Ystrad Mynach to Rhymney by DMU on Monday 3rd of April 1967

[@SammyBFilms]

This is a gold mine for anyone wanting to model this era! Think I'll be book marking this for a future model railway!! :-)

[@robmasterman]

I'm delighted that this has given you the momentum to possibly build a layout Sammy.

[@liramorob]

Excellent quality photos love it!

[@robmasterman]

Thanks very much, we went up to Rhymney a few weeks ago, and that was the first time by train since 1967!

[@BrianTuckerRailvideos]

A masterpiece by Mr Masterman...thanks Bob....regards Brian,didn’t realise or know there was a DMU maintenance and refuelling canopy at the upper runaround at Rhymney.

[@robmasterman]

Thanks so much Brian, I suppose we learn something new every couple of days, thanks to modern technology.

[@caerphillycastle]

Wonderful photos Bob. How things have changed. Hardly any line side vegetation, trees bushes etc. But you can recognise the stations. Rhymney has changed a lot though. I was still at school Form 5 final year, when you took these. Thanks for sharing, excellent mate. Geraint

[@robmasterman]

Thanks Ger, it is very much of the day...so much has changed since then with so many locations completely altered since then.

[@bobnweaver]

What a superb collection of stills Bob, some great images of the industrial landscape. Regards, Jeff.

[@robmasterman]

Not the best quality Jeff, but a great deal of interest in this line with the recent Class 37 hauled passenger services...Regards...Bob.

[@acw71000]

So much of interest in these shots Bob from cars to the railway infrastructure. It looked to be quite a tidy lineside as well.

[@robmasterman]

I was working on the Railway at this time Austin, and tried to make the most of it, little knowing I would be sharing these images 53 years later.

[@canvids1]

Thanks Bob and just think 1967 you were a young man back in that year I would have been 26 back then.

[@robmasterman]

I was 20 in 1967 Wayne, two years away from being married.

[@EMuksteam]

Brilliant shots Bob. Things have certainly changed over the years. Noticed not many trees along the railway. They were the days when you could see the scenery out of the window. Best wishes C&A

[@robmasterman]

Thanks both, and of course every seat had a window that you could look out of, unlike the Security measures forced on passengers now....Best wishes...Bob

[@TheStephengthompson]

A real travel back in time with this Bob . Very enjoyable 👍

[@robmasterman]

Thanks Steve, low quality, but it seems of interest to many....

[@TheWesternExplorer]

Wonderful piece of nostalgia Bob. Takes me back to when I travelled on the Valley Lines searching for elusive tank locomotives in my effort to tick off all remaining GWR locos. Regards, Dave.

[@robmasterman]

How wonderful Dave, I was lucky enough to capture some great images of steam in the Valleys during their final years...Regards...Bob

[@antman09ful1]

Good to see this old photos Bob, and how it’s all changed. Regards Mike.

[@robmasterman]

That's why I decided to share these images Mike, so much has changed, but then these images were captured 53 years ago.

[@TheValleyCross]

Hi, its a fantastic video indeed, being a Pontlottyn boy and an ex railwayman, I really enjoyed it. one thing though: the clip with "the entrance to groesfaen colliery, is incorrect, its actually the entrance to Elliots colliery, New Tredegar, the approach and sidings being closer to Brithdir station than New Tredegar. Groesfaen was the other side of the valley on the old Brecon to Newport line, just up from Bargoed North signal box. kind regards - Stephen

[@robmasterman]

Thanks very much for the correction Stephen, I've always had problems remembering Elliots Colliery. Now you've explained it, I've made a note and will remember in the future....Many Thanks again...Bob

[@sopajantachat5574]

Yes, that looks like Elliot's Colliery. I was always told it was closed during that era, but it could be that it was linked to Bargoed Colliery and so was still used as a haulage road. Thete was still a pithead and a rail presence there, but perhaps also they were still moving the stockpile. I was in Bargoed from about October 67 to 1970. Talking about Groesfaen Colliery, it was on the Deri Valley branch, running out of Bargoed Station. That branch also ran to Ogilve Colliery, near Fochriw. Groesfaen was closed about 1968, but it took a few years to reduce the stockpile. That was the last place I watched NCB steam locos in action. They had to come up a steep siding gradient to meet the mainline. Near the junction there was a footbridge over the line to the Graig in Bargoed. (Site of a famous TS Lowry painting.) Loco drivers were always keen to keep that bridge clear while they were accelerating with trucks up the bank, to save pedestrians getting scalded. The problem was that was a favourite local place for local wags to prank a newby like me. They would intentionally trap you on the bridge. I can still remember the driver effing and blinding as he came up the bank.

