Llanforen, GWR in South Wales

[88C]

Following my chat with Chris on Saturday I decided to look through my books of Old Barry photographs and I found that there were quiet a few coach companies based in Barry, not a lot of detail but here goes.

 

White's Motors.  This became part of Western Welsh in 1935.

Arthur Perkins ran buses from 1922 to 1936 and then worked for WW.

Reg Guppy an owner/driver sold out to WW in 1940.

Reliance Motors.

Domino Coaches, I seem to remember that they did a lot of day trips.

Thomas's Coaches, another firm that I can remember.

Rufus Davies started the Pioneer Motor  Co. and changed the name to Barry Motors Ltd. circa 1920.

Barry Associated Motors, a grouping of local bus owners which eventually became part of White's.

 

As the bridge is on the lifting board you are unlikely to see a bus on the bridge!

 

Brian

Edited December 11, 2018 by 88C

[timbowilts]

As the bridge is on the lifting board you are unlikely to see a bus on the bridge!

 

Brian

Aw shucks! A bridge without a bus is not in the spirit of RMWeb layouts :^)

 

Tim T

[The Johnster]

Buses on bridges are banned on my layout as cliched, as are burnt out brakevans.  

 

If the A48 is in play, then Neath & Cardiff 'brown bombers' can be used.  

[tomparryharry]

Pontypridd-Talbot Green or llantrisant, via Cross Inn. Pontypridd-Beddau.

 

S.A Bebb

 

Pontypridd-Talbot Green via Efail Isaf (Barry Railway) ABS coaches. The garage used to be bottom of the hill in lower Church Village.

 

There was another local operator, but his name escapes me.

[88C]

I have finally got back to doing some modelling after being away over Christmas and getting over jet lag.

 

Today I have done some detailing work on the lifting section of the layout and I have also primed a couple of locos and a brake van ready for painting, hopefully conditions will be OK to get the airbrush out soon. My next thought turned to coaches and I started to look at the ex Slaters toplight which I bought from an infamous trader at Nottingham a few years back only to find that the ends supplied don't match the sides. Looking at Russell's book I reckon that I will be able to bodge the job and use plenty of filler, no point expecting to get the correct ends. I also bought a Comet K40 at Peterborough and having read Johnster's thread on coach building I have just printed off the Building Coaches the Comet Way, thanks to whoever posted the link.

 

As for the Hornby announcements, a few Collett suburbans will no doubt find their way to Llanforen, perhaps not correct for the area but so much better than the Farish coaches that I am currently using.

I'll probably pass on the prairie and stick with my old ones, I don't run them much anyway. On the other hand a Peckett is another story, how can I not have one when Sherwood colliery is just over a mile from where I live.

 

Lots of plans so I really must knuckle down and do some modelling instead of reading about it!

 

Brian

 

Edit to credit Steamport Southport for the link.

Edited January 9, 2019 by 88C

[88C]

There has been some progress recently so here are a couple of photos, the colour of the static grass looks a lot better to the naked eye, honest.

 

Firstly a new tree is in place near to the yard headshunt, it's the big one on the left. The second picture is the new bridge, just about finished and a lot better than the tunnel. Just for those of you who like to see a bus on a bridge I have put one on but what a Barton's bus is doing in South Wales in the 30's I don't know, it was years before they ran a service from Nottingham to Barry for Butlins. That was a useful service for us and a co-operative driver would drop us off right outside my Grandparents' house.

 

As you can see, I have not mastered the new site yet and the pictures could really do with resizing.

 

I'll be preparing Llanforen Shed for the Mansfield show in March so there will not be much happening on the main layout until then.

 

Brian

[timbowilts]

Did you make or purchase the Big Tree?

 

Tim T

[88C]

In reply to your question Tim, I made the tree myself. There is wooden dowel lower down which is later used to plant the tree and around this I firstly tape green florists wire followed by a coating from a hot glue gun. Bend out branches, several bits of wire twisted together to start with and gradually untwisted for smaller twigs at the ends. Keep repeating this until you are happy with the basic shape, long bits of wire are easily trimmed. The hot glue holds it all together and also represents the bark. A spray from a rattle can gives some colour and you are ready for the foliage. Mostly I use Woodland Scenics foliage matting just stuck onto the branches with a general purpose adhesive, starting at the lower branches. Finally I use the loose particles sprinkled onto the underside held in place with hairspray. Some trees turn out better than others.

 

I admit that the trees are generic, more skilled modellers may well build a particular species but I am aiming for an overall impression. Other trees on the layout are made from Woodland Scenics armatures.

 

Hopefully this has helped, sorry that I didn't take any pictures.

 

Brian.

[timbowilts]

Brian, it looks as good as a purchased one! Well done.

Tim T

[Killybegs]

Better than a purchased one!

[88C]

I'm afraid that progress on the layout has stalled recently for a number of reasons, family commitments have taken up a lot of time but I have also been out helping a friend operate his layout at a couple of shows and, as I mentioned earlier, I have been preparing Llanforen Shed for the Mansfield show this weekend.

