Dolomite workings: Walnut Tree west to Aber Junction

[Happy Hippo]

This topic is a spin off from the S Wales Valleys Targets thread.

 

Steetley Dolomite works sat at the western end of Walnut Tree viaduct which crossed the Taff Valley at Taffs Well.

 

It was rail served and the access to the dolomite works was by means of a trailing point off the down line and a single slip on the up line.  This was controlled by Walnut Tree West signal box. (not to be confused with Walnut Tree Junction which although was only about 400 yards away, was a good 120 feet lower!) slightly further to the south was the northern portal of the Garth tunnel.

 

There are three distinct operating phases:

 

a.    Pre 1963, when the line was operated as a through route.  Although the line was a candidate for closure under the BR rationalisation plan, it's use as a through route came to a premature end as a result of Tynycaeau Junction signal box being burnt down in March 1963.

 

b.   1963-65.  After the cessation of through working, the dolomite works continued to be rail served with all track remaining along the route from WTW to Tynycaeau Junction*.

 

c.    1965-67.  the last scheduled freight form the dolomite works was 14 Dec 67.

 

After this date the Walnut Tree viaduct was dismantled as part of the A470 road improvement scheme.

 

*Garth tunnel was closed at northern end before 31 Jul 65, so track from Tynycaeau Junc would have been lifted before that time.

 

From what I can gather from various sources, the dolomite working was carried out as a specific diagram, as opposed to a working as part of a passing pick up type arrangement.

 

Trains were specifically Aber Junction (just NW of Caerphilly) to Walnut Tree West (empties) and WTW to Aber (loaded). Target was CP4.

 

Since there were no run around facilities, and pictures show trains with a brake van only at the tail end then I am assuming the following sequence of events.

 

                  CP4 empties arrives at WTW, then drops off brake van prior to passing over trailing point.

                  Loco draws empties passed point then propels train into dolomite works.

                  Loco returns to down line and collects brake van, then draws forward again before propelling van onto tail of loaded wagons.

                  Train draws forward back out onto down  line.

 

    At this stage, the train was taken all the way down to Tynycaeau Junction, where it was turned using the down loop on the 'old Barry main line' and then taken via one of the trailing crossovers back        up through WTW and across the viaduct.  This would have been required due to the high traffic levels on the line.

 

  Post through line workings, the loco left the train on the down line and travelled light engine down to (probably) Pentyrch signal box, where a trailing crossover would allow access to the up line.  By using this crossover and then setting back through the single slip at WTW, a run around would have been performed.  However, www.trackbed.com states the loco ran light engine all the way to Tynycaeau.  I suspect the whole train was meant to go, but with no other traffic, it was lighter work for the fireman and it was quicker to run that distance as a light engine, as there was no need to run at unfitted freight speed!

 

Pentyrch's trailing cross over may have been used for a while to run around as the lines were being lifted from Tynycaeau, but after that traffic would have had to be propelled up the hill to Penrhos.

 

Rationalisation of Penrhos Junction around the same time saw the down line removed and the remaining line down to WTW,operated as a long siding.  The slip and trailing crossover being left in situ, and I presume operated from the box which would have been downgraded to a ground frame.

 

This coincided with the withdrawal of the steam fleet and the introduction of diesels.

 

I have no information on these last years of operation, possibly a class 14 'Teddy Bear', or failing that the ubiquitous EE type 3 (later class 37).  I doubt whether an 08 would have been employed on such a run.  What is readily apparent is that with the line truncated at the north end of the tunnel, once the empty wagons had been dropped off and the full ones pulled out of the siding, the train engine then had to propel all the way from WTW to Aber Junction.

 

If anyone has anything that they can add to this rather freight working, please feel free to add it in, as it all adds to the picture of a rather neglected element of freight working in the SW Valleys.

 

I must make it clear that I have received much help and assistance from RMweb members to get this far, and a special thanks must go to Chris Foren for the time he has also been devoting to this topic and sharing his findings with me.

 

Regards

 

Richard

 

 

 

          

 

 

 

 

[br2975]

Richard.

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In 1967 Radyr had three D95xx operated 'trip' diagrams (outbased Canton locos);

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(i)   Radyr, and trips to Aber Jct.

(ii)  Radyr, and trips to Cathays/Gabalfa Coal Depot, Stanton & Staveley (rear of Mynachdy Road).

(iii) Radyr, and trips to Treforest, Maritime Colliery & Pontypridd.

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There were no Cl.08 duties in the Rhymney Valley at that time.

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I would assume the Radyr - Aber Jct. trip may be a possibility for the dolomite works.

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Brian R.

[Happy Hippo]

Brian,

 

Thanks for that.

 

This would seem to tie in with what I've discussed with ChrisF

 

Regards

 

Richard

[br2975]

Richard

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I came across the following book at Model Rail Live:-

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Western Branches, Western Byways

Kevin McCormack

http://www.ianallanpublishing.com/railway/uk/western-branches-western-byways.htm

 

Which contains two photos of dolomite trains circa 1964/65.

 

One is taken on the west end of Walnut Tree viaduct and shows a 94xx (IIRC 9446) shunting the works, with its dolomite containers and conflats on the viaduct and a rake of sixteen tonners visible in the works.

