br2975

That Bachmann JGA hopper looks familiar ! I nearly missed it when ogling that great big yellow beast.

The driver of 08854 "Bradshaw" (named after my good friend, the late Alan 'Bradshaw' Hill former Canton fitter) displays the Hima-Sella remote control system whilst shunting Allied Steel & Wire wagons at Channel Sidings and the Queen Alexandra Dock (north arm), Cardiff during April 2002. . The driver would stay with the loco here when using the R/C equipment, as when shunting onto the quayside the train would cross the road, and the loco would sometimes be a long way from the driver - and it is alleged that on occasions the loco would not respond due to the distance between loco and driver here, and, on at least one occasion a loco carried on and took the headshunt blocks out ! . All these sidings were torn up after Allied Steel & Wire went into receivership in July 2002. . Brian R

08752 "Lenny" - during the days when EWS / DB held the contract to shunt the Celsa (UK) Tremorfa & Castle Works in Cardiff. . The detail shots show parts of the warning lights and one of the emergency engine cut-out plungers fitted in connection with the Hima Sella remote control system. . The other close-up shows damage to the compressor cabinet. . The loco is also seen 'knocking out' the new scrap bay at Tremorfa on 6th March 2009. . Brian R

Used them in 7mm - and after screwing them up to gain the 'crinkly' appearance, stuck them to tin foil (flattened Chinese take-away container type)then formed them to the shape I wanted, it keeps the corner folds in place. . Brian R

A model based on Branches Fork would provide much entertainment - an excelent article by Desmond Coakham appeared in a BRJ a number of years ago. Two colliery branches, serving at least three collieries, a brickworks, shed, weighbridge and P.J. & J.P. Pontnewynydd Works. Hmmmmm - cogs have started rotating. . Brian R

And those figures only relate to the members of those classes 'out of service' at Crewe Works, and doesn't include those 'out of service' at depots around the system - so the percentages would be even higher. . Brian R

Growing up on the west side of Cardiff, both the South Wales main line and the Cardiff-Radyr freight line via Penarth Curve North were within walking distance from home. . In fact my school was next to the Penarth Curve - Radyr line, which saw Westerns occasionally, whereas on the main line they were ten a penny. . As a spotter from the late 60s I managed to underline them all. The sound of one getting away from a station stop, or under load was always what impressed me. . One abiding memory was travelling to Severn Tunnel Junction in October 1971 to see the return to steam special with 6000 KGV. I wonder how many others that day marvelled at the Westerns as they roared up the bank out of the western (down) portal of 'the big hole' I still have a vivid memory of 'Enterprise' herself bouncing like mad as she cleared the summit and clattered through STJ station. . So, here's what we saw on October 2nd. 1971 at Severn Tunnel Jct. - not just the Westerns (which I recall more clearly than the King !). 60, 85, 104, 107, 114, 140, 156, 1000, 1028, 1047, 1055, 1058, 1062, 1068, 1072, 1602, 1604, 1610, 1648, 1656, 1661, 1667, 1903, 1909, 1918, 3806, 3990, 4162, 4170, 5182, 5228+5268, 5264, 6781, 6788, 6996, 7000, 7070, 7080, 7084, 7092, (50665+59040+50715), (51063+59422+51091), 6000 ‘King George V’ Brian R

Only ever 'bunked' the place once, August 1971 and came through a doorway in the wall behind 6334 in the photo. . On my visit 6337 was leaving the shed, and I walked alongside it, using it as cover before I felt it was safe enough to carry on with my number taking. . Brian R

