Techniquest
Veteran Member
12/03 - The day before
After work, the mission was clear: Get to the station in plenty of time, taking on drinks and films en-route. Finishing work around 1805, I heaqd straight off to the station, arriving around 1825.
The 1848 duly pulls in on time, and it's 158852. I board and find my reserved seat. The sound of the engine was rather interesting en-route, the sound being akin to one of those spinning tops I recall as a child.
As usual, we're delayed en-route, and at this time of day, we're picking up lots of noisy party-goers. We eventually arrive in Cardiff at 2001, 8 down. I fail to see the group on platform 6, and start talking to a spotter on platform 4 for a while. He foolishly notes 60073 as 60013 when it passes.
I eventually lose him, then check my bus time. Darn, still a while to go. Back into the station, spot some more, hunt the group (who later I found out went to Llanbradach), then get the bus to the hostel. We leave 2.5 minutes early, to my surprise.
Checking in at the hostel was fun, in that the Rhymney line passes not far from the hostel! Later 37s are heard passing over the bridge, the sound is incredible. A little later, joy54 shows up, and we chat for a couple of hours about rail events. I fall asleep around 0100.
12/04 - The day none of us will forget
joy54 and I, after a good breakfast, set off for the 29 to Cardiff. It arrives a few minutes down, but due to slack timings, we're about on time at Cardiff. We find the ticket office queue to be too much, so we go to platform 6 and await the 47 and 33. 47854 clagged out a fair bit coming out of Canton! Decent shots are hard to get, what with the huge crowds. I phot 33207, then run onto the train. We work our way to the front of the train, meeting the rest of the group.
All the way to Rhymney, the train is insanely packed. Rhymney will never be so busy! A lot of us went to the crossing to get some shots, I gave up and got some shots of the 33 from other angles. It's not long before we're all off again, this time we all alight (pretty much of us in our group anyway) at Bargoed to do 50049 to Rhymney. This was fun! A call from heart-of-wessex tells us he's on a 8-car 158, something some forum members couldn't understand. I tried without success to explain this is something ATW and WSX do a lot, partly for stock moves and to have capacity on the unit's diagram later in the day.
50049 was quite enjoyable, and deserved a lot of photos and attention at Rhymney. This time we had plenty of time before returning, so I headed for the crossing too. The headshunt move took about 3 attempts before it actually went up to it! A doubled-up 142 stopped us using the crossing until it left the station for Cardiff. This really annoyed yorkie!
Soon enough 37411 pulled back into the station, after some of us bought souvenier mugs. My first bit of 37 bashing for some time actually. As we were around 15 down leaving, the driver must have really thrashed off, the sound and clag was awesome! Thankfully I finally got some video footage!
I stayed on this train to Cardiff, the others leaving at Caerphilly or Ystrad Mynach. heart-of-wessex and Sprinter, as well as HSTfan!!! join us here. I point out where joy54 and I stayed the night before en-route, and I enjoy a Diet Coke, curteousy of HSTfan!!!.
Back at Cardiff, we meet up with Joe Holmes. Having been informed that 50031 and 049 were swapping during the day, we ensure we get 049 up to Ystrad Mynach (pronounced Iss-trad Min-ack for those unable to say it on the day), alighting for the 33 back to Cardiff. Our group has a picture under the Ystrad Mynach sign, then we find the 47 and 33 had swapped ends at some point, with 47854 at the front now (it had been on what would have been the rear earlier). Still, it's all good mileage gaining. 47854 thrashed its way south, that's for sure!
Returning to Cardiff, three of us decide to do some bellowing en-route...Hey, it was called for. I've never done it before, now I know I'll definately do it on the last HST runs! At this point, we have another group shot by 43010, then Joe Holmes and HSTfan!!! (unfortunately for him he had to go to work!), with the former stroking the 43!!!
hock:
Meanwhile, heart-of-wessex, Sprinter and I head to The Prince Of Wales, the nearest pub, so as to celebrate with a pint the day and the locos on the Rhymney line for the last 10 years. He recorded it on his MP3 player, I'm sure the link will come soon.
1611, and I realise the train to Hereford would be leaving soon, so I ran off to the station for the 1615 (couldn't leave any later, had a lift arranged at the arrival time already) to Manchester, as far as Hereford. Having no buses on Sunday isn't helpful. I find a seat in 153353, and stay there to Hereford. Pity it wasn't a required bash, but never mind, the mileage will come in handy.
My lift home (thankfully my dad was picking my sister up from work around that time. Unfortunately for him he had to return straight to work, having taken a couple of hours off to pick us up. Me thinks a large bottle of whisky would be a good compensation) arrived shortly afterwards, giving me time to use the last two exposures on night shots of 153353 and a 150/2. I hope they come out.
Anyway, that's the rather detailed day from my POV. The pictures were all taken on the SLR, video footage may become available when I figure out how to get it off onto the PC via the USB cable. All in all, an absolutely incredible, unforgettable day (as you might have guessed from my MSN display name). One I wish didn't happen for reasons of now having no locos up the Rhymney line, or with ATW full-stop, but at least they were sent off with flying colours. I for one know that I shall miss the locos on the Rhymney line and with ATW. If I may, I'd like to end this thread with the following line:
Goodbye to the 33s, 37s, 47s and the rest of the locos to have been on the Rhymney line. But in particular to the 37s, the most enjoyable loco class I've experienced ever.
