Early 1970's South Wales freight workings

[The Johnster]

Jersey Marine’s primary function as built was to act as a storage and sorting facility for export coal heading for Swansea Docks.  Coal is not just black rock you can set fire to; coal from different pits and even different seams in the same pit has differing calorific value, sulpher content, gas, and friability and is therefore suited to different uses.  Many overseas customers ordered specific mixtures of coal to be tipped into the ships’ holds to exploit the best burning efficiency and keep costs down. 
 

As a result, yards were provided between the coalfield and the relevant port, such as Rogerstone, Radyr, Tondu, and Jersey Marine.  They provided useful sorting space for traffic to domestic industry and house coal customers as well, and by the 70s, when Swansea was the only port innSouth Wales still handling coal, and a miniscule tonnage compared to even a decade earlier at that, this traffic had become the main function of such yards of this sort as were left in operation. 

[br2975]

Harking back to 'Blockplan' - the late 1960s reorganisation of freight working in South Wales.

.

'Blockplan' was introduced in stages.

.

From  Sunday, 5th. October, 1969, the following changes were brought in;

                                                                                                           

Empty mineral wagons banned from Severn Tunnel Jcn. and Margam hump yards.

 

Block coal trains to Severn Tunnel Jcn. and Margam hump yards reduced.  

                               

Trains for destinations outside the Cardiff Division are initially worked to Jersey Marine (Swansea area), Long Dyke, or Cardiff (Cardiff area) and Severn Tunnel Jcn. (Newport area), then moved onward.   

            

Trains for English C.C.Depots start at either Jersey Marine or Long Dyke ( later changed to Radyr ) dependent on the originating colliery and work to Wimbledon (for Tolworth), Eastleigh, Rowley Regis, Bedford, Bletchley, Willesden, West Drayton.

 

Late on Sunday evenings and early Monday empty mineral wagon trains are run from East Usk Jcn. to Jersey Marine, while later in the week light engines work west from Severn Tunnel Jcn. to Jersey Marine or Long Dyke ( later changed to Radyr )  to collect loaded trains.

 

Swansea area services were also recast

 

Swansea (Eastern Depot) services;

Now included Pantyffynnon and Carmarthen Bay (Pembrey) Power Station  and employ 9x Cl.37s. also 2x Cl.03s still work Swansea Docks.

 

Llanelli ;

Workings from Cynheidre were to either Jersey Marine or Swansea Docks. Allocation reduced to 2x Cl.37s stabling here.

 

Pantyffynnon;

4x Cl.37 and 1x Cl.08 now stable, for night workings which  started on the Cynheidre and Gwaun-cae-Gurwen branches.                                              

There were two block coal trains per day to the NCB Crown Multiheat fuel works at Cardiff Docks.                                                                                                            

  ‘English’ coal trains are worked as block loads to Jersey Marine.

.

Newport (Eastern Valleys) – recast with introduction of a bonus scheme for crews.

Trains of empty mineral wagons which formerly started from Severn Tunnel Junction now return to Spencer Works, Uskmouth or East Usk.

Aberbeeg – still stables 5x Cl.37 and 2x Cl.08. Trains now work to Llantrisant and Nantgarw

.

That's all for now folks.

.

Brian R

..

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by br2975

[br2975]

Back again.

.

Hymeks were a wonderful loco, often overlooked....................... and some more random Hymek information from my notes follows;.

.

When the WR were required to 'lose'  a number of Cl.37s to the North East and Scotland in 1967, in order to oust their last pockets of steam, Hymeks were drafted in to West Wales where they held sway west of Swansea / Carmarthen

.

As an example, here is the disposition of West Wales CHymeks on 27th. December, 1967 .

7080 to work 04:12 Carmarthen, 06:50 Lampeter, 20:45 Swansea                      

7081 to work 03:05 Milford Haven                                                                                  

7082 faiIed at Landore                                                                                              

7084 to work 08:30 Carmarthen P.Way, 19:15 Milford Haven                                                                                                

7087 spare at Landore.                                                                                                   

7089 repairs at Landore                                                                                               

7093 to work L/E Landore – Carmarthen, 09:55 Haverfordwest parcels                                                                                            

7095 failed at Carmarthen                                                                                            

7096 spare at Landore                                                                                                    

7099 to work 05:09 Milford Haven, 09:10 Newcastle Emlyn, 15:10 Llandilo Jcn. 17:20 Milford Haven, 23:10 Swansea

.

