GWR Branch With Heavy(ish) freight?

[Guest WM183]

Things like road vehicles are important, true. Plus for some reason I've always liked the BR's 16 ton mineral wagons.

[The Johnster]

All steel 16ton minerals are a subject in themselves, with a surprising amount of variety; actually it's probably not that surprising given the number of them that were built!  If you are going to model South Wales they are going to be a part of your life, already making an impact in 1947 with ex-LMS pooled and Ministry of Supply/Transport wagons in service.  They steadily ousted the the 7 plank wooden minerals over the next 15 years.

[Flying Pig]

49 minutes ago, The Johnster said:

All steel 16ton minerals are a subject in themselves

 

A shortish thread on 16 tonners.

[Guest WM183]

1 hour ago, Flying Pig said:

 

A shortish thread on 16 tonners.

 

Page 1 of 136.

I'm going in. 

[Flying Pig]

1 hour ago, WM183 said:

 

Page 1 of 136.

I'm going in. 

 

Take supplies and winter clothing.

[br2975]

On 27/04/2019 at 22:03, WM183 said:

Oh! Panniers, 56xx, and 42xx sounds like it might be just what I'm looking for. If they disliked running bunker first, would most termini have had a turntable, or would they run bunker first until they arrived at a wye, junction with a turntable, etc? 

Not many turntables "up the valleys" where most sheds did without them, working "head up" the valley(s) and bunker first back to the coast.

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Even then, as Happy Hippo pointed out, it was not unusual to see locos heading up the valley bunker first or vice versa.

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There we few "wyes" or similar "up the valleys" and those that did exist were built for traffic purposes, not for turning locos.

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Happy Hippo, Fat Controller and I all originate from South (and South West) Wales, so feel free to ask us any questions, we're here to help.

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Brian R

[Guest WM183]

Thank all of you very very much. I will not hesitate to ask any questions I might have, and I am sure I will have a bunch of them. I also hope to be able to take a holiday to that region sometime soon™, if finances and vacation time allow it; not such a long trip from Holland after all! (By my weird American standards, anyway)

[br2975]

Hornby 42xx, 72xx, Bachman 56xx, 57xx, 8750 are all prime candidates for "the valleys" and get yourself one of the forthcoming Bachmann 94xx panniers, but only if you model from 1950 onwards. Similarly, from 1953, 4575 2-6-2T locos were auto-fitted for passenger use in the valleys, bolstering the existing 64xx auto-fitted panniers. The 2251 0-6-0 was occasionally seen, but primarily on the Brecon & Mertnyr route from Newport to Brecon.

Larger GWR tender classes were also common on the Vale of Neath line between Pontypool Road and Neath e.g. 28xx 2-8-0, 43xx 2-6-0 and 68xx 'Grange" 4-6-0.

South Wales valleys are an interesting, and neglec ted area amongst modellers.

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Brian R

[br2975]

If you are interested in pursuing the South Wales valleys theme, here are just a few books that I recommend, others may have different views, and may add to the list:-

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Steam in South Wales, a series of six books (photo albums) by Michael Hale

Vol.1 - The Valleys

Vol.2 - North and West of Swansea

Vol.3 - Main Line and the Docks

Vol.4 - Monmouthshire

Vol.5 - East and Mid Glamorgan

Vol.6 - The General Scene

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Rickard's Record, a series of three books (again, photo albums) by Brian J.Miller, featuring the photos of Sid Rickard

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Great Western Steam in South Wales, and the follow-up More Great Western Steam in South Wales, both are albums, featuring the photographs of Sid Rickard, published by Bradford Barton.

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Heyday of Steam in South Wales, a colour album by Derek Huntriss, published by Ian Allan.

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Ely Valley Railway - by Colin Chapman, published by the Oakwood Press

Taff Vale Lines to Penarth - by Mountford and Sprinks, published by the Oakwood Press.

