In the days of steam in the 'fifties Southern Region locomotives and their footplate men worked the main Western Region line between Plymouth and Exeter in order to maintain services in the event of a blockage or derailment on the Southern line via North Dartmoor and Okehampton.
This shot shows 34031 Torrington on such a working, the 2.15.p.m. stopper from Plymouth North Road to Exeter St. Davids making light work with an unusually heavily laden train for a stopping service as it heads up through Corn Wood mid way on the 1 in 42 of Hemerdon Bank on Saturday, 21st. May, 1956. This stopper would be running some 15 minutes behind the 2.00.p.m express to Paddington. Western crews worked the Southern route for the same reason, but the heaviest WR locomotives permitted over Meldon Viaduct on the SR route were 2-6-0 "Moguls".