At the start of 1969 there were seven Hymek diagrams in West Wales.

.

In early 1970 there four coal trains booked from Pantyffynnon to Margam, allocated for Hymek haulage, two of those trains at least worked forward from Margam to Tidal Sidings, again Hymek hauled, the coal being destined for the ill-fated 'Multiheat' smokeless fuel plant in Cardiff Docks.

Pantyffynnon's Cl.37s concentrated on the GCG and Swansea Docks traffic.

.

All Hymek duties in West Wales reverted to Cl.37 haulage from January 2nd. 1972, save the 7C38 08:35 Margam - Fishguard freight and 7C04 return, but this working too soon succumbed.. 

.

Hymeks reached Radyr several times a day, (I have numerous sightings in my notes) but rarely ventured north into the valleys until Radyr gained two Cl.35 diagrams in October 1970, displacing two Cl.47s. - The two Cl.47s had previously been utilised for a few months in the Tondu valleys, but had been displaced by Cl.37s. 

One duty took a Hymek to Ty Mawr Colliery, Trehafod, but their main duties were 'Control' trains, principally PW jobs.

.

The last paragraph refers to freight workings, but on 2nd. September, 1968 D7073 worked a Treherbert – Barry Island passenger service, thence Barry Island – Caerphilly ECS, returning loaded to Barry Island, before returning during the evening to Treherbert.

.

I only know of one Hymek venturing up the Rhymney Valley, when on 27th. November, 1967 D7050 worked the Canton breakdown crane to Ystrad Mynach North to recover D6971 which had derailed whilst working 9H03 04:45 Radyr - Rhymney.

.

There seemed to be an invisible barrier at Aber Junction which usually prevented many classes of loco venturing further up the Rhymney Valley, other than Cl.37s on most services, Cl.47s on MGRs ( and at one time a D05 allox example to Oakdale Colliery ) and Peaks on STJ - Bargoed Pits empties, and then loads out to Penshaw or Middlesbrough.

Even the Cl.14s do not appear to have penetrated past Aber, save onto the Senghenydd branch to  Windsor Colliery near Abertridwr..

Most unusually in the late 70s Cl.40s reached Aber Junction (reverse) once or twice on Ellesmere Port - Wernddu (Caerphilly) tanks.

.

A very rare occurrence  on 3rd. April, 1970   saw an unidentified Cl.35 and the General Managers saloon ran from Newport – Gelli Junction / Bleangwynfi via Bridgend, for inspection of Blaenrhondda Tunnel               

This appears to be the only recorded working of the class north of Tondu since   29/3/64 When D7031 with a Cardiff driver and local pilot reached Caerau Colliery in the Llynfi Valley..    

.

Hymeks appear to have been strangers in other South Wales valleys as well; I've seen only one set of images showing a Hymek at Talywain in the Eastern Valleys, and a solitary image of one passing Risca with the GM's saloon.     

.

Some more Llantrisant - Pensnett workings;

7/8/67 – 7063 + 7051 7M63 2015 Llantrisant – Kingswinford, 

8/8/67 – 7055 7M63

9/8/67 – 7058 7M63 2005 Llantrisant – Kingswinford,

11/8/67 – 7096 7M63

18/9/67 – 7080 7M63 2005 Llantrisant – Kingswinford

20/9/67 – 7079 7M63 

.

And a few other examples

24/8/67 – 7096 5M71 2320 Tidal – Soho Pool

3/10/67 – 7074 9H67 0530 trip Canton – ADJ ldsl, 9H67 to Rogerstone then rtn to Llantrisant.

4/10/67 – 7030 9H67 ditto

5/10/67 – 7096 9H67 ditto

.

Sorry for my ramblings.

But, having woken up at 4:30am I couldn't resist myself

You're lucky the subject is Hymek's, and not 'nine-fivers'

.

Brian R

 

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by br2975

[The Stationmaster]

22 hours ago, D860 VICTORIOUS said:

Yet more fascinating detailed info!

Firstly Brian W...50-plus sidings in Margam Yard,with work probably going on round the clock,with all of that coal to sort,seems barely credible now. Jersey Marine is one of those names that seem to crop up often when South Wales freight is being discussed,you've confirmed no pit there but it sounds like it was another pivotal yard.Think I've read that Swansea Docks was just about the last location to handle coal carried in non-MGR wagons.Giants Grave was indeed an apt name for a ship-breaking area,and Port Walleroo wouldn't be immediately connected with Wales..

