Steve T

Great stuff. My father took a quick look at those and reckoned the phot of the 37 and D9544 was taken at Abergwynfi rather than Glyncorrwg but that is based on memory from 45+ years ago. He will check his photo's. Now for a real challenge. Does anyone have any evidence for Westerns working through Rhondda Tunnel? I was told some years ago at least one of them allegedly went that way on a sleeper in the aftermath of the Bridgend derailment / collision involving D1671 and D6983...

Fantastic! Incidentally, all diesels that reached Glyncorrwg would've used the viaduct as the line via Tonmawr shut in the mid-50's following a collapse in Gyfylchi Tunnel. The viaduct was in a bit of a state by then. My old man recalls everyone had to walk from one side of the valley to the other when a railtour he was on c.1964 visited Glyncorrwg as it was deemed unsafe to carry passengers. He wasn't too bothered as he'd done the line on one of the infamous workmans trains to North Rhondda Colliery (which were propelled the final mile or so up a gradient of around 1:20!) but most others were quite annoyed. Of course, one or two 'bogged it'...

I'd be tempted to say it was Margam but the building and lorry in the background make me doubt it. Fantastic collection, Gareth. The photo of D9555 at Glyncorrwg is a superb find. I have only seen two other photo's of diesels on the lines around Cymmer and both of them were at Dyffryn Rhondda. One is a lovely colour phot of the same loco light engine (on Flickr) and the other is my Dad's colour slide of D6607 (I think) shunting a coal train.

According to the DTG website, yes. They state it worked 1X01 from Victoria to Gatwick on 5th October 71. D827 was the stand by. The phot you linked was taken almost five weeks later. I have to say I think it looks pretty fresh in that for a Warship that late on.

Seems probable.

Seem to recall seeing a phot of D821 there on a royal train working (for Emperor Hirohito) but may have imagined it.

They'd have had no problem. E6101 was a 74, not a 71. The Paxman would have been running to get it into the station.

In addition to the above I have seen phot's of them on passenger workings at Glastonbury, Highbridge, Yatton, Exmouth, Seaton and Seaton Junction.

More like a Maybach Warship. Certainly doesn't sound like the MAN engines I've heard in German 612 DMU's ( not sure how to embed - see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTMIrdNTles).

The Book of the Warships has some detail. In the summer of '71 a Newton Abbot 43 was diagrammed to work 1C36 0845 SO Kingswear - Cardiff and 1B04 1310 SO Cardiff - Paignton. It was booked onto Canton to run round. In the same year a Laira 42 was rostered for 1C96 1615 SO Plymouth - Cardiff but only outside the main summer period (until 5th June and from 11th September). That returned empty to Bristol. I believe this also worked during 1972. Assuming they were booked Warships I suspect the freight workings west of Cardiff were diagrammed Old Oak 43's as these do not feature in the book.

A Warship at Ebbw Vale! Knew they'd worked there, never thought I'd see a photo. Now, who's got a phot of one at Jersey Marine? In fact, has anyone even seen a photo of one west of Cardiff?

I'm on my third one having returned two because the lighting failed on both within a matter of a few weeks. It's also failed on this one. None of my other models (Bachmann, Heljan and Dapol) have had the slightest problem.