W.R. Early 1980s Freight Photos - South Wales Severn Tunnel Junction to Pantyffynnon.

[TEDDYBEAR D9521]

Radyr Jct 1965 

 

Radyr Jct Frame 1981

 

Copyright GC Jones

Edited February 27, 2017 by TEDDYBEAR D9521

[corneliuslundie]

Looking at the right hand signal at Radyr Junction, I assume that one route had already been removed, presumably to sidings on the left of the main line. There are a few spare levers in the box by 1981 but there were presumably already at least a couple in 1965. Had the Roath branch (as I used to know it, probably wrongly) closed by then? I know the signal would not have applied to it, but I seem to remember it still open when I left school as I crossed it every day at Gabalfa anf there were still plenty of wagons in the sidings.

Jonathan

[The Stationmaster]

The map, no wonder I never understood where I was and what I was photographing when I used to go there in the early 80s. I just wish I had looked further with my camera when I worked in Cardiff in 1970.

 

Paul

 

Rather ashamed to admit that while I usually had a camera with me when I worked at Radyr I never took one to work during my brief sojourn at Swansea High St or my even briefer period at Llanwern and only very occasionally when I was at Maesglas - just the way things turned out.  I did Radyr shed, among various others in the area in late August 1962 - via the official walking Route (but I did have a permit).

Edited February 27, 2017 by The Stationmaster

[The Stationmaster]

Looking at the right hand signal at Radyr Junction, I assume that one route had already been removed, presumably to sidings on the left of the main line. There are a few spare levers in the box by 1981 but there were presumably already at least a couple in 1965. Had the Roath branch (as I used to know it, probably wrongly) closed by then? I know the signal would not have applied to it, but I seem to remember it still open when I left school as I crossed it every day at Gabalfa anf there were still plenty of wagons in the sidings.

Jonathan

 

The final  connection to the Roath Branch (remains thereof) came off at Llandaff Loop Jcn, where the Relief Lines had originally crossed the Mains from the Up side to the Down side.  Between Llandaff Loop and Roath Branch Jcn (officially then called College Road Sidings) the Reliefs were retained and reduced to C2 working (under the control of the Llandaff Loop Jcn Signalman) when Cardiff resignalling was carried out in mid 1966; the line was singled in 1973.  College Road/Roath Branch Sdgs was used for wagon storage and the grading of cripples for repairs.

 

 

There are no signal arms/dolls missing in that view of Radyr Jcn.  The left hand bracket structure applying to the Down Main has the tallest arm reading Down Main, the next one Down Main to Down Relief, the disc reading Down Main to Down Yard, and the one with the lower arm distant Reading Down Main to Down Branch (towards Radyr Quarry).  The right hand structure has a disc reading Up Main backing to various - it had replaced an earlier short arm with a route indicator when the new 'box was opened in 1961, the tallest doll reads Down relief to Down Relief, the disc reads Down Relief to Down Yard and the doll with the lower arm distant reads Down Relief to Down branch while the short arm and route indicator on the right hand end is for backing moves off the Up Relief.

 

The next change came in March(?) 1973 when the Down Relief between Radyr Junction and Llandaff Loop was taken out of use along with the signals reading to it.

 

You'll find my 1973 (post removal of the down Relief) picture off Radyr Junction frame at Post No.14 in this thread.  Once upon a time I knew the frame off by heart (Iused to work it regularly) and could even take Groundmen round outside telling them the number of every point end -

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/67126-modern-western-region-signal-boxes/

[corneliuslundie]

I asked because the bracket seemed to have room for another post on the left. Presumably done like that to balance the structure better than if all the dolls were to one side of the main post.

Jonathan

[The Stationmaster]

I asked because the bracket seemed to have room for another post on the left. Presumably done like that to balance the structure better than if all the dolls were to one side of the main post.

Jonathan

 

There was a doll there until the new 'box took over in 1961 when that doll was replaced by a disc.

[corneliuslundie]

Thanks. All makes sense now.

Jonathan

[TEDDYBEAR D9521]

Here's a couple more box shots from my collection

 

Radyr Jct 1985 

 

Radyr Quarry 1985

 

Llandaff Loop 1985

 

Cheers GARETH

[Rivercider]

We now return to the bridge from which the pictures on post 157 were taken, and which can be glimpsed in the corner of the picture on post 159. I remember when I went there with my dad we caught a bus outside Newport station, it was a Risca service and we had to get off at the stop by the 'hole in the wall'.

