NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 33
Nelson Station April 1964 – Part 2
Michael L. Roach
When the Pontypool Road to Neath passenger service was withdrawn I could not be there on the last day, Saturday 13 June 1964, because I was miles away at another closure nearer home in Somerset. The steam engines used on the last day of passenger services included tank engines 4110, 4121, 4639 and tender engine 6836 Estevarney Grange. Within 15 months all these engines had been withdrawn from service.
The line played host to a wide variety of steam engine classes. Regular classes were: 0-6-0 pannier tanks 5700, 6400 and 8400/9400; 0-6-2 tanks 5600/6600; 2-6-2 tanks 4100; 2-8-0 tanks 4200/5200; 2-8-2 tanks 7200; 2-6-0 tender 6300; 2-8-0 tender 2800 and Stanier 8F. Classes used possibly less frequently 4-6-0 tender 6800 Granges. Even though classed as a branch line the route could accept all classes of GWR steam engines except one – the only one to be banned was the King-class. The Castle class appeared occasionally hauling the Royal Train on at least two known occasions.
It may only have been 42 miles from Pontypool Road Station to Neath General Station, but it was double track all the way except for ¾ of a mile just west of Quakers Yard High Level Station over a viaduct and through a tunnel which remained single line throughout the line's existence. The route shared something in common with the Cornish main line in that very little was level – about 90 percent of both lines were on a gradient. At the eastern end trains were faced with a steep bank as soon as they passed onto the route proper – 3 miles at 1 in 45 but luckily most of the coal trains would have been returning empty mineral wagons to the collieries. At the west end the line started climbing as soon as it left the main line at Neath but after 9 miles the gradient stiffened considerably at Glyn Neath and coal trains faced 5 miles at 1 in 57/50/47. A small shed was located at Glyn Neath to provide banking engines; but coming down the bank was also difficult in the days of loose-coupled freight trains. On this bank loaded coal trains were heading in both directions – up the bank taking coal to England and down the bank for export though Swansea Docks.
The GWR were obviously worried about heavy loose-coupled trains coming down the bank so in 1924 they provided a lengthy sand-drag just over half way down at British Rhondda. The drag was on a loop adjacent to the main line and was a 1000 feet long. Experiments had shown that gravel was better than sand at slowing trains and the gravel was piled three inches (75 mm) above the running rails. The points were set for the loop and sand-drag until the train had safely stopped at the home signal. On Sunday 14 December 1924 the GWR conducted some experiments with loaded coal trains going through the loop and drag. First was Aberdare 2-6-0 with 826 tons behind the tender. Second was 2-8-0 tank 5240 with 1003 tons. The train was allowed to enter the loop at 33 mph with only a few handbrakes pinned down and travelled the full length of the drag before re-entering the main line through spring points hopefully at much reduced speed. The GWR declared the tests a complete success. 5240 spent three months at St. Blazey shed in 1955 and survived almost to the end of steam in South Wales, being condemned, fittingly enough, at Aberdare Shed in February 1964, from where it would have been working up and down Glyn Neath Bank. A short item in a GWR Magazine in 1917 recorded that the first type of sand drag in this country was brought into use by the GWR at Hayle in Cornwall in 1887. In the days of continuous brakes and no loose-coupled freight trains the sand drag has become a rare beast but in a great connection to history there is still one sand drag in Cornwall protecting a length of single track. It might be the only one in the whole of the West Country.
There were a large number of collieries either alongside or close to the route resulting in many groups of sidings and a large number of signal boxes; and of course a lot of trains. The GWR divided their service timetables (what BR called their working time tables) into 17 parts to cover the whole of the system. Part 11 covered just Pontypool Road to Neath plus the two branches to Merthyr. I think that shows just how important and busy the line was. For comparison the GWR's Taunton to Barnstaple Branch was 46 miles long; single for most of its length with far fewer trains; and yet was deemed worthy of being called a main line on the GWR map. The Barnstaple Branch was shown in Service Timetable No. 5 covering Highbridge/Castle Cary to Ashburton Junction (Totnes) plus nine branches. I attempted to count the number of signal boxes that a passenger train would pass after moving on to the route at Taff Vale Extension Junction just south of Pontypool Road Station in 1947. The answer was 46 boxes of which no less than 22 boxes were junction boxes. There were a further 12 boxes that had come and gone by 1947. 46 signal boxes in 42 miles, and a junction every two miles!
I could only find a couple of railtours traversing the line. The first became very well-known at the time because of the motive power. It was Ian Allan's “The Daffodil Express” of 18 May 1957 of nine coaches which left Paddington behind Castle 4090. Heading west down the Vale of Neath the train was double-headed by 3440 “City of Truro” and Churchward mogul 4358. At Crumlin Junction 3440 came off and proceeded across the Viaduct light engine, to be followed by 4358 with the 9C at the regulation 8 mph. The duo came off the train at Neath General but later hauled it along the main line from Swansea High Street to Newport where they again came off in favour of the Castle 4090 which hauled the train back to Paddington direct; whereas on the outward journey the train had travelled via Gloucester and Hereford to reach Pontypool Road.
