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Class 14s with BR where did they operate?


westerner
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Not to the crew it didn't. A ride quality that is vaguely uncomfortable at 17mph becomes seasickness-inducing at 27..…..

 

Seeing one (after departing the SR) on trip workings between the two yards at Newport reminded me of nothing so much as watching white-water rafting. :jester:

 

John

Having negotiated Tidal Yard on several 08s, at a mere 10-12mph, the thought crossed my mind of selling the concept to Alton Towers for the next generation of white knuckle ride.

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So a couple of other class 14 workings not already noted...

 

One did take a Local between Cheltenham and Gloucester

 

Another was trialled as a lickey banker

 

And have seen a photo of one on a southbound freight at cleeve which must have been as far north as at least ashchurch....or Worcester possibly, where many were stored, one did work a track recovery train from the Hereford direction through Malvern.

 

And then there are the two that famously worked pw trains off Hereford towards craven arms long after the class had all been withdrawn

 

Great history!

 

Phil

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Wilkipedia has a list of the industrial users and the dates they were in service.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_14

 

The loco men at Corby had a high regard for these, a number of options were considered to replace steam when these came to market so very much a case of right time, right place. The numbers acquired allowed for plenty of spare locos and some to be broken for parts, Corby's maximum daily requirement was only for 10 locos but 15 were purchased directly from BR for Corby and a further 9 found their way via other operations, mainly the Buckminster system. 

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You do wonder why the weren't fitted with MU gear?

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For a 45mph trip machine it was most likely considered an expensive addition.

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There was little or no requirement for m.u.gear on the jobs they did here in South Wales, which were the jobs for which they were intended.

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They had no trouble starting a train, or keeping it going, but "allegedly" stopping trains were a different matter.

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However, I watched one daily trip between Penarth Curve North and Radyr Yard which was hauled by a nine-fiver and would run to between 40 and 50 SLUs some days.......the sound was memorable !

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Brian R.

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Absolutely....

 

The only one I ever saw working was D9626 on a similar load at Newport - must have been Easter 68 - had to lift the load up out of the tunnels past Godfrey Road, what a racket!

 

Phil

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Below, I've laid out the diagrams for the remaining Class 14s working in South Wales, during the summer of 1967.

 

86A Canton outbased, Newport Ebbw Jct.
(i) Uskmouth Branch trips incl. Uskmouth Power Station
(ii) Bedwas Colliery & Trethomas Coke Ovens.
.
Outbased Pontypool Rd.
(iii) Abergavenny trips
(iv) Glascoed (ROF) trips
.
Outbased Aberbeeg
(v)  Aberbeeg trips pilot
(vi) Aberbeeg banker
.
Outbased Severn Tunnel Jct.
(vii) Chepstow and Tintern Quarry
.
86A Canton
(i)   Cardiff area - Barry, Barry Docks & Radyr Yd.
(ii)  Cardiff area - Ely Paper Mill, Newtown Yard/Long Dyke & Radyr Yard
(iii) Cardiff area - Penarth Town & Penarth Cement Works.
.
Outbased Abercynon
(iv) Trips to Lady Windsor Colliery (Ynysybwl)
.
Outbased Aberdare
(v)  Trips to Mountain Ash
(vi) Trips to Abercwmboi Phurnacite Plant
.
Outbased Barry

(vii) Trips to Aberthaw
Became Cl.37 duty commencing 10th.. February, 1969
.
Outbased Radyr

(viii) Trips to Aber Jct (via Taffs Well)
(ix)  Trips to Cathays, Gabalfa Coal Yd. and Stanton & Staveley Ltd.
(x)   Trips to Treforest, Pontypridd & Maritime Colliery
.
Outbased Treherbert
(xi) Trips Rhondda Valley
.
87E Landore outbased Margam
(i)   Trips to Glyncorrwg
(ii)  Trips to Cymmer (Afan)
(iii) Trips to Swansea Eastern Depot
.
87E Landore
(i) Landore Steelworks and trips to Margam / Neath
.
87E Landore, Outbased Swansea Eastern depot
(ii) Trips to Felin Fran & Mond Nickel
(ii) Swansea Eastern Depot Control, duties as required.

Edited by br2975
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Below I've laid out the diagrams for the last remaining South Wales Class 14s, going into 1969, and their final four months or so in traffic.

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The diagrams below were spread between the locos shown, still 'theoretically' in service at the start of 1969, and allocated to Canton, 86A.

D9500, D9502, D9514, D9518, D9527, D9530,

 

Cl.14 Trip workings  - South Wales, January/February 1969.

