br2975

Retirement brought some additional spare time.

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As an occasional  break from railways I decided to trace my family tree.

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My paternal side, I have traced back to the late 17th. Century and the Derbyshire Peak District.

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With today being ANZAC Day, I have been enlightening the family with details of the following relative

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Ernest David Rolley was born at Herberton, Queensland in 1920, one of five children; whose grandfather, from Bonsall, Derbys.  had arrived in Australia in 1877..

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He enisted into the Royal Australian Navy, at Brisbane on 22nd. July, 1940.

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Ernest was killed in action  aged 21 years on 20th. November, 1941, when his vessel, H.M.A.S. Sydney was lost with all hands (645 souls)  in the Indian Ocean - sunk by the German commerce raider 'Kormoran' masquerading as a Dutch trader.

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Such is life that I only discovered a branch of my paternal family live in the Atherton / Herberton area of the Tablelands - after - having visited the area twice !

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15 hours ago, Philou said:

It's all looking good @br2975. Can't understand why they're not doing the OLE through Cardiff Central - can't be more complex than at Radyr AND the GWML electrification helped a bit Queen Street end by the huuuuuuuuuuuuge gantries that stretch over the SWML and the Valleys Line.

 

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It's all a matter of 'funding' - compounded by ownership / resonsibility

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Westminster pulled the plug on electrification of the SWML west of Cardiff to Swansea.

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The wires run only as far as the Canton Brickyard opposite the depot, known now as "Line A"

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The 'suburban' platforms at Central, namely 6, 7 & 8 are not wired, as seen in my two photos.

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We must remember that the CVL (TfW) responsibility ends at the CVL 'West Boundary' which is on the City Line near the Sanatorium Road overbridge, from where the City Line towards Cardiff, through Ninian Park is Network Rail property.

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Similarly, the CVL 'East Boundary' is between Central and Queen St,

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So from the CVL 'East' to the CVL 'West' around the back of Canton Depot and through Central is Network Rail trackage, and I suspect TfW had no stomach for electrifying NR trackage.

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And of course, despite a large proportion of the CVL / Metro improvements being funded by Brussels, the Welsh electorate (in their 'wisdom') voted out in 2016 !

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And now, Wales is suffering financially, so further wiring is highly unlikely in the forseeable future.

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Almost a year has passed since I took these two images showing OHLE work underway at Radyr, on 1st. June, 2023.

A Valley Lines anomaly ?

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We are looking east along the South Wales Main Line, or in the 'up' direction as a 'down' Padd - Swansea IET approaches.

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Just visible on the right is the 'City Line' which runs parrallel to the SWML for over a mile before crossing it on the former's approach approach to Waungron Park.

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At this point, two trains could be heading west on the parrallel lines, with the City Line train being an 'up' service, and the SWML train being a 'down' service.

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Both photos were taken from the 'Ely Paper Mill' footbridge around 7.30pm last night, Saturday 20th. April as I stumbled home from Canton RFC, following Cardiff City v Southampton.

The commencement of the OHLE at the "CVL West Boundary".

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The image was taken from Landsdowne Avenue West, looking west - or in Valley Lines terms, the 'up' direction.

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Always worth remembering;

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" The past is a foreign country, they do things different there "

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L.P. Hartley.

6 hours ago, APOLLO said:

King John was a right so and so,  !! 

 

 

Henry VIII also, one of England’s most famous monarchs was a foul-tempered, gluttonous, bloodthirsty tyrant who, as well as ordering the executions of two of the women who had the misfortune to marry him, had an estimated 57,000 people executed during his 36-year reign.

 

 

Any more "Bad 'uns", not neccesarily Kings ?

 

Brit15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What about 6024 King Edward I

aka

'Longshanks'

and

"The Hammer of the Scots" 

also

invader and conqueror of The Welsh

and, amongst other things, responsible for 

the Edict of Expulsion, a royal decree issued on 18 July 1290 expelling all Jews from the Kingdom of England, the first time a European state is known to have permanently banned their presence.

And with no more 'Tugs' in South Wales, this is what it has come down to...................

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66114 & 66047 with today's (Thursday 18th. April, 2024) 6B13 05:00 Robeston - Westerleigh (Puma) pass Cardiff Central at 09:40

I have an undated image in my records of D8601 in GSYP livery, at Newcastle Central, fitted with snowploughs.....