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Also, there are a number of books, in an ongoing series, containing the photographs of John Hodge. To date they have featured the South Wales main line, the bottom end of the North & West Route, and the Western Valleys north of Newport. I believe John Hodge worked for BR at one time in Cardiff, and the notes with each photograph contain in depth information on the workings involved.

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During the 1950s and 1960s, there were a number of active photographers record ding the local scene, and whose images you may wish to seek out, names such as (i) Alan Jarvis (ii) Sid Rickard (iii) John Hodge (iv) R.O. "Bob" Tuck (v) John Wiltshire, and a few by (vi) B.J. "Ben" Ashworth, and (vii) Robert 'Bob' Masterman

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Thrown open to the floor for other relevant publications that may help you (i) model South Wales, and (ii) spend lots of money !

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Brian R 

 

Edited May 11, 2019 by br2975

[Guest WM183]

Oh wow, thank you Brian! This is a load of reading, and i will be sure to seek all of them out on ebay; I've been growing quite a collection on the GWR, as well as on the freight wagons in use by all the Big 4 save SR for now - and the series by Bixley is on my want list. I will add these to my list as well!

 

If I were to set my date as say, 1952, so I could have both GWR and early BR liveries on my locomotives and stock, what percentage of my mineral fleet by this time might be steel, between the LMS and BR ones and all? 25%, or less? Or were they built quickly?

[The Johnster]

For 1952, you can and should have liveries ranging from wartime GW austerity to BR 'unicycling lion' and crimson coaches, including late GW and the GW/BR transition liveries.  Another book recommendation would be John Lewis' 'GW Auto Trailers', 2 parts of which I only have part 1.  This contains several photos of Llantrisant and the Cowbridge branch with auto trailers in various liveries; you have plenty of scope to indulge your scratchbuilding needs with Llantrisants collection of antediluvian trailers!  

 

I'd go for about 20% all steel minerals, but they were in full production, and the rest 7 plankers in a mixture of faded XPO liveries with BR numbers, maybe one or two with original numbers, two or three plain wood 'livery' with BR numbers, and BR grey livery, some freshly painted.  I wouldn't bothe with vacuum fitted ones.  Coal hoppers or 21tonners would be mostly LNER types and a few 'Felix Pole' ex-GW.  For general merchandise freight I'd go for about half and half vans and opens, with about 60% of the vans and 40% of the opens vacuum fitted; an open or two in unpainted wood livery is appropriate.  They can come from all of the big 4 companies and by 1952 maybe 20%, but no more, will be new BR standards.  Some late build big 4s can be new, as they were still being built.  As you've mentioned elsewhere, RTR and kits do not cater well for ex GW types, but Baccy's Mogo, Fruit, Parto and Shock vans are not bad, nor is their Southern Railway built GW liveried 'Ashford' van.

 

Apropos which, Ashford works had a large quantity of pre cut timber in stock to build vans with during the war, and the Ministry of Supply ordered all the railways to source their vans there, with large numbers of unfitted vans supplied to the LMS and GW, and several hundred to the LNER.  Of the big 4, the LMS had the largest number of wagons to donate to the newly formed BR in 1948, so about a third should probably from there, followed by the LNER and GW with token appearances of Southern (apart from Ashford vans which were fairly common and still being built).  Common user 'pool' vehicles got all over the system pretty quickly in 1948.  

 

BR very quickly in 1948 formed an 'Ideal Wagons Committee', to deal with the very large quantity of stock that was outdated and unsuitable for further use, much of which had been worked to death during the war, and to advise on the best features to include in the designs for the new standard stock.  it sounds like a talking shop nightmare, but was very effective in getting to grips with the problem.  In 1952, it's work was in full swing; wagons taken out of service due for overhaul or failed in service were taken through a sort of triage system.

 

Those beyond saving were withdrawn immediately, and stored on disused sidings or closed lines until the scrappers could get around to them.  Those that had a little life left in them were patched up and put back into service until they got too far gone; you sometimes saw vehicles with 'OJO' (one journey only) chalked on the side, which meant that the vehicle was withdrawn and put with the scrappers as soon as it had been unloaded, when it would acquire the 'cross in a circle' condemned mark, painted on so it couldn't be rubbed off.  Those in good condition were refurbished, often with vacuum brakes and buffers to 'XP' standards, and put back into service.  All this took about a decade to achieve in the case of general merchandise wagons, and another 5 years or so for 7 plank minerals, though by that time the process was being assisted by a fall in traffic.  

