br2975

Bro' . As discussed Saturday 14th. February, 1987 The following were late evening visits in order to record the consist of newspaper / parcels trains PADDINGTON 2035hrsPlatform 10 93362(Westbury)+93411(Taunton)+93952(Taunton)+93725(Gloucester)+93948(Stroud)+93878 (Stroud,)Gloucester) Platform 9 93383(Chippenham)+93623(Swindon)+93644(Bristol)+93384(Bristol)+93834(Bristol)+94021(Bath)+ 95205(Bath)+84318 (?)+47534 Platform ? 80670(Transfers Milford)+84558(Haverfordwest+Whitland)+84125(Swansea)+93652(Swansea)+93938(Llanelli)+93367(Bridgend)+93506(Cardiff)+93694(Newport)+84416(Newport). ST. PANCRAS 2115hrs45062+93628(?)+93887(?)+93110(?)+93105(Bradford & Leeds) 45142+93149(Sheffield,Mexboro,Barnsley)+93766(?)+93593(?)+93916(Hull,Selby,Leeds overflow) KING’S CROSS 2125hrs, 47640+93680(Grantham)+93825(Grantham)+93642(Newark)+93138(Lincoln)+93180(Doncaster, Retford,Worksop,Gainsbro’)+84094(Grimsby,Cleethropes)+93824(?)+84185(?)+80699(?) PADDINGTON 2250hrs. 47194+93293(Bridgend)+93711(Cardiff)+93192(Cardiff)+93914(Cardiff)+93852(Newport)+93265(Lydney,Chepstow)+93962+84332+94030 47620+93152(Exeter)+80769(Exeter)+93793(Paignton,Torquay)+93374(Newton Abbot)+84611+84369+80589+84126+93953

Late 1980s view of the site of Clarence Road station, looking towards 'the blocks'. . The road running acrposs the picture from left to right is James St. to the left and Clarence Road to the right. . The Cardiff 4mm club occupy premises down the street opposite. . The building with the ornate tower was formerly the Avondale Hotel. . Brian R

Who remembers the excellent series of LMS Society articles published in the Railway Modeller during the 1964ish - 1969ish period ? In one such article Bob Essery mentioned that the term 'Jocko' originated on the Midland Railway and referred to any shunting loco, he went on to say that even an 8F shunting a coal stage could be referred to as "the coal bank Jocko". . Brian R

"Ryans" is located on the south side of the Roath Dock. . There was once a loop and loading / unloading facilities here, but over the years the loop etc fell into decline and is now but a single line. . The nearest loop is further along the 'branch' adjacent to Longships Road (on the foreshore) so trains run here either before or after loading / unloading at "Ryans" and returning to Tidal. . This 2004 shot shows the location, with the '09' taking imported billets to the then recently reopened Cardiff Rod Mill, followed by 60059 on the Cardiff ABP - Newport ADJ. . Brian R

Well as I refused to renew my season ticket for the mighty Bluebirds (now read Redbirds) my weekends are now only restricted by two train mad four year olds. . Last time I was at Donny there was a Tommy in the paint shop and D6854 awaiting repair after its mishap at Quintinshill !!!!!!

Phil. . My 1971-1972 WTT shows:- . 6M34 23:25 MX Company (air braked) Cardiff Tidal Sidings - Soho Pool and 6V80 07:28 MX Company (air braked) Soho Pool - Cardiff Tidal Sidings At this time, and until at least 1973 Gulf were based on the foreshore near South East Junction, Cardiff Docks. My 1977 Driver's Manual (Loads Book) shows:- . 6M39 23:45 SX Company (air braked) Cardiff Tidal Sidings - Soho Pool "Loaded Rail Cars" - Texaco and 6V80 08:05 MX or 07:40 SO Company (air braked) Soho Pool - Cardiff Tidal Sidings "Empty Rail Cars" - Texaco Texaco appear to have taken over the Gulf facility referred to above post 1973 and prior to 1977. . Unfortunately, I don't know what tanks were used - as the trains joined the SWML at Pengam and never passed Cardiff central/general and were generally outside my normal spotting hours !! Perhaps someone can tells us whether 'rail cars' were 100 ton bogie tanks. . Brian R

