Noted today 142s on 08.30 Bristol/Penzance from Exeter and 15.58 Exeter St Davids/Penzance.Any information as to whether they worked through to Penzance.

From what I heard the 150 that was used from Bristol Temple Meads failed by the time it got to Exeter, so everyone was kicked off and a new 150 was to bought from the yard to finish the trip to Penzance.  Unfortunately the second 150 had problems too building up pressure and problems with the doors too, so the alternative was a 142 or a cancellation and wait an hour for the HST.

The 08:30 ex Bristol TM arrived at Penzance formed of a 142. This formed the 15:09 back off Penzance. This was the first working of a 142 to Penzance since FGW have had them.

If this wasnt enough 150246 failed at Exeter on the 15:58 Exeter to Penzance and was replaced with 142063, this also worked through to Penzance and returned with the 20:00 to Plymouth.

http://southwestrailphots.fotopic.net/p51080557.html

Judging from the late running 1006 Padd/Penzance today shown as leaving Exeter 26 minutes late yet expected to arrive in Penzance 5 minutes early there must be a considerable amount of padding in the timetable given the nature of the rail route west of Exeter, no doubt needed to improve performance figures.But that seems the price we have to pay for a so called reliable railway today.

NRE is highly optimistic, but actually pays attention to slack timing actually pathed. For instance, if the path states "3 mins slack at X", NRE will pay attention to this and respect it in its updated schedule. If it doesn't, then NRE will just go for a 30 min path that should take an hour. 

Evening

I did suggest at a meeting once to a associate of
mine who works for FGW, that wouldn't it be nice
to repaint one c142 in 'Chocolate and Cream' as
a Skipper and seen as there is only one c118 DMU
trailer left in this world (and was never yellow),
to repaint another one in 'Telecom' livery.  I
didn't get a response to my leg pull!!

I do however remember them on the Falmouth branch,
also had a cab ride in one once from Truro to
Penmere c1986/7, those were the days.

Original Skippers were 142015 - 142027.

Regards

Karl.