br2975

Returning to Ferry Road - a place I frequented many times over the years 1970 - 1972 whilst in the employ of Cardiff City Council; as one of Cardiff's two refuse tips were located at Ferry Road, the other at Ipswich Road on the east side of the city. . During this time, there were several small companies located along Ferry Road, including (from the north end, near York Place) Wales Gas Board - Grangetown Gas Works, their P.S.A. terminated in January, 1975 Dufay Paint South Wales Paper Co. Bill Way & Co. Ltd. Motor vehicle dismantlers. ( where I got a rear sub-frame for my Mini - for free ) Wagon Repairs Ltd. - their P.S.A. had been terminated in 1968. Western Metal Co. Ltd. Scrap metal merchants, their P.S.A. lasted until 1979, their siding until 1988.. British Car Auctions Taff Wagon Engineering. Permanent way contractors. Limmer & Trinidad. Asphalt manufacturers. Shell Mex & B.P. - their P.S.A. terminated in 1969, and all sidings past Taff Wagon Co. were taken out of use in 1971. A.C.Beresford & Sons. Licenced horse slaughterers. Howard Oils. Fuel oil distributors. Frank Platt. Haulage contractor. A.G.John. Scrap metal merchant. Mobil Oil Co. Ltd. Oil merchants. Walter Grenville & Co. Structural engineers. Uniroyal. Tyre distributors. South Wales Warehouses Ltd. - Victoria Wharf & warehouses. Cardiff Caravans. Caravan hire. John Ford & Sons. Scrap metal merchants. Express Welding Co. Crow Oil Co. Ltd. Glamorgan Oil Services Ltd. (Esso distributors). Esso Petroleum Co. The companies in BOLD survived to be allox a TOPS code. . . As for 'The Red House' - no one ever referred to it as 'The Penarth Railway Hotel' it was rarely, if ever visited by South Wales Police officers, as Ferry Road (then) fell within the jurisdiction of the British Transport Police, who were ever quick to point that out to their South Wales counterparts. . The pub was on the foreshore, and the gent's "dubs" (ancient Cardiff term for 'bogs' or toilet) were outside. At high tides, the inspection cover in the gents woukld lift, and the whole facility would flood to several inches with salt water diluted urine. . With the smell from the knacker's yard, and the state of the roads, they were welcome to it. . During the 1980s, the policing responsibilty of the area changed hands, with SWP taking primacy - and the main issue was dealing with 'travellers' who regularly set up camp in the area - requiring novel policing tactics not taught in police training schools, to 'assist' them in moving on. . One of the last licensees of 'The Red House' was the mother of a schoolfriend, and his daughter and mine were good friends. As a result I would occasionally pay visits to the premises to ensure 'permitted hours' were being rigourosuly observed, and no other licensing laws breached. On one such visit an Inspector from my station 'happened upon us' sampling the hospitality - but, as he was a member of the RCTS, and a Class 50 fanatic - the matter was dealt with 'in house' - in 'The Red House' to be pedantic !,

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. No, not bitten. . Only "mugged" in a bar or two ! . Especially the 'Beer Museum' - where a few rounds left us destitute.

. Thanks for your empathetic commiserations Hippo. . Just woken up, and feeling much, much better thanks - now I can't get back to bo-bo's . I have the contents of the brown envelope to hand, ready for dropping at the pre-ordained dead letter box - George Smiley permitting. . As for that 'dodgy character' claiming to be my brother - what a silly claim for a middle aged man make !

I appear to have 'brought something back with me, from Lisbon' . Since Tuesday, I have felt yeeuch............. very tired, constantly lethargic, with an occasional tight chest and shortage of breath. . I retired to my bed early every night, and at lunchtime today. . Covid tests, continue to show 'negative' . It's but a week to the MIOG bash at the Crewe Heritage Centre, and hopefully I'll be fighting fit again by then. . Anyway, all the best, and goodnight.

