1959/1960 bristol area wtt

[westernpunk]

i noticed there were trains from filton to stj described as passengers and cars, how did this work was this coaching stock plus flats or was it guv type vehicles, presumably these services ceased with the opening of the severn bridge,

Also i notice that some services between charfield and bristol via mangotsfield carried different reporting codes. for instance the so 635 walsall to paig was m209 via mangotsfield then 1314 from btm .
And even in 1960 whilst the wr had changed to the 4 figure alpha numeric codes the midland services were using codes preceded with an m or p
Id always assumed the new reporting codes were adopted across the regions at the same time

 

[simonw]

i noticed there were trains from filton to stj described as passengers and cars, how did this work was this coaching stock plus flats or was it guv type vehicles, presumably these services ceased with the opening of the severn bridge,

Also i notice that some services between charfield and bristol via mangotsfield carried different reporting codes. for instance the so 635 walsall to paig was m209 via mangotsfield then 1314 from btm .
And even in 1960 whilst the wr had changed to the 4 figure alpha numeric codes the midland services were using codes preceded with an m or p
Id always assumed the new reporting codes were adopted across the regions at the same time

I'm not sure about Filton, but there was a car transporter service from Pilning to STJ until the bridge opened.

There's been a number of threads on it

Severn Tunnel Junction - Pilning car transport service

How busy was this service and what was the average time taken to load up, transport the cars and unload?

www.railforums.co.uk

Severn Tunnel Junction - Pilning High Level Car Transport Service

A very good and longstanding friend and I have recently become aware of this service which was started by the GWR in 1924. We believe that, like the Aust car ferry, it operated right up until the opening of the Severn Bridge and in latter years was scheduled to operate typically between two and...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[westernpunk]

I'm not sure about Filton, but there was a car transporter service from Pilning to STJ until the bridge opened.

There's been a number of threads on it

Severn Tunnel Junction - Pilning car transport service

How busy was this service and what was the average time taken to load up, transport the cars and unload?

www.railforums.co.uk

Severn Tunnel Junction - Pilning High Level Car Transport Service

A very good and longstanding friend and I have recently become aware of this service which was started by the GWR in 1924. We believe that, like the Aust car ferry, it operated right up until the opening of the Severn Bridge and in latter years was scheduled to operate typically between two and...

www.railforums.co.uk

thanks for that new to the forum still finding my way sorry my mistake meant pilning

 

[Magdalia]

Id always assumed the new reporting codes were adopted across the regions at the same time

Broadly speaking the 4 character reporting numbers were adopted in the June 1961 timetable change, though there were bits and pieces that occurred both before and after that date.

 

[Taunton]

The WR (and GWR before) had their own 3-digit train reporting codes on large frames on the front of the locomotive. They are listed in Ian Allan WR spotters books of the era. My expectation is a train shown as 1314 would be Class 1 on the loco headlamps and 314 on the big number. The westbound Cornish Riviera, for example, was number 130. Surplus frames (often bent) and odd number plates could be found at the back of many WR sheds.

The Pilning to STJ car shuttle was one old GWR coach plus as many 4-wheel flat wagons as required (alas normally not a lot). I think we described on a previous thread how the principal user of the service was actually the civil engineer to move their plant and vehicles back and forth. Power was one of the STJ Severn Tunnel bankers, a 41xx tank at this time. For an extra charge the car could be sheeted - photos show services thinly supported, maybe just two cars, one sheeted, one not.

 

[simonw]

thanks for that new to the forum still finding my way sorry my mistake meant pilning

No worries.