Fochriw (formally Mynydd Du)

[Re6/6]

Thanks both. The plan is to have low embankments on either side with smaller ones in the 'Y' areas.

[MrWolf]

A bit of rolling countryside always adds to the sense of space. 

 

[Re6/6]

....with slag heaps in the background!

[MrWolf]

56 minutes ago, Re6/6 said:

....with slag heaps in the background!

 

Add a slate grey sky and that's the backscene sorted! 

[Re6/6]

You've read my mind!

[MrWolf]

I'm not that good!

 

It just puts me in mind of the location photos that I took for my own layout.

 

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by MrWolf

[The Johnster]

On 07/11/2021 at 10:06, Captain Kernow said:

Perhaps I may comment, as I think that I may have originally shared these photos with John.

 

The pannier that's pushing the two clerestory coaches is propelling them uphill, which was the practice for serving North Rhondda Platform (miners trains only). The train would have been hauled as far as the last station with a run round loop (Glyncorrwg) and then propelled the last couple of miles or so to the colliery, so the loco is definitely 'facing uphill'.

 

 

To clarify, the collieries at the top end of the Corrwg valley were situated in a very steep and narrow defile, and space was at a premium even by South Wales standards.  There was little room for runaround loops, and beyond Glyncorrwg village all trains were propelled up the valley, mineral and workmen's. Working above Glyncorrwg was 'one engine in steam', and there were no signalboxes or signals beyond Glyncorrwg, only ground frames worked by the guards.  It was all pretty basic stuff!

 

The workmens consisted, consequetively of the Dean 4-wheelers pictured, the last in service, then the non-gangwayed clerestories pictured, again the last in service, then Metropolitan & City coaches, also the last in service.  The clerestories and the Met & City stock had windows cut into the leading ends for the guard to keep a look out on the very sharp curvature, and he was given an auto-trailer type bell operated by a foot pedal to frighten the sheep with.  The clerestories did not include a brake vehicle, and the leading compartment was used by the guard, his lookout window being a round porthole type.  The Met & City set had a 'proper' brake third with a setter in it, and 'Clifton Downs' type windows.  On the 4 wheelers, which had proper brake thirds, the guard just leaned out of the side windows,

 

Liveries are difficult to be certain of given the exterior condition of the 4-wheelers and the clerestories.  Some 4-wheelers were given BR crimson livery at Caerphilly Works but I am unable to say if any of these worked at Glyncorrwg, and the livery is probably 1942-5 austerity brown under the filth.  I believe the clerestories were also in this livery.  The Met & City stock, the last used before the workmens was withdrawn in 1961 because the pithead baths were open by then and a bus could be used, seems to have been in a generally better exterior state and looks in photographys to have been in 1956 unlined maroon livery. 

 

Locos were 8750 panniers in all photos I have seen, and the job was from Dyffryn Yard shed.  The coaches were gas lit, as speeds were insufficient to keep batteries charged for electric lighting, and a Cordon visited Glyncorrwg once a week.  Glyncorrwg would be a very interesting place to model, but the locomotive biodiversity was a little restricted in later years.  The branch was originally worked from Neath as the furthest end of the South Wales Mineral Railway, but the traffic was routed via the Rhondda & Swansea Bay after the SWMR closed below Cwmmer Corrwg in the 1930s, hence the Duffryn Yard connection, and for the last years of the traffic, after the R&SB closed in 1962, via the GWR route through Caerau Tunnel and the Llynfi Valley to Tondu, then the Ogmore Vale extension to the new yard at Margam.  Post 1962, Tondu steam locos were used, followed by Margam D95xx when Tondu closed to steam in 1965 (IIRC it remained open as a signing on point for a while, but the shed was out of use, and demolished by 1970), one of which ran away and put itself into the Corrwg river, proving a challenging job to recover.  MGR working with Margam class 37s was used at the end of the branch's existence.

[Re6/6]

Many thanks Johnster for some very enlightening information.