In case of any confusion,the WTT's were posted by BeRTie,leading neatly to:

Thanks for the further WTT's,more interesting gen which will need careful study.

Hi Mike,fascinating it certainly is.A book on this subject might be considered niche,but I'm surprised at some of the books appearing nowadays on all sorts of obscure topics.As we've seen here,there is a lot of detailed knowledge available,and if there's also relevant pictures to go with text,maybe a book would be a goer.

For me,if I was at Ealing and saw a freight heading to Acton Yard,it would be,well,just that,at the time I didn't know about headcodes and traffic patterns,with hindsight wish I had.

Again,thanks to you all for your replies,

Neil.

Margam Hump Yard wasn't anything like that busy when i was there in 1972 although theeKnuckle yard - which dealt with the marshalling of coal to the steelworks plus various other things by then - was quite busy.  There were some big lulls on the hump for an hour or more when nothing moved apart from the small crowd assembling to watch certain goings on in a particular office in the admin block which was well visible from there.

Edited August 30, 2022 by The Stationmaster

[Enterprisingwestern]

11 hours ago, br2975 said:

Back again.

.

Hymeks were a wonderful loco, often overlooked....................... and some more random Hymek information from my notes follows;.

.

When the WR were required to 'lose'  a number of Cl.37s to the North East and Scotland in 1967, in order to oust their last pockets of steam, Hymeks were drafted in to West Wales where they held sway west of Swansea / Carmarthen

.

As an example, here is the disposition of West Wales CHymeks on 27th. December, 1967 .

7080 to work 04:12 Carmarthen, 06:50 Lampeter, 20:45 Swansea                      

7081 to work 03:05 Milford Haven                                                                                  

7082 faiIed at Landore                                                                                              

7084 to work 08:30 Carmarthen P.Way, 19:15 Milford Haven                                                                                                

7087 spare at Landore.                                                                                                   

7089 repairs at Landore                                                                                               

7093 to work L/E Landore – Carmarthen, 09:55 Haverfordwest parcels                                                                                            

7095 failed at Carmarthen                                                                                            

7096 spare at Landore                                                                                                    

7099 to work 05:09 Milford Haven, 09:10 Newcastle Emlyn, 15:10 Llandilo Jcn. 17:20 Milford Haven, 23:10 Swansea

.

At the start of 1969 there were seven Hymek diagrams in West Wales.

.

In early 1970 there four coal trains booked from Pantyffynnon to Margam, allocated for Hymek haulage, two of those trains at least worked forward from Margam to Tidal Sidings, again Hymek hauled, the coal being destined for the ill-fated 'Multiheat' smokeless fuel plant in Cardiff Docks.

Pantyffynnon's Cl.37s concentrated on the GCG and Swansea Docks traffic.

.

All Hymek duties in West Wales reverted to Cl.37 haulage from January 2nd. 1972, save the 7C38 08:35 Margam - Fishguard freight and 7C04 return, but this working too soon succumbed.. 

.

Hymeks reached Radyr several times a day, (I have numerous sightings in my notes) but rarely ventured north into the valleys until Radyr gained two Cl.35 diagrams in October 1970, displacing two Cl.47s. - The two Cl.47s had previously been utilised for a few months in the Tondu valleys, but had been displaced by Cl.37s. 

One duty took a Hymek to Ty Mawr Colliery, Trehafod, but their main duties were 'Control' trains, principally PW jobs.

.

The last paragraph refers to freight workings, but on 2nd. September, 1968 D7073 worked a Treherbert – Barry Island passenger service, thence Barry Island – Caerphilly ECS, returning loaded to Barry Island, before returning during the evening to Treherbert.

.

I only know of one Hymek venturing up the Rhymney Valley, when on 27th. November, 1967 D7050 worked the Canton breakdown crane to Ystrad Mynach North to recover D6971 which had derailed whilst working 9H03 04:45 Radyr - Rhymney.

.

There seemed to be an invisible barrier at Aber Junction which usually prevented many classes of loco venturing further up the Rhymney Valley, other than Cl.37s on most services, Cl.47s on MGRs ( and at one time a D05 allox example to Oakdale Colliery ) and Peaks on STJ - Bargoed Pits empties, and then loads out to Penshaw or Middlesbrough.

