Bank Hall Locomotive Depot in 1948: two ex-Lancashire & Yorkshire engines outside the smaller through Shed: ex-L&Y 1F 0-6-0T No. 11535, fitted with dumb buffers and swinging spark-arrestor for working in the Docks; behind it is Class 30 6F 0-8-0 No. 12782. (Beyond can be glimpsed an 8F 2-8-0 with the unusual combination of 'M' as well as the BR initial '4' added to its number). Photo: 20 June 1848 by Ben Brooksbank, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.

Recording Locomotive Sightings 1943 - 1968
A generation of enthusiasts recorded the movements of locomotives around the railway system. These records of visits to locomotive depots have been collected and carefully analysed to provide an overall portrait for the period 1943 to 1968. During that period of steam's final years, there was a marked change from the pre-grouping types that still found work at a few depots, to the modern BR designs that worked until the end in 1968. The handling of freight and passenger services was a major undertaking from town and cities, ports, coal mines and factories. All of it traversed the labyrinth of lines that criss-crossed the country. There were numerous 'sheds' spread throughout the length and breadth of the land that provided and serviced the vast army of steam locomotives (20,000 in 1948). Here is just a taste of that history.

Monday 26 March 2018

Cardiff Cathays 1938 - 1958

An ex-Caerphilly Works 57xx 0-6-0PT in the yard at Cardiff Cathays shed on 15th April 1951. 
Photo: Ben Brooksbank Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike license 2.0.

Cardiff Cathays
Pre Grouping Ownership - Taff Vale Railwayopened:1884prior to Jan 1950CHYS
type:A stone-built 10TS dead-ended shed.closed to steam:1961Feb 1950 - Nov 195788A
location:West side of the line, north of Queen Street station.Dec 1957 - Feb 196288B sub

