Westbury, 29th January 1983 (part 1)

My first visit to Westbury, in the final days of the GWR / BR(W) signalling infrastructure. These pictures were taken on cheaper Boots film (3M - Ferrania, made in Italy) , where the colour printing was poor and has degraded with time.

47252 approaches the station with what appears to be a civil engineering train. 47252 was new from Brush, Loughborough, as D1929 on 7th February 1966, allocated to 82A Bristol Bath Road. Renumbered to 47252 in March 1974, ETH fitted and renumbered 47615 in June 1984. From May 1994 this was 47747, which appeared in Virgin Cross-Country and later EWS colours, later into Riviera ownership, but not operation, and similarly DRS, until disposal at Booth, Rotherham, in June 2013.

08935 was shunting, here seen to the surviving Westbury signal box, formerly Westbury (North). 08935 was new to 83B Taunton as D4165 from BR Darlington on 14th May 1962, so was 20 years old at this time, when allocated to BR, Bristol Bath Road. It was withdrawn in April 1994, and then broken up by Gwent Demolition, by 3rd September that year.

Further pictures of 08935 at Westbury in the 1980s: one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve

Impressive signal gantry of lower quadrant GWR pattern signals. Further images:one two three four

08935 is now attached to ZUV Shark plough brake van DB 993926, built in 1962 to Lot 3285,on the rear of the train which arrived behind 47252. 993926 received workshop attention in July 1983. GWR signals on left with route indicators. 

33029 arrives at Westbury with an '89' Portsmouth - Cardiff train, formed of the typical five Mk 1 coaches. Only in 2020 did five coach trains return. Note the VR postbox at left.

33029 was new as D6547 on 25th March 1961, and was renumbered in January 1974. It was stopped by EWS in February 1997, sold to DRS in 2001, then West Coast Railway Co in 2005, for whom it is operational.

KDB 975047 was I recall marked up for the Project Mercury fibre-optic communications projects, although there was also re-signalling under way at Westbury. Other photographs suggest that it was here for some time, with wooden steps on the far side, and an arrangement of ladder and tv aerial at the left (also seen here, on the preceding Sunday). Originally BSK W34769 built at BR Wolverton to Lot 30157, delivered in May 1956 and taken out of traffic by March 1970. From November 1971 it was a S&T Staff & Dormitory Coach, as shown, coming out of use in 1989. Disposed of to the West Somerset Railway, where it was scrapped in 2002.

43012 of set 253006 has the off to proceed to Paddington. This power car was delivered from BREL Crewe in May 1976, and is now in ScotRail service. It was derailed at Dalwhinnie on 10th April 2021, later returned slowly to Haymarket on 18th April. Indications are that the derailment is associated with wiring faults in a recently replaced point motor.

Westbury (North) Signal Box 
Closure in May 1984 - BR Notice
Further archive for Westbury (at the bottom of the page)