Fat Controller Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Dave That's very kind of you to pick up my plea to Kevin. I've had the Through Countryside and Coalfield for some time and have used the plans in the book in my building the goods shed. I've never seen the other book by Ivo Peters so will follow up through ABE. Before he died many years ago, I did asked Ivo Peters himself if he had any pictures of either Radstock station. He told me he'd taken very few as he did not find either station particularly photogenic and concentrated his time elsewhere. As a consequence I've never looked too closely at his more general non S & D books. It's sad to say I found a picture on EBay a couple of weeks ago which showed the SB from a different angle and thought it was Christmas again!!!. So thanks for taking the trouble to alert me of another source Cheers Doug Kevin Sorry to hijack your interesting thread and keep the 'local' photo's coming. Cheers There was a 'Bazzing About' article about Radstock Wagon works (large photos, drawings of details, and useful text) in a 1970s 'Model Railways' 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) Dave That's very kind of you to pick up my plea to Kevin. I've had the Through Countryside and Coalfield for some time and have used the plans in the book in my building the goods shed. I've never seen the other book by Ivo Peters so will follow up through ABE. Before he died many years ago, I did asked Ivo Peters himself if he had any pictures of either Radstock station. He told me he'd taken very few as he did not find either station particularly photogenic and concentrated his time elsewhere. As a consequence I've never looked too closely at his more general non S & D books. It's sad to say I found a picture on EBay a couple of weeks ago which showed the SB from a different angle and thought it was Christmas again!!!. So thanks for taking the trouble to alert me of another source Cheers Doug Kevin Sorry to hijack your interesting thread and keep the 'local' photo's coming. Cheers Doug, I didn't realise that you only wanted Radstock station views, there are views along the line in the Ivo Peters book but they don't reach Radstock itself. There is however a 1959 view of Radstock West looking through the station towards Bristol in Great Western Branchlines 1955-1965 by C. J. Gammell. A similar view is in this thread http://www.gwsbristol.org/hradstock.html Dave Edited January 2, 2015 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icknieldrobin Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Dave My EM gauge layout extends from Marcrofts at the Frome end to just beyond the level crossing Bristol end of the station and is just about scale length so anything within those parameters is always of interest. That said for that matter anywhere along the B &NSR is of interest. I'll seek out both books through my local library first to see what pic's are included. Thanks again for the useful steers. Doug Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icknieldrobin Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Mr Controller Another suggestion which again is news to me...............I'll see if I can find the mag you refer to. I do have a copy of the Model Railways Dec '72 where the wagon works connected to the S & D was featured. I've also got my hands on an article in an undated Model Railway Constructor which was based upon Marcrofts wagon works which was B & NSR connected. Thanks for the steer............ much appreciated Doug Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 3, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 3, 2015 Foster Yeomans first dispatched trains from Merehead in 1970 with access via a loop at Whites Crossing on the East Somerset line which meant that trains had to reverse on the way in and out of the quarry. In 1973 a new chord line was opened from Merehead Quarry Junction to Merehead to enable trains to arrive directly, thus forming a triangle. Loaded trains still leave via the original route propelling out to Whites Crossing before departing for the main line. From the reception sidings the wagons pass beneath the A361 road into the quarry complex for loading. The earliest wagons used included 16t minerals as well as 26t tipplers and 21t hoppers, a typical train from the 1970s might be formed of 38 x 26t tipplers with a payload of about 988 tonnes. 51t PGA hoppers were first introduced in 1973, and at one time over 250 were being leased by Foster Yeoman. 