Tidal Sidings

1. Introduction

Tidal Sidings has always held great interest with me since my acquaintance with the Shunter Gang at Canton Depot. The Shunter Gang were responsible for maintaining ASW's (Allied Steel & Wire) fleet of eight shunters. There was never a dull moment and something was always happening or going wrong as in many cases with their locomotives. Ten years later and under the management of Celsa, not a lot has changed, except that EWS are manning the trains and the Gronks are getting older and more unreliable, as none have been given works overhauls since 08752 Lenny was outshopped from Ferrybridge in June 2002.

I'm hoping that this page will kindle a little more interest in the Gronks and their operations at Tidal Sidings and Celsa, as well as serving as a tribute to David Mathews, Mike Whitmarsh, the Shunter Gang and the Tidal drivers that I fondly remember from my weekday lunch time sessions at Canton Depot footbridge awaiting for S96 Mossend Yard to be formed.

2. Location

Tidal Sidings is located off a spur west of Pengam on the Great Western Mainline between Newport and Cardiff. Click here to see an overview of the spur from the mainline serving Tidal Sidings, Celsa and Queen Alexandra and Roath Docks.

3. Traffic

3.1 The majority of traffic arriving at Tidal Sidings is scrap loaded in MBA's and destined for Celsa Scrap Bay. The point of loading fluctuates on a weekly basis and loaded trains have run regularly from Masborough, Beeston, Lincoln, Attercliffe, Handsworth, Tyne Dock, Mossend, Barry, Brierley Hill, Shipley, Swindon, Kingsbury, Exeter and Belmont, to list a few. Normally the Tidal Pilot trips the MBA's into either the New and Old Scrap Bays or the Old Meltshop A Bank in Tremorfa Works from the Tidal Sidings and returns the empties to the Tidal Sidings.

3.2 Slab from Port Talbot intermittently arrives at Roath Dock for export, with the empties returning to Port Talbot. The train loco is used throughout, thereby eliminating the need to use a shunting locomotive.

3.3 Finished product in the form of bar and rod is initially tripped from the Rod & Bar Mill in Castle Works to the Tidal Sidings by the Tidal Pilot and forwarded on one of the trip workings to Llanwern Steel Works for onward movement to Rotherham. However, rumour has it that E05/V35 will recommence to and from Rotherham.

3.4 Internally, the Celsa Pilot moves hot billets on a three hourly basis commencing at 0030 hours from the New Melt shop in Tremorfa Works to both the Section Mill in Tremorfa Works and the Bar & Rod Mill in Castle Works. Some hot billet traffic is also conveyed from the Section Mill in Tremorfa Works to the Bar & Rod Mill in Castle Works. The empty wagons are then returned to the New Melt Shop in Tremorfa Works.

3.5 Scrap billets are also conveyed on an as required basis from the Section Mill in Tremorfa Works and the Bar & Rod Mill in Castle Works to the Old Melt shop in Tremorfa Works for reworking, with the empty wagons returning to the New Melt Shop in Tremorfa Works.

3.6 There is currently no oil being conveyed by rail from the Minimet Oil Terminal.

4. Shunting Locomotive Diagrams

4.1 There are currently two diagrams for remote control fitted Class 08 locomotives, rostered twenty four hours per day,seven days per week, utilising one driver per locomotive.

4.1.1 Diagram 1 is the Celsa Pilot, whose duties are detailed in Section 3.4 and 3.5

4.1.2 Diagram 2 is the Tidal Pilot, whose duties are also detailed in Section 3.1 and 3.3.

4.2 There is currently no standby locomotive and the arrangements that normally prevail when one of the two locomotives is not available, is for the two diagrams to share the remaining locomotive as Diagram 2 operates on an 'as required' basis.

5. Remote Control Shunting Locomotive Pool

Adjacent each picture thumbnail is a brief operational overview of each locomotive.

Click on a thumbnail to view the large image. Click on the large image to return to this page.

 
08466 tidal sidings

08466 Brillo. (Picture taken at Tidal Sidings, 20th January 2007.)

# First remote controlled locomotive to return to the Tidal Sidings during June '06.

# Suffered from very poor availability during the first four months and major electrical problems during early October '06.

# Moved to Margam Depot for repairs during October '06, who ultimately diagnosed and replaced the main generator during July '07. The main generator was replaced using the Cownas Sheldon 75T crane as it was deemed safer than using the overhead gantry crane which had removed the old main generator.

