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Cornish freight traffic in the 1980s


The Pilotman
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In the thread about Olivia's Trains BOC wagons there is mention of a flow of liquid nitrogen for tank purging to Falmouth (no other details are given). I know nothing about this flow and as I have been keen on the 1980s Cornish scene for a long time (well, since the 80s anyway) that surprised me. Do any of the resident Kernowphiles know anything about this traffic? I am assuming that it was fairly short-lived and probably wagonload rather than trainload.

It also got me thinking about whether there are any other freight flows that have somehow slipped under my radar. With that in mind, can anyone add to the following list which, I think, should cover the Cornish freight scene in the 1980s:

 

Diesel fuel (to Long Rock/Ponsandane)

Scrap metal (ex St.Erth)

Cement (to Chacewater)

Beer, calcified seaweed (ex Truro)

Fertiliser (to Truro)

China clay in all its various forms (multiple locations)

Coal (to Drinnick Mill)

Fitzgerald Lighting (ex Bodmin)

 

I will be modelling the period after the milk train stopped running so that is deliberately missing from the list, as are engineers train workings but if I've missed anything, I'd be grateful to hear about it. Basically, I’m looking for an excuse to buy some more wagons.

Edited by Western Aviator
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In the thread about Olivia's Trains BOC wagons there is mention of a flow of liquid nitrogen for tank purging to Falmouth (no other details are given). I know nothing about this flow and as I have been keen on the 1980s Cornish scene for a long time (well, since the 80s anyway) that surprised me. Do any of the resident Kernowphiles know anything about this traffic? I am assuming that it was fairly short-lived and probably wagonload rather than trainload.

It also got me thinking about whether there are any other freight flows that have somehow slipped under my radar. With that in mind, can anyone add to the following list which, I think, should cover the Cornish freight scene in the 1980s:

 

Diesel fuel (to Long Rock/Ponsandane)

Scrap metal (ex St.Erth)

Cement (to Chacewater)

Beer, calcified seaweed (ex Truro)

Fertiliser (to Truro)

China clay in all its various forms (multiple locations)

Coal (to Drinnick Mill)

Fitzgerald Lighting (ex Bodmin)

 

I will be modelling the period after the milk train stopped running so that is deliberately missing from the list, as are engineers train workings but if I've missed anything, I'd be grateful to hear about it. Basically, I’m looking for an excuse to buy some more wagons.

 

These ran in the 80's

 

Coal to St Austell/Ponsandane.

Fish from Falmouth

Seaweed from Nanpean

Fuel to St Blazey

Powdered milk from Lostwithiel

MOD to St Austell/(Truro?)

 

Was Fitzgerald lighting just in the 80s first time round with BR or early 90's? I know EWS revived it mid 90's.

Did any traffic from Hayle, Roskear, Drump Lane exist into the 80's?

Didn't know about scrap from St Erth except the EWS trial in the 90's

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I don't remember any nitrogen traffic to Falmouth, presumably it was for ship repairs(?).

 

The old vacuum braked wagon load network lingered on into the early 1980s. As well as coal traffic in 16t/21t mins to Ponsandane/St Austell

there was also explosives traffic in gunpowder vans to Truro, would this have been commercial traffic for mining/quarrying, or MOD small arms?

 

There is also a ferry wagon in the background of this photo at Truro in 1983, though what it was for I have no idea

post-7081-0-11009800-1541883743_thumb.jpg

45128 at Truro 8/3/83

 

cheers

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Gunpowder vans almost invariably carried commercial explosives for mining and quarrying purposes; military explosives were transported in Vanfits and their air-braked successors.

I wish I could remember where I read about the nitrogen tank; it was supposedly used to purge flammable gases from within a ship to permit 'hot work' (welding or cutting) to be carried out.

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There is also a ferry wagon in the background of this photo at Truro in 1983, though what it was for I have no idea

attachicon.gifscan0039.jpg

45128 at Truro 8/3/83

 

cheers

That van was probably carrying fertilizer for Cornwall farmers co, who occupied the building seen behind it

Edited by kernowtim
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These ran in the 80's

 

Coal to St Austell/Ponsandane.

