Cheesewring Quarry, Minions, Cornwall.
Location
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=50.525507~-4.457913&lvl=15&style=a#JndscD0x
Although now known as Daniel Gumb's House this is not the actual site of Daniel's original "cave" This was about 100m NE of it's present position. The remains seen today are a few blocks saved and re-erected after the destruction of the original cave due to the expansion of the quarry.
Daniel Gumb did indeed live and raise a family (said to be 13) here on the windswept Stowes Hill.
By the age of 30 he had started stone cutting working the moor stone lying around. Why he moved here is not known but he did indeed find a suitable large slab of granite about 10m by 4m. Here he excavated a cave. The walls were of small stones and mortar. Slabs of granite sufficed for furniture and the smoke from the fire exited via a suitable shaft. A small garden surrounded with turf walls and a system of gutters provided water.
Daniel Gumb seems to have been fascinated in astronomy and Euclidean Geometry. The proof of the Pythagoras Theorem is perhaps a fitting memorial to him !
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Daniel Gumb's House
Saturday, 26 January 2008
Friday, 25 January 2008
Video Clips
It interests me that a still camera had a video mode. This perhaps will mean that any visit such as my next one to Malta will only require one fairly compact camera.
So another go at taking video of the bus scene in Plymouth.
Taking is fine though the file sizes are too large for Internet use at the moment. Still blogger will accept 100mb files. The problem though is the compression that mucks up the quality.
Canon S5 IS 640 x 480 at 30fps.
Tuesday, 22 January 2008
Update
Updates on my Blogs
TGPreserved
http://tgpreserved.blogspot.com/
I had hoped to write something each week on the preserved blog but to be honest not a lot is going on.
As the weather is poor most of the preservation projects are on hold. Most of the time has been taken up with acquiring spares!
Today I am planning attendances at the local rallies. So here is a preview of what may be participating.
For a very full and informative list of what is going on all over the UK look at
http://www.skylineaviation.co.uk/buses/events.html
tgprojects
http://tgprojects.blogspot.com/Some of the projects under way.
Preserving the Dart now waiting better weather for the painting.
Acquiring spares. Electrical bits here !
Helping with the forthcoming Kingsbridge Running Day. A sample of one of the buses and one of the routes!
tgperspectives
http://tgperspectives.blogspot.com/
Plenty of more ideas flood in to the viewfinder !
tgphotos-five-a-day
http://tgp-five-a-day.blogspot.com/
This will be the easiest to keep up daily ! 
Friday, 18 January 2008
Bodywork by Scarnif
As noted on TGPhotos Five a day I have booked for the 2008 visit to Malta. This of course set me off looking at some of last years photos.
On the island many of the vehicles carry locally built bodies. One such firm is Scarnif Coach Builders who have premises at Frans Garage, Luqa.
In recent years they have and are still producing modern looking vehicles. Here are three examples.
Representing the minibus is this Sacrnif Saftran C20FL HMY 152. Seen here operating in Sliema .
BCY 861 was built in 2001 and has a 53 seat body on an Optimal chassis with Leyland units.
This is EBY 488 new 12/02 based on MAN 14.220 chassis and units. This is a low floor 45 seater vehicle.
http://www.doi.gov.mt/EN/press_releases/2002/12/scarnifthumbn.asp
Scarnif has also bodied Volvo B6BLE chassis as well.
Interestingly it has stopped just by the Scarnif workshops !
The works are on the left and are really just three or so individual garages.
DBY 463 is having finishing touches applied. This is a 1955 Bedford SBO with a Barbara body.
Not a wreck but a much more radical rebuild. This is EBY 629 which is a Commer Avenger IV with a Debono body. Work here would seem that the engine has been moved to under the floor midships , the front axle moved and the entrance moved to the front.
This is a Swift undergoing a rebuild.
