Plymouth to Bristol and Bristol-Temple Meads to Gloucester.
Plymouth to Bristol – The former Great Western Main Line to the West Country is one of the most famous railway routes of all – for many people throughout this century it has been the route that took them on holiday and its famous landmarks of Dartmoor and the sea wall at Dawlish and Teignmouth epitomise that feeling.
The legacy of Brunel’s “Atmospheric Railway” over the hills of South Devon is a line full of character, with fierce gradients and sinuous curves.
The South Devon connected with the Bristol and Exeter Railway at Exeter and the latters’ straight and level run through Somerset is a strong contrast.
This dvd, Cab Ride No.45, enables you to view these two railways as they are today – just as the driver sees it!
We travelled aboard an HST set as the 13.04 working from Plymouth which runs via Birmingham and Derby to York.
Our driver was Mr A Ricketts and InterCity Great Western’s Chief Traction Inspector John Barrett rode with us.
We filmed from Power Car 43178 on 12th October 1992.
Bristol-Temple Meads to Gloucester via Oxford.
This dvd, Cab Ride No.55, takes us from the former Great Western station at Bristol-Temple Meads up the severe climb to Filton Junction and Bristol-Parkway.
From here we go to the modern Westerleigh Junction where a spur enables us to join the former Midland Railway’s Birmingham main line at Yate, up which we travel as far as Gloucester.
We filmed from the cab of HST Power Car No. 43178, accompanied by the Western Region’s Chief Traction Inspector John Barrett.
Our thanks are due to Inter City Great Western for organising this ride, which was the 13.04 from Plymouth to York train, reversing at Gloucester.
Please note there is no commentary other than cab conversations which are not always audible above locomotive sounds.
