Memories of loco haulage in Wales

[MatthewRead]

The Rhymney line used Class 37s, while several North Wales Coast services were loco hauled and even as recently as 2006 I remember reading about Class 50s on the South Wales Main Line.

What can you all remember?

 

[randyrippley]

I doubt if there were any 50s in service in 2006..........

 

[Cowley]

I doubt if there were any 50s in service in 2006..........

It’s where the lines between ‘Preserved’, and: ‘Privately owned mainline locomotive’
become a bit blurred...
Certainly the Fifty Funds 50031 and 50049 were used on Rugex and service trains from Cardiff to Fishguard in South Wales during 2006.
I know this because I frequently kick myself that I didn’t go on them at the time.

 

[matt]

I doubt if there were any 50s in service in 2006..........

Well I travelled on an Arriva Trains Wales service from Cardiff to Fishguard Harbour in 2006 behind a class 50.

 

[AJM580]

Had all the following in Cymru am Byth
20s (090/132) - Derby - Llandudno
25s (303 & 323) Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth
31s
37s
47s
57s (Crewe - Holyhead pendo drags)

37s worked all over Wales in the 80s and 90s - North Wales, Cambrian, Cardiff Valley lines and along the South Wales main line

 

[Bevan Price]

In addition to the above, until they were withdrawn, 24s also worked on the North Wales Coast, and on the Cambrian route to Aberystwyth,
45s worked to North Wales when some Trans Pennine services ran that way (and even earlier on summer saturday services from Bradford or Leeds)
57/3s also worked on Manchester / Holyhead services.

 

[30907]

24s to Aberystwyth (mid to late 70s), 25s then 33s on Crewe-Cardiff (early 80s), 40s on Holyheads (and at least one 25 on a relief ca 1978)...47s on the SWML.

 

[Bevan Price]

24s to Aberystwyth (mid to late 70s), 25s then 33s on Crewe-Cardiff (early 80s), 40s on Holyheads (and at least one 25 on a relief ca 1978)...47s on the SWML.

Yes, I forgot the North Wales 40s. And for several years, pairs of 25s worked the Nottingham - Llandudno summer saturday service; later reduced to a single 25, and eventually descended to 3 coach suburban dmus (Class 116)
And an occasional Class 56, double-heading a 47 from Crewe to Bangor or Holyhead whilst running-in after emerging from Crewe Works.

 

[Welshman]

24s to Aberystwyth (mid to late 70s), 25s then 33s on Crewe-Cardiff (early 80s), 40s on Holyheads (and at least one 25 on a relief ca 1978)...47s on the SWML.

The 33s even got on to the North Wales Coast line.
On p.79 of Larry Goddard's "Colour of the North Wales Main Line" [Foxline publications], there's a photo of 33026 speeding through Bagillt with the 1200 Cardiff-Llandudno on 18th June 1986

 

[Cowley]

The 33s even got on to the North Wales Coast line.
On p.79 of Larry Goddard's "Colour of the North Wales Main Line" [Foxline publications], there's a photo of 33026 speeding through Bagillt with the 1200 Cardiff-Llandudno on 18th June 1986

They were also sometimes paired up with locomotives on out and back test runs from Crewe, making for some interesting pairings like original Railfreight liveried refurbished 37s + 33, and Scotrail liveried 47/7s + 33.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

EE Class 40s on Holyhead-Euston trains (Irish Mail, Emerald Isle Express, the Welsh Dragon).
LMS class 4 tanks on many local services round Chester (eg Chester-Birkenhead, inc Paddington/Euston portions).
Black 5s on Manchester/Crewe/Birmingham trains.
Class 24/25s on local freight, while it lasted.
Live cattle trains from Holyhead.
Western class 52s on Chester-Birmingham Snow Hill-Paddington services, replacing GWR Kings.
Ivatt class 2s on North Wales locals, including the summer 0705 Chester-Caernarfon-Llanberis train (ideal for climbing Snowdon!).
All this 1961-66.
Class 37/47s were late arriving on North Wales services, and I never remember seeing a 45.

 

[Bevan Price]

GWR Kings never reached Chester in the "steam" era, I don't think they were allowed beyond Shrewsbury, and they were usually replaced at Wolverhampton Low Level. However, Castles, Counties, Halls & Granges were welcome sights on my early visits to Chester.
I also recall having one Class 50 ride on the North Wales Coast, with a service from Euston, and I imagine that there were other such visits.
For steam, Britannias, Royal Scots, Rebuilt Patriots & Jubilees were the most common "large" steam locos on the North Wales Coast, but Stanier Pacifics did also appear. There were even visits by Eastern Class B1 4-6-0s in summer.

