www.sdronline.org.uk

That was the reaction of some of our volunteers on Saturday March 20th when they heard that Jeremy Hoskins' A4 Pacific 60019 Bittern was coming to Devon on a railtour whose destination was Kingswear. Many would have loved to have gone and seen it just those twelve off miles away but they were working on the opening day of the SDR's new running season. So in what we hope will be a forgivable lapse from photographing the SDR's ex G.W.R. locomotives we bring our volunteers a glimpse of the Gresley Pacific - which was today, so close but so far.

Sarah chose the 1 in 60 climb up to Churston to photograph Bittern

working hard with twelve on, on the way to Kingswear.

Kingswear was still shrouded in mist as Maureen produced this image

of Bittern drifting down alongside the River Dart with only half a mile to go.

DIRECTORS INSPECT THE LINE

Mike Webb drives and Charlie Dennis fires the Directors' Inspection Train - Friday 19th March

At 10.00am on Saturday 20th March the first train of the new public season will depart from Buckfastleigh, heralding a daily service that will run until Sunday October 31st. On Friday 19th March pannier tank 5786 hauled a solitary coach, ex G.W.R. no. 9005, down the line to Totnes and back to Buckfastleigh. Although the coach had been built in 1937 as a ‘special saloon’ it had also been used as an Inspection Saloon for Great Western Railway dignitaries and engineers who would literally use it to inspect areas of line on the G.W.R. system.

And so it was in use yesterday, as an Inspection Saloon for the Directors of the South Devon Railway Trust. An opportunity for them to see the work carried out during the recent ‘closed’ winter season and to decide upon work to be carried out at the beginning of next winter’s ‘closed’ season. Accompanying them were also Departmental Heads to highlight various technical issues that would require both action and financial planning over the coming twelve month period.

Some cynics may well regard the transportation of Directors down the line in a rather luxurious saloon coach as an annual jaunt, complete with a superb meal and plenty to wash it down with. Given special permission and the agreement of all Directors I was allowed to accompany them – to photograph the many stops along the way. If disembarking from and embarking to the coach several times via a ladder, in unrelenting heavy rain; grabbing a sandwich and tea or coffee between stops; inspecting wherever possible bridges and getting ever wetter by the mile, is a relaxing day out then yes, today was a jolly jaunt for the Directors.

However it became apparent that they were wearing two hats during their inspection. One, as the experts they undoubtedly are in their own fields examining the technical issues and secondly, and of equal importance, to look at the line through the eyes of passengers. As a photographer I know something about observation and presentation – they are the two important concepts that can raise your standards above those of others. Presentation is a keyword in any number of professions; and is not running a heritage railway with all its accumulated knowledge to do so; dealing with all the problems that beset any business; and ensuring a continuing flow of passengers to create the funds to keep it running for another forty years; as much a profession as any other?

Presentation is not some inanimate object that stands still. What may have passed for ‘quaint’ presentation in the early days of running heritage railways in the 70’s and 80’s no longer holds water and we must therefore make certain that no areas of the railway remain in that form. Whilst we all jealously guard and uphold the Great Western and British Rail (Western Region) traditions of running a railway let us not forget that everything that goes on around our locomotives, rolling stock, signals, and permanent way is worthy of a high degree of presentation too. We are not, after all, heritage hippies.

The South Devon Railway is undoubtedly professional. Today’s inspection of the line by the Directors is important because it is a cold hard check to ensure that those professional standards are being upheld, both in the technical aspects and in our presentation to visitors. It was three hours well spent, I learnt and saw much and be assured it was a very, very wet jaunt.

THE MOON BUGGY STORY

We promised to bring you the answer to our question "What are these two men doing

driving a Moon Buggy on our line?" Well at last the article, which has become the third

in our "How Do They Do That" series, is now online. Click here to view.

THE 'OPERATION CLEAN UP' TRAIN

The 'Operation Clean Up' train departed Buckfastleigh on Saturday morning 13th March for an intensive days clearing up along the length of the line to Totnes Littlehempston - the first area to receive attention from a 22 strong gang of volunteers and staff. I asked General Manager Dick Wood, who was on the train and who is always one of the first to jump into the fray when there's a big job to be done, for his comments.

