Hymeks to Drakelow Power Station in the 1970s

[D7666]

7 hours ago, br2975 said:

Some extracts from my notes, and sources......................... s

 

Ta for all that.

 

My RCTS RO archive does not go quite that far back.

 

So my aggregates or Radstock coal suggestion is wide of the mark then.

 

So does anyone have any suggestion what the 2XD7000 duty c.1972 from Westbury was ? I certainly recall seeing one pair mated up by cables stabled on WY shed one Sunday; the other occcasions [twice I think] I passed them between Westbury and Bradford Jns.

 

And what was the short term coal flow from Radstcok area collieries around the same time that was not going to Bristol area power stations ?

 

It s possible the two things - 2xD7000 and Radstcok coal were one and the same thing ?

 

 

 

[D7666]

12 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

ahhh yes now you mention Willington I think I have confused this with Drakelow.

 

40+ years of decaying grey cells between then and now.

[ISW]

23 hours ago, D7666 said:

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

I'm reasonably sure from my memory that it was coal, as the pairs of Hymeks went into the Drakelow complex to unload.

 

1 hour ago, Beechnut said:

8 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.

Again, if memory serves me correctly it would have been 16 or 21t wagons, not MGRs.

 

7 hours ago, br2975 said:

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 "

I do have online access to the older issues of The Railway Observer, but I've not been able to locate anything myself yet.

 

Ian

[ISW]

Just to highlight that this only occurred for a very short period (~1-month) in a single year around ~1970. I recall 3 pairs of Hymeks being involved, some pairs turning up more than once.

 

Ian