The Railtour Files

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.

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	1329 ~ 1336
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	1500 ~ 1507
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	1644 ~ 1650
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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Locos Used	1923 & 6998
DMU Used	51581+59587+51585 & 51094+59425+51066