Carmarthen Diesel Depot?

[peak experience]

Did I imagine it or did Carmathen have a single road brick and corrugated metal shed sometime back in the 1980s? I've search for pictures on Google but come up blank.

[Rivercider]

Did I imagine it or did Carmathen have a single road brick and corrugated metal shed sometime back in the 1980s? I've search for pictures on Google but come up blank.

 

Is this what you remember?

I suspect it was not a loco shed but an on-track machine maintenance shed similar to the one at Westbury (known locally as the 'Elephant House')

there appears to be a tamper in the shed., and to the left the silo for Aberthaw Cement.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthejoker/5727717043/in/photolist-rWknKE-qbrJKB-wjJQD2-7rbKSJ-nLm1jm-r1koHT-dki5cw-ocobAm-de9hcn-amSfjA-ahsL62-eGruPY-eGnQvE-9J93J8-9yoYad-aBijfn-fSSKS2-fAKvJ8-rskN6K-amDPUU-pkXUTX-ahsLop-imjnbk-amDP9E-9z8kM9-ddi9nj-ddi9po-ddMzZx-eEE6bL-qWkvAD-aBLcfg-6HLkpV-mmTpE8-6Jx97h-fVQjw-9ynNUU-peLnoZ-dSKP2g-9RkBkK-nQ3oy9

 

edit  - There is a similar shed at Exeter St Davids dating frm this time

 

cheers

Edited August 9, 2015 by Rivercider

[96701]

Is this what you remember?

I suspect it was not a loco shed but an on-track machine maintenance shed similar to the one at Westbury (known locally as the 'Elephant House')

there appears to be a tamper in the shed., and to the left the silo for Aberthaw Cement.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthejoker/5727717043/in/photolist-rWknKE-qbrJKB-wjJQD2-7rbKSJ-nLm1jm-r1koHT-dki5cw-ocobAm-de9hcn-amSfjA-ahsL62-eGruPY-eGnQvE-9J93J8-9yoYad-aBijfn-fSSKS2-fAKvJ8-rskN6K-amDPUU-pkXUTX-ahsLop-imjnbk-amDP9E-9z8kM9-ddi9nj-ddi9po-ddMzZx-eEE6bL-qWkvAD-aBLcfg-6HLkpV-mmTpE8-6Jx97h-fVQjw-9ynNUU-peLnoZ-dSKP2g-9RkBkK-nQ3oy9

 

edit  - There is a similar shed at Exeter St Davids dating frm this time

 

cheers

And Low Fell

[peak experience]

Yes, that's the one. I thought I was losing my marbles. I was thinking about small depot layouts; Has anyone a track plan perchance?

[Fat Controller]

Yes, that's the one. I thought I was losing my marbles. I was thinking about small depot layouts; Has anyone a track plan perchance?

There's one in the 'Western' volume of Quail Maps, which identifies the shed as 'Plassermatic Maintenance Building and siding'. There's not much to it; to the left (looking from Carmarthen Junction) is the former Aberthaw Cement compound. Then there are four sidings described as 'Carriage Sidings', the shed is on a branch from the first of these.

[rob D2]

Although it may be housing a tamper,

In ' diesels and electrics on shed -WR' it is most definitely listed as a shed for main line locos, and has 47104 beside it

Edited August 10, 2015 by rob D2

[br2975]

Although it may be housing a tamper,

In ' diesels and electrics on shed -WR' it is most definitely listed as a shed for main line locos, and has 47104 beside it

.

That's a first, because I never knew this to be a loco shed per se.

.

Whitland was the west Wales diesel shed and which supplied shunters (all 204 h.p. later Cl.03)for Carmarthen, Whitland, Fishguard Harbour and Milford Haven/Haverfordwest, with a spare kept at Whitland.

.

I'm inclined to agree with Brian W regarding the shed being primarily a tamper repair shed, as by the time of its construction there were probably no pilots west of Burry Port, and mainline power would work to and from Landore.

.

But, I'm open minded..............

