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Heart of Wales Line

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Calthrop

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Latterly, I believe it was mainly Stanier 8F 2-8-0s on the end-to-end trains (Shrewsbury to Swansea Victoria - no reversal at Llanelli in those days) and ex-LMS 2-6-4 tanks on the local short workings at either end of the line. This ex-LNWR line was one of the few routes on which you could enjoy 8F haulage on a regular basis, as they were preferred to Black 5s because their smaller driving wheels and higher tractive effort gave better acceleration on the steep gradients, where a high maximum speed was not a priority.

There is an interesting thread about this line, on "Railway History and Nostalgia". Unfortunately my computer skills are poor, and tend not to extend to linking to threads -- at all events, thread is titled Central / Heart of Wales Line -- historical. Its commencing date is 28 Dec. 2018 -- currently on that sub-forum's "page 82". (Would be extremely grateful, if some kind person were to do the necessary to link to the thread.)

OP of thread includes a video -- poster remarks, "rather poor quality, but very interesting film" -- not quite 10 minutes long, shot in 1961: basically following in short clips, a northbound passenger train along the route -- many locations fleetingly shown, including other train / motive power action encountered during the journey -- shots taken between Swansea (Victoria), and Craven Arms. The motive power of the train featured and travelled on, is (unusually for the line, one gathers) a Jubilee 4-6-0.

The thread's subsequent posts include a couple of comments on the present-day "tree ubiquity" along the route: its tendency to spoil views, and the desirability of removal of at least some of this "cover" !
 
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PHILIPE

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Latterly, I believe it was mainly Stanier 8F 2-8-0s on the end-to-end trains (Shrewsbury to Swansea Victoria - no reversal at Llanelli in those days) and ex-LMS 2-6-4 tanks on the local short workings at either end of the line. This ex-LNWR line was one of the few routes on which you could enjoy 8F haulage on a regular basis, as they were preferred to Black 5s because their smaller driving wheels and higher tractive effort gave better acceleration on the steep gradients, where a high maximum speed was not a priority.

The Fowler 2-6-4 tanks used to work throughout between Shrewsbury and Swansea daily but Class 8F 2-8-0s did not work passengers except on a rare occasion. Only two worked passenger trains, 48309 and 48707, which were modified with steam heating specially to work a Royal Train in 1952. Sharing the through passengers with 2-6-4 Tanks were Stanier Class 5 4-60s and later BR 73xxx Standard were also utilised. Towards the end of steam Jubilee Class locos shared in the work and also BR Standard 80xxx tank engines.
 

D6130

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The Fowler 2-6-4 tanks used to work throughout between Shrewsbury and Swansea daily but Class 8F 2-8-0s did not work passengers except on a rare occasion. Only two worked passenger trains, 48309 and 48707, which were modified with steam heating specially to work a Royal Train in 1952. Sharing the through passengers with 2-6-4 Tanks were Stanier Class 5 4-60s and later BR 73xxx Standard were also utilised. Towards the end of steam Jubilee Class locos shared in the work and also BR Standard 80xxx tank engines.
Thanks for that clarification. I book that I have in my collection has several photos of 8F-hauled passenger trains, so must have been those two locos. As a matter of interest, at which depot were they allocated....Shrewesbury or Swansea?
 

Gloster

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48309 was at Shrewsbury from 11/50 to 8/55 and then at Swansea Victoria until 8/59 and Llanelly until 8/64. 48707 was at Shrewsbury 1/51 to 2/51, then Swansea Victoria until 12/51, back to Shrewsbury until 8/59, then Llanelly from 12/59 to 7/64. (Source: Shed by Shed, Part Six, Western; Tony Walmsley; St Petroc; 2009). For various reasons (explained in the book) actual dates of transfer may be the month before or after.

EDIT: 48707 was at Cardiff Canton from 8 to 12/59.

A skim through my two books on the line show a number of appearances of 8F, but one caption suggests they may normally have only been used on Summer Saturdays.
 
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ChiefPlanner

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Certainly in the early 1950's there were various service groups

Shrewsbury to Swansea via the coast route and Killay

Llandovery / Llandeilo / Brynamman East to Llanelly (as it was spelt then) - generally Pannier tanks

A Pontardulais to Swansea Victoria - sometimes ex LNW 0-6-2 tanks engines but later Panniers

I can just remember steam in the early 1960's and confirm the use of Jubilee class engines - "long distance" freight were ex LMS types and the formidable ex GW 2-8-2 tanks on things like coal trains from GCG.
 

PHILIPE

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48309 was at Shrewsbury from 11/50 to 8/55 and then at Swansea Victoria until 8/59 and Llanelly until 8/64. 48707 was at Shrewsbury 1/51 to 2/51, then Swansea Victoria until 12/51, back to Shrewsbury until 8/59, then Llanelly from 12/59 to 7/64. (Source: Shed by Shed, Part Six, Western; Tony Walmsley; St Petroc; 2009). For various reasons (explained in the book) actual dates of transfer may be the month before or after.

EDIT: 48707 was at Cardiff Canton from 8 to 12/59.

A skim through my two books on the line show a number of appearances of 8F, but one caption suggests they may normally have only been used on Summer Saturdays.


The Summer Saturday working was a 0930 Pembroke Dock to Crewe but I wasn't sure where the 8F actually took over
 

70014IronDuke

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There is an interesting thread about this line, on "Railway History and Nostalgia". Unfortunately my computer skills are poor, and tend not to extend to linking to threads -- at all events, thread is titled Central / Heart of Wales Line -- historical. Its commencing date is 28 Dec. 2018 -- currently on that sub-forum's "page 82". (Would be extremely grateful, if some kind person were to do the necessary to link to the thread.)

