The Railway Dog

Category: Cardiff

  • Wales… again

    Yoshi takes a look at Transport for Wales Class 175 No. 175112 stands at platform 0 forming 1W61 1453 Cardiff Central to Manchester Piccadilly – 29/04/2023

    Saturday Yoshi and I had a brief trip to South Wales in the hope of seeing at least one Transport for Wales (TfW) liveried Class 67 working. We also caught up with @smithy.377 (please check out his Instagram account for a fabulous collection of railway images). Our first stop was Newport as what should not have been a diesel-multiple unit working had suddenly been switched to locomotive hauled.

    Newport station was originally opened in 1850 by the South Wales Railway Company and saw expansion in 1928. A new station building was built in 2010 with four full size platforms, to facilitate new 10 car bi-mode Intercity Express Trains (IET).

    Station staff were friendly and allowed us access in time to see DB liveried Class 67 No. 67010 arrive with a service bound for Manchester. Followed shortly after by a Great Western Railway (GWR) Castle set headed up by Class 43 No. 43040 ‘Berry Pomeroy Castle’. This loco was of interest as it carries 40th Anniversary Falkland Island decals on the body side. While I was recording images of this set, I managed to miss seeing a Class 66 on a freight working go through on the centre road. To compound matters, as we left the station we heard a Class 60 approaching, but had no time to get to platform level to take photographs or video. Luckily we were to see the same locomotive later in the day as it worked back through Cardiff, which was our next stop.

    DB Class 67 No. 67010 arrives at Newport working 1W57 Cardiff Central to Manchester Piccadilly – 29/04/2023
    Great Western Railway (GWR) Class 43 No. 43040 ‘Berry Pomeroy Castle’ awaits departure from Newport working 2C73 1100 Cardiff Central to Penzance – 29/04/2023
    40th Anniversary of the Falklands conflict decals on the side of HST power car No. 43040 ‘Berry Pomeroy Castle’ – 29/04/2023

    We arrived in Cardiff just in time to miss a double-headed light engine movement through the station heading to Westbury. But we saw a number of GWR Castle HST sets on Cardiff services to and from the West Country.

    GWR Class 43 43188 ‘Newport Castle’ arrives at its final destination working 2U14 1043 Exeter St Davids to Cardiff Central – 29/04/2023
    Class 43 No. 43194 ‘Okehampton Castle’ awaits departure at the rear of 2C81 1500 Cardiff Central to Penzance – 29/04/2023

    Good news that GWR will be retaining four of its Castle Class HST sets into 2024. The operator had originally planned a phased rundown of the fleet through 2023.

    The four carriage HST’s are used on a variety of regional and inter-urban services in the West of England. While they are gradually being replaced by IET’s on these diagrams, the retention of a small number of HST’s will assist GWR with providing adequate capacity. A planned cascade of Turbo DMU’s to the West of England, released by the introduction of Class 769’s in the Thames Valley, has been abandoned as the 769’s have been sent off lease. GWR will still rid themselves of the HST’s which are owned by Angel Trains, but a small number of sets are either owned by FirstGroup or are franchise assets, and it is these sets which will remain into 2024. It is understood that they are likely to remain in service until December 2024.

    The Class 60 we missed at Newport reappeared much to our relief working Llanwern to Margam train. We saw two Class 60’s during our trip. I have a soft spot for these locos and hope that they find a future. It’s understood that GBRf will be undertaking an evaluation study at EMD Longport with the view of possible Class 60 conversion work in the future.

    Class 60 No. 60024 working the early running 6H26 1325 Llanwern Exchange Sdgs to Margam T.C passing through Cardiff Central.- 29/04/2023
    DB Class 60 No. 60010 works 6F06 1110 Newport Docks to Margam T.C. through Cardiff Central – 29/04/2023

    Having managed to miss out on other Class 66’s earlier I was pleased that I eventually managed to catch a couple of the locomotives, one of which can be seen in images below and the other, No. 66053 can be seen in the accompanying video further down this page.

    66776 ‘Joanne’ works 6V75 0931 Dee Marsh Recp GBRf to Margam TC GBR running 280 minutes early through Cardiff Central – 29/04/2023
    66776 ‘Joanne’ returns light engine through Cardiff Central – 29/04/2023

    Our last train of the day was scheduled to be another Class 67. This, like the first working we saw at Newport, was in DB red livery instead of the hoped for TfW colours. It didn’t really matter, Yoshi still barked at it. On leaving Cardiff Central, gate staff were very enamoured with Yoshi and we swapped cockapoo stories and I was shown photographs of cockapoo’s owned by the TfW staff present.