Mar 1962 - Nov 196488M
AbbreviationsGWR - Great Western RailwayTV - Taff Vale RailwayBR - British Railways
B&M - Brecon & Merthyr RailwayRR - Rhymney Railway
Sunday 5 June 1938CVC3.20pm - 3.35pmtotal:52
57xx 0-6-0PT1076 0-6-0PTTaff Vale 0-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
7787973712472833433673835622568766276655
874927xx 0-6-0PT2913463703845658660666296660
2021 0-6-0PT27242993473713915661661666356661
20222142LMM 0-6-0T3013483754035666661866456664
2066803320364376406568166266653
324RR 'A' 0-6-2T42xx 2-8-0T
59644218
Sunday 8 October 1944CHYS5.45pm - 5.55pmtotal:50
57xx 0-6-0PT64xx 0-6-0PT35xx 2-4-0TTaff Vale 0-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
36836402643635973213715605564066006655
3716643542xx 2-8-0T3443755617565166176659
2021 0-6-0PT27xx 0-6-0PT42993463845623565466216660
202221422724Barry R 0-6-2T348390562456586627
1701 0-6-0PT14xx 0-4-2T258360393562656816645
1873188348254861364403RR 'R' 0-6-2TRR 'A' 0-6-2T
370406304479
Sunday 14 December 1947CHYStotal:45
57xx 0-6-0PT14xx 0-4-2TTaff Vale 0-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
4616CHYS1420CHYS301CHYS371CHYS5605CHYS5681CHYS
5786ABEEG1425CHYS305CHYS376CHYS5617CHYS6615CHYS
6738BRY35xx 2-4-0T343CHYS378TRT5623CHYS6626CHYS
64xx 0-6-0PT3597CHYS346CHYS390CHYS5624CHYS6627CHYS
6416CHYSAlex. Dock 2-6-2T348CHYS391CHYS5646CHYS6635CHYS
6433CHYS1205LTS360CHYS406CHYS5658CHYS6658BRY
6435CHYSRR 'A' 0-6-2T364CHYSB&M 0-6-2T5661CHYS6661CHYS
6436CHYS74CED367CHYS1375CHYS5669BRY6669BRY
5672CHYS6687PPRD
shed codesABEEG AberbeegBRY BarryCED Cardiff East DockCHYS Cardiff CathaysLTS Llantrisant
PPRD Pontypool RoadTRT Treherbert
Allocation January 1948 (53)1701 0-6-0PTGWR12021 0-6-0PTGWR1
57xx 0-6-0PTGWR164xx 0-6-0PTGWR614xx 0-4-2TGWR2
35xx 2-4-0TGWR1Brecon & Merthyr 0-6-2T1Taff Vale 0-6-2TTV18
56xx 0-6-2TGWR22
Sunday 4 September 1949CHYS10am - 10.15amtotal:43
57xx 0-6-0PT64xx 0-6-0PTTaff Vale 0-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
4601CHYS6416CHYS344CHYS371CHYSW5641AYN6612CHYS
7725TDU6435CHYS345CHYS376CHYS5643AYN6627CHYS
7772MTHR6436CHYS346CHYS377CHYS5661CHYS6635CHYS
2021 0-6-0PT6438AYN347CHYS383CHYS5669CHYS6647CHYS
2085LLY14xx 0-4-2T348CHYS384CHYS5672CHYS6659CHYS
2140CHYS1420CHYS360CHYS390CHYS5674CH6660THT
RR 0-6-2T1461CHYS364CHYS433CHYS5692RHY42xx 2-8-0T
39RHY367CHYS434CHYS5698MTHR4262STJ
shed codesAYN AbercynonCH Dowlais Cae HarrisCHYS Cardiff CathaysLLY LlanellyMTHR Merthyr
RHY RhymneySTJ Severn Tunnel Jct.TDU TonduTRT Treherbert
Sunday 4 June 195088Atotal:56
57xx 0-6-0PT64xx 0-6-0PTTaff Vale 0-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
460188C wks640288A21688F36788A560188A661288A
571387B wks640888D wks30588A37188A560588D662088C
879486H wks641688A30788A37688A561388F663588A
2021 0-6-0PT642388A34388A37788A561788D664788A
206688A643388A34488A38388A562388A665988A
214088A643588A34588A38488A565988D666588A
14xx 0-4-2T643688A34688A39088A566988A668288A
142088A74xx 0-6-0PT34788A39188A567088A668488A
142588A744588A34888A39388A567688F51xx 2-6-2T
146188ARR 'S' 0-6-2T36088A43488A568188A510384K wks
9488Bwks - Caerphilly Works traffic
shed codes84K Chester GWR86H Aberbeeg87B Duffryn Yard88A Cardiff Cathays88B Cardiff East Dock
88C Barry88D Merthyr88F Treherbert
Sunday 8 July 195188Atotal:50
57xx 0-6-0PT64xx 0-6-0PTTaff Vale 0-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
575884H wks640288A21188D36488A560188A664788A
2021 0-6-0PT641688A30588A36788A562288D665988A
214088A642388A30788A37188E563688A666588A
74xx 0-6-0PT643488D wks33788E37688A565488A668488A
744588A643688A34388A37788A568188ARR 'AP' 0-6-2T
94xx 0-6-0PT14xx 0-4-2T34488A38388A569788A7888D
841688B142088A34588A38488A569888DRR 'S' 0-6-2T
842488A146188A34688A39088A661288A9588B
16xx 0-6-0PT45xx 2-6-2T34788A39188A662688A42xx 2-8-0T
162988A451486H36088A39388A426686C wks
shed codes84H Wellington (Salop)86C Cardiff Canton86H Aberbeeg88A Cardiff Cathays88B Cardiff East Dock
88D Merthyr88E Abercynon
Sunday 6 April 195288Atotal:43
57xx 0-6-0PT14xx 0-4-2TTaff Vale 0-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
878185B wks142088A30588A36488A561188F569288A
64xx 0-6-0PT142588A30788A36788A561388F661288A
641688A16xx 0-6-0PT33588A37188A563088A662688A
642388A162988A34388A37788A563688A663588A
