Pwllheli station

[awwalker]

Hi all.

got a new Dapol class 153 in arriva livery and would like to model a layout based on this.

All i want to start with at first is a micro layout with a small terminus in wales as the main subject.

Pwllheli station seems a good start point, however photos are quite sparse. If anybody has any idea where i could

find these i would be grateful. Also if anyone has any idea of precedent for a small terminus / single line

terminus in wales to run a 153 would also be great.

[JZ]

Going to be up that way in a fortnight, could get some pictures then if you still need them. As for a small single line terminus in Wales that 153s run into. How about Cardiff Bay, formerly Cardiff, Bute Road. You can get reasonable aerial shots using Google Earth or the like.

[awwalker]

That's very kind if you cheers and would be of great help. Was thinking of cardiff bay too. Maybe have pwllheli one end and cardiff bay the other!

[JZ]

That's very kind if you cheers and would be of great help. Was thinking of cardiff bay too. Maybe have pwllheli one end and cardiff bay the other!

 

 

It's bad enough working a 153 from Bristol to Westbury, I dread to think what Cardiff Bay - Pwllheli would be like.

['CHARD]

Pwllheli station seems a good start point, however photos are quite sparse. If anybody has any idea where i could

find these i would be grateful.

 

Google Images: 7,930 pictures of various age, perspective, provenance, and all in 0.14 of your Earth seconds

 

EDIT: and because I refused to be beaten by the elusive Pwllheli in pictures, Flickr isn't averse to the place either:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3152/2784805602_f158ac1a94.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/zabdiel/2784805602/&usg=__x4Urx0yL8eUk-yM93WmRlh_ul2U=&h=375&w=500&sz=129&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=zC5DUSRDbCbGGM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dflickr%2Bpwllheli%2Bstation%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26tbs%3Disch:1

[Neil]

Google Images: 7,930 pictures of various age, perspective, provenance, and all in 0.14 of your Earth seconds

 

 

Ho, ho.

 

Google appears reasonable but the problem with 7,930 picturers is sorting out the worthwhile from those of holiday cottages near to Pwllheli station and other similarly pointless pictures.

 

The splendid Railways of North Wales is always a good starting point, with a page devoted to Pwllheli. It does focus on the British Railways of the 70's. Later views are to be had at the Penmorfa website here, bringing the story up to the nineties. There was a Railway Modeller feature by Paul Lunn too (afraid I don't remember the exact issue) that featured the rationalised Pwllheli which I think would also be of use.

[George Woodcock]

Hello

 

My Llwydd Town layout used Pwllheli station as the basis for it's station. I have several photos of the station itself. If you contact me off-line with an email addy I will end them to you. Hope this helps.

 

Cheers

 

George

[Rhydgaled]

As far as I know Pwllheli runs have always been class 158s since Arriva took over the franchise (and for some time before). Never been up there myself though, as far as I can remember (but have been through Porthmadog by car (last year most recently, when I saw a 158 or 2)), so I only know what I've read on the internet.

 

Cardiff Bay (again, not somewhere I think I've been) is apparently worked by a heritage DMU (owned by Arriva, rather than leased I think), when it's working. I guess you could say your layour is set before Arriva purchased that unit, or that the DMU in question had failed, and run your 153 there.

 

153s do work the Pembroke Dock line, so Pembroke Dock could be a good choice (not seen this station either, so might be too long for your purposes) and it would allow you to add class 150s and even the odd First Great Western HST at a later date if you want to expand your fleet. Fishguard harbour is a large station worked by 150s during the day now, although Arriva have previously used 158s and loco hauled trains. At night, apparently (I've only visted during the day and have seen only 150s), the Fishguard working is a 153.

 

If you want a small station worked by 153s, how about a through station? There are plenty of (somtimes attractive) examples of these on the Heart Of Wales line.

 

 

['CHARD]

Station/ trainshed elevation from road:

http://alunsphotos.fotopic.net/p52533133.html

 

Both the main photo sharing sites appear to major on 158s in the present era, confirming Rhydgaled's comments. There are also photos from the preceding, Class 37 era, but notwithstanding the more interesting traction, the station reached its current single line terminus format in the late seventies.

[Etched Pixels]

Last Fishguard night trip I did was a 150. Not much that 153's work that is small and SLT - Milford Haven is an HST sized SLT.

 

One possibility if you like modelling ugly messes would be Wrexham Central, which while it has the charisma of a half maggot consumed roadkill cat, is an SLT that certainly was worked by 153s and 150s - it may still be but I've no desire to visit and find out.

 

Alan

[beast66606]

One possibility if you like modelling ugly messes would be Wrexham Central, which while it has the charisma of a half maggot consumed roadkill cat, is an SLT that certainly was worked by 153s and 150s - it may still be but I've no desire to visit and find out.

 

150s normally but occasionally a 153 ventures down.

 

Some pics here on my lads fotopic - and some on the next page.

 

http://www.johnskipsey.fotopic.net/c1802599_13.html

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Here are a few I took last year.

[muddys-blues]

Hi I live in Pwllheli, pm if you need any info, 153's don't run here, it is all 158's, apart from the odd engineers train once in a blue moon, and the Cambrian Coast Kettle run, pffft, get some proper Diesels running on it, now awaits a full lambasting from Kettle enthusiast..... only kidding.

['CHARD]

Hi I live in Pwllheli, pm if you need any info, 153's don't run here, it is all 158's, apart from the odd engineers train once in a blue moon, and the Cambrian Coast Kettle run, pffft, get some proper Diesels running on it, now awaits a full lambasting from Kettle enthusiast..... only kidding.