"The 20 plus group of dedicated volunteers and staff who worked our steam hauled Spring Clean clear up train did a truly remarkable job on Saturday 13 March. The team delivered a large number of chaired sleepers to Staverton and Totnes; dropped off a large amount of heavy concrete signal cable troughing to Totnes and our new signal locations; loaded up old chairs and sleepers along the line, plus they picked up and unloaded over 100 tons of cut logs and timber. The work was all done by hand and with good humour, other than when the Six Nations rugby results were announced, and the glorious Spring sunshine really showed off the beauty and timeless views we know and love. Sales of beer, cider and Radox apparently shot up overnight and, for one, I ached all day on Sunday!"

For the complete picture report of the day click here or go to the Photocall Page.

FIRST DINING TRAIN OF THE SEASON

And what stunning weather was on hand on Sunday 14th March to greet diners who had booked on the lunchtime dining train, many of them celebrating Mothering Sunday. As our photograph taken near Riverford Bridge shows, the line and the River Dart looked at its winter best.

COLLETT 0-6-0 3205 - PROGRESS

On Sunday 14th March South Devon Railway Engineering fitted the ashpan beneath 3205's boiler, the last job before lifting the boiler assembly complete with smokebox back into the frames. As anybody in heritage locomotive shops will tell you this a job that either goes smoothly or horribly wrong. For Workshop Manager Rob Le Chevalier and his team the lift and gentle lowering into the frames went without a single hitch - a tribute to the planning and attention to detail that went beforehand. We will continue to report on the progress of 3205's rebuild as and when it happens.

Above - 3205 is brought out of the works and positioning begins Right - the firebox and ashpan head for the frames
	Left - Rob Le Chevalier guides the firebox past steam pipes, nearly there at this stage. Above - beginning to look like a steam locomotive again, and the only one of its class to have been preserved.

And from the time stamp on my images from the first moment of lowering to final

seating in the frames was exactly ten minutes. Now that was a job well executed!

I'm grateful to Rob and his team for their assistance in achieving the images.

A TESTING TIME AT BUCKFASTLEIGH

The footbridge at Buckfastleigh underwent a load test on Wednesday 10th. Six large containers are placed on the bridge and slowly filled with water until a loading of 6 tonnes is achieved. This is the equivalent of 75 average people standing on the bridge.	Four sets of steel measuring tapes are suspended from the deck into pots in order that deflection measurements can be taken. The maximum deflection was 3mm - 10% of the acceptable maximum so the bridge was well within the deflection limit.
In Expressways Models Terry Buck could be found testing the new Hornby R2850 Castle Class Locomotive 7034 Ince Castle, in late BR livery. DCC Ready £100.95 Also available R2850X DCC Fitted. £117.50**	What could be better to run with the Castle than the recently released Bachmann Colletts. 34-052A Collett 3rd Class Corridor Coach 34-076A Collett 1st& 3rd Class Brake Composite 34-127A Collett 1st & 3rd Class Composite all in GWR Chocolate & Cream at £19.70 each.
On Friday 12th 3803 and 5786 were in the yard being prepared for their annual boiler test. 3803 has been receiving some attention in the works and it's good to see her back in steam.	In the cab of 3803, with a good fire in the box, the gauge is creeping up to 170 psi. With an hour to go before the inspector arrives there's plenty of time yet to get up to pressure.

**Expressway Models are at the South Devon's Buckfastleigh Railway Station.

For further details of the models shown telephone 01364 643113 or E-mail: terrybuck@southdevonrailway.org

THE WEEK'S NEWS ROUND UP

Monday 8th - Friday 12th March

On Monday 8th Worcester Locomotive Society's pannier no.5786 arrived back from the Severn Valley Railway in mid afternoon, where she had been for the railway's 40th year of preservation event. Unfortunately the locomotive had to be taken out of service on the Saturday evening and did not run again on Sunday. On Tuesday morning the engine was steamed and the problem quickly diagnosed as the valve chest cover joint having blown out by three quarters of an inch. It did not take a team from Engineering long to rectify the problem and after a few short runs to test the repair, 5786 was back on shunting duties at Buckfastleigh where we caught up with her.