Even the Cl.14s do not appear to have penetrated past Aber, save onto the Senghenydd branch to  Windsor Colliery near Abertridwr..

Most unusually in the late 70s Cl.40s reached Aber Junction (reverse) once or twice on Ellesmere Port - Wernddu (Caerphilly) tanks.

.

A very rare occurrence  on 3rd. April, 1970   saw an unidentified Cl.35 and the General Managers saloon ran from Newport – Gelli Junction / Bleangwynfi via Bridgend, for inspection of Blaenrhondda Tunnel               

This appears to be the only recorded working of the class north of Tondu since   29/3/64 When D7031 with a Cardiff driver and local pilot reached Caerau Colliery in the Llynfi Valley..    

.

Hymeks appear to have been strangers in other South Wales valleys as well; I've seen only one set of images showing a Hymek at Talywain in the Eastern Valleys, and a solitary image of one passing Risca with the GM's saloon.     

.

Some more Llantrisant - Pensnett workings;

7/8/67 – 7063 + 7051 7M63 2015 Llantrisant – Kingswinford, 

8/8/67 – 7055 7M63

9/8/67 – 7058 7M63 2005 Llantrisant – Kingswinford,

11/8/67 – 7096 7M63

18/9/67 – 7080 7M63 2005 Llantrisant – Kingswinford

20/9/67 – 7079 7M63 

.

And a few other examples

24/8/67 – 7096 5M71 2320 Tidal – Soho Pool

3/10/67 – 7074 9H67 0530 trip Canton – ADJ ldsl, 9H67 to Rogerstone then rtn to Llantrisant.

4/10/67 – 7030 9H67 ditto

5/10/67 – 7096 9H67 ditto

.

Sorry for my ramblings.

But, having woken up at 4:30am I couldn't resist myself

You're lucky the subject is Hymek's, and not 'nine-fivers'

.

Brian R

 

 

 

Brian, set your alarm for 0430 and ramble on as much as you like!

 

Mike.

[The Johnster]

I agree with Brian that Hymeks were and are underrated by those not familiar with them, proper pocket rockets, amazingly powerful for locos of such diminutive size and weight, and they do not seem to have been hampered by having 8 driven wheels instead of 12; they could do anything a 37 could do but weighed a coach less.  I doubt many enthusiasts ever witnessed them dragging loads of 600tons or so of loaded Presflos and Vanfits up the steep gradient out of Aberthaw Cement Works, it was pretty inaccessible to the public, but trust me, it was a thing worth watching!

 

Pocket rockets, the best of the hydraulics IMHO.  Cab was a comfortable place to work and ride was good as well.  Their replacements on the WR were 31s and 25s, both much less capable machines but all that was available.  

Edited August 30, 2022 by The Johnster

[phil_sutters]

Then there were the flyash trips to the M5 via Highbridge S&D, that Dad records as having come from S Wales.

[Phil Bullock]

On 29/08/2022 at 11:22, D860 VICTORIOUS said:

Hi Phil,

Good gen re the coke hoppers,ISTR an article accompanying the review of the Hornby ones a few years back.

Would you have expected the Kingswinford cokes to be a class 8? Must have been a spectacular sight and sound back then! A couple of weeks back I bought a few more Hornby models to do exactly that conversion,though I don't think I'll be going for the Pensnett variety.I have the plasticard sheet and section for the wagon sides ready to go,I think yours and another person's pics of this mod were lost in the recent difficulties.Won't ask why you were hanging out in Worcester around midnight...

 

Evening Neil

 

A fascinating thread …. All this talk of 8M64 and 6V55 Prompts me to

reinstate photos of my Pensnett diagram 152 wagons.

 

 

Really ought to do the whole train but layout building gets in the way at the moment.

 

Have never understood how a train formed of the same wagons could be a class 8 northbound and a class 6 southbound…. Wonder if @The Johnsterwho had experience of working it has any suggestions? 

Edited August 30, 2022 by Phil Bullock

[BR traction instructor]

The answer relates to the applicable train weight, brakeforce available and route to be taken Phil. Clearly, the empty wagons require less brakeforce to stop than the loaded wagons and can therefore be expected to run faster.