100t PTA, former British Steel bogie iron ore tipplers were first used in 1983. New O&K bogie hoppers first appeared in 1989. To carry out shunting at Merehead Yeomans bought several ex BR class 08 shunters including D3002, D3003, 08032, 08650 and 08652. scan0031a.jpg Foster Yeoman 33 named Mendip, a former BR class 08 no.08032, seen at Gloucester Horton Road Depot 3/1/80. With increasing traffic in 1980 Foster Yeoman ordered a General Motors SW1001 switcher which arrived in 1981. scan0030a.jpg Foster Yeoman 44 named Western Yeoman II, seen at Merehead during the 75 years celebration 28/6/98 Folowing the success of the reliable GM switcher Yeomans subsequently purchased class 59s which entered traffic in 1986 though this was after I had finished taking railway photos. cheers The interesting thing about the Yeoman SW1001 is that apart from drawgear etc it is to more or less standard US spec and is therefore very out of gauge on BR lines although I believe it had a lowered cab roof line to negotiate the bridge between the sidings and quarry. The level of technical support which EMD provided (to their normal pattern) was one of the things which encouraged Yeomans to go for the Class 59s, for example any spare part up to and including a traction motor is (or certainly used to be) despatched on day of order by air freight which enabled Yeoman to order a spare part and collect it at Heathrow the next day while the service dept at EMD deal with all emailed technical queries within 24 hours maximum. With that sort of customer service it's no wonder EMD locos became so popular. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Nice pictures of the activity at Swindon , where I now live. Strangely one of my modelling periods is 1982, and my Bachman 08 is ' 839, split from the China clay set. It's still a reasonably interesting rail location, with the transfer yard, newly relaid and full of yellow trains fro the electrification . The cockleburs yard has been cleared , relaid as well, presumably for the same idea. There is the regular scrap traffic to Liverpool, which brings in a DBs 66, and the steel traffic to Swindon stores bringing another or a 60. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted January 9, 2015 Author Share Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) Hi Rob, thanks for the comment, I very seldom pass that way these days so as yet have seen nothing of the electrification work. I did work at Swindon in 125 House from 1985-88 but took no railway pictures at that time. In 1996-99 when at Westbury TOPS we did the inputs for the Swindon area so I produced many trainlists for the Rover trains as well as the Coopers scrap traffic. Here are a couple more views from my one photographic visit in the 1980s. Back then there was more aggregates traffic passing through than I think there is these days. Sometimes the Mendip traffic would run via Melksham and Swindon if there was engineering work on the B&H route. There was also the traffic from Tytherington, usually a train a day for Appleford or Oxford Banbury Road, another to Theale, both these were formed of MSVs. There were normally two trains day for Wolverton, each of 36 PGAs worked by pairs of Bath Road 37s, Swindon traincrew I think worked these trains forward as well as working the Avon Waste train through to Calvert. edit -I forgot to mention that the Foster Yeoman stone train to Wootton Bassett always ran to Swindon first to run-round as the terminal at Wootton Bassett can only be reached off the down line on the way back. Here is one of the Wolverton workings returning through Swindon. Set 253001 is on a Paddington working as 37204 and 37158 pass by on the down through line with 6V11 Wolverton - Stoke Gifford, 4/9/84 Vacuum braked services between Severn Tunnel Junction and Acton lasted unti the early 1980s, then there was aiso a nightly Swindon - Bescot and return vacuum braked working 7M01/7V01 I think that conveyed engineers traffic later including concrete sleepers from the plant at Washwood Heath loaded on salmons. There were several Speedlink workings a day on Speedlink Route 1 South Wales - Dover (which included Essex), here is an up working. My notes have this as a Severn Tunnel Junction to Ripple Lane working headed by 47314. 4/9/84 Paul Shannons 'Railfreight since1968 - Wagonload' has a list of services in 1986 including 6E91 14.10 Severn Tunnel Junction - Dagenham Dock so it may well have been this working, with empty cartic sets for Dagenham 6E91 ran for some years, it later became 6L91 when the Anglia Region was formed. cheers Edited January 9, 2015 by Rivercider 19 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold astropsidings Posted January 10, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 10, 2015 Vacuum braked services between Severn Tunnel Junction and Acton lasted unti the early 1980s, then there was aiso a nightly Swindon - Bescot and return vacuum braked working 7M01/7V01 I think that conveyed engineers traffic later including concrete sleepers from the plant at Washwood Heath loaded on salmons. By the mid-80's there was a Reading West Jct - Gloucester train, booked to run class 9, which was I think daily, leaving Reading around 19.00, conveying mainly engineers traffic but also the odd revenue earning wagon, usually class 31 hauled. Reading men worked it as far as Swindon. There was also a corresponding up service, but I don't recall any details, other than it would sometimes convey Tube wagons loaded with reclaimed coal from South Wales (the "coal" including old bikes and tree branches) destined for Padworth. This would then be taken down to Padworth by the Reading trip. As an aside, the Reading trip was by this time an air braked service, and required special permission to work partially fitted down the B & H with a vacuum braked wagon in the formation. In practice the wagon would have been to Padworth and back, and be on its way elsewhere before the dispensation arrived. I still have information re timings, reporting number, and formations for the Reading-Gloucester train, but not to hand unfortunately. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) By the mid-80's there was a Reading West Jct - Gloucester train, booked to run class 9, which was I think daily, leaving Reading around 19.00, conveying mainly engineers traffic but also the odd revenue earning wagon, usually class 31 hauled. Reading men worked it as far as Swindon. There was also a corresponding up service, but I don't recall any details, other than it would sometimes convey Tube wagons loaded with reclaimed coal from South Wales (the "coal" including old bikes and tree branches) destined for Padworth. This would then be taken down to Padworth by the Reading trip. As an aside, the Reading trip was by this time an air braked service, and required special permission to work partially fitted down the B & H with a vacuum braked wagon in the formation. In practice the wagon would have been to Padworth and back, and be on its way elsewhere before the dispensation arrived. I still have information re timings, reporting number, and formations for the Reading-Gloucester train, but not to hand unfortunately. Thanks for the additional information, I do remember that as revenue earning vacuum braked traffic declined there was a small remaning network of services for moving engineers traffic, as well as odds and sods like vehicles for scrapping, or repaired cripples left off from trainload services. My knowledge of the freight services east of Swindon is much more limited as is my photographic collection. This brings me on to a point I have been pondering for a few days, since I have finished my photographic coverage of the West of England Division. My photo coverage of the London Division is much poorer, mostly Didcot, Oxford, a little at Reading and one visit to Acton, after that though I have I have plenty of photos from the South Wales Division which will include a number of locations off the South Wales Mainline. As this thread has now reached page 15 I am wondering is it getting unwieldy and would it be better to call a halt, rename the topic header and start afresh with another thread for the London Division etc. Or better to keep everything as it is in one thread for the whole region? I'll think about that for a day or two, any thoughts anyone? cheers Edited March 28, 2016 by Rivercider 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 It might be best to start a new thread for the other Divisions. Looking forward to seeing the South Wales ones. Thanks for all the work you've put in so far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Banger Blue Posted January 13, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2015 Have really enjoyed this thread, thanks for sharing your memories with us. No matter wether you decide to start a new thread or continue on this one, I'm really looking forward to your London Division collection, thats where I currently work so it will be good comparing the likes of Didcot & Reading then & now. Regards Dougie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreedyHarry Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Hello, would it be better to have new titles. That way people trying to research specifics will find it easier to use and those just browsing will still look anyway. As I've said before your photos are very good and have helped with my layout. I'll look forward to your next instalment. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 New threads I think. Just let us know when you start them ! Great photos, looking forward to the rest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 Thanks for the nice comments. As I thought, the concensus is to start fresh threads for the other two divisions. I will start with the London Division next, I made fewer visits there though so it will be a much briefer affair. cheers 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornishmick Posted March 27, 2016 Share Posted March 27, 2016 Hi fantastic photos I live in par and my wife's grandad worked the clay trains for over 40 years would you mind if I could share some of your photos on a Cornish railways site? These days should not be lost I have so many fond memories of these work horses Many thanks Mike quote name="Rivercider" post="1386929" timestamp="1395166921"] So, where to start? My photos scanned onto Flickr are arranged by geographically by county starting in Cornwall. I know that the local staff in Cornwall sometimes referred to locations by different names, but my knowledge of the ECC locations was