Fish from Falmouth

Seaweed from Nanpean

Fuel to St Blazey

Powdered milk from Lostwithiel

MOD to St Austell/(Truro?)

 

Was Fitzgerald lighting just in the 80s first time round with BR or early 90's? I know EWS revived it mid 90's.

Did any traffic from Hayle, Roskear, Drump Lane exist into the 80's?

Didn't know about scrap from St Erth except the EWS trial in the 90's

Thanks for the replies so far. I would be interested to know what sort of wagons would have been used for the Falmouth fish traffic, the Lostwithiel powdered milk traffic and the MOD traffic, if anyone knows, please.

I’m not sure when the Fitzgerald Lighting traffic began, but the siding appears in the 1990 edition of Baker's Rail Atlas so presumably it was up and running in the late 80s at least. Drump Lane sidings closed in 1979, Hayle and Roskear survived into the early 80s. I am more interested in the Speedlink era but any snippets of information of the early 80s are appreciated.

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Thanks for the replies so far. I would be interested to know what sort of wagons would have been used for the Falmouth fish traffic, the Lostwithiel powdered milk traffic and the MOD traffic, if anyone knows, please.

I’m not sure when the Fitzgerald Lighting traffic began, but the siding appears in the 1990 edition of Baker's Rail Atlas so presumably it was up and running in the late 80s at least. Drump Lane sidings closed in 1979, Hayle and Roskear survived into the early 80s. I am more interested in the Speedlink era but any snippets of information of the early 80s are appreciated.

 

Falmouth fish - open possibly 16t minerals but definitely stank!

Lostwithiel powdered milk - van VBA or similar usually just one

MOD St Austell - flat or well wagon for a vehicle usually just one - Truro may have had more van traffic

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What about the weedkilling trains? Although not freight, they’d be an interesting train to model. Think I have a dvd somewhere with 37196 hauling the chipmans weedkilling train. Two or three TTA style tank wagons, some modified Maunsell coaches and an ex-SR bogie storage van.

Best regards,

Jeremy

I forgot to mention that one, but I have the stock for that already. Thanks Jeremy.

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The Bodmin Fitzgerald lighting trains ran in two periods I believe. The first was 1988-1992 using the Speedlink network initially. It didn’t last long after wagonload freight was withdrawn from the South West. Then in the late 90s/early 2000s there was a revival using EWS’ Enterprise network. The Bodmin line didn’t reopen in preservation for passengers till 1988 so it’s unlikely to have been much earlier.

 

Calcified seaweed was also loaded at Nanpean Wharf (reversal point for Drinnick Mill) - possibly one of the furthest points in Cornwall from the sea!

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The Bodmin Fitzgerald lighting trains ran in two periods I believe. The first was 1988-1992 using the Speedlink network initially. It didn’t last long after wagonload freight was withdrawn from the South West. Then in the late 90s/early 2000s there was a revival using EWS’ Enterprise network. The Bodmin line didn’t reopen in preservation for passengers till 1988 so it’s unlikely to have been much earlier.

 

Calcified seaweed was also loaded at Nanpean Wharf (reversal point for Drinnick Mill) - possibly one of the furthest points in Cornwall from the sea!

 

Were Fitzgerald not using the short lived Tiger Freightways company train that ran briefly after Speedlink but ended when the parent company of Tiger went under!

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Interesting thread. I’ve been on the railway since 1984 and that’s the first time I’ve heard of BOC traffic to Falmouth!

 

I’ve annotated some comments below the subject matters, hopefully with some authority I was Railtrack Regional Freight Manager based at Swindon 1999 to 2002 plus worked in BR train planning and Ops Management 1986 to 1998.