. Sorry Phil I can't. on that date, Saturday 18th September, 1971 - I was on the 2B17 07:05 Cardiff - Gloucester, a Swindon Cross Country set which puts us at Lydney around 07:55. My notes also show that we passed 1664 at/near Lydney, immediately after sighting the Warship. . My notes for that day also show the following, which may interest you ? Gloucester (outward):- 1066, 1607, 1835, 4025, we changed here for a SW-NE working, behind 158. 85B Horton Road :- 3114, 3989, 3992, 3994,7012, 7039, 7045, PWM654 Cheltenham:- 27 Bromsgrove:- 7022, 7023, 7024. 85B Horton Road (return):- 93, 102, 6906, 7520, 7623+7641. .

Despite having 'cleared' the NBL my spotting notes pre 1970 sadly disappeared many moons ago. . My 'surviving sightings' of the Cl.43's in the final years were as follows; . 833 07/11/1970 Canton (Open Day) 833 16/03/1971 Ely Main Line 833 23/10/1971 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored, Cond. 03/10/71 833 01/01/1972 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored, Cond 03/10/71 837 02/03/1971 Ely Main Line 839 22/08/1971 Newton Abbott 83A 839 01/01/1972 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored, Cond 03/10/71 840 25/04/1970 Swindon 841 05/04/1971 Cardiff General 841 08/04/1971 Cardiff General 842 22/08/1971 Newton Abbott 83A 842 22/08/1971 Teignmouth-Torquay 843 23/10/1971 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored, Cond. 22/05/71 843 01/01/1972 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored, Cond 22/05/71 843 04/04/1972 Swindon Works Cond 22/05/71 844 10/03/1971 Ely Main Line 844 29/05/1971 Cardiff General 844 18/09/1971 Lydney 844 23/10/1971 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored 845 14/08/1971 Cardiff General 845 22/08/1971 Torquay 845 23/10/1971 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored 846 22/02/1971 Severn Tunnel Jct. 846 26/02/1971 Ely Main Line 846 27/02/1971 Cardiff General 848 25/04/1970 Swindon 849 22/02/1971 Bristol, Bath Rd. 849 04/04/1972 Swindon Works Cond 22/05/71 851 22/08/1971 Newton Abbott 83A 852 13/04/1971 Newport 853 08/04/1971 Cardiff General 853 22/08/1971 Newton Abbott 83A 854 12/05/1971 Ely Main Line 854 23/10/1971 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored 854 01/01/1972 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored, Cond 03/10/71 854 04/04/1972 Swindon Works Cond 03/10/71 855 30/06/1971 Cardiff General 855 21/08/1971 Cardiff General 855 22/08/1971 Newton Abbott 83A 855 23/10/1971 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored 855 01/01/1972 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored, Cond 03/10/71 855 04/04/1972 Swindon Works Cond 03/10/71 856 22/02/1971 Severn Tunnel Jct. 857 13/03/1971 Cardiff General 857 15/03/1971 Ely Main Line 857 13/04/1971 Newport High St. 857 23/10/1971 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored 857 01/01/1972 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored, Cond 03/10/71 857 04/04/1972 Swindon Works Cond 03/10/71 858 23/10/1971 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored 859 23/03/1971 Ely Main Line 861 01/01/1972 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored, Cond 03/10/71 862 24/06/1971 Cardiff General 862 22/08/1971 Patchway 864 25/02/1971 Ely Main Line 865 25/02/1971 Ely Main Line 865 05/03/1971 Ely Main Line 865 23/10/1971 Bristol, Marsh Jct. Stored . Those Cl.43s recorded at Ely (Main Line) were invariably working (what I took to be) the 8F37 12:10 Severn Tunnel Jcn. - Margam. .

As D9020 Nimbus mentioned - that / this, is the book to start you off. .

