br2975

Same goes for me. . Brian R

The only photos I can recall of new rolls on wagons are those taken in and around Tennant's Foundry at Whifflet; and unfortunately all the rolls in the photos I have (e.g. Bylines) are loaded onto internal use wagons. . Brian R

Very informative Arthur. Probably one of the most uncommonly photographed steel related loads - I don't have one to hand. . I do have a GWR rule book which contains diagrams of the correct means of loading 'mill rolls' - but that's at home (where the scanner is u/s - and I'm in work !). . The GWR and subsequently BR built wagons specifically for this traffic. The GWR possessed a very ecclectic collection of wagons for the carriage of mill rolls, some being built on the underframes of tenders acquired from pre-grouping companies. . There was an excellent drawing by Mike Moreton Lloyd and photographs of a GWR 'Roll Wagon' in an old MRC circa 1964. . Over the years many authors, and enthusiasts have (wrongly) thought that the wagons were for carrying (rolls of) steel coils not the actual mill rolls. . Brian R

Adam, 200 fitted mineral wagons (Dia.1/108 and Dia. 1/117 ?) were converted in 1962 (Dia. 1/409 refers). . They were back in mineral traffic by the late 1960s and it is quite likely the recovered baulks were re-used in other 4 wheeled coil conversions , possibly Coil C, J and P ? . Brian R

I doubt it, as the coil conversions of tipplers had their sides cut down and were fitted internally with timber baulks - but there again, there's "a prototype for everything". However, during the mid-60s BR converted a number of vacuum fitted sixteen tonners for coil use in South Wales by (apparently) welding up the doors and fitting coil cradles. These eventually returned to mineral traffic - possibly when tipplers and pig iron wagons began to be converted to coil use. These were branded "For pickle coil traffic, return to Abbey Works, Port Talbot" or similar. . In addition "RTB" (Richard Thomas & Baldwins) operated a large number of unfitted sixteen tonners (obtained from BR) which were also fitted with coil cradles; most went in the early 1970s- photos of which appear on Paul Bartlett's site. . Brian R

Well there's a mystery solved because the works plate definitely came from D6122 whilst it was at Woodham Bros. West Pond site in Barry Docks. . I kicked a piece of alloy, bent down to see what it was and was amazed to find it was most of the NBL diamond builders plate - so I wandered over to the locos, found D6122 and there was the smaller section of the plate still affixed to the cab side. . Having levered off the smaller piece, it can be seen from the photo they fitted together perfectly. . So, to summarise, D6122 must have received a cab from D6121. . Brian R

You want guns senor ? . One of my regular haunts when I retreat to Spain is Cabo Tinoso located on the coast between Puerto de Mazarron and Cartagen. One of a pair of batteries built between the wars to defend the Spanish naval base at Cartagena and still containing a pair of 15" Vickers weapons, and several smaller 6" guns. . It's a hair raising 5 mile drive along a single track road with hairpin bends and sheer drops - but it's well worth it if you're in the area. . Brian R

Wayne . The nail factory was located at Tremorfa on the northern edge of the internal sidings (aka 'The Prairie' ) that ran alongside Rover Way. The nail factory closed many years ago, and the site is now mainly beneath the new EAF. . The mill which suffered the 'cobble' was at the Castle Works; and the 'vats' were also at the south end of the Castle Works alongside the former BR Roath Dock stabling point, and what later became Ryan's coal stocking and blending site on the north sides of the Roath Dock. . The East Moors / Castle Works complex had originally been constructed by Guest Keen as the 'New' Dowlais works, but came to be known to generations of Cardiffians as 'The Dowlais' or "The Dowluss" (Many of the locals were not Cardiffians by birth, with a large number of Irish and Cornish having moved into Splott, so they found Welsh pronunciations difficult). . Successive nationalisations and 'de-nationalisations' saw the steel production at the East Moors plant finally owned by British Steel (BSC) and the adjoining Castle Works and other finishing facilities back within the Guest Keen empire. . With the impending closure of East Moors in 1978 (by a Labour Government that included the MP for the area, "Sunny" Jim Callaghan) and the loss of raw steel British Steel and GKN got together and established a new Electric Arc facility at Tremorfa. . Eventually, a management buy-out saw the creation of Allied Steel & Wire; the rest the say, is history.. . Brian R

