The Bigbee Line Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 In the 80's there were certain wagons forwarded on the Train Ferry for operational rather than purely commercial reasons. Long steel from Scunny with runners would be shipped with the BR runners under the overhanging load. Likewise wagon sheets were returned to Dunkerque in Ferry CCTs or BR vans. We had a couple of Ferry CCTs that we 'hi-jacked' for that purpose, but sheets arrived in BR vans and they were a nightmare to tranship (a wagon sheet is a heavy cumbersome object), so the BR vans went on the boat. At the time the CCTs were in 'engineers use' with ADB numbers Here some genuine Ferry Wagons, some in 'Engineers' use Ferry Tube with UIC number Flatrol with UIC markings Ferry Medium Open with BR number Ferry Lowmac with BR number - brander Dover - Dunkerque only Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Those Ferry Tubes travelled some distance; I saw some in the wagon repair siding at Modane (French/Italian border), next to a jacked-up 'Traffic Services' hopper. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Those Ferry Tubes travelled some distance; I saw some in the wagon repair siding at Modane (French/Italian border), next to a jacked-up 'Traffic Services' hopper. Brian, When I looked after wagon spares to and from other UIC railways the furthest I knew of for the collection/delivery of spare parts was Malmo in Sweden. For some reason they sent me the wheelset from a German registered PO van. I sent it back, but at the time 'Green Cargo' was being formed and the knowledge base had disappeared. Anyway, here's a shot of a Ferry CCT coming back from Dunkerque after delivering wagon sheets, being hauled off the boat by 33207, a Eurostar vehicle is next in the rake. Here's a BR wagon SPA 460221, seen in the Old Ferry Sidings, Transit Shed Road. It delivered a couple of Fork Trucks and departed northwards afterwards: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonhall Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 201098 for one, certainly had the 'anchors' fitted to the solebar in this shot on Paul Bartlett's excellent site http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/brvda/h27235480#h27235480 The taperlight srings didn't have a W iron to put a chain onto - I imagine trying to pull wagons by the damper was a sure fire way to a red card. Its not at all unusual to come across preserved wagons that have bent W-irons due to some sort of abuse. Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steadfast Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 At the member's day at the weekend I was talking to Rivercider. I remembered the photos he'd posted of Whatley quarry (this post http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70626-goods-yards-and-freight-handling/?p=1283543) and I'd meant to post some more recent ones as a contrast. So, here goes: The change in shunting power is quite noticeable! jo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steadfast Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Here's another 'today' shot, well, 2012. On page 2, Torr Giffard posted some shots of Tunstead. Ok it's looking the other way, but the same buildings are still visible. It's 60059 on 6F05 Tunstead - Oakleigh by the way, 1st June 2012 jo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branksome71B Posted June 4, 2014 Share Posted June 4, 2014 A while ago, I promised some photos of Wellington (Salop) Goods Yards. Courtesy of my friend Gordon Roden, here are the first batch. This shot is of the Down Side goods shed in mid 1980s prior to demolition and latterly the home of local homeless. A late 1970s photo of the horse stables in the Up Side yard (Queen St) not used since the closure of the Smithfield Livestock Auctions. Cinzano tanks at the Customs and Excise compound circa 1986. More photographs to follow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branksome71B Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 Just enough time to put a few more of Wellington (Salop) on. Earlier in the 80s, the trip working (Trip 19) from Bescot to Wellington and Shrewsbury would be rostered for whatever Becot shed had available. More of the Cinzano traffic. ] Following the demolition of the Goods Shed, household coal wagons were positioned on the old shed road to facilitate easier access by Coal Merchants. More to follow including M.O.D. traffic on Warflats. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bescotbeast Posted June 6, 2014 Share Posted June 6, 2014 Just enough time to put a few more of Wellington (Salop) on. 45003 with empty cinzano wine tanks Wellington yard 1.jpg Earlier in the 80s, the trip working (Trip 19) from Bescot to Wellington and Shrewsbury would be rostered for whatever Becot shed had available.buffer beam detail of cinzano wine tank on last day of operation Wellington yard 1.jpg More of the Cinzano traffic. cinzano wine tanks in trip 19 Coton Hill to Bescot Wellington 1.jpg]rotting mineral wagons Wellington yard 1.jpg Following the demolition of the Goods Shed, household coal wagons were positioned on the old shed road to facilitate easier access by Coal Merchants. More to follow including M.O.D. traffic on Warflats. Many thanks for your pictures Branksome, these are really helpful for me and my own yard at Pendeford. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branksome71B Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 A few more added tonight. This was the resident yard shunter for most of the late 70s, early 80s. This loco would also trip the GirdWags to Horsehay for Adamson Butterly outbound girder traffic and assist with the loaded train on another day as far as Lightmoor Junction. It would be pathed after the 06:33 Wolverhampton passenger DMU travelling at a sedate 15mph to Madeley Junction, running round the GirdWags and Guards Vans before travelling to Lightmoor Jct where another reversal ensued. On removal of loaded train, the 08 would couple ahead of the train locomotive to travel Lightmoor Jct to Horsehay. Two reasons for this; 1. the 08 would draw the loaded traffic out of the works across a main road (during the 70s, a Class 40 spread the rails across the road blocking if for 5 hours awaiting the Bescot rerailing brigade; so 08 only allowed). 2. The GirdWags plus Guards van would be propelled on to the train loco and on arrival at Lightmoor Jct the 08 would lead to Madeley Jct where it would uncouple allowing train to depart via Shrewsbury. I knew of none travelling via Wolverhampton. Additionally, it performed the daily trip to Donnington MOD COD. After removal of 08 from Wellington, Donnington became the destination of erstwhile Trip 19 from Bescot. Ferret scout cars and Jeep on warflats. 47256 and Warwell approaching Stafford Jct from Donnington. Oakengates had a cement terminal. I think the traffic originated from Birmingham Curzon St. Two more views of the Cinzano compound. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon47603 Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 The first image of the Army Train, has a Ferret, probably a Mark One as they were built without turrets whilst the other two are Fox Armoured Cars. The second image which shows more of the same train, looks like a mixture of Ferret Mk1's and possible Mk1/2's. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bescotbeast Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 A few more added tonight. 08Red lion Wellington.jpg This was the resident yard shunter for most of the late 70s, early 80s. This loco would also trip the GirdWags to Horsehay for Adamson Butterly outbound girder traffic and assist with the loaded train on another day as far as Lightmoor Junction. It would be pathed after the 06:33 Wolverhampton passenger DMU travelling at a sedate 15mph to Madeley Junction, running round the GirdWags and Guards Vans before travelling to Lightmoor Jct where another reversal ensued. On removal of loaded train, the 08 would couple ahead of the train locomotive to travel Lightmoor Jct to Horsehay. Two reasons for this; 1. the 08 would draw the loaded traffic out of the works across a main road (during the 70s, a Class 40 spread the rails across the road blocking if for 5 hours awaiting the Bescot rerailing brigade; so 08 only allowed). 2. The GirdWags plus Guards van would be propelled on to the train loco and on arrival at Lightmoor Jct the 08 would lead to Madeley Jct where it would uncouple allowing train to depart via Shrewsbury. I knew of none travelling via Wolverhampton. Additionally, it performed the daily trip to Donnington MOD COD. 56132 waiting to trip a M.O.D. train to Donnington sept 1984.jpg After removal of 08 from Wellington, Donnington became the destination of erstwhile Trip 19 from Bescot. ferret scout cars on warflats Wellington down yard may 1984.jpg loaded warflats waiting to be tripped to M.O.D. Donnington at Wellington down yard may 1984.jpg Ferret scout cars and Jeep on warflats. 47256 and warwell approaching Stafford jcn at Haybridge in early 1990,s.jpg 47256 and Warwell approaching Stafford Jct from Donnington. 58008 shunting the trip freight at Wellington down yard cement for Oakengates cement terminal july 1984.jpg Oakengates had a cement terminal. I think the traffic originated from Birmingham Curzon St. cinzano wine unloading facilities Wellington yard.jpg HM Customs & Excise compound Wellington yard on last day.jpg Two more views of the Cinzano compound. Great to see further Salop line Freight pics Branksome, I worked at Madeley Jcn during 1999 and one of the bobbies at Wellington was Frank who'd tell me about the Cinzano traffic amongst other tales. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 A few more added tonight. 58008 shunting the trip freight at Wellington down yard cement for Oakengates cement terminal july 1984.jpg Oakengates had a cement terminal. I think the traffic originated from Birmingham Curzon St. Thanks for the information, I always find local trip working fascinating. Oakengates was a Tunnel Cement terminal, as was Curzon Street, I think they were both supplied from Penyffordd cement works, cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branksome71B Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 Thanks for the information, I always find local trip working fascinating. Oakengates was a Tunnel Cement terminal, as was Curzon Street, I think they were both supplied from Penyffordd cement works, cheers IIRC, Oakengates cement was only accessed from the down line by a trailing turnout. There were no runround facilities so traffic would be propelled from the main. If traffic originated from Penyffordd, it would be via Curzon St. Empties returned by running round in Wellington yard thence to Bescot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branksome71B Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Other