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UKF fertiliser traffic to Gillingham and Andover 1980s


ess1uk
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I'm just after a bit of info about the fertiliser traffic to Gillingham (Dorset) and Andover.

Was this this same train? Roughly how many PWA vans were on the train?

What was it's route from Ince?

Time frame mid 1980s

Thanks

Edited by ess1uk
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Can't answer directly, but can offer some ideas. In the early '70s there was a 2237(Sun) Ince & Elton to Horsham Palvans with fertiliser. I think about 5 or 6 vans. It arrived on the Central at Clapham Junction about 0500, I think. At that time of night, possessions apart, it could have legged it straight up the WCML, maybe with part loads for various locations splitting at Wembley or similar?

 

Or, given that I think these were quite heavy vehicles, multiple destinations might not have been on, so perhaps that "easy" pathway was available several nights a week for various destinations?

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I know the train ran on a multiple 'Y' path but can't offhaInce & Eltion is hown asbridgwatergnd recall all the destinations.  Gillingham was one day a week when traffic was on offer but it didn't run every week.  My 1975 Loads Book only shows WR destinations and the 18.28 Ince & Elton is shown as -

Bridgwater WO

Gillingham ThO, and

Plymouth TO

 

although it was by then shown as a Shellstar train 

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Yep it was loaded in the Shellstar siding which is the only road accessible siding at Gillingham. Sorry can't help on the formation but will ask if anyone knows at work.

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The 1987 Freight Train Loads book shows

Ince & Elton - Andover / Gillingham for class 47 as  - Palvans loaded 'M' (presumably medium load) max length = 42 SLUs, load = 1220 tonnes including loco

route via Heyford and Southcote.

The trains would always be a full load from Ince & Elton, then spilt between depots. A full load would be about 12 PWAs

 

edit  - and the same loads book shows the return load via Warminster and Craven Arms, 55 SLUs, 520 tonnes including loco

 

Here is the return train at Westbury, looks like at least 12 PWAs

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47500cdb/8395216293/in/photolist-c4U1bQ-j1tHZX-eexNcp-dMRFjv-6Q7vTj/

 

cheers

Edited by Rivercider
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Thanks to Dave our Mobile Ops Mgr here's a bit more:-

 

The train ran via Southcote Junction and Basingstoke to Andover. After shunting there, the train continued to Gillingham. Up to about a dozen vans on the train, the length of the Shellstar siding at Gillingham being the limiting factor.

 

It was booked for a LMR Class 47/0, I believe from Crewe Diesel Depot and was worked by a Basingstoke crew to Salisbury where they were relieved by a Salisbury crew.

 

The train ran quite early in the morning because it had to leave Gillingham before the box switched out. Until the 1990s, Gillingham was worked on a split shift and shut during the middle of the day.

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The train ran quite early in the morning because it had to leave Gillingham before the box switched out. Until the 1990s, Gillingham was worked on a split shift and shut during the middle of the day.

Although back in the 1970s (when it was one of my boxes) it was manned on two turns so it didn't switch out in the middle of the day.  Signalmen were 'old Fred' and 'young Roger'

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I've just been looking through my books and I've found a picture of 33114 leaving Gillingham on an up train of 4 UKF vans on 4th June 1984.

It's on page 57 of the Class 33 "Cromptons" by B.K. Cooper.

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I know the train ran on a multiple 'Y' path but can't offhaInce & Eltion is hown asbridgwatergnd recall all the destinations.  Gillingham was one day a week when traffic was on offer but it didn't run every week.  My 1975 Loads Book only shows WR destinations and the 18.28 Ince & Elton is shown as -

Bridgwater WO

Gillingham ThO, and

Plymouth TO

 

although it was by then shown as a Shellstar train 

'Shellstar' was the original name of the company, which later became UKF, and then Kemira:-

http://www.fwi.co.uk/gr/growhow75poster.pdf gives the chronology.

The vehicles originally had curtain sides; I don't know if any vehicles received the later, hinged-door, type before Shellstar changed its name.

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I've just been looking through my books and I've found a picture of 33114 leaving Gillingham on an up train of 4 UKF vans on 4th June 1984.

It's on page 57 of the Class 33 "Cromptons" by B.K. Cooper.

I don't have that book, but I would guess that if  33 is involved then they may be vans that have arrived on Speedlink via Salisbury.

In the 1980s when Speedlink was in its prime a number of locations, including Bridgwater, sometimes received 3 or 4 PWAs on Speedlink services,

this was in addition to the normal company block trains from Ince & Elton of 12 PWAs.

This gives an excuse to run a prototypical shorter train,

 

cheers 

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  • 3 weeks later...

The only other photo I could find in any of my books of PWA vans is in BR Blue No 2 by John Dedman.

It shows 6M22 Truro to Ince train with 11 PWAs behind 47298.

I've enjoyed my research though. :)

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From Freight Only volume 2(Rhodes/Shannon).

 

January 1988

6O36 1726 Ince & Elton- Gillingham passed Salisbury 0622, return 6M22 1614 Gillingham-Ince & Elton at 1647 on Fridays. Photo shows 47349 leaving Andover siding 21/8/87 on 6M22 with 4 OCA plus 11 PWA and a note the OCAs are increasingly being used for 'big bag' traffic(PDS). I recall seeing OCAs loaded with large Fertiliser bags around March in the 1980s.

 

Graham

Edited by emdpowerrules
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With regards to emdpowerules's post above, I've just scanned a friend of mines slide showing just such a train with OCA'c and "Big Bags".

 

25239+25237 heading south on 6V32, approaching Wellington Crossing between Fords Bridge and Moreton-on-Lugg. Sept 1984.

post-7146-0-47913000-1403785223_thumb.jpg

 

Paul J.

 

PS. With regards to the above photo, a higher resolution copy of this photo has now been uploaded to my Flickr site at the following link. https://flic.kr/p/q25GCP

 

Edited to add Flickr link.

Edited by Swindon 123
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  • 4 weeks later...
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Were block trains formed at Eastleigh from smaller trip workings?

I think there was a working from Worthing area to Eastleigh?

I now think there was an Eastleigh to Hove Speedlink that had UKF traffic.

Any pictures out there?

Thanks.

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  • 2 years later...
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I have the WTTs that cover Ince for 83/84 84/85 85/86 & 86/87

 

The only trains from Ince destined for the Southern Region are:

 

6O48 FO 16:26 Ince UKF Sidings - Horsham UKF. I lose track after West Cheshire Jn (not got adjoining WTT)

 

6O36 TThO 17:26 Ince UKF Sidings - Andover UKF. This routes via Crewe - Shrewsbury and down the Marches Line to Hereford and beyond.

 

For completeness, the other COY train departures from Ince are:

 

6E80 WSO 00:08 Ince UKF Sidings - BartonOH (on Humber?)

6S89 WO 12:26 Ince UKF Sidings - Keith.

6V35 SO 15:35 Ince UKF Sidings - Carmarthen.

6V12 FO 19:58 Ince UKF Sidings - Severn Tunnel Jn Bristol Yard.

6E61 MO 20:20 Ince UKF Sidings - Darlington Hopetown UKF.

 

Sundays:

 

6E40 16:39 Ince UKF Sidings - Braintree.

6V35 17:49 Ince UKF Sidings - Truro

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