 

Diesel fuel (to Long Rock)

RAN UNTIL 2013 IIRC, USUAL WAGON TYPE TTA

 

Scrap metal (ex St.Erth)

TRIAL TRAFFIC RAN 1999 ONLY LOADED IN SIDING ADJACENT TO BAY - JXA BOGIE WAGONS 3 AT A TIME

 

Cement (to Chacewater)

PCA WAGONS BUT I THINK HAD CEASED BY 1987. HAVE IN MIND THAT NEWQUAY STEAM BEER WAS HANDLED HERE FOR A SHORT WHILE

 

1987Beer, calcified seaweed (ex Truro)

SEAWEED WAS IN HEA WAGONS OR SOMETIMES IN PFA WAGONS ((DEMOUNTABLE BODY) - FINALLY CEASED IN 2000.

 

Fertiliser (to Truro)

CORRECT PWA OR CARGOVANS, EX INCE AND ELTON -CEASED CIRCA 1992

 

China clay in all its various forms (multiple locations)

 

Coal (to Drinnick Mill)

CORRECT - IN HEA WAGONS WHEN I VISITED IN 1988 - FINISHED BEFORE END OF SPEEDLINK IN JULY 1991

 

Fitzgerald Lighting (ex Bodmin)

COVERED ALREADY AND CERTAINLY CEASED BY 2001 - VGA BOX VANS

 

plus some other traffic worthy of mention. Lead shot waste (off ships at Falmouth) certainly started running by 1996 in Greater Manchester Waste Containers on bogie flat wagons. Plus a short season of coal to Falmouth Docks in PFA four wheeled container wagons ex South Wales, ran 1996/1997. Clay to Moorswater ceased 1997: then cement started in 1999.

 

I went to Falmouth Docks in 1985 on an officially sanctioned visit, there was no BR traffic that year, all traffic was internal and was shunted either by yellow painted Sentinel diesel (number 129?) plus the Hawthorn Leslie steam loco number 3 was used up to 1986.

 

Trust that helps. Paul S.

Edited by Devonbelle
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Some great stuff here. I recall CCT and other 4 wheelers at St Erth sidings for fruit & veg in the early 80s. I guess this was worked into parcel workings, but I have seen them included on the afternoon tripper from St Erth.

 

Hayle wharves last trip was 1980 I think.

 

I remember mineral wagons with a very fishy smell in the 1980s at Truro.

 

NCL at Drump lane had all sorts of 4 wheel vans there when rail linked.

 

Holmans had 4 wheeled flat wagons for the small generators, and minerals for the scrap.

 

As a Signalman from 1989 to 1994 in Cornwall I think all the areas have been covered above. The Truro fertiliser traffic was in Cargowaggon type wagons by then.

 

I don't recall any revenue earning freight west of there from the early 90s. The St Erth scrap came later.

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Craig’s response got me thinking further. The other significant change as to Cornish freight wagon types/freight flows was November/December 1983: which saw the end of unfitted freight in Cornwall and that point was really the end of commercial freight in vacuum braked wagons in Cornwall, except for China clay in OOVs which continued until early February 1988 when the air braked CDA wagons started. The aforementioned changes were explained to me by my father John who worked in BRs Divisional Freight Office at Bristol (1970-84).

 

When father and I did the Cornish Railtours working 19th November 1983 (37186/187) with Guard Vic Millington (selling his railway oil paintings on the train!), I saw the following wagons. Vac braked vans and opens at St Austell Goods, Air braked PBA Tiger wagons at Parkandillack along with vac braked OOVs, plus OOVs at Carne Point (Fowey). The green polybulks were at Burngullow (used on the two weekly service to Biberist in Switzerland). There were no wagons at Boscarne Jn or Bodmin General, clay having finished some weeks earlier.

 

When I trained it to Falmouth Docks in April 1985 (on the 0750 Bristol TM-Penzance, 4 mark 1s and a class 50); my notes show I saw vac clay wagons at Lostwithiel, Par, and air braked vans in Truro Yard (Cargovans and BR VDAs). The only wagons at Falmouth Doxks were a bizarre selection of elderly internal user wagons, open wagons and tank wagons some with dumb buffers.

