A day on the Valley Lines

Cardiff Valley DMUs and Class 37s filmed on VHS video in August 1986. Includes Llanishen, Aber Jcn, Ystrad Mynach, Porth, Bargoed, Radyr and Barry.

[@martincole188]

Born in Bargoed too many years ago..Many memories of train trips up and down to Llanishen and Cardiff. And even earlier vague memories of steam hauled excursions to Barry Island. Thanks for jogging my memory!

[@ianwalmsley2]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.

[@ifukill7538]

I love Wales❤ I love welsh railways❤ thank you with all my heart for this video. My history. I would have loved to stop at Hengoed station.

[@chris-io1ki]

Another fantastic video. The C3's had their character....and no toilets! As much as I like the Pacers that later replaced them, these were by far the best units for the job. Great memories of seeing the shunter coupling these old units up at Cardiff Central in the evening peak hours and the drivers revving those lovely engines up. All of that was lost when the 150s arrived. So glad I found your channel. Thank you so much for what were the best days for BR.

[@ianwalmsley2]

chris217 thanks very much, glad you enjoyed it.

[@andrewbutler6477]

Wow makes me feel really old watching the video of the old 116 units spent many hours traveling on these old units my dad was a guard on the rhymney line on the 70s and sometimes a west Midlands unit would end up on the valleys services when rugby was on at arms park even once seen a southern 205 unit at Central 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@NN2Blue]

The value of recording the "ordinary" - It becomes "extra ordinary" when it's gone. Thank you for sharing this. 5* Used the Cardiff - Merthyr services regularly for a while around this time.

[@robmasterman]

This brough back happy memories of the years I travelled the Rhymney Valley in these units..well done

[@smleonard55]

Ever so often youtube throws up wonderful memories of our lives as youngsters traveling the rails of BR. Simply fantastic. Thanks, had forgotton how good the real thing was. hope you like my video responce!

[@grumbeast]

I once spent a wonderful afternoon in Aber signalbox with my friend, we got into all sorts of trouble for being away for the the whole afternoon without telling our parents! This is awesome for a boy from Bedwas to see! thanks a million

[@stephenleary1239]

What an amazing video...

[@simonouting6538]

From 1980 until about 1986, I travelled Monday to Friday (and sometimes on a Saturday) from Treforest Estate to Queen Street and then back to go to school and I can honestly say I think I knew every guard and driver on the route. They were bloody awesome and fun times. I would travel in the guard's van quite often and sometimes in the drivers cab and some of the guards let me do the buzzer control - It was a MAJOR part of me growing up. I was given keys to carriage doors (internal and external) along with hats, old GWER bronze buttons and lots of bits & bobs. There was one driver who knew I was so keen allowed me to actually drive the train on a selected long track section (with the 3 blinds down behind him of course) and that was so much fun. I wouldn't change my times on the valleys trains for the world but there were some guards who didn't like me and my friends and we would do all kinds of tricks to wind them up. The biggest one was to lock the inter-carriage doors so that when they walked between each train checking for tickets etc., I would nip up and lock both doors. They would play ruddy hell with us when they came back down and accuse us of, "Having The Keys" to which of course we always denied it and never got caught. If I was ever late and the train was pulling out of the station, most of the guards would see me and hit the single long buzzer so the driver would slam on the brakes and I would just jump into the guards van, he would then give the 2 buzzer to start and he would give me a bit of a row for being late. Incredibly fun times which would NOT happen in today's stupid world.

[@GarethJonesPilipala]

I've just found this video. A really nicely produced snapshot of how things used to be. Thanks

[@annagallego7302]

Wonderful

[@mervynsands3501]

This what I remember, some great times. Did the job nicely, pleased to see some footage of these DMU's doing their stuff. Not forgetting the hard slogging class 37's on coal trains etc. Nostalgia all the way!

[@Colin21454]

great locations, and great selection of diesel locos, well compiled

[@ianwalmsley2]

Sorry for late reply - the first track is "Morning" from the Peer Gynt suite.

[@edwin3628]

Passing the weir at Radyr always scared me when I was young, we just seemed to be so far above the river, but then I haven't been past for years so I may be just as scared now

[@ninfilms]

I like to see some old footage of the Merthyr Line. As for the footage of Bargoed, Taff Wells is breath taking.