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For copyright reasons I am unwilling to post the image here.

Earlier I mentioned the Cl.197 units being cleared for the Ebbw Vale line from today.

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These units come in both 2-car and 3-car sets, and currently operate extensively on the TfW network, 

eg 

The Marches Line (North & West) from West Wales to the North Wales Coast etc

Maesteg - Cheltenham.

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The unit in the first photo carries vinyls proclaiming "Made in Wales" which is something of a political / marketing misnomer, as the units are 'assembled' in Wales (at Llanwern, Newport) from parts mainly sourced abroad.

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They are 'assembled' at a new, purpose built plant by the Spanish company CAF

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Somewhat tongue in cheek, a railwayman acquaintance tells me " CAF means Call A Fitter" or as his colleague chimed in "No, CAF means Cheap As F*** ! "

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Having ridden these units I found them pleasant to ride in, esopecially the "Standard Plus" accomodation behind the driving cab.

3 minutes ago, Philou said:

Thanks chaps for all the information. A question: Is it intended that the OLE will pass through Taff's Well station? It's looking .... well .... a bit bare in that department.

 

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"How long, is a piece of string ?"

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From what I've been told, not in the forseeable future.

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There are a number of 'hidden' issues within the TfW 'Metro' - one of which has been brought into conversation by several railwaymen friends who formerly worked on 'the real railway' and who's vews and experience  I respect, but now find themselves working for TfW.

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It appears TfW has recruited many members of supervisory and management staff either straight from university, or with no knowledge whatsoever of railway operations - and whose modus operandi has left many lifelong railwaymen who transferred across, aghast, confused, bemused by the lack of knowledge, but we know best attitude of these 'newbies'

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I doubt this is the place to air such things, but we can hope for the best........................................

The Cl.231 units are similar in appearance to the trimode Cl.756 units.

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Both were built by Stadler, in Switzerland.

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The Cl.231s have been in service on the Penarth - Rhymney services for sometime, and were (sort of) rushed into service due to the abject failure of the Cl.769 units which were rebuilds of the former Cl.319 Bed-Pan EMU sets

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Both the Cl.231 and Cl.756 units are articulated within the set, and have a central power car, as shown in the images here, taken at Llanishen, in northern Cardiff,  on the Rhymney route.

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After the Cl.142 & Cl.143 Pacers, these new units are an excellent ride, with some pretty exhilirating acceleration (on the 756s at least).

I spent the day in the company of my best friend, and best man, who is visiting from His Majesty's Dominion across the Atlantic.

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A former railwayman, and enthusiast I took him to view several locations across the South Wales area working east, back from Margam Knuckle Yard.

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With the adjacent Port Talbot steelworks under threat, it is strange to find that the yard has seen an upsurge in traffic of late.

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Imported slabs from Newport Docks are worked to Llanwern, where they reverse and run to Margam, likewise (imported ?) steel coil appeared today originating from Cardiff's Tidal Yard.

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Whilst the nearby Grange coke ovens have been decommissioned last month, imported coke is railed from Immingham, as required.

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Margam is something of a unique place, as a public footpath (known as Heol-y-deiliad crossing) crosses the South Wales mainline, the OVE (Ogmore Valley Extension) and the west/down end yard throat and allows one to get quite close to the shunting, including the Tata Steel internal locos which work into the yard with exchange traffic.

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Taffs Well Metro Depot today.

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All the Cl.398 units have now been delivered.

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The pallisade fencing surrounds the park and ride facilities which are currently under construction.

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Taffs Well station today, showing some of the Metro related works, and also 765116 on a crew training turn.

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I'm advised that Cl.231 units have been cleared to work the Merthyr & Treherbert lines, and as far as fernhill on the Aberdare line, and

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Cl.197 units have been cleared to work the Ebbw Vale line from today.

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2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

I suspect in her darkest thoughts, Jill believed it was a repeat of the Polecat saga.

 

Of course, whilst I am girding myself up for an attempt at some of the cosmetic work on the Hippodrome's Doric Arch, I to was having very dark thoughts.