643388A51xx 2-6-2T34488A38388A565388A665988A
643688A414984C wks34688A38488A565488A668488A
74xx 0-6-0PT34788A39088A566188D42xx 2-8-0T
744588A34888A39188A568188A429587A wks
wks - Caerphilly Works traffic36188C568788A
shed codes84C Banbury85B Gloucester GWR87A Neath Court Sart88A Cardiff Cathays88C Barry
88D Merthyr88F Treherbert
Sunday 1 March 195388Atotal:45
57xx 0-6-0PT14xx 0-4-2TTaff Vale 0-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
373782C wks142088A30588A36288A561788D568788A
964282F wks142588A30788A36488A563088A569788A
64xx 0-6-0PT146188A31288C36788A563288C662688A
641688A16xx 0-6-0PT34388A37088D563688A663588A
642388A162988A34588A37888F565088A666588A
643388A74xx 0-6-0PT34688A38388A565388A668288A
643588A744588A34788A39088A566988A42xx 2-8-0T
643688A94xx 0-6-0PT34888A39188A568388A520186E wks
846088C wks36088Awks - Caerphilly Works traffic
shed codes82C Swindon82F Weymouth86E Severn Tunnel Jct.88A Cardiff Cathays88C Barry
88D Merthyr88F Treherbert
Sunday 30 May 195488Atotal:38
57xx 0-6-0PT64xx 0-6-0PTTaff Vale 0-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
461282C xw640188E30588A35288F560588D665988A
463288D640288A30788A39188A563088A666784F aw
961082A aw641188E30888B45xx 2-6-2T565488A668488A
975986C xw641688A34588A458988A566388A72xx 2-8-2T
74xx 0-6-0PT642587E xw34688A550882D xw566988A725288A
744588A51xx 2-6-2T34788A553488A567088A
415288D34888A556888A569288Aaw - awaiting works
416488D557288A662688Axw - ex works
shed codes82A Bristol Bath Road82C Swindon82D Westbury84F Stourbridge86C Cardiff Canton
88A Cardiff Cathays88B Cardiff East Dock88D Merthyr88E Abercynon88F Treherbert
Sunday 31 July 195588Atotal:44
57xx 0-6-0PT54xx 0-6-0PTTaff Vale 0-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
461688D541283C aw30788A37888A560188A567788A
64xx 0-6-0PT74xx 0-6-0PT34388A38388A562688A568788A
640288A744588A34588A39188A563088A660388A
641688A42xx 2-8-0T34688A51xx 2-6-2T563688A660888A
642388A422488A34788A517187G aw564888C663588A
94xx 0-6-0PT34888A45xx 2-6-2T565088A xw665988A
848188A36288A458088A565388A666088A
945382B xwxw - ex works36488A551188A566388A666588A xw
aw - awaiting works36788A557288A566588C xw668488A
shed codes82A St. Philip's Marsh83C Exeter87G Carmarthen566688D
88A Cardiff Cathays88C Barry88D Merthyr
Sunday 1 April 195688A6.20pm - 6.35pmtotal:54
57xx 0-6-0PT45xx 2-6-2TTaff Vale 0-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
572488A457888C30588A38388A560188A567788A
573686B wks458988A31288A38588A561188F568388A
674987B wks551188A34788A38788A562688A569288A
967588D wks552087H wks34888A39188A562788A660388A
64xx 0-6-0PT556888A35188E42xx 2-8-0T562887D wks662688A
640288A51xx 2-6-2T36288A425186F wks563088A663588A
641688A410188A36488A520487F wks563688A664788A
643588A410588A36788A564188E665988A
74xx 0-6-0PT417788A37888A565488A666588A
744588A38188A566388A668488A
wks - Caerphilly Works traffic567088A669187B wks
shed codes86B Newport Pill86F Tondu87B Duffryn Yard87D Swansea East Dock87F Llanelly
87H Neyland88A Cardiff Cathays88C Barry88D Merthyr88E Abercynon88F Treherbert
Sunday 21 July 195788Atotal:47
57xx 0-6-0PT64xx 0-6-0PT45xx 2-6-2T51xx 2-6-2T56xx 0-6-2T
365088E wks640288A455388A410188A560188A567088A
372788A640888D wks458988A412288A561188F568388A
467288A643488A551188A412488A562288A660688A
469888A643588A556888A412688A562788A661488A
571088A16xx 0-6-0PT557288A42xx 2-8-0T563688A663588A
572488A165487F wks557488A724487B wks564688F664788A
775188A74xx 0-6-0PT43xx 2-6-0565288D wks665988A
873688D wks744588A731285B wks565488A666588A
Hall 4-6-0566388A668288A
wks - Caerphilly Works traffic495285A Peplow Hall wks566988A668488A
shed codes85A Worcester85B Gloucester GWR87B Duffryn Yard87F Llanelly88A Cardiff Cathays
88D Merthyr88E Abercynon88F Treherbert
In December 1957, Cardiff Cathays became a subshed of Cardiff Radyr
Sunday 20 April 1958subshed of 88Atotal:15
57xx 0-6-0PT64xx 0-6-0PT45xx 2-6-2T56xx 0-6-2TBR 3MT 2-6-2T
463488A640288A553488A561788E661488A8204088C
469888A641688A556783D wks566588F663588A8204388C
643488A43xx 2-6-0660788A
533587F wkswks - Caerphilly Works traffic
shed codes83D Plymouth Laira88A Cardiff Cathays88C Barry88E Abercynon88F Treherbert
Updated and revised - November 2021.