On Wednesday the Refreshment Rooms were closed to the public and volunteers whilst they were turned into a conference venue for an event organised by Majica Marketing and the Dartmoor Partnership. The event, a Sustainable Travel Conference, was well attended by around 80 delegates who were able to see displays by exhibitors both inside and outside the Refreshment Rooms. Delegates were encouraged to make it a car free conference and the ex London Transport Routemaster RM1872 was in use to transport those delegates arriving by train at Newton Abbot back to Buckfastleigh. Some delegates arrived by bicycle and a husband and wife team by motor bike, but those travelling some distance had no option but to use their cars. However, in fairness, it has to be said that public transport in rural areas is still a huge issue.

At lunchtime everyone was treated to a buffet, prepared by our own Refreshment Rooms staff, in the spleandour of the Dining Train which had been left in the platform line especially for the occasion. This setting led to many favourable comments and we would hope that some delegates will return to enjoy the full evening Dining Train experience.

THESE MEN ARE ON A MISSION TO CLEAN UP

TO FIND OUT IF THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL

TUNE IN TO THIS WEBSITE ON MONDAY 15TH MARCH

(NO VOLUNTEERS WERE HARMED IN THE CLEANING PROCESS)

FOUR FILM CREWS IN SEVEN DAYS!

IS THIS A NEW RECORD FOR THE SDR?

ADAM HART-DAVIS FILMS A REPORT FOR BBC 1's INSIDE OUT

- AN EARLY MORNING START BEFORE THE FIRST

PUBLIC SERVICE OF THE DAY

The railway's busy week in front of the lens began on Monday 8th when both ITN and BBC covered our purchase of the freehold title to the line for just £1 for their respective news programmes. On Wednesday 10th Pangaea tv created a pop video for Teignmouth group 'The Quails' - using two coaches placed in the main Buckfastleigh platform.

And on the first day of our 2010 running season - Sunday 14th - Adam Hart-Davis came along with a BBC crew to record a piece for 'Inside Out'.

Time was of the essence since the first public train had a departure time of 10.45am, giving Mr Hart-Davis and the crew a little over two hours to complete just part of an eight minute section of the programme. Possession of the line was under control of Andy Matthews who attached a brake van to the front of praire tank 5526 to give the cameraman a platform for filming inserts to the piece.

Footage was shot on the footplate between Buckfastleigh and Nursery Pool Bridge and then further down the line towards Hood (Riverford) Bridge Neil Tugwell, the cameraman, boarded the brake van. Clever use of a radio lapel mike then enabled Adam Hart-Davis to lean out of the cab of the loco to speak to camera on the brake van as the train moved down the line - shown in our photograph on the right.

At Hood the real fun began when Director Andrew Brown asked for the brake van to be uncoupled and with the camera on board to be pushed forward by the loco which would then slow down so that the van could roll away creating an ever increasing distance from 5526. There were three takes of this and on the word cut Andy could be seen furiously screwing down the brake of the van to bring us to a gentle halt. Exciting stuff for this photographer where the only excitement in a previous photographic life was the slow collapse of a wedding cake at precisely the right moment.

Footplate crew for the day were Howard Webster driving and Amanda Hancock firing.

Photograph shows Adam Hart-Davis and Driver Howard Webster

on the footplate of 5526.

My special thanks to Adam, Andrew and Neil for their tolerance,

and to Andy Matthews for his help.

The programme Inside Out will be broadcast on BBC 1

Monday 22nd February at 7.30pm.

To view complete range of photographs of scenes from the

filming click here or go direct to the Photocall Page

PASSENGERS WELCOMED BACK

AFTER SIX WEEKS CLOSURE FOR WINTER MAINTENANCE

And come back they did to board the first four trains of our Half Term gala week "From Auto's to Railcars." Prairie Tank no.5526 and two autocoaches - all resplendent in B.R. livery - the loco in unlined black and the coaches in carmine and cream (blood and custard), formed the train with the loco hauling the service to Totnes. On the return journey the coaches are pushed from the rear by the engine and the driver controls the train from a special compartment in the leading coach.

As the photographs show I caught up with the train alongside the River Dart at Hood (Riverford) Bridge and a little later at Bishops Bridge loop.