 

The IWC (not the Isle of Wight Central) had a major impact on freight stock during 'our' period.

 

Brian R is a very good contact for information such as working timetables, local instructions, duty target numbers, and much of that sort of thing; he has spent years making his own records and keeping them, unlike most of us, and acquiring railway publications; his forte is the South Wales area particularly Cardiff, and he will be able to tell you much about Llantrisant.  He is also an all round good bloke, but whatever you do don't tell him I said that..

[br2975]

The cheque is in the post John !

[br2975]

If you are using 1952 as a basis, and Llantrisant as you inspiration, then you are reducing your operational interest if you seek to run passenger trains.

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The Llantrisant - Cowbridge branch closed to passengers on 24th November, 1951, albeit, the freight service continued until 1st February, 1965, when the Cowbridge - Llanharry section was closed. Haemetite (iron ore) continued to be mined at Llanharry, and transported by rail to the steel works in Cardiff, via Llantrisant, until 25th July, 1975.  The iron ore trains were hauled from Llantrisant - Llanharry then propelled back to Llantrisant, usually by a 57xx/8750 pannier tank, or later by a Cl.08 diesel shunter.

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The Llantrisant - Pontypridd passenger service ended in 1952, having provided gainful employment to a pair of former TVR railmotor cars (TVR 16 & 13) rebuilt into a two car auto set (W1317 & W4025) by the GWR. I believe motive power for the service was provided by Abercynon shed, and around nationalisation could produce a Metro tank,  a former TVR Class A tank or a 64xx pannier. The Cwm Colliery - Tonteg section remained open to freight until 18th September 1964, and the Llantrisant - Cwm Colliery section finally closed, with Cwm (Llantwit) Colliery in March, 1987.

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The GWR Llantrisant - Penygraig  line closed to passengers after your  chosen 1952 date, in the late 50s. The Coed Ely Colliery - Clydach Vale section closed in April, 1967. A branch of this section from Gellyrhaidd - Gilfach Goch (setting for the movie 'How Green was My Valley') closed in June, 1961. Llantrisant (Mwyndy Jct) - Coed Ely Colliery closed in October, 1983.

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I will leave out the Llantrisant No.1 Railway between Common Branch Jct and Waterhall Jct as in your chosen period, the handful of trains using the branch were usually Radyr workings.

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The final branch in the Llantrisant area, was that from Maesaraul on the Llantrisant--Pontypridd line to Brofiscin Quarry. The last few hundred yards twixt Mwyndy and Brofiscin Quarry closed in 1936, and only Masearaul - Mwyndy remained in use for coal merchants traffic to Maesaraul and Mwyndy, and explosives traffic to ICI owned magazines, in caves, near Mwnydy. This branch closed as late as October, 1968....in later steam days, it was worked about midday from Llantrisant, using the 57xx/8750 pannier diagrammed to the Cowbridge Branch goods, then the Llantrisant Cl.08 diesel 'pilot'.

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On the day BR was formed, January 1st 1948, Llantrisant shed's allocation was as follows;-

NSWADJ  2-6-2T - 1205 (shed pilot)

14xx - 0-4-2T      - 1471 (Penygraig Branch auto train)

'Metro' 2-4-0T    - 3586

42xx 2-8-0T        - 4208, 4261

57xx 0-6-0PT     - 3617, 3656, 3691, 3703, 4674, 5708, 5777, 7721, 9746, 9780

GWR Railcar     - 18 (Cowbridge Branch)

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If you haven't fallen asleep yet, next time we should move onto 'TARGETS' (Trip As Required, Goods Engine Turn) - a South Wales necessity.

