W.R. Early 1980s Freight Photos - South Wales Severn Tunnel Junction to Pantyffynnon.

[Rivercider]

Following on from my two earlier threads of 1980s freight traffic in the West of England Division and the London Division here is the final part of the trilogy, this time I will be looking at freight trains in the South Wales Division. I will follow a similar format and work my way along the South Wales main line from Severn Tunnel Junction and heading west to Llanelli. Most photos will be of the main line although there will be some diversions into the valleys along the way.

The photos were taken from 1980 to 1986 although again I will sneak in a few instamatic photos from the late 1970s.

 

There are plenty of gaps in my knowledge of South Wales and I certainly did not manage to photograph everywhere, or everything there was to see, so as before contributions are welcome. When I was compiling the previous threads I spent some time doing research to cross check my old notes and as I went along I learned quite a lot particularly from the comments and anecdotes received from other members. 

 

This will probably be another slow process but hopefully will eventually help provide a little inspiration for anyone modelling a South Wales themed layout in the blue era.

 

Just one picture to start with, appropriate as many wagons first arriving in South Wales would take a trip over the Down Hump

08932 and brake van are seen on the Down Hump at Severn Tunnel Junction. The 08 was one of the large allocation of the class based at Ebbw Junction at the time and was a radio telephone fitted loco. 31209 was an Old Oak Common loco at the time, 9/9/80

 

cheers

Edited January 5, 2021 by Rivercider
Change title.

[Iron Horse]

Looking forward to seeing this thread develop as the other 2 have been fantastic. Thanks for sharing

[Rivercider]

There were four separate yards at Severn Tunnel Junction, called I think, the Down Hump Yard, the Down Yard,

and on the up side the Undy Hump Yard and the Bristol Yard.

Down trains arriving from the Gloucester direction could directly access the Down Hump Yard which lay to the east of the station and I believe was the first of the four yards to close when hump shunting ceased.

Seen from the platform 31204 passes by with 7C38 08.35 Kingsland Road to Severn Tunnel Junction,

in the background a class 08 is busy in the Down Hump Yard, 9/9/80.

 

Next a pair of views taken from the road bridge that spanned the yard.

First looking east towards the hump with the Down Hump Yard in the distance. 

In the left hand distance can we see the old steam shed, then in use for storing new cars?

08932 is standing having just finished propelling a train over the hump, a pair of bitumen tanks are heading towards the Down Yard. 9/9/80

 

Now turning to look towards the west we see the Down Yard.

In the yard is a variety of traffic including some BBA coil carriers loaded 'eye to sky'.

On the right we can just see the diesel depot over on the up side.

The hardstanding area in the left foreground was the site of the Powell-Duffryn wagon repair depot (thanks Brian) 16/6/83

 

 

cheers

Edited March 4, 2016 by Rivercider

[andy stroud]

I am looking forward to this thread. I love freight trains in the blue diesel era and if it's Western Region, then even better! Really enjoyed the previous thread that featured the West Country and Bristol.

 

andy

Edited March 3, 2016 by andy stroud

[Fat Controller]

There were four separate yards at Severn Tunnel Junction, called I think, the Down Hump Yard, the Down Yard,

and on the up side the Undy Hump Yard and the Bristol Yard.

Down trains arriving from the Gloucester direction could directly access the Down Hump Yard which lay to the east of the station and I believe was the first of the four yards to close when hump shunting ceased.

Severn Tunnel Junction 31204 a.jpg

Seen from the platform 31204 passes by with 7C38 08.35 Kingsland Road to Severn Tunnel Junction,

in the background a class 08 is busy in the Down Hump Yard, 9/9/80.

 

Next a pair of views taken from the road bridge that spanned the yard.

First looking east towards the hump with the Down Hump Yard in the distance. 

In the left hand distance can we see the old steam shed, then in use for storing new cars?

Severn Tunnel Junction Down Hump 08932 a.jpg

08932 is standing having just finished propelling a train over the hump, a pair of bitumen tanks are heading towards the Down Yard. 9/9/80

 

Now turning to look towards the west we see the Down Yard.

Severn Tunnel Junction Down Yard a.jpg

In the yard is a variety of traffic including some BBA coil carriers loaded 'eye to sky'.

