Spent Bullets?

[Downsman]

A chance remark the other day, rekindled my interest in railway history. The subject was the regular supply of china clay slurry by rail from pits in Cornwall to paper mills in Irvine Scotland; a service which ceased in 2008.

Although I have found some information on the internet, I would be most obliged if somebody could guide me to obtain details of how this service was routed and what was the timetable.

[ccmmick]

Hi Downsman

The Silver Bullets used to leave at 08.40 from Burngullow on a Monday and Thursday if i remember right it used to run via Hereford arrive at Irvine 19.00 unloaded then run back empty to Bungullow for the next trip.
When i was at St Blazey there was talk of doing it with two drivers one from Burngullow to Hereford the second driver to Irvine but it never happened, we used to work it to Bristol and work the empty's back at 03.00 from Bristol to Burngullow a lovely train to work and when they were new and bright silver it was a very impressive train to see with two 37s up front.

Cheers
ccmmick.

[Eccles71B]

There's a rather splendid Locomaster film of the last 37 hauled Silver Bullets. They took the train to Newport Alexandra Dock Yard where a 60 took the train on.

[oxford]

I rememeber the Silver Bullets when I was a Signalman in Bristol Power Box.

[Downsman]

Many thanks ccmmick & Eccles71B for info. about the Silver Bullets run from Cornwall to Scotland. Presumably Hereford was reached via Newport & the North & West Route. Then I suppose they carried on to Shrewsbury, to cut across to Crewe for the WCML to Glasgow, ending up on the Ayrshire Coast Line.

I discovered this picture on the RTCS site, ( do a ‘find’ on Burngullow to get direct to picture):

http://www.rcts.org.uk/membership/pdfs/April2008RO.pdf

[Downsman]

Originally Posted by Eccles71B

There's a rather splendid Locomaster film of the last 37 hauled Silver Bullets. They took the train to Newport Alexandra Dock Yard where a 60 took the train on.

FOUND IT! So here is the link for anybody else seeking this video:
http://locomaster.co.uk/silver_bullet_syphons.htm

Earplugs at the ready!!