Probus Club of Probus update

A symphony of sound and steam

Following a presentation to The Probus Club of Probus by Jimmy James, Publicity Officer for the Bodmin & Wenford Railway in October 2018, 16 members of Probus, with partners and friends, took up Jimmy’s offer of a special ‘beyond the platform’ tour of Bodmin General Station, the sheds and workshops associated with an active preserved steam railway.

On a cold and wet Wednesday in April, the kind of weather steam railways look forward to apparently, the group was able to experience for themselves the sounds and smells of a steam railway at close quarters.

On the day there was much shunting and movement of engines and coaches between the engineering and storage buildings and in adding a coach and diesel engine for a busy day of journeys.

Bodmin & Wenford Railway began in 1986 with its first open day to show off a single engine and coach operating from what had been a furniture warehouse following the closure of Bodmin General Station, as a casualty of the Dr Beeching

‘rationalisation of the railway’. Where, in many areas, tracks were ripped up with land and buildings sold off, the Bodmin to Wenfordbridge branch line continued to be used for the transportation of China Clay until 1983. This was fortuitous as it allowed the future development of a steam preserved railway, enjoyed by thousands today as an important part of Cornwall’s tourism offering, particularly on rainy days!

With a team of 150 working volunteers, passenger services on what had been two separate branch lines, now operate from February to October on the 3.5-mile line to Bodmin Parkway, linking to National Rail, and in the opposite direction 3 miles to Boscarne Junction, part of the original Wadebridge and Padstow Branch line.

The Probus group were taken off the platform into the ‘steam shed' to see a couple of engines. We saw ‘Alfred’, one of a pair of Par Docks Twin Tank Engines (and the inspiration for the Rev W V Awdry’s Thomas & Friends, Bill & Ben two young and cheeky engines working for the Sodor China Clay Company) looking resplendent after a recent excursion to Penzance.

maintenance and safety inspection where the whole boiler unit has to be lifted off, overhauled and tested.

Having experienced ‘behind the scenes’, and some warming refreshment, the group boarded the 12.30 train for a sedate (25mph is the max speed allowed on preservation railways) journey along the scenic Glynn Valley to Bodmin Parkway and back. Unusually, it was a ‘top & tail' formation with a diesel engine pulling to Bodmin and on the return journey we experienced the inimitable sounds of a hard working steam engine pulling up a 1 in 40 incline to return to Bodmin General.

Nick Hibbett