Western Region 1980s freight - West of England Division, my photos

[Rivercider]

Here are three more photos of freight trains passing stoke Gifford in 1985

 

To start off is a train that I have forgotten to mention when referring to Kingsland Road. Kingsland Road was chosen as the Bristol area base for Project Mercury.

Concrete channeling was loaded into pipe wagons at Kingsland Road and unloaded at the lineside to create a lineside cable network.

I think the trains ran as 7Z01 they were formed of modified pipe wagons with a vacuum piped brake van at each end.

Here 31168 is departing Stoke Gifford Down Loop on the way back to Kingsland Road, 10/7/85

 

Next two photos of trains heading in the up direction.

47274 powers through Bristol Parkway at the head of 6E61 Westbury - Toton with empty HAA hoppers from the Blue Circle Cement factory at Westbury, 10/7/85

 

The regular power for a midweek ballast drop in the Bristol area was a class 31 hauling a set of 10 sealions.

Ex-works 31117 is heading towards the Up Loop at Stoke Gifford, PWay staff are riding on the wagons, 10/7/85

 

 

cheers

Edited November 4, 2014 by Rivercider

[brushman47544]

Great to see more of your photos, Rivercider. Keep them coming please.

 

47274 was a long way from home, being a Scottish passenger loco for most of its life, including after conversion to ETH as 47637.

[GreedyHarry]

Brilliant, glad you're back with more pics of this area and era as it will help with my model, which although is fictitous has a basis in fact. Although I was brought up in Northavon, I was around ten at the time so memories are hazy. Thanks again.

[Rivercider]

As BRs remaining freight traffic was being conveyed in air braked wagons on the Speedlink Network

it was decided that some traffic for the Bristol and Avonmouth area could be better dealt with from Stoke Gifford.

Several of the overnight Speedlink services for South Wales had a portion to be detached at Stoke Gifford,

this traffic was then delivered as required by the Bristol area trip locos.

Later when domestic coal traffic started to be conveyed in HBA and HEA wagons this was also routed through Stoke Gifford.

 

In the early 1980s there was no resident class 08 pilot loco based there though one was later provided shunting on 2 turns only.

Later in the 1980s when Severn Tunnel Junction Yard was closed additional trains called at Stoke Gifford to shunt and the

yard pilot then became manned 24 hours a day monday-friday.

 

First a look at coal traffic, the two coal concentration depots in the area, Filton and Wapping Wharf, both lasted long enough to receive coal in air braked wagons  

Bristol area trip 82 loco 45101 is shunting HEAs in the down yard, 10/7/85

 

edit - here is another photo I have found

6B18 Speedlink service from Severn Tunnel Junction approaches Stoke Gifford Up Loop behind 47315.

47315 will then run-round the train and shunt it across to the down yard, most of the HEAs are for Wapping Wharf

and 47315 will work them, and others already in the yard, as trip 77 to Ashton Meadows sidings, 

In the background a plane can bee seen at Filton, and to the left of the signal are some 16t minerals of spoil on Stoke Tip. 10/7/85

 

 

Meanwhile the trip 78 loco 47376 is marshalling Speedlink traffic for Hallen Marsh, in this view looking west Filton airfield can be seen, 10/7/85

 

47376  has completed forming up the trip which now waits to depart for Hallen Marsh, I will make a guess at the traffic

TTA discharged acid tank for ISC Chemicals at Hallen Marsh 

Ferry wagons either fertilizer from Immingham to Town Goods, or empty to the smelter to load zinc ingots for export

Polybulk hopper (?)

VGAs imported timber Immingham to Town Goods (?)

VDAs either Rowntrees traffic from York to Avonmouth or empty to the smelter to load to Bloxwich

 

We will now follow the trip to Hallen Marsh and next I will look at the Avonmouth area

 

cheers

Edited November 6, 2014 by Rivercider

[Rivercider]

Brilliant, glad you're back with more pics of this area and era as it will help with my model, which although is fictitous has a basis in fact. Although I was brought up in Northavon, I was around ten at the time so memories are hazy. Thanks again.

