Fochriw (formally Mynydd Du)

[Neil]

So gravity trumps fancy engineering.

[Re6/6]

Ha ha!

[Captain Kernow]

12 minutes ago, Neil said:

So gravity trumps fancy engineering.

I suspect that the Society files containing this information are subject to the 100 year rule.

 

[Re6/6]

First revision of track with a new build tandem to replace two separate leads. All track is just 'plonked' until final alignment is decided

 

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Re6/6

[bgman]

Keep "plonking" ! 

[Stubby47]

Looks like Parkend Marsh Sidings...

[Re6/6]

Some new stock has arrived. These are from TMC with their 'de-luxe' weathering. I'm really rather pleased with them. My weathering skills are not up to this quality of work I'm afraid!

There are two more like this, all subtly different. Some 25T minerals will follow!

 

  

Some of the P4 'set-track' has been restored using 18 thou etched n/s 2mm x 1mm lifters done for me by PH design to match the C & L or Exactoscale chairs used cosmetically (cut at an acute angle) thus making trimming of the tops unnecessary if the rail had been soldered directly to the sleepers. The original construction from 40+ years ago, salvaged from an early P4 layout, were built using what appears to have been the old K and L components and still in quite good condition. Certainly worth saving and restoring.

 

 

 

Temporary cu/clad tie bars have been fitted to enable them to be tried out before fitting. Different to Marsh Sidings, with its old-school wire-in-tube method, Mynydd pointwork will be controlled by some of the ex-Matford Tortoise motors.

 

 

There has been a slight modification to the original track layout on the advice of the Chief Operating Superintendent  (CK to you and me) for improved looks and operating potential (or fun and playability!) An additional siding will be added. It's been fun planning it 'back to front' by designing around what I'd got rather than a paper/Templot plan. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Re6/6

[Re6/6]

A loosely laid  dry run to check the track 'flow' which has worked out quite well.

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Re6/6

[MrWolf]

Just found this thread, already I'm hooked! Outdated locos, scruffy old coaches, what's not to like?

 

Looking forward to hearing more of this!

[NHY 581]

On 27/10/2021 at 14:16, Re6/6 said:

A loosely laid  dry run to check the track 'flow' which has worked out quite well.

 

 

 

 

Tidy. 

 

That pointwork in particular is just splendid, John. However, the sinuous nature of the running lines draws the eye. 

 

Lovely stuff. 

 

Rob. 

[Re6/6]

Thanks Rob. A 'sinuous look' was what I was looking for.

 

After many tweaks, using the old reconditioned 'set track', the final plan is now decided upon (until it changes!). Much planning guidance about workability from the Chief Operations Manager has been incorporated to great effect! His railway operating knowledge and experience far exceeds mine! 

 

The two straight tracks that originally went to a 'closed' pit will stop short of the overbridge and modelled as removed and overgrown. The lump of wood represents the old wooden platform for the workman's train. Being a cheapskate, the hotch-potch of baseboard construction has evolved using old recycled and re-modelling unused ones.

The new three -way has now been 'chaired'. The cutting of the C&L/Exactoscale chairs in half was a mind-numbing task as usual! There's still a fair bit of cosmetic work to be done but at least stock runs through it nice and smoothly.

Workman's trains from 1957 which will be modelled. Pictures from ''Tondu Valleys' book by J.Hodge.

  

 

Ctsy I.A. Wright. 'Tondu Valley' book.

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Re6/6

[The Stationmaster]

John,

 

Great idea john and working out brilliantly.  One thing to be beware of with South Wales collieries is that many of them, even as late as the 1970s, were unable to deal with 'high' wagons such as the 24 Tonners or even 21T hoppers because their loading screens were never altered to take anything higher than a 16T Min.

[Re6/6]

Thanks Mike.

 

I didn't know about the height issues.

 

Fortunately Mynydd Du (Black Mountain) is a real place near the Rhymney Rly at Troed-y-Rhiw, the pit is imaginary. As all those lovely Accurascale wagons were irresistible we must assume that 'Rule 1' applies!

[mozzer models]

3 hours ago, Re6/6 said:

. As all those lovely Accurascale wagons were irresistible we must assume that 'Rule 1' applies!

you mean like this IMG20211007152100 by brian mosby, on Flickr

[The Johnster]

LIking this a lot, 6/6.  The Glyncorrwg miner's is a train worthy of modelling, the last use in service of Dean 4 wheelers, followed by the last service Dean clerestories, followed by the last (Churchward I think) Met & Cities.  As you know from Hodge/Davies, the trains were propelled up the last stretch north of Glyncorrwg, and when the clerestories and Met/Cities were use windows were cut in the leading end of the leading coach for the guard to observe the track ahead, and an auto trailer type foot pedal operated bell fitted to frighten the sheeps.

 

No reason your colliery can't be one that has at least one road capable of taking hoppers or 24.5 tonners.  The limiting factor was the height of the loading hoppers in the washeries, which matches the bottom level of the outside sheeting as a sort of loading gauge.  The exact form of te washery loading hoppers also determined the pit's suitability to deal with double door 21tonners/Felix Poles, and the history of the relationship between railways and the coal industry in the 20th century is one of the railways' continually encouraging the collieries to accept longer wheelbase, vacuum or air braked, hopper, and so on wagons, while the collieries resisted any attempt to supplant the traditional 9' wheelbase 7-planker with anything other than steel 16tonners.  Even instanter couplings were resisted, and the nationalisation of both industries did not immediately result in a greater level of co-operation between them. 

