8th April 1978

Monmouthshire Railway Society
Tintern Thunderbolt

DMU Used 51324+59476+51309 & 50721+59275+50668

Route :

DMU Route
as listed Cardiff Central - Newport
as listed Newport - Gaer Jn - Park Jn - Machen - Trethomas (Bedwas Steel) (1)
as listed Trethomas (Bedwas Steel) - Machen - Maypole - Park Jn
as listed Park Jn - Rogerstone Middle - Lime Kilns Jn - Penar Jn - Oakdale Colliery Sidings (2)
as listed Oakdale Colliery Sidings - Penar Jn - Lime Kilns Jn - Rogerstone Middle - Park Jn - Gaer Jn - Newport - East Usk Jn - Uskmouth
as listed Uskmouth - East Usk Jn
as listed East Usk Jn - Steel Works West - (via Spencer Works Up Service Road) - Steel Works East - Severn Tunnel Junction - Chepstow - Wye Valley Jn - Tintern Quarry (3)
as listed Tintern Quarry - Wye Valley Jn - Chepstow - Caldicot Loop
as listed Caldicot Loop - Sudbrook
as listed Sudbrook - Caldicot Loop - Severn Tunnel Junction - Newport - Cardiff Central
 

Notes :
(1) Was booked beyond Trethomas to Bedwas but this was not possible due to "track damage". John Broderick recorded the reversal point as Trethomas (Bedwas Steel).
(2) Was booked beyond Oakdale Colliery Sidings to Markham but this was not possible due to flooding. John Broderick recorded the reversal point as Oakdale Colliery and this is confirmed by Ian Umpleby who has photos of the train reversing in Oakdale Colliery Sidings. Kevin Driscoll has described the reversal point as Rhiw Syr Dafydd - same place? Bill Lynch adds: Rhiw Syr Dafydd is the name of a hamlet which predated Oakdale Colliery and its supporting model village. It is also the name of the road running west across the valley from the northwest corner of Oakdale village, and accordingly also the name of the level crossing with the railway at 7mi 3ch. According to Michael Oakley, Oakdale Halt was at 6-65 (18ch south of Rhiw Syr Dafydd Xg), with Thomas Xg between (6-69), and he puts Oakdale Colliery at 7-21 (18ch north). On the BLS's 19 Feb 1983 "Blue Dragon" tour, which got to the Colliers Arms signalbox just beyond Oakdale Colliery, "Rhiw Syr Dafydd (Oakdale)" was given as a timing point, which suggests possible lax use of terminology. So the answer to the query seems to be that these places are all nearby but not quite the same! I remember it being announced on the day that we would reverse at "Rhiw Syr Dafydd" rather than the advertised Markham Colliery, and my notes record the reason given as "constructional work at Rhiw Colliery" rather than flooding. On my Bartholomew's half-inch map the line is not shown, but I marked it my with my guesstimate of our reversal point, which I subsequently recorded as ST184989, though I admit that is far from definitive.
(3) At Tintern Quarry: to first points before loading loop.

Sources : Kevin Driscoll, John Broderick & Ian Umpleby

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Kevin Driscoll, John Broderick& Ian Umpleby)

Miles
Location Booked Actual
0.0
Cardiff Central 10.00d 10.00
11.9
Newport 10.14a ~ 10.19d 10.15 ~ 10.21
?
Gaer Jn 10/21 10/24
13.5
Park Jn 10*23 ~ 10*24 10.26 ~ 10.28½
?
Machen 10/41 10/45
21.4
Trethomas ??/?? 10.51½a
N/A
Bedwas 10p54a ~ 11p10d DIV
21.4
Trethomas ??/?? 11.10d
?
Machen 11/23 11/19
?
Maypole 11*29 ~ 11*31 ?
29.3
Park Jn 11.44 ~ 11.50 11.37½ ~ 11.45
?
Rogerstone Middle 11/55 11/57
?
Lime Kilns Jn 12*03 ~ 12*04 12/00
?
Penar Jn 12*28 ~ 12*29 12/17
41.9
Oakdale Colliery Sidings
?Rhiw Syr Dafydd?
12/46 12.29a
N/A
Court y Bella Crossing 12*51 ~ 12*59 DIV
N/A
Markham 13.10 ~ 13.30 DIV
N/A
Court y Bella Crossing 13*39 ~ 13*44 DIV
41.9
Oakdale Colliery Sidings
?Rhiw Syr Dafydd?
??/?? 13.30d
?
Penar Jn 14*04 ~ 14*05 13/41
?
Lime Kilns Jn 14*27 ~ 14*28 14/02
?
Rogerstone Middle 14/36 14/11
?
Park Jn 14/40 14/18
?
Gaer Jn 14/42 14/21
56.1
Newport 14/45 14.23½a ~ 14.24½d
57.6
East Usk Jn 14/48 14/28
60.6
Uskmouth 15.04 ~ 15.10 14.40 ~ 14.48
63.6
East Usk Jn 15.26 ~ 15.32 15.01 ~ 15.04
?
Steel Works West 15/35 15/10
?
Steel Works East 16/00 15.22 ~ 15.24
?
Severn Tunnel Junction 16.08a ~ 16.10d 15.33 ~ 15.36
79.5
Chepstow 16/20 15/47
?
Wye Valley Jn 16*22 ~ 16*25 15.49½ ~ 15.56
83.2
Tintern Quarry 16.43 ~ 16.53 16.06½ ~ 16.39
?
Wye Valley Jn 17*10 ~ 17*13 16.52 ~ 16.56½
86.9
Chepstow 17.15a ~ 17.15d 17/01½
92.5
Caldicot Loop 17.25 ~ 17.30 17.09½ ~ 17.14
93.3
Sudbrook 17.47 ~ 18.02 17.21 ~ 17.40
94.1
Caldicot Loop 18*20 ~ 18*24 17.44 ~ 17.54
96.5
Severn Tunnel Junction 18.36a ~ 18.38d 17.58 ~ 17.59
106.5
Newport 18.52a ~ 18.54d 18.11½ ~ 18.15
118.4
Cardiff Central 19.10a 18.29


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