Jump to content
 

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


Recommended Posts

19 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Hughie was a smashing bloke - no  doubt long gone - and he and I always got along very well.  That paid off because when Les, his Assistant got a job elsewhere (Hereford perhaps?) in 1973 Hughie always had me as first in line to pick up what would have been the Sundays on engineering work etc  that would have gone to Les.  The only rough one I got out of that was a turn at Penarth Curve North seeing various engineering trains in and out of a possession between there and Radyr Quarry and some clown of a tamper driver decided that red signals didn't apply to him and duly ran through some points.  

 

Mind you Hughie always did his own budget submissions (the only DI in South Wales who could manage it) so he was very careful when it came to coverage and I had one Sunday at Maesmawr where I was supervising three different things at the same time, including a crane, while we were Single Line Working.  But definitely great days and it was in some ways a bit of a wrench going back to England in 1974.


Old Hughie only pasted away last year and I was at the funeral, there was some old railway stories told about him even his son said he liked a good derailment on a weekend.

I always got on well with him had a few telling off’s but he never held it against you. Gareth

 

 

  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
4 hours ago, TEDDYBEAR D9521 said:


Old Hughie only pasted away last year and I was at the funeral, there was some old railway stories told about him even his son said he liked a good derailment on a weekend.

I always got on well with him had a few telling off’s but he never held it against you. Gareth

 

 

Sorry to hear that and he must have managed quite a good age - well into his 80s I presume.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
On 27/05/2020 at 08:22, 9C85 said:

Over the years I saw examples of diesel Classes 03, 08, 11, 14, 20, 25, 31, 33, 35, 37, 40, 42, 45, 46, 47, 52, 56, 60 and 66 at Radyr, albeit not many of those classes ventured north of Radyr, to Ponty and beyond.

 

The 'rarest' thing I saw at Porth in the 70s/80s, apart from anything but a 47 on an excursion, was a  March  (Ely) based class 31 on an Engineer's inspection saloon working.  It stood at the station long enough for me to cross the bridge and get up close on the platform.  The driver asked if I wanted a look in the cab - couldn't turn down an offer like that.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

It is a while since I added anything to this topic, but I have a few more photos further up the valley.

 

The marvellously named Stormstown must have been a busy place in the past, there was still some activity

when I visited on a couple of occasions in the 1980s.

Coal from Lady Windsor colliery had to reverse here before heading down the valley,

while coal for the phurnacite plant at Abercwmboi which came from Merthyr  Vale also reversed here.

scan0081.jpg.22b079e2f0f241eb356c687d993c826b.jpg

37239 stands in one of the down loops with coal from Merthyr Vale for Abercwmboi phurnacite plant and is about to head north after running round the train. In the background are the wagons are standing in Carn Parc Dump? 24/5/83

scan0082.jpg.69f19057d74c98b288dcfa2870e047aa.jpg

37239 departs from Stormstown with coal from Merthyr Vale for Abercwmboi phurnacite plant loaded in a mix of MDVs and MCVs. 24/5/83

A copy of this photo appears in my book 'South Wales Railways in the 1980s', which was published by Amberley earlier this year

 

cheers

 

Edited by Rivercider
Additional info
  • Like 19
Link to post
Share on other sites

North of Abercynon the only active rail connected colliery in the Merthyr valley by this date in the mid 1980s was Merthyr Vale, this was connected to the BR network at Black Lion.

 

scan0073.jpg.17133a854412286fca47286b2723334f.jpg

37231 gets away from Black Lion with coal from Merthyr Vale for Abercwmboi phurnacite plant. At the time this was the only crossing point on the singled line between Abercynon and Merthyr. 14/4/83.

A copy of this photo appears in the 'South Wales Railways in the 1980s' book.

scan0034.jpg.ca843dad966b73c8c8e31380af23ad80.jpg

Black Lion signal box controlled the passing loop and access to Merthyr Vale colliery which passed behind the box where the HTVs can be seen. 14/4/83.