Heading towards Hood Bridge the train runs alongside a very calm River Dart	Although not in passenger service until Friday 19th, Railcar W55000 returns from Staverton to Buckfastleigh after a test run.
OUR HALF TERM GALA "FROM AUTOS TO RAILCARS" RUNS FROM SUNDAY 14TH FEBRUARY UNTIL SUNDAY 21ST FEBRUARY Photographs Copyright © Sarah Anne Harvey	With the driver in the leading coach the auto train leaves Bishops Bridge loop for Buckfastleigh

PANNIER TANK 5786 TO VISIT THE SEVERN VALLEY

During March 5^th, 6^{th &} 7^th, one of the South Devon Railway’s stalwart performers – 57xx class pannier tank no. 5786 - will be attending the Severn Valley Railway's Spring Reunion gala. To celebrate their 40th year of preservation they are trying to attract as many former SVR based working locos back to the line for the event, of which 5786 will be one of several visiting locos.

The return coincides with the Worcester Locomotive Society, who preserved and own 5786, celebrating their own 50th Anniversary in 2010. The Society was formed from a small band of teenage enthusiasts as many preservation groups did back in the 1960's, with the intention of organising shed visits and trips to working steam areas (and countries) and keeping steam alive.

The opportunity arose for the purchase of a steam locomotive and subsequently Kitson, 5474 'Carnarvon' from the Stewarts & Lloyds Quarries was purchased for preservation, it being the first loco from that manufacturer to be preserved and is currently in store on the SDR with a full overhaul in the planning stages for the near future. Shortly afterwards the decision was made to try to purchase a locomotive from one of the Big 4 companies, whereupon the opportunity was taken to purchase London Transport L.92 (EX GWR 5786) in working order from LT, and it was delivered to Bridgenorth on the fledgling Severn Valley Railway.

Preservation efforts were later centred closer to home with a move to the Bulmer Railway centre in Hereford, where the two tank engines rubbed shoulders with the likes of King George V, and Clan Line to name but a few. When the Centre closed in the 90's a new home was sought and the newly formed South Devon Railway made the society feel welcome in heart of Devon. 5786 has been a mainstay of the SDR fleet, providing stirling service with very few problems since its major overhaul nearly 10 years ago and is now reaching the last few years on the boiler ticket.

With 50 years already under their belt, let’s see what the Worcester Locomotive Society can achieve in the future!

This report supplied by Ben Greening of the Worcester Locomotive Society

Photograph show 5786 entering Bishops Bridge loop on a very wet Monday 6th April 2009

UNSUNG HEROES

- THOSE FOLK WHO WORK IN THE BACKGROUND -

There are many groups, teams of volunteers, who work in the 'backrooms' of the railway throughout the year. They are rarely seen in public, but the work they do and the hours they put in will be seen as the railway opens its doors to our passengers and the new 2010 season. There is the Permanent Way gang - out in all weathers during the closed season - carrying out maintenance work on our track. The station groups, maintaining the fabric of the buildings, with repairs to do and painting and decorating. The new Museum group, beavering away to refurbish the building with new displays, cabinets and audio visual aids.

And featured in the following photographs - the Cutting Back team, responsible for trimming, tidying and the general upkeep of our seven mile long back garden. Without this annual work our passengers would lose the stunning views of the River Dart and our beautiful Devon countryside as nature's undergrowth takes over. The group members and numbers out on the track varies from week to week, but when I discovered them working at Hood (Riverford) Bridge on Wednesday 10th February the team was made up of Dennis Taylor, Tony Kerswell, John Harris, Phil Parratt and Chris Bowden.

The cut down undergrowth is disposed of as they go.	Strimming the tops of the banks, tedious but necessary.
Each member of the team brings their own skills.	They've been robbin' Hood of the under and top growth.
The approach to Hood from Bishops Bridge.	Compare it with last year's growth.
The view towards Bishops - short back and sides - propurr job!	As the last vestiges of the winter sun receeds it's time to go home.

HATCHING AN EXCITING FUTURE

THE QUAILS FLY INTO BUCKFASTLEIGH TO MAKE A POP VIDEO

Maureen Douglas-Green reports on the making of a pop video at Buckfastleigh Station

What better place could there possibly be than the South Devon Railway to promote a very talented group by the name of ‘The Quails’? Dan Steer, lead singer, Chris Prentice, drummer, Sam Banks, bass and Max Armstrong, lead guitar make up this quartet from Teignmouth who certainly did not quail at the prospect of producing their video to accompany the release of their first single ‘Argentina’ in May of this year.