 

Modelling has not completely stopped, I have created the new ends for my Slaters toplight although they still need detailing, sorry no pics yet. Also on the subject of coaches, I have received one of the four Hornby suburbans which I had ordered, looks like I picked the ones to arrive later.

 

If you come to Mansfield, make yourself known.

 

Brian 

 

[88C]

Not a lot has been happening recently, family matters have been taking up a lot of my time and I have not often been in the mood for modelling but things have settled down somewhat now so I'm keen to get on.

 

Recent efforts are aimed at improving my coaching stock, the easy bit has been acquiring some of the lovely new Hornby suburbans which have been arriving one at a time. A little work, particularly on the roofs, will improve them even more. Although not really South Wales coaches they are so much better than the old Farish efforts currently in use.

 

Progress is slow on the toplight, I have decided to use MJT bogies which are now built and tested giving a nice free running coach. I have now realised that in making the new ends I have inadvertently set the floor too high which means that the interior isn't positioned properly, hopefully this wont show too much when the coach is complete. The next thing missing from the parts I bought are the truss bars, can't do much about that until I get some supplies at the York show. I'm afraid the coach will not be winning any prizes but it should look OK mixed in with other coaches.

 

I recently obtained a copy of John Hodge's book Barry It's Railway and Port, nostalgia aside since many of the pictures are of the cutting in front of my Grandparents' house, the section on excursions shows many of the trains featured a clerestory brake third. Anyway after searching second hand stalls I finally found a suitable Hornby coach, not one with the full livery but one with the outline of the panelling printed on. The first job was to replace the wheels, I stuck with the wagon wheel size as I didn't want to increase the ride height any further. Some time ago I seem to remember someone asking if it was possible to replace the Hornby large couplings with the smaller Bachmann type, well it is and not difficult. First of all drill out or file off the rivet holding the old coupling. I have in stock some of the Bachmann coupling with the same hole spacing and there are just a couple of small modifications needed to make them fit. Firstly a small piece of the bogie needs cutting back, it's by the end of the coupling and secondly the two locating holes in the coupling itself needed enlarging slightly. The coupling is attached with an 8BA nut and bolt. On initial testing there was no fouling. Job done.

 

Not a brilliant picture, sorry.

 

Lots still to do.

 

Brian

[88C]

Nothing has happened on the layout but I have had chance to work on some stock. The warmer weather has given me chance to get into the garage and set up the airbrush. An old Hornby Collett has been resprayed and fitted with Bachmann bogies so it looks a bit better, sorry no pic.

 

The Hornby clerestory brake third has had a partial respray, just the brown below the lettering and that way I retain the printing which suggests the panelling and also the lettering, anything to save a bit of work. Not an authentic livery but not far off something from the early 30s. The white roof has had a coat of dirty black, I must get the new suburbans done soon.

 

A couple of new locos are also nearing completion so more to report shortly. The airbrush is now packed away and the railway is back in action.

 

Brian

 

[88C]

There have been some additions to the Llanforen loco fleet.

 

First of all there is 754 an ex Barry class F saddle tank. this engine was withdrawn by the GWR in 1937 but was sold, as were so many of the class, into industrial use. Powell Duffryn in Bargoed finally scrapped the engine in 1960.

 

Here it is shunting in the yard.

 

 

And again.

 

 

Hopefully following tips on various posts on the forums the pictures will be where I want them!

 

Off to York on Sunday with ChrisF who will be staying a couple of nights with us, maybe will find time to play trains, I'll let you know.

 

Brian

[chrisf]

It was my pleasure to act as guest operator last weekend and a most enjoyable experience it was too.  Who needs to put cars in a garage when a layout needs to be housed?  Llanforen captures the more bucolic part of the Barry Railway, or rather what it would have looked like had it beeen blessed with sufficient ambition to colonise the territory between Cardiff and Llantrisant which is only now filling up with residential development - think Creigiau and keep going.   It is refreshingly uncluttered, though we did discuss whether one more house would have been appropriate.  No one period is portrayed, though the stock on the layout at the time of my visit was predominantly post-grouping.  Above all the layout shows what one man can achieve with drive and determination, an understanding wife, garage and not too much fixation on points of detail.  It's OK, folks, I already knew where I've been going wrong all these years. 

 

Chris

[88C]

Thanks Chris, we enjoyed your company last weekend. As implied there is plenty of scope for detailing the layout, as always it is a matter of finding the time and inclination, I tend to spend a lot more time building railway stock. By the way, of the locos that were on show only two were pure Great Western, a 56xx and a 64xx. As most of my engines have screw couplings the old Farish coaches were still in service, I haven’t had time to deal with the new Hornby set.

 

At the moment we are in Welshpool, down for the new members day on Sunday as I am one of the membership secretaries of the W&LLR. We are staying at the Royal Oak and have enjoyed a very good meal, the meat pie is full of really tender steak and can be thoroughly recommended.