Invokes memories of David Jenkinson and Garsdale Road Brian R

I was there ! Crewe Works Open Day Saturday 18th. september 1971 On the works that day were the following (for the younger spotting bods - "read em and weep !") 201, 226, 229, 247, 252, 254, 261, 267, 270, 285, 297, 302, 305, 324, 325, 331, 370, 382, 385, 389, 405, 406, 407, 416, 437, 442, 443, 447, 1101, 1102, 1103, 1107, 1109, 1110, 1111, 1517, 1521, 1522, 1529, 1541, 1562 -cab(s) only ?, 1573, 1583, 1587, 1608, 1634, 1642, 1643, 1654, 1659, 1676, 1716, 1724, 1731, 1765, 1822, 1837, 1859, 1864, 1868, 1871, 1876, 1916, 1936, 1941, 1947, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1974, 1975, 1999, 3068, 3095, 3467, 3868, 3984, 5038, 6879, 6944, 6955, 6976, 6977, 8046, 8054, 8133, 8146, 8150, 8165, E3005, E3018, E3019, E3046, E3049, E3050, E3051, E3055, E3060, E3077, E3106, E3116, E3118, E3122, E3127, E3144, E3146, E3161, E3170, E3173, E3184, E3188, E3191, E3200, E6101, Brian R PS Keep them coming - please.....

Same place as the linguini scaffold boards and lasagne floorboards ............ . What jolifications we have recalling that thread ..... and still awaiting one subscriber to pass on the tricks of the trade so's the mistake isn't perpetuated by others...... Brian R

Oh no ! (sibling rivalry knows no bounds) . Junior will be unbearable now ! . Brian R . PS Well done sprout ! .

One of these perchance (top left) ? http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/bushey-auctions/catalogue-id-2803795/lot-10042523 Brian R

"Bud Morgan" - Castle Arcade, Cardiff . "The Model Shop" - Mill Lane, Cardiff; which closed and later became 'The Private Shop' (yes, a sex shop !) . "Burrell's" - Wilson Road, Cardiff ........... not a model shop, more like Arwright's but where they found a load of Tri-ang and Hornby Dublo in the storeroom in about 1979, and sold it for the equivalent of the pre-decimal prices on the boxes ! . Brian R

I believe it did, but may be wrong. . Cwm and Coed Ely both fed Llantrisant, from where most coke would go direct along the SWML to destination e.g. Pensnett for Lunt, Comley & Pitt. . With Radyr just down the road (A470) from Nantgarw any coke on 8B22 would have originated from Nantgarw, from where (and to ) a steady stream of trains passed each day . . I don't recall 8B22 being a mixed freight, and I think during 1971-72 there was onloy one return working between Llantrisant and Radyr. . I have 1975-76 conditional and mandatory WTT's in the shed, I'll have a look thro those when I can scale the kitchen units / sink/ dishwasher etc. ! . Brian R.

Eight years earlier (1971-72) 8B22 was the 10:20 MWFO Radyr - Avonmouth, the return working of 7F22/7C22 06:45 MWFO Avonmouth - Radyr. . It was something to look out for, from the classroom window ! In fact, 43 years ago next week ( 26th May, 1971 ) a tatty maroon full yellow ended 809 worked this service Funny how some reporting numbers stayed 'loyal' over the years ......... . There was also an 8B41 09:52 MX-Q and 8B44 15:00 Q service that ran from Radyr to Filton / Bristol W.D. / Wapping Wharf or Cheltenham as required. . Quite often a Canton Hymek turn. . Keep 'em coming . Brian R

May 1987 CF Cardiff Canton – Shunter Duties 2 DB Cardiff, Tidal Sidings 1 DB Radyr Jct. / Radyr Quarry Jct. 1 DB Cathays C & W Shops 1 AB (VHF) Barry Docks stables Cadoxton Mon-Fri. 1 DB Aberdare / Abercwmboi Phurnacite Plant, stables Aberdare at night. 1 DB East Usk Jct. Mornings/afternoons, stables Newport Godfrey Rd. 1 DB East Usk Jct. Mornings/afternoons, trip workings also, shunts Newport High St. sta nights. 1 DB (VHF) Severn Tunnel Jct. Down Yard 1 DB (VHF) Severn Tunnel Jct. Down Yard afternoons/nights. 2 DB (VHF) Severn Tunnel Jct. Bristol Yard 1 DB (VHF) Severn Tunnel Jct. Transfer Pilot afternoons/nights 1/2 DB (VHF) Severn Tunnel Jct. Spare locos, when available. 1 DB Hereford Yard, trips to HP Bulmer, Moorfields P.S., Wiggin Alloys. 1 DB (HST) Cardiff Canton Carriage Shed 1 DB Cardiff Central Station Pilot 1 (VHF) Cardiff, Roath Dock (North side) Pilot 1 Newport Docks, trips to Newport AD Jct. Frequent Hire 2 NSF Abercwmboi Phurnacite Plant. 1 BC Merthyr Vale Colliery Occasional Hire BC Deep Navigation Colliery, Treharris. Ford Motor Co. Bridgend. Radyr CE Yard when Class 97 unavailable BSC Llanwern ARC Machen Quarry.