Sarah Woodward, their manager, told me of the group’s impressive and busy start to their career. Having already supported ‘Muse ‘ on the first night of their world tour, they have also supported ‘Coots’ at Eden and are booked for the Reading and Glastonbury festivals, as well as supporting ‘Newton Faulkner’ at the Altitude festival in March and Will Young at the South Devon Festival in June.

In addition to the regular and very important work on the Railway that carried on throughout the day’s filming, the platform and coaches proved perfect for the filming. ‘Pangaea tv’ showed their skills in the production and filming, and the use of local extras drawn by an Internet advertisement involved the local communities to an even greater extent. The Refreshment Room played host to Torquay based hairdresser Angelo Barbara, crafting the hair of many of the extras as well as leading lady, actress Alexis Caley. The waiting room saw mountains of costumes as it fulfilled the role of wardrobe, but I am really not too certain how our two ‘used car salesmen’ managed to escape onto the platform! I get the feeling they also escaped the attentions of the hairdresser!

As ever, I landed up wandering around the parts not often seen. Have you ever wondered how the smoke could be produced without a loco? Sorry now I've given the game away! I did miss the smell of a steam engine though as the sweet smelling oil based 'smoke' puffed on queue!

	To see the gallery of more photographs taken during the filming click here Words and Photographs Copyright © Maureen Douglas-Green

THE SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY

ACHIEVES EXCELLENT MEDIA COVERAGE

FOR ITS 'TWO FOR ONE' EVENT

Media coverage of the acquisition of the SDR’s own Transport and Works Order (TWO) from the Secretary of State for Transport and its purchase of the freehold title of the line for just £1.00 from the previous owners could be seen on last night's ITN local news at 6.00pm, followed by the BBC's report on Spotlight at 6.30.

Coverage continued on Tuesday in the Herald Express and Western Morning News, whilst it is hoped local coverage by other Devon based newspapers will carry reports throughout the week. The story, and photographs, has also been circulated to the railway press, but with their current issues only just appearing on newstands we may have to wait a little while before seeing any in print.

A Press Call at the South Devon is always a major event and sdronline - first with the news - is pleased to bring you some of the stories 'behind the news' that we captured yesterday with our cameras.

Following an earlier incident in the running shed with a loco lamp bracket whilst cleaning 1369, Brian Cocks assiduously hides a rip in his trousers whilst being interviewed by the ITN crew!	Alan Taylor proudly shows the assembled crowd the white disc - from the front of a Southern loco - he has just bought on Ebay.
Ahh now it's the right way round and the ITN crew call for Take 2	and Take 3
Despite Alan Taylor offering the DVR the opportunity to toss - best out of three - for the one pound coin, the offer was not taken up.	In one of those moments of nervous madness Alan Taylor mistook the BBC's microphone for a hairy rat and made a grab for it. Should have gone to Specsavers! Words and photographs Copyright © Sarah Anne Harvey

TWO for One

MONDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2010 HAS BEEN A REAL ‘RED LETTER’ DAY FOR THE STEAM OPERATED

SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY (SDR) AS IT FINALLY BOUGHT THE FREEHOLD TITLE OF THE LINE

FOR JUST £1.00 FROM CURRENT OWNERS THE DART VALLEY RAILWAY.

The day also saw formal confirmation of the acquisition of the SDR’s own Transport and Works Order (TWO) from the Secretary of State for Transport. The ‘TWO’ is effectively a railway operating license which now allows the SDR to run trains in its own right independently of the Dart Valley Railway which, as owners, held the previous operating license for the line.

A ceremonial handover of an extra large £1.00 coin -- as well as the real thing—was made by SDR Trust Chairman Alan Taylor to Paignton & Dartmouth Railway General Manager Andrew Pooley in front of working GWR steam loco No. 1369.

Other volunteers and staff, some of whom have been involved with the railway over the last 40 years, were there to witness the handover, including former long- serving SDR General Manager Richard Elliott and current GM Dick Wood.

