Pictures of quaint small goods yards in the 70s-90s

[astropsidings]

The Reading trip at Padworth, 10 October 1986. HDAs for Padworth, vans for the MOD at Thatcham. There are a couple of MDVs (along with the brakevan and Grampus) on the right.

Edited May 18, 2020 by astropsidings

[Rivercider]

3 hours ago, astropsidings said:

There was still an occasional MDV wagonload of reclaimed coal (“reclaimed coal” appeared to include the odd tree trunk and old bicycle frame) running from South Wales to Padworth, Aldermaston into 1985/6 via the Gloucester/Swindon and Reading engineers unfitted/VB service. The wagons would go down to Aldermaston on the Reading trip but because that was an air braked service, and partially/unfitted trains were no longer normally permitted down the Berks and Hants special authorization had to be sought. By the time that came through the wagon would have been to Aldermaston, been unloaded, and be back at Reading.....

Interesting info.

I remember those engineers trains swept up all manner of odds and ends,

 

cheers 

[montyburns56]

Now Severn Beach Station looks interesting as it seems that when services beyond the station were ended the through platform line was then used as a spare siding.

 

1977

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2020 by montyburns56

[montyburns56]

Torrington 1978

 

 

 

 

[Rivercider]

3 hours ago, montyburns56 said:

Now Severn Beach Station looks interesting as it seems that when services beyond the station were ended the through platform line was then used as a spare siding.

 

1977

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

 

 

That is correct, the sidings at Severn Beach were used for stabling stock, vanfits for ICI Severnside, or vans for loading in the PBA. 

From 1978 when I went into Bristol Area Freight Centre the sidings at Severn Beach were used for holding empty wagons against orders for loading by the PBA (Port of Bristol Authority) at Avonmouth Docks.

Those empty OAA/OBAs were held for an order to load imported bagged raw sugar (for Tuxford) , after being swept clean. While at Severn Beach vandals dropped all the side doors. Wagons were not stored at Severn Beach after this.

 

cheers   

[montyburns56]

Fishguard 1972

 

 

Milford Haven 1972

 

 

Barnstaple 1983

 

 

Possibly too early to be included in this thread, but's a great picture

 

Coanwood Sidings

 

 

[montyburns56]

Eastgate 1982

 

 

1963

 

 

2010

 

 

 

 

[DLT]

Lovely stuff guys, LOTS of modelling inspiration.  Please keep them coming.

Many thanks, Dave.

[montyburns56]

I think that some of these pictures of Bishop Auckland may be from the late 60s, but they are interesting nevertheless.

 

 

 

 

[Fat Controller]

On 21/05/2020 at 15:37, montyburns56 said:

Fishguard 1972

 

 

The wagon with the white handrails served as a 'bridge' between platforms, ISTR.

 

 

[lmsforever]

Always thought Fishguard the end of the world  if you followed the A40 to the end you stopped at a ramp into the sea !

[Fat Controller]

2 minutes ago, lmsforever said:

Always thought Fishguard the end of the world  if you followed the A40 to the end you stopped at a ramp into the sea !

You're not far off...

[MartinWales]

28 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

You're not far off...

The ramp or the sea?

[sb67]

On 20/05/2020 at 22:32, Rivercider said:

That is correct, the sidings at Severn Beach were used for stabling stock, vanfits for ICI Severnside, or vans for loading in the PBA. 

From 1978 when I went into Bristol Area Freight Centre the sidings at Severn Beach were used for holding empty wagons against orders for loading by the PBA (Port of Bristol Authority) at Avonmouth Docks.

Those empty OAA/OBAs were held for an order to load imported bagged raw sugar (for Tuxford) , after being swept clean. While at Severn Beach vandals dropped all the side doors. Wagons were not stored at Severn Beach after this.

 

cheers   

 

was there a regular passenger service at the time and is it using a bay platform? That sounds like an interesting idea for a layout with an excuse to run all sorts of stock.

[Regularity]

3 hours ago, MartinWales said:

The ramp or the sea?

Depends on whether you are generally heading west or east, Martin...

[Rivercider]

2 hours ago, sb67 said:

 

was there a regular passenger service at the time and is it using a bay platform? That sounds like an interesting idea for a layout with an excuse to run all sorts of stock.

Yes, since the through route beyond Severn Beach to Pilning (Low Level) was closed the passenger service from Bristol Temple Meads terminates in the bay platform. For many years most services were worked by single power cars W55032 and W55033, with 3-car sets at peak times. Since then class 143s and 150s have featured, I don't know what goes there now though.

