NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 82
More on Carrog
(and some other favourite stations)
Michael L. Roach
In Part 77 I wrote that Carrog was one of my favourite stations on a heritage railway. Why? I find it hard to pin down exactly why that should be but I will try. First it was a Great Western station (always a good start); the station building of a two-storey station master's house and attached single story booking office etc is an architectural gem with just the right amount of decoration; the rail approach from Ruabon and Llangollen is across a long low embankment crossing the flood plain keeping the track above flood level and giving good views of approaching and departing trains from the platform; the siding has a well-stocked bookshop in a railway vehicle (always a draw); the adjacent road bridge gives good views of the station and trains; and finally there is the setting in the wonderful landscape of the Dee Valley – an AONB and perhaps soon to be a National Park. Although this stretch of railway was built by the Llangollen & Corwen Railway and opened in 1865 that railway never had any rolling stock of its own and the line was worked by the GWR from opening day. All the separate railways that made up the Ruabon to Barmouth line were finally taken over by the GWR in 1896 who almost immediately set about making major improvements. Carrog Station received a second (down) platform, a passing loop, and a 19-lever signal box which could be switched out – one of the first on the GWR to get this switch. From spring 1952 to autumn 1962 Carrog hosted a camping coach in one of the sidings in the goods yard. For those interested it was a bogie clerestory coach numbered W9903W. The signal box closed on 23 March 1964 – a few months before my trip - and the passing loop was taken out of use at the same time. Soon after submitting Part 77 to the editor a new book arrived through the post which greatly assisted with the facts in this paragraph. The ISBN is 978 1915 069559 and is Lightmoor's second book on the line. The first is ISBN 978 1899 889976 from 2015. Both are up to Lightmoor's normal high standards and are highly recommended.
During the time I was writing this Part and Part 77 I was wondering who the architect was who designed Carrog station building and the similar one at Glyndyfrdwy and the slightly different one at Llangollen. The new book told me that the architect was Samuel Pountney Smith (1812-1883) who practised in Shrewsbury and specialised mainly designing churches all over Shropshire, but he also designed some large houses in Shrewsbury.
A few other stations I particularly like on heritage railways are as follows:
Levisham on the North Yorkshire Railway where the gable end of the station building fronts on to the platform – a design that I find interesting and seems to be a feature commonly found in the northeast of England. Goathland is also on the NYMR, a fascinating station on a steep gradient. I have been there several times going back to 1975. My abiding memory is standing on the road bridge at the south end of the station and watching an engine slog its way up the steep gradient into the station. On leaving the engine slipped once and then strode confidently away up the bank. The engine was a Collet 0-6-2 tank which were a very sure-footed class of engine. The class celebrates its 100 birthday this year (2025) having been designed by Collet to add to the numbers of such wheel arrangement engines prevalent in South Wales before the Grouping and eventually replace them as the pre-grouping classes of 0-6-2s were withdrawn. The last station in this little collection of favourites is Bewdley on the Severn Valley Railway for reasons which were described in Part 79.
The third image below shows a view west from the road bridge at Carrog Station, and it made me wonder what the refuge siding was used for apart from the occasional engineers or permanent way wagon. Since the goods yard was best accessed by up trains I wondered if a down train would drop off a couple of wagons into the refuge siding when travelling westwards on a down train. In the WTT for 3 May 1943 there is a suitable down train in the shape of 4.45am Ruabon to Barmouth goods. In the other direction and after more than two hours shunting at Corwen the 9.15am Bala to Ruabon goods train was due to call at Carrog at 12.45pm. It could have stopped short of the refuge siding, shunted the couple of loaded wagons from the refuge siding into the goods yard using the passing loop and picked up any empty wagons and added them to the front of its train before proceeding eastwards again. All the photographs in this instalment were taken on the afternoon of Saturday 22 May 2010.
During the time I was writing this Part and Part 77 I was wondering who the architect was who designed Carrog station building and the similar one at Glyndyfrdwy and the slightly different one at Llangollen. The new book told me that the architect was Samuel Pountney Smith (1812-1883) who practised in Shrewsbury and specialised mainly designing churches all over Shropshire, but he also designed some large houses in Shrewsbury.
A few other stations I particularly like on heritage railways are as follows:
Levisham on the North Yorkshire Railway where the gable end of the station building fronts on to the platform – a design that I find interesting and seems to be a feature commonly found in the northeast of England. Goathland is also on the NYMR, a fascinating station on a steep gradient. I have been there several times going back to 1975. My abiding memory is standing on the road bridge at the south end of the station and watching an engine slog its way up the steep gradient into the station. On leaving the engine slipped once and then strode confidently away up the bank. The engine was a Collet 0-6-2 tank which were a very sure-footed class of engine. The class celebrates its 100 birthday this year (2025) having been designed by Collet to add to the numbers of such wheel arrangement engines prevalent in South Wales before the Grouping and eventually replace them as the pre-grouping classes of 0-6-2s were withdrawn. The last station in this little collection of favourites is Bewdley on the Severn Valley Railway for reasons which were described in Part 79.
