BR Class 03 in Western Region?

[thx712517]

Taken a sudden interest in the BR Class 03 diesel mechanical shunters. I'd like to learn more about their design and operation in general (book recommendations for early BR diesels?) and their use in the Western Region, specifically lines in Wales. Were they ever shedded at Ebbw or Pontypool? At 28.5 MPH top speed they wouldn't get anywhere fast, but would they have ever taken over a 74xx shunting job or goods train? 

[Fat Controller]

Don't know much about the lines in Eastern Wales (barring the fact that a second-hand one was used at Machen quarry in recent times. Further west, Landore had a substantial allocation. Some of these, with cut-down cabs, worked the Burry Port and Gwendreath line. Another worked on the Swansea Dock network, whilst others covered pilot duties at several stations, including Whitland. They were useful on these pilot duties as they were about 10 mph faster than the 08s, so easier to get back to Landore for fuelling...

[KeithHC]

A couple of 03's worked at Gulf refinery between Milford Haven and Neyland. After BR service.

 

Keith

[The Johnster]

Landore including outstationed to Llanelli for the BP & GV, where 3 of them had to triple head the empties up the valley,  They were replaced with 08s with cut down cabs that could do the job double headed.  Bristol T.M. for pilot work at Lawrence Hill and Filton coal yard, Gloucester, Swindon, and probably other places on WR but not at Ebbw or Pontypool Road; Pontypool never had a diesel allocation of any sort.  Sorry!

 

74xx were rare though not unknown in South Wales; there were few weight restricted routes and 57xx/8750s could do the work better, though I have seen a photo of one on a pickup at Mountain Ash (Cardiff Road), the GW station.  This may be the core of the reason there were few 03s in the area, as 08s or D95xx took over the pannier jobs.  08s are of course even more speed restricted, but speed is less of an issue in terms of valleys freight working.

[Dunsignalling]

The BP&GV line 03s also had cut-down cabs.

 

I think one of them ended up on the West Somerset for a short while (visiting?). IIRC it carried the name "Linda".

 

John 

Edited August 15, 2019 by Dunsignalling

[Fat Controller]

There was one working I forgot to mention in the badlands west and north of Swansea. This was the thrice-weekly trip working from Llandeilo Jct (Llanelli) to Llandovery via the Central Wales line. This was sometimes worked singly, sometimes by a back-to back pair. The locos were from the BP&GV pool, as they had the requisite lights. The journey was about thirty miles in each direction. Traffic was usually just coal, though sometimes there may have been military traffic (engineers' plant and munitions) to Llandovery for the barracks at Brecon, and the training ranges around Sennibridge.

[br2975]

On ‎14‎/‎08‎/‎2019 at 12:24, thx712517 said:

Taken a sudden interest in the BR Class 03 diesel mechanical shunters. I'd like to learn more about their design and operation in general (book recommendations for early BR diesels?) and their use in the Western Region, specifically lines in Wales. Were they ever shedded at Ebbw or Pontypool? At 28.5 MPH top speed they wouldn't get anywhere fast, but would they have ever taken over a 74xx shunting job or goods train? 

You don't mention what period you are modelling.

.

I have no recollection of 03s allocated to Pontypool Road or Ebbw Junction.

.

A handful of Drewry Cl.04s were allocated to Hereford at one time, probably a bit too far from Pontypool Rd.

.

03382 had its cab reduced in height at Ebbw Junction, during early 1981,for working the BPGV line.

.

The most logical solution to your problem lies with Messrs A.R.Adams, boilermakers of (at one time) Coomassie Street, Pill, Newport.

.

A.R. Adams purchased the following redundant Cl.03 shunters from B.R. around 1969:-

D2139*, D2178, D2181*, D2182*, D2186 and D2193.

.

These shunters were hired out to industries across South Wales, primarily the NCB, but also Powell Duffryn Fuels and Wiggins Teape, and initially these shunters ran in their BR livery (green, wasp stripes etc) and retained their BR numbers.

.

Some ( shown above with an asterisk * ) , were later sold on to other operators.

.

When not on hire, Adams locos were kept in a compound at the premises of 'Rowecord Engineering' on the west side of the Old Town Dock in Newport.

.

Adams also purchased two Cl.04 (Drewry) shunters from BR:-

D2244 & D2276

The former was hired out to both Monsanto Chemicals (Newport) and the NCB

The latter, D2276, was stored inside the company workshops for some time and used as a source of spares, finally being cut up in 1977 .

D2244 was one of the class fitted for MU operation, using a similar system to that used on the BPGV.

.

Hope this helps ?

Edited August 16, 2019 by br2975

[corneliuslundie]

If it is any use, I think the second drawing down on this page

http://www.barrowmoremrg.co.uk/BRBDocuments/BR_Shunting_Locos_217_JP_Issue.pdf

is the cut-down version for the Burry Port line.

Also the third one on this page:

http://www.barrowmoremrg.co.uk/BRBDocuments/Book120Issue.pdf

A very useful site.

I have looked for but never found a drawing of the cut-down 08s, and it is thought that it was done at Landore probably without an official drawing.

Jonathan

[Phil Bullock]

Worcester was exclusive 204 territory with the exception of 1 350 at the end of steam. At which point the Drewrys mentioned above arrived from Hereford .... but they didn’t last long, replaced by more 350s . 

 

Cheers 

 

phil

[Steamport Southport]

BR Database is a good guide for where they were. As with all information cross reference with other sources as there maybe mistakes/things omitted/not yet completed. For example I'm certain that 03162 was a Birkenhead resident.

 

http://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=class&id=3&type=D&page=alloc

 

 

 

Jason

Edited August 16, 2019 by Steamport Southport

[New Haven Neil]

It wasn't just the cabs cut down on the 350's for BPGV, the engine mountings were lowered too.  I used to know one of the engineers responsible.

[thx712517]

This has been quite edifying! My little layout is a simple Inglenook, in Wales around 1948-1959. I'll stretch the truth to run the little 03 on it, but it's been great to learn more about the real thing. 

[caradoc]

Somewhat off topic, but in 'Looking Back at English Electric locomotives' (Kevin Derrick, Strathwood 2009) there is a picture of non-cut down 08898, which was somehow sent out on the BP&GV line with predictable results when it met an overbridge !

[royaloak]

36 minutes ago, caradoc said:

Somewhat off topic, but in 'Looking Back at English Electric locomotives' (Kevin Derrick, Strathwood 2009) there is a picture of non-cut down 08898, which was somehow sent out on the BP&GV line with predictable results when it met an overbridge !

It was sent out to rescue one of the cut down 08s which had failed, as you say it didnt end well but the way all the bodywork is at about a 25 degree angle is quite um interesting, it was a good job the radiator was leading and not the cab.

[MJI]

03 382 is an ex Bristol Bath Road loco and I have seen it there.

 

I have the Mainline model of it.

[melmoth]

17 minutes ago, MJI said:

03 382 is an ex Bristol Bath Road loco and I have seen it there.

 

I have the Mainline model of it.

 

It was also quite a late repaint into BR blue as it received its TOPS number while in green

[Rail-Online]

Around 1963 Whitland shed had an allocation of 204HP shunters for all the West Wales working. One each was outbased at Fishguard and Milford Haven/Neyland, I guess the 28mph top gear was used quite a bit getting them there!

 

Tony