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Brian R

Edited May 16, 2019 by br2975

[The Johnster]

The rebuild TVR railmotor auto trailers would need scratch building; they were quite a distinctive looking pair.  Hauled by a rebuilt 'A', they could not be used in auto mode and would have had to have been run around by the loco for each journey in each direction.  Railcar 18 was the streamlined type produced by Dapol, and may have been temporary on the Cowbridge branch in January 1948, though several photos show it there at different times, with various engine or gearbox cover panels missing; it was a 'spare' to cover several workings in what was then the Newport Division.  The regular Cowbridge loco for most of the branch's final years was 1421.  

 

I doubt if two more seminally different branches than Cowbridge and Penygraig were ever worked by the same depot from the same main line junction.  Cowbridge was the very epitome of rural bucolic, set in rolling agricultural country.   Even then it was probably the wealthiest town in Wales.  Penygraig was a rough and tumble valleys outpost, with the line continuing to Clydach Vale colliery and hugging a precipitous mountain slope, through an industry-blasted landscape where all the trees had disappeared years ago for pit props and ragged sheep rooted among spoil heaps; it was a declining and deprived community that despite having seen better (and worse) days had never been wealthy.  It was also several hundred feet above sea level and notably bleak in an area where bleakness was the default...

 

Pit props are important.  It is the nature of mining that the workings are extended continually by the action of winning coal, as long as the pit is making money, and in an areas of faulted sedimentary rocks in layered strata the roof had to be held up.  Wooden pit props were the traditional method, though steel ones had been developed by the 1950s and were in use at some pits.  Opinion among miners was divided; a wooden prop would creak and let you know if something bad was about to happen, and you had a few seconds to try to get out, whereas the steel ones, although reckoned to be stronger, gave up without warning.  Some men appreciated the warning, and some would have preferred not to know; if the roof came down on you it was pretty instantaneous, but if you were trapped behind a fall, your end could be long and agonising.  

 

Many pits used wooden props for various reasons well into the 80s, and there was a huge depot for them at Marshfield on the SWML between Newport and Cardiff.  They were pine or elm, imported pre cut to a standard 6' length which was trimmed on site to fit the location in the mining gallery, from Canada, Scandinavia, France (the forests in the Bordeaux region), Belgium, (the Ardennes), Portugal and, even at the height of the cold war, Russia.  They were stored to mature  at Marshfield, and tripped out to the collieries in 5 plank or steel opens.  The depot was destroyed by a huge fire in the 80s.  There was another one at Lletty Brongu near Bridgend which I know less about.  If your layout feeds a coal mine, and this is South Wales after all, an occasional wagon of props can be delivered to it.  These can be modelled from various sources; I found my attempts using cocktail or kebab sticks always looked a bit thin and flimsy compared to photos and my memory of them, and was lucky to find some preformed resin ones at last year's Bristol show in an 'everything £1' box on a trade stand, and now wish i'd bought more than the one!  I think it was designed as a timber load for a H0 continental wagon or modern image 00, but a bit of cutting produced this...

 

 

 

Passenger workings apart from the autos mentioned were the main line stoppers, and included the daily Porthcawl-Cardiff commuter train.  Motive power for this was habitually 3100, a large prairie with smaller driving wheels and a bigger boiler than the one Hornby and Dapol are about to produce.  The other stopping trains would have been Cardiff-Swansea stoppers, hauled by 43xx moguls or possibly a Grange or 2251 in 1952.  The expresses, sweeping majestically through at 70 or so, would have been behind Castles, 10xx Counties or maybe a surviving Canton or Landore Star, or one of Canton's new Britannias.  The named trains, Red Dragon and Pembroke Coast Express, would have had new Hawksworth stock in BR crimson and cream, the others a mix of Colletts in BR crimson/cream with some chocolate and cream GW/early BR transition survivors.  Restaurant Cars were Hawkworth-refurbished Colletts, and Comet do them.