 

There was a steep incline from the main line down to Merthyr Vale colliery which was on the valley floor.

scan0070a.jpg.f248e092def803da3cacf2211af59c14.jpg

The NCB employed a pair of former BR class 08 locos at Merthyr Vale. One of the pair D3014 can be seen on the line that connected the colliery, which is seen in the distance, with Black Lion off to the left of this view. The main line can be seen heading to Merthyr off to the right. 14/4/83.

 

cheers

 

 

 

Edited by Rivercider
  • Like 16
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Rivercider changed the title to W.R. Early 1980s Freight - South Wales - Going down to Barry

Some more freight action at Barry.

scan0089.jpg.bb9f8d33462f2a436843afc6494f38e5.jpg

6C64 Llandarcy to Aberthaw tanks passes Barry behind 47196. In the distance are a pair of the Canton allocated class 37s outbased at Barry for working the Aberthaw coal services. 21/7/82.

 

scan0090.jpg.986c5406096d21bfb54f997b68e01d40.jpg

About six pairs of class 37s were employed on the coal services to Aberthaw. Here 37302 and 37288 head through Barry with a loaded train for Aberthaw. The former Barry steam shed of to the right was used for wagon maintenance including the South Wales HAA fleet, some wagons can be seen standing in the yard. 17/9/81.

 

scan0015.jpg.a55ee2bd469c5083428dcfca6e9a9a00.jpg

Resting between duties a Barry are 37308 and 37287, the former steam shed can be seen on the left. 21/7/82,

 

cheers

 

  • Like 15
Link to post
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, keefer said:

Were the Barry 37s any different to the normal locos? I remember reading some 37s had strengthened drawbars/couplings - or was that for steel/iron ore services?

 

IIRC they were for the triple-headed Port Talbot-Llanwern iron ore trains. 

 

  • Agree 3
  • Thanks 1
  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
31 minutes ago, keefer said:

Were the Barry 37s any different to the normal locos? I remember reading some 37s had strengthened drawbars/couplings - or was that for steel/iron ore services?


There was a batch of high numbered 37/0s with strengthened couplings to work the Llanwern - Port Talbot ion ore trains triple-headed. They were replaced by pairs of Class 56.

 

Edit Pipped - took too long to post!

Edited by brushman47544
  • Thanks 1
  • Informative/Useful 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I can just see my Grandparent’s house in the last pictures which I am sure is why I have an interest in railways. My memories are set in the days of steam but still nice to see. The bridge that I use as my avatar can be seen behind the trains.

 

Thanks for posting these pictures, much appreciated.

 

Brian

  • Like 1
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, keefer said:

Were the Barry 37s any different to the normal locos? I remember reading some 37s had strengthened drawbars/couplings - or was that for steel/iron ore services?

I can't find the exact list of the class 37s with modified drawgear for the Llanwern iron ore services, but I think they were 37300-308, with possibly one or two others. As you can see several of that batch were seen on MGR work.

 

Edit  - on another RMweb thread Brian R (Brian Rolley) quotes the December 1977 Railway Observer, the locos modified were 37241 37298/9 and 37300-308

 

Although I do remember seeing the triple headed class 37s on the ore trains it was before I had a proper camera.

 

cheers 

Edited by Rivercider
Additional info
  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
  • Informative/Useful 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Rivercider changed the title to W.R. Early 1980s Freight - South Wales - Aberthaw

At Aberthaw there were reception sidings, here the MGR trains for the power station were re-engined, the pairs of class 37s were replaced by  slow speed fitted class 47 for the trip around the power station loop.