traffic at Wellington comprised of The inevitable ballast workings. Molasses from the local Sugar Beet factory at Allscott were loaded from road for onward dispatch. Until the early 80s, Allscott had extensive sidings and the factory had it's own internal rail system. Stirling was one of the destinations for this traffic. Two shots of the tanks whilst still in new condition. This type of vehicle only appeared on a couple of occasions during 1985 but I have no knowledge of their traffic. To unload 3 of these vehicles was back breaking and filthy work. No showers were provided back in the 80s, we had to make do with cups of tea to ease the pain. By 1992, traffic had just about finished and the Up side yard is a Supermarket, not long before the same fate awaited the downside. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bescotbeast Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Thanks for more informative pictures Branksome. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 Other traffic at Wellington comprised of anglo-belgian wagons Wellington yard may 1985 a.jpg anglo-belgian wagons Wellington yard may 1985 2.jpg This type of vehicle only appeared on a couple of occasions during 1985 but I have no knowledge of their traffic. Brilliant, thanks for posting those pictures. There were 50 of those Belgian vans (Belgian Rolltops we knew them as) and Commonwealth Smelting at Avonmouth used to use them to backload to the continent via the train ferry with ingots of lead or zinc, cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthnut Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 ...Blimey, I know lots of stuff used to be hand balled, but that's a killer of a job. I've loaded and unloaded my fair share of forty footers in my time, but thankfully not of sacks like this! Would cause a meltdown with today's manual handling regs... TTFN, Ben (still stuck firmly in BR blue livery, they can keep their modern fancy pants rainbow wraps thanks) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren01 Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Press flows being unloaded Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 ...Blimey, I know lots of stuff used to be hand balled, but that's a killer of a job. I've loaded and unloaded my fair share of forty footers in my time, but thankfully not of sacks like this! Would cause a meltdown with today's manual handling regs... TTFN, Ben (still stuck firmly in BR blue livery, they can keep their modern fancy pants rainbow wraps thanks) Not exactly the ideal vehicle to transfer the load to, either; at least with a flat-bed or Tautliner, the driver could park a bit closer, and parallel. What was the load? New potatoes? They look to be 25kg sacks, which are just about do-able; when we used to hand-ball bags of gypsum at Longport, they were 60kg (from Germany, in VTG bogie vans) or 50kg (from France) in SNCF vans. The latter used to seem like a holiday.. I wonder what traffic those Belgian vans might be carrying- something to or from either GKN or the adjacent MoD depot? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bescotbeast Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 ...Blimey, I know lots of stuff used to be hand balled, but that's a killer of a job. I've loaded and unloaded my fair share of forty footers in my time, but thankfully not of sacks like this! Would cause a meltdown with today's manual handling regs... TTFN, Ben (still stuck firmly in BR blue livery, they can keep their modern fancy pants rainbow wraps thanks) I once hand balled a 40ft Container loaded with tins of Russian salmon whilst i worked at Boughey Distribution in the Summer on 1993, the tins were in boxes of what passes for cardboard in Russia, the boxes would give off clouds of fibre dust when you started handling them so that combined with the heat was an experience i'll never forget when I sit in my little air conditioned cabin now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Branksome71B Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Not exactly the ideal vehicle to transfer the load to, either; at least with a flat-bed or Tautliner, the driver could park a bit closer, and parallel. What was the load? New potatoes? They look to be 25kg sacks, which are just about do-able; when we used to hand-ball bags of gypsum at Longport, they were 60kg (from Germany, in VTG bogie vans) or 50kg (from France) in SNCF vans. The latter used to seem like a holiday.. I wonder what traffic those Belgian vans might be carrying- something to or from either GKN or the adjacent MoD depot? The traffic consisted of bags of charcoal no more than 25kg, but those vans held a lot of bags, at least they were dry. After 3 hours of toil, we looked more like chimney sweeps.The lorry driver would assist. Note the dress of the day, only 1 HiViz on show. 3 Railwaymen and 1 lorry driver in the picture. GKN had ceased receiving or sending traffic by this time; most likely MoD for the Belgians but we had a local scrap merchant occasionally using BR. He did scrap a class 37 locally many years ago, the details elude me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shed Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 a great read and some great photos Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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