A day around Cardiff Saturday 01/05/1971 Cardiff General 40, 185, 1045, 1061, 1063, 1070, 1627+7089, 1649, 1657, 1666, 1720, 1729, 1926, 3819, 4010, 6604, 6877, 6878, 6879, 6918+6923+6929, 7042, 7054, 7055, 7062, 7081, 7086, 7089+1627, (55025)+50705+59265+50647)+(50132), (55026)+(50660+59266+50729), Cardiff – Radyr Via Penarth Curves & ‘City Line’ 109, 6977, 7042, Cardiff Canton 86A 1031, 1667, 1729, 3259, 3747, 6878, 7060, Radyr Yard S.P. 3266, 3960, 6941, 6876, 6886, 6955, 6958, 6990, 6995, 7075, PWM651, Cardiff Canton 86A 1592, 3423, (50701) Cardiff General 1002, 1011, 1598, 1670, 6880+6976, 6882, 6914+6927+6930, 6980, 7016, (50080+59030+50122), (51060+59419+51088), (55022), Cardiff Canton 86A 49, 185, 1680, 1753, 1901, 1906, 1919, 6914, 6917, 6918, 6923, 6927, 6928, 6930, 6939, 6974, 7048, 7056, 7064, 7065, 7068, 7079, 7081, Cardiff General 191, 1006, 1045, 1637, Waterhall Jct (between Penarth Curve North & Radyr) (50088+59362+50130), (50648+59296+50706), (50681+50701), (50834+59038+50887), (50836+59344+50889), (50839+59347+50892), (50844+59335+50897), (50845+59353+50898), (50848+59356+50901), (50863+59371+50916), (50866+59374+50919), (50869+59035+50922), NOTES (1) It would appear that PW work somewhere between Radyr, Llandaff and Cardiff Queen St. had forced the diversion of Merthyr and Treherbert services via Penarth Curve North and the now ‘City Line’ Hence the trip to Radyr. NOTES (2) 6918+6923+6929, 6914+6927+6930 and also 6917+6939 arrived at Canton having been transferred from Healey Mills. Brian R

"I'd love a Babycham !" Brian R

When responding earlier in this thread, I forgot this occasion which was brought to my attention by Valley Modeller http://www.rail-online.co.uk/p661346788/h2F187778#h2f187778 Brian R.

Rosamund Street being a glorified (and enlarged) " 5+3+3 Inglenook " could make do wth the bog standard 8 wagons, but that would drive me batty at a two day show, so a few more wagons will be fitted between now and October. . I've enought to more than cope with my current stock - and I prefer them to the Kadees I used previously, with their annoying 'shimmy' over the monster undertrack magnets. The wiring had best behave itself as the trackwork is now fully inset in granite setts - the addition of any fruther droppers would prove difficult, and test my knowledge of Anglo-Saxon epithets, curses and oaths to the limit.......... . Just nipped into 'Pen & Paper' for two more A1 sheets of mounting board ( at £3.50 per sheet, a lot less than styrene and nicer to work with -IMHO). . So in between gutting my kitchen, babysitting the grandsons and cooking tea - I can press on with the erection currently rising from my workbench. Brian

Now I can empathise with that Marc. . Rosamund St. (a simple shunting layout) tried my patience electrically; more through reliability issues. . Having beaten the electrical gremlins into submission, the Spratt & Winkle bug wound me up ........... . So I've taken a break and set about a factory complex for the backscene, using my favourite medium, mounting card, and it has restored my 'mojo' ( detest that term). . Brian R .