 

I will try and post next week with details of the second of the latest members of the loco fleet.

 

Brian

[88C]

As promised, here is the second new addition to the Llanforen loco fleet. 

 

It is another ex Barry F class but this one has been rebuild by the GWR with pannier tanks.

 

 

Number 723 (ex 103) was rebuilt in 1927 and withdrawn in 1934. That was not the end, it was sold to Ashington Colliery and was not scrapped until 1960.

 

 

The model uses the chassis and some bodywork from a Redcraft kit but fitted with the tanks from a K's body which I found some years ago on sale at an exhibition.

 

I really must try to improve my photography!

 

Cheers,

 

Brian

[Oldddudders]

I have a feeling Deb's (late first wife) grandfather had been pit clerk at Ashington Colliery. 

[88C]

No developments on the layout recently and modelling time has been a little short but I am making slow progress on my coaching stock. The toplight  mentioned before is still underway and a trip to Railex on Sunday will hopefully supply the remaining bits an pieces that I need. With having to make so many parts for this coach it won't be as good as a full kit but hopefully it will make a good layout coach and add some variety. I have also made a start on a Comet K40 full brake, nothing too daunting so far, let's hope it stays that way. Apart from kit building I also have some new Hornby suburbans to deal with, at least get rid of the white roofs and add some coupling hooks.

 

Neither coach is really suitable for Llanforen, although that won't stop them appearing, but over my many years I have built up a fair collection of Great Western locos, both RTR and kit built so I do need suitable stock to go behind them when I take them up to the club to give them a decent run with a longer train than I can run at home. I must admit that the kit built locos tend to be tank engines but who can resist a castle.

 

That's it for now, I've got some coaches to build.

 

Brian

[The Johnster]

Castles, as defensive strongholds, are built to resist you...

[88C]

Having spent an excellent day at Railex on Sunday I have come back inspired and keen to get some modelling done when time permits. When I was there I bought a few bits and pieces including some detailing parts to use on my toplight 'part kit'. A couple of pictures below to show progress. I think I'm about ready to start painting before adding the transfers, never a good idea to put them on before painting, grab rails and door handles. I must admit that doing all those fiddly jobs is a bit tedious but if I want to add variety to my coaching stock it's something that I need to do.

 

 

Still work to do before fixing the roof, not easy since one side has bowed inwards but I'll sort that out after painting.

 

 

 

The Hornby suburbans are also being worked on so they are fit for service, white roofs never look right on a model and the brake coaches have been fitted with coupling hooks so that I have something to pull them.

The other purchases? Some loco crew from Modelu  and a APOC tank wagon from SE Finecast, I did resist another loco kit, I really would like a Saint.

 

Brian.

[88C]

Not much modelling being done at the moment, my Mum has recently moved into a care home so there is a lot to do clearing her house and dealing with lots of legal stuff. After 65 years in the house there has been a lot to sort out including a lot of photos amongst which I came across this, which is a small 2"x 3" print that I have scanned as well as I could. I have slightly cropped the top and bottom.

 

 

 

I don't know when it was taken, possibly late 50s and it could even be one that I took as a lad. Our grandmother gave all of her grandchildren a Brownie 127 when they got to a certain age, so long ago now I can't remember what it was. What I can say is that it was taken from the front of my grandparents' house in Barry. No prizes for guessing where I got my interest in railways.

 

 

[chrisf]

How late in the 50s depends on how long GWR suburbans remained in chocolate and cream.  My guess is 1955 at the latest.

 

Whoever took the photo, it's interesting.  Spot the outside framed Siphon G on the track alongside the road with another bogie van and what looks like an open wagon with very little paint on it.   Behind that wagon is what looks like an ex-Taff Vale coach.  The track on which the 94xx is standing was rationalised out of existence around 1964 but the one behind it is still there, acting as a loop sometimes used for loaded traffic to Aberthaw.  The site of the rather gaunt corrugated iron carriage shed is now home to a housing development.  The building on the opposite side of the road to the carriage shed may still be a police station though I have my doubts.

 

Chris 

[The Johnster]

It is probably after 31/05/51, the date of the first allocation of a 94xx (8470) to Barry shed; a 94xx at this spot would be unusual prior to that date.  

[88C]

Not much has happened at Llanforen recently, we have managed to fit in a very relaxing holiday amongst all the regular domestic duties. The few passengers that use the line will be pleased  to see that the new Hornby suburbans have replaced the old Graham Farish ones. On the subject of coaches, I am making slow progress with the toplight, the airbrush has been out and the basic livery is now complete so the next job is to do the transfers. It seems to take a age to complete a coach, so many repetitive processes and glazing, handles and grabs still to do! 

 

Another thing diverting my attention is building a canal warehouse for a club layout, there is a deadline for that, October.

 

Sorry, no pictures at the moment, I'll try to get some soon.

 

Brian