based on the TOPS locations and my invaluable Baker Rail Atlas. When I made my first photographic visit to Cornwall in 1980 there were a number of locations dispatching clayhoods to Fowey with export clay. The locations I remember were Drinninck Mill and Burngullow, and possibly Parkandillack in the west, Goonbarrow on the Newquay Branch. Also Wenford Bridge and Moorswater, and from Devon at Marsh Mills east of Plymouth. Ball clay also came from Heathfield and North Devon but I do not think I photographed that traffic. Class 25s had been working many of the clay trips in the area from 1971 - 1980, I only managed a couple of photos of the 25s as by 1980 the first replacement 37s were already allocated to Laira scan0036a.jpg 25155 rests in St Blazey with clayhoods that it had worked up frm the Burngullow direction, on the left is 37142, one of the first 37s in Cornwall, 16/7/80 scan0034a.jpg 37207 briefly disturbs the peace at Bodmin Road as it hurries west with loaded clayhoods for Fowey, these would have come from either Moorswater, or Marsh Mills, 15/4/83 scan0042a.jpg 37274 this time, passing westwards through St Austell with empties for either Burngullow or Drinnick Mill, 8/3/83 scan0127a.jpg Lostwithiel in the rain, 37206 comes up from the west with loads for Fowey, it will run round in one of the loops at Lostwithiel, then head off down the branch to Fowey, 23/6/82 cheers 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted March 28, 2016 Author Share Posted March 28, 2016 Hi fantastic photos I live in par and my wife's grandad worked the clay trains for over 40 years would you mind if I could share some of your photos on a Cornish railways site? These days should not be lost I have so many fond memories of these work horses Many thanks Mike Hi Mike would that be the Cornish Railway Society site? I have had a look at the site a couple of times, but not contributed yet. I agree it is good to remember railway history, it is OK to share the photos, can you please credit them to me (Kevin Redwood). cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornishmick Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 Hi many many thanks Kevin for allowing me to share these wonderful pictures of the Cornish clay trains. The site is on FB called Cornish Railways I have posted 10 of your pictures with the captions and also said the latest they are courtesy of yourself . I really think you should produce a book with all your great pictures thank you again for allowing me to use your pictures Many thanks Kind regards Mike 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolian Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Good afternoon everyone, Earlier, reference was made to the Avon County Council 'Bin-Liner' operation, and of the opening in 1985. I was present for a test-run before the official opening, when 45001 reversed a rake of PFAs to the terminal... 45001 sits in Lawrence Hill Yard with the rake of PFAs - https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/13123907625/in/photolist-vMSGuB-kZJ1T8-kZJVch-kZJ248-kZHZDK-kZHsvp 45001 reversing at Barrow Road - https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/13124192514/in/photolist-vMSGuB-kZJ1T8-kZJVch-kZJ248-kZHZDK-kZHsvp/ 45001 at the Great Western Refuse Transfer Station - https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/13124016533/in/photolist-vMSGuB-kZJ1T8-kZJVch-kZJ248-kZHZDK-kZHsvp/ 47592 'County of Avon' was the loco chosen to work the official opening train... https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/13125096553/in/photolist-kZP9pH-kZQAAY-kZPG78-kZPzsX-kZPxWa-kZP1XZ-kzZCzc-rSnymw/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/bristol-re/13125101703/in/photolist-kZP9pH-kZQAAY-kZPG78-kZPzsX-kZPxWa-kZP1XZ-kzZCzc-rSnymw/ Sadly, I don't have the dates of those two workings - can anybody help?. Very Best Wishes, Bob. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 My favourite thread on here Keep posting the pics please I lived in Bristol from 1984 until 1992 And made trips down to china clay land to see the 37s on and off 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted April 23, 2016 Author Share Posted April 23, 2016 My favourite thread on here Keep posting the pics please I lived in Bristol from 1984 until 1992 And made trips down to china clay land to see the 37s on and off Thanks. I have finished adding my freight photos to the West of England thread. I have a few to add to the Devon diesel era thread which I will get to in due course. I have started another thread for the South Wales freight traffic of the 1980s and have made slow progress so far, http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/108868-wr-early-1980s-freight-south-wales-division-undy-yard/ cheers 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwilson Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 (edited) Hi there. A few years ago whilst discussing the freight workings around Bridgewater, the Huntspill branch was discussed. I had an interesting