Last Days of Summer Tour 2013!

Summer Tour 2013

We are now back at the Marina – it seems strange our 40 days of south west wandering.

Since leaving St. Ives, we spent a sunny and exhilarating week on the Treyarnon Bay campsite, near Padstow.

Here are a selection of photos:

Treyarnon surfing beach

Looking across Constantine Bay

 

Walking the South West Coastal Path

Spectacular views

 

No – not being launched – being winched back up!

Later that day, Padstow lifeboat under full power

Sunset on a great week!

We then motored up the M5 to Taunton and left to camp on a secluded site at West Bagborough, under the Quantock Hills. We have used this site before as a stopping point north/south – also ideal for the West Somerset Railway!

Walking on the Quantock Hills

 

One of several visits to the WSR

4160 - The GWR 5101 Class or Large Prairie was a class of 2-6-2T steam locomotives of the Great Western Railway. They were medium-sized tank engines (rated as BR 4MT) used for suburban and local passenger services all over the Great Western Railway system.

4160 is technically a British Railways built machine as it was completed in March 1948, two and a half months after Nationalisation, at Swindon. It came to the West Somerset Railway at the start of the 1990’s and was restored by the "Iffy Rivet Company” a volunteer group whose workmanship completely belied their self-imposed name. "Large Prairies” were regular performers on Minehead trains in steam days and 4160 has been a popular engine with crews and visitors for almost two decades now. The Large Prairies main duties were at the head of heavy suburban and stopping trains but part of 4160’s working life on British Railways was spent assisting heavy freight trains through the Severn Tunnel.

 

Looking towards Bishop Lydiard

Taking an excursion to Hestercombe Gardens – on a vintage coach.

British Leyland Tiger Coach with a Burlingham body from Bournemouth Corporation 1949 – with a Gardener 6 cylinder engine

 

Back to the Marina – great summer tour 2013!

Time to move on!

Summer Tour 2013

We had come to the end of our 3 week stay at St. Ives.

It has been a great holiday stay and all the more enjoyable as it is likely we won't be back this way for a number of years?

Farewell - looking down at St. Ives harbour

To finish our Camping and Caravan Club stay, we joined others for the 'pasty night'.

Pasty Night

Our, now empty, pitch for the last three weeks

RNLI Lifeboat Day at St. Ives

Summer Tour 2013

On a pleasant day, I went into town for the Lifeboat Day.

The lifeboat crew went through their drills – it is surprising how quickly they can launch.

The boat is now 23 years or so old and is being replaced by a new design called the Shannon Class. St. Ives Station is due to get their new boat in late 2014.

The Mersey Class 12-009 [12 is a 12 metre boat – 0 is for an aluminium hull and 09 is the 9^th in it's class]

The Tractor – the tractor driver is a quiet hero getting the boat into a safe position – bow into the waves – for launching

Launching   

 

And away!

 

 

 

 Royal Navy Culdrose helicopter lands a man onto the lifeboat

 

Another practice run

National Trust – Trengwainton Garden, Nr. Penzance

Summer Tour 2013

We are certainly getting value out of our National Trust membership this year.

We took the van up past Penzance to Trengwainton Garden. We had visited many years ago (16 years?), so were looking forward to this occasion.

Putting this visit in a bit of context – the day before we had gone to the Urgent Care Centre in Penzance. Chris had fallen off a canal lock beam in Birmingham and her knee remains still very painful. Happily(!), the result of the X-ray showed 'only' a sprained ligament.

Anyway, to get around the gardens in more comfort and so Chris could also see more of the garden, we asked to use a wheelchair!

The injured party!

The gardens are a mix of woodland with some plantsman specimens and a wonderful kitchen garden. Today there were some intriguing scarecrows as well.

 

 

 

 

 Beauty and the Beast – my favourite

 The Wicked Witch

 

The Wolf aka Grandmother!

Great Western – Great!

Summer Tour 2013

Having come this far down the country, yet another visit to the Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway is a must.

Chris went to a beading workshop, Dan and Poppy went to Paradise Mill to see the animals and birds – and I caught the London train out of St. Erth to Bodmin Parkway.

The 43 class departs Bodmin Parkway for Bristol/London Paddington

Mid-week, the Bodmin Railway run a summer 5 journey timetable – all steam. Today we had the Great Western Railway Pannier Tank 4612, recently out of overhaul, heading a 4 coach set. The Fireman said it had plenty of power for the job as it tackled the two inclines up to Bodmin General.

Pics are dedicated to Jonathan and Adrian!

With well over 800 examples built, the 5700 class pannier tank locomotives could be found absolutely everywhere on the Great Western Railway’s system and although in the 1960s their numbers were being decimated by withdrawals, several lasted to the end of Western Region steam including the Bodmin & Wenford Railway’s example, no. 4612.

GWR 5700 class 0-6-0PT no. 4612, built at Swindon in 1942

4612 is a member of the most numerous Great Western locomotive class. Introduced by Collett in 1929 for light goods and passenger duties, eventually an extraordinary 863 were built not just by Swindon works, but sub-contracted to various outside builders also. The 5700 class replaced an eclectic and ageing mix of saddle-tank and pannier-tank designs, some dating back almost to when the GWR was converted from broad to standard gauge. The design was based on the Dean '2721' pannier tanks of 1897 but with much improved boiler and a more comfortable enclosed cab. Testament to the design is the fact that there was little more than cosmetic alteration as successive batches were built until the last emerged from Swindon works in 1949.

 

Look away if you are offended by noisy/smelly diesels!!

37142 One of a large number of diesel–electrics in preservation, built in 1963

33110 Another diesel-electric ex-workhorse from BR days in the early 60's

Back to things steamy …

4612 on the run around at Bodmin General

Taking on more water – the footplate crew did this each trip

43127 arrives from Paddington – the Cornish Riviera Express – to Penzance. The train was absolutely packed with standing room only. Back to St. Erth – good value at £9.50 off peak return.

Altogether, another great, western, steamy journey!

Sub-tropical gardens – St. Michael’s Mount

Apologies to blog followers – we have been on a campsite with no 3G dongle signal and no mobile! Anyway, we are now in Somerset, on a small site that is near Taunton and has good internet links.

Summer Tour 2013

Whilst on the island, I took the National Trust member opportunity to walk around the spectacular sub-tropical gardens here. The warming effect of the sea, together with a south facing slope and sheltering trees/walls gives a great rocky garden!

Firstly though, a poignant reminder of the troubled Second World War, when the south coast was thought to be under attack. Here a 'pill box' built out of reinforced concrete – guarding the eastern flank.

View of the gunner across the bay to Cudden Point

The gardens themselves are landscaped into the southern rock-face with the castle looming above – paths and steps climbed and edged around the rocks to give fantastic sea-ward views and small areas of plants clinging to the rocks.

Agapanthus – especially for John!

 

 



 



 

 

 

 



By now the tide had come and the boats could get into the harbour – the causeway finally flooded. Back to Marazion on the mainland by boat!

 

Leaving the island by sea!