 

[Cowley]

For steam, Britannias, Royal Scots, Rebuilt Patriots & Jubilees were the most common "large" steam locos on the North Wales Coast, but Stanier Pacifics did also appear. There were even visits by Eastern Class B1 4-6-0s in summer.

Where would the B1s have worked in from Beven?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

GWR Kings never reached Chester in the "steam" era, I don't think they were allowed beyond Shrewsbury, and they were usually replaced at Wolverhampton Low Level. However, Castles, Counties, Halls & Granges were welcome sights on my early visits to Chester.
I also recall having one Class 50 ride on the North Wales Coast, with a service from Euston, and I imagine that there were other such visits.
For steam, Britannias, Royal Scots, Rebuilt Patriots & Jubilees were the most common "large" steam locos on the North Wales Coast, but Stanier Pacifics did also appear. There were even visits by Eastern Class B1 4-6-0s in summer.

Indeed, the 52s took over from the Kings at Paddington but probably the Kings didn't reach Chester.
You are right about the Pacifics of course.
I suppose the B1s must have come from Sheffield via Woodhead or Edale, Northenden and Lymm on the many extras on summer Saturdays.
I can't quite remember the iron ore trains to Shotton, but they might well have brought LNER types to Dee Marsh via the CLC route.

 

[randyrippley]

And nobody has mentioned the Hymeks or Warships.....

 

[martian boy]

And nobody has mentioned the Hymeks or Warships.....

A lot of people on this forum, were born long after these went.

 

[Bevan Price]

Indeed, the 52s took over from the Kings at Paddington but probably the Kings didn't reach Chester.
You are right about the Pacifics of course.
I suppose the B1s must have come from Sheffield via Woodhead or Edale, Northenden and Lymm on the many extras on summer Saturdays.
I can't quite remember the iron ore trains to Shotton, but they might well have brought LNER types to Dee Marsh via the CLC route.

B1s would have worked Sheffield - Llandudno vie Edale, Norhenden & Lymm as you suggest. Live steam was not allowed through Woodhead Tunnel after electrification.

And yes - LNER (ex-GCR) Class O4 2-8-0s used to work Shotton iron ore trains, until replaced by BR Class 9F 2-10-0s (and then diesels). And the former Seacombe - Wrexham Central passenger service was also worked by ex-LNER tank locos, until replaced by ex-LMS locos several years after formation of BR.

 

[AY1975]

Loco-hauled trains occasionally used to turn up in place of DMUs on the Conwy Valley Line in the 1980s. I remember travelling from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog behind a Class 31 in 1989. Can't remember which 31 but I have (or had) a photo of it somewhere.

 

[Taunton]

And nobody has mentioned the Hymeks or Warships.....

A lot of people on this forum, were born long after these went

I'd better not mention then I can recall Castles on South Wales expresses staggering over the top of the long climb out of the Severn Tunnel through Patchway station.

Warships had few turns into Wales, though one from about 1962-4 was the North-and-West trains, through the tunnel, round the avoiding line at Newport, and on to Abergavenny etc.

For a while in the mid 1960s we then lived at West Kirby, on the Wirral. From the seafront there, if a quiet night, you could just hear a distant whistle from over the estuary on the North Wales Coast Line. There must have been a crossing there that needed it, round about Point of Ayr. Probably a Black 5, although Britannias ran on the line pretty much to the end, and they seemed to have more piercing whistles. If you knew where to look you could just make out the moving lights of the carriages. It's about 3 miles across.

B1s would have worked Sheffield - Llandudno vie Edale, Norhenden & Lymm as you suggest. Live steam was not allowed through Woodhead Tunnel after electrification.

Long after the Woodhead electrification, well into the 1960s, there was a stud of B1s at Manchester Gorton, which would get used on various turns west of the Pennines. Generally confined to freight in the week, they would turn up all over the place at weekends, Llandudno excursions being a favourite.

 

[xotGD]

I'm surprised no-one has yet mentioned 25288 + 40122 and their trip to Pwllheli on 7th June 1986. There on a railtour, back on the service train.

In the words of one famous Welshman "I was there!".

Many fun days out on the Cambrian back then.

 

[Cowley]

I'm surprised no-one has yet mentioned 25288 + 40122 and their trip to Pwllheli on 7th June 1986. There on a railtour, back on the service train.

In the words of one famous Welshman "I was there!".

Many fun days out on the Cambrian back then.

That sounds like a very pleasant day out!

 

[Bevan Price]

Another I forgot about. In the late 1950s or early 1960s, there was a summer saturday Chesterfield - Llandudno service on which they used a Class 9F 2-10-0.
My first ever 9F ride was 92115 from Rhyl to Llandudno Jn....

