Alan Sewell's visits to Mountain Ash...

It was my recent layout design commission 'Shades of Mountain Ash' that prompted occasional contributor Alan to dig into his extensive archive of industrial visits and pen me another wonderful email...

Alan's long interest in industrial railway systems has allowed him to amass a great collection of material and he holds an extensive photo library alongside thorough visit notes. I hope you enjoy the latest of his contributions here, some of these photos deserve sharing just for their shear artistry. 

Number 8, Mountain Ash pit, photo Alan Sewell.

Rail system sketch, 1970. Alan Sewell

NCB Mountain Ash / Deep Duffryn railway

Mountain Ash Glamorgan 

Gauge: Standard

3 September 1970

Mountain Ash loco shed is part of the old and now disused Mountain Ash pit. The sheds are next to the main NCB yard where trains exchange locos. Two working 0-6-0ST locos were noted, “Austerity” No.8 Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn 7189 of 1944 and SIR JOHN Avonside 1680 of 1914, the latter painted a light green.

Sir John, 1970, photo Alan Sewell.

No 8 a was working the Deep Duffryn pit screens to the yard and SIR JOHN was hauling trains from the landsale yard to the main yard beside the lifted BR branch and over very overgrown track.

Number 8 past the old GWR station, 1970, photo Alan Sewell.

Inside the loco shed was LORD CAMROSE Avonside 2008 of 1930 marked “Do Not Move” and Pannier tank 7754 North British 24042 of 1930 in for repairs and undergoing a steam test.

7754 and Avonside 2008 on shed at Mountain Ash, 1970. Photo Alan Sewell.

Other locos were scattered around the shed/works area . The cab and tank of probably SIR GOMER Peckett 1859 of 1932 was beside the line from the loco shed. Beside the works and out out use was THE EARL Peckett 1203 of 1910 sandwiched between a bogie van used for miners transport and a line of wagons. Under and awning in on one of these was the frame of Barclay 2074 with its wheels in another wagon

Sir John, 1970, photo Alan Sewell.

25 March 1975

At least three steam locos at work as well as two Andrew Barclay diesels. 

Barclay diesel, Mountain Ash 1975. Photo Alan Sewell.

Two of the steam locos were identified at No. 1, Hudswell Clarke 1885 of 1955 and the now rebuilt SIR GOMER. Both were taking on coal and water at the shed before No. 1 moved off crossing the  river (Afon Cynon) to the opposite bank to pick up a string of wagons for the landsale yard. SIR GOMER then moved off to work the NCB yard and then probably Deep Duffryn screens. The other loco probably LORD CAMROSE, was working the “Phuracite” plant along with one of the diesels. 

Number 1 and Sir Gomer on shed, 1975. Photo Alan Sewell.

In the loco shed was 7754 again, LLANTARNAM ABBEY the re-assembled Barclay 2074 and probably SIR JOHN.

HC 1885 working at Mountain Ash, 1975. Photo Alan Sewell.

HC 1885, 1975, photo Alan Sewell.

Sir Gomer, 1975, photo Alan Sewell.

Ex GWR station, 1975, photo Alan Sewell.

I do keep suggesting to Alan that we dig into his archive more thoroughly and put together some sort of book of these wonderful visits. I enjoy the photographs and the notes here but imagine some of these evocative photos on the page. Thank you Alan, once again for sharing these with us all. Until next time, more soon...