Many thanks GreedyHarry,

the early 1980s with the growth of the Speedlink network with new wagons and traffic flows was quite exciting at the time with plenty of variety

 

cheers

[Rivercider]

Before we get to Avonmouth I will post another of my hand drawn maps,

hopefully this will benefit anyone not familiar with the area (and remind me as well).

 

The Bristol Area MAS resignalling scheme omitted the Avonmouth area so five mechanical signal boxes survived,

Hallen Marsh, Holesmouth Junction, Town Goods, St Andrews Junction (my map is wrong), and Avonmouth Dock Junction.

 

There were several major freight customers in the area in the early 1980s notably ICI Severnside and the Smelting Works,

traffic from the PBA (Port of Bristol Authority) was less regular, it could be heavy at times depending on shipping arrivals 

 

Here is the map, I am once again indebted to my Bakers Rail Atlas (I have 3 editions) for working this out

 

 

cheers

[Rivercider]

Most freight traffic to and from Avonmouth ran via the Henbury route, at the east end there is a 3-way junction at Filton West Junction

giving access to  Patchway Junction for South Wales, Stoke Gifford Junction for Birmingham and London, and Filton Junction for Bristol.  

From Filton West Junction to Hallen Marsh Junction the line had been singled under the Bristol MAS scheme (though it has since been re-doubled to cater for imported coal from the Bristol Bulk Handling Terminal).

 

Most of the photos I took at Avonmouth are either industrial, desolate, or industrial and desolate.

The first view is taken from Rockingham Bridge looking towards Stoke Gifford, here is a short double track section

on the approach to Hallen Marsh. To the left is part of Chittening Industrial Estate.

37233 is approaching Hallen Marsh with a engineers spoil train of grampus wagons for St Andrews Road Tip Siding.

For some months at this time Stoke Gifford Tip was mothballed and all spent ballast went to St Andrews Road

this was to enable the level of the low lying marshy land to be built up, it subsequently became the site for the

coal terminal reception sidings,  11/2/80

 

The next shot is taken at Hallen Marsh again looking towards Stoke Gifford.

31421 is leaving Hallen Marsh spur with three VDAs and will head via Clifton Down to Kingsland Road,

Hallen Marsh spur was a long siding, and the two brake vans standing on it would be used either for the

Rowntrees trip to Avonmouth which required a propelling move, or for the liquifed ammonia tanks which required

a brake van on the rear for the guard to ride in,  5/2/81

 

Finally a view from Hallen Marsh signal box.

The Severn Beach passenger line heads off to the left, just behind the signal post we can see the flat crossing of

the PBA branch into Chittening Estate, and in the distance to the right is Rockingham Bridge.

 47286  working local trip 78 is leaving Hallen Marsh Spur with the VDAs for Rowntrees siding at Avonmouth, 5/10/83

 

cheers 

Edited November 6, 2014 by Rivercider

[Rivercider]

Hallen Marsh had become the hub of freight operations for the Avonmouth area after BR closed

Avonmouth Royal Edward Yard in early 1978, the local class 08 pilot was withdrawn at the same time.

The former TOPS portacabin from the Royal Edward was moved by rail and craned into position at Hallen Marsh

for use by the shunters and c&w staff.

As well as the spur siding there was a short column road (previously home to a water column?)

where the locos on the local trip working would stable between moves or to await traincrew relief

which usually arrived on the local passenger service to Severn Beach.

 

31421 seen in the earlier shot is now leaving Hallen Marsh and is passing 31210 which is shut down on the column road, 5/2/81

 

The staff accomodation at Hallen Marsh can be seen in this shot

Thornabys 31141 is an unusual visitor to the area, it is taking empty HTVs and HTOs to the PBA

to await a ship of imported domestic coal. It is passing a train of bogie liquified anhydrous ammonia tanks

which are heading to or from ICI Severnside, or Fisons Tank Farm at St Andrews Road.

The liquified ammonia could be either dispatched or received by Severnside depending on production requirements

and could come from Haverton Hill, Leith or Heysham. Sometimes trains even operated over the very short

distance from Fisons Tank Farm at St Andrews Road to ICI Severnside, 26/1/82

 

Looking the other way at Hallen Marsh we see another train of empty coal hoppers.