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86A Canton outbased, Severn Tunnel Jct.
05:05 Trips to Chepstow, Tintern Quarry, Sudbrook and Tidenham Quarry
Became Cl.35 duty commencing 2nd. February, 1969

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86A Canton
05:15 Canton & Radyr
12:55 Llantrisant & Marshfield
08:55 Penarth Cement Works
09:00 Canton
05:55 Ferry Road
14:30 Penarth Curve North & Canton

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All diagrams withdrawn from 12/04/1969 with the introduction of ‘Blockplan’ Stage 2.
‘Ely’ pilot became Cl.08 duty commencing 14th. April, 1969

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Penarth, Marshfield & Llantrisant trips became Cl.37 duties commencing 14th. April, 1969

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86A Canton outbased, Barry.

??:?? Trips to Aberthaw
Became Cl.37 (dual braked) duty commencing 10th. February, 1969 ( to allow banking of MGR trains ? )

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86A Canton outbased, Radyr.
11:15 Treforest Estate
23:45 Marshalling Sidings & Long Dyke

06:50 Penarth North Curve
14:00 Maindy & Cathays

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All Class 14 diagrams were withdrawn from 12/04/1969 following the introduction of ‘Blockplan’ Stage 2.

However, D9518 worked the following Radyr trips from 14/04/1969 – 19/04/1969 and as such was the last Cl,.14 in regular B.R. service. .

06:15 Roath Branch
09:35 Roath Branch
14:20 Maindy

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The diagrams shown below were spread between the following locos, still 'theoretically' in service at the start of 1969, and allocated to Landore 87E. 

D9521, D9524, D9536, D9538, D9555

 

87E Landore outbased Margam
03:40 Glyncorrwg
Became Cl.08 duty commencing 24th. March, 1969

.
87E Landore outbased Swansea Eastern Depot
Two diagrams, covering;
06:40 Monds
13:54 Monds
21:30 Margam

07:00 Margam
13:56 Morriston
22:00 Control

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Reduced later to one diagram covering;

06:45 Briton Ferry & Margam
14:20 Monds
22:05 Margam

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D9538/D9555 were the last two retained at Landore, until track improvements can be carried out at Monds to allow a Cl.37 to take over the duty.

Edited by br2975
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Thanks Brian

 

Must have been the Uskmouth trip loco I saw at Newport then....

 

And interesting to note that of the last survivors in 69 two - D9500/02 - had been in store at Worcester

 

Wonder what was going on with them being restored to traffic when there must have been plenty of others in South Wales

 

Cheers

 

Phil

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I never saw any in BR service but was lucky enough to experience 9514 first hand  when it was based at Bardon Hill a few years ago while the regular Sentinels were out of action. The way it was able to shove a load of bogie hoppers round the sharp bend and up the stiff gradient into Bardon Quarry was something to be savoured, from the cab it sounded very much like a Hymek when opening the taps. Bringing the loaded wagons back down it had no problem stopping short of the catch points at the ground frame end of the yard, the brakes were excellent.

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Just looking at my records and on the 2/08/69 D9500, D9509 & D9519 were still on Cardiff Canton and on the 4th/08/69 D9521, D9524, D9536, D9538 & D9555 were on Landore sheds, all, by this time withdrawn. Funny how the memory plays tricks I was sure that one or more was running at the time, highly unlikely I know.

 

My previous visit to Canton in 1968 had D9500, D9514, D9517, D9527 & D9530 on shed.

 

Happy days indeed.  

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I know the question related to South West workings but as that has included Hull in some replies I guess London should as well. 81A Old Oak had an allocation for a while from new, D9521 - D9524 from late 1964 to about October 1965, when they moved to Bristol Bath Rd.

 

Crew training seems to have carried out on a train of vans between Acton - Paddington.

 

Although allocated to Old Oak Common, it would seem they only went there for major maintenance work. They were based at 81D Reading, and I do remember (even if only about seven years old) recall seeing one or two at Reading General.

 

There were three diagrams worked with a fourth spare to cover for maintenance.

 

One was a midday Reading - Newbury freight, afternoon return Newbury - Reading freight, then early evening Reading - Paddington parcels. Light to Southall, early morning Southall - Reading freight.

 

Another was following. Morning Light engine Reading - Newbury for trip workings as required to Aldermaston, Hungerford, Welford Park (remnant of Lambourne branch). Evening Newbury - Reading freight.

 

The third. Worked late evening light engine Reading - Didcot. Next morning worked Didcot - Sonning coal (have seen a photo somewhere of this working). Afternoon Reading - Wallingford, Evening Wallingford - Reading.

 

I suspect that some of these workings were Conditional rather than Mandatory.

