John_Miles

Is Canton a TMD for Colas?

I could have confused the Mountford / Sprinks book for one by Colin. After all I am getting on a bit so I am allowed to be forgetful. I have seen somewhere that the motivation for the Taff's line through Sully was to stop the Barry getting to Penarth. Not the only railway they built for that purpose. The Cowbridge - Aberthaw railway comes to mind. The bridge raising/ track lowering is currently on hold.

t Sandy You are going with Tudor and we have arranged to meet at around 11.30 (traffic permitting) at the Lighmoor stand. Now we are on their author list we get 33% discount on their books and I want a Midland in Gloucestershire book. I'll definitely have a look in at the MRS stand to say hello and they have a new book out on Wigston (near your place of birth). As you can see, it's going to be an expensive day.

You have to remember the Taff was there for around 12 years before the South Wales Railway arrived. IIRC Colin Chapman did a book called Rails to Penarth so somewhere in his notes there should be chapter and verse on services to Penarth which I think started, according to Wikipedia, in 1878. Amazing that it was so late.

Primrose owned a few collieries around Pontardawe. The history of the company is complex and pre-dates the Swansea Vale Railway, coal initially being moved to the Swansea Canal. Primrose also opened a "large" colliery alongside Ynisygeinon sidings - known as Tareni Gleison. Large in Swansea Valley terms only, compared with those further east in Wales and most English collieries, it was no more than medium size. It opened in 1903 and was sold in 1928 to the Mond company who wanted to use the coal for their zinc smelter at Clydach on Tawe. Closure came in 1949. The Primrose company sold off most of their other collieries to finance the sinking of Tareni (this is the short name by which it is normally called). POWsides do a Tareni wagon which covers the period when the pit was owned by Monds.

Just to support what Graham says in the above, we had a great time. Excellent show, all the layouts were first class and the catering was likewise excellent - I am one of the troffers to whom he aludes. Thanks to Maggie Gravett for sharing her secrets about static grass. Many thanks.

It was a really attractive station and of course there was the joint facade with the LNWR station. Also you can justify a real mix of locos from Johnson 0-4-4Ts to Jublilees.

There are signs of muck shifting on the site so it looks like construction has started.

I thought RMWeb was supposed to be politics free. This statement seems to have come straight from the Daily Mail.

At the times I tend to travel (I am retired so off peak) the valley lines are well used. At rush hour the trains can be very crowded. I recently tried to catch a Barry train at Central. at around 17.00 One train was cancelled so the next one, a 2 coach Pacer, arrived almost full. Those on the platform who were lucky enough to be near to a door managed to get on, the rest of us were left behind. The same happened with the next train, a 2 coach Pacer. For the third train, another 2 coach Pacer, I happened to be near a door so I squeezed on but there were still people left on the platform. From limited experience, the Bridgend via Barry trains don't have many passengers between Llantwit Major and Bridgend, which is a shame because it is a lovely line.

I live in South Wales and use the Valley Lines Pacers on a frequent basis. I suggest that those people who like Pacers ask for them to be transferred to where they live, so long as it is not South Wales.

I am operating on Ynysybwl so I will definitely see it. It made a real impression on me when I saw it before so I am really looking forward to seeing it again.

And Westminster and DaFT are better???

IIRC I saw Benfieldside at York when I had brown hair, so this was a long time ago. If I am right, it is a stunningly good layout.

Did 33s ever make it to Swansea. They were common in Cardiff on the main line to and from Portsmouth and Crewe and I remember seeing one go north through Queen Street.

Imperial Smelting also had these. They dealt in some really strong chemicals. Also there is a picture of a further Imperial Smelting wagon in that excellent book on the Swansea Vale written by Miles, Thomas and Watkins

Sorry but I have no idea. I suspect until the works closed which is in a previous post - I would look it up but I have just had an hour in the Wenvoe Arms.

Photo of Imperial Smelting Acid Tanker

Sorry for being slow to reply but things such as Cardiff Model Railway show and visitors from the USA have been taking up my time. United of Swansea Valley is very interesting. According to Turton, United was a rebranding of Hendreforgan Colliery. This was situated between Gwys and Cwmllynfell in the very narrow valley of the Afon Llynfell. The rebranding took place in 1888 and the company was declared bankrupt in 1893. So if this is a United wagon, this gives a reasonably precise date for the image. As the loco appears to be a Johnson 2F (I know they weren't called 2Fs at the time), this date is entirely plausible. After the bankruptcy of United, it appears the GCG company bought the wagons and the Gwys Collieries Company took over the mine and operated it until 1926. Given that United only operated for 5 years, it is odd that Slaters produced a kit.

After my rather irreverent post above about the age of the operators on Flintcombe, I am happy to report that two of the original East Dorset Gang of Four are still with us, including Dickie Paget who is almost 97. How wonderful to be still operating at model railway shows at such a great age. I had a good chat with him and said how much I used to enjoy his reports on activities (or lack of) in the East Dorset EM gauge group. These used to appear in the EMGS newsletter and were always the most readable item. Dickie was born in pre-grouping days, has seen the demise of the Big Four, British Railways and, given our turbulent times politically, may see the end of privatisation.

Having had a look at their website I was wrong, now eating humble pie and note to self to check first in future.

I may be mistaken. A fellow modeller claims to have built one for his Three Cocks layout but he could have the small wheeled version.

We (the Ynysybwl crowd) went. We exhibited. We didn't conquer but we had a really good time. Some excellent layouts, friendly natives and we really liked Johney Gurka (it's a curry house). We were alongside Frecklesham and we were treated to their "cold tea" which comes in a bottle and is that sort of stuff which is made in Kentucky. I think this is a habit which we may adopt.

As suggested above, the Mughal Emperor awaits, possibly the only curry house in South Wales where you can look out of the window and see cows (sheep would be too exciting). There is also Friday's beer to be sorted out.

London Road Models do a 5'3" Johnson 0-6-0. I have only built the Gibson version but I am told by others that the LRM kit is a good one.