offered to show us their collection of old barn machinery. |
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The 1950 Field Marshall |
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The yard was the first place to look around where we saw the 1950 Field Marshall which wears working clothes
and still regularly drives the sawbench, a 26 horse power Blackstone oil engine mounted on a four wheel trailer
was also quite a sight to behold as was the various ploughs, cultivators etc, even the MK 735 combine that is
slowly making its way back to iron ore was deemed to be worthy of close inspection! Ben, the youngest son came up to me at this stage to say he was ready to start the engine, the beast in question being a 1913 Blackstone oil engine of I believe 15 horsepower which drives the working collection of barn machinery. The look on everyone's face when they first went up into the granary was quite something - call it awesome, call it incredible, call it what you like but I reckon it's nigh on impossible to see so many belts Pulleys shafts, conveyors, cleaners, corn crushers etc all running and doing a job of work that hasn't changed in over fifty years anywhere else in the country. |
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The last thing to see was the water wheel which is still in the wheel pit and would not need major work to bring it
back into working order. This originally drove shafting the power the barn machinery but in later years drove an
alternator which is still in the shed beside the wheel pit. It was now time to thank our hosts for a wonderful visit and as we walked down to meet our train I couldn't help but reminisce about the past. I can well remember catching the train from Egloskerry , the next station up the line for a school visit to Padstow. Also I remember a story recounted to me by a local farmer of how he awoke one night to hear a rumbling noise which got louder. In the semi moonlight he could just make out what he thought were carriages but with no engine going down the valley at thunderous speed. The next day he heard that some wagons had rolled away during shunting at Otterham Station but despite desperate attempts by station staff they could not be stooped. Station staff rang all the stations down the line to warn them of the approaching wagons and at Launceston a decision was made to send them up the line towards Halwill as they could not go to Lydford Junction as it was feared they might derail. Anyway these wagons came to a halt somewhere near Tower Hill (Ashwater) then rolled back to stop just outside Launceston. |
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| Gathering together once again at Margaret's Holt we once again boarded the train to return to the station where after a round of thanks and goodbyes we all stood around the car park talking, with everyone in full agreement that a good time had been had by all, the day being rounded off with a meal and hospitality at the Winds of Change Pub at South Petherwin. |
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