[Re6/6]

After temporary surface wiring and rudimentary hand point switching and control, a very satisfactory day was spent checking out the trackwork with CK and 10800. Some re-adjustment and tweaking was indicated as CK's stock is tried and tested and much more reliable than mine! We're almost there but a few small issues have arisen predominantly after using old recycled pointwork (to be expected with 40+year old items!) Anyway, it has proved all most instructive. 

 

A first mock-up was made for the exit area to the cassette board using cardboard and brown paper. I think that it's worked out to be quite pleasing to the eye. What I'm trying to create is a sufficient 'enclosure' for the topography of the layout and to give that 'layout in the landscape' look.

 

Rod very kindly will be doing the wiring of the layout and the control panel (after I've built it!).

 

 

Tim's 'Lord Salisbury' industrial was run for the first time on the NCB line.

The Rhymney 'A1' runs on the BR LINE, it's proper location!

Edited November 17, 2022 by Re6/6

[NHY 581]

That looks splendid, John. 

[MrWolf]

That really does help visualise the layout, much better than flying by the seat of your pants.

[Din]

On 31/08/2021 at 18:10, Re6/6 said:

New engine for Mynydd. The Rhymney Railway R class was built by Andrew Howlett and is awaiting numbering and heavy weathering by CK.

 

 

 

 

Is that a kit or scratch built? Either way it's stunning!

[Re6/6]

It was built from a NuCast kit with a scratchbuilt chassis some years ago by Andrew Howlett. The body kit is still available from NuCast Partners/Branchlines.

 

I agree that Andrew's work is stunning! It runs like a Swiss watch. It is due to be heavily weathered.

[Captain Kernow]

A couple of images of a 56XX shunting during yesterday's operating session:

 

 

 

[Re6/6]

Can anybody identify what coaches these might have been please?

 

They are on a 'colliers workman's' train at Glyncorrwg. Could they have been a couple of ex-auto coaches? I've also posted this request on the UK prototype (questions) section.

 

Cty Hodge and Davies 'Tondu Valleys' by Pen and Sword.

Edited November 17, 2022 by Re6/6

[Siberian Snooper]

Definitely auto trailers,  there's a gong visible on the leading one and it looks as if the 2nd one  has windows in the end, as to the diagram,  I can't help, I lent my books out and they've not yet been returned.

 

 

[Miss Prism]

Diagram D62. (Slightly modified for auto use.)

[MrWolf]

Those are interesting, does a drawing still exist for them?

[Cwmtwrch]

Main Line and City brake thirds W3755W and W3756W converted to gas lighting and given an additional central droplight window in the brake end for the driver [the other two end windows are original] and a warning gong. There was no through regulator gear, so they were never true auto-trailers. Initially there had also been an all third W3910W. They replaced the previous clerestories at about the end of 1957. They worked Glyncorrwg to British Rhondda colliery, and, like all their predecessors were were always propelled uphill to the colliery because of the gradient involved. Info from John Lewis' "Great Western Auto Trailers" Vol.2.

[Re6/6]

The name has been changed from Mynydd Du to Fochriw as explained in the edited first post on the thread.

 

There is a little more work to be done on Marsh Sidings for two show appearances next year and then work proper can be continued with Fochriew with the prospect of CK's lovely NCB industrials trundling about!

 

The long process of reinstating as many of the images as iIcan has started (one post a day!)

 

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by Re6/6
Spelling!

[Kylestrome]

1 hour ago, Re6/6 said:

The name has been changed from Mynydd Du to Fochriew

 

How does one pronounce it without it sounding rude?

[Re6/6]

1 hour ago, Kylestrome said:

 

How does one pronounce it without it sounding rude?

 

 

https://www.howtopronounce.com/welsh/fochriw   ............better than I can write!

[NHY 581]

6 hours ago, Kylestrome said:

 

How does one pronounce it without it sounding rude?

 

 

Voch rhew. 

[MrWolf]

1 hour ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

Voch rhew. 

 

I remember my ex saying that, or other, similar words...

[Re6/6]

As many images as possible have been reinstated. Strangely it will allow me to reinstate only one of the lost images in each post. Anyway about half restored is better than none!