On the right we can just see the diesel depot over on the up side.

Was the hardstanding area in the left foreground for wagon repairs? 16/6/83

 

cheers

When I first  went to STJ, in the late 1960s, the concrete floor was inside a corrugated-iron and wood shed owned by Powell-Duffryn, wagon repairers and builders. At that point, it was still carrying out repairs, though I imagine the through-put was much reduced from the yard's heyday.

The former steam shed acted as a distribution centre for Ford; Cartics and Carflats would arrive from Dagenham with loads of Escorts and Cortinas. The down train would sometimes have a portion for Exeter Riverside, which would be attached to a Exeter or Plymouth-bound train.

Some relation of my maternal grandfather kept what was in those days the pub (later a club, I believe) just down from the road leading to the diesel depot. Whilst dad and grandad went for a pint, I'd stand on the bridge and watch the activity in the yard.

I look forward to seeing the rest of your photos, Kevin.

[br2975]

 

Some relation of my maternal grandfather kept what was in those days the pub (later a club, I believe) just down from the road leading to the diesel depot. Whilst dad and grandad went for a pint, I'd stand on the bridge and watch the activity in the yard.

 

 

Brian

 

There was a pub nearby 'The Rogiet'.

.

There was also a B.R.S.A. ( the good old 'staff association') as well.

.

Brian R

[toffee]

Don't know about Bri, but me tongues hanging out here in anticipation :-)

[JohnH]

Brilliant stuff Rivercider - please keep these photos coming!

[bescotbeast]

Thanks for sharing your pictures once again kevin, they really do help your fellow modelers.

 

Simon

Edited March 5, 2016 by bescotbeast

[The Stationmaster]

There were four separate yards at Severn Tunnel Junction, called I think, the Down Hump Yard, the Down Yard,

and on the up side the Undy Hump Yard and the Bristol Yard.

Down trains arriving from the Gloucester direction could directly access the Down Hump Yard which lay to the east of the station and I believe was the first of the four yards to close when hump shunting ceased.

Severn Tunnel Junction 31204 a.jpg

Seen from the platform 31204 passes by with 7C38 08.35 Kingsland Road to Severn Tunnel Junction,

in the background a class 08 is busy in the Down Hump Yard, 9/9/80.

 

Next a pair of views taken from the road bridge that spanned the yard.

First looking east towards the hump with the Down Hump Yard in the distance. 

In the left hand distance can we see the old steam shed, then in use for storing new cars?

Severn Tunnel Junction Down Hump 08932 a.jpg

08932 is standing having just finished propelling a train over the hump, a pair of bitumen tanks are heading towards the Down Yard. 9/9/80

 

Now turning to look towards the west we see the Down Yard.

Severn Tunnel Junction Down Yard a.jpg

In the yard is a variety of traffic including some BBA coil carriers loaded 'eye to sky'.

On the right we can just see the diesel depot over on the up side.

The hardstanding area in the left foreground was the site of the Powell-Duffryn wagon repair depot (thanks Brian) 16/6/83

 

 

cheers

 

On the Downside the easternmost sidings were the Down Reception Sidings then the Down Hump then the Down (Hump) yard then the Departure Sidings.

 

On the UPside first - from the west end - came Undy (UP) Reception Sidings, then the Up Hump, the the Up(Hump) Yard and behind that on its north side (i.e. away from the running lines) the dead end sidings of the Bristol Yard and finally the Up Departure Sidings.

 

Both yards had lines which avoided the humps to allow for both through movements and non-hump traffic.

[Rivercider]

Brian

 

There was a pub nearby 'The Rogiet'.

.

There was also a B.R.S.A. ( the good old 'staff association') as well.

.

Brian R

Back in the early 1980s I took sandwiches and drink with me on a day out,

time spent in a pub was a waste of photography time.

Then one day, about 1985 in York, me and my BR mate were walking from Holgate Bridge

up to York Yard North and we passed a Tetley pub and my mate said 'do you fancy a pint'

so we had a couple of pints with proper northern heads on, before walking up to York Yard North.  

My railway photography tailed off after that, so blame the beer..........

 

cheers

Edited March 4, 2016 by Rivercider

[Rivercider]

When I first  went to STJ, in the late 1960s, the concrete floor was inside a corrugated-iron and wood shed owned by Powell-Duffryn, wagon repairers and builders. At that point, it was still carrying out repairs, though I imagine the through-put was much reduced from the yard's heyday.