For up to date news on transport in Malta
E&OE
Monday, 14 January 2008
Tidal Mills
Situated at the mouth of Forder Lake is the remains of a tidal mill. Here as the tide rose so it would fill the pond. The sluice gate was closed. As the tide fell so the water was released via another smaller sluice and here I think there would have been an internal water wheel.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tide_mill
The Old Mill
(the tidal mill in Forder Creek, Trematon)
by Dr Ken George
A train approaches powerfully;
we look yonder from the bridge fairly far;
we look directly at the sea in the South,
we see the old mill,
a house by the sea, a headland
on the bank of a creek of the Lynher estuary,
the place of the wall and a pond and a causeway;
all visible in the view from the bridge.
The pond full of the high tide,
water quivering across the pond.
Low tide has come, the beach is large,
extensive mud in place of a blue lake,
a pond which is choked though it is beautiful;
there is no rye, there is no draff,
white wheat nor buckwheat;
they are gone, alas and alack!
There is no machinery today;
whoever might have come formerly,
there is no trace behind them.
Where is the barley? Where are the oats?
Flour will last until the Judgment of the World;
the lifetime of the mill just ephemeral.
Every time we go in the train,
we give a look yonder from the bridge;
although this same sight is familiar,
we still look at the old mill.
http://www.gorsethkernow.org.uk/english/arts/emapmel.htm
Aerial photos courtesy of Steve Johnson
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~cyberheritage/saltash/
The exit sluice.
The pond has seen the establishment of an island made from old boats. This is luxury accommodation for the wildlife !
The three photos above were taken from the east bank.
I hope to update this blog after further research.
Sunday, 13 January 2008
Update. Forder viaducts
The original line into Cornwall was crossed here at the entrance to Forder Creek on sixteen trestle piers. The maximum height was 67 ft and because of the soft footings the trestles were on piles driven into the creek bed.
Both photos courtesy of Steve Johnson
http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/
On the Anthony Passage side the railway met a small embankment before carrying on on a ledge cut out of the hill. This can be seen in the aerial photos.
The abutment can still be seen...............
.......................as can the ledge
The trestle viaduct crossed here. The site of the Saltash end is marked.
It would be pure speculation that this wooden jetty was built from the timbers ! However the nearby Naval Dockyard also used such bulks.
For more information on Brunel's Wooden Viaducts look at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornwall_Railway_viaducts
By 1908 a new line taken further inland meant fewer viaducts and by 1908 the wooden trestle bridge had been replaced by this granite and structure.
Saturday, 12 January 2008
Forder and the quarries (Part two)
Further down Forder Creek by the quay is another sizeable quarry. A cut has been made and a tunnel built underneath the road to access the quay.
Aerial view of the area mentioned in this blog.
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=50.402499~-4.231376&lvl=15&style=a#JndscD0x
I recommend that you right click and open in a new window.
Directly across the creek is another large quarry. This is Lowhill Quarry. At the entrance the cut is through Wearde Sanstone to get to the dolerite.
Wearde Sandstone.
Hornblende dolerite. (Greenstone)
Lowhill Quarry was worked until 1915 for dolerite (greenstone) used in road building.
Lowhill Quarry - the entrance.
Friday, 11 January 2008
Forder and the quarries (Part one)
The villages of Burraton Combe and Forder near Saltsh have quarries that at one time provided employment in the area. Here are a few notes that I have gleaned.
Aerial view of the area mentioned in this blog.
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=50.402499~-4.231376&lvl=15&style=a#JndscD0x
I recommend that you right click and open in a new window.
In this area there is a local type of Sansdtone known as the Wearde Sandstone and thi sovrlays shales locally known as killas. Into this igneous rocks have intruded usually as sill.
One of the largest of the workings was the Tor Quarries at Burraton Combe, near Saltash.
This worked a hornblende dolerite sill. This rock is very hard wearing and was much in demand for road metalling and the like.
The quarry was owned by Jefford & Sons and was taken over English Clays Lovering & Pochin in 1948. They closed the quarry.
There were two separate 2ft guage lines working here. One ran from the quarry to the nearby crushing Plant. From here another line ran down a slight incline and ran along the quay at Forder to a quay further down the creek.