Many years ago (circa 1973-74) during my 6th Form work experience at the (then) GKN Castle & Tremorfa Works I was treated to the sight of a 'cobble' on one of the mills. . i.e. a red hot billet travelling at speed collided with the mill rolls instead of passing between them, result - the front end of the 'plastic' billet stops dead and the rear end keeps on moving resulting in the red hot billet whipping around the place and 'taking out' anything in its path. . With the siren blaring, men set to with oxy-acetylene torches cutting up the billet and removing it from on and around the mill bed ...... as other billets continued to flash by, or between their legs as they worked ! . If that wasn't 'dengerous' enough - we also visited the pickling shop (?) where coils were dunked into vats containing the most evil smelling liquids your nose could ever encounter. I got the impression that all the men employed there had thin, wispy, white hair and rotten teeth !!!! . Then there was the nail factory - who remembers when 'every' box of nails or screws you bought in this country had the GKN 'Castle' logo on the box ? From outside this looked just like anyother low industrial mill building - open the door, and walk in - and the whole structure bounced as the dozens of machines punched and stamped nails and screws of every size and description. . Oh ! and I haven't got to the slag tipping on the foreshore yet ...................... ( I know the molten steel was produced 'next door' at East Moors ).. . Brian R . PS The most terrifying experience was riding the 'tilly' - a Thames min-bus that plied between the Castle & Tremorfa works - bouncing over unmade roads and dodging trains !!!!

If you're looking to run the oddvehicle in NSE livery, here are a few examples. All other stock would be Blue & Grey except where stated. Cardiff Central - Weds. 18th November 1987 - 47530+5253+6529+17056+5248(NSE livery)+5467+5473 (05:15hrs Holyhead-Cardiff arr 1055hrs) Cardiff Central - Thurs 19th November 1987 - 47480+5287+5245(NSE livery)+5350+17097+6528+5255. (1300hrs Cardiff-Holyhead) Cardiff Central - 1st September 1987 (working Valley Lines services) (51408(NSE liv)+59518(NSE liv)+55022(blue/grey) Cardiff Central - 11th December 1987 - 47599+5302+ic5251w+ic17088+E6515+M5430+5256(NSE livery) - (0515hrs Holyhead-Cardiff) At this time many of the Mk.1 vehicles used on the Swansea - (Cl.37/4) - Bristol - (Cl.33) -Portsmouth Harbour axis carried NSE 'flashes'. I can give some examples if required Brian R

And a bit more pipework. . Brian R

Wayne, Hope this helps - taken at Tremorfa circa 2006 . Brian

Wayne . In the case of my abandoned project, in order to get the saddles to be a snug fit beneath the pipe I cut the out the curve (to accomodate the pipe) roughly, then wrapped sand paper around the pipe and sanded the saddle until it was the size I wanted. . I generally used a large section Plastruct or Evergreen 'I' beam then used some thin styrene sheet to line the saddle. . My original pictures are rather poor, but hopefully may help. . Brian

Impressive Wayne - keep us updated with progress. . Brian R . PS I've printed off a few things for you, including an illustrated list of ASW internal wagons from my sightings, and a booklet produced by ASW for staff and customers regarding their various wagons (both internal and network registerd). I'll have them at the Cardiff Show.

Richard . I came across the following book at Model Rail Live:- . Western Branches, Western Byways Kevin McCormack http://www.ianallanpublishing.com/railway/uk/western-branches-western-byways.htm Which contains two photos of dolomite trains circa 1964/65. One is taken on the west end of Walnut Tree viaduct and shows a 94xx (IIRC 9446) shunting the works, with its dolomite containers and conflats on the viaduct and a rake of sixteen tonners visible in the works. . The loco carries the target " H13 " . Another recent release I found was :- . Steam in South Wales Derek Huntriss with photographs by Alan Jarvis http://www.ianallanpublishing.com/railway/uk/steam-in-south-wales.htm . There are some superbly atmospheric shots within this book (I should hope so as Mr Jarvis lives less than a mile from me) including three taken on the Waterhall - Creigiau Quarry section of the former Taff Vale No.1 Branch depicting a 94xx propelling and shunting limestone hoppers. . 4472 'Flying Scotsman' stabled inside Radyr shed alongside a 56xx - March 1964 . Also a brace of shots at Creselly Crossing, 'Mount' with my great aunts' house in the background. . Recommended. . Brian R