The former steam shed acted as a distribution centre for Ford; Cartics and Carflats would arrive from Dagenham with loads of Escorts and Cortinas. The down train would sometimes have a portion for Exeter Riverside, which would be attached to a Exeter or Plymouth-bound train.

Some relation of my maternal grandfather kept what was in those days the pub (later a club, I believe) just down from the road leading to the diesel depot. Whilst dad and grandad went for a pint, I'd stand on the bridge and watch the activity in the yard.

I look forward to seeing the rest of your photos, Kevin.

Thanks for the additional information Brian.

I remember cartics passing on Speedlink to Exeter St Davids to be unloaded behind the NCL shed.

 

Here in 1983 I captured one of the 08 pilots on the way to shunt the Silcock & Colling siding with loaded cartics

08652 propels loaded cartics through Severn Tunnel Junction station, I wonder why the VEA remains attached,  16/6/83

 

cheers

[Fat Controller]

Thanks for the additional information Brian.

I remember cartics passing on Speedlink to Exeter St Davids to be unloaded behind the NCL shed.

 

Here in 1983 I captured one of the 08 pilots on the way to shunt the Silcock & Colling siding with loaded cartics

Severn Tunnel Junction 08652 a.jpg

08652 propels loaded cartics through Severn Tunnel Junction station, I wonder why the VEA remains attached,  16/6/83

 

cheers

Because it will then continue to the MoD depot at Caerwent, which branched off just after Caldicot station.

[Rivercider]

Because it will then continue to the MoD depot at Caerwent, which branched off just after Caldicot station.

Thanks Brian,

I never thought of that, thanks to this thread I have learnt lots already

 

cheers

[Rivercider]

On the Downside the easternmost sidings were the Down Reception Sidings then the Down Hump then the Down (Hump) yard then the Departure Sidings.

 

On the UPside first - from the west end - came Undy (UP) Reception Sidings, then the Up Hump, the the Up(Hump) Yard and behind that on its north side (i.e. away from the running lines) the dead end sidings of the Bristol Yard and finally the Up Departure Sidings.

 

Both yards had lines which avoided the humps to allow for both through movements and non-hump traffic.

Thanks for the info Mike.

I think I am correct that the Down Reception Sidings closed first with the end of hump shunting?

The Undy Reception Sidings though were retained after hump shunting ceased.

 

Does this photo show the Up Departure Sidings, adjacent to the loco sidings?

31424 passes by with the 08.15 Cardiff Central - Portsmouth Harbour before class 33s took over the Pompey-Cardiff trains.

In the Down (Hump) Yard is a variety of traffic including newly painted air brake vans in flame red and grey and a pair of coke hoppers.

Waiting departure from the Up Departure sidings are 25211 and 25106 with an Ellesmere Port - Cranmore bitumen train, and  45033 with the 08.45 departure for Hallen Marsh conveying ferry vans and 21t hoppers of coke for Commonwealth Smelting, 9/9/80 

 

This photo show the line that avoids the Down Hump

46051 hauls 45009 past the Down Hump, the class 45 was being hauled dead having recently suffered a cab fire, 9/9/80

 

 

 

cheers

Edited March 4, 2016 by Rivercider

[jonny777]

Excellent nostalgia photos.

 

I loved Severn Tunnel Junction, although it was a long drive for me in those days, but well worth it when I got there. I used to try and get slow trains as well, in order to be going by the yards relatively slowly in order to see the 08s hidden away in random places.

 

Great memories, and it is with some sadness that I now pass the 2nd bridge toll booths these days (and not all due to the extortionate price I have to pay in order to go west).

[The Stationmaster]

I'm fairly sure the Down Reception went first - with, I think just a single line left (or possibly a couple?).  The Undy Reception Sidings definitely lasted quite late on in the overall story of the yard and I think there was still something there when we finally closed the yard - that being a slightly different way of doing things as it was immediately made impossible to use any part of the yard on the day it was closed with the very specific intention of stopping it being used 'because it was there'.

