Steve T

Continuing with Glyncorrwg and Paxman's, interesting shots showing (a)  the recovery of runaway D9529, and ( B)  a failed D9544 being rescued by a 'six-eighter' can be found here:-

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http://www.tymawrpublications.co.uk/Resources/Articles/10-16%20Brian%20Penney%20part1.pdf

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Brian R

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...

Try this one - not a hydraulic, but quite a find, and follows on from Gareth's pic of D9555; as by 1968 when the shot of D9555 was taken, it would have crossed this bridge to reach Glyncorrwg.

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For the uninitiated, Cymmer Corrwg and the line to Glyncorrwg is to the right.

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Cymmer Afan is out of shot left, the line to Duffryn Yard and Port Talbot went under the second arch to the left, and the loco is heading toward Cymmer Tunnel, then Caerau, Maesteg and eventually Tondu.

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For more photos of diesels at Cymmer, try:-

https://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?srch=Y-36-34A&img=Y-36-34A

https://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?srch=Y-36-35A&img=Y-36-35A

https://www.rcts.org.uk/features/mysteryphotos/show.htm?srch=Y-35-35A&img=Y-35-35A

 

Brian R

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'...

This a shot of 29 i have location not known

 

Cheers GARETH

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.

Was it defintiely 821? I doesn't look like it was bulled up for the job, judging by this photo taken a month later.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/96859208@N07/9736503588

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.

It would have been early October, 1971; he arrived by train from Gatwick. Might a Warship have been used as steam heating was required for the Royal Train?

Seems probable.

Interesting to see that D855 took the railtour back to London Victoria. I don't think I have ever seen a photo of a Warship there.

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

Where would they have done the loco change at Reading?  3rd rail only lead into platforms 4a and b.

 

Julian Sprott

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

How about this?

 

 

If that's genuine sound then I'm just putting a Western sound chip in my forthcoming Bacchy ones!

 

Phil

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).

Andy

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In their last couple of years the Warships had only appear to have had one rostered passenger working into Cardiff - a Saturdays Only summer dated Paignton - Cardiff - Kingswear job that arrived about lunchtime and left again within about an hour.

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I can get you full details, if you wish ?

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Brian R

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.

Hi Chaps

 

A few more for you to enjoy

 

D825 ST Jct Shed

 

D853 Ebbw Vale sidings 17th April 71

 

D1000 Canton july 68

 

D7094 Cardiff riverside

 

Cheers Gareth

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 have had 4 class 22s and all have been sent back because of light failures , wobbles, poor pick ups and running badly in one direction. In the end I've given up and got a refund.

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.