stevejjjexcov Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 As I live in Llanelli Wales I was wondering where I can find info about the exchange sidings. There are some tracks there but on the ground its hard to make sense of it. Can anyone help Sorry I should have made it clear that the exchange sidings are at Pembray not Llanelli Thanks Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 It's 'Pembrey', Steve.. I was brought up in Llanelli, but most of my relations were from either Pembrey or Burry Port. Back in the early 1970s, when I was learning to drive, I used to practice on the road from the bridge over the main line to the ROF (as it was generally known). There is a plan of the reception sidings on page 57 of 'Track Layouts of The GWR and BR (WR)' by R A Cooke. This suggests that there was a Down Loop, starting just after Lando Halt, and which had a trailing connection to the ROF sidings. The loop rejoined the main line, but there was a headshunt into which trains for the factory could recess, before setting back into the ROF proper. Once within the ROF, there were a set of eight loops, with connections to various sidings. Between the main line and these loops was the ROF Halt; I'm not sure how much of a service was provided as, unlike places like Swynnerton, there was just a single platform. I suspect most staff arrived by bus, or walked from Lando Halt. The sidings came into use pre-WW2, and were disconnected in June 1966. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevejjjexcov Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 Thanks for the info and sorry for the spelling mistake I will take a look. I didn't realize the size of the place. Was the narrow gauge system still in use till the end? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Thanks for the info and sorry for the spelling mistake I will take a look. I didn't realize the size of the place. Was the narrow gauge system still in use till the end? The site was indeed huge; it had developed in three stages, with each new part supplementing the others. The initial part was a dynamite factory, opened in 1882, eventually owned by Nobel. The rail connection to this was initially from the BP&GV at Burry Port harbour, the line heading west from a point just on the main line side of what is now Parsons' Pickles. During WW1, Nobel, under Goverment sponsorship, built a TNT factory on the eastern edge, and connections were built to both the original site, and the new one, from the Fishguard line at Lando. The connection to the old site was facing, in the Down direction, and that to the new plant trailing. Lando siding signal box opened on May 1915, and shut in April 1932. Anticipating a second World War, the site was brought back into use in 1938, and a new plant, closer to Pembrey, was brought into use in December 1939. This used the connections I mentioned in my first post; I do wonder if there were other parts of these links that were not shown in Cooke, as a single track link seems a bit vulnerable. To serve the new connection, a 'box was constructed on the opposite side of the main line, and closer to Pembrey. This opened in July 1938, and closed in August 1966. The plant continued to manufacture TNT for a while post-War, and then worked on dismantling anti-aircraft shells and 500lb bombs. I should imagine the NG system served the various dispersed facilities until the end, though I have no definite information. My old General Science teacher had worked in the labs at the plant during WW2; he still had a yellow cast to his skin many years later. My mother, brought up in Pembrey, used to say that it was easy to identify workers from the plant, due to the skin colour. My grandmother said that during WW1, a German submarine had attempted to put a spy ashore near the plant. The captain had underestimated the tidal range, and found himself stranded on a sand-bank within range of the shore-battery. I haven't seen any other accounts of this, and do wonder if it was a story of nan's invention. My father's firm, A P Byng, was involved in the clearance of parts of the site during the late 1960s; he used to bring home sacks of cylindrical pieces of wood, which burnt very well in our grate. Not surprising, as they were the packing pieces that were used to seal the open ends of shell casings during transport. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevejjjexcov Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 Thanks again for the info. I,m searching for ideas for a small layout and wonders about the R.O.F. but small it ain't. I might see if I can use part of it though. The track left in the roadway with the interlaced narrow gauge track started my interest. I think one of the buildings still exists maybe the narrow gauge engine shed? Again thanks for the info Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianwales Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Hi Steve There used to be a fair bit of info in the visitor centre in the country park. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevejjjexcov Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 Thanks Ian I will have look next time I'm there Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium HillsideDepot Posted August 16, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 16, 2016 Our church uses Pembrey Country Park for a youth camp each summer and they have just returned from this year's week away. One of the leaders posted a link on the church Facebook group which led me to this page http://www.discovercarmarthenshire.com/pembreycountrypark/royal-ordnance-factory-pembrey/index.html which has some information, including an overall site plan. I don't know if it adds anything to your researches? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 A few Pembrey tanks were recorded at Bishopton when we visited, examples http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/rofbishopton/e2b75fd95 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/rofbishopton/e6886ea1 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/rofbishopton/e1bd428df http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/rofbishopton/e1c2d66af http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/rofbishopton/e12a69b94 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/rofbishopton/e1ce50109 http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/rofbishopton/e1117b4d7 That track plan looks amazing, very lucky to have such detail available Paul PS As Brian mentioned, please correct the spelling of the title or it will not be searchable later. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Our church uses Pembrey Country Park for a youth camp each summer and they have just returned from this year's week away. One of the leaders posted a link on the church Facebook group which led me to this page http://www.discovercarmarthenshire.com/pembreycountrypark/royal-ordnance-factory-pembrey/index.html which has some information, including an overall site plan. I don't know if it adds anything to your researches? Thank you very much for posting that. When I first started learning to drive, I used to practice on that road on the right-hand side; that was before the Country Park started, whilst the MoD still had designs on the site as a replacement for Shoeburyness. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenng Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Have a look at Britain from above http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/asearch?search=Llanelli%20Wales 35 aerial shots of Llanelli Wales. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Have a look at Britain from above http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/asearch?search=Llanelli%20Wales 35 aerial shots of Llanelli Wales. Though none of the Munitions Works, which was some distance west of the photos which purport to show Pembrey; they in fact show the centre of Burry Port, whose station is confusingly still known as 'Pembrey and Burry Port. The house in Carway Street in which my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were all born, is visible in one view. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold phil_sutters Posted August 24, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 24, 2016 As there is a focus on Pembrey here, could someone enlighten me as to the ownership of this little diesel shunter, photographed from the station, back in the 1980s? We had just had a family picnic in the country park, with relatives from Saundersfoot and a group of London family members, who were on holiday on the Gower. So it was just a fleeting glimpse, on which I used a valuable film 'exposure'. So it would be nice to know what the subject of the shot was. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 That track plan looks amazing, very lucky to have such detail available If anything, even that is not detailed enough as the remaining narrow gauge track set in the tarmac near the miniature railway is more complicated than shown on the map! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 Pembrey diesel.jpg As there is a focus on Pembrey here, could someone enlighten me as to the ownership of this little diesel shunter, photographed from the station, back in the 1980s? We had just had a family picnic in the country park, with relatives from Saundersfoot and a group of London family members, who were on holiday on the Gower. So it was just a fleeting glimpse, on which I used a valuable film 'exposure'. So it would be nice to know what the subject of the shot was. I think it is Marcrofts wagon works. I don't seem to have a photo of their loco. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 I think it is Marcrofts wagon works. I don't seem to have a photo of their loco. Paul It is. I only ever saw it in the works compound, never running into the main yard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold phil_sutters Posted August 25, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 25, 2016 Thanks, guys. I am glad it was of some interest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.