 

If you are going to include the main line, then as well as a good amount of mineral traffic and general merchandise goods, you will need to represent the daily milk and fish workings from West Wales, parcels workings, steel traffic, and trains of oil tankers from the refineries and tank farms down line at Milford Haven/Pembroke Dock and Llandarcy near Neath.  Locos are everything GW except Kings and 47xx, plus the new Brits.  The other BR standards did not come on the scene in any quantity by 1952, but you might include a Standard 5MT.   

 

Of course, as soon as you are away from the main line, none of this is necessary. but if you actually intend to model Llantrisant station, a sizeable project, it will be.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 16, 2019 by The Johnster

[Guest WM183]

There is clearly a lot to consider! I do want to be able to run a passenger service or two, even if it's just a pannier with a single coach, and I am quite sure I will not have the room to model Llansitrant itself. I was thinking I'd like to have at least somewhat of a bucolic setting, with opportunities for a couple small hillside farms and sheep grazing nearby, but also with the ability to run some heavy action with 56xx or other types of 0-6-2ts alongside the more usual panniers. I would be ok restricting things to pre-BR if it helped open up operations? I can redecorate my BR pannier easily enough to a wartime black scheme. I was thinking of having a station (the usual type of "terminus" station with goods shed) and, past that a bit, the colliery itself. 

I was thinking that mining timbers and other mining equipment would keep those opens in use and give the usual goods train more to do, and add some variety to the trains that swi... err, shunt the colliery. In addition, a couple of mine runs per day and the branch passenger service should keep a handful of various tank locos busy and give me plenty to build? 

[Harlequin]

Hi Amanda,

Are you thinking of modelling the heavy industry (mining?) or just suggesting it off scene somewhere?

You say that you imagine the industry would be beyond the bucolic passenger station. If the industry was off-scene then it might be possible to model a through station rather than a terminus - you could just say that there are one or more industrial destinations further up the valley and even possibly more passenger stations. This would allow more variety and frequency of traffic through your station.

Following that train of thought (sorry) the layout might be a fiddle-yard to scenic to fiddle-yard arrangement or possibly even a roundy-round through the scenic area and through the fiddle-yard.

How much space have you got available for your layout?

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by Harlequin

[The Stationmaster]

Ah, relevant books.  You might find it useful to have a look here to get a feel of the track layouts - the volume covering the Rhondda Branches would be particularly useful;  I have found their mail order service to be excellent .  And keep an eye on the site for more volumes reappearing as Tony updates them -

 

http://lightmoor.co.uk/category.php?section=Track Plans

 

 

In addition to the various books already recommended by Brian I would add the following -

 

The Taff Vale Railway, published by Silver Link, author John Hutton, 3 volumes but out of print although sometimes come up on the secondhand market .  Volume 3 covers the branch lines.

 

The Rhymney Railway, same publisher and author, 2 volumes also out of print.  Volume 2 covers the branch lines.

 

The Aber Branch published by the WRRC (Welsh Railways Research Circle)

 

Adding to Brian's two mentioned Oakwood Press volumes by Colin Chapman there are also - same publisher and author - 

The Llantrisant Branches of the Taff Vale Railway, and

The Nelson and Ynysybwl Branches of the TVR

 

The Middleton Press 'Welsh Valleys' series can be a useful introduction but they are now rather expensive for what they are although worth searching out secondhand provided they are sensibly priced

[br2975]

16 hours ago, WM183 said:

There is clearly a lot to consider! I do want to be able to run a passenger service or two, even if it's just a pannier with a single coach, and I am quite sure I will not have the room to model Llansitrant itself. I was thinking I'd like to have at least somewhat of a bucolic setting, with opportunities for a couple small hillside farms and sheep grazing nearby, but also with the ability to run some heavy action with 56xx or other types of 0-6-2ts alongside the more usual panniers.

 

Contrary to popular myth, South Wales is not all coal mines and terraced houses a la  "Ponty, Pop, Bromide Lil and Ye Golden Dap at Aberflyarff" (search out the cartoons of the late, lamented 'Gren').

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gren

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There are/were any number of lines that ran through bucolic settings, without a pit or tip in sight.

