For the first time in 50 years steam has returned to the branch line.
The day started at Liskeard station with the arrival of the Tamar Syphon.
With original 1960's carriages the train was hauled by an English Electric type 3 class 37 deisel.
At the other end of the special train is a GWR Pannier Tank No 9466.
The train uses the points to move onto the Plymouth line.
then onto the Looe branch line.
a milk tanker is used as the water tower.
The class 37 No 37 865 diesel-electric locomotive. Known to railway enthusiasts as "Tractors", so called due to the sound of the locomotive
The 9400 resembled a pannier tank version of the 2251 class, No 9466 was built for British Rail in January 1952 by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns at their Newcastle works.
No 9466 was based at Worcester (85A), repaired in 1960 she moved to Bristol, Tondu and Cardiff.
The 1045 leaves for Looe. Hauled by the pannier No 9466 at Coombe junction which is underneath one of Brunel's main line viaducts on the valley floor the train reverses and is now hauled by the deisel along the valley to Looe.
This is Sandplace.
The train arrives in Looe at 1120, returning to Liskeard at 1130, this time being hauled by the Pannier No 9466.
I moved to Terras Pil for the next train to pass, this was the 1255 from Liskeard.
Terras Pil is a road bridge over the East Looe River, here there is an unmanned level crossing.
This part of the river is tidal.
The branch line is built over the old Looe - Liskeard canal, by the bridge you can find some remains of a lock gate.
The train stops for less than 10 minutes in Looe before returning at 1335.
I returned to Terras Pil later in the day for the 1705 from Liskeard.
This time the tide is in.
Again stopping for less than 10 minutes in Looe the last train back was at 1750.
Arriving on Platform three, the train then rejoins the main line before returning to Plymouth at 1859 as the Royal Albert.
Liskeard still has a manned signal box.