 

Mining is a speculative venture capital activity, and the ruffytuffy ramshackle and filthy environment of most collieries is a symptom of this; the owners had already risked their money as much as they were going to and getting more out of them to improve things was never easy.  They were lethal work environments in Victorian times and basic safety had to be strenously enforced in later years; everything involving cost was resisted by managers and shareholders.  This is the root of the Trade Union history of the industry, and the deep bitterness at it's core, the price of coal as it was known in South Wales and probably the other coalfields as well, paid in blood, smashed limbs, and wrecked lungs.

 

Many of the customers insisted 9' wheebase wagons as well; some of the hoists at the exporting ports could not accept longer wagons and many of the smaller industrial customers with private sidings had laid them out with the traditional wagons in mind.  The 7 planker was more or less supplanted by the steel 16tonner by the early 60s, but for another 20 years much of the traffic was carried in wagons of this size.  The MGR revolution, which required considerable investment and co-operation from 3 parties, the NCB, BR, and the CEGB, was very much restricted to the power station traffic.  Even then, some pits loaded the MGR hoppers with traditional methods, which compromised the Merry-go-Round loading on the move principle and increased costs.

 

In the 70s, coal was imported from East Germany and Poland for power station use, and traffic for Didcot came in through the Bristol Channel ports, which had no equipment specifically designed to unload it from the ships (of course, the South Wales ports were designed to export coal and Swansea was still doing this).  Unloading was by grab bucket crane from the ships' holds into MGR hoppers, and a good bit of the coal ended up on the quayside or in the dock; it was a right mess!

[Fat Controller]

5 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

John,

 

Great idea john and working out brilliantly.  One thing to be beware of with South Wales collieries is that many of them, even as late as the 1970s, were unable to deal with 'high' wagons such as the 24 Tonners or even 21T hoppers because their loading screens were never altered to take anything higher than a 16T Min.

Such collieries/ washeries that loaded the 24.5t minerals used front-loader shovels. Some locations had their screens modified for the 21t hoppers, which in South Wales were largely used for Coal Concentration Depot flows. In the mid-1960s, I spent weekends/ holidays 'helping' my father measure up screens at Onllwyn, Abercrave, Abernant,and Wernos.

[Re6/6]

Thank you TJ and FC for some fascinating information.

[chesterfield]

On 04/11/2021 at 20:09, Re6/6 said:

Thanks Rob. A 'sinuous look' was what I was looking for.

 

After many tweaks, using the old reconditioned 'set track', the final plan is now decided upon (until it changes!). Much planning guidance about workability from the Chief Operations Manager has been incorporated to great effect! His railway operating knowledge and experience far exceeds mine! 

 

The two straight tracks that originally went to a 'closed' pit will stop short of the overbridge and modelled as removed and overgrown. The lump of wood represents the old wooden platform for the workman's train. Being a cheapskate, the hotch-potch of baseboard construction has evolved using old recycled and re-modelling unused ones.

 

The new three -way has now been 'chaired'. The cutting of the C&L/Exactoscale chairs in half was a mind-numbing task as usual! There's still a fair bit of cosmetic work to be done but at least stock runs through it nice and smoothly.

Workman's trains from 1957 which will be modelled. Pictures from ''Tondu Valleys' book by J.Hodge.

  

 

Ctsy I.A. Wright. 'Tondu Valley' book.

 

Interesting photos - in the second of  ? why is the pannier facing downhill or isnt it?

[Captain Kernow]

9 hours ago, chesterfield said:

Interesting photos - in the second of  ? why is the pannier facing downhill or isnt it?

Perhaps I may comment, as I think that I may have originally shared these photos with John.

 

The pannier that's pushing the two clerestory coaches is propelling them uphill, which was the practice for serving North Rhondda Platform (miners trains only). The train would have been hauled as far as the last station with a run round loop (Glyncorrwg) and then propelled the last couple of miles or so to the colliery, so the loco is definitely 'facing uphill'.

 

[Re6/6]

Significant progress today. Mynydd has gone 'live'! All tracks are now laid and everything is temporarily surface wired so that it can all be checked out. A Cl 25 and a 16xx ran on all roads satisfactorily. The ultimate test will be on Thursday when CK and 10800 are visiting to fully check it all out. Tim will be bringing over some locos and wagons to shunt about. I'm looking forward to seeing the lovely new weathered Accurascale wagons running! Rod will be assessing the permanent wiring and control panel requirements (not my forte!).

 

I had intended to use my usual 'wire-in-tube' point control method as used on Marsh Sidings, but was persuaded by one who shall remain nameless to use Tortoises recovered from Matford which of course will require a whole lot more wiring(!). The fitting of the Tortoises will also be assessed.

 

     

The lead in three-way is now working employing a couple of Hoffmann motors and linkage. 

 

 

 

Edited November 17, 2022 by Re6/6

[Re6/6]

The A1 'visiting' Marsh Sidings!

 

 

[Neil]

That A1 is a lovely model John.

[Siberian Snooper]

Nice flowing trackwork!

 

 

[Re6/6]

Thanks Neil. i can't claim any credit for it I'm afraid! It was built by one of our D.R.A.G. members, Andrew Howlett and is very kindly on loan to us. It was originally painted in RR green livery. It will be decaled and weathered and will feature prominently on Mynydd which would have been bang slap in the middle of Rhymney territory. Also on the cards will be a NuCast Partners Taff Vale 0-6-2 A class next! The fascination of these Welsh 0-6-2Ts has become an obsession! A Cardiff Railways one too would be nice!

 

Credit Wikipedia.

Edited November 17, 2022 by Re6/6

[MrWolf]

3 hours ago, Siberian Snooper said:

Nice flowing trackwork!

 

 

 

I'll second that, definitely a railway built through the landscape.