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

[Rivercider]

Here are a few more class 37s in the Radyr area in the 1980s.

The driver of 37307 phones for instructions having arrived at Radyr with coal from the valleys. 22/5/80

 

37273 cautiously approaches Radyr on the down relief line with coal from Tymawr colliery. 11/8/82. The the down relief was signalled under Permissive Block from Taffs Well to Radyr, and at busy times trains could be queued here waiting access into Radyr Yard. 

 

Sometime in the early 1980s there was investment at Barry Docks to enable export coke in hoppers to be handled. I remember seeing the discharge point near to Cadoxton station.

At Morganstown Crossing 37285 heads south with HUOs of coke from Nantgarw for export via Barry Docks. 11/8/82. On the distant hillside is Castell Coch.

 

cheers

[Rivercider]

Here are some more coal trains in the Taffs Well area. More 37s I'm afraid, so best look away if you're not a fan!

37268 heads southwards away from Taffs Well with MCVs and HTVs of coal. 11/8/82

 

Passing the remaining pier of Walnut Tree Viaduct is 37218 with an empty coal train from Radyr. 26/6/81.

 

A coal train heads south from Taffs Well on the down relief line behind 37271, the train was proceeding cautiously due to a hot-box in the formation. Another class 37 is heading up the valley. 26/6/81.

 

cheers

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2020 by Rivercider
Image removed

[Rivercider]

Some class 37 coal train action at Taffs Well.

 

The driver of 37270 accelerates through Walnut Tree Junction with a loaded coal train which will immediately start the climb up the 'Big Hill' to Aber. 23/11/80

 

37308 and 37244 descend the Big Hill from Aber into Walnut Tree Junction with an MGR train for Aberthaw. 28/11/80. This route closed in 1982 due to colliery closures and resulting reduced coal traffic. I believe the area to the right of this view is where the new TFW Metro depot is being built. 

 

37308 and 37244 crosses Walnut Tree Junction and passes Walnut Tree Junction signal box at Taffs Well with an MGR train for Aberthaw comprising 28 HAAs. 28/11/80

 

cheers 

[eastwestdivide]

Wonder how long the patriotic graffiti on the Walnut Tree viaduct pillar lasted! 

[Ramblin Rich]

On 27/02/2020 at 14:47, Rivercider said:

Here are some more coal trains in the Taffs Well area. More 37s I'm afraid, so best look away if you're not a fan!

 

 

 

 

Well I'm enjoying them! Can't see how anyone with an interest in this thread wouldn't be  37 fan.l

Good to see you posting again.

[Philou]

Still there but pretty grimy due to moss/lichen - it was added to, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee in 2002. The original wording is made up with reconstituted stone (was very popular at one time to re-look the terraced houses in Cardiff - and elsewhere no doubt).

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

 

Not my photo and I don't recall it's source - sorry.

[Rivercider]

48 minutes ago, Ramblin Rich said:

Well I'm enjoying them! Can't see how anyone with an interest in this thread wouldn't be  37 fan.l

Good to see you posting again.

Thanks Rich. Although I have been popping in to RMweb over the last two years I have had a couple of projects that have been taking up more time.

 

Anyway, here are some more class 37s at Taffs Well. That is all I ever saw there apart from a limited selection of DMUs (classes 101, 116 and 120). Sadly I failed to get a proper photo of the magnificent Walnut Tree Junction signal box. Some of these photos have appeared previously on other threads.

 

37269 passes the box heading north up the valley with a brake van in tow. 28/11/80.

 

37235 has just come off the Nantgarw branch with a train of MDVs for Radyr and the signalman has just collected the token. 3/11/81

 

37214 heads northwards up the valley with coal in a mix of MDOs and MCOs. I suspect the likely destination is the Phurnacite plant at Abercwmboi which received coal from a wide variety of sources. On the right is the connection into Nantgarw Colliery and coke works, this connection was laid in 1952 to replace the former connection off the Cardiff Railway's Treforest branch, which was cut back to Coryton in 1953. 3/11/81.

 

cheers

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by Rivercider
Grammar

[br2975]

On 27/02/2020 at 14:47, Rivercider said:

Here are some more coal trains in the Taffs Well area. More 37s I'm afraid, so best look away if you're not a fan!

37268 heads southwards away from Taffs Well with MCVs and HTVs of coal. 11/8/82

 

Passing the remaining pier of Walnut Tree Viaduct is 37218 with an empty coal train from Radyr. 26/6/81.

 

A coal train heads south from Taffs Well on the down relief line behind 37271, the train was proceeding cautiously due to a hot-box in the formation. Another class 37 is heading up the valley. 26/6/81.

