Dave Stapleton

Now, slightly off my own topic but can I ask if anyone has some good photos of the main Radyr station building as it was in the 1950s/1960s please? I use to catch the train from Radyr every morning to go to school at Whitchurch and back again in the evening during the early 1960s. I almost always hung around for a hour or so on the opposite platform most evenings watching the shunters and chating to the crews as they waited next to the platform. I would like to build a 00 gauge replica of the station building if I can some photos showing the detail of the building, from all angles. Thanks in advance.

Thank you all for the information given here, a fully answered question in my humble opinion. Thank you again. Dave

Hi Johnster Thanks for that, you say "..the Letter indicates the Shed that the duty was from..." Would there be a list that would identify the Shed from the Letters? I assume this didn't relate to Shed Plate Numbers?

Hi I have seen some photos of Pannier Tanks pulling coal trains in the the South Wales area which have 'Dinner Plate' size white discs mounted on the front or rear of some engines, these discs also have numbers and letters on them - see below. These engines also have Lamps mounted in the relevent Headcode positions, so can someone explain what these discs are and what the letters and number mean, or refer to please? Thanks, Dave.

Hi Hal, Many thanks for that. Dave

Purely out of interest, does anyone know if horses were ever used for shunting in the Welsh Valleys region? Dave

Looking for a used PECO SL-E99 Electrofrog Medium Radius 3-Way Turnout in good condition for my Fiddle Yard. Thanks Dave

Just found this advert on the Interweb, any takers?

Hi Many thanks for taking the time to do this, some interesting ideas there.

It certainly is, I knew many of the Watkins family and I lived in 4 Springfield Gardens directly opposite the Manse. The "Barry Batter", the Garth tunnel and the Garth woods were our playground.

A very informative piece, thank you. As mentioned, the layout is still in it's planning stage so we will see how it develops. I am also from your part of the world I see, having been born and bred in Morganstown in the early 1950s. Back then it was a small remote village of three streets, a chapel and a pub this was of course before it was engulfed by Radyr!

Hi Michael This plan and starting point, some of which might change as I get around to actually laying the track. A 2D plan on a computer may look very different when you start on the 3D model itself on a base board. As for a transverser and turntable etc. I just don't have the room, I want to make as much use of the scenery as I can and the 'hidden tracks' inside the tunnel gives me the oportunity to build scenery on top of where fiddle yard would be therefore making use of the full 8 foot of space I have. But thank you for the suggestions.

Hi It's a Goods siding and there will be a fence along the back of the platform. I will also go with the catch point as another turnout, being longer, will move the sidings area too far 'north' and probably off the edge board.

Hi All Thank you for all the comments so far, which I will take on board for consideration. Dave

Thank you Andy, I guess the catch point would go between the turnout off the main line and the three way turnout ? Dave

Hi All As a 'Lockdown Project' I have been busy planning a layout inspired by my childhood memories of the Welsh railways around South Wales however, a lack of space has forced me to come up with a narrow 'End to End' design of layout which will be 8ft (244cm) x 18in. (46cm). I have been using RailModeller Express to work out a plan using PECO Code 75 track. The idea I came up with is a fictitious terminus somewhere in northern part of Mid Glamorgan in the late 1950s / early 1960s. I have put together a plan of the track work and buildings (see below). I might add that this is my first attempt at a serious layout. Given that I will only be planning to run one Class 8750 Shunter, a Class 64xx Auto Coach and a 2 Car DMU, all relevant to the area, I came up with the idea of a fiddle yard enclosed within a tunnel, with each individual track inside the tunnel having the ability to be isolated individually, this being a DC layout this will allow the Auto Coach and DMU to approach and leave the station in turn, the Shunter will mostly remain at work in the goods yard and station area. The buldings are to scale and based on Bachmann Scenecraft items. The space in the middle of the layout will be occupied by farm or other structures yet to be decided upon. Also, you will see that the base board is being built in two parts and will have the facility to be separated in case I need to move and store the layout in the future. Building has not yet started as I am awaiting the arrival of materials. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions. Dave