 

First another view looking towards the docks.

An unidentified class 08 and 37154 can be seen in the sidings which lead south towards Newport Docks.

The wagons behind 37154 may be tubes, which were sometimes used to convey imported timber sleepers to the BR creosote plant at Ditton, 12/7/85.

 

Now two views looking west towards Cardiff.

45135 working a passenger service on the up main is overtaking 47337 on the up relief.

I think the train 47337 is hauling is probably from Cardiff Tidal conveying sheeted coiled wire from GKN, 12/7/85

 

This is a crop of a photo to better show the sidings at A D Jn.

 

47060 passes A D Jn on the up relief with empty MCVs, in the far right distance we can see part of the remains of the former Ebbw Junction diesel depot, of which more later. 12/7/85

edit - notice that a couple of crossovers which were present in the earlier 1980 view have now been removed.

 

cheers

Edited March 25, 2017 by Rivercider

[Wayne 37901]

Hi Kevin,

 

Nice pictures yet again. Are you on Facebook at all? I'm sure the South Wales railway group page would like to see some of your photos.

 

 

Cheers,

Wayne

[Andrew P]

Thanks Rivercider / Kevin, for more excellent 1980's images to get inspiration from.

[Rivercider]

To move this thread along here are two more views of the yard at A D Junction

Yard pilot 08780 is engaged in shunting a mixed rake of stock. 15/7/80

The Portacabin on the left housed the A D Junction TOPS Office at the time, though the TOPS office later

relocated into an office in Ebbw Junction depot before moving onto platform 1 at Newport High Street,

then finally relocating to the CSDC at Doncaster in the EWS era.

 

Now a view from the other end of the yard.

A D Junction yard seen from the west end, 25/1/82

On the far left we can glimpse some of the sidings of Ebbw Junction depot with the re-railing vans present.

The lines curving away to the left lead round to Park Junction. In the reception sidings an Iron ore set is stabled

while the yard itself contains mainly engineers vehicles,

 

cheers

 

[Rivercider]

Another pair of views from the bridge at the west end of A D Junction.

We can see more of Ebbw Junction depot here,with I think what are the re-railing vans stabled.

An unidentified class 37 heads east with MDVs of coal, probably for Llanwern BSC, and the iron ore set can be sen in the reception roads, 25/1/82

 

On a brighter day a class 37 is stabled up against the re-railing vans in Ebbw Junction.

37268 swings around the curve from Park Junction with MDVs of coking coal from Abertillery colliery for the BSC coking plant

at Margam Abbey. In the distance 37277 heads towards Newport with a mixed vacuum braked service from Radyr to Severn Tunnel Junction which shows how busy the South Wales freight scene was in the early 1980s, 19/5/82

 

cheers

[SouthernBlue80s]

Thanks for updating the thread Kevin, one of my very favorites on RM web I even have it in my browser favorites. Gives me inspiration to model and despite being from Kent I spent alot of time in South Wales and Bristol in the 1980s.

Cheers

Steve

[Rivercider]

Thanks for updating the thread Kevin, one of my very favorites on RM web I even have it in my browser favorites. Gives me inspiration to model and despite being from Kent I spent alot of time in South Wales and Bristol in the 1980s.

Cheers

Steve

Thanks Steve,

I have many happy memories of my photo trips especially the Cardiff and Newport area, it was so busy back in the day,

it seemed like the last train had only just disappeared when the relief line signals went green and another train appeared.

I will try to scan in some more of my collection while its too cold to do anything outside,

 

cheers

[Rivercider]

Here are three more views taken slightly later in 1985, by which time Ebbw Junction depot had closed.

 

37150 passes the closed depot at Ebbw Junction with a loaded MGR train from Oakdale colliery, 12/7/85

 

Passing A D Junction is a convoy of light diesels probably headed for Cardiff Canton, 33030 leads 47237 and 37241, 12/7/85

In A D Junction yard are some rakes of coal wagons, plus what might possibly be some tube wagons (these were used at times for imported timber from Newport Docks for Ditton creosote works), and in the main part of the yard nothing but a single shoc-van, probably by then in use as an internal user stores van.