recollection about it. When I was younger, I saw a class 47 in intercity livery with coaches on the Huntspill branch going over the M5. Even at that young age, I knew it shouldn't be there as it wasn't the main line from Bristol to Exeter but I did not know it was a military branch line at the time. I was travelling south at the time on the M5 with the train travelling from west to east so it was heading for the works. I remember at the time the class 47 and coaches looked very large in comparison to the bridge. I am wondering why this train was there. Was it a rail tour? This would have been in the early 90's. Edited June 28, 2016 by pwilson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwilson Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Hi Andy I presume you are referring to the line into the Royal Ordnance Factory at Puriton, there was a ground frame on the down side at Huntspill just west of Highbridge with a set of three exchange sidings. The line from there into the ROF climbed steeply to cross the M5 on a bridge. BR locos left the traffic in the sidings, the ROF had a loco which would bring out traffic to exchange in the sidings once a day on weekdays. I never went up to Huntspill, I do not think there was road access anywhere near it, and of course the ROF was very secure, I believe armed MOD police would ride out with their loco when bringing explosives out for BR to collect. In the picture above of Bridgwater yard 08281 has a sulphuric acid tank from ISC Chemicals at Hallen Marsh and brake van ready for the Huntspill trip which ran mid morning. The main traffic was empty vanwides in and explosives out, though sometimes explosives came in as well. Explosives were dispatched every week day apart from friday as the wagons needed to reach their destination before the weekend as they could not be left in unattended yards. Usual destinations for the vans were KIneton, Glascoed, East Riggs, and Longtown, they would send between 1 - 6 a day. The acid tank arrived about one a week and could not be conveyed on the same train as the explosives due to the dangerous goods regulations, the discharged empty tank therefore was usually sent out on fridays when there were no explosives to go. Coal was received in 16t minerals, I think from Gedling Colliery, very occasionally the coal arrived in 24t MEOs which I think was a colliery error as they were rarely seen on the Western. Coal traffic was sporadic, none for couple of weeks, then perhaps 25 or 30 wagons would turn up over the course of a week. I have more photos at Bridgwater on Flickr, including a couple of the trip going to or from Huntspill, will post a few more on this thread including later in the 1980s when the traffic was passing in airbraked VEAs, cheers Hi Kevin In addition to my previous post, do you happen to have a track plan of the Huntspill branch and the sidings off the main line? Many thanks Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2975 Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Hi there. A few years ago whilst discussing the freight workings around Bridgewater, the Huntspill branch was discussed. I had an interesting recollection about it. When I was younger, I saw a class 47 in intercity livery with coaches on the Huntspill branch going over the M5. Even at that young age, I knew it shouldn't be there as it wasn't the main line from Bristol to Exeter but I did not know it was a military branch line at the time. I was travelling south at the time on the M5 with the train travelling from west to east so it was heading for the works. I remember at the time the class 47 and coaches looked very large in comparison to the bridge. I am wondering why this train was there. Was it a rail tour? This would have been in the early 90's. Perhaps the stock was to be used for a military / security services exercise. . Over the years this has been quite common, one such exercise was held only last week on the OVE (Ogmore Valley Extension) near Parc Slip using a rake of Virgin liveried Mk.2 stock. . In the late 90s a similar exercise was held near Burrows Sidings, Swansea. . During "the troubles" training exercises for the military and emergency services (including dealing with IED's) were held regularly at Moreton-on-Lugg, Herefordshire where several items of rolling stock, and at least one Cl.47 were kept for such purposes. . Brian R 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 WOW What a great Thread and some amazing Pics, Cheers. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
18B Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 On 17/11/2014 at 17:57, Gary H said: I just done a quick search and the Metal Box factory closed very recently, in July 2013! I assume it lost its rail connection back in the late 80's? Google earth shows the factory car parks and yards deserted. my mate did a uni placement there in the early 2000s and it was still in and in use then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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