980116308_AberthawReceptionsidings.jpg.a328e00dd1482e8dd99de7b15551679f.jpg

Aberthaw Reception Sidings looking west. There are three class 47s in the distance, 47241 on the right, the others are probably 47231 and 47232. 12/11/85

 

1358496943_Aberthaw3725437.jpg.0cf0dba8038491c8fdbc522de9d51adb.jpg

37254 and 37181 arrive at Aberthaw with 7Z66 09.15 ex Oakdale coal probably for Aberthaw cement works. 12/11/85

 

2074286445_AberthawCementWorks47232.jpg.1b075449504c7746e523b098ea9d17cd.jpg

As well as the power station at Aberthaw the nearby Aberthaw Cement works also received coal in MGR trains. Here 47232 is seen after unloading an MGR set with the cement works as a backdrop. 12/11/85,

 

cheers

 

 

Edited by Rivercider
  • Like 13
Link to post
Share on other sites

Here are a couple of copies of photos that I included in my book 'South Wales Railways in the 1980s',

which was published earlier this year by Amberley.

 

214317487_Aberthaw47186.jpg.c4267170890e3da31e14b701165d6f9d.jpg

47186 runs into the west end of Aberthaw Reception sidings with an empty MGR set, 12/11/85.

 

Moving now to the South Wales main line I made one brief visit to Llantrisant.

2061658024_Llantrisant37235.jpg.b671ba58eb1c86833ef779a6d3917352.jpg

In the low November sun 37235 departs from Llantrisant heading east with a MGR set which had been loaded at Llanharan opencast site. 12/11/85.

 

cheers 

 

 

 

  • Like 12
Link to post
Share on other sites

Moving west to Bridgend which saw a lot of freight traffic. As well as traffic on the South Wales main line via the Vale of Ely traffic routed via the Vale of Glamorgan also passed through Bridgend before branching off at Bridgend East Junction.

scan0003.jpg.7532e4362382c51d6083c8edb5bd67b9.jpg

47079 G J Churchward heads east through Bridgend with a loaded tank train. 6/11/81

 

In order to access the Vale of Glamorgan route it was necessary for up trains from the west to run through Bridgend station on the down line.

scan0007.jpg.28123d3d925b10d7432ff1022b2c1bb7.jpg

37231 and 37291 are seen heading up through Bridgend on the down main, they will then branch off for the Vale of Glamorgan route at Bridgend East Junction with coal for Aberthaw power station . 7/7/81.

 

cheers

 

 

  • Like 14
Link to post
Share on other sites

More coal traffic passing through Bridgend.

scan0049.jpg.594ba31ffd06ebda098d63a4cf8e2139.jpg

37223 passes Bridgend up the up line with a train load of coal in MDVs. 6/11/81.

 

 

 

scan0050.jpg.d249204d6983fabb78c6d817c3321d51.jpg

The locations to the west that supplied coal for Aberthaw power station included Onllwyn, Blaenant, and Steel Supply at Jersey Marine. A westbound set of empties passes Bridgend behind 37236 and 37255, 7/7/81.

 

cheers 

  • Like 17
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Rivercider changed the title to W.R. Early 1980s Freight - South Wales - Bridgend westwards

The final three views at Bridgend show a variety of passing freight traffic, from the dwindling vacuum braked wagon load services to the Freightliner network.

 

scan0006.jpg.fc17d625d2926b89c812865e02429a67.jpg

37176 departs from Bridgend with a local working that had originated at nearby Bridgend Coity Yard and was returning to Margam Yard. The remaining vacuum braked wagon load services such as this would finally cease in 1984. 7/7/81 

scan0005.jpg.c2d3d25225d6ff12ce82d3c81422171c.jpg

47157 passes Bridgend heading for one of the Milford Haven refineries with discharged tanks. 7/7/81

 

scan0068.jpg.ee8110484a0cbcd066cc2419f309156f.jpg

By the 1980s there were two Freightliner terminals in South Wales, at Danygraig Swansea, and Cardiff Pengam. 56043 brings the Danygraig to Stratford Freightliner service up through Bridgend, this train called at Pengam to detach and attach portions. 7/7/81.

 

cheers

Edited by Rivercider
spelling
  • Like 13
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...