Hymeks to Drakelow Power Station in the 1970s

[ISW]

Back in the 1970s, I think the early 1970s, there was one summer when pairs of Hymeks (Class 35) turned up on coal trains from the south to Drakelow Power Station (Burton-on-Trent). From memory there were 2 or 3 pairs that were used, and this went on for a few weeks. I 'assume' they came from the South Wales collieries, but to say this was unusual is a bit of an understatement!

 

Does anyone have any information / photos / details regarding these unusual movements?

 

Ian

[br2975]

I recall pairs of Hymeks working from Newport through to Hams hall, during early 1972, but have no further details.

[ISW]

2 hours ago, br2975 said:

I recall pairs of Hymeks working from Newport through to Hams hall, during early 1972, but have no further details.

The year sounds right, it's pairs of Hymeks again, and Hams Hall is not that far from Burton-on-Trent. Maybe South Wales was providing coal to a few Midlands power stations that year?

 

Ian

[Fat Controller]

3 hours ago, ISW said:

The year sounds right, it's pairs of Hymeks again, and Hams Hall is not that far from Burton-on-Trent. Maybe South Wales was providing coal to a few Midlands power stations that year?

 

Ian

There had been a miners' strike in early 1972. Perhaps this was an attempt to replenish stocks, in anticipation of another strike?

[ISW]

1 hour ago, Fat Controller said:

There had been a miners' strike in early 1972. Perhaps this was an attempt to replenish stocks, in anticipation of another strike?

Brian,

 

Now there's a thought. Hadn't considered that as a reason.

 

Still 'hoping' that someone has some photos ... It was well worth recording (I was too young to own a camera back then).

 

Ian

[The Stationmaster]

18 hours ago, ISW said:

The year sounds right, it's pairs of Hymeks again, and Hams Hall is not that far from Burton-on-Trent. Maybe South Wales was providing coal to a few Midlands power stations that year?

 

Ian

I do wonder if it came from South Wales pits?  Welsh coal has a different calorific value from the coals used in Midlands/Trent Valley power stations (Aberthaw was specifically designed to use Welsh coal but even then some blending was needed).  So I wonder if it was imported coal via Newport?

[ISW]

6 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

I do wonder if it came from South Wales pits?  Welsh coal has a different calorific value from the coals used in Midlands/Trent Valley power stations (Aberthaw was specifically designed to use Welsh coal but even then some blending was needed).  So I wonder if it was imported coal via Newport?

Mike,

That's a good possibility, but was imported coal a 'thing' back in the early 1970s? I thought the UK was self-sufficient back then? There were certainly plenty of coalmines!

Ian 

[Phil Bullock]

It’s not a double header but D7094 is heading northbound at Bromsgrove in 1972 on 8Zxx in this picture on the MIAC site….

 

D7094 Bromsgrove 8Zxx

[ISW]

11 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:

It’s not a double header but D7094 is heading northbound at Bromsgrove in 1972 on 8Zxx in this picture on the MIAC site….

 

D7094 Bromsgrove 8Zxx

Phil,

Thanks for the link/photo. That's the 'best' evidence I've seen to date. However, my recollection is that only pairs of Hymeks turned up at Drakelow Power Station (although I'm willing to accept that I could be wrong!).

Ian

[Phil Bullock]

12 minutes ago, ISW said:

Phil,

Thanks for the link/photo. That's the 'best' evidence I've seen to date. However, my recollection is that only pairs of Hymeks turned up at Drakelow Power Station (although I'm willing to accept that I could be wrong!).

Ian

Welcome! No clue as to where it’s going and I don’t recall any paths in the 71/72 wtt either. A lot of freights at that time ran under xZxx headcodes…

Edited August 26, 2022 by Phil Bullock

[br2975]

At the same time the Hymeks were reported working from Newport to Ham's Hall P.S. - immediately after the 1972 NUM Strike, 

 

5 – 6 daily MGR ‘specials’ had also commenced working between Newport Docks and Buildwas CEGB power station on weekdays and, some Sundays.

 

An initial fleet of 3, later 5, rakes of MGR hoppers were used, hauled by  Cardiff, Canton allocated, slow speed fitted,  Cl.47s in the 19XX series.

 

This makes the 'imported coal' theory more logical.

 

The weekly Waterston – Buildwas oil trains were also running daily at this time.

[ISW]

1 hour ago, br2975 said:

5 – 6 daily MGR ‘specials’ had also commenced working between Newport Docks and Buildwas CEGB power station on weekdays and, some Sundays.

 

An initial fleet of 3, later 5, rakes of MGR hoppers were used, hauled by  Cardiff, Canton allocated, slow speed fitted,  Cl.47s in the 19XX series.

 

Were Hymeks also used on MGR trains (are they compatible)? I ask because my memory keeps telling me those pairs of Hymeks at Drakelow CEGB power station were on MGR trains.

 

Ian

[Phil Bullock]

2 minutes ago, ISW said:

 

Were Hymeks also used on MGR trains (are they compatible)? I ask because my memory keeps telling me those pairs of Hymeks at Drakelow CEGB power station were on MGR trains.