 

BeRTIe

Edited August 30, 2022 by BR traction instructor

[Phil Bullock]

13 minutes ago, BR traction instructor said:

The answer relates to the applicable train weight, brakeforce available and route to be taken Phil. Clearly, the empty wagons require less brakeforce to stop than the loaded wagons and can therefore be expected to run faster.

 

BeRTIe

Many thanks. Was that common? Can’t recall seeing the same with other trains on the S Wales to W Midlands route .

[BR traction instructor]

I’ll post some examples from the Working Manual Phil. The freight guard would routinely have to assess his train and complete/hand a drivers slip to the driver. The development of T.O.P.S./computer generated trainlists from 1973 reduced this requirement for trains departing from yards/terminals receiving faxes from T.O.P.S. offices but there were still many situations where it was up to the freight guard to generate the information that the driver needed in order to safely work the train. A common situation would be working loaded wagons to a terminal, emptying them (or swapping to an already empty rake) and returning as outward.

 

The freight guard would need a thorough understanding of how to assess a rake of wagons, re-marshall them if necessary e.g. to provide sufficient brake force, knock out any cripples or badly loaded wagons, tally the wagon weights (allowing for any part or full loads), ensure that the wagon order complied with the Working Manual e.g. no  prohibited disc braked wagons in the fitted head, ensure that the correct coupling was used/screw couplings equalised etc etc etc.

 

Getting the train prep right would allow the train to run as booked in the WTT. Sometimes the train had to run slower due to any of the above considerations preventing normal running and Control would need to be advised. More time would be required in each section/headcode changed to reflect this.

 

BeRTIe

Edited August 30, 2022 by BR traction instructor

[The Johnster]

5 hours ago, phil_sutters said:

Then there were the flyash trips to the M5 via Highbridge S&D, that Dad records as having come from S Wales.

Your dad was spot about origins of the fly ash, which was boiler ash from Aberthaw A power station.  ISTR there were several other delivery sites besides Highbridge as the motorway construction progressed across the Somerset levels, the fly ash being perfect as an free-draining base level for the road over the waterlogged ground.  It has lasted over 50 years of heavy usage now and seems to be holding up!

[The Johnster]

5 hours ago, Phil Bullock said:

Evening Neil

 

A fascinating thread …. All this talk of 8M64 and 6V55 Prompts me to

reinstate photos of my Pensnett diagram 152 wagons.

 

 

Really ought to do the whole train but layout building gets in the way at the moment.

 

Have never understood how a train formed of the same wagons could be a class 8 northbound and a class 6 southbound…. Wonder if @The Johnsterwho had experience of working it has any suggestions? 

 Sorry, only worked the loadeds from Radyr and occasionally from Llantrisant, brake van jobs for relief at Gloucester Central or Barnwood, 50mph, usually a Class 45.  It doesn’t make sense to me either; quite apart from and in addition to the brake force and load issues correctly mentioned by BeRTle, a class 6 was by definition fully fitted with automatic brakes controlled from the locomotive, and by the 70s (actually following the 1969 single manning agreement with the unions), did not normally have brake vans, the guard riding in the rear cab of the loco.  So 6V55 (Gloucester mens’ jobs) could not, since it was a class 6 train, have conveyed unfitted coke hoppers, irrespective of the load orbrake for e and whether they conformed to class 6 conditions.  There will be an explanation for this, Phil, but I don’t know what it is; perhaps Stationmaster Mike could  help us!
 

Incidentally, those hoppers were absolute animals if they were empty and there was a side wind…

 

 

[BR traction instructor]

Important to remember guys that the definitions of each class of freight train changed over time and that you have to use the definitions applicable to the year of the WTT being consulted. 

 

BeRTIe

Edited August 31, 2022 by BR traction instructor

[The Johnster]

4 hours ago, BR traction instructor said:

I’ll post some examples from the Working Manual Phil. The freight guard would routinely have to assess his train and complete/hand a drivers slip to the driver. The development of T.O.P.S./computer generated trainlists from 1973 reduced this requirement for trains departing from yards/terminals receiving faxes from T.O.P.S. offices but there were still many situations where it was up to the freight guard to generate the information that the driver needed in order to safely work the train. A common situation would be working loaded wagons to a terminal, emptying them (or swapping to an already empty rake) and returning as outward.

