Description:

PONTRILAS:
Post-war in the hands of British Railways

0170

Water tank at Pontrilas Engine Shed, taken from the footplate of Engine No 5818 when standing on the Branch main line, February 1947

0149

Block of ice taken out of the Tank outside the Engine Shed at Pontrilas, March 1947

0163

[Passenger train on the main line at Pontrilas in the snow, 1947]

0151

Sid Hope, M.O.S. Checker, Pontrilas, [with goods wagons being shunted in Pontrilas Yard.] [?1950s]

0153

Bert Bevan [Dirty Neck]; Porter Guard at Pontrilas for a time, [on the Up platform at Pontrilas Station, with the Golden Valley Branch bay to the left.] [?1950s]

0155

[Pontrilas Station Up platform;] Permanent Way Inspector Mr [?Mumford]  and Guard George Lewis. [?1950s]

115

Pontrilas Station from the passenger bridge, looking towards Hereford [?1950s]

0235

New pump house at Pontrilas, 1950. Taken at the base of the bridge; side view of pump house showing sump and inlet pipe. Arrow indicates height of floodwater at 5.45 pm on February 4th 1951.

0237

New pump house at Pontrilas, December 1950. Arrow indicates height of floodwater at 5.45 pm on February 4th 1951.

0239

Foundations for new water tank at Pontrilas and new column in the background. 1950.

0207

Tank for the new Pontrilas water supply [in sections ex Swindon]: December 1950

0241

Erecting Water Column at Pontrilas between Down siding and Down Loop. 1950.

0243

New water tank at Pontrilas Station in course of erection. 1950.

0245

River Dore in flood at the pump house, Pontrilas, c. 1950

0247

New pump house a Pontrilas December 1950, showing outlet pipe to Main and water tank. Bridge over River Dore in the background.

111

Pontrilas Station 1951. A down main line passenger train heads towards Abergavenny while a Golden Valley Branch goods train waits in the bay behind the up platform.

0164

Pontrilas village from the railway yard, in the snow, 1951

112

Pontrilas Station, looking towards Abergavenny [?1950s]

113

Pontrilas Station looking towards Hereford, 1951, with a Golden Valley goods train in the branch bay to the left.

179

Engine No 5818 outside Pontrilas Engine Shed, August 1951

0118

Pontrilas Signal Box and Golden Valley Branch Line, taken from Signal Gantry at Pontrilas looking towards Hereford, winter of 1950-51

124

Pontrilas Engine Shed [in decay], 1952

0139

Removal of water tank at Pontrilas Engine Shed after the line had been closed from Dorstone to Abbeydore [sometime after January 1953]

0159

Removal of water tank at Pontrilas Engine Shed c.1953

0143

Removal of water tank at Pontrilas Engine Shed c.1953

0174

Removal of water tank at Pontrilas Engine Shed c.1953

0189

Pontrilas Engine Shed water tank loaded up and ready to go to Swindon, c.1953

0094

Pontrilas Engine Shed in process of demolition after closing. [c. 1953]

188

The steam pump at Pontrilas Engine Shed used to raise water to the tank, seen during demolition of the shed c.1953

0098

Last [public service] train in Golden Valley, 30^th January 1953. Charlie Smith is the Engineman, on the right, with various local dignitaries

0099

Last [public service] train in Golden Valley, 30^th January 1953. Mayor of Hereford Mr AE Farr is on the footplate. Standing left to right, AJ Jones [Guard], WR Stevens [Operating Superintendent, Newport], CHD Read [District Motive Power Superintendent], L Ibell [Fireman], C Smith [Driver], GWH Williams [Hereford City Treasurer], Alderman EW Langford, and TB Feltham [Hereford Town Clerk].

0100

Last [public service] train in Golden Valley, 30^th January 1953. Mayor of Hereford Mr AE Farr is on the footplate. On the platform, left is L Ibell, Fireman, and centre is Charlie Smith, Engineman.

0104

[Last ‘public service’ train in the Golden Valley, 30^th January 1953. Mayor of Hereford Mr AE Farr is in the Guards Van giving the all clear to depart.]

0105

[Last ‘public service’ train in the Golden Valley, 30^th January 1953. Mayor of Hereford Mr AE Farr is giving the all clear to depart.]

0106

[Press cutting Friday 6th February 1953: last train in Golden Valley. Mayor of Hereford Mr AE Farr is on the footplate. Standing left to right, AJ Jones [Guard], WR Stevens [Operating Superintendent, Newport], CHD Read [District Motive Power Superintendent], L Ibell [Fireman], C Smith [Driver], GWH Williams [Hereford City Treasurer], Alderman EW Langford, and TB Feltham [Hereford Town Clerk].]

0107

[Menu for dinner to mark the close of the Golden Valley Railway Line 18th February 1953]

0108

[Driving the last train, 30th January 1953; Driver C Smith and Fireman L Ibell.]

181

The last train, 30th January 1953; the Rector of Dorstone Rev George Powell with the Mayor of Hereford, Councillor AE Farr.

183

The last train [returning from Dorstone,] passing Pontrilas Signal Box, 30th January 1953

0102

Goods train July 1953, [after the official closure of the line to public traffic. The track remained open to Abbeydore and was used for a while to continue to service the Ministry of Defence Depot at Elm Bridge.]

119

Pontrilas Signal Box, c.1960

191

Pontrilas Station and forecourt in 1967. The station closed in 1964.

Observations:

Original photographs from a collection by CG Smith, Engineman on the Golden Valley Branch of the Great Western Railway from 1924 to c.1960. Reproduced by kind permission of his son, David Smith of Ewyas Harold.

Return to Index page for photographs of other stations on the Golden Valley Branch.