 

[krus_aragon]

Following on from the mentions of class 24s and the like in North Wales, the website 2d53.co.uk is a good place to reminisce about loco-hauled services of the 1970s and 80s (and is named for a DMU diagram that was unexpectedly operated by 24s throughout the summer of 1978).

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Here is another nice little site with all the loco that used to be based at 6g @ Llandudno Junction or passed through at least.

http://www.6g.nwrail.org.uk/dieseldays.htm

 

[NorthWestRover]

I'm surprised no-one has yet mentioned 25288 + 40122 and their trip to Pwllheli on 7th June 1986. There on a railtour, back on the service train.

In the words of one famous Welshman "I was there!".

Many fun days out on the Cambrian back then.

I was out of the hobby then (just about) but my girlfriend and I went on a day trip to Pwllheli from Wolverhampton. Can't remember the circumstances, but we ended up boarding that on the outward journey (from Machynlleth?) and then taking it back to Shrewsbury (?). Didn't 40 122 fail somewhere?

Quite a few of my old 40 bashing mates on that train which led to some interesting explanations to the girlfriend about it all...

 

[ChiefPlanner]

IN my student days at Aberystwyth - the Cambrian had a very indifferent DMU service (one groaned at a Park Royal and cheered up when you got a WR class 120) , - the highlights were Summer period class 25's and a very rare class 40.

Each Autumn ? - there was a special from Aber to Euston for the Smithfield show - much patronised by all , including home based Welsh farmers , for which this was the equivalent of a trip to Mecca. Load 10 MK1's and a double headed 25 to Wolves where some electric would come on. Around 1975 , the return leg was struggling by Welshpool and one 25 died completely, the other bravely carried on and expired just before the summit at Talerddig. Now this is a Saturday night , and even in those days the nearest rescue engine was probably Crewe or Hereford. So ....the signalman called Aberystwyth - who did a run around locally - found two (sober) drivers and a guard , they coupled up 3x2 car sets lying around and set off as 1Z99 to the failure. Approached nice and slowly - transferred the passengers on the track (would never happen today) protected the dead train - again - and went hell for leather for home , more or less non stop.

Sometime on the Sunday (remember in those days there was no Sunday service) , the dud was pushed to Machynlleth) and the world carried on.

We organised a Student charter to London - load 6 MK1's and a class 40. December - Crewe kindly turned out a non heat engine. Known for ever as an ice cube special - till the 8x leccie came on at Wolves. We made a small profit on this. Good fun. Allowed to flag it off from Borth - my first ever train despatch.

 

[Bald Rick]

IN my student days at Aberystwyth - the Cambrian had a very indifferent DMU service (one groaned at a Park Royal and cheered up when you got a WR class 120) , - the highlights were Summer period class 25's and a very rare class 40.

Each Autumn ? - there was a special from Aber to Euston for the Smithfield show - much patronised by all , including home based Welsh farmers , for which this was the equivalent of a trip to Mecca. Load 10 MK1's and a double headed 25 to Wolves where some electric would come on. Around 1975 , the return leg was struggling by Welshpool and one 25 died completely, the other bravely carried on and expired just before the summit at Talerddig. Now this is a Saturday night , and even in those days the nearest rescue engine was probably Crewe or Hereford. So ....the signalman called Aberystwyth - who did a run around locally - found two (sober) drivers and a guard , they coupled up 3x2 car sets lying around and set off as 1Z99 to the failure. Approached nice and slowly - transferred the passengers on the track (would never happen today) protected the dead train - again - and went hell for leather for home , more or less non stop.

Sometime on the Sunday (remember in those days there was no Sunday service) , the dud was pushed to Machynlleth) and the world carried on.

We organised a Student charter to London - load 6 MK1's and a class 40. December - Crewe kindly turned out a non heat engine. Known for ever as an ice cube special - till the 8x leccie came on at Wolves. We made a small profit on this. Good fun. Allowed to flag it off from Borth - my first e train despatch.

Happy Days! Are you sure those drivers were sober though.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Happy Days! Are you sure those drivers were sober though.

I can only quote what I was told - Aberystwyth being a good pub ridden yet "Godly" town. (on paper) , knowing my illicit relationship with the signalling and operational staff - any touch of not being fit for duty would have been very , very unusual , if not unheard of. (these were the staff , who on the desperate 0520 Aber- Salop in the depths of winter , often asked me as illegal rider to flick the cab light on and double check the single line token - Abermule 1921 was embedded (rightly) in the psyche.

More than you could say for some of the passengers - particularly the agriculteral students , who brought large amounts of drinking material. That was on the way out at 0700.

 

[iantherev]

There were as many chapels as pubs then....

 

[Cowley]

Lovely stuff. Always good to get a snapshot of the past.