 

The freight guard would need a thorough understanding of how to assess a rake of wagons, re-marshall them if necessary e.g. to provide sufficient brake force, knock out any cripples or badly loaded wagons, tally the wagon weights (allowing for any part or full loads), ensure that the wagon order complied with the Working Manual e.g. no  prohibited disc braked wagons in the fitted head, ensure that the correct coupling was used/screw couplings equalised etc etc etc.

 

Getting the train prep right would allow the train to run as booked in the WTT. Sometimes the train had to run slower due to any of the above considerations preventing normal running and Control would need to be advised. More time would be required in each section/headcode changed to reflect this.

 

BeRTIe

 A very complete and comprehensive overview of a guard’s functions when preparing a train, for which we were allowed 20 minutes.  By my time in the job, the early 70s, wagons were provided with yellow stickyback labels which summarised their weight, given as H (heavy), M (medium) L (light) and E (empty) values which we used in calculating the total load, the brake force if it was fitted with automatic brakes, and maximum speed the wagon was permitted to run at, and the length expressed in SLUs, Standard Length Units, the length of a 10’ wheelbase wagon (formerly BWUs, Basic Wagon Units), which are seldom modelled on layouts of the period despite being quite prominently visible.  They were about 18” x 12” in size. 
 

The loading of the vehicle in terms of HMLE values was taken from the wagon label, and the loads permitted and brake force required for different classes of trains over a particular route, based on the ‘ruling gradient’ of the route, and the maximum length in SLUs permitted over it (usually, but not always, 60SLUs) were to be found in the relevant loads books. 
 

Much of this was done for you in the bigger yards and after the introduction of TOPS, but it was still the guard’s responsibility to check that the information he’d been given was correct, and that the train was properly prepared and safe to travel. Once this had been checked against the Train Preparation Slip signed by the yard foreman, or TOPS printout, he then completed and signed the driver’s ‘slip’, which contained the load, brake force, and maximum speed the train was allowed to run at, and was his authority to move the train.  At some locations you had to make up and prepare your own train and it’s documentation, proper railway work.  

 

[The Johnster]

Just now, The Johnster said:

9 minutes ago, BR traction instructor said:

Important to remember guys that the definitions of each class of freight train changed over time and that you have to use the definitions applicable to the year of the WTT being consulted. 

 

BeRTIe

 

 

Yes, but in the early 70s a class 6 train was an ordinary parcels or fully fitted freight train, and the guard rode in the rear cab of the loco.  Class 7 and 8 trains were partly fitted, with a number of vacuum braked vehicles coupled to the loco and the brake pipes connected, a number of unfitted vehicles behind those, and a brake van in which the guard rode to assist with controlling the train on gradients at the rear of the train.  Hence the 8M64/6V55 conundrum.   
 

Except for class 9 completely unfitted trains which were restricted to 25mph at all times, the permitted speed of the train was determined by the permitted speed of the slowest vehicle or the line speed, whichever was the slowest; the Pensnett coke hoppers were rated for for 50mph and that was the train speed I would put on the driver’s slip.  This speed was not dependent on the class of train, but the timings were, lower classes being allowed more time in sections because they required greater stopping distances.  Within the stated train speed and line speed the driver could handle the train however he liked so long as he kept time and was able to obey the signals.  
 

Class 8 trains were timed to run through sections at 35mph, though, and most drivers did not use any higher speed unless they were making up time, and even then approached distants with some circumspection in case they were on; you wanted to be able to pull up without wrapping your guard around his stove pipe…

[BR traction instructor]

Query 6V55…in 1970/71 this is shown as an Immingham to Bromsgrove air braked company train in my WTTs. I’m still looking for the Midlands to Sth Wales working of the empty coke train.

 

Found it…6V55 02.45 Kingswinford to Llantrisant in Section D Mandatory 1972/73. Shown as a Block load, Special or Concentrated load working.

 

If this working was formed of unfitted coke hoppers at this time then I would assume that its classification/timings as a class 6 in a Mandatory WTT reflected its priority/urgency and not necessarily the speed at which it ran. We would need the actual paperwork issued to the driver to know that.

 

BeRTIe

Edited August 31, 2022 by BR traction instructor

[Phil Bullock]

4 hours ago, BR traction instructor said:

Query 6V55…in 1970/71 this is shown as an Immingham to Bromsgrove air braked company train in my WTTs. I’m still looking for the Midlands to Sth Wales working of the empty coke train.