 

31210, a long time Bath Road resident loco, draws empty HTV hoppers out of the Smelting Works past Hallen Marsh signal box.

When a ship load of imported domestic coal was expected up to 200 empty  21t hoppers could be ordered by the PBA.

Empties were then usually supplied by diverting empty hoppers from Wapping Wharf and Filton CCDs  that normally went

empty to South Wales. Empty 21t hoppers from the smelting works were also used but not empty 24t coke hoppers. 5/2/81

 

cheers

[Rivercider]

During the course of this thread we have seen most of the pages of the 1982 Bristol Area Trip Booklet

so here is page 5 which among other things lists the trip dedicated to shunting Rowntrees siding at Avonmouth

it was known locally by some railwaymen as the 'chocolate engine'. 

 

 

And now another picture of the Rowntrees trip in 1983, (by this time it was trip 78 but the principle was the same).

Rowntrees siding held 3 VDAs inside the warehouse and 3 more outside, but owing to theft it became the practice

to only leave 3 vans there safely inside. If 6 vans had arrived overnight from York then the other three were kept attached to the loco,

or stabled at Hallen Marsh under the watchful eye of the staff there. In this case a second trip to Avonmouth was required to make a turnover shunt.

The method of working for this trip was for the loco to haul the trip down to Avonmouth Dock Junction where the line to Bristol became single,

the trip would then halt and propel back over the UP line with the brake van leading to Avonmouth to shunt, then propel back to

Hallen Marsh, this movement was prohibited during the hours of darkness, fog, or falling snow. 

47286 on trip 78 is seen again with 6 VDAs and a brake van at Hallen Marsh.

The photo was taken from the inwards/outwards smelting works lines looking towards Hallen Marsh, 5/10/83

 

cheers

Edited November 11, 2014 by Rivercider

[Fat Controller]

During the course of this thread we have seen most of the pages of the 1982 Bristol Area Trip Booklet

so here is page 5 which among other things lists the trip dedicated to shunting Rowntrees siding at Avonmouth

it was known locally by some railwaymen as the 'chocolate engine'. 

scan0018a.jpg

 

 

And now another picture of the Rowntrees trip in 1983, (by this time it was trip 78 but the principle was the same).

Rowntrees siding held 3 VDAs inside the warehouse and 3 more outside, but owing to theft it became the practice

to only leave 3 vans there safely inside. If 6 vans had arrived overnight from York then the other three were kept attached to the loco,

or stabled at Hallen Marsh under the watchful eye of the staff there. In this case a second trip to Avonmouth was required to make a turnover shunt.

The method of working for this trip was for the loco to haul the trip to Avonmouth Dock Junction where the line to Bristol became single,

the trip would then halt and propel back over the down line with the brake van leading to Avonmouth to shunt, then propel back to

Hallen Marsh, this movement was prohibited during the hours of darkness, fog, or falling snow. 

scan0020a.jpg

47286 on trip 78 is seen again with 6 VDAs and a brake van at Hallen Marsh.

The photo was taken from the inwards/outwards smelting works lines looking towards Hallen Marsh, 5/10/83

 

cheers

It looks as though the third wagon after the loco is the one-off VDA that was painted white all over for the Rowntree's pool, rather than just having the white roof.

[Rivercider]

ICI Severnside was one of the major freight locations in the Avonmouth area.

In 1978 I remember large numbers of vanfits of bagged fertilizer were still being dispatched,

they would be sent usually in blocks of 10 vans to various locations, up to 40 vans a day, though this traffic ceased around 1980.

 

Trainloads of tanks of liquified anhydrous ammonia could be either received or dispatched according to demand, 

destinations were Heysham, Leith, Haverton Hill and locally to Fisons tank farm at St Andrews Road.

An important traffic that started in the 1980s was containerised potash from Boulby to ICI Severnside 

7V66 a Tees - Severn Beach service was set up specifically for this traffic, which initially conveyed potash only

but later became part of the Speedlink network running as 6V66 and conveying other traffic.