Having celebrated its 40th Ruby anniversary in style last year with a record breaking season, the South Devon Railway is the oldest heritage railway line in the West Country. It was made famous as the line that the infamous railway axe wielding Dr Beeching re-opened in 1969 and was operated then by the Dart Valley Railway.

After a good initial start, the heritage line then struggled to maintain the numbers of visitors seen in the 1970’s. By 1990, the Dart Valley Railway plc finally pulled out to concentrate instead on its Paignton to Kingswear rail operation and then offered the Buckfastleigh line on a 25-year lease back to the volunteers who promptly set about saving the branch once again!

Top West Country Visitor Attraction

Since 1991, the South Devon Railway line has been run as a charitable trust. It has grown steadily from having virtually no locos or rolling stock to become one of the West Country’s top visitor attractions. It now carries over 100,000 passengers a year and a massive 1,543,954 visitors have travelled over the line over the last 18 years of Trust operations.

Ten years ago, the South Devon Railway began negotiations with the Dart Valley Railway (DVR) to buy the freehold of the line and, after the sale price was agreed at £1.15 million, the money was raised and paid over by the SDR via a combination of a share issue, loans and donations, plus operating revenues.

In 2002, the line was then leased by the DVR to the South Devon Railway for 199 years upon condition of a new Transport & Works Order (TWO) being subsequently granted to the SDR which would then release the final transfer of the freehold title by the DVR for a nominal £1.00 payment.

A Long Legal Haul

But both railways knew that the legal niceties of obtaining a Transport Works Order through Parliament would take a considerable time along with the detailed searches of archives, plans and records, plus planning consents and environmental surveys.

Furthermore, the new TWO would not only need to provide the South Devon Railway with statutory authority to cover future development plans for extra sidings at Totnes and Buckfastleigh, plus new carriage and loco restoration facilities and installing a loco turntable, but also to regularise some of the changes carried out in the Dart Valley Railway’s ownership.

Specialist London based lawyers Winckworth Sherwood were brought in to manage the TWO process and the draft South Devon Railway Order went for public consultation in 2008 with the Order finally being made effective on 30th December 2009.

As a result, Monday 8^th February has been a very special day for all of the people involved with the SDR who have worked incredibly hard in the background to complete the transfer of the line’s ownership and achieve the granting of the Transport & Works Order. It has certainly been one of the highlights of the railway’s 138-year history from when it was first opened in May 1872.

“The SDR has much to look forward to.” Alan Taylor SDR Trust Chairman

Commenting on the freehold transfer and granting of the TWO to the South Devon Railway, SDR Trust Chairman Alan Taylor said: “The granting of the Transport & Works Order and the associated conversion of our current lease so that we now own the freehold of the railway is one which gives me much personal satisfaction.

“It’s been a long and involved legal process at times but we can now move forward with our ambitious plans to further develop the railway’s facilities, such as covered accommodation for our coaches, more siding space at stations on the line and the installation of a loco turntable at Buckfastleigh. The SDR has much to look forward to.”

In response, Paignton & Dartmouth Railway (Dart Valley Railway) General Manager Andrew Pooley commented: “This is a significant day for both of the two major steam railways in Devon whose combined histories over the last 40 years are quite remarkable success stories. In accepting the £1.00 final payment from the South Devon Railway today, they have become the freehold owners of the line and so I wish them all the very best for the future.”

South Devon staff and volunteers attended a special staff meeting on Monday

morning 8th February where they were told of the successful outcome

of years of work and negotiations by Alan Taylor, SDR Trust Chairman.

A commemorative inscription and a one pound

coin of the realm were specially framed as

a permanent memento of the event.

We have many more photographs of the day's celebrations and will create a special gallery

during the next few days.

LITTLE AND LARGE

EXTREMES ON THE SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY

Class 20 leaves Staverton with two loaded Dogfish for Bulkamore.

My thanks to Andy Mathews and Jon Morton for making it happen.

A CLASS 20, TWO DOGFISH AND A SHARK

I've often wondered whose job it was, during the construction of a new type of wagon, to come up with their names. I suppose "24 ton big metal truck on four wheels to carry ballast" would have taken up far too much space and time to paint on the sides. No doubt someone will write in and enlighten me!

