philip-griffiths

Chris, Vic Mitchell's book on the Abertillery and Ebbw Vale branches has a gradient diagram indicating 1 in 47. WW Tasker's book on the MTA quotes the same gradient but goes on to state that it was for practically the full length of the connecting line from Nantyglo to Brynmawr. BTW Eastern valley DMUs for Blenavon would have had 1 in 47 from Pontnewynydd to the terminus. Also another line that was not given DMUs - I've always wondered why, Pontypool-Neath, had a 1 in 47 from Pontypool Road to Hafodyrynys. regards

While it closed to traffic before the advent of diesels, the Abergavenny to Brynmawr bank up the Clydach had the following stretches: 60 chains 1 in 34 approaching Govilon 100 chains 1 in 37 Govilon to Gilwern 160 chains 1 in 38 Gilwern to Gelli-felen tunnels 40 chains 1 in 38 Gelli-felen tunnel towards Brynmawr 40 chains 1 in 35 approaching Rhymney Bridge from Nantybwch. Those six miles from just east of Llanfoist to near Brynmawr would have taxed a DMU i suspect.

was in Abergavenny today and had a look at this book on Brecon to Newport and was disappointed by how much was missed out. It jumps from Fochriw to Bargoed to Machen, with only one picture per station. It makes me concerned about purchasing the book on the Vale of Neath without having a chance to look at it first.

Thanks very much. Maybe a bit too much GWR except for the HHB :-) Jintyman should love it, with his Tallylyn at the heart of a few of those lines. regards

Thanks for that Mike and Barry. I think I will put in a request as a birthday is on the horizon. I was in Abergavenny in December and had hoped to buy the new book on the MTA, but it was out of stock, so my sister bought me the Hodge book on the Western Valleys. I was delighted to find pictures of Ebbw Vale LNWR station that I had never seen. regards

Hello, I noted from an advert a new book on the Taff Vale Extension / Vale of Neath line by Tom Ferris. I was wondering if the book offers new photos of the book compared to previous publications? I've note a few books of late have rehashed previous photos. The previews on the website seem to be new material. Also how much coverage is there of Crumlin Viaduct? sorry for the questions, but as I'm a sea away from a decent bookshop, I'll need to wait until the summer to check it out in person. with many thanks regards

Please can someone summarise which lines are covered? many thanks. regards

Thanks Ron They are very acute crossings. I am even more impressed. The switches are also long. Are you using a tighter EM specification or is it the normal EMGS track measurments? Regards.

Impressive. What are crossing ratios on the single sided tandem? regards.

Hello Chris Please don't take my comment as criticism. I like your model a lot. It is far better executed than anything I have created. I think it has something to do with memory. There was a picture in. november's backtrack of Groesfan colliery. The dead bracken, coal tips and general malaise and neglect reminded me of home in wintertime. Not a black and white movie more, brown and dull reds. Regards.

I like Chris's model, but it is not grey/brown enough to be what I remember. There was a great article in MRJ about how to tone down colour as our perception of colour changes as a result of the air through which we see it and the distance. Growing up in the Sirhowy valley/Aberbargoed I remember dirt, greys, the odd splash of red - as it stood out, grime over everything - remember the clothes coming back from the line covered in smuts because the coke works had been operating? capturing colour is difficult. It is good to note the increasing number of South/Mid Wales layouts that are appearing. The North Gwent Modellers ploughed a lonely furrow for some time with their layouts based around Bleanavon. Good to see people being captivated by layouts with good operational interest. regards

Jinty, The latest edition of Steam Days has an article on the Hereford to Three Cocks line. while not as far as Talyllyn Junction, it does have details on traffic, locos etc. which would have mostly worked through to Brecon. regards

Ah. Someone else who has finally seen the light. Probably the most undermodelled part of the country and yet so much potential. Regards.

Dan, it is there, 62.0. regards Philip

Thanks Brian. Have the one at Gilwern somewhere. The carriage is an LNWR auto coach. it was used on the Ebbw Vale workings between there are Brynmawr. On a Tuesday it was extended to Abergavenny. I think it was to diagram M78 and was numbered 24489, withdrawn around September 1961 so outlived the MTA and the Sirhowy lines on the WR. The two coach train pulling away from Abergavenny Junction is a new one to me. The L&Y carriages are to D131, six were built, with all but one gone by September 1954. FB Group?