7V66 Tees Yard - Severn Beach has just run round at Hallen Marsh and 45013 is about to set off for ICI Severnside. 5/10/83

 

The line from Hallen Marsh - Severn Beach was single and although there was the facility to lock in a freight train

at Severnside when a passenger service was due no freight train could run. For this reason one early morning

passenger service from Bristol Temple Meads was booked to terminate short at Avonmouth to leave a free path for the potash.

 

There had been no class 08 pilot turn at Avonmouth since 1978 so the presence of 08949 in the last photo was unusual,

it was there for a special trial train of fertilizer from Ince & Elton to Chittening Estate. 

47258 had arrived with 6Z35 the special from Ince & Elton and worked it as far as the PBA yard adjacent to the old Royal Edward Yard.

The route into Chittening Estate was very curved and the 08 was used initially, later class 37s and 47s were permitted

but there were severe speed restrictions and buffer locking was a common problem.

08949 is seen on PBA (Port of Bristol Authority) property behind Hallen Marsh signal box,5/10/83

 

The PBA branch into Chittening Estate originally crossed the Severn Beach line on a flat crossing,

the PBA rail network had originally been operated by a fleet of the PBAs steam locos, then by their diesels,

but by this date the PBA ceased to work the Chittening Branch and BR had taken over the operation.

08949 heads away from Hallen Marsh towards Chittening Estate with half of the PWA palvans of fertilizer, 5/10/83.

 

The whole of the layout at Avonmouth and Hallen Marsh has been completely remodelled for the BBHT (Bulk Handling Terminal)

the Severn Beach branch here is now a separate single line (the track on the left of this shot)

and Chittening Estate was accessed from the freight only line on the right that leads to Stoke Gifford without the need for the flat crossing.

 

edit -

I am grateful to Mike (Stationmaster) for reminding me that is was a major rationalisation scheme in 1986 that first altered the layout here.

Four of the five signal boxes, including Hallen Marsh, were closed and thereafter the Severn Beach passenger branch was operated as a single line from Avonmouth

using the former UP line. The former DOWN line was worked as a siding as far as Town Goods, Fisons Tank Farm and Rowntrees siding having closed by that time.

There was no physical connection between the two lines at Hallen Marsh, there was a ground frame at Holesmouth Junction to provide access into the PBA to the LPG gas terminal.

The construction of the Bristol Bulk Handling Terminal in 1993 further changed the layout at Hallen Marsh.

 

cheers

Edited November 11, 2014 by Rivercider

[Rivercider]

If its a scanning software/driver issue (rather than incompatible physical interface) try VueScan - it supports a huge range of scanners:

 

http://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/supported-scanners.html

 

Thanks for the suggestion, I think I have got things going ok for now

 

cheers

[Rivercider]

There were abbreviations, and nicknames some local railwaymen knew some of the trains by.

The liquified ammonia tanks were referred as 'L/As' while the ammonium nitrate tanks that 

worked in and out of Fisons Tank Farm at St Andrews Road were known as 'A/Ns' or 'green tanks' after their colour.

 

The ammonium nitrate traffic from Fisons went to Immingham, Ipswich, and Plymouth

31238 passing Hallen Marsh is working 7Z67 from Ipswich to Avonmouth Fisons formed of mmonium nitrate tanks, 5/10/83

 

Now we move south from Hallen Marsh towards Holesmouth Junction

31210 seen earlier with empty 21t coal hoppers from the smelting works is now leaving Hallen Marsh and

propelling along the main line towards Holesmouth Junction en-route to the PBA sidings,

The route diverging to the left are the inwards and outwards road to the Smelting Works grid siding, 5/2/81

 

edit - here is a photo I previously thought was on the Smelting Works outwards road, but is between Hallen Marsh and Holesmouth Junction

31296 propels three vans towards Hallen Marsh, if this trip had come from Avonmouth there should have been a brake van leading, 11/2/80 

 

Next we reach Holesmouth Junction and see the fertilizer special from Ince & Elton arriving

47258 working the 6Z35 fertilizer special crosses into PBA property where the traffic will be handed over to 08949,

and on the extreme right of the shot is a 47 and VDAs on the inwards/outwards road to the smelting works

5/10/83

 

cheers

Edited November 11, 2014 by Rivercider

[Downendian]

Fantastic stuff - I was an ardent fanatic of Avonmouth traffic in the mid-1970s, but more focussed toward the excellent foreign motive power up front. It's really informative to see the specific details of the workings, which were remarkably similar in the pics just ten years later. The ammonia tanks were particularly memorable plus the Rowntrees traffic too.

