Hereford goods yard

[jonas]

I work for Herefordshire Libraries, and I've recently been lucky enough to be part of the development of a new website call Herefordshire History featuring allsorts of old photographs, newspapers etc. The site is now up for preview, so I can share these 2 gems of Hereford goods yard with you all, recently uncovered in a box of slides deposited at Hereford Library and scanned for the website;

 

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/166640

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/166641

 

No idea what that weird coach is next to the Class 08. Anyone have any ideas? (Clicking view larger image will increase the image size btw) We will be attaching more information shortly (I believe these were taken sometime between 1968 and 1975), but the descriptions that accompanied these particular slides just said 'Hereford industry'.

 

Please excuse me posting links rather than embedding the photos but it would be nice if they prompted a few locals to have a poke around the new site too!

[Fat Controller]

Cracking photos!

The mystery coach looks as though it's been modified to a tunnel inspection vehicle; the roof seems to have been cut away at one end to give a working platform.

That rake of vans has one or two interesting examples, most notably a BR-design Shocvan on an LNER underframe (second from the left); l'm surprised how few pre-Nationalisation designs there are otherwise (one ex-LNER is all I can see)- given the mix, I'd say the photo is post-1970, as prior to that, there seemed to be a lot more ex-Big 4 vans about. Slightly off-topic; did H&R Johnson have a tile factory in Hereford, or is that trailer delivering something?

The second photo has some real gems:- the Henry Diaper bulk-latex tanker for starters (just under the signal), then the Gulf-Red Mermaid; can't say I've ever seen a photo of one of these before. There are a couple of Ferry-tanks in the background as well. In the background is something I'll always remember about passing through Hereford; the pylon works. Is it still there?

Good luck in the new job. I look forward to seeing what else you stumble upon. 

[Swindon 123]

Two very interesting photos. The date is no earlier than mid 1968 as the middle road on down through the station has been lifted and no later than 1974 as the the whole area was resignalled between May & Sept 73. With twin tunnels at Dinmore and one at Ledbury, a tunnel inspection vehicle would not be unknown at Hereford. With regards to the H&R Johnston trailer I believe the buildings behind it where once a tileworks. I don't know if it was still producing at that date but it could still be a warehouse. It was a builders merchants/store in the 80's. The Pylon works was Painter Bros, of "Skylon" fame at the Festival of Britain. (The industrial estate that now occupies the WWI & WWII munitions factory at Rotherwas is called "Skylon Park"), is still going and received steel by rail up until the mid 1980's and even had an internal narrow gauge system. The large pylons where used to test electricity pylons but saw little use in later years and where demolished in the late 90's/ early 2000's. The 08 looks interesting. It still has its bonnet ladders and looks to be in Blue, (a bit speculative I must admit at that angle). Regular examples at Hereford at that time where 4118/9/21 which where early blue examples with cabside arrows. The wagon that looks like a sturgeon alongside the coach has a very interesting load. It looks to be carrying building materials, including a cement mixer. More evidence of tunnel maintenance perhaps. Two interesting photos of a mundane every day sight, from a period that was missed by many photographers. Thanks you for sharing them with us.
 
Paul J.
 
PS.  Had a quick dig around in my own stuff and found these two. Not quite the same views but the yard is just as busy. Even has some interesting engineering stuff as well.
Hereford Yard July 1984

[Brassey]

Great photos all.  It would be nice to see some much earlier examples from pre-grouping days

[jonas]

Thanks all for your interest and insight. It's amazing how much variety existed on the railway then.

 

Paul - are they clay hoods in your first picture?

 

Bulmer's 'Cider Queen' is hiding at the back of this one;

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/166661

 

There are a couple of early shots of Barton station (now Sainsburys) for Brassey;

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/157646

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/157652

 

I will keep my eyes peeled and post any others of interest as we develop the site. Thanks again!

Edited November 5, 2014 by jonas

[Rivercider]

Thanks all for your interest and insight. It's amazing how much variety existed on the railway then.

 

Paul - are they clay hoods in your first picture?

 

 

 

The three hooded opens in Pauls first picture are Shoc-hoods, you can tell by the three white bars (sometimes they were three white rectangles)

the springing allowed the body to move which helped prevent damage to the load. There were also shoc-vans with similar markings.

The shoc-hoods were commonly used for tinplate traffic from places like Ebbw Vale,

 

cheers 

[Swindon 123]

Thanks all for your interest and insight. It's amazing how much variety existed on the railway then.

 

Paul - are they clay hoods in your first picture?

 

Bulmer's 'Cider Queen' is hiding at the back of this one;

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/166661

 

 

I will keep my eyes peeled and post any others of interest as we develop the site. Thanks again!