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The loco carries the target " H13 "

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Another recent release I found was :-

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Steam in South Wales

Derek Huntriss with photographs by Alan Jarvis

http://www.ianallanpublishing.com/railway/uk/steam-in-south-wales.htm

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There are some superbly atmospheric shots within this book  (I should hope so as Mr Jarvis lives less than a mile from me) including three taken on the Waterhall - Creigiau Quarry section of the former Taff Vale No.1 Branch depicting a 94xx propelling and shunting limestone hoppers. 

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4472 'Flying Scotsman' stabled inside Radyr shed alongside a 56xx - March 1964

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Also a brace of shots at Creselly Crossing, 'Mount' with my great aunts' house in the background.

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Recommended.

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Brian R

[leekman]

Richard,

 

I have looked at a few Supplemetary Operating Instructions - No9 dated Feb 1964 "Penrhos Jcn - Walnut Tree West Ground Frame" states that the line was worked as a siding from Penrhos Junction with both lines in use in their normal directions of travel, the ground frame at Steetley Dolomite Quarries being operated by a ground frame, opened by a key from Penros Signal Box with the guard operating the ground frame.The guard having to inform the Penrhos signalman when the train was ready to depart from Walnut Tree West. This was the first date of publication in the Supp Op Instructions. There is also a general instruction to delete the Table A information for Tynycaeau Junction to Penrhos Junction in the same book.

The same instructions appear in the next book number 10 dated Sept 1964, whilst the issue 11 April 1965 issue shows an entry  in Table A for Penrhos Junction - Walnut Tree West showing the 2 lines and as under shunters control and being 2miles 1617yds from Penrhos.

 

The number 12 book dated December 1965 shows the instruction to delete 1 principal line between Penrhos and Walnut Tree West. Again the local instruction is reissued to mention that the line is under the control of the Penrhos signalman and is worked as a siding and that the connections to the Steetley DolomiteQuarries are worked by hand lever.

The only other book I have is number 15 dated June 1968 which instructs delete Penrhos Junction - Walnut Tree West to take account of its closure although the local instruction is still shown further along the book.

 

Phil

[B.P.MILLS]

The signal box at Walnut Tree West was normally switched out and its running signals pulled off so that trains could pass at line speed unhindered. Whenever a freight working to the Dolomite works was necessary, a signalman had to travel from Penrhos Junction with a down train and on entering the ’box he would ‘switch in’ and place the semaphore signals to ‘Danger’ before operating the Dolomite shunt. A shunter and good guard accompanied the train. Unfortunately, for the return trip, there was not a crossover for the steam locomotive to cross and run around the train at that location and the guardsvan, uncoupled on arrival at WNTW had to be moved so that during the shunting operation it would be at the rear of the train when returning to Penrhos and the locomotive, being on the wrong end of the train after repositioning the guardsvan and wagons on the down line as far as the north tunnel portal ready for the return trip, had to run ‘light-engine’ all the way down to Tynycaeau Junction (actually 3 chains north of the true Tynycaeau Junction and also named ‘Penrhos Junction’), where the engine could cross from the down to the up line and run back to Walnut Tree West. That run-around operation involved a round trip of 7miles-22chains! On arrival back at Walnut Tree West, the locomotive then had to reverse from up to down line to couple up to the train which at that point was standing on the down line alongside the signal box with the brakevan at the north tunnel portal and when ready, the consist would be drawn onto the up line on the viaduct and when the guardsvan was clear of the crossover, the signalman was notified and then had to perform the task of asking “Line clear” to Tynycaeau and Penrhos Junction signal boxes and when getting it on his block instruments, he could pull the running signals to “Clear” and then switch out the ’box and rejoin the train for its return journey to Penrhos Junction. With the drastic rationalisation of the railway network in South Wales, that operation was thinned down and following a serious fire at Tynycaeau Junction signal box on Saturday, 30th March 1963, the trailing crossover points at the latter location were later set sprung to automatically reset for crossing from down to up line without the need for the fireman to leave the footplate and operate the points but eventually the double track between Walnut Tree West’s north tunnel portal and Tynycaeau Jct was closed and lifted. Walnut Tree West signal box was reduced to groundframe status on 22nd July 1963 and the uphill double track to Penrhos was classed as up & down sidings from that date but the groundframe was abolished on 20th June 1965 and just the up “siding” was used until final closure on 19th January 1968, the single (up) line having accommodated an enthusiasts’ steam-hauled 4-coach special on 31st July 1965. Attached photos of 1962 show 5663 performing the shunt at WNTW. The following day, 6659 performed the operation and I had the honour of driving the loco down to Tynycaeau Jct and reversing for return to WNTW and then reversing the loco onto the train on the down line, pulling the consist over the crossover onto the up line and finally  driving the train to Penrhos yard where the loco required water top up. The photos are copyright of Phil Toogood/Brian Mills.

Edited June 24, 2019 by B.P.MILLS
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[br2975]

Since my earlier post(s) I have seen two photos by Bob Masterman of the Aber - Walnut Tree West trip in its last year, operated by a 350hp shunter (Cl.08) D3595 IIRC. The working comprises both 16ton minera! wagons and Conflat L wagons.

A number of Bob's images of Radyr and Aber include the Conflat L and LD .