 

I cannot find original documents, but I think a contemporary RCTS Railway Observer carried info presumably gleaned from the official publications. Modern Railways from 1965 gives similar information and mentions them working to Basingstoke (D9524 05/08/65 on a parcels working). D9521 worked a passenger, 17.00 Gloucester - Cheltenham vice steam 27/11/65.

 

Hopefully of some use!

 

Paul

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On ‎16‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 10:57, Three Miller said:

Just looking at my records and on the 2/08/69 D9500, D9509 & D9519 were still on Cardiff Canton and on the 4th/08/69 D9521, D9524, D9536, D9538 & D9555 were on Landore sheds, all, by this time withdrawn.

 

Funny how the memory plays tricks I was sure that one or more was running at the time, highly unlikely I know.

 

My previous visit to Canton in 1968 had D9500, D9514, D9517, D9527 & D9530 on shed.

 

Happy days indeed.  

 

You may well have seen one or two in service, despite their having been withdrawn from 26th April 1969 / 3rd May, 1969 (depending whether you go by BR or WR dates !).

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The remaining locos were eventually all moved to Canton for attention, before sale to outside industry, and from where they were used on trip workings between Long Dyke / Newtown Yard, Penarth Curve North, Radyr Yard and Canton Brick Yard to keep them serviceable..

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D9500 was working local trips around Cardiff until September, 1969.

D9517 was stored at Ebbw Jcn. after withdrawal but  was working as Canton depot pilot on 18th September, 1969.

D9527 was apparently working at Canton on 17th May, 1969.

D9535 and one other (believed to be D9524) were reinstated during May, 1970 and used for PW work on the North & West route, stabling at Hereford

D9538 was Canton depot pilot on 8th March, 1970

D9555 was Canton depot pilot on 19th December, 1969 - I recall standing on the footbridge at Canton about this time, as she idled beneath whilst shunting the Canton brick yard, and her exhaust kept us warm.

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Brian R

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On 18/07/2018 at 06:32, br2975 said:

Robert 'Bob' Masterman has been an active photographer capturing on film the 'everyday' South Wales railway scene since about 1962/1963.

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His images have earned great praise from those privileged to view them.

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This is an example of Bob's work, taken from a DMU near Llandaff (for Whitchurch) on the outskirts of Cardiff on 29th. April, 1966..

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D9522 is waiting for the road, held on the Llandaff Loop, with a mixed freight from Radyr Yard, which needs to cross the Taff vale main line to gain the goods lines at Llandaff.

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The mixture of stock is of interest, a solitary coke hopper and six limestone/iron hoppers could be en-route to Llantrisant, but then further back are several Conflat 'L' wagons used in traffic from Walnut Tree West, possibly bound for Ebbw Vale steel works.

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Radyr Yard can be seen in the distance behind the two brackets, and Radyr Quarry Junction 'box can just be made out above the p.w. hut.

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Radyr shed is just out of shot to the right.

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Behind the left hand telegraph pole can be seen the Radyr Quarry Junction to Penarth Curve North then freight only line, now solely a passenger route and now marketed as the 'City Line'

 

Copyright, Bob Masterman.

post-1599-0-38747100-1531891538_thumb.jpg

 

What is the curved thing under the right hand buffer as looking at the picture?

The vacuum pipe is on the left.

 

Gordon A

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As well as the vacuum pipe they had a main reservoir pipe under each buffer - what looks like a large pipe here is just the shadow of the M.R. pipe (the pipe itself is sitting down at an angle, with the end on its dummy mount)

Edited by keefer
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On 17/07/2018 at 15:18, jonny777 said:

 

 

 

The Hull transfer was BR's desperate search for jobs for them to do. I think they realised their mistake soon after the locos entered traffic (or maybe before that), but there were lots of transfer goods trains between the docks and yards in Hull and it seemed like a good idea to move some (which were not bought by industry) where they might do useful work. Judging by the number of photos of them on transfer freights around Cardiff and Radyr by Robert Masterman, they appear to have done more useful work for BR than the common myths might have you believe. 

The transfer of the 14s to Dairycoates was primarily to remove the last of the steam working in the Hull area, and secondary reason the shed master at the time thought the been hydraulic they would not need as much electrical maintenance (DOH). The loco did some useful work in the Hull area during the short stay, transfer trips from the docks to the yards, Hessle quarry to Wilmington cement works, trips up the branch to Bridlington and also a few trips venturing as far as Healy Mills and the West Riding.

 

Many of the problems the Western had with the disappeared whilst at Dairycoates, but other emerged. Some problems never did vanish like not stooping too well, turbo brackets fracturing and the usual Paxman disease pissing coolant everywhere. 