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When I trained it to Falmouth Docks in April 1985 (on the 0750 Bristol TM-Penzance, 4 mark 1s and a class 50); my notes show I saw vac clay wagons at Lostwithiel, Par, and air braked vans in Truro Yard (Cargovans and BR VDAs). The only wagons at Falmouth Doxks were a bizarre selection of elderly internal user wagons, open wagons and tank wagons some with dumb buffers.

Some very bizarre, and some a very long way from their origins in their very old age! https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/falmouthdocks

 

Paul

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Some very bizarre, and some a very long way from their origins in their very old age! https://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/falmouthdocks

 

Paul

Waste not, want not!

A grand collection of pictures Paul, thank you. All the years I went into the yard and saw this lot  (sometimes on the move) I never thought to take a picture, what a mistake.

Steve W.

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  • 1 year later...
On 05/11/2018 at 15:42, Western Aviator said:

In the thread about Olivia's Trains BOC wagons there is mention of a flow of liquid nitrogen for tank purging to Falmouth (no other details are given). I know nothing about this flow and as I have been keen on the 1980s Cornish scene for a long time (well, since the 80s anyway) that surprised me. Do any of the resident Kernowphiles know anything about this traffic? I am assuming that it was fairly short-lived and probably wagonload rather than trainload.

 

 

Better late than never, but I've only just discovered this thread and realised that I can assist with a photo. Not mine however, it can be found on the Cornwall Railway Society website, Cornwall Galleries, Penwithers Jct/Truro/Buckshead Tunnel page. Scroll down the Truro section to find b&w photos of the steam depot, in the middle of these (for some reason, but makes it easy to find) is a sunlit colour shot of 25224 on three parcels vans in Truro yard in October 1978 - beyond this train are two BOC bogie tankers top tailed and separated by barrier vans.

I must have looked at this photo numerous times over the years but only noticed these tankers about a month ago (slap own wrist, I'm usually far more observant than that!) and obviously wondered why such large wagons were so far west. Having looked into it my guess - a requirement at Falmouth Docks - turned out to be correct. 

Random workings of this kind to the Docks appear to have happened over some years - a friend sent me a photo of 1662 heading west at Moorswater Viaduct with around 10 white two-axle tankers with what looked like Bogie Bolster Es (the short ones) as barrier wagons on 30/6/73 (train 6Z75, Plymouth Friary - Falmouth). The largely head-on angle makes it difficult to be specific about the tank wagon type(s) though.

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I would be pretty certain that the  BOC tanks would be carrying Liquid Nitrogen for purging tanks prior to 'hot work' being undertaken. The block train from Friary could have been to unload LPG or LNG from a bulk carrier, again prior to welding or cutting. 

The purging could be quite spectacular; we used to live in Stoke on Trent, overlookig Marcroft's works, and would watch them flare off gas and vapour from rail tanks before working on them.

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1 hour ago, Neil Phillips said:

 

Better late than never, but I've only just discovered this thread and realised that I can assist with a photo. Not mine however, it can be found on the Cornwall Railway Society website, Cornwall Galleries, Penwithers Jct/Truro/Buckshead Tunnel page. Scroll down the Truro section to find b&w photos of the steam depot, in the middle of these (for some reason, but makes it easy to find) is a sunlit colour shot of 25224 on three parcels vans in Truro yard in October 1978 - beyond this train are two BOC bogie tankers top tailed and separated by barrier vans.

I must have looked at this photo numerous times over the years but only noticed these tankers about a month ago (slap own wrist, I'm usually far more observant than that!) and obviously wondered why such large wagons were so far west. Having looked into it my guess - a requirement at Falmouth Docks - turned out to be correct. 

Random workings of this kind to the Docks appear to have happened over some years - a friend sent me a photo of 1662 heading west at Moorswater Viaduct with around 10 white two-axle tankers with what looked like Bogie Bolster Es (the short ones) as barrier wagons on 30/6/73 (train 6Z75, Plymouth Friary - Falmouth). The largely head-on angle makes it difficult to be specific about the tank wagon type(s) though.


I thought I had already posted this information having found the same Truro picture as you last year but after digging around I found that I’d posted it on the Olivia’s train thread about their model rather than here. So thanks for giving it the exposure on this thread. 

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