The lines were worked by small Motor Rail 4w petrol mechanical locomotives the first arriving c 1922. Here is a similar loco.
http://www.bagofbits.com/se_showpic.php?elementid=66&backuri=/se_page.php?pgname=simplexes
More information on Simplex locomotives can be found here.
http://www.djr12ecg.demon.co.uk/spx/
When the quarry re-opened but then only road transport was used. The locomotives were cut up on site in 1960.
Thursday, 10 January 2008
Wearde Quay and the deviation.
As mentioned yesterday the original line into Cornwall was routed nearer the banks of the River Lynher. This meant that it had to cross all the creeks. By altering the line inland only two viaducts were needed. These were built of stone.
Most of the small valleys were crossed on embankments and as here any stream passed through in an elegant culvert !
At Wearde Quay today.
In the past
Both photos courtesy of Steve Johnson
http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/defweb/hulk.jpg
The line was doubled and moved on 4 February 1906 and Wearde became the junction for a deviation line to St Germans that allowed the removal of the remaining timber viaducts on the Cornish Main Line.
The old course can be seen easily with modern technolgy.
http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=50.396226~-4.220468&lvl=15&style=a
I recommend that you right click and open in a new window. The link will open up an aerial view and if you zoom out the course of the line is soon spotted.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
Defiance Platform
HMS Defiance
Above as built and below as a training ship anchored off Weir Quay.
Both photos courtesy of Steve Johnson
http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/defweb/hulk.jpg
HMS Defiance was the last wooden line-of-battle ship launched for the Royal Navy. She never saw service as a wooden line-of-battle ship.
On 26 Nov 1884 Defiance became the Devonport torpedo and mining schoolship. A special railway station to serve personnel travelling to and from the school, known as "Defiance Platform", was situated just west of Saltash railway station from 1905 until 1930. She was sold on 26 Jun 1931 to S. Castle for breaking up at Millbay, Plymouth.
The train pulls in at "Defiance Platform", the railhead for those joining HMS Defiance
Photo courtesy of Steve Johnson
http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/defweb/
Defiance Platform was opened by the Great Western Railway on 1 March 1905 and served naval personnel travelling to the nearby torpedo training school on HMS Defiance which was moored nearby. Most trains were the railmotors and auto trains from Plympton which were run for an extra ¾ mile (1 km) beyond Saltash where they otherwise terminated. Access to the platform was by steps from a bridge that carried a road across the railway to Wearde Quay.
The line was doubled and moved on 4 February 1906 and Wearde became the junction for a deviation line to St Germans that allowed the removal of the remaining timber viaducts on the Cornish Main Line.
The station closed on 27 October 1930 but the platforms are still in existence and alterations to the road bridge to accommodate the new alignment of 1906 can be clearly seen. The old line was retained as carriage sidings for Saltash until 2 December 1964 and another siding behind the platform was kept in use until 1972
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defiance_railway_station#Defiance_Platform
The site today photographed on the 8th January 2008.
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
Prospecting
Today was not planned as such. Just take a few more photos and have a look at nearby places that may with research yield a few interesting blogs in the future.
So here we go
Stairs to a phantom platform.
A couple of tunnels.
A couple of quays.
A couple of natural "walls"
A couple of man-made walls !
Follow ups will appear in the near future !
Monday, 7 January 2008
Retirement boring ?
I have been retired now for many years. Recently I came across someone who found the days long and boring.
Well he has a computer, a digital camera and a car.
I somehow was once again diverted and have spent an enjoyable day looking at old photos and altering them. In fact it can be quite addictive as you never really know what will come about. So my day went quickly !
Here are a few examples !
This is rather dramatic as by adding in a red source......
Here is the original shot of granite on Pew Tor, Dartmoor. 
Streams and boulders are fascinating. This stream is near Vixen Tor.
Some more pairs !
Lydford and the River Lyd
Further afield !
High Force on the River Tees in County Durham.