 

The emptiness and desolation of the main part of A D Junction yard can be seen in this view from behind the stop blocks at the west end, 12/7/85

 

cheers 

[Rivercider]

Here are some more views from the West end of A D Junction showing more of Ebbw Junction depot.

 

First up a view showing several class 37s which were the staple motive power for much of the South Wales freight traffic in the 1980s. 

There a five members of class 37 visible here, including two unidentified locos in Ebbw Junction depot.

37306 approaches the camera running light diesel, in the distance 37290 heads away towards Severn Tunnel Junction

while 37268 has now stabled in A D Junction with its train of coking coal for Margam Abbey BSC, 19/5/82.

 

37264 and 37301 stand at the rear of Ebbw Junction depot while 08781 which passes by on the main line 

is probably making a shunt move to or from A D Junction on the near side of the main line, 25/1/82

 

The rear west end of Ebbw Junction depot with 08822, 37264 (minus buffers) and 37301 standing outside, 25/1/82

 

cheers

[Rivercider]

Before we start to head west we have permission from the depot foreman to have a quick look around Ebbw JUnction

(actually this day I was with my dad who was on duty in his capacity as a supervisor in the civil engineers).

 

My first trainspotting book the Ian Allan Locoshed 1974 edition (correct to March 1974) showed a sizeable allocation of locos to EJ

which was the depot code for Ebbw Junction.

08029, 08118, 08122, 08135, 08363, 08478, 08479, 08481, 08487, 08582, 08587, 08595, 08639, 08647, 08652, 08654, 08657, 08804, 08822, 08834, 08843, 08844, 08846, 08848, 08853, 08856, 08859, 08894, 08932, 08940, 08952 (31)

25029, 25030, 25031, 25032, 25159, 25160, 25161, 25162, 25163, 25164, 25165, 25166 (12)

1200 (Falcon)

The 08 shunters worked at A D Junction, Newport Docks, East Usk and Severn Tunnel Junction, as well as some hire to the NCB.

The class 25s I think worked iron ore trains to Ebbw Vale BSC but this ceased around this time and during 1974 the 25s were allocated away to Canton

1200 (Falcon) was often used on local freight transfer work between Llanwern and Newport Docks.

 

By 1980 the depot allocation was down to twenty class 08s, with nineteen still on the books by 1982. 

The engine testbed class 47 no. 47901 stands outside Ebbw Junction where 1200 Falcon once stood, 56045 and 08481 are in the shed, 15/7/80

 

My 1983 Platform 5 book shows that by then the EJ allocation had been transferred away to Cardiff Canton,

 

cheers  

 

 

[SouthernBlue80s]

Thanks for posting those

Just had a look at the area today on Google maps

Edited January 13, 2018 by SouthernBlue80s

[jonny777]

If anyone is interested, on Sunday June 18th 1978, a wander around Ebbw Junction shed (society visit) revealed the following. 

 

 

08035 08361 08363 08582 08594 08639 08780 08786 08791 08801 

 

37175 37192 37196 37210 37217 37222 37228 37239 37240 37247 37258 37270 37274 37293 37297 37303

 

47200

[JeffP]

Thanks Johnny.

 

Does anyone know why EJ was built as two separate buildings?

[The Stationmaster]

Thanks Johnny.

 

Does anyone know why EJ was built as two separate buildings?

 

Two different parts of the same building - 2 road servicing shed plus a 2 road (I think it was) dead end maintenance shed so in that respect fairly typical of WR diesel depots although the maintenance shed was not in anything like the same category as the heavy maintenance sheds at some of the other depots.

[Fat Controller]

Two different parts of the same building - 2 road servicing shed plus a 2 road (I think it was) dead end maintenance shed so in that respect fairly typical of WR diesel depots although the maintenance shed was not in anything like the same category as the heavy maintenance sheds at some of the other depots.

The 'dead-end' shed seemed always to have a lot of track machines of various sorts present.

[The Stationmaster]

The 'dead-end' shed seemed always to have a lot of track machines of various sorts present.

 

Definitely went that way n later years Brian although I'm not sure if that was its original purpose - just something that happened, as at Reading, because the capacity was there to do so.

[JeffP]

I had it in my mind that the dead end shed used to have the high level platforms for access to the top and sides of locos, like in larger depots? Although not the lower levels below rail level?

 

Or did I imagine that? I only went once in early 1975 iirc to go and see Falcon, with Dalescroft.