 

Neil

[floss_4]

Thanks for some excellent photos/info. Do you know what traffic is handled in this area today? I know the coal is a big part of it.

[Fat Controller]

Thanks for some excellent photos/info. Do you know what traffic is handled in this area today? I know the coal is a big part of it.

Apart from coal, I believe there is occasional imported stone traffic, and there was also some container traffic (was this car components for the North-East?) Much of the rail-served industry, such as the Smelter and a large part of ICI Severnside, has been demolished.

[37114]

As usual, fantastic pics. Love that Mercedes, would certainly be popular at exhibitions!

The crashed Merc will appear on my new layout in the next 18 months....

[Rivercider]

There are no freight trains in this post but I am including a couple of photos showing part of the PBA complex,

apologies for the quality, they were taken on a dull January day in 1982.

 

Firstly a view from Holesmouth Junction looking south towards Avonmouth.

Holesmouth Junction signal box I believe was only open as required by this time 

Looking south at Holesmouth Junction, the main lines curve away to the left towards St Andrews Road station,

with the double track diverging right into the PBA. 26/1/82

Beyond the oil tanks on the right is the Oil Basin of Avonmouth Royal Edward Docks.

Later in the 1980s the LPG tank trains from Furzebrook used to enter here to reach BPs LPG terminal  which was located

on the site of the former sidings. some of the gas was for local distribution and some was exported by ship. 

 

Now we are inside PBA property and this next photo is also looking south.

I think the large silos in the centre of the view are the ones later used by Castle Cement,

towards the right we can see cranes and the tops of vessels in the Eastern Arm of Avonmouth Royal Edward Docks. 26/1/82

 

In the sidings is a variety of wagons these represent the three major traffic flows I remember from the early 1980s.

On the left are 21t hoppers loaded with coal.

In front of the silos are Cov-ABs which would be waiting to be loaded with imported cocoa beans, I can not remember the destination for this traffic.

To the right are Open-ABs which were waiting to load with imported bagged sugar for Tuxford.

 

As I have mentioned when a ship of import coal was expected up to 180-200 empty coal wagons, mostly 21t hoppers, were ordered and supplied

by using empties from the local CCDs at Filton and Wapping Wharf as well as empties from the smelting works.

The destinations for the coal were CCDs in the south of England, I remember Watford, Neasden, West Drayton, Fratton as well as Wapping Wharf and Exmouth Junction. The traffic generally got forwarded on ordinary services via Severn Tunnel Junction or Kingsland Road.

I remember one consignment was a patent fuel similar to phurnacite whose name escapes me, which I think came from South Africa. 

On one early occasion when the coal was loaded staff labelled the wagons up in blocks for each destination prior to the wagons being weighed,

as the wagons were weighed  in small groups they were randomly shunted into different roads well and truly shuffling them up, I think a loco

was specially booked out on the following sunday to sort them out again. Thereafter the wagons were loaded and weighed before being labelled!

 

cheers 

Edited November 8, 2014 by Rivercider

[Andy Kirkham]

Apart from coal, I believe there is occasional imported stone traffic, and there was also some container traffic (was this car components for the North-East?) Much of the rail-served industry, such as the Smelter and a large part of ICI Severnside, has been demolished.

From 2016, there will be a new flow of domestic refuse from West London for incineration in the "Severnside Energy Recovery Centre" http://www.bristolandbath.co.uk/de/node/169

[Rivercider]

We now head a short distance south to St Andrews Road Station an unmanned two platform affair with minimal facilities.

 

This is another shot with no freight train but will illustrate the area here. 