 

cheers

 

 

 

 

 

Most of these cracking images were taken from what is known locally as Ynys Bridge (pronounced Uniss, and Welsh for "island).

To the left of 37268 in the first photo is "Ynys Bridge Yard" a trading estate where, at the time of Kevin's photos, Messrs Hocking had a railway business, constructing predominantly, but not solely, narrow gauge industrial trackwork and turnouts.

Hocking's also dealt in narrow gauge locos, and once, attending an alarm activation at the adjacent auto body repairer, I came across some Ruston & Hornsby n.g. shunters fron RNAD Trecwn, how could they have got to my patch without me knowing.

When I went back with my camera, guess what ?

.

Behind the trees to the right of 37271 was another part of Ynys Bridge Yard, once occupied by a pipe jacking civil engineering company.

They had been our contractors when I worked for South Glam CC (before switching, to attending burglar alarms), on a relieving (foul) sewer beneath Tyndall St in Cardiff.

They used a 2'0" gauge 4wBE on the contract, which was lifted out of the tunnel when shifts ended, as the finished sewer was tidal, so shifts fell in with local tides....but one day, someone forgot to bring the loco to the surface.

Now, a battery loco, in a sewer full of cach (Welsh word) is no use to anyone.

 

Some lovely shots Kevin, which broght back some memories.

.

Regards,

.

Brian R.

Edited February 28, 2020 by br2975

[br2975]

1 hour ago, Philou said:

Still there but pretty grimy due to moss/lichen - it was added to, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee in 2002. The original wording is made up with reconstituted stone (was very popular at one time to re-look the terraced houses in Cardiff - and elsewhere no doubt).

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

 

Not my photo and I don't recall it's source - sorry.

"Reconstituted stone" as put on my porch walls almost 40yrs ago.

.

Bought from "Harris Fireplaces" Dumballs Road and smelled strongly of Fairy Liquid.

.

still on the porch walls now, but a new porch and windows a few years back renders the faux stonework invisible to unsuspecting passers-by.

[br2975]

Lurking in the man cave, under the layout are several unfinished South Wales related scale drawings I prepared in a former life. This sheet is dated “Nov ‘78”. 
.

Brian R

 

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by br2975

[Philou]

Brian, the .jpgs won't open. I'm intrigued. Could you repost them, please?

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

@Rivercider Abercwmboi and its Phurnacite plant. When it was in full swing it had, allegedly, set fire to the mountain on the opposite side. Most of the trees were dead due to the sulphurous smoke being emitted and indeed, the mountain was smouldering away. Whether as a direct consequence of the plant I don't know, but the soil did consist of an amount of coal and was burning away.

 

When there was a proposal in the 70s to extend the plant there was much muttering from the local populace (and who can blame them), they did ask the directors why they didn't want to build the new plant at Virginia Water - no reply obviously.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[br2975]

2 hours ago, Philou said:

Brian, the .jpgs won't open. I'm intrigued. Could you repost them, please?

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

Your wish is my command Oh master !

[Philou]

Oooh sorry Brian, it wasn't intended to sound like a command even though I might be a Lord . I was genuinely intrigued by the 'hidden' contents of the pictures.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[br2975]

On 12/03/2019 at 13:16, The Stationmaster said:

(1973).  But back then at least we had a decent fleet of EE Type 3s (later renumbered Class 37) with a total of 14 -16 Radyr based diagrams - all under our local control.

But times were a'changing.

.

From 7th January, 1980 the 12 Radyr based Cl.37 diagrams were reduced to 11.

.

From 4th August, 1980 the 11 diagrams were reduced to 9

Then,

From 6th October, 1980 the 9 diagrams were reduced again, when 2 control trains were withdrawn.

.

Despite living within walking distance of Radyr, marriage a new house and a new job diverted my attention from 1979/1980 for several years.

[br2975]

1 hour ago, Philou said:

Oooh sorry Brian, it wasn't intended to sound like a command even though I might be a Lord . I was genuinely intrigued by the 'hidden' contents of the pictures. 

My mistake, whilst editing them earlier.

.

There was a battered old Gallic Citreon van outside your brother's emporium earlier this week, prompting me to ask him if you were visiting .........

[Ian Hargrave]

12 hours ago, Philou said:

@Rivercider Abercwmboi and its Phurnacite plant. When it was in full swing it had, allegedly, set fire to the mountain on the opposite side. Most of the trees were dead due to the sulphurous smoke being emitted and indeed, the mountain was smouldering away. Whether as a direct consequence of the plant I don't know, but the soil did consist of an amount of coal and was burning away.