Nice. . Where are they unloading Leon, Fletcher's Wharf by the Roath Dock ? . Sadly, I don't get the opportunity to visit the docks anymore. . Brian

Phil Give the driver a break...... probably a failure in the Birmingham area ? . 8M28 was the WFO Radyr-Stanton Gate, and 6V80 the return Soho Pool - Cardiff, Tidal Sidings (Gulf ?) tanks. . Brian R

Curran's first apparent loco was 'Leighton' 0-4-0ST P 968/1902 aquired from A.R.Adams sometime between 1935 and 1943., their last steam loco 'Phoenix' was hired a couple of times from A.R.Adams between 1950 and 1959. . Their last loco was "Edward Curran" 0-4-0DM JF 4000012/1947. . Brian R

Combined with allegedly singing in the old 'Bomb and Dagger' removes Miss Bassey from 'Tiger Bay' Brian R

You've got too much time on your hands now !

Mike, I think, the last 'patent fuel' works in the area was on the land south of the Roath Basin and north of the Queen Alexandra Dock and east of the Mountstuart Dry Dock(s) - more or less beneath the brand new BBC studios known as 'Roath Lock'. . The redundant concrete structures survived until the late 80s at least. . If one walked south from the former Cardiff East Dock shed, passing the docks engineering shops on your right, then crossed the lock between the Roath Dock & Roath Basin the fuel works would have been on your right. . This was one of a number in the Cardiff area over the years........ just imagine, the blocks (slightly bigger than a house brick) being produced alongside the canal at Blackweir, Cardiff - loaded by hand into a GCC narrow boat, then taken to the West Dock and unloaded by hand onto a conveyer, up onto a ship then stacked by hand in the hold !!!!!!! . Brian R

In recent years Currans made bath tubs - enamelled, for the use of ! . However, several years ago now, whilst researching the local industries alongside the GCR, Hywel Thomas (of this parish) sent the following re Currans :- ".. Most interesting traffic was in Centurion tank track segments which were made by Currans &, almost certainly, moved by rail (via the Riverside branch) probably to a factory in Lancs & possibly elsewhere. They did a huge amount of work in WW2 including building the mine flails for Sherman tanks for D-Day! ...." Brian R

Yet another photo of the Riverside Branch circa 1959-1960. . Again we are on the east side of the branch looking toward Clarence Road station. . Note the wooden post bracket signal, with right hand stop signal and calling-on arm controlling access to the solitary platform, and left hand bracket for the loop. Not being a signalling expert, I assume the calling on arm is/was for use in running around ? . Again the photographer was leaning over the fence from Dumballs Road. . In the centre can be seen the premises of Jas. (James) Arnott oil distributors, which was rail served off the Glamorganshire Canal Railway (GCR) and a couple of opens on the GCR can be seen on the extreme left. . On the opposite side of the branch (west) are structures within the Edward Curran complex, including the water tower which can be seen in some of the other photos posted above. . Stand here today, and there's nothing immediately apparent to locate this picture - definitely not a 64XX and auto trailers on a Clarence Road - Pontypridd jaunt via Cardiff General, Ely (Main Line), St. Fagans, Ty'n Y Caeaua Jct. Creigiau, Efail Isaf, Tonteg Jct. and Treforest. . Brian R

Finding a copy of H.W.Paar's - "History of the Severn & Wye Railway" on the shelves of my local library many moons ago. . Then finding "GWR Branch Line Album" (by Ian Krause ?) on the same shelf - and seeing for the first time Ben Ashworth's tree top photo of the 2251 at Kerne Bridge clinched it for me. . The FoD interest stayed on the back burner until I secured a copy of "BR Steam in Dean" when first published - probably my most thumbed book, and if that book hasn't provided the spark for a few FoD layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Brian R Oh ! And last Father's Day I was treated to roast boar in a pub at Llanharry in the Vale of Glamorgan - recommended.

