br2975

. So the march past took place today, to mark the end of the Royal Air Force presence at RAF St. Athan. . I was advised the event would commence at 13:10 and be finished by 13:50, culminating in a fly past. . The fly past failed to materialise - but at 14:48, an hour later than advertised, a pair of Hawk trainers buzzed my car as I was driving home through Groes Faen. . Amusingly, we were moved from our vantage point, by a diminutive W.O. with the world's largest swagger stick (?) as our vantage point was to be the saluting dias, for the attending brass and dignitaries. Twas only when we took up our new position that the backdrop to the dias became amusingly apparent. . In reality, a sad occasion when one considers the one time size and importance of RAF St. Athan - two railway stations, and an internal rail system. . My abiding memory was in the early 80s undertaking (riot) shield and PSU (Police Support Unit) training at Eglwys Brewis (part of the camp) under the wings of Vulcan bombers that were awaiting their fate. . Now a private contractor scraps commercial aircraft at the site.

Something not mentioned so far, are the long sections of the Metro not equipped with OHLE, at points where the raising of bridges, or lowering the track bed, or other issues of cost prevent the use of OHLE. . e.g. On the City Line, the OHLE commences at the CVL (Core Valley Lines) Western Boundary which is about half a mile west of (up) Ninian Park. . The OHLE here then forms a long negative section before meeting the first energised section around Waungron Park / Fairwater ? . On the non-OHLE sections the Class 398 'tram trains' will run on battery power, the pantographs are expected to raise and lower automatically. . The OHLE is as much for charging the units batteries as it is for powering the tram-trains .

Mike aka 'The Stationmaster' would need to look long and hard to recognise this location, . . . . . . . . This is Radyr, looking in the 'up' direction towards Taffs Well and the valleys. . Farthest right is Platform 1 - which is used by trains to Cardiff / Barry etc via cardiff Queen St. . Middle is Platform 2 - which is bi-directional . Left is Platform 3 - which is used by City Line trains, which terminate here, and reverse back to Coryton. . The platform lifts are a feature at a number of CVL stations, the station also has a booking 'office' . I turned to my right to take the second shot which is looking in the down direction, towards Cardiff. . The onetime plywood wonder that was Radyr Junction 'box once stood on the far side of the lines, behind the two road-rail cherry pickers.

Taffs Well from the station footbridge, looking 'down' towards Radyr, showing the lead off (left) into the Metro Depot. . Initially, a triangle access was proposed here, but the resultant civ-eng work around the A470 slip road and Cardiff Road (the bridge in the distance) was considered excessive, cost wise. . The Metro depot is out of shot, to the left. . Those of 'a certain age' will recall Walnut Tree Viaduct once dominated the blue sky seen here, and Walnut Tree Junction Signal Box was where the electrical substation now stands on the right. . The branch to Aber Junction, Caerphilly and the Rhymney Valley curved off to the left.

. There are already complaints, before the Cl.398 'tram trains' have entered service. . Primary amongst the complaints, the units are bereft of toilets - even though there is a toilet option available from Stadler. . The Cl.150 'Sprinters' and both Cl.142 and 143 'Pacers' had toilets, and many see the lack thereof in the 398 as a backward step. . As for me, Waungron Park is at the end of my road. There are 2 tph from there into Cardiff, 1 ph in the evening ( and this is unlikely to change) - and as a pensioner, I have to pay. Whereas there are also between 4 and 6 buses per hour past my front door, and TfW allow me to travel free on them. Guess which mode wins ?

Waungron Park looking 'down' or south towards Penarth Curve North and Cardiff, 23rd, May 2023. . To the left, and below is one of the contractor's work compounds; and a ramp has been built to allow access to the track by road-rail vehicles. . The sheet piling is preparatory to platform lengthening.

The redevlopment of the CVL ( Industry speak for the Core Valley Lines ) is truly amazing, if not bewlidering also. . The photo was taken on 4th. April at the end of my road, from Waungron Park station, looking 'up' or 'north' towards Radyr and shws the knitting in place . This is the former Penarth Harbour & Docks Railway between Penarth Junction - later to become Radyr Junction, and Penarth Curve North (near canton TMD). . The flats on the left, Kennilworth Court, are built on the former Ely & Fairwater Goods Yard, which closed in 1963. . Until 1987 this line was freight only, but that year several new stations at Waungron Park, Fairwater and Danescourt, together with the existing Ninian Park Halt were opened to passenger traffic and marketed as 'The City Line'. . Fairwater station is just visible in the distance through Pwllmelin Road overbridge. . In the middle distance, to the left of the line is my alma mater from where I watched a continual procession of diesel hauled freights pass here at the turn of the 70s. - . My first railway photograph was taken just out of sight in the distance at Waterhall Junction in 1964 - I was waiting for one of Radyr's surviving panniers, but ended up with an EE Type 3 propelling a brake van. . In the intervening years I've seen, and known Classes 03, 08, 11, 14, 20, 25, 31, 33, 35, 37, 40, 42, 45, 46, 47, 50, 52, 56, 60 and 66 pass along this stretch, as well as 'City of Truro' and several other steam locos including NCB Austerities and NCB Pannier 7754. . Whilst I took all the above in my stride; if, all those years ago someone had told me this stretch would one day be electrified, and operated by 'tram trains' I would have scoffed....very loudly.