The Severn Beach line service from Bristol temple Meads was largely worked by class 121 single power cars

55032 and 55033 were the two sets allocated to Bristol at this time, 55032 (B132) approaches with the 09.05 Severn Beach - Bristol TM. 5/2/81.

On the extreme top left of the shot are Open-ABs and 21t hoppers in the PBA sidings as seen in the previous view. The grassy area is the site of the former BR Royal Edward Yard which had closed in 1978, a brick yard cabin still remains, the TOPS office was located adjacent to it.

To the right of the running lines is the, by then disused, St Andrews Road Tip Siding, the spent ballast has been unloaded and spread across

the ground as far as St Andrews Road (the A403). This land was used for the sidings of the BBHT (Bristol Bulk Handling Terminal)

 

Now copying an idea from Chris T in his thread 'Chris T's photo archives' a then and now shot to better illustrate the previous view.

A photo taken probably in 1993 when the BBHT was under construction.

Notice that the Severn Beach passenger line has now been effectively singled using the former up line,

the former up line was retained, and after construction work was completed became a run round road for the BBHT,

To the left of the concrete wall the coal stockpile belongs to Bennetts who imported coal through the Royal Edward Docks,

I think this traffic started in the 1990s loaded in MEAs and went to Rugby cement works among other locations, ??/??/93

 

cheers

Edited November 11, 2014 by Rivercider

[The Stationmaster]

As noted in the other thread the Severn Beach line beyond St Andrews Road had been singled in 1986 the line on the right in the lower view - the former Up Line - was retained as a completely separate goods line (effectively a siding) accessed from Hallen Marsh although there was a ground frame connection to the Severn Beach line at Holesmouth Jcn to allow access to ICI Severnside over the Severn Beach branch.  There was also a connection, worked by the same ground frame, at Holesmouth Jcn across the Severn Beach line (through a diamond crossing) into the Royal Edward Yard site.

 

The whole lot was altered again when the BBHT layout was introduced but the Severn Beach branch remained effectively as a single line through the multiple track section between Portbury Terminal Jcn and Hallen Marsh Jcn. 

[Rivercider]

We are still at St Andrews Road but now looking south towards Avonmouth.

Between St Andrews Road station and the docks there had been an extensive rail network

including another set of running lines to connect the Royal Edward Yard onto BR for services heading south

but this had been lifted by 1980.

 

37255 and brake van head north towards Hallen Marsh prior to working 7C42 to Severn Tunnel Junction,

I am guessing that the working from Severn Tunnel, which on paper ran to Hallen Marsh, had been diverted

to either Kingsland Road or Ashton Meadows and this move was to get the loco back to Hallen Marsh for the return working. 5/2/81

Crossing the station was a conveyor which was used, amongst other things, to convey Phosphate rock

from the docks to Fisons plant.

 

Another shot from the up platform at St Andrews Road

55032 again seen working the 09.05 Severn Beach - Bristol Temple Meads. 5/2/81

To the left of the shot behind the fence can be seen a rake of liquified anhydrous ammonia tanks in Fisons Tank Farm

and in the distance is Town Goods signal box which controlled access to the tank farm as well as Avonmouth Town Goods Yard.

 

AvonmouthTown Goods had handled bagged fertilizer from the nearby ICI Severnside until about 1980.

Later in the Speedlink era the depot dealt with a variety of traffic in and out including fertilizer,imported timber

and newsprint from Immingham, Imported timber from Avonmouth Docks was also sent out.

This was the last freight terminal here to remain active, this whole area was later used to build the BBHT.

 

Here is a better view from Flickr taken in 1978 that shows tanks outside the tank farm and the signal box at Town Goods,

https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=25130+avonmouth

 

cheers

Edited November 11, 2014 by Rivercider

[Fat Controller]

We are still at St Andrews Road but now looking south towards Avonmouth.

Between St Andrews Road station and the docks there had been an extensive rail network

including another set of running lines to connect the Royal Edward Yard onto BR for services heading south

but this had been lifted by 1980.