 

When there was a proposal in the 70s to extend the plant there was much muttering from the local populace (and who can blame them), they did ask the directors why they didn't want to build the new plant at Virginia Water - no reply obviously.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

Ah,the memory and smell of childhood and the emissions of green/yellow satanic fug.Remember its construction and “the local populace “....aka mum,dad,grandad and me......being “informed “ that this was a state of the art fuel.

    
    Heaven alone knows what damage it wreaked on our collective health.We lived in sight and breathing distance of it,which was a mile away as the few healthy crows still able to get airborne flew.I believe Wagner could have been inspired to revise Gotterdammerung  had he still been around at the time.The putrid egg smell in still in my nostrils some sixty years on.An environmental nasty for which those responsible should have swung.

  
    Yours,still in anger,Godreaman Boy

[br2975]

5 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Heaven alone knows what damage it wreaked on our collective health.

My family hailed from "Mount" - slightly down wind.

My aunty's partner, David, worked at the "Phurnie" and there is little doubt that that working environment saw him off.

Those Home Counties householders were blissfully unaware of how their "smokeless fuel" was polluting someone elses life.

.

Brian R

[br2975]

Unbeknown to me at the time, on 26th October 1979,  09024 in the process of being transferred from BM to SU via EH, arrived at Canton under its' own power.

09024 went to Llantrisant for trials, before moving briefly to Margam, working to Mill Pit on 30th October, before moving swiftly on to Llanelli where it worked as the Old Castle pilot until 7th November.

From Tinopolis it moved to Radyr for trials on local trips until 20th November when it went to Canton.

09024 left Canton, for Selhurst on 22nd November, 1979 again under its' own power.

Heady days, and I missed itvall.

Brian R.

[Philou]

@br2975 No, the van isn't mine - it's the 'new' works van (that's his version) - don't think Mrs Lord and Butler knew anything about it until the deed was done . I shall get to see it in April when I come over.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

 

[Rivercider]

Moving further up the valley we come to Pontypridd, where as well as coal trains heading up and down the valley there were also reversals. Coal from the Rhondda Valley destined for Abercwmboi would reverse at Pontypridd, as did the returning empties.

 

 

A dull photo but one that shows the job goes on, rain or shine. In pouring rain the guard  is just about to uncouple 37282 prior to running around a train of empties from Abercwmboi. 14/11/80

 

 

On another dull day 37218 has just run-round a train of empties and departs up the Rhondda Valley. By this date I believe only Tymawr and Maerdy collieries were active and rail connected. 3/11/81.

 

cheers 

[TEDDYBEAR D9521]

4 hours ago, Rivercider said:

Moving further up the valley we come to Pontypridd, where as well as coal trains heading up and down the valley there were also reversals. Coal from the Rhondda Valley destined for Abercwmboi would reverse at Pontypridd, as did the returning empties.

 

 

A dull photo but one that shows the job goes on, rain or shine. In pouring rain the guard  is just about to uncouple 37282 prior to running around a train of empties from Abercwmboi. 14/11/80

 

 

On another dull day 37218 has just run-round a train of empties and departs up the Rhondda Valley. By this date I believe only Tymawr and Maerdy collieries were active and rail connected. 3/11/81.

 

cheers 

It’s an Aberdare man running around for Maerdy and running around again on the return trip with loaded coal for Cwmbach  sidings .

 

[TEDDYBEAR D9521]

On 27/02/2020 at 14:15, Rivercider said:

Here are a few more class 37s in the Radyr area in the 1980s.

The driver of 37307 phones for instructions having arrived at Radyr with coal from the valleys. 22/5/80

 

37273 cautiously approaches Radyr on the down relief line with coal from Tymawr colliery. 11/8/82. The the down relief was signalled under Permissive Block from Taffs Well to Radyr, and at busy times trains could be queued here waiting access into Radyr Yard. 

 

Sometime in the early 1980s there was investment at Barry Docks to enable export coke in hoppers to be handled. I remember seeing the discharge point near to Cadoxton station.

At Morganstown Crossing 37285 heads south with HUOs of coke from Nantgarw for export via Barry Docks. 11/8/82. On the distant hillside is Castell Coch.

 

cheers

Top photo a well known Radyr Driver Dickie daylight as he was called ringing up for an early finish.

[9C85]

On 28/02/2020 at 16:58, eastwestdivide said:

Wonder how long the patriotic graffiti on the Walnut Tree viaduct pillar lasted! 

It's still there.  And they've since added the date of the diamond? jubilee too

[johnofwessex]

On 29/02/2020 at 12:52, Philou said:

@br2975 No, the van isn't mine - it's the 'new' works van (that's his version) - don't think Mrs Lord and Butler knew anything about it until the deed was done . I shall get to see it in April when I come over.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

 

 

Just arived on this thread

 

I saw the van in my home town - Frome before lockdown.......................