Well Rivercider has answered the question about the "clayhoods". Very nice and rare photo of "Cider Queen", actually doing what it was bought for by Bulmers. Shunting wagons onto the "apple canal" unloading point. In the late 60's early 70's Bulmers used to have apples shipped in by rail, from France I think, in a variety of mainly hopper wagons. Originally they had a small Fowler 0-4-0 DM shunter, "Woodpecker" but this proved too small and underpowered. When they got custardy of 6000 "King George V" the Fowler was deemed to be underpowered and so Bulmers bought an more powerful ex BR shunter, in this case ex D2578 from Hunslet for the princely sum of £2,500 + £180 delivery, and named it Cider Queen for shunting duties. The top right of the photo shows "Cider Queen and a raft of wagons sitting over the "apple canal" which looked similar to LNER coal drops but of modern construction. From the loco the wagons in view appear to be , BR 20t brake van, 2 x 20t coke hoppers (all steel variety) and then 2 x 21t coal hoppers, which I believe is what the apples generally arrived in. This traffic didn't last long in this form and as Bulmers planted more orchards it died off in the early 70's. I don't remember seeing it when I first visited the Bulmer railway Centre in 1974. Below are a couple of photos in my possession showing "Cider Queen" being named by that years Cider Queen which give you an idea as to the construction of the apple unloading facility. The loco is sitting on the "apple canal" for the naming and the date was 13th November 1968 which was the unvailing of the Bulmers rail facility and also the first public steaming of 6000 "King George V"

 

Paul J.

[jonas]

So the apples were delivered in mineral hoppers, from France to Herefordshire of all places?! That's unbelievable! Is the building in your first photograph what is now known as the Nelson building? I spend some of my working week there as our libraries stock unit is based there, although with no access to any of the drinks plant.

 

Fantastic pics of the naming; I'm sure I'm not the only local looking forward to Heljan's model of Cider Queen.

[Fat Controller]

Presumably the apples weren't brought all the way from France in those hoppers?

[Rivercider]

Presumably the apples weren't brought all the way from France in those hoppers?

Whiteways Cider at Whimple received imported French apples, they came via Exmouth Docks,

Which would be the nearest rail connected dock to Hereford?

 

cheers

[jonas]

Whiteways Cider at Whimple received imported French apples, they came via Exmouth Docks,

Which would be the nearest rail connected dock to Hereford?

 

cheers

Newport, Gloucester or Bristol?

[Fat Controller]

Whiteways Cider at Whimple received imported French apples, they came via Exmouth Docks,

Which would be the nearest rail connected dock to Hereford?

 

cheers

Avonmouth, Gloucester or Sharpness

[D1047]

Whiteways Cider at Whimple received imported French apples, they came via Exmouth Docks,

Which would be the nearest rail connected dock to Hereford?

 

cheers

Th e apples were landed in  Barry docks then railed to Hereford.The first year Hereford drivers used class 14s to trip and shunt, later they were tripped from the yard to Bulmers with the resident 08, shunting over the apple hoppers was then performed by Cider Queen exD2578.The wagons used were coke and  21t  HTO  HTV  coal hoppers.I remember in 1974 during the oil embargo watching the Worcester society Kitson Caernarvon used for the apple shunting that season.From the mid to late  70s loose apples finished being transported by rail instead apple pectin a sort of semi dried shredded apple was transported to Bulmers directly from France in French owned ferry vans.

 

cheers Greg 

[The Stationmaster]

Th e apples were landed in  Barry docks then railed to Hereford.The first year Hereford drivers used class 14s to trip and shunt, later they were tripped from the yard to Bulmers with the resident 08, shunting over the apple hoppers was then performed by Cider Queen exD2578.The wagons used were coke and  21t  HTO  HTV  coal hoppers.I remember in 1974 during the oil embargo watching the Worcester society Kitson Caernarvon used for the apple shunting that season.From the mid to late  70s loose apples finished being transported by rail instead apple pectin a sort of semi dried shredded apple was transported to Bulmers directly from France in French owned ferry vans.

 

cheers Greg 

I think you'll find the stuff from France was actually dried pear skins if it was the same as the stuff arriving c.1972 when i was at Hereford.

[Fat Controller]

I think you'll find the stuff from France was actually dried pear skins if it was the same as the stuff arriving c.1972 when i was at Hereford.

The pectin (it's an enzyme) was extracted from both apple and pear skins, and sold to jam-makers (both domestic and commercial) to set jams made from soft fruit such as strawberries; I can imagine the skins themselves being used to add tannin to the cider; it's what gives the 'tongue-curling' quality to 'proper' dry cider.

[Swindon 123]

Fantastic pics of the naming; I'm sure I'm not the only local looking forward to Heljan's model of Cider Queen.

If all goes according to plan the Model of "Cider Queen" will be in the earlier Bulmers livery similar to that carried by their lorries and should look as in the photo below.

"Cider Queen" at Bulmers March 1970.

