Western 52
Member
6C83 did run from Cwmbargoed today. The final run?
Doesn't it already go to Dyffryn Cellwen in the Dulais Valley?I see today that expansion at Aberpergwm in the Vale of Neath looks likely to go ahead. There's apparently 42 million tonnes in the hill: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c989rnrzdn2o
Any significant output would be loaded to rail at Cwmgwrach. Can anyone on here confirm this?
All by road presumably. There's not been rail traffic from Onllwyn for some time.Doesn't it already go to Dyffryn Cellwen in the Dulais Valley?
Where is the market for the coal though? Export maybe? Tata steel won't need it once the Port Talbot blast furnaces have closed.
That's interesting. I wonder if the anthracite is containerised and shipped from Southampton, Felixstowe or London Gateway? If so the last train in Wales conveying coal might well be a Freightliner from Wentloog!Most of the output goes to the Middle East to make filters for desalination plants. (It is very high quality anthracite).
A tiny amount is bagged and sold locally.
TPO
At around 2:45 the commentary says (in relation to a jourmey eastward from Margam on the main line) "it was good to see the bridge construction at multiple level crossings."Nick Millington from Network Rail features the Last Coal Train in Wales in his latest video blog:
One off hand I know is Trenos foot/bridleway crossing in LlanharanAt around 2:45 the commentary says (in relation to a jourmey eastward from Margam on the main line) "it was good to see the bridge construction at multiple level crossings."
I strongly agree, but I was unaware of this project until now, and am surprised not to have read about it on here. Can anyone give a list of the LCs where this is happening?
Is that the one that used to be a gated level crossing with crossing box back in the 1980s? Between Llanharan and Pencoed. It's just a foot crossing now.One off hand I know is Trenos foot/bridleway crossing in Llanharan
Not sure. But it's definitely just a foot crossing now. Albeit temporarily closed, and theoretically, permanently when the bridge is builtIs that the one that used to be a gated level crossing with crossing box back in the 1980s? Between Llanharan and Pencoed. It's just a foot crossing now.
All by road presumably. There's not been rail traffic from Onllwyn for some time.
Odd as they're about to lose their entire presence in South WalesGBRF have been doing route learning up there recently, a positive sign hopefully.
How so? Still got traffic from Cardiff Tidal and Trostre?!Odd as they're about to lose their entire presence in South Wales
Trostre going to DB along with Dee MarshHow so? Still got traffic from Cardiff Tidal and Trostre?!
Correct. I've been to the crossing myself recently, also easily seen from the train.One off hand I know is Trenos foot/bridleway crossing in Llanharan
At the time of writing this email Radcliffe is producing 2.6% of UK electricity. Also over the last week we have been importing 15-20% of our electricity from mainland Europe. Figures from the National Grid's site at https://grid.iamkate.com/
Don't be too surprised if Radcliffe's closure date is postponed again.
Odd as they're about to lose their entire presence in South Wales
What about their depot down Tremorfa though? Closing?
I was somewhat ignoring Celsa as it's separate from their Mainline Ops, but as you say, they use as a handy fueling/stabling point for mainline work. That will remain, they're in a longish term contract with Celsa for it.That’s quite a chunk of work including the Celsa site contract to lose. No idea why ?
We've been importing piles of electricity from France since we gained the capability to do so in bulk soon after privatisation.At the time of writing this email Radcliffe is producing 2.6% of UK electricity. Also over the last week we have been importing 15-20% of our electricity from mainland Europe. Figures from the National Grid's site at https://grid.iamkate.com/
Don't be too surprised if Radcliffe's closure date is postponed again.
I was somewhat ignoring Celsa as it's separate from their Mainline Ops, but as you say, they use as a handy fueling/stabling point for mainline work. That will remain, they're in a longish term contract with Celsa for it.
From what I've heard, its down to poor performance. Rather cancel it when they can't resource it then hire in drivers/locos to cover. They also used to under bid at years-old rates that the likes of DB and FLHH couldn't compete with. Don't know the specifics, but it would appear TATA are happy to pay what DB are asking this time round, rather than risk GBRF cancelling runs more than they don't. Back to an integrated rail operation now for TATA, with all of their S.Wales steel traffic being run by one operator. (from April, when the contract hands over)
And for DB it means they have all S.Wales metals traffic back. They've had the scrap steel out of Celsa for a while, never lost eh Round Oak/Scunthorpe traffic, or the slabs and coils between Llanwern and Port Talbot, and now have the Dee Marsh and Trostre traffic coming back.
RAIL this week has a photo of the last coal train being loaded at Cwmbargoed.
8 Or so GBRf drivers will TUPE to DB. Don't know what percentage of the Cardiff depot that is but I know its not the largest.I’m a little DB bias as I’ve family who work for them so it’s good news for DB South Wales crews for the time being at least, I do fear what the future holds with regards to Port Talbot though. But, I can’t help but feel for the GB crews who may be looking at an uncertain future, but then again seeing the vacancy list at GB they appear to be very undermanned nationally.
8 Or so GBRf drivers will TUPE to DB. Don't know what percentage of the Cardiff depot that is but I know its not the largest.
Is the Onllwyn washery even operational? The Global Centre for Rail Excellence bought the site back in 2022 so I doubt if the washery is still in use. I assume the coal from Aberpergwm must be washed somewhere but its own washery was dismantled when British Coal closed the mine so quite where that's happening is a bit of a mystery.All by road presumably. There's not been rail traffic from Onllwyn for some time.