,

Brian R

[RJS1977]

If it's the building I think it is, it was still there last time I went past (early June) though the tracks were looking rather sorry for themselves.

 

Didn't know Whitland had been a major diesel shed at one time, though of course it was a big depot in steam days.

[Fat Controller]

.

That's a first, because I never knew this to be a loco shed per se.

.

Whitland was the west Wales diesel shed and which supplied shunters (all 204 h.p. later Cl.03)for Carmarthen, Whitland, Fishguard Harbour and Milford Haven/Haverfordwest, with a spare kept at Whitland.

.

I'm inclined to agree with Brian W regarding the shed being primarily a tamper repair shed, as by the time of its construction there were probably no pilots west of Burry Port, and mainline power would work to and from Landore.

.

But, I'm open minded..............

,

Brian R

Diesels used to stable in the adjacent carriage sidings, even back in the early 1970s; there weren't that many carriages stabled there, even in the days of loco-hauled workings, as the TPO and Sleepers worked back to Maliphant for servicing. The shed is a relatively recent construction, dating from the late 1990s- prior to that, it was open stabling. The sidings are on the site of the old GWR Carmarthen shed, IIRC.

Whitland was a single-road shed, of relatively modern construction; there's a photo in 'Steam in South Wales; Volume 2. North and West of Swansea.' Its main function in steam days had been to provide the branch locos for the Cardigan branch (45xx tanks); mainline trains were powered by Neyland locos, with Goodwick having a couple of Halls.

Whilst, as Brian R notes, Whitland provided 204hp 0-6-0 pilots to the likes of Fishguard and Carmarthen, in latter years these were 08 jobs, despite the lengthy transit times to Landore for servicing (Carmarthen to Landore would be about three hours, and Fishguard twice that)

[br2975]

Whilst, as Brian R notes, Whitland provided 204hp 0-6-0 pilots to the likes of Fishguard and Carmarthen, in latter years these were 08 jobs, despite the lengthy transit times to Landore for servicing (Carmarthen to Landore would be about three hours, and Fishguard twice that)

 

That's why I was never a serious spotter ................ if I needed a Landore 'Noddy' I'd wait for it to come to Canton for attention, and not get bored to death travelling all the way to Fishguard or Haverfordwest for it. !!

.

Brian R

[peak experience]

.

That's a first, because I never knew this to be a loco shed per se.

.

Whitland was the west Wales diesel shed and which supplied shunters (all 204 h.p. later Cl.03)for Carmarthen, Whitland, Fishguard Harbour and Milford Haven/Haverfordwest, with a spare kept at Whitland.

.

I'm inclined to agree with Brian W regarding the shed being primarily a tamper repair shed, as by the time of its construction there were probably no pilots west of Burry Port, and mainline power would work to and from Landore.

.

But, I'm open minded..............

,

Brian R

And now I've failed to find a photo of Whitland Diesel Shed

[br2975]

And now I've failed to find a photo of Whitland Diesel Shed

 

Probably because there wasn't one.............................................

.

The GWR steam shed became somewhat care-worn, and was replaced by a ( BR built ? ) single road structure before closing about 1964.

.

The shed remained as a stabling point for a while.

.

Brian R

[Rivercider]

Probably because there wasn't one.............................................

.

The GWR steam shed became somewhat care-worn, and was replaced by a ( BR built ? ) single road structure before closing about 1964.

.

The shed remained as a stabling point for a while.

.