After work, the mission was clear: Get to the station in plenty of time, taking on drinks and films en-route. Finishing work around 1805, I heaqd straight off to the station, arriving around 1825.
The 1848 duly pulls in on time, and it's 158852. I board and find my reserved seat. The sound of the engine was rather interesting en-route, the sound being akin to one of those spinning tops I recall as a child.
As usual, we're delayed en-route, and at this time of day, we're picking up lots of noisy party-goers. We eventually arrive in Cardiff at 2001, 8 down. I fail to see the group on platform 6, and start talking to a spotter on platform 4 for a while. He foolishly notes 60073 as 60013 when it passes.
I eventually lose him, then check my bus time. Darn, still a while to go. Back into the station, spot some more, hunt the group (who later I found out went to Llanbradach), then get the bus to the hostel. We leave 2.5 minutes early, to my surprise.
Checking in at the hostel was fun, in that the Rhymney line passes not far from the hostel! Later 37s are heard passing over the bridge, the sound is incredible. A little later, joy54 shows up, and we chat for a couple of hours about rail events. I fall asleep around 0100.
12/04 - The day none of us will forget
joy54 and I, after a good breakfast, set off for the 29 to Cardiff. It arrives a few minutes down, but due to slack timings, we're about on time at Cardiff. We find the ticket office queue to be too much, so we go to platform 6 and await the 47 and 33. 47854 clagged out a fair bit coming out of Canton! Decent shots are hard to get, what with the huge crowds. I phot 33207, then run onto the train. We work our way to the front of the train, meeting the rest of the group.
All the way to Rhymney, the train is insanely packed. Rhymney will never be so busy! A lot of us went to the crossing to get some shots, I gave up and got some shots of the 33 from other angles. It's not long before we're all off again, this time we all alight (pretty much of us in our group anyway) at Bargoed to do 50049 to Rhymney. This was fun! A call from heart-of-wessex tells us he's on a 8-car 158, something some forum members couldn't understand. I tried without success to explain this is something ATW and WSX do a lot, partly for stock moves and to have capacity on the unit's diagram later in the day.
50049 was quite enjoyable, and deserved a lot of photos and attention at Rhymney. This time we had plenty of time before returning, so I headed for the crossing too. The headshunt move took about 3 attempts before it actually went up to it! A doubled-up 142 stopped us using the crossing until it left the station for Cardiff. This really annoyed yorkie!
Soon enough 37411 pulled back into the station, after some of us bought souvenier mugs. My first bit of 37 bashing for some time actually. As we were around 15 down leaving, the driver must have really thrashed off, the sound and clag was awesome! Thankfully I finally got some video footage!
I stayed on this train to Cardiff, the others leaving at Caerphilly or Ystrad Mynach. heart-of-wessex and Sprinter, as well as HSTfan!!! join us here. I point out where joy54 and I stayed the night before en-route, and I enjoy a Diet Coke, curteousy of HSTfan!!!.
Back at Cardiff, we meet up with Joe Holmes. Having been informed that 50031 and 049 were swapping during the day, we ensure we get 049 up to Ystrad Mynach (pronounced Iss-trad Min-ack for those unable to say it on the day), alighting for the 33 back to Cardiff. Our group has a picture under the Ystrad Mynach sign, then we find the 47 and 33 had swapped ends at some point, with 47854 at the front now (it had been on what would have been the rear earlier). Still, it's all good mileage gaining. 47854 thrashed its way south, that's for sure!
Returning to Cardiff, three of us decide to do some bellowing en-route...Hey, it was called for. I've never done it before, now I know I'll definately do it on the last HST runs! At this point, we have another group shot by 43010, then Joe Holmes and HSTfan!!! (unfortunately for him he had to go to work!), with the former stroking the 43!!!
hock: Meanwhile, heart-of-wessex, Sprinter and I head to The Prince Of Wales, the nearest pub, so as to celebrate with a pint the day and the locos on the Rhymney line for the last 10 years. He recorded it on his MP3 player, I'm sure the link will come soon.
1611, and I realise the train to Hereford would be leaving soon, so I ran off to the station for the 1615 (couldn't leave any later, had a lift arranged at the arrival time already) to Manchester, as far as Hereford. Having no buses on Sunday isn't helpful. I find a seat in 153353, and stay there to Hereford. Pity it wasn't a required bash, but never mind, the mileage will come in handy.
My lift home (thankfully my dad was picking my sister up from work around that time. Unfortunately for him he had to return straight to work, having taken a couple of hours off to pick us up. Me thinks a large bottle of whisky would be a good compensation) arrived shortly afterwards, giving me time to use the last two exposures on night shots of 153353 and a 150/2. I hope they come out.
Anyway, that's the rather detailed day from my POV. The pictures were all taken on the SLR, video footage may become available when I figure out how to get it off onto the PC via the USB cable. All in all, an absolutely incredible, unforgettable day (as you might have guessed from my MSN display name). One I wish didn't happen for reasons of now having no locos up the Rhymney line, or with ATW full-stop, but at least they were sent off with flying colours. I for one know that I shall miss the locos on the Rhymney line and with ATW. If I may, I'd like to end this thread with the following line:
Goodbye to the 33s, 37s, 47s and the rest of the locos to have been on the Rhymney line. But in particular to the 37s, the most enjoyable loco class I've experienced ever.
Thoroughly enjoyed the event albeit a little over-priced 
would have liked to have stayed longer!