 

Some years back, the late Iain Rice produced a rather natty S Wales track plan called Tai Bach. It is what I would term the American style, in that instead of concentrating on one station or yard, the modeller can follow the train through the landscape stopping off at various industries along the way. 

 

 

 

 

Suddenly I was thinking C2 Working in S Wales using blue Class 37s and strings of 16 and 21 ton mineral wagons (br2975's ears have pricked up) but not in 7 mm scale but in this new fangled TT 120.  Although for what I have planned N gauge might also fit the bill.

 

Of course, these thoughts were hot on the heels of Bachmann's entry into the 7mm NG scene with the wonderful Quarry Hunslets.

 

And just after I'd shelved plans for a N Wales BR(M) modelling project🤣.

 

I'd best return outside and work the stupidity out of my system.

 

 

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Yes, my ears pricked up !

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I have this plan, filleted and filed........................... somewhere.

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However, it appears to me that I.A.R. went a bit C.J.F. when designing this - if the grid is composed of 12" squares, as this is a lot to squeeze into a 9'6" x 7'6" space.

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Many of the loops are but 24" in the clear, and Tai Bach yard's longest siding (of the two) is but around 36"

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I would suggest backdating the idea to a Pannier, or two, and relocating the concept some forty miles up the Severn Estuary to the Forest of Dean 

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But it does set the brain into a tizz, and sends one off to find some scrap paper and a pencil.

Staple diet on my local line, for the last 15-16 years or so.

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15 hours ago, polybear said:

 

We've got the same/similar rule in the UK.  I'd have a lot more sympathy for the cyclist's plight if they made a bit more effort to abide by the law (and had compulsory 3rd party insurance)

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Me too

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Warning contentious comment alert

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We have an issue in Cardiff with "Deliveroo" - "Just East" and any other delivery cyclists.

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Very few use the extensive network of cycle lanes ( the creation of which that consequently reduced the carriageway width for motor vehicles ), and none observe the traffic signals, including the cycle specific ones - and they weave in and out of the pedestrian areas, and few if any have lights on their machines .

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However, what perturbs me the most, is to watch these dirty, unkempt, scruffy individuals lolling and dossing in doorways that the previous night had been  public toilets for revellers - and then delivering some poor unsuspecting punters MacDonalds in an oversize  greasy back pack that even a Warley-goer wouldn't wear !

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Whether "the new kids on the block" are up to the task remains to be seen.

4 hours ago, Fettster42 said:

Is there a good guide for all the markings on freight stock? Either on line or a sensibly priced in print book?

Thanks. 

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The British Railways publication you probably seek is entitled;

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"British Railways" BR.87209

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"Naming, lettering and telegraph coding of freight rolling stock, including containers, wagon sheets and ropes"

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"Identification markings and painted colours of freight rolling stock, including containers and wagon sheets"

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Quite a mouthful

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I am aware of two 'editions'

One dated 31st. December, 1949

and a second

dated December, 1958 

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You may be able to find one, or both on the Barrowmore MRG site.

2 hours ago, Cwmtwrch said:

But note that the "Vanfit" code officially never appeared on the wagon in BR days, while, also under BR, Shocvans did not carry the GWR style "Not in Common Use" black plate with branding in white, whilst some other BR codes changed over time. Always approach the livery and markings of anything preserved with caution. If possible use contemporary photographs, not, for example, https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/570027.html which has the wrong code, BR or LMS bauxite livery but no "M" prefix to the number or "LMS" above it to show ownership, odd placement of wording, a white circle which it should not have and an inaccurate "Fyffes" label.

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A few contradictions from my files.....

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59203 crossing the Ebbw at Bassaleg, bound for Machen Quarry

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My photo, dated 7th. April, 2007.

1 hour ago, Goodnight Sweetheart said:

They’re taking extended blocks to blitz the job which is a good concept in my view, just like Queen Street saves messing ari7nd with tiny blocks each night. The 20 slack is very long standing for sighting in a foot crossing.

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Extended blockades are the sensible option - but sadly, there are many out there who can't or won't see it that way - usually fuelled by Wales Online..

6 hours ago, Goodnight Sweetheart said:

Either off Canton via 2324 Sig or 7318 Sig up Treforest to Radyr then the TAM branch’s.

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I know this will be much appreciated.

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Thank you.