Class 9 to Llandovery

[sf315]

The title of this thread was taken from an article in The Railway Magazine from January 1982 in which the author a Malcolm Roughley took a cab ride in a class 9 freight from Llanelli to Llandovery in a 03 with two MCV wgons and a brake van in tow. My sort of train nowadays.

i can remember buying the mag back in 82 and reading the article and have never forgotten about it. Recently i came across a copy of the mag and it has rekindled my interest in the working and the route.

I am interested in the track diagram for Llandovery over the years, as it seems it was quite a place for what seemed a rural place especially the layout as it was at the time of Malcolm's journey he took in 1981. i would also like to know more about the yard at Landeilo as it was a small yard by accounts, again as it stood in 1981 is my main interest.

I ve done google searches and looked on google earth for clues but i thought id ask the Rm web community to see what they come up with.

If there are any books with pics in of the yards on the line i would be interested in any titles worth looking out for.

Over to you rm webbers

thanks Steve

[Dave47549]

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Edited October 4, 2021 by Dave47549
Removed pointless guff

[Ramblin Rich]

Can't help with the original query but it's reminded me that the author mentioned (Malcolm Roughley) did a whole series of articles on journeys on freight trains, many along freight only routes. I remember especially Louth (grain?) Oakamoor (sand) and Oban (general freight 'sundries' which he expressed surprise that BR still managed to retain). Possibly also fertilizer to Braintree.

They were very evocative of the marginal and fast disappearing services of the era and I always thought they would have made an interesting book as a collection.

[Fat Controller]

Steve,

Llandovery had a bit more variety in terms of traffic than Llandeilo. Apart from the house coal, there was the occasional Warwell with equipment for Sennibridge Training Area and Brecon Garrison. This tended to be Royal Engineer's plant.

There was, into the 1970s (and possibly later) ammunition for both locations. There being no secure storage, BR would advise the Army a short while in advance that a delivery was coming, and there would be a couple of 4-tonners, and some Land-Rovers, waiting.

I remember, in the 1960s, convoys of vehicles full of soldiers on the Brecon-Llandovery road. They were presumably going to be transported onwards by either service or special trains.

[sf315]

Thanks for the info all i had a bright spark moment a while back and put Llandovery into the Rm web search and it came back with a host of info on the two locations and pics of Llandeilo yard on other threads.

If anyone has anything else to add please do.

thanks Steve

 

Edited May 5, 2020 by sf315