[@robd2184]

I’d loved to have looked round the welsh valleys in this era

[@swiftymorgan5064]

0:07 Destination? 'A Day On The Valley Lines' Brilliant!

[@ianwalmsley2]

Had to do something in the days before digital titles.

[@carloslee7095]

Amazing video

[@bradbiker]

nice vid and its nice to see the valley in sun for once in a while and i can't beleve how much ystrad has changed

[@MiLLwallpaul231258]

I've just found your video and how good it is too,what -if anything- remains today. Seems impossible to think this was filmed 25 years ago.Thanks Paul

[@AberHaltJunction]

Great stuff Ian, I'm looking to do some OO gauge modelling to try and capture the ethos around what you have in this video. Great video, takes me back to my youth.

[@davesgcr]

Outstanding - with possible electrifrication on the way !

[@reliance5052]

Recognised a couple of Treherbert men: Guard Tom Wallace on Cardiff Central and Driver John Lawthom at Abercynon.

[@MiniCrisis]

Reliance505 John lawthom was my grandfather!!

[@ianwalmsley2]

The last two tracks are "When I survey the wonderous cross" by the Morriston Orpheus Choir from a CD "Music of Wales" on Pearls and "Myfanwy" by the Treorchy Male Choir from a vinyl album "Welsh Male Voice Choirs" on EMI "Music for Pleasure" 1986.

[@v11cu96]

Its my childhood.. except its not in HD. wasn't this about the time the sprinters (150's) came?

[@23951028]

Many thanks again superb vid

[@ianwalmsley2]

Afraid not, 18 hours of my kids, 15 minutes of the Valley Lines. That's life.

[@23951028]

Superb video thanks. Born in Treorci in 1950 remember looking out the window of a closed carriage and smelling the steam and smoke mixed as we entered a tunnel Oh happy days. Can you tell me a bit about the last two music tracks ( Where I can find them ) beautiful especially Myffanwy Regards

[@ianwalmsley2]

@Loverboy19691 It was filmed in August 1986.

[@desdemona77]

Cracking Vid....Well Done

[@1968dodgechargerman]

Lovely to see this. I've been traveling the Rhymney line since the early 1970s. Sadly, I only have a few photos from about 1983. Is, or would this video be available anywhere? Or anything similar..

[@UKCrazyTrucker]

Great video

[@bwhugul]

People may later feel nostalgia when they watch videos of Pacers and Sprinters! That's once the wires reach the Valleys and spanking new EMUs (hopefully!) introduced.

[@somejansmind]

1:08 i really like this announcement voice better than Ruth

[@23951028]

Super video thank you Born in Cwmpark in 1950 so I can remember a bit further back. Can you please tell me about the recording you have of Muffanwy Thanks

[@ianwalmsley2]

the music for Bargoed is "When I survey the wondrous Cross" but I'm afraid I don't know the choir. Can't find the original.

[@Loverboy19691]

When was this filmed?, i quite liked the scenes from Bargoed.

[@davidgadsdon3367]

Reminds me of simpler happier times, yes there wasn't much money about granted but there was no bloody cost of living crisis.

[@Loverboy19691]

Thanks for replying, have you got any more video's of bargoed?

[@TheMichaelWilcock2016Railways]

What camera did you use to take these clips?

[@bwhugul]

What's the name of the first soundtrack in this video?

[@ianwalmsley2]

Thank you, things certainly have changed a lot. I will pass on your comments to my Welsh wife.

[@Avlarrr1988]

Could you please tell me what the song is that you are using at the start of the Bargoed shot 3:50 in?

[@1950gah]

+Aron Stenning (Ar) The song at 3.50 is known as Morte Christy Aron.

[@TheMichaelWilcock2016Railways]

Do you have anymore in your collection ?

[@ianwalmsley2]

Mike Wilcock - No, just 17 x 3-hour tapes of my kids growing up!

[@TheMichaelWilcock2016Railways]

Join the club; I have vhs from 1986 and still converting; a slow job......Regards Mike

[@davesgcr]

This is too much for me !

[@trixtwin19]

Wouldn't the DMUs look great painted in GW chocolate and cream - those that are still running.

[@ianwalmsley2]

www.whamart.co.uk/10441%208.86%20Steve%20Morris%20valleys.jpg One hired from a TV shop.

[@Isochest]

Dw i'n meddwl hon video yn addysgiadol

[@vaughanrichards7438]

Cytunaf.