 

Found it…6V55 02.45 Kingswinford to Llantrisant in Section D Mandatory 1972/73. Shown as a Block load, Special or Concentrated load working.

 

If this working was formed of unfitted coke hoppers at this time then I would assume that its classification/timings as a class 6 in a Mandatory WTT reflected its priority/urgency and not necessarily the speed at which it ran. We would need the actual paperwork issued to the driver to know that.

 

BeRTIe

The hoppers were not brake fitted IIRC … nowhere to put the cylinder I guess! Might another option for additional brake force be that Llantrisant sent one of their Tadpole rakes up

in the train? … half a dozen Banana vans to add brake force?

Edited August 31, 2022 by Phil Bullock

[BR traction instructor]

…brake force is one aspect Phil…a brake tender is another option but the bigger apparent contradiction is running a partially fitted or unfitted freight class 6.

 

6V55 Mandatory WTT entry below…

BeRTIe

Edited August 31, 2022 by BR traction instructor

[Morello Cherry]

From a some what vague memory reading accident reports on the railways archive but weren't there were a couple of accidents caused by guards incorrectly assessing their trains and instead of them being classed 8 they were classed as 7 and the trains ended up running away.

 

I have in my mind that there was one freight train that changed its classification midway through because there was a reversal. So it ran with a fitted head for half the journey, reversed and then ran as an unfitted but the driver wasn't told and thought he had a fitted train and the train ran away.

 

 

[BR traction instructor]

Partially fitted freights reversing en route and having significantly reduced brake force/changing headcode class were relatively common in the 1970s.

 

BeRTIe

Edited August 31, 2022 by BR traction instructor

[BR traction instructor]

One thought re 6V55 is piped only coke hoppers with fitted wagons interspersed. Does anyone know of pictures of the train?

 

BeRTIe

[Phil Bullock]

1 minute ago, BR traction instructor said:

One thought re 6V55 is piped only coke hoppers with fitted wagons interspersed. Does anyone know of pictures of the train?

 

BeRTIe

Not common due to its antisocial running times! 
 

The Railways in South Wales Facebook group is a great source and a search on there for Kingswinford brings up a photo of 6997 on 8M64 … but like most photos it’s loco centric, you can’t see even the first wagon behind the loco! 

[Fat Controller]

1 hour ago, BR traction instructor said:

Partially fitted freights reversing en route and having significantly reduced brake force/changing headcode class were relatively common in the 1970s.

 

BeRTIe

Might the returning empties have vac-fitted empty hoppers from the Coal Concentration depots at Pensnett itself, and/or Droitwich, or empty steel wagons from Stourbridge Junction?  There was a book about Pensnett and the Wombourn branch, published by Wolverhampton Library and Archives, which may have photos of the terminal, and possibly trains.

[D860 VICTORIOUS]

Morning gents,

Lots of fascinating info to digest,Brian R your knowledge on this subject is exhaustive! Was a bit surprised to see from your notes that Peaks had a working from STJ to one of the pits.Many pictures have been published showing Hymeks ambling along on remote West Wales branch lines,with a handful of 16t coal wagons or a few milk tanks,way below their capabilities and I always thought very wasteful.A bit OT,but another side to the coin is I can remember Hymeks on the Greenford loop heading quite lengthy freights(possibly to/from Park Royal).

As Mike said earlier,please ramble on at whatever time suits,it's fabulous stuff.

It's informative to get gen from The Johnster and BerTIe,who were on the front line when all of this was happening,and to now know how much went into preparing a freight is a real insight into proper railway work.

phil_sutters' pics of the flyash trains are interesting,have seen very few pics of those workings.

Phil B,cheers for re-posting your coke hopper piccies,just what the troops needed! I know this ought to be in the modelling section,but while we're about it,do you remove the line of rivets 🥴🤔 from where the lower  hopper slopes inwards,and is there any sort of lip along the wagon top edge? Am I now a rivet counter...NO!!

Fabulous stuff guys,thank you.100% agree that Hymeks were magnificent loco's,perhaps always overshadowed by the Westerns.Final drop of nostalgia from me:on 16th August 1972,we were waiting at Ealing Broadway for a dmu to Reading,when D7026 made a stop at the down main platform to pick up,no idea why.My only Hymek haulage in BR days...

Neil.