Busy present day single track mainline

[The Johnster]

On 17/11/2019 at 20:40, Philou said:

Hmmmm ......... I know it's out-of-area, but even the Vale of Glamorgan line (Cardiff - Bridgend via Barry) which has only recently had its passenger services re-instated after 40(?)-odd years (hourly I think) and freight only for those years, was, insofar as I am aware, always double tracked. The freight traffic was primarily MGR traffic to a power station, some Ford engine works traffic (not a lot) and then other times used as a diversionary route when the SWML was being worked upon - not often.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

Passenger traffic reinstated 2005, 43 years freight only.  The VoG is interesting in having been originally built to allow through running at speed for mineral trains to Barry Docks; stations at approximately 3rd intervals had loops into the platforms (Aberthaw, Llantwit Major, Southerndown Road) so that the minerals could overtake the passenger traffic without stopping.  David Davies, GM of the Barry Railway which built this line, had no illusions about what made him his money and was thus more important!  In the 70s when I worked on it, as well as the Aberthaw Power Station traffic there was also cement traffic, Presflos and Vanfits, for the Aberthaw Cement Company's works at Rhoose and Aberthaw.  The Ford traffic was a twice a week delivery and clearance IIRC.  The power station kept a reserve of oil (it could be fired with coal or oil) and we occasionally worked trains of 100 ton oil tanks into it.

 

A few daily class 7 Severn Tunnel Jc-Margam transfer freights were routed this way to facilitate traincrew route familiarity, and the nightly up and down sleeper trains ran this was as well because of pathing issues on the SWML.  Line speed was 50mph, and a diversion from the SWML added 20 minutes to the Bridgend-Cardiff running time.  SWML occupations between Bridgend and Leckwith on Sundays saw all traffic diverted this way, as did the occasional derailment.

 

Southerndown Road, with passenger loops, must have over the years tricked many a daytripping family who thought that it gave access to the beach at Southerndown, Dunraven Bay.  It was a good hour's walk away along narrow country lanes; the station was primarily for the railway's benefit in a very sparsely populated area!

 

It's worth a ride between Barry and Bridgend on a clear day; Porthkerry viaduct and the section between Rhoose and Llantwit Major give good views over the Bristol Channel towards Exmoor, and the section between Llantwit Major and Bridgend is through very pleasant scenery including a charming wooded valley and some deep rock cuttings of the sort you expect to see a CPR Selkirk blasting through!  Llantwit Major is worth a stop if you like pub food, antique shops, and Celtic ecclesiastical history; there's a beach about half an hour's walk away good for sea fishing.

[DavidB-AU]

2 hours ago, rogerzilla said:

Ribblehead Viaduct?

 

1320 feet long, which is over 17 feet long in 4mm scale or 9 feet in N!

 

Cheers

David

[DavidB-AU]

It's not an overly busy line, but if you apply Rule 1 you could invent a passing loop at Melksham and divert passenger and freight traffic. HSTs have been diverted that way on occasions so it's entirely unrealistic. It used to have quite an attractive station until it became a glorified bus stop.

 

Cheers

David