# Whilst it was generally appreciated that the locomotive was still not performing as it should have done after the main generator change, it was sent to the Knuckle Yard for acceptance trials before returning to Tidal Sidings in September '07.

# It continued to suffer from poor availability and major electrical problems until it was diagnosed with a faulty auxillary generator and stored in Tidal Sidings during late '08.

# Moved to Margam Depot in May '09 for an auxillary generator change with newly stored 08770.

# However, teething problems continued and it was moved to Toton Depot for further repairs in July '09 as Margam Depot was closing.

# The latest date for completion has slipped from 31/01/10 to 30/04/10 and now to 30/05/10.

 
08605 Tidal Sidings 8th May 2010

08605. (Picture taken at Tidal Sidings, 8th May 2010.)

# New to Tidal Sidings during early May '10 as a direct replacement for 08921 Pongo.

 
 

08706.

# Arrived at Tidal Sidings during early June '10 as support to 08605 and an ailing 08752.

 
08752 Tidal Sidings 28th December 2006

08752 Lenny. (Picture taken at Tidal Sidings, 28th December 2006.)

# Returned to Tidal Sidings during September '06 without its nameplates, which were removed whilst it was in store at Doncaster Carr Depot.

# Suffered a shifted crank during February '07 and sent to Eastleigh Depot for repairs.

# Returned to Tidal Sidings during April '07.

# Suffered accident damage to its vacuum exhauster during May '07 and sent to Margam Depot for repairs, which included its removal and plating over.

# Returned to Tidal Sidings during October '07.

# Sent to Margam Depot for a D xam during August '08

# Returned to Tidal Sidings during October '08.

# Sent to Canton Depot for tyre turning during November '08.

# Suffered a catastrophic engine failure during May '09 and sent to Margam Depot for an engine change with 09003 and fitment of a reconditioned main generator, which was installed on the penultimate day of Margam Depot's official closure.

# Returned to Tidal Sidings during late August '09 and almost immediately the reconditioned main generator was deemed to be faulty.

# Sent back to Margam Depot for its old main generator to be fitted during late August '09.

# Returned to Tidal Sidings during September '09.

# Suffered a bent side rod during December '09 which was promptly straightened out locally.

# Suffered braking problems and other mechanical and electrical faults during early February '10 and was sent to Toton Depot for repairs including a C xam and air receiver examination.

# Returned to Tidal Sidings during early April '10 and suffered intermittent braking / remote problems till early May '10.

# Suffered a sheared Traction Motor Gear during mid June '10 and moved to Toton Depot at the end of June '10 for repairs.

 
08782 Margam Knuckle Yard 28th April 2007

08782 Castleton Works. (Picture taken at Knuckle Yard, 28th April 2007.)

# New to Tidal Sidings during the end of April '07.

# Suffered a shifted crank during July '07 and sent to Eastligh Depot for repairs.

# Moved to Eastleigh Yard following repairs during November '07.

# Sent to Fowey Harbour during February '08

# Returned to Aleaxndra Dock Junction during July '08

# Moved to Tidal Sidings during August '08.

# Moved adjacent the old ASW Wagon Shops between February and May '09 for onward movement to Toton Depot for repairs.

# Sent to Canton Depot for new brake blocks during Oct '09.

# Suffered serious electrical wiring failure from behind the control cubicle during December '09 and sent to Toton Depot during mid January '10 for repairs.

# Repaired and transferred to Fowey Harbour during mid April '10.

 

 

08802. (Picture taken at Tidal Sidings, 16th January 2010.)

# Arrived at Tidal Sidings during mid January 2010 to replace 08782.

# Experienced intermittent power problems since its arrival and a new governor actuated was fitted during mid February '10.

# Made a visit to Canton Depot under its own power for a brake block change during mid March '10.

# Returned to Toton Depot during late April '10 once 08921 Pongo was repaired.

08854 Tidal Sidings 20th January 2007

08854 Bradshaw. (Picture taken at Tidal Sidings, 20th January 2007.)

# Returned to Tidal Sidings from Sheerness Steel Works during December '06.

# Suffered auxillary generator problems during April '07.

# Moved to Margam Wagon Works for storage during the end of November '07.

# A side rod was removed during August '08 and fitted to 08646.

# The remote control equipment was removed during April '09 and fitted to 08757 undergoing remote control conversion at Toton Depot.