Nearer home adits also hold a fascination.
This one is on the banks of the River Tavy, near Peter Tavy.
This one is near Double Waters in the River Walkham valley.
Granite again.
More at Pew Tor. Note that the original is not even focussed !
Sunday, 6 January 2008
Caradon Riviera Tours
I hear that Keith Deeble is to retire and the business of Deeble, Upton Cross is for sale.
http://uk.businessesforsale.com/uk/Bus-And-Coach-Operator-For-Sale.aspx
So here are a few of my memories !
Upton Cross lies to the east of Caradon Hill and both the fleetname and logo reflect this.
Three personalised registrations that reflect the fleetname are held 751 CRT, 761 CRT and 924 CRT
One of the attractions at the Upton Cross garage was the number of derelict vehicles parked. Here are two that have since gone.
The ex Western SMT Seddon Pennine VII with Alexander C49F body was of a type favoured by the firm ! It has presumably been scrapped. Next is a rare Bristol LS another type that was in vogue once ! This one is CLJ 413Y the last LHS chassis to be built and also unusual in having a Plaxton Supreme V body. It is now preserved and fully restored to its original owner's livery, that of Bere Regis & District.
XSD 605T was another Seddon Pennine VII with Alexander body. This one was new to Western SMT as 2796.
After the Seddons came the time for Leopards and Tigers !
Stalwarts of the Launceston School contract were four TRB Tigers with East Lancs bodies. They were originally Rossendale 92 - 95. They succumbed in the end to acquiring Irish plates when Deebles bought the batch LUI 9952 - 9968 !
The new order this time a Duple 300 body.
As the fleet expanded in the past few years other bases were added. This is Liskeard.
This is near Callington and here most of the recent acquisitions have been repainted.
However they could also be found parked in a driver's garden !
More photos at
www.tgw.fotopic.net/c1016062.html
Saturday, 5 January 2008
Route 76
Whilst I was in Saltash yesterday photographing for a new blog, this Volvo Olympian with Alexander body (new as Strathclyde VO 68) was seen working the 76a. This made me think !
The 76 route connected Callington to Saltash. When the Tamar Bridge was opened on the 24th October the route was extended to and from Plymouth.
At the turn of the 20th century the Great Western Railway (GWR) was subsidising a horse bus service to connect Callington to their station at Saltash. This gave passengers access to the mainline from Penzance to Bristol and London.
There had been a railway proposed to join the two towns but this was considered too expensive. The GWR had introduced the motor bus as a means of extending their lines in Cornwall. The first of these was from Helston to the Lizard.
So a service using two single deck buses was introduced on 1st June 1904. At first the two buses were parked in the open until the sheds at Saltash and Callington had been built.
Photo courtesy of Steve Johnson. (NB that on the web this view has been reversed !)
Steve Johnson aims to bring free of charge heritage and history to all.
http://www.cyber-heritage.co.uk/
The shed at Saltash was built in the GWR goods yard and could accommodate three buses. Use of this garage ceased when operations were transferred to Callington and Torpoint.
In 1939 Western National Omnibus Co. Ltd. decided to purchase the two buses operated by Billinghurst. He owned the garage (Station Bridge Garage) in nearby Culver Road. The garage was not bought but was rented to stable two buses. However this garage was bombed in 1941 and WNOC used a shed in the railway goods yard from 1945 to about 1959.
The detail photo shows what I believe to have been the original corrugated iron sheds
The site has now been redeveloped.
At Callington a two road shed was constructed at the corner of Valentine Row and Zaggy Lane on a corner site. Each shed could hold one double decker. This was built by the GWR and then passed to DMT (Devon Motor Transport), NOTC (National Omnibus & Transport Co. Ltd) and finally to WNOC (Western National Omnibus Co Ltd)
It was vacated at the end of June in 1961 when a new garage was built at New Lane. It continued in use latterly as a furniture removal firm's garage until last year when the site was vacated. The land was cleared and a couple of houses built there
Friday, 4 January 2008
Out and about in Saltash
Cold then wet in Saltash today. So an hour out with the Canon S3 to see if there any perspectives of the town I live in, to share with you.