I was on the second railtour to be described later in the series which was The Valley Wanderer of 24 April 1965 starting at Cardiff and finishing at Newport. The railtour travelled down the Vale of Neath line from Aberdare High Level to Neath Riverside behind large prairie 6116 with five coaches. I was also on the third railtour which was the Swansea Railway Circle's Rambling 56 Rail Tour of 31 July 1965, hauled throughout by 0-6-2 tank 6643 with four coaches. This crossed the Vale of Neath through Nelson & Llancaiach Station exactly as the Ystrad Mynach to Dowlais Cae Harris passenger trains had done until withdrawn 13 months earlier. By this second date there was very little steam left in South Wales and the remaining steam sheds were closing almost weekly.
The line played host to a wide variety of steam engine classes. Regular classes were: 0-6-0 pannier tanks 5700, 6400 and 8400/9400; 0-6-2 tanks 5600/6600; 2-6-2 tanks 4100; 2-8-0 tanks 4200/5200; 2-8-2 tanks 7200; 2-6-0 tender 6300; 2-8-0 tender 2800 and Stanier 8F. Classes used possibly less frequently 4-6-0 tender 6800 Granges. Even though classed as a branch line the route could accept all classes of GWR steam engines except one – the only one to be banned was the King-class. The Castle class appeared occasionally hauling the Royal Train on at least two known occasions.
It may only have been 42 miles from Pontypool Road Station to Neath General Station, but it was double track all the way except for ¾ of a mile just west of Quakers Yard High Level Station over a viaduct and through a tunnel which remained single line throughout the line's existence. The route shared something in common with the Cornish main line in that very little was level – about 90 percent of both lines were on a gradient. At the eastern end trains were faced with a steep bank as soon as they passed onto the route proper – 3 miles at 1 in 45 but luckily most of the coal trains would have been returning empty mineral wagons to the collieries. At the west end the line started climbing as soon as it left the main line at Neath but after 9 miles the gradient stiffened considerably at Glyn Neath and coal trains faced 5 miles at 1 in 57/50/47. A small shed was located at Glyn Neath to provide banking engines; but coming down the bank was also difficult in the days of loose-coupled freight trains. On this bank loaded coal trains were heading in both directions – up the bank taking coal to England and down the bank for export though Swansea Docks.
The GWR were obviously worried about heavy loose-coupled trains coming down the bank so in 1924 they provided a lengthy sand-drag just over half way down at British Rhondda. The drag was on a loop adjacent to the main line and was a 1000 feet long. Experiments had shown that gravel was better than sand at slowing trains and the gravel was piled three inches (75 mm) above the running rails. The points were set for the loop and sand-drag until the train had safely stopped at the home signal. On Sunday 14 December 1924 the GWR conducted some experiments with loaded coal trains going through the loop and drag. First was Aberdare 2-6-0 with 826 tons behind the tender. Second was 2-8-0 tank 5240 with 1003 tons. The train was allowed to enter the loop at 33 mph with only a few handbrakes pinned down and travelled the full length of the drag before re-entering the main line through spring points hopefully at much reduced speed. The GWR declared the tests a complete success. 5240 spent three months at St. Blazey shed in 1955 and survived almost to the end of steam in South Wales, being condemned, fittingly enough, at Aberdare Shed in February 1964, from where it would have been working up and down Glyn Neath Bank. A short item in a GWR Magazine in 1917 recorded that the first type of sand drag in this country was brought into use by the GWR at Hayle in Cornwall in 1887. In the days of continuous brakes and no loose-coupled freight trains the sand drag has become a rare beast but in a great connection to history there is still one sand drag in Cornwall protecting a length of single track. It might be the only one in the whole of the West Country.
There were a large number of collieries either alongside or close to the route resulting in many groups of sidings and a large number of signal boxes; and of course a lot of trains. The GWR divided their service timetables (what BR called their working time tables) into 17 parts to cover the whole of the system. Part 11 covered just Pontypool Road to Neath plus the two branches to Merthyr. I think that shows just how important and busy the line was. For comparison the GWR's Taunton to Barnstaple Branch was 46 miles long; single for most of its length with far fewer trains; and yet was deemed worthy of being called a main line on the GWR map. The Barnstaple Branch was shown in Service Timetable No. 5 covering Highbridge/Castle Cary to Ashburton Junction (Totnes) plus nine branches. I attempted to count the number of signal boxes that a passenger train would pass after moving on to the route at Taff Vale Extension Junction just south of Pontypool Road Station in 1947. The answer was 46 boxes of which no less than 22 boxes were junction boxes. There were a further 12 boxes that had come and gone by 1947. 46 signal boxes in 42 miles, and a junction every two miles!
I could only find a couple of railtours traversing the line. The first became very well-known at the time because of the motive power. It was Ian Allan's “The Daffodil Express” of 18 May 1957 of nine coaches which left Paddington behind Castle 4090. Heading west down the Vale of Neath the train was double-headed by 3440 “City of Truro” and Churchward mogul 4358. At Crumlin Junction 3440 came off and proceeded across the Viaduct light engine, to be followed by 4358 with the 9C at the regulation 8 mph. The duo came off the train at Neath General but later hauled it along the main line from Swansea High Street to Newport where they again came off in favour of the Castle 4090 which hauled the train back to Paddington direct; whereas on the outward journey the train had travelled via Gloucester and Hereford to reach Pontypool Road.