I bet it was, did you come across Bear Grylls ?. . At least I used to get paid to walk the streets of Strangetown. . Brian R

Not quite, some are bound to criticise the model because........... (Not me, I've got more than I need for my layout, and they are OK for my purposes !) . The Hornby model appears to be B384378 and has fabricated axleboxes. . The prototype was built to Dia. 183 and had a 9'0" wheelbase. By the time it was in Ingot Mould use, this wagon had been fitted with roller bearings. . In fact I have a list of 21 Ingot Mould wagons on the desk in front of me, and all were fitted with roller bearings. . Of that list of 21 wagons, it appears that all those to Dia 183 and 9'0" w.b. were fittedwith 'spindle' buffers, whilst those to Dia. 183 with 10'0" w.b. were fitted with Oleo buffers - save (DB)387976 which appeared to have self contained buffers, and two built to Dia. 184 with 10'0" w.b. were fitted with self contained buffers. . The Iron Ore tipplers used for coil traffic had had their bodies cut down circa 1968 , and were fitted with longitudinal cradles and became Coil J, later KJO and SJO. These wagons survived in South Wales until the late 1980s They had superceded two earlier conversions of sixteen ton mineral wagons, (i) a batch of Dia.117 fitted sixteen tonners (allocated Dia. 409 on conversion in about 1962) that were for 'pickled coil traffic' based at the Abbey Works, Port Talbot and which returned to mineral use in the late 60s. and (ii) unfitted sixteen tonners of a variety of diagrams - fitted with cradles and which outlasted the converted fitted wagons. These wagons were used on RTB (Richard Thomas & Baldwins) coil traffic in South Wales and in turn were superseded by the Coil J conversions of Iron Ore tipplers mentioned above. . The loading of the mineral wagons with coils ( and Ingot Mould wagons ) was dangerous for the men inside the wagon when the coils (or moulds) were being loaded and unloaded, and led to the cutting down of the tipplers mentioned above, and the cutting of holes in the sides of some Ingot Mould wagons. . Photos of all the conversions mentioned above can be found on Paul Bartletts invaluable site. . An article by Keith Allen appeared in the January 1983 R.M. featuring the coil conversions, . As for the areas where you would see Ingot Mould wagons................ most (but not all) places where there may be a steel works. . They could be seen here in South Wales conveying worn out moulds to the BSC Ifor Works at Dowlais where they would be broken up, and re-cast into new moulds. . At Dowlais they would either break the moulds using a large 'Butters' crane which dropped an iron ball from a height onto the old moulds, or stand the moulds in a pit, put dynamite into the moulds, then fill the pit with water and ignite the dynamite ........ . Worn out ingot moulds en-route to Dowlais (carried on Plate wagons, but tipplers also feature) can be seen here:- http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/radyrtocaeharris.htm Breaking up the old moulds and an idea of their size, can be found here:- http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/dowlaisworks_butters_crane.htm Brian R .

Cardiff Bus (Bws Caerdydd) services 92, 93, 94 use Penarth Road and pass The Pump House, and L&B. . In the centre of the city, busses to various destinations, terminate at a variety of locations - as opposed to just the Central Bus Station. . If you were coming up from Cardiff Bay on say a No.8, I don't know where that stops in the centre, and how you'd change to a 92/93/94. . This is what Cardiff Bus consider progress - reading the letters page(s) in the South Wales Echo suggests the passengers/customers hold different views Any wonder why I use ATW instead ? Brian R . PS Don't know where you are staying in 'the bay' but consider the train from Bute Road aka Cardiff Bay to Queen St. change to a Barry or Penarth sevice and get off at Grangetown. Turn left at the foot of the station steps and follow Penarth Road - walking time 10-15mins max.