Starcross Pier

May railway trip into Exeter yesterday reminded me of some things that I haven't blipped so this afternoon I went into Starcross and walked over the railway bridge and onto the pier where the Ferry will take you and your bike (if you have one) across to Exmouth rather than going all the way around the estuary by road or train..

I was also reminded of Brunel's wonderful idea to power his original broad gauge railway by a series of pumping stations which pumped the air out of the tube, in which a piston was attached to the train and pulled the train along by atmospheric differentiation. A great idea ahead of its time and it failed largely because rats ate the leather pieces that resealed the tube and so the line lost pressure. Anyway, there's a picture of Brunel's pumping house in as an extra with an HS125 in front of it speeding towards Newton Abbot..