Brian R

 

Is this the later shed, as seen with steam in 1962?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gricerman/16028098841/in/photolist-r7EMZH-uBM7Ed-skB35q-pomWQD-sqeDYj-wFa3Jz-pQnFXm-vhdmxj-pztmYC-tDYWVH-qqmcnK-pr3YEP-qhRgQN-ptLmAi-qk4WZj-qnKeC9-q6oHXP-qnKeE3-qk4X1b-oXpB2S-peCAak-oXpfTK-9MUSfP-9MUSra-x9FETc-qFmKXE-r1MqC3

 

cheers

[Fat Controller]

Is this the later shed, as seen with steam in 1962?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/gricerman/16028098841/in/photolist-r7EMZH-uBM7Ed-skB35q-pomWQD-sqeDYj-wFa3Jz-pQnFXm-vhdmxj-pztmYC-tDYWVH-qqmcnK-pr3YEP-qhRgQN-ptLmAi-qk4WZj-qnKeC9-q6oHXP-qnKeE3-qk4X1b-oXpB2S-peCAak-oXpfTK-9MUSfP-9MUSra-x9FETc-qFmKXE-r1MqC3

 

cheers

It looks like the one in the photo I referred to; lower walls brick, upper walls and roof 'asbestos' sheet

[18B]

hi,

 

interesting re: Carmarthen, is this the shed (hopefully the link works)

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.8513606,-4.3087815,306m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

does it still stand and I wonder if anyone ever took a pic of a loco inside it? or whether as mentioned above if it were only ever a PW depot?

[The Stationmaster]

On 12/08/2015 at 09:09, Fat Controller said:

It looks like the one in the photo I referred to; lower walls brick, upper walls and roof 'asbestos' sheet

That was definitely the 'new' steam shed at Whitland - it replaced an extremely delapidated single road building that was as near to falling down as made no difference.

[rob D2]

Always looked very similar to the “ new “ one at Exeter . Must have been standard design for the time 

[The Stationmaster]

4 hours ago, rob D2 said:

Always looked very similar to the “ new “ one at Exeter . Must have been standard design for the time 

Although it wasn't a WR standard design for the dieselisation era so probably was a design the Cive il Engineer produced for his on-track kit where the few specialist buildings for them came some time after all the WR diesel depots and servicing locations had been completed had been completed.  The nearest equivalents from the dieselisation designs would have been Westbury (intended for both dmu exams and fuelling hence different from the standard dmu servicing facilities) and Swindon.  

 

Small diesel loco servicing/exam sheds away from the main depots were fairly unusual on the Western, even Margam had two roads undercover and could accommodate several locos and was only built because of the level of traffic, the same could be said in many respects of Ebbw Jcn.  The only other one I can think of purposely built for mainline loco exams and servicing was the annex at Reading which had two roads each capable of taking a single mainline loc but it went over to on-track plant servicing at a relatively early date.  

 

I certainly couldn't envisage any need in West Wales for anything to carry out exams on mainline diesels with Landore on the doorstep and Margam ideally sited for locos working the oil trains.  When I took over responsibility for WR freight loco diagram in the late 1980s we had no need whatsoever for any sort of loco exam facility down there as it was virtually all trainload working and no shunting pilots.

Edited February 28, 2019 by The Stationmaster

[RJS1977]

On 27/02/2019 at 09:01, 18B said:

hi,

 

interesting re: Carmarthen, is this the shed (hopefully the link works)

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.8513606,-4.3087815,306m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

does it still stand and I wonder if anyone ever took a pic of a loco inside it? or whether as mentioned above if it were only ever a PW depot?

 

It was still there when I passed through at Christmas IIRC.

[Rail-Online]

I recall Whitland in the mid 70s was the place to see 'on track maintenance' equipment.  There were usually 2 vehicles parked in the former Cardigan bay facing the west adjacent to the new station building there.  The former steam shed area had been cleared. Light repairs seem to have been done in the open as there was always oil drums and the odd tool lying about. Regarding Carmarthen there would be one or two Hymeks (later class 37s) stabled in the open there opposite the station.  These were used on the Pembroke freight (Mon & Wed) and the daily (?) milk tanks off the partially closed Aberystwth line. In addition there was a type 4 (usually a Western) that stabled overnight at Carmarthen before running light to Whitland (about 11am IIRC) to collect the milk tanks and work to London. Presumably the return working was overnight.

 

Happy days!

 

Cheers Tony

[RJS1977]

I often thought it remarkable that the Cardigan bay trackwork survived well into this century, given that the branch closed in the 50s - that explains it!