As an aside - the area south of the GWR South Wales main line and west of the River Taff is Grangetown. . The narrow area east of the River Taff and west of the Glamorganshire Canal was known as "Rat Island". . The area east of the Glamorganshire Canal and west of the Bute West Dock was known "Tiger Bay". . Brian R

My brother 'naturol' and I recently took 'the girls' to Herefordshire for a weekend away - and just 'happened upon' this Aladdin's Cave. . Not only did we have a great weekend but I returned home clutching a green Hornby Cl.08 obtained at a preferntial price. . We will be returning ! . Brian R

Another view on the Riverside Branch. . Here we are looking south toward Clarence Road station, with Dumballs Road on our left i.e. the east side of the railway line. . The Glamorganshire Canal ran behind the buildings to our left, and the Glamorganshire Canal Railway (GCR) ran between the buildings and the canal.. . There are one or two things of interest here. . The up and down lines are the furthest from the photographer. The nearest is a shunting spur. . The photographer was leaning over a level crossing gate, which protected a siding leading into the Lloyd's Bute Proving House, which can be seen on the left. The proving house was used for testing ships anchors and chains for insurance purposes. There was also access to the proving house from the GCR using wagon turntables. Many of the chains tested here had come from the works of Brown,Lenox at Pontypridd which was alongside the Glamorganshire Canal, but also rail connected to the Newport (South Wales)and Alexandra Docks Railway, later GWR. . In the distance can be seen the premises of Harris Fireplaces. . Another siding leads off to the left over a level crossing - this line was known as 'the lane' and was the connection between the GCR and GWR and by which traffic was transferred between the two companies. . After 'the lane' we can see a row of single storey warehouses, the nearest of which has semi-circular window in its gable end. This was formerly leased by Burton's a Bristol Channel shipping company, but for many years after the war was leased by Cardiff Corporation for storage, mainly scenery (built by my and 'naturols' dad) from the (late lamented) Cardiff Searchlight Tattoo.Whilst working for 'the Corporation' one summer (circa 1970-1971) I spent a day there, alone, waiting for the electricity man to come and read the meter, as it hadn't been read in living memory !!!!! . To the right, or west of the branch are buildings that are about currently to be demolished to make way for a further housing development - a northern addition to the existing Century Wharf which was built on the site of Edward Curran Engineering - who also had an internal railway system and operated several locos over the years until the early 1960s. . Brian R

Another aerial view of the sea lock pound of the Glamorganshire Canal. . Clarence Road station is visible, with a 56xx approaching from Cardiff General on a passenger service. . Of interest is James Street swingbridge which crossed the canal which, by the time this photo was taken was in such a condition Cardiff Corporation wouldn't sanction its opening. . This meant no vessels could navigate the canal upstream of the swingbridge, and Bowles sand wharf on the far (west) bank just upstream of the bridge was relocated to the Grangetown side of the Taff just downstream from Clarence Road Bridge .... also visible in the picture. . The crane at Bowles sand wharf adjacent to the canal can be seen, and this is now Cardiff Bay Police Staion, with the canal a park...... an area much favoured by the BBC for the filming of Dr. Who and Torchwood. . The course of the Glamorganshire Canal Railway can be traced along the west bank of the canal. . On the seaward side of the swingbridge can be seen the sand wharves of Messrs Sandrige, and then J&R Griffiths. . At the bottom end of Harrowby Steet (pronounced 'arraby street) can be seen the gabled end walls of the 'New Sea Lock' one time watering hole of both the Bay Model Railway Group and the Cardiff 4mm Club, where licensing hours were observed only in passing - in fact it was like drinking in someone's front room (God bless you Rita). At this time the railway, as was the canal was owned and operated by Cardiff Corporation and the loco used was a Greenwood & Batley four wheeled battery electric, which was shedded at the bottom left hand corner of the picture (the shed is under a tree in shadow) adjacent to the sea lock. . The GCR closed in February 1963 and the loco scrapped in 1965 by Western Metals of Ferry Road, Grangetown. . I have more, if anyone's interested ? . Brian R