Love to see the photo. The Tuesday only workings were mainly to bring people to the Abergavenny market which was and continues to be held on a Tuesday, though the livestock has now been moved to Bryngwyn. The train also served as a working by which locos could be switched between Tredegar and Abergavenny for maintenance schedules. regards

Yes the Barry liked stealing other companies' trade :-) The proposal to burrow under Machen Mountain was advantageous to colliery owners as it provided an outlet for coal going to the Severn channel ports that by-passed the Golden Mile - the line through Lord Tredegar's estate in Newport which resulted in a levy to the Tredegar estate for every ton transited. It would have been a freight line but if it had been built whether it would have survived that long is debatable. There Barry Railway line across the Rhymney - Llanbradach viaduct - was closed and the viaduct demolished pre-war. The GWR also investigated building a 'Tredegar Park' avoiding line by taking a line from Risca through the hill to the Eastern Valleys line. There was a fair bit of surveying work undertaken before it was finally abandoned.

Hi. I've been shot down too regarding B-sets but my knowledge of GWR coaching is poor. Yes. BTL -brake third lavatory. These were LNER acronyms that BR adopted and are used by Jenkinson and Essery in their three volume seminal review of LMS carriages. So T - third, F - first, L lavatory, O - open, C - composite, K - composite, R - restaurant ..... BTO - brake third open, a popular LMS coach in South Wales. BTK - brake third corridor TK - third corridor T - non corridor third. The other TLAs. MTA - Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny line between the former and latter places, ex-LNWR line. WTT - working timetable, not publicaly available, printed and used by railway staff, it lists ECS - empty coaching stock, light engine movements and freight workings. Regards.

i know what you mean. Bill Tasker, in one of his books about the Sirhowy, has a picture of a M&GN teak coach in Tredegar. Some of the Abergavenny stock moved to Tredegar before it too was replaced by WR stock. regards

Roger Carpenter's photographic collection includes carriages at Tredegar in the late 40s and 50s, so there may be other evidence. I'll ask a friend in the Ulster MRC if they take Bylines. Gerald Davies may be the other person to speak to. He is a member of the WRRC. I lost contact with Gerald during a couple of his house moves. regards

Chris, never seen this picture, I find it strange that an LMS BTL ended up marshalled in Merthyr-Barry workings. There were only ex-LNWR and the off ex-Staffs non-corridor carriages on the Sirhowy/MTA. The rest were ex-LNWR/L&Y corridor or open stock and LMS vestibule stock, so how that 'leaked' to the Taff Vale is strange. unfortunately all the P2 BTLs were numbered 25248-25272. this started me looking back through all my pictures and books and the lack of non-corridor carriages in South Wales after the demise of the 4-wheeled stock is noticeable compared to LMS practice elsewhere. regards

I spent some time investigating these L&Y carriages. They were cascaded down to the MTA after 1932. They are BTOs to use BR terminology, Fireproof stock, built for Manchester to Stockport from memory. Great photo. Probably the best ive seen. Regarding autotrailers. The Abergavenny/Tredegar Ivatts were not to my knowledge autofitted. There are pictures of Stanier 2-6-2Ts working single carriage trains but not as an autoworking. The Brynmawr-Ebbw Vale working was an autotrailer and webb coal tank. There is an autotrailer in the Vale of Neath WTT for 1944. It ran from Pontypool to Hengoed term time only - served Lewis Girls. My mother says that by the time she was on it in the mid 50s it was a normal train with non corridor compartments.

What, Sport Direct?

It is not National Rail metals, but the distance between Clipperstown and Carrickfergus is 30 chains approximately I think. It costs £1.60 and takes a minute.

The Brynamman services were worked from St. Thomas as a branch off the line that served Ystradgynlais and over the top to Brecon. Paxton Street Coal Tanks from the Swansea Victoria worked out westwards to the branches and on to Pontarddulais and Llanmorlais.