 

Al Taylor

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Some really interesting info in this thread. On 21st July 1969 I recorded the following on a visit to Cardiff Canton, parked in the open, and none running - some were partially sheeted over:-

 

D9500, 09, 19, 26, 30 and 35. 

 

On on a trip to Bristol in April 1968 I saw the only other class 14 I ever saw on BR tracks - D9506 at Worcester - one of the only ones scrapped - I think it was towed away not long after.

 

The Dursley and Lydney workings from Gloucester were always class 22 workings when I saw them in the 1967-1970 period. I have seen photos of class 14s in the Forest of Dean however. I think they were possibly a bit earlier. 

 

I always thought these locos were intended to do the sort of main line and branch line trip workings seen on the WR in the hands of class 03 shunters. There were still quite a lot of trip workings generally around BR in the mid 60s so, for instance any trip down the WCML to Euston in 1967, say would pass a couple of the D7660-71 class 25s on such workings. I guess the workings evaporated in the later 60s. 

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On 17/07/2018 at 15:34, Andy Kirkham said:

I remember reading in a magazine that their problem at Hull was insufficient braking ability, which required them to be used in pairs; but since they couldn't run in multiple, they needed two crews. 

Yes, I've seen this is stated too and it made me wonder why they didnt try diesel brake tenders.

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On 06/10/2019 at 14:24, Broadway Clive said:

Yes, I've seen this is stated too and it made me wonder why they didnt try diesel brake tenders.

The jobs at Hull that required double heading were mainly the Hessle quarry Wilmington workings  were extra brake force was required. However when they worked to the West Riding some jobs got double headed due to power requirements.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

The class 14 worked at Beechbrook Farm sidings for HS1 workings , near Lenham Kent on the Maidstone Ashford line,  not too popular for shunting as it was too slow to change direction,  something to do with the time delay as the hydraulics  of  the transmission refilled with each  change of direction,  the  crews preferred their diesel electric 08 shunter over the 14.

I was fortunate  to see the class 14s  transferred from the WR to the NE to work at Hull in the 1960s,  some were stabled at 36 A Carr loco and some in the  Plant sidings at Doncaster station.

Does anyone know of how the 14s made the trip north,   hauled or under their own power?  It may have been the latter as a number of 14s were seen on the fuelling point at 36A and not on the regular part of the shed

Edited by Pandora
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1 hour ago, Pandora said:

The class 14 worked at Beechbrook Farm sidings for HS1 workings , near Lenham Kent on the Maidstone Ashford line,  not too popular for shunting as it was too slow to change direction,  something to do with the time delay as the hydraulics  of  the transmission refilled with each  change of direction,  the  crews preferred their diesel electric 08 shunter over the 14.

I was fortunate  to see the class 14s  transferred from the WR to the NE to work at Hull in the 1960s,  some were stabled at 36 A Carr loco and some in the  Plant sidings at Doncaster station.

Does anyone know of how the 14s made the trip north,   hauled or under their own power?  It may have been the latter as a number of 14s were seen on the fuelling point at 36A and not on the regular part of the shed

Most of the Paxmans were hauled up from the Western to Dairyccoates.  Part of the time delay on the gearbox was  that it had a standstill device which would not allow the box to change direction if it thought it was still moving.

 

Al Taylor.

 

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On ‎31‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 19:52, Pandora said:

Does anyone know of how the 14s made the trip north,   hauled or under their own power?  It may have been the latter as a number of 14s were seen on the fuelling point at 36A and not on the regular part of the shed

From my notes, some movements were:-

 

18th. November, 1968

9539, 9546, 9553 seen heading south at Toton.

Not known how they were moved.

 

30th. June, 1969

D9502, D9514,D9518 & D9527 left Canton for Gloucester hauled by D6607.

Reported as sold to NCB,

4th. July, 1969

Still stabled Gloucester Horton Rd,

Subsequently photographed passing Derby Midland (see attached, photographer unknown)

6th. August, 1969

Arrived NCB Ashington

469905412_9502-DerbyMidland-undated.jpg.4a9dae5d8133059eed839919a8110289.jpg

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22nd. November, 1969

D9500 & D9517 noted at York depot en-route from Canton to NCB Ashington

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Monday, 9th. November, 1970                                                                                                                                                                                                                               D9535 moved Canton to NCB Ashington (how ?)

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Wednesday, 9th. December, 1970                                                                                                                                                                                                                               D9509 & D9519 moved from Cardiff Canton to Geo. Cohen, Kettering via Barnt Green, Nuneaton & Wigston.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Believed hauled throughout by Hymek D7069

.

Brian R

Edited by br2975
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