 

And I strongly suspect it would have been used because Gloucester got into trouble fairly shortly after 'the Tunnel' was closed with considerable congestion and lots of delays.  I was duly sent up there 'to sort it out' and was reasonably successful in doing so although I had to have several trains retimed in order to eliminate trains queueing to get into the yard which was one of the problems with the initial trainplan (it was a shame the planners hadn't asked us on Freight Ops for our views when they put the trainplan together as it was fairly obvious some of it was too tight to work reliably).

[bescotbeast]

I'm fairly sure the Down Reception went first - with, I think just a single line left (or possibly a couple?).  The Undy Reception Sidings definitely lasted quite late on in the overall story of the yard and I think there was still something there when we finally closed the yard - that being a slightly different way of doing things as it was immediately made impossible to use any part of the yard on the day it was closed with the very specific intention of stopping it being used 'because it was there'.

 

And I strongly suspect it would have been used because Gloucester got into trouble fairly shortly after 'the Tunnel' was closed with considerable congestion and lots of delays.  I was duly sent up there 'to sort it out' and was reasonably successful in doing so although I had to have several trains retimed in order to eliminate trains queueing to get into the yard which was one of the problems with the initial trainplan (it was a shame the planners hadn't asked us on Freight Ops for our views when they put the trainplan together as it was fairly obvious some of it was too tight to work reliably).

Mike, having read my Speedlink book, why was it better to have Gloucester performing the role that Severn Tunnel jcn did before it was closed. In my mind the feeder services from the South West and Western Wales were having further to travel.

 

Any insights gratefully received.

 

Simon

[The Stationmaster]

Mike, having read my Speedlink book, why was it better to have Gloucester performing the role that Severn Tunnel jcn did before it was closed. In my mind the feeder services from the South West and Western Wales were having further to travel.

 

Any insights gratefully received.

 

Simon

 

I suspect the main reason Gloucester was chosen was because there wasn't really anywhere else plus it actually had the capacity - when carefully planned - to take on the work at relatively small investment cost.  All that was left at Stoke Gifford by then was the Down side which wasn't much use for anything, any yards elsewhere in the West Country or South Wales were too remote to deal with traffic to/from the other side of the Severn so Gloucester it was.  And of course at the same time anything from South wales which didn't need to come that way didn't.

 

I think if I'd had any input into the decision to use Gloucester I would have done exactly the same but hopefully with practical yard work under my belt I would have not had exactly the same trainplan and thus it might have worked better from the off.  I think part of the problem was simply down to lack of experience in working a busy marshalling yard in a tight (for space) situation plus the yard staff obviously had to address their own personal learning curves. Incidentally soem work went to East Usk but that was quiet enough to swallow it without noticing.

 

The decision to close 'the Tunnel was unavoidably inevitable in my view - it was an expensive place to run and it had outlasted its usefulness; a great shame to see it go but that was a consequence of the changing railway with traditional forms of freight traffic shrinking away

[bescotbeast]

Thanks Mike, you learn something all the time about the railway.

 

Simon

[Rivercider]

On the Downside the easternmost sidings were the Down Reception Sidings then the Down Hump then the Down (Hump) yard then the Departure Sidings.

 

On the UPside first - from the west end - came Undy (UP) Reception Sidings, then the Up Hump, the the Up(Hump) Yard and behind that on its north side (i.e. away from the running lines) the dead end sidings of the Bristol Yard and finally the Up Departure Sidings.

 

Both yards had lines which avoided the humps to allow for both through movements and non-hump traffic.

Thanks for correcting my description of the yards Mike, I really should have remembered that the Up Yard and the single ended Bristol Yard were shunted separately. It was from either of those yards that the trains for the Bristol and Avonmouth area originated.

 

The TOPS system allowed users to find the current location of a wagon, so a wagon at location 76090 was somewhere at Severn Tunnel Junction, all five yards being covered by the single location number.

Once the original TOPS system using punched cards was replaced around 1980 by the 'cardless TOPS' system it was then possible to identify actual location of the wagon within the yard. Previously yards that maintained a current yard file would have packs of cards each kept in separate pigeon holes to represent each siding. Under 'cardless TOPS' the pack of cards representing each siding or train formation was replaced by a unique 'user set' with a title of up to eight characters. So at Severn Tunnel Junction number 1 road in the Down Yard would be 'D01', number 1 road in the up yard would be 'U01' number 1 road in the Bristol Yard would be 'B01' etc.