[@chris-io1ki]

Very nice captures Bob. I remember seeing these DMU's as a child in the 70s and later in the 80s in BR Blue livery then white with blue stripe and finally blue and grey liveries. Known locally as the C3's as they carried C3xx set numbers. I was a big fan watching the shunters coupling sets up at Cardiff Central during evening peak hours and my many trips to Barry Island with heads out going past Canton Sheds lol😁 Something we can no longer do with the advent of sprinters. On a separate note,I quite like doing the valley lines but only on the Pacers as I've never really forgiven 150s for the C3 demise! If you have later footage of Valley Lines trains I'd love to watch them🤗 Hope you are keeping well🤗 Thumbs up from me👍

[@robmasterman]

Thanks very much Chris, it's so rewarding to know that your work brings back Happy Memories of someone's younger days. I've uploaded many images of the C3's on this site in the past, then moved away from the Rhymney Valley in the early 80's, went on to videoing in 1989, but as I no longer lived there, I don't have much footage in my collection . You can always do a search in the search Box for a C unit of your choice....Thanks again...Bob

[@andrewbutler6477]

The 150 s have now been around for 35 years remember these brand new they have given so many years great service in the valleys just good tough old workhorses

[@andrewbutler6477]

My late dad was a conductor on the line in the 70s the smell of the heaters on the 116 units on a cold morning in the winter was something especially on the 4.45 am from rhymney to central 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@robmasterman]

How wonderful Andrew, I probably saw him many times during my journeys from Hengoed or Ystrad down to Cardiff.

[@wooltman]

Nice memories from your journey.Beats me how they can have six coaches on a DMU (from what I saw) to two or three these days.......Best wishes Chris

[@robmasterman]

Sorry for the delay in replying Chris, this was held in a likely spam folder by YT. Six cars was common in the sixties, and it wasn't until the eighties when two car operation came in, and it hasn't improved since.....Best wishes....Bob

[@alanprice3600]

The unidentified austerity engine was at Elliot’s Colliery new Tredegar . There was another there also an ex gwr pannier tank either 7754 or 7752.

[@robmasterman]

Thanks Alan, that's very helpful.....Bob

[@kazfleszar5899]

wish it was longer.

[@robmasterman]

Thanks Kaz, glad you've enjoyed it. you'll just have to watch it more than once!!

[@MrReakes]

thanks bob another great video bob

[@robmasterman]

Thanks Michael, more for it's content rather than it's quality.

[@hemerdonbank]

Interesting views in the photos, Bob. I wonder what it would look like if photos were taken now from the same positions. Keith.

[@robmasterman]

Thanks Keith, if I repeated them now, you's see stations that you wouldn't recognise, and so much lineside vegetation covering almost all the route....Regards...Bob.

[@MrReakes]

thanks bob

[@robmasterman]

My pleasure Michael, much appreciated....Bob

[@SimonTog]

Great pictures Robert :)

[@robmasterman]

Thanks Simon, glad you've liked it.

Excellent, superbe video !

[@robmasterman]

Thank you very much.

[@alanprice3600]

The Pengam clip is Pontlottyn looking towards Rhymney.

[@robmasterman]

I stand corrected Alan, unfortunately after 55 years, the memory isn't as it was.

[@TheValleyCross]

also the "unidentified austerity at the ncb shed inst groesfaen, its Elliots Colliery - New Tredegar

[@robmasterman]

Thanks again, unfortunately, I can't change the captions on the video, but thanks to you, I have amended the notes that accompany the video explaining that it should be Elliots.

[@TheValleyCross]

@@robmasterman no worries, thank you for uploading such great, quality railway videos, they are a pleasure to watch.

[@lynwenparish7346]

There has been a brake in at tne Garw Valley Railway And The Gwili!

[@robmasterman]

That's sad to hear Lynwen.

[@peterhunt2723]

The year I got married, it doesn't SEEM that long ago....!

[@robmasterman]

Two years before me Peter, and as you say, where have the years gone.

[@peterhunt2723]

Robert Masterman we actually married on the 31st march 1967 but it took until July 1969 until we visited the Festiniog Railway for my wife to fall in love with trains......she still loves Railway visiting....hurrah!

[@kazfleszar5899]

pengam still looks much the same today

[@robmasterman]

That's good to know Kaz, I haven't been up there for many years now.

[@Newtredegarhistory]

The journey is from rhymney,to pontlottyn,Tirphil, brithdir,bargoed etc there's no groesfaen

[@robmasterman]

It's my mistake Paul, Groesfaen in on the line from Bargoed to Dowlais.

[@Newtredegarhistory]

@@robmasterman fantastic set of photography though,Thank you very much for adding I love these local old photos ,we won't learn about our past if kind people like yourself never added anything Very much appreciated 👍

[@stevehallam0850]

Pictures and general interest 👍👍👍 music 👎👎👎

[@robmasterman]

It was a difficult choice from the Audio Collection using non copyrighted material...I suppose you can always turn the sound off....Thanks for your comment.

[@stevehallam0850]

@@robmasterman I did turn it off! But I really appreciate the excellent job you did with the pictures. A fascinating look back to the time before the Valleys were totally changed. Have you got any footage of the current scene?

[@robmasterman]

@@stevehallam0850 I now live back in West Wales Steve, and apart from HST's it's no longer possible to video or photograph from moving trains.