 

Ian

Not compatible. Even if they had a slow speed unloading arrangement at the PS (Hymeks not fitted) MGR wagons are AB and Hymeks are not…

[45125]

9 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:

Not compatible. Even if they had a slow speed unloading arrangement at the PS (Hymeks not fitted) MGR wagons are AB and Hymeks are not…

Not unknown for vac braked locos to work MGRs, just ned a brake van, and run as class8.

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

7 hours ago, Phil Bullock said:

Not compatible. Even if they had a slow speed unloading arrangement at the PS (Hymeks not fitted) MGR wagons are AB and Hymeks are not…

 

I don't know Drakelow, but bear in mind some facilities had slugs/wire pullers to pull mgr wagons through at slow speed, therefore negating the need for ssc locos.

 

Mike.

[ISW]

9 hours ago, Phil Bullock said:

Not compatible. Even if they had a slow speed unloading arrangement at the PS (Hymeks not fitted) MGR wagons are AB and Hymeks are not…

It was worth a try ...

 

9 hours ago, 45125 said:

Not unknown for vac braked locos to work MGRs, just ned a brake van, and run as class8.

That's more that 'promising' ...

 

2 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

I don't know Drakelow, but bear in mind some facilities had slugs/wire pullers to pull mgr wagons through at slow speed, therefore negating the need for ssc locos.

Drakelow used to get a lot of it's coal from the Leicester Line collieries using the old 21 ton hopper wagons, so I suppose it could still cope with 'manually' emptying MGRs. Indeed, Drakelow was still receiving coal in 21 ton hoppers in 1978 as I have some photos of pairs of Class 20s delivering them to the CEGB power station.

 

Ian

[Fat Controller]

3 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

I don't know Drakelow, but bear in mind some facilities had slugs/wire pullers to pull mgr wagons through at slow speed, therefore negating the need for ssc locos.

 

Mike.

Looking at Quail, there seem to have been three discrete power stations on site, only two of which were fed via an MGR loop. The third had a dead-end facility.

[Phil Bullock]

4 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

I don't know Drakelow, but bear in mind some facilities had slugs/wire pullers to pull mgr wagons through at slow speed, therefore negating the need for ssc locos.

 

Mike.

Absolutely! Some  also had systems with tyred wheels which gripped the wagon sides …. As evidenced by the tracks down the side of some MGR wagons. Some PS also kept a slow speed fitted loco on site for traffic that arrived without one or …. as with Didcot and traffic from Avonmouth….  arrived on site with the train loco at the wrong end.

 

11 hours ago, 45125 said:

Not unknown for vac braked locos to work MGRs, just ned a brake van, and run as class8.

 

 

Absolutely … Not unknown but MGR train were far from common on the S Wales to Midlands route in 71/2. Most coal was still travelling in 16 and 21 ton minerals and hoppers. Don’t recall seeing a single MGR working on the route at that time, although a lot of interesting freight workings ran at times when we were not watching, including the Tunstead to Margam limestone which used MGR based CBAs. Were those unloaded at journeys end using MGR principles I wonder? The booked power was an AB Peak so no slow speed control there.

Edited August 27, 2022 by Phil Bullock
Spelling Timothy!

[Phil Bullock]

13 hours ago, br2975 said:

At the same time the Hymeks were reported working from Newport to Ham's Hall P.S. - immediately after the 1972 NUM Strike, 

 

5 – 6 daily MGR ‘specials’ had also commenced working between Newport Docks and Buildwas CEGB power station on weekdays and, some Sundays.

 

An initial fleet of 3, later 5, rakes of MGR hoppers were used, hauled by  Cardiff, Canton allocated, slow speed fitted,  Cl.47s in the 19XX series.

 

This makes the 'imported coal' theory more logical.

 

The weekly Waterston – Buildwas oil trains were also running daily at this time.

Did those run via Hereford Brian? 

[br2975]

7 hours ago, Phil Bullock said:

Did those run via Hereford Brian? 

.

I'm sorry Phil, but I don't know for sure.

.

I would assume so. 

[D7666]

Ask a silly question.

 

These trains with 2xD7000 what were the wagon types ?

 

I ask that because is it sure they were carrying coal ?

 

And asking as this is a subject I am very interested it.

 

The image of the D7000 on 8Zxx is not really far enough north to have a clue where it is going; but also really that type of coal 16/21T wagon is not the right type for power station coal to Hams Hall or Drakelow as far as I can recall those power stations. Although if it were a short term emergency flow I suppose anything goes.

 

First - coal or not coal ? 1971/1972 was the year of rapid expansion of Mendips stone extraction from what is known today at Merehead quarry. At this time there were no air brake Yeoman hoppers (PGA) - the stone was carried in vacuum brake HOP21 ex coal hoppers (HTV) or in vacuum or unbraked Ore tipplers (MCO and MCV). And, when the Merehead/ Westbury - Salisbury - Woking - Gatwick / Merstham flow started (D800s on HTV) these were all 6Zxx headcodes until whatever the next permanent WTT came out.  There was one 2xD7000 working off Westbury in 1971 or 1972 I remember but it was not one towards Salisbury (where I lived) and I don't think I ever knew what it's duty was; not even sure if it was stone. Is it possible this was not coal but a short term stone flow ?

