The last coal train?

[Western 52]

6C83 did run from Cwmbargoed today. The final run?

 

[Oxfordblues]

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?

 

[anthony263]

Oh yes just seen it. Welsh government couldn't stop it as the mine was granted its licence pre 1998.

Oh I do hope this happens be nice to see coal is wales is not dead .

I wonder if the muppets in Cardiff bay are throwing a wobbly ? Lol

 

[Western 52]

Where is the market for the coal though? Export maybe? Tata steel won't need it once the Port Talbot blast furnaces have closed.

 

[Killingworth]

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?

Doesn't it already go to Dyffryn Cellwen in the Dulais Valley?

 

[Western 52]

Doesn't it already go to Dyffryn Cellwen in the Dulais Valley?

All by road presumably. There's not been rail traffic from Onllwyn for some time.

 

[TPO]

Where is the market for the coal though? Export maybe? Tata steel won't need it once the Port Talbot blast furnaces have closed.

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

 

[Oxfordblues]

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

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!

 

[MikePJ]

Nick Millington from Network Rail features the Last Coal Train in Wales in his latest video blog:

 

[snowball]

Nick Millington from Network Rail features the Last Coal Train in Wales in his latest video blog:

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."

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?

 

[tiptoptaff]

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."

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?

One off hand I know is Trenos foot/bridleway crossing in Llanharan

 

[Western 52]

One off hand I know is Trenos foot/bridleway crossing in Llanharan

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.

 

[tiptoptaff]

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.

Not sure. But it's definitely just a foot crossing now. Albeit temporarily closed, and theoretically, permanently when the bridge is built

 

[Signal_Box]

All by road presumably. There's not been rail traffic from Onllwyn for some time.

GBRF have been doing route learning up there recently, a positive sign hopefully.

 

[tiptoptaff]

GBRF have been doing route learning up there recently, a positive sign hopefully.

Odd as they're about to lose their entire presence in South Wales

 

[Jacob Didcote]

Odd as they're about to lose their entire presence in South Wales

How so? Still got traffic from Cardiff Tidal and Trostre?!

 

[tiptoptaff]

How so? Still got traffic from Cardiff Tidal and Trostre?!

Trostre going to DB along with Dee Marsh

 

[BillStampy]

One off hand I know is Trenos foot/bridleway crossing in Llanharan

Correct. I've been to the crossing myself recently, also easily seen from the train.

 

[Jacob Didcote]

What about their depot down Tremorfa though? Closing?

 

[MadMarsupial]

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.

 

[Bald Rick]

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‘d be very surprised if it was extended.

We’ve been importing from europe because its been cheap. very cheap. Ratcliffe will also be cheap because it will be burning anything and they don‘t have to worry much about future maintenance.

 

[Signal_Box]

Odd as they're about to lose their entire presence in South Wales

That’s quite a chunk of work including the Celsa site contract to lose. No idea why ?

What about their depot down Tremorfa though? Closing?

Celsa is a seperate contract which fits nicely with their mainline operations fuel and stabling etc from south wales traffic.

 

[tiptoptaff]

That’s quite a chunk of work including the Celsa site contract to lose. No idea why ?

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.

 

[HSTEd]

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.

We've been importing piles of electricity from France since we gained the capability to do so in bulk soon after privatisation.

France having a colossal nuclear fleet, although their domestic off peak electricity prices have risen rather a lot compared to their peak time as a result of deregulation.

 

[MikePJ]

RAIL this week has a photo of the last coal train being loaded at Cwmbargoed.

 

[Signal_Box]

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.

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.

RAIL this week has a photo of the last coal train being loaded at Cwmbargoed.

There’s one last charger up there either this weekend or next then that’s it..although the branch looks safe as it’s included in the resignalling diagrams going forward.

 

[tiptoptaff]

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.

 

[Signal_Box]

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 bet they’ll be happy about that !

 

[Oxfordblues]

There are still coal trains in Wales. This one was spotted recently at Porthmadog (Harbour):

 

[Tomos y Tanc]

All by road presumably. There's not been rail traffic from Onllwyn for some time.

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.

Maybe they're exporting the coal unwashed.