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The Barry Railway main lines north of yard at  Cadoxton ran for mile upon mile of sparsely populated farmland until reaching either Trehafod (in the Rhondda Valley) or Llanbradach (in the Rhymney Valley), and through the Vale of Glamorgan to reach Coity (Bridgend).

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The Taff Vale route from Lantrisant - Treforest passed little industry, and fewer passengers ! But still saw ex-TVR tanks, also 57xx, 42xx and 56xx tanks amongst others.

The Taff Vale route around the coast from Cogan, through Penarth to Biglis via 'Bare Bum Bay' (Lavernock) was tranquil enough to have some camping coaches based along the line.

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The Vale of Neath line that crossed numerous valleys on its way from Pontypool Road to Neath (closed as a through route  in 1964) passed through some sparsely populated areas, and some dense industry........and what a route it was, especially for those wanting variety, 41xx, 51xx,61xx 'Prairie tanks', 57xx, 64xx, 94xx and the odd 74xx pannier, 42xx 2-8-0Ts and 72xx 2-8-2Ts, 56xx tanks, 28xx 2-8-0, 68xx 'Grange' 4-6-0s, and the occasional LMS 8F 2-8-0. 

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Sections of the Brecon & Merthyr were also removed from the archetypal 'valleys' setting, BUT, if you want 'twee' don't choose Aberbargoed in later years.

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'Johnster' mentioned a 'pit prop' yard at Llety Brongu, near Bridgend, actually run by J.O.Williams (?) at Wern Tarw.......and what a desolate place that branch negotiated, very few trees, windswept, heathland, bogs (not to be confused with toilets - South Walian slang for the toilet being 'the bog' or 'the dubs' )  and much scrub. I recall in about 1970, a Cl.47 diesel taking a full train of props there from Barry Docks. 

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Which brings me to........and, if you are serious about modelling South Wales, we need to educate you in the art of speaking "Wenglish" - a bastardised blend of Welsh and English, which sees Welsh place names mispronounced ( i.e. not pronounced in the correct Welsh) by locals.

After all, if you should visit South Wales, we wouldn't want you to "look twp".

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Brian R

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by br2975

[Fat Controller]

Just a thought; instead of the South Wales Main Line around Llantrisant, how about the other main line, up the Vale of Neath, then onwards via Quakers' Yard to Pontypool Road. The western part of it, from Neath to Hirwaun is a fairly steep-sided valley, which used to have a lot of 'drift' mines going into the valley sides. There were further 'deep' mines on the valley floor, such as Resolven. There were also aluminium works at Rheola, and a silica mine (and associated refractory works) at Pont Nedd Fechan, near Glyn Neath. The latter produced an internationally-reknowned fire-brick, stamped with the word 'Dinas'; the Russians took this to be the generic term for such bricks.

The line didn't just serve the local industry, but carried through freight services from Swansea and South West Wales to the Midlands, via Pontypool Road. 

[Welchester]

18 hours ago, br2975 said:

Which brings me to........and, if you are serious about modelling South Wales, we need to educate you in the art of speaking "Wenglish" - a bastardised blend of Welsh and English, which sees Welsh place names mispronounced ( i.e. not pronounced in the correct Welsh) by locals.

After all, if you should visit South Wales, we wouldn't want you to "look twp".

 

Overheard in a pub in Pontypool thirty or so years ago:

'English people can't pronounce Welsh names, isn't it?'

'No. They can't say Pontnewynydd ("Pon-wen-id").'

[Guest WM183]

Hi folks. I am doing my best to keep up here!
 

23 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Hi Amanda,

Are you thinking of modelling the heavy industry (mining?) or just suggesting it off scene somewhere?

You say that you imagine the industry would be beyond the bucolic passenger station. If the industry was off-scene then it might be possible to model a through station rather than a terminus - you could just say that there are one or more industrial destinations further up the valley and even possibly more passenger stations. This would allow more variety and frequency of traffic through your station.