Off to Llantwit Major tomorrow . Accompanying my RAF Cadet grandsons to a parade, and fly past, marking the withdrawal of the Royal Air Force from St. Athan. . The end of another era.

. Something of a Desperado ? .

. Go on Dave......"take it to the limit"

. It doesn't appear to be possible; that's probably why they failed. .

The large white cross indicates a wagon for 'Internal Use Only' - within the confines of that particular industry (it didn't just apply to pits) ; and not (normally) allowed on the national network.

. I'm sure you can find something remotely useful to your hobby somewhere within the yellow and blue tin shed ? . I do, whether I need it, or not.

MISSING PERSON . Gimli, son of Gloin, Date of Birth:- The Third Age Born:- Erin Luin Kinsman of Durin The Deathless and loyal servant to Thorin Oakenshield South Wales Police ask that anyone with information or knowledge as to Gimli's whereabouts, keeps the information to themselves.

. About as much chance as 'Nelson getting his eye back !"

A former colleague of mine ( a police constable ) recently applied to sit the police promotion examination, for the rank of sergeant. . The examination is a national test, and one must apply via the 'College of Policing' . The applicant is required to complete a questionnaire; of which only two questions are 'police related' - namely (i) your force, and (ii) your force (collar) number. . The myriad of other questions include (iii) what type of school did the applicant attend ? (iv) the level of the applicant's parents education ? (iv) is the applicant the same gender now, as to that assigned at birth ? . As a lifelong sceptic I can see the reasoning behind such 'apparently unrelated' questions. . However, I wonder what a certain "deport them, castrate them, hang them high" national newspaper would make of such nonsense. . .

. For an officer, and gentleman, of your age, and experience................... you do ask some silly questions !

. Whilst "Mrs. 2975" enjoys imbibing - regurgitating the money she has spent is a very rare occurrence, even rarer than the Preston Guild. . However, the walk home from 'my club' (The Llandaff Institute) of a Sunday afternoon can be interesting, and even amusing for the onlooker.................on occasions.

. I never mishear her - but I often choose to misinterpret or ignore what she says ! . Usually on pain of (near) death.

. In a similar vein, further south....... I have just been advised by Mrs, 2975 - "WE'LL have a good clean through tomorrow" . Could this be anything to do with her subsequent statement - "I told Carol she could stay Friday night" (whoever Carol may be, a former work colleague I suspect ?) . Silly me, I forgot Mrs. 2975 is "out with the girls Friday night" - I'd best put the fake Uber stickers on my car Friday afternoon then, and refrain from alcohol that evening. .

. Back on the 11th. of this month I was in the Port of Gdynia, from where I took the train to and from Gdansk. . I noticed a lot of apparently new trackwork in the port area, which was being shunted by the PKP Cargo SM42 loco shown in the photo. . The beaten up, nondescript silver car in the distance performed a 'U Turn' and pulled alongside me on the level crossing. . It contained two armed Polish police officers who 'politely' asked me not to take photos. . Considering there is a war waging 'next door' and just up the Baltic coast the "Go Brandon Go" roadshow was in town, attending the NATO summit, the actions of the two officers were understandable. . The other photo shows another SM42 on a local train at Gdynia .

. I must say that I have experienced both extremes when entering the USA - and in fairness, evemn the worst experience never left a sour taste, in fact it became a sort of after dinner talk.

. A very succinct summary

. A-ha the old 'saes' chestnuts about the Welsh speaking their own language. . I'm no Cymric polyglot, nor am I a rabid Welsh speaker, (in fact the exact opposite) but one never hears our 'saes' neighbours from across Offa's Dyke complaining about their new-found fellow countrymen who converse openly in Gudjarati, Bengali, Arabic, French, Italian, Urdu, or Farsi in their corner shops, takeaways, kebab houses etc...................... in the way the 'saes' moan about the Welsh speaking Welsh. . Should the Welsh ask for GWR and Cross Country to turn their English only announcements off when their trains pass through the Severn Tunnel, or pass Chepstow ? Asking for a friend... .

. Anyway, TfW has far greater issues to confront at the moment. . This week sees Western Europe's largest agricultural show, The Royal Welsh Show, held at Llanelwedd, near Built Wells. . Every year since time immemorial, a special train has been run each day of the show, from Cardiff - Builth Road (stabling at Llandrindod Wells) before its' return to the capital. . This year was no exception, with TfW advertising an additional service in advance, and commencing yesterday. . However, the additional service was cancelled at (very) short notice "due to the unavailability of a crew" . Not well received by those intending passengers who had purchased their RWS advance tickets online..................... . The Central Wales Line has been badly effected of late - with a friend recently stranded at Salop after the last train of the day was caped; only for TfW to lay on a taxi, from Salop to Llandrindod Wells. . Yesterday evening, my daughter and son-in-law travelled by train ( TfW ), from Pontyclun into Cardiff for a Tom Jones concert at Cardiff Castle. . The last working back to Pontyclun was caped, and no replacement bus provided. . Which resulted in yours truly rescuing them from Cardiff's pouring rain , and making a 25 almost 30 mile round trip to get them home. . Theses are almost daily issues across the TfW network. . Those lucky enough to find their train to be a brand new Cl.197 or Cl.231, and arriving on time, are Lottery Winners compared to us mere mortals. .