PGA wagons in South Wales

[richscylla]

Hi All, 

 

Does anyone know if PGA wagons were used on services in South Wales in the mid-late 90s? I know most of the MGR rakes were HAA/HFA and I've seen full rakes of MEAs. Were PGAs used on any other rakes, or in enterprise trains? Many thanks. 

 

Rich

[Fat Controller]

I think I've seen photos of them working to Steel Supply, Neath and also from Machen. There may also have been workings from Cwmbargoed. All would have been aggregate workings.

[HGT1972]

As Brian noted they were in use from Cwmbargoed from 1996, as the disposal point processed less coal from the last cuts of the supplying opencast. They were in gritstone traffic, initially as trials and ran to the Tarmac depot at Hayes and Harlington from September 1996 in block trains of 33 wagons. All were PGA then coded as ZFA ‘Gunnell’.

 

By 1997 they were regular twice-weekly workings with the stone originating at Gelligaer Quarry and Hafod Quarry near Crumlin. There was also traffic to the Tilcon terminal at Leeds, Hunslet for road works in Caib hoppers. All trains ran both loaded and empty via Barry. Some of the trains ran mixed with HEAs in 1997 but were back to PGAs by the following year. These trains were also the only regular workings in South Wales for class 58s until replaced by class 66s in 1999. The traffic came to an end in 2001.

 

Hywel

[richscylla]

2 hours ago, HGT1972 said:

As Brian noted they were in use from Cwmbargoed from 1996, as the disposal point processed less coal from the last cuts of the supplying opencast. They were in gritstone traffic, initially as trials and ran to the Tarmac depot at Hayes and Harlington from September 1996 in block trains of 33 wagons. All were PGA then coded as ZFA ‘Gunnell’.

 

By 1997 they were regular twice-weekly workings with the stone originating at Gelligaer Quarry and Hafod Quarry near Crumlin. There was also traffic to the Tilcon terminal at Leeds, Hunslet for road works in Caib hoppers. All trains ran both loaded and empty via Barry. Some of the trains ran mixed with HEAs in 1997 but were back to PGAs by the following year. These trains were also the only regular workings in South Wales for class 58s until replaced by class 66s in 1999. The traffic came to an end in 2001.

 

Hywel

Thanks Hywel (and Brian),

I will see if I can find any photos of those workings. I didn't know Class 58s got down to South Wales much. Another thing to look for images of. 

 

Rich

[bazjones1711]

A bit early for you , but in the late 1980's there were quite regular stone trains from iirc Stoke Gifford to Machen quarry with ARC PGA  and a few ex bulk salt PGA  mixed in , I have a photo somewhere , will see if I can find it for you , as said above about the Tilcon trains , I remember seeing the Tilcon PGA wagons through Newport , poss with a pair of class 37 upfront . The other PGA I saw through Newport were a rake of  the ECC PGA that worked from Croft quarry , I think they went to Marcroft at Swansea for repairs. The Redland self discharge train used to work to Cardiff Tidal sidings but don't know where it went from there , not sure if the ordinary Redland PGA ever came to Wales mind you...

[bazjones1711]

[bazjones1711]

[rob D2]

PGAs from westbury behind a 58 to cwmbargoed , late 90s ,think that was gritstone 

[rob D2]

Not my picture , taken from Flickr