The third image below shows a view west from the road bridge at Carrog Station, and it made me wonder what the refuge siding was used for apart from the occasional engineers or permanent way wagon. Since the goods yard was best accessed by up trains I wondered if a down train would drop off a couple of wagons into the refuge siding when travelling westwards on a down train. In the WTT for 3 May 1943 there is a suitable down train in the shape of 4.45am Ruabon to Barmouth goods. In the other direction and after more than two hours shunting at Corwen the 9.15am Bala to Ruabon goods train was due to call at Carrog at 12.45pm. It could have stopped short of the refuge siding, shunted the couple of loaded wagons from the refuge siding into the goods yard using the passing loop and picked up any empty wagons and added them to the front of its train before proceeding eastwards again. All the photographs in this instalment were taken on the afternoon of Saturday 22 May 2010.
A view of the station building and back of the starting signal from the road bridge on 22.05.2010. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view east from the bridge showing the former goods yard well-filled with bogie stock. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view west from the road bridge showing the refuge siding, the end of the loop, and the end of the line at the time in 2010. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A view east from the up platform. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The down platform at Carrog showing the rebuilt waiting room. Note how the bracket signal allows down trains to be signalled into the up platform, as happened to the writer in 1964 and in 2010. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Carrog Station is beautifully located in the Dee Valley with a steam train completing the scene. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
This rake of BR Mark 1 coaches were painted in the early BR colours of crimson lake and cream. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A single tree can enhance as scene; note how the signal lamp is lit. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The train departs for Llangollen across the low embankment crossing the flood plain of the River Dee. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
A last view of train as it heads down the Dee Valley which is now being proposed as the centre of a possible new National Park. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Many thanks Mike, another interesting piece to add to the collection.
For more of Michaels works, please click here.
For more of Michaels works, please click here.
Re: What's in the wagons?
Martin Duff
As a tail piece to the article, and the comment about Meldon reservoir, there was a short term flow from Hartlepool to St. Blazey 2000-2001 for new infrastructure on Goss Moor (gas I believe).
Not surprisingly the trains were long!
I don’t have my notebooks of the period to hand suffice the trains were class 66 hauled (which were only about 12-18 months in service with EWS at the time).
Not surprisingly the trains were long!
I don’t have my notebooks of the period to hand suffice the trains were class 66 hauled (which were only about 12-18 months in service with EWS at the time).
Many thanks Martin, sounds like an interesting flow of traffic - perhaps somebody has a photograph?
We've also received the below correspondence from Richard, who originally raised the question about the Nancegollan wagons:
We've also received the below correspondence from Richard, who originally raised the question about the Nancegollan wagons:
Thank you for publishing my query re. the loaded wagons in Nancegollan yard, and thanks to both Andrew Jones and Tony Hill for their responses. I didn’t know about the Stithians project, so that’s certainly a possibility, particularly in view of the date. That said, they do look to be very small bore pipe for such a major piece of civil engineering.
Two things puzzle me: the loaded wagon right of centre in Kit Miles’ photo clearly shows some sort of what are perhaps clamps or brackets on four of the top layer – not what you would expect to see on pipes of any sort, whatever material they were made of.
Also, the loading of some of the wagons looks to be rather haphazard, not the usual careful method normal for new pipes, hence my wondering if these had seen previous use.I suspect a definitive answer will prove elusive!
Two things puzzle me: the loaded wagon right of centre in Kit Miles’ photo clearly shows some sort of what are perhaps clamps or brackets on four of the top layer – not what you would expect to see on pipes of any sort, whatever material they were made of.
Also, the loading of some of the wagons looks to be rather haphazard, not the usual careful method normal for new pipes, hence my wondering if these had seen previous use.I suspect a definitive answer will prove elusive!
The image which inspired the question - Nancegollan Station from the bridge, August 1962 (click for an enlargement). Copyright Kit Miles.
Many thanks for getting in touch Richard - sorry we've not been able to provide a guaranteed answer, but we have a couple of sound theories for you!
Didcot 'Duff'
Michael Adams/Michael Forward
This time we see 47302 in Didcot yard on 1 December 1983. In the background, Didcot power station is at work providing energy to keep us going in the Winter, how things change! These will be our last pictures for 2025, so it's time to thank everyone for contributing to the site and for all who work keeping it going. Best wishes for a Happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous new year.
47302 in Didcot yard on 1 December 1983. Copyright Michael Adams.
Many thanks Michael and Michael, merry christmas to you both too, thank you for all your photographs over the years.
50 years ago in the westcountry
Part 3
Roger Winnen
A Western bursts into life at Long Rock Depot. 28.12.1975, copyright Roger Winnen.
A class 50 heads a train past Ponsandane. 28.12.1975, copyright Roger Winnen.
A Peak with the 08.45 off Penzance approaches Redruth. 29.12.1975, copyright Roger Winnen.
D1058 Western Nobleman at Redruth. 29.12.1975, copyright Roger Winnen.
A Peak on the 10.12 Penzance to Derby at Redruth. 29.12.1975, copyright Roger Winnen.
A 47 working the 16.10 Penzance to Paddington at Gwinear Road. 29.12.1975, copyright Roger Winnen.
The Milk at speed Gwinear Road. 29.12.1975, copyright Roger Winnen.
A Peak approaches Rospeath on the 08.45 from Penzance. 30.12.1975, copyright Roger Winnen.
Penultimate day 'Castles'
Paul Barlow
On the penultimate day of GWR HST operations, 43093 and 43198 pass Cockwood Harbour with the 0745 Penzance to Exeter. Copyright Paul Barlow.
43093 43198 pass Marsh Barton with the 1127 Exeter to Penzance. 12.12.2025, copyright Paul Barlow.
Many thanks Paul - scenes very unlikely to ever be seen again.