    DB Class 67 No. 67013 at the rear of the terminating 1V42 1230 Manchester Piccadilly to Cardiff Central – 29/04/2023
    Video from Newport and Cardiff – 29/04/2023

    The following day in inclement weather @da_buckley967, Yoshi and I headed over to Somerset for a fleeting glimpse of LNER A3 Pacific No. 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ as she worked the first rail tour of her Centenary year programme, The Railway Touring Company organised “The Royal Duchy”. To avoid trespassers on the railway, timings for this excursion were released a couple of days prior to the train running. But there were still good many people positioned safely on over bridges waiting for the ‘people’s locomotive’ to pass by on her way to Par.

    LNER A3 Pacific No. 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ storms past Cogload Junction working The Railway Touring Company “The Royal Duchy” 1Z45 0907 Bristol Temple Meads to Par – 30/04/2023
    Video of LNER A3 Pacific No. 60103 ‘Flying Scotsman’ storming past Cogload Junction working The Railway Touring Company “The Royal Duchy” 1Z45 0907 Bristol Temple Meads to Par – 30/04/2023
    The special stamps issued by the Royal Mail to celebrate 100 years of ‘Flying Scotsman’ in 2023. I rather like them!

    Monday morning I set the alarm for 0350am so I could drive over to Bournemouth to see the Midland Pullman blue HST set which was running an excursion to and from North Wales. On arrival at the Bournemouth station I found everything locked up, but managed to video the arrival through a convenient gate! Thinking I’d be the only one foolish to get up at such an hour for the purpose of seeing a train, I was pleased that this was far from the truth as a number of railway enthusiasts had made the effort. I was doubly pleased that an old colleague and friend, Nick, was at the station to witness the occasion. Slightly late, the station doors were unlocked, and train crew, passengers and railway enthusiasts gained access to the platforms. It really is a stunning train and the onboard staff were very friendly and happy to show off their charge.

    LSL Midland Pullman Class 43 No. 43046 ‘Geoff Drury 1930-1999’ at Bournemouth having arrived empty coaching stock from Eastleigh Arlington – 01/05/2023
    Nameplate of LSL Midland Pullman Class 43 No. 43046 ‘Geoff Drury 1930-1999’ – – 01/05/2023
    LSL Midland Pullman Class 43 No. 43055 awaiting departure from Bournemouth at the head of 1Z43 0516 Bournemouth to Llandudno railtour the “Llandudno Victorian Pullman” – 01/05/2023

    This is the first time the Midland Pullman HST set has visited Bournemouth, and the second time I’d seen the train. Back in October 2020 the set was seen in public for the first time as it departed Eastleigh Arlington Fleet Services. Having always loved the original Blue Pullman train set of the 1960’s Yoshi and I headed over to Eastleigh in good time prior to it’s intended departure. However, as usual in railway moves, things did not go to plan and the HST set last several hours late under cover of darkness. I was caught out by a passing container train and by the time Yoshi and I had made it over the station footbridge to get a clear view the Midland Pullman was already passing through the station. In my rush, I’d also knocked the video setting on my phone to time lapse. You can see the results in the video below. The honking at the beginning is the HST set making its presence known over on the works at the time it should have been well on its way to Crewe.

    Eastleigh on 30/10/2020

    The carriage set, powered by Class 43 no.’s 43046 and 43055 has been fully configured using leather First Class seats from GWR HST trailers, with a Pullman motif on the antimacassars.

    Video screen grab of the Midland Pullman’s first public outing passing through Eastleigh – 30/10/2020
    Prior to be repainted into Midland Pullman blue livery, Class 43 power cars No.’s 43055 and 43046 in East Midlands Railway (EMR) livery await attention at Eastleigh Arlington works – 22/08/2020

    We’ve been beaten by the clock once again, although to be fair any arbitrary deadline is one of my own imposition. But if I didn’t set myself a Wednesday posting date, I’d never edit photos, video or update anything. The bank holiday weekend was very enjoyable and it was good to share it with some lovely folk and the best cockapoo buddy I could wish for. The next week is looking to be a quiet one in Dorset and for Yoshi and I, but all being well, we’ll find something to write about. Thank you for reading and your comments, corrections and observations. As always these are much appreciated.

    I didn’t want to close this week without paying tribute to well known photographer and author, Brian Morrison, who has sadly passed away, at the age of 93. Brian’s name is one I fondly remember from railway magazines of my youth right up to more recent publications. Brian’s images were, and continue to be, an inspiration to all who enjoy railway photography. His was a name that spanned the generations, with his first picture being published in 1951 and across almost every British railway magazine to have been published. 

    The following is from “The Railway Herald”:

    Brian had a railway interest since a young age, and after being ‘demobbed’ from the army in 1951, went and bought a camera, the same day visiting Liverpool Street station in London and taking his first picture, depicting Gresley-designed B17/1 ‘Sandringham’ 4-6-0 No. 61625 ‘Raby Castle’ being serviced in the yard at the end of the platforms. Remarkably, it was published a couple of months later in “The Railway Magazine”! Few photographers can claim to have their first picture, taken on their first camera, published!