 

Top bloke - can't ask for more than a point-man! Good spot, sir!

[keefer]

some pics and info here, maybe not right era, but interesting nonetheless

 

http://www.2d53.co.uk/cambriancoast/Pwllheli.htm

 

the whole site is very interesting, esp to someone who knows nothing of welsh railways! i.e. me

[JZ]

Cardiff Bay (again, not somewhere I think I've been) is apparently worked by a heritage DMU (owned by Arriva, rather than leased I think), when it's working. I guess you could say your layour is set before Arriva purchased that unit, or that the DMU in question had failed, and run your 153 there.

 

 

Although the 121 heritage unit is only used on this line, it is not operated every day. And when it's not, a 153 is used.

 

As for a 153 into Pwllheli. You could have the excuse that it is used out of season, or the first or last train of the day. At the end of the day, remember the old adage. It's your layout.

[br2975]

 

Cardiff Bay (again, not somewhere I think I've been) is apparently worked by a heritage DMU (owned by Arriva, rather than leased I think), when it's working. I guess you could say your layour is set before Arriva purchased that unit, or that the DMU in question had failed, and run your 153 there.

 

 

The Bute Road branch (now re-modelled as Cardiff Bay) can see Cl.142, Cl.143, Cl.150/2 and Cl.153 when the 121 'bubble' is out of action.

.

At one time, by climbing the fire escape at the end of the former Bute Road station building, one was afforded a grandstand view of75% of the branch !

.

However, the fire escape has suffered the ravages of time, and rust, and I wouldn't recommend it now.

.

Staying in South Wales and the Cardiff area, all the types of unit listed above work the Cardiff "City Line" between Radyr - Ninian Park - Cardiff Central - Queen St. - Coryton, and it is not unusual to see a Cl.158 work the service as well, so why not consider the buccolic setting of Coryton ?

 

BTW - before anyone says "the 121 doesn't work the City Line" I agree, but it does traverse the line on route knowledge workings.

 

Brian R

[br2975]

To illustrate my previous point, here are some shots taken on my local "City Line" twixt Radyr and Cardiff Central, I don't have any of the (single line) Heath Jct-Coryton section to hand (am in work at moment, no access to all my photos). The usual daily fare is a diet of Cl.142 or Cl.143 units.

.

(1) 121032 on a route learning trip to Abercynon 12/04/07. This picture was taken on the ramp to the station, and Waun-gron Parc station can be seen in the distance, beneath the overbridge.

(2) 153310+153327 depart Waun-gron Parc for Radyr 13/04/07

(3) 153312 departs Fairwater on a Radyr - Coryton service.06/04/07

(4) 158830 also departs Fairwater on a City Line service. 16/04/07

(5) 47839 between Fairwater and Waun-gron Parc on a Cardiff Canton - Queen St. - Radyr (run round) - City Line - Canton stock turning job. The loco was brought in for use on the Cardiff - Rhymney job when 37408 'ran away' at Rhymney and suffered terminal damage. 08/08/05

.

Brian R

[Rhydgaled]

As for a 153 into Pwllheli. You could have the excuse that it is used out of season, or the first or last train of the day. At the end of the day, remember the old adage. It's your layout.

I quite agree, for example my layout, if it ever gets built, would be Whitland station with a preserved steam railway to Cardigan and, with my current stock, an Intercity 225 train(where's the wires!!?!??!?!) to Fishguard and a class 158 on the other mainline duties. I was just pointing out that Pwllheli was 158s in case orriginal poster wants to be correct and didn't realise this.

 

To illustrate my previous point, here are some shots taken on my local "City Line" twixt Radyr and Cardiff Central, I don't have any of the (single line) Heath Jct-Coryton section to hand (am in work at moment, no access to all my photos). The usual daily fare is a diet of Cl.142 or Cl.143 units.

Are any 153 units still in Heart Of Wales Orange? I've been on a couple recently with ATW standard livery outside and orange inside the doors so I guess they've been re-painted.

[Etched Pixels]

I quite agree, for example my layout, if it ever gets built, would be Whitland station with a preserved steam railway to Cardigan and, with my current stock, an Intercity 225 train(where's the wires!!?!??!?!) to Fishguard and a class 158 on the other mainline duties. I was just pointing out that Pwllheli was 158s in case orriginal poster wants to be correct and didn't realise this.

 

 

Are any 153 units still in Heart Of Wales Orange? I've been on a couple recently with ATW standard livery outside and orange inside the doors so I guess they've been re-painted.

 

Not seen any 153's in orange for a while, or for that matter many on the HoWL which seems to be all 150 diagrams now.

[br2975]

I know I've wandered a bit OT but here are a couple of shots showing units on the Cardiff Bay (or more commonly Bute Road) branch, taken over the last five years.

.

As for Cl.153 liveries, it's all ATW and FGW down here these days.

.

I have a selection of various Cl.153 liveries all in the Cardiff area, taken over the same period.

 

Brian R

[awwalker]

Cheers to everybody who have posted so far... to be honest i did not think it would get this many!

 

Anyway, at the moment this has helped a great deal and i have a few ideas in my head about the way this layout will go.

Early indications suggest this will be rather a simple affair!

 

keep the suggestions and photos rolling in please.... i am always open to more ideas

[Jaakko]

There was a Railway Modeller feature by Paul Lunn too (afraid I don't remember the exact issue) that featured the rationalised Pwllheli which I think would also be of use.

 

Paul A. Lunn, Plan of the month - Freight revival at Pwllheli, Railway Modeller January 1997, pp. 16 - 19 (including prototype track layout c. 1984, 10 images, e.g. Class 153 DMU).