 

scan0033a.jpg

37255 and brake van head north towards Hallen Marsh prior to working 7C42 to Severn Tunnel Junction,

I am guessing that the working from Severn Tunnel, which on paper ran to Hallen Marsh, had been diverted

to either Kingsland Road or Ashton Meadows and this move was to get the loco back to Hallen Marsh for the return working. 5/2/81

Crossing the station was a conveyor which was used, amongst other things, to convey Phosphate rock

from the docks to Fisons plant.

 

Another shot from the down platform at St Andrews Road

scan0034a.jpg

55032 again seen working the 09.05 Severn Beach - Bristol Temple Meads. 5/2/81

To the left of the shot behind the fence can be seen a rake of liquified anhydrous ammonia tanks in Fisons Tank Farm

and in the distance is Town Goods signal box which controlled access to the tank farm as well as Avonmouth Town Goods Yard.

 

AvonmouthTown Goods had handled bagged fertilizer from the nearby ICI Severnside until about 1980.

Later in the Speedlink era the depot dealt with a variety of traffic in and out including fertilizer,imported timber

and newsprint from Immingham, Imported timber from Avonmouth Docks was also sent out.

This was the last freight terminal here to remain active, this whole area was later used to build the BBHT.

 

Here is a better view from Flickr taken in 1978 that shows tanks outside the tank farm and the signal box at Town Goods,

https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=25130+avonmouth

 

cheers

I used to use St Andrew's Road sporadically when working in Smoke Lane, back in 1976/7. At that time, the Fison's sidings used to have 4-wheel green tanks, holding ammonical liquor in them; good for getting rid of a head-ache if you had one (and giving you one if you didn't..). The sidings on the sea-ward side of the station were still busy, and often had unusual wagons, such as 'Conflat Clays' in them. Oddly, I have no recollection of Avonmouth Town Goods; I must always have been looking towards the sea..

[Rivercider]

We now retrace our steps back to Hallen Marsh to look at traffic for the other major freight customer at Avonmouth.

I think the smelter was opened in 1968 by the Imperial Smelting Corporation, when I knew it in 1978 it was

known as the Commonwealth Smelting Company, and later as Pasminco.

A couple of these photos have been seen on other threads before.

 

The smelting works furnaces worked continuously and coke was received by rail six days a week.

The sources for the coke were Nantgarw, Cwm and Coed Ely, and later from BSC Grange Works at Port Talbot.

In the early 1980s traffic was routed via Severn Tunnel Junction and arrived mid morning on 7B26 

47077 North Star is seen at Hallen Marsh with 7B26 from Severn Tunnel Junction, 7 wagons back amongst the coke is a sulphuric acid tank, 5/2/81

 

The return working of 7B26 was 7C42 to Severn Tunnel Junction which conveyed the empty coke hoppers.

37255, which we saw earlier, is seen on the 'Outwards' road from the grid siding to Hallen Marsh,

the first three vans are either empties from Avonmouth Rowntrees for York, or loaded with zinc ingots for Bloxwich, 5/2/81

 

The Smelting works had an extensive rail network and their shunting locos were permitted to run out to Hallen Marsh spur to collect traffic.

ISC shunter no.6 is hauling airbraked wagons from Hallen Marsh in towards the complex, the VTG ferrywagon is probably

empty for exporting lead ingots, the VDA for loading zinc to Bloxwich, behind that appears to be a discharged sulphuric acid tank, 5/10/83

 

cheers

 

 

[Downendian]

Very interesting, and I remember the mid-1970s traffic well, but as previously mentioned alas only the motive power.

Without details of the trains worked we saw many pairs of 20s mostly Toton based and on two occasions from immingham and even Eastfield, I would love to know what services they were working, There was a constant almost daily traffic of pairs of 25s on vanfits, and rarely Eastern Region 31s and split headcode 37s. Class 47s from as far afield as Knottingley, Immingham and Tinsley were also seen- yes KY duffs, very strange but they were not confined to only mgr trains in the mid 70s but like hens teeth in the late 1970s.

Lovely thread, brings back happy memories, thanks for the photos and details.

 

Neil

Edited November 10, 2014 by Downendian