"Wemyss Private Railway" Author- Alan Brotchie Pub:- Oakwood Press ISBN-13: 978-0853615279 . Brian R

Found the larger piece over 40 years ago in some long grass; the smaller section was still attached to the loco. . I'll let you all investigate which loco, and where. . Brian R

With Wayne's permission (after all, it's his thread) I've put the following link in:- http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=24398&sid=a813d49ff23acaae5e88ab6985423fb0 This takes you to my original thread about Allied Steel & Wire. Brian R

(I) A number of 'Warflat' wagons (some ex-BR) were purchased and converted to scrap carriers and numbered in the 'BF' (Birds Fragmentisers) number series. Towards the end of Allied Steel & Wire they had their box bodies removed and replaced with bolsters ('I' section bolsters) and were renumbered into the 'CB' series (Condemned Billet). So, save your pennies for the forthcoming Bachmann 'Warflat' (Ref 38-727). (II) From when 'Transrail' took over the ASW shunting contract circa 1996, then when EWS took the contract over I kept records of Cl.08/09 shunters allocated to the ASW hire pool, and those sighted in and around the works (some working there were short term cover and not re-allocated into the 'pool'- others were allocated to the WSAW pool but remained at Canton as 'Christmas trees' ) up until GBRf won the contract. I recorded some 60+ Cl.08/09 shunters working in/around the ASW complex. I have a folder outlining each loco, with photos and detail differences, livery details and the dates they were working at Tidal / ASW. I'll bring it along to the Cardiff Show in October (I'll be operating my brother's layout) for you to peruse. Brian R

Don't forget you can build the shorter (four wheeled) billet carriers using the underframes from both Bachmann and Cambrian POA wagons as well, if you are modelling post-2007. . If modelling pre-2003 you could scratchbuild some 'Red Adders' on TTA underframes - they were not network registered, but built for internal use and so their springs were not modified. . Consider a simple rebuild of the Bachmann Crocodile/Weltrol into the one-off billet carrier as well ? . Anything you need, fleetlist, sightings, photos - just let me know. . Brian R . PS As for Spain . . . . . . . . . . it's sunny, 'warm' and one needs to remain 'hydrated'

I've spent most of today getting them clad and deciding what to do about detailing, I even managed a little field trip down to Celsa this afternoon to grab a few pics with the digital pocket camera for reference and some very quick and basic detail scribbles on a note pad. Aside from the buildings, I also found looking at the slag dump near the water works interesting to look at. As I arrived there was a shunt in progress with the new Hunslet loco but it was well underway so no point in trying to grab photo's, that's twice I've missed shunts now. I dont suppose our mine of information (Brian R) knows when these shunts are carried out? Wayne . Sorry I missed this post first time around. . Generally there is a melt/cast every three hours at Tremorfa, with a train then run to take the hot billets to the Castle Works (Rod Mill). . Occasionally the billets will go to the 16" mill instead, and are shunted only a couple of hundred yards behind the melt shop and mill, out of sight if you're on Rover Way. These working use shorter 'SS' /'SB' wagons carrying shorter billets. Unfortunately I don't have the current times - I'll ask my contact next time I speak with him. . I have a large number of photos taken in and around the works if you need any - just let me know what feature(s) you're after and I'll check to see what (if any) pics I've got. . I must admit, my interest in the area waned once ASW went into liquidation, and declined even further when EWS (DB) lost the contract to GBRf - which sort of combined with change of jobs and the need to occasionally divert drive past the Tremorfa works. . Brian

Yes - on the shelf next to the tartan paint, but it's hidden by a bucket of steam, spare bubbles for the spirit level and some new sky hooks ! . Brian R

Being local to us, we would visit several times a year - and watch the hulks slowly rust; never expecting so many to be restored to the condition they run in today, and many on the mainline. . Brian R