Don't think so, and I only have a poor shot of the successor "Bute Road" which we last exhibited at Cathays C&W Works for the TVR 150 celebrations. . I have got some more shots of the Riverside Branch taken again around 1959-1960 which I'll post later. Brian R

Yes mate, Dumballs Road (and at the town end, Tresillian Terrace) ran parallel to the Riverside Branch. Some of the rails that served Curran's and the yards and warehouses off the GCR are still in situ here and there. Probably the most notable service on the branch was the erstwhile "St. Fagans Pullman" the Abercynon "JB" duty auto train. Brian R

Mike The aerial photo is pre-1951, but post war - it came from the Welsh Indutrial & Maritime Museum many years ago, and as it can be downloaded from the 'gtj' (gathering the jewels) website I don't believe there's any copyright infringement (cue further posts from more knowledgeable bods than I) . The mounts on the two colour slides are marked 1959. . Unfortunately, I can't recall Clarence Road, and only just recall the GCR as the one 'driver' lived in our street, and my dad, also working for Cardiff Corporation blagged us a ride one Friday when we went to collect his pay packet at Trade St. ! . Brian R

Cometh the hour - cometh the man ! . Many years ago now, our club modelled Cardiff Clarence Road station, and the adjoining (GCR) Glamorganshire Canal Railway (latterly owned by Cardiff Corporation). . I've attached some scans from photos/slides in my collection. . The first photo is an aerial view of the complete Riverside Branch with Cardiff General station at the top and is taken sometime between 1945 and 1950. The River Taff wends its way along the left side, and the Glamorganshire Canal is along the left (east) side. . The Riverside Branch winds through the centre and the canopy of Clarence Road station can be seen on the bottom edge of the photo. . There is so much detail and info in this photo, I could wax lyrical for hours on in it. e.g. Towards the top can be seen the former 'timber float' upon which Zurich now have their offices. Next to it you can just see one of the canal locks (Lock No.51 ??). . The canal south of this lock was drained quickly, and dramatically one night in December 1951 when the sand dredger Catherine Ethel (75 tons registered, capable of loading 150 tons and IIRC owned by J & R Griffiths) hit the sea lock gates and was swept out to sea in a 'Niagra of water' !. By 1951 he 'sand wharf' was in Harrowby Street, where the now new town houses are standing, and back onto the linear park that was the former canal. . Coming south along the canal, can be seen a small dock off the canal on the eastern bank, this may be the former Taff Vale Railway 'Little Dock' which was alongside the TVR West Yard Works all accessed by rails from the TVR Cardiff Docks Station (later Bute Road) across Bute Street. . The new houses and square are built on the sight of Hodges Dry Dock (perhaps that's why it was named Hodge's Square ?) . The second photo is taken over the fence from Harrowby Street (as it was then) and shows Clarence Road station. James Street/Clarence Road runs left to right in the distance beyond the station - i.e. between the station and the Avondale Hotel. . The ramshackle buildings on the left of the photo are where the now Cardiff Bay Police Station stands. The third photo was taken a few hundred yards north from the last photo, and is looking in the opposite direction (north) and shows Riverside South S.B. against the buildings of Edward Curran Ltd. By tracing the route of the Riverside Branch in the aerial photo, the locations from which the two colour photos were taken can be found. . My dad, and Welsh Wizard's dad worked together - at Cardiff Corporation's Trade Street Depot, which is at the top of the photo - hence our interest in the area. If you require any further info, please let me know. . Brian R

Only those with foresight converted pram wheels into a 'bogie' . The plebs amongst us had to make do with an old 'Beano Annual' across a roller skate................. . Brian R

J409 - the Peak and the Pram ! . That chassis could make a real good 'bogie' (Cardiff phrase) or 'gambo' (Valleys term). . Keep 'em coming Dave. . Brian R