I was on the second railtour to be described later in the series which was The Valley Wanderer of 24 April 1965 starting at Cardiff and finishing at Newport. The railtour travelled down the Vale of Neath line from Aberdare High Level to Neath Riverside behind large prairie 6116 with five coaches. I was also on the third railtour which was the Swansea Railway Circle's Rambling 56 Rail Tour of 31 July 1965, hauled throughout by 0-6-2 tank 6643 with four coaches. This crossed the Vale of Neath through Nelson & Llancaiach Station exactly as the Ystrad Mynach to Dowlais Cae Harris passenger trains had done until withdrawn 13 months earlier. By this second date there was very little steam left in South Wales and the remaining steam sheds were closing almost weekly.
9488 slows to a stop at Nelson Station with the 11.05am Neath to Pontypool Road train on 11 April 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
9488 stopped at Nelson & Llancaiach Station. It was quite a large junction station. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
9488 departs for Pontypool Road some 14 miles away. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
5677 again entering the branch platform with the 12.37pm from Ystrad Mynach to Dowlais Cae Harris train. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
5677 leaves for Dowlais at 12.49 taken from the road bridge. On the platform that day was a well-known photographer (R.E. Toop) capturing the train as it about to depart. His photograph can be seen in the Middleton Press book of the line. This is the classic view of a passenger train leaving Nelson for Dowlais CH. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
3634 of Aberdare Shed passes Nelson with another coal train heading west down the main line. The engine was withdrawn three months later. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The last passenger timetable – that for Winter 1963 - 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
The last passenger timetable – that for Winter 1963 - 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Many thanks as always Michael, another interesting article.
For more of Michaels work, please click here.
For more of Michaels work, please click here.
Moorswater 'Peak'
Roger Geach
The sun reflects off the windscreen of 46039 as it approaches Moorswater footbridge with the 0845 Newquay to Manchester service on Saturday 26.08.1978. Copyright Roger Geach.
Many thanks, Roger - another excellent photo.
57311 (again!)
Jon Hird, Andrew Triggs & Roger Winnen
57311 calls at St. Austell with 1C50, the down sleeper on 11.03.2025. Copyright Jon Hird.
A closer look at the loco in its superb lined black livery. The new footbridge makes framing a shot a bit of a pain. 11.03.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
LSL 57311 'The Institution of Mechanical Engineers' leading 1C50 23.45 London Paddington-Penzance 'Night Riviera' passing Ponsandane at 07.55. 11.03.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
57311 Arriving with the Night Riviera at Penzance. 11.03.2025, copyright Roger Winnen
Journeys end, Penzance platform 1. 11.03.2025, copyright Roger Winnen.
Many thanks all
Then & Now
Burngullow Junction
Julian Stephens & Jon Hird
A short while ago, we showed some photos from Julian of 56013 on trial in Cornwall (click here).
With 69005 (ex-56007) currently in Cornwall for driver training, it seemed rude to miss the opportunity to recreate one of the shots, 35 years later.
With 69005 (ex-56007) currently in Cornwall for driver training, it seemed rude to miss the opportunity to recreate one of the shots, 35 years later.
56013 arriving at Burngullow Junction on 27.02.1990, copyright Julian Stephens.
Much has changed in the intervening 35 years, as 69005 (ex-56007) passes by with a route learner on 11.03.2025. Copyright Jon Hird.
69005 goes west (again!)
Roger Winnen, Andrew Triggs & Jon Hird
Poor Roger was 'bowled' today whilst trying to photograph 69005 heading to Penzance, the bus was too slow. Viewed from the double decker window we see 69005 en route to Penzance. 11.03.2025, copyright Roger Winnen
69005 'Eastleigh' at Platform 4 at Penzance following on time arrival with 0Z50 09.50 from Plymouth Park Sidings. 11.03.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
Later in the afternoon 69005 passing Marazion working 0Z52 13.55 Penzance-Exeter St Davids. 11.03.2025, copyright Andrew Triggs.
69005 working 0Z52 the 1355 Penzance - Exeter St. Davids past Burngullow Junction. 11.03.2025, copyright Jon Hird.
Thanks again, all
Trains of interest at Swindon
Colin Pidgeon
69012 with 701005 on 5Q89 Long Marston to Eastleigh East Yard to form 5Q90 Eastleigh East Yard to Wimbledon Park Depot Sidings. 11.03.2025, copyright Colin Pidgeon
701005 heading away to Eastleigh. 11.03.2025, copyright Colin Pidgeon.
43013 & 43062 on 1Q15 Derby RTC to Landore TMD. 11.03.2025, copyright Colin Pidgeon.
43013 & 43062 on 1Q15 Derby RTC to Landore TMD. 11.03.2025, copyright Colin Pidgeon.
Many thanks Colin, nice shots.