It was possible to interrogate the user sets of another TOPS TRA, so in Bristol TOPS we could now search for the user set of a wagon of coal destined to Wapping Wharf CCD and find it was located in user set U01, so we knew it was in the Up Yard. If the user set name had been changed to 'U01/6B26' we then knew that 6B26 was now ready formed up and could then accurately predict which wagons would be coming over on 6B26 tomorrow morning.

 

cheers 

Edited March 18, 2016 by Rivercider

[Rivercider]

In my old note books a small handful of old TOPS enquiries have survived for over 30 years

Below is a copy of an 'EJ' enquiry which basically gives a sumary of traffic on hand in a specified yard

sorted by shunting tag and brake type.

This was the state of play of Severn Tunnel Junction yard at 23.02 on 19/10/82  for tags 730 - 899

which is basically mainline traffic for Western Region and Southern Region yards.

 

The yard shunting tags that I can remember from the list are

730 Acton

732 Acton airbrake

740 Reading

750 Swindon

752 Swindon airbrake

76A Newport AD Jn

76C East Usk coal eties

76L Llanwern

770 Cardiff Tidal

780 Radyr

790 Margam

792 Margam airbrake

810 Kingsland Road

812 Bristol airbrake

81L Lawrence Hill?

81R Bridgwater

81W Wapping Wharf

820 Westbury

822 Westbury airbrake

830 Exeter Riverside

832 Exeter airbrake

83T Tauntoin

840 Tavistock Junction

842 Tavi airbrake

862 Eastleigh airbrake

86A Salisbury?

86S Southampton Bevois Park?

 

cheers

 

[Rivercider]

In the background of the previous photo we could see a pair of trains in the Departure Sidings

here we see 45033 departing for Hallen Marsh passing the Area Managers admin block.  9/9/80

Although there were still quite a few active freight locations in the Avonmouth area

the 08.45 to Hallen Marsh mostly conveyed traffic for Commonwealth Smelting by this time.

The ferry vans behind the loco will probably be empties to load lead or zinc ingots for export

and behind that are 21t hoppers of coke also for the smelter. The coke usually came from Nantgarw

though sometimes from one of the coke ovens north of Llantrisant probably Cwm or possibly Coed Ely.

Although the coke on this train is in 21t hoppers until about 1980 coke for Hallen Marsh sometimes

arrived in 20t coke hoppers (TOPS code HCO).

Later the coke for Commonwealth Smelting came direct to Hallen Marsh in company trains from the BSC Grange coke works at Port Talbot in rebodied 21t HTVs.

 

cheers

[Rivercider]

The Inter-City Railway Society Shunter Duties booklet 1979 edition showed that there were 6 class 08 duties

at Severn Tunnel Junction, two normally air braked, and three normally radio telephone fitted.

On my visit on 9th September 1980 I noted four class 08s at Severn Tunnel Junction,

they were all out of the Ebbw Junction (EJ) allocation of 23 class 08s from that time.

08932 was working the Down Reception and hump. 

08848 was in the Up Yard and 08780 was in the Bristol Yard.

08361 was present, and I suspect I missed at least one hiding behind the wagons.

A view of the Up Yard at Severn Tunnel Junction sees 08848 in the Up Yard, and on the right 08780 is shunting

dogfish hoppers in the Bristol Yard, 9/9/80

 

cheers

Edited March 18, 2016 by Rivercider

[Rivercider]

The small loco depot at Severn Tunnel Junction had no allocation of its own locos, the class 08 yard pilots were supplied by Ebbw Junction while a variety of different classes of main line locos from various depots arrived on services from far and wide. 

 

The depot at Severn Tunnel Junction seen from the east end. 

25211 and 25106 wait in the Departure Sidings with bitumen tanks from Ellesmere Port to Cranmore

while Cardiff Cantons 37243 rests in the siding, 9/9/80 

 

 

The depot at Severn Tunnel Junction seen from the west end. 

Inside the shed Gateshead allocated 46051 receives attention.

Tinsleys 45009, a failure following a cab fire, stands outside the shed having been hauled in by 46051.

31327 to the right was a York loco at the time. 9/9/80

 

cheers