However on Tuesday 2nd February Class 20 No.8110 was enlisted to move the ballast, which was being delivered at Staverton, up the line to Bulkamore. I cadged a lift from Driver Jon Morton and stood in awe as the 8 cylinder English Electric power unit purred away somewhere behind me as we pushed about 40 tons of limestone ballast up the line. On arrival at Bulkamore the '20' was uncoupled as the Yorkie and the Shark coupled up to the dogfish to commence dropping and spreading the ballast on the newly relaid track.

Of course it's all got to be tamped yet - even with our tamper a very physically demanding job - but more news on that when it happens.

My thanks to Brenda and Terry for allowing me access to the model railway

WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS

Safely back at Buckfastleigh, well climbing into the cab of a Class 20 is, for me, like scaling the north wall of the Eiger, I began to get withdrawal symptoms to photograph something with a steam outline. At this time of the year nothing is in steam so I visited Expressway Models - the South Devon's model shop. There my camera, acting a bit like a divining rod, took me to their large model railway - a huge favourite with visitors. Casting my eyes across acres of track and scenery a cameo took my attention. As a lifelong wedding photographer the draw of a church and wedding cars was too much an opportunity to miss, especially with a train in the forground.

The M7, two coaches and utility van are by Hornby, as is the repainted footbridge. Buildings are a mixture of Superquick and Metcalfe card kits. The model shop carries a huge range of Bachman, Hornby, Peco, Ratio/Wills, scatter materials trees and much, much more. All the staff in this Alladin's Cave for modellers are extremely knowledgeable and can be contacted on 01364 643113

VISITOR FIGURES MORE THAN DOUBLED

AS SDRONLINE FORGES AHEAD

WE LAST REPORTED ON THE PROGRESS OF SDRONLINE AT THE BEGINING OF DECEMBER WHEN WE STATED WE HAD SET A NEW RECORD OF 2271 VISITS TO OUR WEBSITE IN NOVEMBER. WE ARE THRILLED TO PUBLISH OUR RESULTS FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2010 WHICH HAVE TOTALLED 5419 VISITS. THIS MORE THAN DOUBLES OUR FIGURES FOR NOVEMBER.

The January figures have astonished Maureen and myself in that the number of visits in January represents just under 50% of the total number of visits for the whole of 2009. The number of hits in January at 457.863 represents well over 50% of the total hits for 2009. It doesn't quite compare with Steve Edge's unofficial website for the West Somerset Railway of over 74.000 January visits but then that site has been in existence for 11 years and ours for just seven and a half months.

January is traditionally a time on Heritage Railways when much 'behind the scenes' work is undertaken in the period when public trains are not running. This year on the South Devon is no exception. What is exceptional however, are the serious delays to essential track maintenance, for example, caused by the constraints of the weather in Devon. This has prevented us in turn from bringing you the normal flow of news and yet you have continued to support us. And in an unsolicited compliment we picked up from the National Preservation.com website it would seem that sdronline may be setting new standards - “I see that the South Devon Railway have appointed a photographer in residence, who with an assistant is producing exceptional things on a new unofficial website. Perhaps you could use your good offices to suggest that this is the way to go! MHRonline anyone?”

And finally, in a tribute to the Eurovision Song Contest, we publish a list of countries in the order they appear (by visitor numbers) from a table of where visitors come from. This shows the South Devon Railway's apparent popularity with countries in the so called 'Eastern Bloc'. Russian Federation - 4th; Ukraine - 15th; Hungary - 16th; Romania - 17th; Lithuania 23rd and bringing up the rear in 25th place Bosnia-Herzegovina. In his message on our Home Page, General Manager Dick Wood, comments “So, our embryonic steam line embarked upon a remarkable journey into the unknown – one that no one could really know how long it might last or whether the line might even survive its first season." And in 1969 it may well have been only a few hundred people in South Devon who knew of the existence of a reborn steam railway and the unremitting hard work that went into running that first train. In 2010 the railway is truly international with our visitors coming from all over the world - some in person, many by visiting our websites. Now that is remarkable progress for what, 41 years ago, was a 'journey into the unknown'.

Photograph - Heavy Freight 2-8-0 No.3803 Forging Ahead at Hood Bridge