Following that train of thought (sorry) the layout might be a fiddle-yard to scenic to fiddle-yard arrangement or possibly even a roundy-round through the scenic area and through the fiddle-yard.

How much space have you got available for your layout?

 

 

I believe I will model a "through station" of sorts, in the sense that there will be a coal mine (which I would like to depict on the layout) beyond the station itself, where the line will terminate. The station will be the "terminus" as far as passenger service is concerned, but of course much of the goods workings will continue to the mine, with everything from rock drill bits to explosives to timbers. So I will likely have a fiddle yard at one end, then the station, and then the mine, if that makes sense? 

I think I will stay "branchline-ish" with my goal for now, simply because I prefer tank locomotives, particularly panniers, prairies, and 0-6-2s. I fear I cannot pronounce a bit of Welsh correctly, so I will do my best to learn correct pronunciation. I speak English, Dutch, and Spanish, and Welsh is more intimidating than them all combined. Eeps. I will likely "proto-lance" the layout; not depicting any specific place, but just a representative of sorts somewhere in the Valleys with scenery and structures being representative and not purely imitative. Perhaps once I have sharpened my scratchbuilding and scenicking skills, I'd be more inclined to try to accurately depict specific places.

Thanks so much all! I will try to sketch my rough idea for a plan and upload it this weekend for critiques and suggestions.

Amanda

[The Johnster]

I have failed no less than 4 times to learn Welsh, and I live here and know how the dipthongs and pronunciation work!  The mutations are fiendish.  

 

Branch termini with collieries beyond them worked from Llantrisant are Gilfach Goch and Penygraig, so something combining the features of both might suit your needs.  For the sort of space you seem to be describing, though, how about Bleangarw for inspiration...

[br2975]

So, you wish to operate passenger services, and include a station.

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Try thinking "outside the box"..........and run just a workmen's service, to the colliery platform(s).

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Here is your excuse to build short, narrow platforms with ramshackle shelters, and no other facilities.

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Some employed unusual working practices e.g that from Cymmer Corrwg and Glyncorrwg to North Rhondda where the loco (57xx) propelled the train up the valley and drew it back down again. This continued until about 1964.

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In the 1950s some services still employed former GWR four wheeled stock.

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There was an excellent article on these services by Ian Wright in an old edition of Backtrack

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The last unadvertised workmans service I can trace was in a 1966 DMU diagram, where units on the Bridgend - Treherbert service would "divert" along the by then freight only line from Cymmer (Afan) to Duffryn Rhondda colliery at shift change times ( approx 06:00, 14:00 and 22:00 ).

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There were any number of workmen's platforms across South Wales, of various sizes and decrepitude.

[The Johnster]

This is a good idea, and the Ratio 4 wheel kits and recently re-introduced Hornby 'shortie' clerestories are perfect for it.  The Hornby clerestories have incorrect BR standard bogies but these can be made to look better by cutting out the tiebars and adding footboards.  The proper bogies are available from 247 developments.  

 

I have such workman's services on my layout, serving the local colliery.  They were needed in the days before the NCB fulfilled it's promise to provide pithead baths at all pits, which took some, as the men went home dirty and washed in a tin bath at home in front of the fire; pithead baths were a major social reform.  The trains were old stock with the upholstery removed so that the compartments could be hosed down easily.  Some pits continued to have workmens services after the baths were built, because that was the only means of getting the men to the pit in the case of some of the more isolated places; North Rhondda was miles from anywhere even by valleys standards and didn't even have footpath access.

 

The North Rhondda train propelled from Cwmmer Corrwg, and had a brake 3rd leading coach with a circular window cut in the end so that the guard could see the track ahead, and a bell that the sheep could ignore him ringing, a sort of ersatz auto coach.

 

But I'd find it hard to resist the lure of Llantrisant's wonderful collection of oddball auto coaches!  Recommend John Lewis's 'Great Western Auto Trailers Part 1' which has several photos of them at Llantrisant and on the Cowbridge branch.

[Clearwater]

Let’s not forget the Severn Valley combines bucolic scenery with coal mining, particularly Highley!