18th March 1972

R.C.T.S.
Rhymney Rail Tour

Locos Used 1923 & 6998
DMU Used 51581+59587+51585 & 51094+59425+51066

Route : 1Z48 throughout

Traction Route
DMU Bristol Temple Meads - Filton Jn - Filton West Jn - North Filton (1)
DMU North Filton - Filton West Jn - Patchway - Severn Tunnel - Newport High Street - Pengam Jn - Dock Storage North
DMU Dock Storage North - Pengam Jn
DMU Pengam Jn - Cardiff General - Penarth Curve North Jn
DMU Penarth Curve North Jn - Virgil Street Coal Depot
DMU Virgil Street - Penarth Curve North Jn - Leckwith Signal 520
DMU Leckwith Signal 520 - Penarth Curve North Jn
DMU Penarth Curve North Jn - Radyr - Walnut Tree Jn - Nantgarw
DMU Nantgarw - Walnut Tree Jn
DMU Walnut Tree Jn - Aber Jn - Senghenydd Branch (Windsor Colliery North GF)
DMU Windsor Colliery North GF - Aber Jn
DMU Aber Jn - Ystrad Mynach South - Penalltau Jn - Nelson & Llancaiach - Ocean & Taff Merthyr Collieries
DMU Ocean & Taff Merthyr Collieries - Nelson & Llancaiach
DMU Nelson & Llancaiach - Cwm Bargoed Branch, Milepost 19
DMU Cwm Bargoed, Milepost 19 - Nelson & Llancaiach - Ystrad Mynach South
6998 & DMU Ystrad Mynach South - Ystrad Mynach North - (2) - Bargoed - Tir-Phil - McLaren Colliery
DMU & 6998 (4) McLaren Colliery - Bargoed - Bargoed South GF
6998 & DMU Bargoed South GF - Bargoed - Deri Jn - Ogilvie Colliery
DMU & 6998 (4) Ogilvie Colliery - Deri Jn - Bargoed - Bargoed South GF - Ystrad Mynach South - Caerphilly - Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff General
DMU Cardiff General - Newport High Street - via Up Main (3) - Severn Tunnel Junction
1923 & DMU Severn Tunnel Junction - Pilning - Patchway - Bristol Temple Meads

Notes :
(1) Reversed West of Platform.
(2) Was booked to visit Penrhiwfelin, (Cylla Branch), in between Cwm Bargoed and McLaren Collieries.
(3) Was booked to go via Bishton Flyover.
(4) It has been reported that D6998 was powering uphill only, Ystrad Mynach to McLaren and Bargoed South GF to Ogilvie.
(5)
The tour began with two of the DMU's engines not functioning. This led to losing time on some of the heavily graded portions of the itinerary, on the climb to Taff Merthyr Colliery one engine overheated, with time lost whilst coolant was replenished, and on the 1 in 40 climb to Cwm Bargoed the DMU finally stalled over a mile short of its objective. After this stall Class 37, 6998, was summonsed from Radyr to assist. And to avoid potential difficulties in the Severn Tunnel Class 47 1923 was added as a precautionary measure for the last leg back to Bristol. A free tour "Rhymney No.2" ran on 14/10/72 for the passengers of this tour.


From the Andrew Fairholm ticket collection.

Sources : David Hills (compiled from contemporary reports) & Kevin Driscoll

Timings, Booked & (Actual)
(from Kevin Driscoll)

Miles

Location Booked (Actual)

0.0

Bristol Temple Meads 09.45d (09.45d)

1.7

Stapleton Road 09/50

4.9

Filton Jn 09/56

5.6

Filton West Jn /

5.9

North Filton (1) 09.59 ~ 10.04

6.2

Filton West Jn /

7.1

Patchway 10/07

10.7

Pilning 10/11

17.2

Severn Tunnel West 10/17

17.6

Severn Tunnel Junction 10/18

27.4

Newport High Street 10.30a ~ 10.32d

37.0

Pengam Jn 10/47

37.8

Dock Storage North 10.50 ~ 10.55

38.6

Pengam Jn 10.58 ~ 11.02

40.6

Cardiff Central 11/12

41.3

Penarth Curve North 11.16 ~ 11.21

41.7

Virgil Street 11.24 ~ 11.29

42.1

Penarth Curve North 11/32

42.4

Leckwith Signal 520 11.35 ~ 11.40

42.7

Penarth Curve North 11.43 ~ 11.48

?

Radyr Jn 12/02

48.5

Walnut Tree Jn 12/07

50.5

Nantgarw 12.17 ~ 12.22

52.5

Walnut Tree Jn 12.30 ~ 12.38

55.8

Aber Jn 12/48

58.8

Windsor Colliery North GF 12.54 ~ 12.59

61.8

Aber Jn 13.05 ~ 13.10

66.1

Ystrad Mynach South 13/22

68.6

Nelson & Llancaiach 13*29 ~ 13*36

70.5

Ocean & Taff Merthyr 13.40 ~ 13.45

72.4

Nelson & Llancaiach rev

DIV

Cwm Bargoed 14.25 ~ 14.30 (DIV)

77.9

Milepost 19 (1.7 miles short) (rev)

83.4

Nelson & Llancaiach 15*00 ~ 15*07

85.9

Ystrad Mynach South 15.14 ~ 15.19

86.5

Ystrad Mynach North 15/21

DIV

Penrhiwfelin (2) 15.26 ~ 15.31 (DIV)

DIV

Ystrad Mynach North 15/34 (DIV)

DIV

Ystrad Mynach South 15.37 ~ 15.42 (DIV)

90.5

Bargoed 16/52

94.6

McLaren Colliery 17.08 ~ 17.13

98.7

Bargoed 17/28

98.9

Bargoed South GF rev

99.1

Bargoed 15/55

102.4

Ogilvie Colliery 16.05 ~ 16.10

105.7

Bargoed 16/20

DIV

Bargoed South GF 16.22 ~ 16.27 (DIV)

DIV

Pengam 16.33 ~ 16.38 (DIV)

105.9

Bargoed South GF 16*44 ~ 16*50

115.8

Caerphilly 17/49

122.8

Cardiff Queen Street 18/02

123.4

Cardiff General 18.05 ~ 18.10

135.2

Newport High Street 18.27a ~ 18.29d

-

(via Bishton Flyover) (DIV) (main line)

145.0

Severn Tunnel Junction 18/49

145.4

Severn Tunnel West 18/50

151.9

Pilning 18/57

155.5

Patchway 19/02

?

Filton 19/04

?

Stapleton Road 19/12

161.5

Bristol Temple Meads 19.18a (21.56a)

All distance figures are as on day, not as booked.
Sequence of movements are as done, not as booked, so schedule times are out of sequence.

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