Phil Copleston Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Hello you knowledgeable people - perhaps you can answer my question, I'm a Cambrian fan and an S scale modeller, and would like to know if there is any evidence - either references or photos - of class 08 diesels (or other shunters) ever venturing onto the Cambrian? Shunting engines were employed during the steam era around Oswestry and local branches and in the sidings at Machynlleth and Aberystwyth, but I've never seen any evidence of dedicated diesel shunters on the Cambrian during the diesel era. I've checked my extensive collection of Cambrian books, photos and papers as well as the usual internet searches, but I came up with nothing conclusive. I suspect normal road-engines - such as class 24s, 25s, 31s and 37s - were used instead, but would like to know for sure. Any thoughts or evidence on this matter will be gratefully received! Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neil Posted January 17, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 17, 2012 Hello Phil, you're quite right in your suspicion that 24s, 25s, 31s and 37s were the normal order of the day, but there were a couple of exceptions. When Barmouth Bridge was closed to loco hauled traffic engineers trains for north of Morfa Mawddach wrere hauled by 128 parcels units, one occasion recorded with an inspection saloon. I've also seen a photo of an 08 on an engineers working, I don't have a copy of the book it's in but a PM to Martin Wales should bring forth some specifics. Quite why an 08 was sent along the coast remains a mystery; it would seem to be bonkers given the limited speed it could deploy on the long trundle from England to Cardigan Bay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Copleston Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Hello Phil, you're quite right in your suspicion that 24s, 25s, 31s and 37s were the normal order of the day, but there were a couple of exceptions. When Barmouth Bridge was closed to loco hauled traffic engineers trains for north of Morfa Mawddach wrere hauled by 128 parcels units, one occasion recorded with an inspection saloon. I've also seen a photo of an 08 on an engineers working, I don't have a copy of the book it's in but a PM to Martin Wales should bring forth some specifics. Quite why an 08 was sent along the coast remains a mystery; it would seem to be bonkers given the limited speed it could deploy on the long trundle from England to Cardigan Bay. Hello Neil, Wow, at last - news an 08 on the Cambrian! Thanks for that interesting snippet of info. I'll certainly PM Martin Wales and illicit the specifics, as you suggest. It'll be most interesting to see the evidence. Maybe at last, this'll justify me building that S scale MTK 08 etched kit I have waiting in the wings! I know, the slow plod of an 08 on an engineers working all the way from Shrewsbury and clogging the available train pathways does seem nuts. But then again the Cambrian did attract some remarkable visitors - such as an Ivatt 'Pig' on an engineer's working in 1966, an L&Y 2-4-2T and SE&CR 4-4-0 on separate FR and TR AGM specials in the 1950s, and a Terrier (on a flat wagon) and a Princess Royal Pacific (towed dead) from Pwllheli in the 1970s. Indeed, there are photos of visits to Cambrian metals by LMS Johnson 2F 0-6-0s, and LNER J25s, J67s and C13 4-4-2Ts during wartime and thereafter. I wonder what the tally for unusual diesel visitors is? Yes, I've seen photos of 128 parcels units on the Cambrian too; there's a photo of W55994 (I think) hauling an inspection saloon in Peter Johnson's 'The Cambrian Lines' (Ian Allan, 1983, p84). Wasn't it a 128 parcels unit that was used north of Barmouth bridge to haul short goods trains during the hiatus following discovery of marine worm eating the bridge's timbers in the early 1980s? Thanks again Neil for your tantalizing info on elusive 08s on the Cambrian! Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWales Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Phil The locomotive concerned was D3970 which was spotted north of Llwyngwril on 24th May 1964 hauling a tunnel inspection coach presumably for inspecting the avalance shelter at Friog south of Fairbourne Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWales Posted January 21, 2012 Share Posted January 21, 2012 Phil-The book you need is B.R. Shunters by C.W.Judge OPC 1979, No 4 in their Transport Topics Series Please PM me if you're having diffculty in obtaining a copy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaffsOatcake Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 And also the short tunnel at Barmouth. During the early 1980's I came across an 08 hauling a tunnel inspection train. However, not on the Cambrain Something to door with an ability to run at very slow speed more easily than other loco's Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWales Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Phil-The book you need is B.R. Shunters by C.W.Judge OPC 1979, No 4 in their Transport Topics Series Please PM me if you're having diffculty in obtaining a copy See PM ref book dealers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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