    Through the pages of Ian Allan published abc number books and subsequently in almost all printed and digital railway titles that have been published in the UK, Brian’s photographs have been enjoyed by a wide variety of people and have inspired generations into photography of the rail network. In addition, he was also the author, or co-author, of over 50 books.

    Our thoughts and condolences go to Brian’s family and friends.

  • South Wales Adventure

    Yoshi shelters from the rain outside Cardiff Central

    Yoshi made it to the groomers last week, a slight delay on the original planned date for his appointment which couldn’t be helped and he came home looking beautifully coiffured and smelling like a dream. So it should have been no surprise at the level of attention he received from passers by and railway station staff on our trip to South Wales at the weekend. The purpose of our visit was primarily to see Pathfinder Tours ‘The Cwmbargoed Collier’ rail tour which was scheduled for top and tail Class 66 and Class 60 locomotives providing motive power during part of its journey.

    In the event we saw the special train four times during the day at different locations; Undy, Bridgend, Cardiff and Aber near Caerphilly.

    Our first port of call ( after mandatory breakfast muffins ) was a windswept and damp Undy near Newport. I had visited the over bridge at Undy before in May 2013 when I spent a few hours photographing trains. The location has changed vastly with the addition of overhead wires put in for the electrification of the Great Western mainline through to Cardiff. As part of the upgrade, bridges have been replaced as more height was required to raise them over the live wires. You can compare the location ‘then and now’ in the gallery of photographs below with the footage filmed this year in the video which follows it.

    The motive power in 2022 was very similar to my previous visit as can be seen in the video below ( the weather however wasn’t quite as good as in 2013!), the main difference being the addition of modern Class 800 IET (Intercity Express Train) units and of course train liveries and operators have also changed over the years.

    The Cwmbargoed Collier was hauled by Class 66 No. 66013 from its originating station of Banbury to Margam Yard where Class 60 No. 60040 was added to the other end of the train to facilitate traversing freight only branch lines. After seeing the rail tour at Undy and Bridgend, we moved on to park up at Cardiff Central. I’d like to think that our contributions to car parking will fund Transport For Wales for the next three months. Before heading onto the platforms and to break up the day a little, we had a quick wander into Cardiff City Centre where the pubs and cafes were full of rugby supporters cheering on their National Team. It was a thriving and friendly atmosphere even after the result of the game.

    Yoshi made a quick visit to Cardiff Castle before heading back to Cardiff Central Railway Station

    As can be seen in the video of our 5th February 2022 trip, we managed to catch sight of a few freight trains. One that I did miss the opportunity to record however was a Class 60 working through Cardiff Central on a DB Cargo operated Theale to Robeston train. Instead of a red diesel locomotive working hard, I managed to instead record a few seconds of me wrapping Yoshi’s lead around my foot for his safety and security. You win some, you lose some.

    The one that got away! 60020 photograph courtesy of @da_buckley967

    The railway arrived in Cardiff in 1850, even the River Taff was diverted to accommodate it. Brunel’s original wooden station structure was replaced in 1934 by a building designed by Percy Emerson Culverhouse who was the Great Western Railway’s chief architect from 1929 to 1945. The grade II listed building is pure proto-art deco with a handsome long low Portland stone frontage to the north with corner pavilions and large arched windows. The name of the Great Western Railway in stone relief stands out and sitting above this is a small clock tower which is also visible from the platform side. The main station concourse is a stunning display of panels and arches lit by an array of hanging Art Deco lights.

    The concourse at Cardiff Central Railway Station

    My earliest railway themed visits to Cardiff and South Wales were made in 1979 and I have scanned a selection of negatives taken with my Kodak Extra camera which had a built-in cover that flipped over to form a handle. I loved it, but unless it was a gloriously sunny day the quality of image it produced was, quite simply, terrible.

    A visit a few years later in January 1982 included a walk down to Cardiff Canton diesel depot where a long since removed footbridge over the railway line was handily placed for railway enthusiasts and now armed with a 35mm camera I happily snapped away. My records show I next visited Cardiff in June 1982 on the same day Pope John Paul II become the first reigning Pope to visit Wales. Thousands of people turned out to see the Pontiff and there were a number of additional trains scheduled to bring visitors to the city and photographs from my visit are the sunnier ones in the gallery below. I remained on the station and declined the opportunity to see the Pope at Pontcanna Fields, although I do remember seeing his helicopter fly overhead. I waved, I don’t know if Pope John Paul II waved back.

    Finally for this week, I’ve included video shot in South Wales on a day out in March 1999 which reflects a time of change on our railway network.

    All in all, I had a wonderful day out with good company and I’ve enjoyed taking time to reflect on some of my visits to South Wales. Thanks for reading – any comments or corrections welcomed.