 

This livery was carried until the mid 1970's when it was altered slightly in loosing its white roof for a grey one. The later livery it carried until 2004 when it was restored to BR Green. The only difference between the model and the photo will be an additional BTC registration plate which it carried from around 1970/1 to the late 70's. (Not sure of the exact date). It was that plate that enabled D2578 to work what was most probably the first preserved Diesel Railtour from Hereford station to Moreton-on- Lugg RAOC depot on the 8th July 1971. A couple of photos of said tour below.

 

At Hereford waiting for the off.

 

Inside RAOC Moreton-on-Lugg.

 

Paul J.

Edited November 8, 2014 by Swindon 123

[jonas]

Having picked up and weathered my model of Cider Queen yesterday (plug for my blog here!), it's got me wondering...are there any pictures of the Fowler 0-4-0 'Woodpecker' anywhere? Presumably that was the number 1, to Cider Queen's number 2?

[Swindon 123]

Having picked up and weathered my model of Cider Queen yesterday (plug for my blog here!), it's got me wondering...are there any pictures of the Fowler 0-4-0 'Woodpecker' anywhere? Presumably that was the number 1, to Cider Queen's number 2?

"Woodpecker" was an elusive loco photographically. I have one of my own shots and another from a friend, in my collection, both reproduced below.

 

Photo mainly of "Cider Queen" taken on 15th April 1974, but No1 "Woodpeckers" cab just gets in on the picture in its original "Bulmers" livery. Note that "Woodpecker" was also registered to run over BR lines, registration No 3331, the BTC registration plate can just be made out below the No 1plate.

 

The second photo was taken in April 1981, after "Woodpecker" had been sold on to the 6000LA, who painted it in a Blue livery. Still not the best shot of it.

 

I only came across one of it on the Web in Flickr here, https://flic.kr/p/remZLH.A distant shot, but at least you can see all the loco just about.

 

With regards to Hereford Yard itself, I've just about come to the end of my time at Kings Cross on my Flickr site, and will shortly start to upload photos taken during my time based at Hereford. I have already started an album of photos taken around Hereford station and yard which can be found here. https://flic.kr/s/aHsk5jBLGX .

 

Enjoy.

 

Paul J.

[jonas]

Paul, just pressing the 'thanks' button isn't enough - I really appreciate the effort you've put in to post those. Thank you! I look forward to following your latest album on Flickr.

[Gordon A]

I work for Herefordshire Libraries, and I've recently been lucky enough to be part of the development of a new website call Herefordshire History featuring allsorts of old photographs, newspapers etc. The site is now up for preview, so I can share these 2 gems of Hereford goods yard with you all, recently uncovered in a box of slides deposited at Hereford Library and scanned for the website;

 

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/166640

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/166641

 

No idea what that weird coach is next to the Class 08. Anyone have any ideas? (Clicking view larger image will increase the image size btw) We will be attaching more information shortly (I believe these were taken sometime between 1968 and 1975), but the descriptions that accompanied these particular slides just said 'Hereford industry'.

 

Please excuse me posting links rather than embedding the photos but it would be nice if they prompted a few locals to have a poke around the new site too!

Unfortunately when I click on the links I am told picture cannot be found.

 

Gordon A

Bristol

[jonas]

Hi Gordon,

 

Try these;

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/hereford-images/166641

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/hereford-images/166640

 

We've uploaded a lot since I originally posted the links so things have been moved around! We've been lucky enough to have some wonderful photos of Stoke Edith station and Barton goods; next in the line for scanning are a series showing the building of Ledbury viaduct :-)

 

Cheers, Steve

[Gordon A]

Hi Gordon,

 

Try these;

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/hereford-images/166641

http://www.herefordshirehistory.org.uk/archive/herefordshire-images/hereford-images/166640

 

We've uploaded a lot since I originally posted the links so things have been moved around! We've been lucky enough to have some wonderful photos of Stoke Edith station and Barton goods; next in the line for scanning are a series showing the building of Ledbury viaduct :-)

 

Cheers, Steve

Thanks Steve, the links worked.

 

Gordon

[18B]

On ‎25‎/‎03‎/‎2011 at 14:03, Rivercider said:

There is one picture in Paul Shannon's 'Rail freight since 1968 - Wagonload'

 

page 75, 09015 shunts a rake of VDA VGA VBA out of the yard on 9 July 1990.

The caption mentions that the yard remained active with steel, timber and cider until the demise of Speedlink.

There is an empty bogie wagon with high stanchions, but no sign of timber.

 

 

In 'The Freight only Yearbook No.1' by Michael Rhodes & Paul Shannon

 

page 80, 56045 passes the yard on 6B51 the 08.55 trip from East Usk with 3 ety PFB flats on September 13 1989

there is timber being loaded in the yard, on bogie wagons with high stanchions, and a couple of VGAs and some engineers (grampus?) in the yard.

 

hope this helps

 

cheers

 

hi,

 

would anyone happen to have any pics/details/records of locos that stabled at Hereford station for all this traffic?

Edited April 13, 2019 by 18B