So Welcome to Cornwall. No I do not speak Cornish !
The bridge over the railway station is black from the days of steam. Hard to believe that was over forty years ago !
There are sites of dereliction.
There are shops that reflect changing life styles.
How did I do that ? (Finger in photo )
The telephoto gives views that are not available to the naked eye !
Thursday, 3 January 2008
The DAF Leopard returns.
After the Plymouth Rally in July 186 returned to Dorchester for a while. Soon a few problems arose. The engine stop solenoid packed in and it had to be stopped manually by the Pinder method of tying a bit of string. She also showed fuel problems and as those who have driven her know she is fine on the level but she is very slow up hills. So with a lack of fuel even a short hill became a challenge.
The solenoid now works so she stops on the button.She has had the fuel lines blown through and new fuel filters fitted. So she has returned to normal 62mph on the level and 20mph up a hill !
Arriving at Winkleigh today, 3rd January 2008 after her run down from Dorchester. Thankfully she has efficient heaters !
Over to the local cafe for a cholestrol stop before the crew return to Exeter to catch the X53. 186 will now enter the "Hangar" for winter storage.
Taunton during a Royal Blue run.
Into preservation at Winkleigh after service with Ebleys.
HISTORY OF 186 AFH 186T
Leopard PSU5C/4R Duple Dominant II C57F
New to National Travel (South West) Ltd., Cheltenham 8/78P& O livery London - Ireland ( London – Bristol – Pembroke – Cork )
to Western National Omnibus Co Ltd., Exeter 5/81
Greenslades fleetnames 5/81
Still retained its blue skirt from the P & O livery
Royal Blue fleetnames by 6/81
to Devon General Ltd., Exeter 1/83
National Holidays livery 'Greenslades' names by 7/84
leased to Grey Cars, Torquay 3/87
repainted in original Grey Cars Maroon/Grey/Cream livery.
to Nightingale, Exeter (DN) 8/88change of name to Greenslades, Exeter (DN) 3/89, numbered 186
to Bruce-Roberston, Exeter (DN) 186 3/90 , withdrawn 11/90
to Exeter PSV, Exeter (Q) 11/90to Whitehead, Bournemouth (DT) 10/91
to Exeter PSV, Exeter (Q) by 11/92
to Mathews, Croydon (LN) by 11/92
to Hand (Rover Coaches), Horsley (GL) 3/93
re-registered 29 DRH 2/94re-registered to AFH 186T 8/00
to Hoskins, Easington,
to Ebley Coaches (Jones & Levitt), Ebley --/00
to Fricker & Powelsland, Exeter (P)
to Partridge, Saltash (P) 7/06
186 is now fitted with a DAF engine.
A much fuller account will appear in http://tgpreserved.blogspot.com/ at some later date.
Wednesday, 2 January 2008
Going on stream !
After yesterday's mammoth effort to get all three blogs written I have been implementing new systems to streamline my posts to Flickr and various bus Google group. Whilst uploading goes on I like to dip into my bus photos. Here are a few from today.
Cascaded from London. A Gardiner engined Workington built Olympian new as London Transport L127. Entered the Stagecoach Group on privatisation.
L196 seen here working in London went to the Arriva Group. She too has gone but to Shamrock at Bournemouth.
Making its way back to Newquay is this Optare Tempo demonstrator. On loan here to Western Greyhound.
Tuesday, 1 January 2008
Digital Cameras - my first 1998
In the summer of 1998 my son sent me by e-mail a photo he had just take with a new Digital camera that was just about affordable (about £200).
Within a week I was the proud owner of a Kodak DC200 digital camera.
As the camera came with a 4mb compact flash card you were very limited to the size you could use to give a reasonable number of images at the best quality setting. This was about 32 images !
So these early photos are taken at 640 x 480
Terry Partridge
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