Description:

PONTRILAS:
The War Years: 1939 to 1945

0145

Pontrilas Loco  [Engine] Shed winter 1938-39

92

Engine No 5818 outside Pontrilas Shed, May 1939

93

Engine No 5818 inside Pontrilas Shed, 1939

0211

Pontrilas Station, winter 1938-39

0213

Pontrilas Yard. [taken from the footplate; winter 1938-39?]

0220

RG Virgo at Pontrilas Valley Bridge [July 1940]

0222

Repairs and strengthening at Pontrilas Valley Bridge [July 1940]

0223

Repairs and strengthening at Pontrilas Valley Bridge [July 1940]

0224

Repairs and strengthening at Pontrilas Valley Bridge [July 1940]

0225

Repairs and strengthening at Pontrilas Valley Bridge [July 1940]

0226

Repairs and strengthening at Pontrilas Valley Bridge [July 1940]

0227

Repairs and strengthening at Pontrilas Valley Bridge [July 1940]

0229

Repairs and strengthening at Pontrilas Valley Bridge [July 1940]

0230

Repairs and strengthening at Pontrilas Valley Bridge [July 1940]

0231

Repairs and strengthening at Pontrilas Valley Bridge [July 1940]

0232

Repairs and strengthening at Pontrilas Valley Bridge [July 1940]

0081

Some of the staff at Pontrilas Station. Seated left to right, Driver Dick Trapp, Hilda, Driver Charlie Smith, Mary. Standing left to right, Jack Parker [of Pontypool Road], Guard George Lewis, Lorry Driver Len Brown, M.O.S. Checker Sid Hope, Jimmy Watkins Booking Clerk, George Jones Guard. [?1940s]

0083

Yankee engine [?at Pontrilas]. These were in use in the country during part of the second war before going overseas. [1940s]

0085

From Pontrilas Signal Box looking towards the Station. Bert Sprackling [signalman] nearest to camera. Note three arm signal after big alterations at Pontrilas – wartime snap [1940s?]

0087

Pontrilas Signal Box [?1940s]

0089

Clearing snow [Pontrilas January 1940?]

118

Pontrilas Goods Yard in the 1940’s. taken from the footplate of the Golden Valley Branch goods train in its bay at the station.

0090

Water tank outside Pontrilas Engine Shed, January 1940

0092

Pontrilas Engine Shed January 1940

9927

GWR Engine No 359 “Hilda” taken when the engine was standing at the back of Pontrilas Engine Shed on 25th December 1940.

9929

GWR Engine No 359 “Hilda” taken when the engine was standing at the back of Pontrilas Engine Shed on 25th December 1940.

9932

GWR Engine No 359 “Hilda” taken when the engine was standing at the back of Pontrilas Engine Shed on 25th December 1940.

9934

GWR Engine No 359 “Hilda” taken when the engine was standing at the back of Pontrilas Engine Shed on 25th December 1940.

0075

10.25 am mixed train Hay to Pontrilas on arrival at Pontrilas station 6th August 1941. Engine No. 5818, Engineman C Smith; Fireman C Davies; standing by engine Mr O Marshall [passenger]; Guard G Lewis

96

A Wickham petrol driven engineers’ trolley leaving Pontrilas yard in 1940 with a gang to strengthen culverts on the line up to the Royal Ordnance Depot sidings.

98

Strengthening a culvert near Pontrilas Shed in 1940 – 41 [to permit heavier locomotives to run to the Elm Bridge ordnance depot.]

99

Engine No 359 “Hilda” at the back of Pontrilas Shed in 1941. The engine was on loan to the contractors building the Elm Bridge Ordnance Depot. Notes on back of photograph show: LMM “Hilda”; GW 359: Bt. [?Hads] Clarke (1214); 1917. GW Diag. B34; O.C. 15”x22’;  3’7 ½ “ wlb; 160 lb press.; TE 15475 lbs.

100

Engine No 359 “Hilda” at the back of Pontrilas Shed in 1941. The engine was on loan to the contractors building the Elm Bridge Ordnance Depot.

103

10.25 am mixed train from Hay at Pontrilas Station, 1941. Engineman C Smith, Fireman C Davies, passenger mr O Marshall, Guard C Lewis and assistant checker.

105

Pontrilas Yard 1941. Fireman Crabbe [Lydney] posing on timber from Vowchurch. In the background, materials in the wagons are waiting to be sent for construction work at the Ordnance Depot at Elm Bridge.