OP of thread includes a video -- poster remarks, "rather poor quality, but very interesting film" -- not quite 10 minutes long, shot in 1961: basically following in short clips, a northbound passenger train along the route -- many locations fleetingly shown, including other train / motive power action encountered during the journey -- shots taken between Swansea (Victoria), and Craven Arms. The motive power of the train featured and travelled on, is (unusually for the line, one gathers) a Jubilee 4-6-0.

The thread's subsequent posts include a couple of comments on the present-day "tree ubiquity" along the route: its tendency to spoil views, and the desirability of removal of at least some of this "cover" !

 

70014IronDuke

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Welcome! My problem then became I couldn't follow up on that post!

I was thinking about starting a thread on the new timetable earlier, but might as well piggy back this thread.

From May, TFW have put on four trains each way per day - except, to my shock, they've cut the early morning 'commuter' trains from Llandrindod and Llandovery - so the earliest you can get into Shrewsbuy is 10.14 and going south the first train doesn't even get you to Swansea: you get turfed out at Llanneli at 09.38.

I suppose they are claiming Covid problems or some such - but surely this is a disaster for the line in terms of getting any traffic to return on a regular basis?
(The 08.45 ex-Llandod is a nice time for shoppers and leisure traffic notwithstanding, I should imagine.)
 

PHILIPE

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Welcome! My problem then became I couldn't follow up on that post!

I was thinking about starting a thread on the new timetable earlier, but might as well piggy back this thread.

From May, TFW have put on four trains each way per day - except, to my shock, they've cut the early morning 'commuter' trains from Llandrindod and Llandovery - so the earliest you can get into Shrewsbuy is 10.14 and going south the first train doesn't even get you to Swansea: you get turfed out at Llanneli at 09.38.

I suppose they are claiming Covid problems or some such - but surely this is a disaster for the line in terms of getting any traffic to return on a regular basis?
(The 08.45 ex-Llandod is a nice time for shoppers and leisure traffic notwithstanding, I should imagine.)

When the additional trains were put on and because of the nature of the single line route, many people's arrangements were upset. One was students going to Shrewsbury having to go early and hang around and day trips with time at Llandrindod went pear shaped
 

185143

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Currently on the 10:09 from Shrewsbury. It's a 2 car 150 and busier than I expected from Llandrindod. No reservations onboard, but half a tree's worth of leaves have been knocked into the carriage as we've gone down the line.

No catering either so bring your own or, if you feel brave, nip over to Aldi in the dwell time at Llandrindod Wells and acquire some cold liquid refreshments from there. Not that I *burp* did such a thing, you understand. :D
 

PHILIPE

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As the previous thread is closed and we have discussed locomotives already on this, may I talk about Rugby Specials when Scotland and Wales played at Murrayfield every two years. Back in the 50s there were approx 25 such trains including typically 7 returning via the Heart of Wales on a the Sunday following the match. Due to the gradients and with a load of 10 all of these were double headed , a large and a small loco. I use to turn out to see these and the various combinations which included Stanier Class 5 4-6-0, BR Standard 4-6-0 73xxx, BR Standard 4-6-0 75xxx, Stanier Class 8f 2-8-0, Fowler 2-6-4 Tanks, WR 0-6-0 22xx and WR 0-6-2 56xx Tanks.
 

Mcr Warrior

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No catering either so bring your own or, if you feel brave, nip over to Aldi in the dwell time at Llandrindod Wells and acquire some cold liquid refreshments from there.
How long have you got for the supermarket dash if the train's running to schedule? 15 minutes or so, tops? :)
 

185143

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How long have you got for the supermarket dash if the train's running to schedule? 15 minutes or so?
18 minutes. Though we were 6L so I only had 12 minutes. It's literally over the road though, made it back with 5 minutes to spare.
 

34001Exeter

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The Fowler 2-6-4 tanks used to work throughout between Shrewsbury and Swansea daily but Class 8F 2-8-0s did not work passengers except on a rare occasion. Only two worked passenger trains, 48309 and 48707, which were modified with steam heating specially to work a Royal Train in 1952. Sharing the through passengers with 2-6-4 Tanks were Stanier Class 5 4-60s and later BR 73xxx Standard were also utilised. Towards the end of steam Jubilee Class locos shared in the work and also BR Standard 80xxx tank engines.
 

34001Exeter

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The 8Fs modified with steam heating to work a Royal Train in 1952. The Queen came by Royal Train over 3 days in October 1952 to Shrewsbury and Llandrindod Wells. The train was worked from Paddington to Shrewsbury by two Castles on 22/10 and was stabled overnight on the closed Much Wenlock Branch, via Marsn Farm Junction. On 23/10, the train was worked by locos unknown to Llandrindod Wells where the Queen de trained and travelled by car to the Claerwen Dam, which she opened. The train then spent a second night on the Much Wenlock branch and returned to Shrewsbury on 24/10, where the Queen opened new buildings at Shrewsbury School. The train returned to London behind the two same Castles later that day. It seems likely that the return trip to Llandrindod Wells on 23/10 was worked by Nos.48309 and 48707. I'm interested in this as my wife's grandfather William Adams was a senior driver on the LMS side of Shrewsbury shed at this time and family lore has it that he drove the Royal Train. I'd love to know how they got the train in and out of the Much Wenlock branch.
 

70014IronDuke

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The 8Fs modified with steam heating to work a Royal Train in 1952. The Queen came by Royal Train over 3 days in October 1952 to Shrewsbury and Llandrindod Wells. ...
Hmmmm, I wonder if the Royal Household was properly billed for that?

Something tells me almost certainly not.
 
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