 

Second Radstock colliery or one nearby in the Somerset field ISTR had a burst of different rail traffic 1972-ish not long before closure;   something like traditionally sent coal to Bristol area power station(s) but with PS closure or oil conversion, Radstock or wherever carred on mining coal and sent it elsewhere; especially useful in the 1972 etc crisis.

 

3rd D7000s suggest to me more likely to be from Westbury than South Wales; one would have expected D6900s if from South Wales (at this periods in time, Westbury had no 37s duties, not even sure they were in current traction knowledge on them).

 

So, simplyfying,

 

[1] are we sure these carried coal and  not stone ?

 

[2] if coal, it may have been from Somerset, not S.Wales

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Beechnut]

On 27/08/2022 at 06:55, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

I don't know Drakelow, but bear in mind some facilities had slugs/wire pullers to pull mgr wagons through at slow speed, therefore negating the need for ssc locos.

 

Mike.

I worked at Drakelow A&B from ‘76 to ‘78 and it was still wagon tipplers. I think C station was the same but don’t know for sure as I never ever down there, they were run as two separate entities. It was converted to MGR very soon after I left.

I can’t remember any form of haulage other than the Barclay 0-6-0 locos.

Willington also used wagon tipplers and the haulage through the tippler was wire rope. The device with the extending rollers was called a beetle. Conversion to MGR operation was around the same time as Drakelow.

Of course none of this answers the Hymek question other than I can’t remember MGR trains.

 

Brendan

[Phil Bullock]

4 hours ago, Beechnut said:

I worked at Drakelow A&B from ‘76 to ‘78 and it was still wagon tipplers. I think C station was the same but don’t know for sure as I never ever down there, they were run as two separate entities. It was converted to MGR very soon after I left.

I can’t remember any form of haulage other than the Barclay 0-6-0 locos.

Willington also used wagon tipplers and the haulage through the tippler was wire rope. The device with the extending rollers was called a beetle. Conversion to MGR operation was around the same time as Drakelow.

Of course none of this answers the Hymek question other than I can’t remember MGR trains.

 

Brendan

What wagons would the tippler take Brendan? 

[br2975]

Some extracts from my notes, and sources......................... some is relevant, some is added to give an idea of the constantly changing flows of the time.    

.

I have been unable to identify any South Wales - Drakelow 'specials'.

.

However, the R.O. reported that in March 1972 " Pairs of Cl.35s have been operating throughout on Newport – Hams Hall CEGB power station special coal trains "

The Miner's Strike in 1972 started on 9th. January and ended on 28th. February, which suggests the replenishing of Hams Hall stockpiles, at least.

There was little movement of coal in South Wales during the strike, with some 12-15 Cl.37s laid up at 'Taff Vale Sidings' alongside Canton Depot and Ninian Park Halt,  - a location where a large number of withdrawn and stored Hymeks were also languishing at the same time.

This also ties in with Phil Bullocks link to the MIAC site photo at Bromsgrove, taken in April, 1972.

. 

From Saturday 1st. August 1970 to Friday 4th. December, 1970 Newport Docks were closed to all shipping to allow work on the lock gates.

On Thursday 24th. December, 1970 the first imported coal in 13yrs landed at Newport Docks, with 4,500 tons of coking coal destined for BSC Llanwern, further imports from USA & Australia expected during 1971. 

Imported coal was also expected for Uskmouth Power Station, instead of domestic coal from North Staffs and Notts.

Uskmouth also received a daily load of 'free mined coal' from Parkend, and later was also fed from Llanharan D.P..

Uskmouth P.S. had received coal from Daw Mill amongst other collieries, with four additional workings being run from Washwood Heath - Uskmouth on 2nd. November, 1969.

.

Therefore it is possible (note I say 'possible') that the workings originating from Newport, 'may' have contained imported coal for Hams Hall or even Drakelow, and not domestically mined coal, as I would have expected such workings then to have originated at the more common locations of Radyr, Long Dyke or STJ, when one considers that Newport ADJ was generally restricted to local steel related workings, and East Usk Yard was restricted to empty mineral wagons and hoppers returning to South Wales, from where those empties would be distributed 'as required'.. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

On 15th. April, 1973 :- 1021 'Western Cavalier' worked 8Z37 Severn Tunnel Junction – Toton, as far as Washwood Heath, returning with 8Z61 Hams Hall - Radyr 

[Beechnut]

6 hours ago, Phil Bullock said:

What wagons would the tippler take Brendan?

 

 

Phil, I wish I could remember. I would 16 & 21 tonners as you suggest, not sure about hoppers. Seems a bit daft inverting a wagon designed for bottom unloading. 
Like most fitters, working on the coal plant was definitely drawing the short straw and it was usually the solenoid operated brakes on the tipplers.

 

Brendan