0096

Engineman Dick Trapp working the 10.30 am down ‘Pick Up’ Hereford to Pontypool Road [during second war] standing beside engine in Pontrilas Down Refuge Siding before the refuge Siding was made into a running loop. [?1942]

0123

Pontrilas Goods Yard during the early part of the second War. Note [?Macaw B?] loaded with long bars of clean steel for use in the early stages of building the Ordnance Storage Depot at Pontrilas. [1940s]

0125

Pontrilas Station during second war. On left, Guard George Lewis, on right Station Master Mr Bowen. [?1940s]

0166

Unloading large stone at Twin Arch Cattle Creep between Pontrilas Station and the Branch Engine Shed to replace soil washed out by severe flooding [Second War, ?1940s]

0176

Unloading large stone , twin arch bridge beween Pontrilas Station and Engine Shed on the Branch in the Second War. At back, left to right, [?] Watkins, Frank Williams, Arthur Brookes, Fred Pitt. In front, wearing Trilby, [?Alfred] King, Permanent Way Inspectors Clerk, Abergavenny. In cap [side view] Bill Stratford, Golden Valley Branch. [?1940s]

0168

Engineman Dick Trapp of Pontrilas on the footplate of engine 3808 when working the Down Hereford to Pontypool Road “Pick Up” during the second war. Photo taken at Pontrilas. [?1940s]

0178

[At Pontrilas Station] Bill Ward, Pontypool Road, learning the road; Fred Thomas, Pontypool Road, Guard of the Pick Up; George Jones, Guard at Pontrilas [?1940s]

0181

Pontrilas Station; second war snap. Branch train standing in the Front road. [?1940s]

0187

Double headed Down “middle day” express passing through Pontrilas. Taken probably in the early part of the second War, certainly before big alterations and before the Up Loop was made. Note empty coal wagon standing against the stop block in the Yard Shunting Spur, which held 11 wagons clear of the turnout to Up Main. [?1940]

0127

Pontrilas Station: Abergavenny Linesman talking to his mate in the coach. [?1940s]

0129

Pontrilas – part of the Yard before alterations. Bracket signal off, from Bay to Shunting Spur. [?1940s]

0131

Pontrilas Signal Box. In doorway [?], centre Bob Walker, right George Jones, in window Alf Badham [?1940s]

0133

Pontrilas Stration – some of the staff, second War [?1940s]. Seated left to right; Dick Trapp, Mary, Hilda [two sisters], Jim Watkins the Booking Clerk, Len Brown [lorry driver], Jack Parker [porter ex Pontypool Road].

Standing, left to right Raymond Smith, Fireman; George Lewis, Guard; Mrs ?; Sid Hope, M.O.S. checker; George Jones.

Note new 3 positions Up Home Signal.

0161

Pontrilas Station Summer 1945. Standing, Jack Parker, George Lewis, Len Brown, Sid Hope,Jim Watkins, G Jones. Seated, Dick Trapp, Hilda, C Smith, Mary.

0135

At Pontrilas Outer Home Up Signal looking towards Pontrilas Station [?1940s]

0137

View taken from Kenderchurch Churchyard gate [engineering train standing]. Gang of men [seen over corner of New [?] farm house] are laying timbers under the line in connection with temporary narrow gauge line used under the Up and Down main lines when the Up Loop line at Pontrilas was made, c.1941

0183

Surveying for the new Up Loop at Pontrilas c.1941

0209

Laying timbers under main line near Pontrilas previous to excavation for the Down Loop at Pontrilas, c. 1941

0191

Golden Valley branch line on the left. Surveyor taking levels previous to making Up Loop at Pontrilas, c.1941

0141

Laying timbers under main line near Pontrilas previous to excavations for Up and Down loops at Pontrilas, c.1941

0193

Strengthening culvert near Pontrilas Engine Shed during the Second War for large engines to work over the section of the line from Pontrilas to the Old Depot [Elm Bridge] [?1941]

0195

Strengthening culvert near Pontrilas Engine Shed during the Second War for large engines to work over the section of the line from Pontrilas to the Old Depot [Elm Bridge] [?1941]

0197

Mechanical trolley and trailer with gang of men leaving Pontrilas for work on the Golden Valley branch line.

0199

Diesel locomotive for use at the Ministry of Supply depot, Pontrilas, on the Down Hereford to Pontypool Road “Pick Up”, standing in the Down Refuge Siding at Pontrilas, before the refuge was made into a running loop. [?1940s]

0201

Pontrilas Signal Box; signalman Arthur Jones in the old days when Arthur smoked a pipe and “St Bruno” [tobacco]. [?1940s]

0203

Pontrilas; Golden Valley Branch Line Brake Van [?1940s]

0205

Pontrilas; Branch goods train approaching Pontrilas station after passing the Engine Shed. Photograph taken from footplate when the engine was running. [?1940s]

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.