. An R.A.F. 'Bloodhound' missile fell off its road trailer, on Penarth Road, Cardiff. . "What is a 'Bloodhound' ?" asked the console operator in our control room. "A surface to air missile, powered by a ram-jet or something" was my partner's response. "Stand -by" - which we did. Eventually, the control room came back to us. "Console One (the supervisor) to Delta Quebec 442" "Go ahead" "Yes, from Console One, close off Penarth Road at the junction with Bessemer Road, a Penarth unit is en-route to close the road at The Baron's Court end, we'll get other units to RV in order to start evacuating premises is that understood ?" "Yes, from 442, understood - but" "No buts 442, from Console One, close the road and commence evacuating the area" "Yes, but" "Yes but what 442 ?" "Can one of the units attending bring a sweeping brush, and shovel to the scene ?" "Console One to 442, why ? "Because there is a large amount of sawdust coming out of the missile" "442, confirm sawdust ?" "Yes, it's a display model !" .

. Good boy Hippo - treat yourself to a coffee and cake !

. You do not have to say anything But anything you do say ...........................

. Graffiti, however 'artistic' is generally vandalism, the unlawful and wanton damage of someone elses property. . You can call it an 'art form' and dress it up anyway you like, but it's still 'vandalism' .

Back from a long weekend in Lisbon. . My ulterior motive, some shots of the 'historic' trams. . Best place to bag them in numbers, is Martim Moniz - but be warned, the overwhelming number of males frequenting the run-down placa could be intimidating to some. . On the plane over, the four of us came by tickets for Sporting v Arsenal, and getting to the stadium was a challenge of great magnitude. . Anyway, here are just a few of my tram shots. . Next stop, next month, Oporto

The O.P. has gone silent since posting his question six weeks or so ago, so we still don't know exactly what information he seeks.

. As if I would Dave.

Did somebody say MOUNTING BOARD ? . Which jogged my memory, I need several sheets of Foamboard. . So earlier, I left home, drew out some modelling tokens and.................................. bought cake ! . Well "it's cake Jim, but not as we know it"......... none of your Tirimasu or Eton Mess hereabouts. . . As for the Foamboard ? It's still on the shelf, and will remain so until I return from Lisboa next week.

. I'd like to think I'm a man of at least average intellect John. . But this latest diatribe has me struggling, and asking myself " what has he been smoking ?" . You'd best get shot of your 'inner policeman' as he'll end up executing a 'Controlled Drugs Search Warrant" at Cwmdinbath and seizing your stash of mushrooms .

Saturday 23rd. February, 2008 and 66238, 66100 & 66030 on a Margam - Eastleigh move, in advance of a weekend possession, pass a westbound 158839 at the site of the former Ely (Main Line) station............... where I started spotting in 1964, and the first loco in my book was Pannier, 3790 shunting the coal siding. The second number was....92220, on an up fitted van train. . My photo.

66196 shunts the fuel roads at Cardiff Canton Depot, 22nd. February, 2006. . My photo.

66075 seen from the cab of 08787 ( a.k.a. 08296 ) during shunting operations at Machen Quarry, March 2007. . My photo.

. In the photo, D9534 is most likely off "H17" for which the driver booked on at 05:50, prepped the loco and was off shed at 06;35, and then tripped to Penarth Curve North before supposedly shunting Ely & Fairwater Goods ( a bit difficult as that yard had been closed for two years ) thence serving Maindy Fuel, Maindy Bridge before finishing at Radyr at 12:45, before running light to Canton. . Positively identifying the duty a D95xx is, or was, performing was often difficult as drivers rarely changed the reporting numbers (headcode) as it Involved "too much effort" . D9534 was t/x to the N.E.R. in May 1967, moving on 5th. May with D9505, D9510 & D9511, behind D6889.

Radyr, 25th. July, 1965 - the day after the shed closed to steam. . The shed building, a four road GWR 'Loan Act' structure is out of shot to the left, and the photo was taken from the coal stage.. The River Taff flows behind the trees, and a riverside path afforded an easy bunking route into the shed. . D9534 is moving the dead (now withdrawn) steam locos 'out of the way' . It appears that all steam locos, save one, are still facing 'head up' ( the valley ).

. Just when I thought my day was 'on the up'

. I went away for the weekend, and upon my return - I see that his field, the one where he cultivates his large crop of b*ll*cks, is all but barren ! (but sadly, not totally barren)