 

08886. (Picture taken at Margam Depot, 21st October 2006.)

# This is the only locomotive from the pilot batch of remote controls not to have worked Tidal Sidings.

# Underwent a C xam at Margam Depot during October / November '06 before being sent to Sheerness steel Works during December '06.

 
08921 Tidal Sidings 14th October 2006

08921 Pongo. (Picture taken at Tidal Sidings, 14th October 2006.)

# Returned to Tidal Sidings during August '06.

# Suffered a shifted crank during October '06 and sent to Crewe Electric for wheelset repairs

# Returned to Tidal Siidngs without the shifted crank being repaired during February '07.

# Sent to Eastleigh Depot for repairs to its shifted crank during early May '07.

# Returned to Alexandra Dock Junction during November '07.

# Moved to Tidal Sidings during July '08 and suffered another shifted crank within the month.

# Sent to Springs Branch Depot for repairs to its shifted crank during August '08

# Underwent reapirs to its shifted crank and an E xam during January '10.

# Returned to Tidal Sidings during mid February '10.

# Suffered from a multitude of electrical, mechanical and remote control defects during February and March '10.

# Dropped a valve during early April '10 and sent to Toton Depot for repairs.

# Returned to Tidal Sidings during late April '10.

# Sent to Toton Depot during early May '10 for fitting with standard remote control equipment.

 

08951 Margam Knuckle Yard 7th April 2007

08951 Fred. (Picture taken at Knuckle Yard, 7th April 2007.)

# Returned to Margam Depot during early April '07, where it was given a C xam and robbed parts were replaced after spending several years in storage at Allerton Depot.

# Following repairs at Margam Depot, it was moved to Tidal Sidings during mid April '07.

# The main generator was replaced at Margam Depot between May and June 2008 using the Cowans Sheldon 75T crane.

# The bottom half of the radiator was refurbished at Margam Depot during January '09.

# The brake blocks were changed at Canton Depot during May '09.

# Sent to Toton Depot for a wheelset change during July 2009.

# The latest date for completion has slipped from 31/01/10 to 30/04/10 and now to 30/05/10.

 

6. Celsa Internal Wagon Pool

There are primarily two types of wagon that are used to move billet and slab from the Melt Shop to the Section Mill, East and West, and Castle Works.

BD1- BD22 were converted from BDA's (Bogie Bolster 'D' Wagons) in November 2006 and are used to move billet and slab from the Melt Sop to Castle Works. Normally the train would consist of between seven and eight wagons.

MB416 & MB461 are the two surviving members of a batch of twenty BDA's that were converted for use by 1989, that were originally sold for scrap by the former British Transport Docks Board, Cardiff Docks in 1983. They are currently being used to move billet and slab from the Melt Shop to Castle Works in conjunction with BD1-BD22.

SB1-SB10 were converted from SSA Scrap Wagons in January 2007 and are used in conjunction with SB101/14/16/22/24/27/30-38/40-43 to move short lengths of billet and slab from the Melt Shop to the Section Mill, East and West, with occassional use to convey traffic to Castle Works. SB139, although condemned, still exists.

Three former BDA's 950162, 950192 & 950116 are used to move scrap bar and rod from Castle Works to the Scrap Bay for reclamation. 950116 is currently out of service and may be withdrawn.

Many thanks to Brian Rolley and PB for providing the information.

7. Maintenance Facilities

Class 08 locomotives are primarily maintained by the two Tidal Sidings fitters with support, as required from the East Usk fitters. Brake blocks and C xam work is undertaken in the old Canton Depot, whilst heavier work is undertaken by Toton Depot. A new initiative, to identify potential problems at a very early stage in order to increase reliability sees the shunting locomotives started up by the East Usk fitters as they sign on duty at Tidal Sidings.

Wagons, both internal and EWS are maintained in the west side of Tidal Sidings.

8. Photographic Opportunities

7.1 There is very limited photographic opportunity within either Tremorfa or Castle Works. However, the road overbridge in Ocean Way, which is adjacent to Splott Junction can provide a modest shot, although the lineside veg is in need of being managed. Lol.

7.2 The line between Tremorfa Works and Castle Works runs through Cardiff Docks and without prior permission, I very much doubt if the docks security would give you access to it.

7.3 There is increased police surveillance within Tidal Sidings due to theft of scrap from MBA's, so watch out, as I was very politely questioned fairly recently.

Last Updated 01/07/10