Regular freight traffic at the time  I worked in the Bristol Area Freight Centre was to and from ICI Severnside that called at Severn Beach to run-round. It was mostly vanfits loaded out with bagged fertiliser until about 1980. There were also tank trains of liquified ammonia, formed with a brake van for dangerous goods purposes, they often had a brake van at each end to simplify the run-round move. There was also inbound potash from Boulby loaded in special containers which started in the early 1980s. 

 

Edit - in the picture with DMU C303 dated 1987 the wagons are stored out of use. The red van looks like one of the 'Pooley' wagons used to test and/or repair wagon weighbridges. 

 

cheers

Edited May 22, 2020 by Rivercider
Additional info

[sb67]

Thanks Rivercider, it's certainly giving me some ideas! Was there a run round loop there and how was the main line truncated, was it just the level crossing gates? 

 

[Rivercider]

2 hours ago, sb67 said:

Thanks Rivercider, it's certainly giving me some ideas! Was there a run round loop there and how was the main line truncated, was it just the level crossing gates? 

 

Unfortunately I only went down there a couple of times so cant remember too much. I think the photos posted show most of it. Perhaps there was a sleeper over the track? There was a run-round loop just south of the station, which extended into the two sidings beside the platforms.

There was no signalling there by the late 1970s, just a ground frame. It was possible for more than one freight train to be locked into the sidings, and go into the ICI complex. But once a freight had left Hallen Marsh (the junction, with signal box to the south) it was not permissible to run a DMU to Severn Beach. For this reason when the Tees-Severnside potash train started running one morning DMU service terminated short at Avonmouth to free up a pathway for the potash train. ICI had their own shunting locos but whether they were permitted up to Severn Beach I am not sure, (bur Rule 1 could apply)

 

cheers

[montyburns56]

7 hours ago, sb67 said:

Thanks Rivercider, it's certainly giving me some ideas! Was there a run round loop there and how was the main line truncated, was it just the level crossing gates? 

 

 

There's also a thread here which might be useful.

 

 

[montyburns56]

Lostwithiel 1977

 

 

[montyburns56]

Bodmin General

 

 

Liskeard

 

 

 

[montyburns56]

Crianlarich

 

 

 

 

Does anyone know exactly what these log carrying wagons are?

 

[Moxy]

They are Timber P wagons (dia 1/439), rebuilt from Conflat P wagons (from the 'Condor' service), which had been rebuilt from earlier Plate wagons.

 

(British Railway Wagons, the first half million - Don Rowlands)

[montyburns56]

7 minutes ago, Moxy said:

They are Timber P wagons (dia 1/439), rebuilt from Conflat P wagons (from the 'Condor' service), which had been rebuilt from earlier Plate wagons.

 

(British Railway Wagons, the first half million - Don Rowlands)

 

Thanks. I did have a look on Paul Bartlett's site and I couldn't find one that seems to exactly match these, but I did find this picture which was mentioned on another thread.

 

https://www.railscot.co.uk/img/60/749/

[johnofwessex]

On 22/05/2020 at 22:28, Rivercider said:

Yes, since the through route beyond Severn Beach to Pilning (Low Level) was closed the passenger service from Bristol Temple Meads terminates in the bay platform. For many years most services were worked by single power cars W55032 and W55033, with 3-car sets at peak times. Since then class 143s and 150s have featured, I don't know what goes there now though.

Regular freight traffic at the time  I worked in the Bristol Area Freight Centre was to and from ICI Severnside that called at Severn Beach to run-round. It was mostly vanfits loaded out with bagged fertiliser until about 1980. There were also tank trains of liquified ammonia, formed with a brake van for dangerous goods purposes, they often had a brake van at each end to simplify the run-round move. There was also inbound potash from Boulby loaded in special containers which started in the early 1980s. 

 

Edit - in the picture with DMU C303 dated 1987 the wagons are stored out of use. The red van looks like one of the 'Pooley' wagons used to test and/or repair wagon weighbridges. 

 

cheers

 

 

Every so often one of the single car units would lose the top side vacuum and go piling into the buffers at Severn Beach.

 

There was also a mystery train to St Andrews Rd mid afternoon that then disappeared from the timetable ie no return working.  It actually ran to Filton North Platform for BaE workers and I went on it one day, the guard was a little suprised and suspicious at first (Make sure the signalman doesnt see you) but then made me welcome and I enjoyed my trip