Set C397

These formations have been noted:

Formation Sources
1: Dave Warby

28th April 1990

51136 and 52059 (set C397) arrives at Llanbradach working the 09:50 Bargoed-Barry Island, 28/4/90. Gazza Prescott.

12th May 1990

The Monmouthshire Railway Society were renowned for their South Wales DMU tours which often had an ambitious itinerary but also reached the ends of the more unusual freight lines in the area as well. The railtour seen here is the "Caerwent Cannonball II" on May 12, 1990 which was formed of set C397 which had three brake vans, Class 116 DMBS 51136, Class 108 TBS 59248 and Class 116 DMBS 51133, and class 118 set C472 (51330 + 51315). Tour participants are seen wandering round within the dock sidings at Newport South Docks. A far cry from modern tours where alighting at the ends of freight branches is strictly forbidden. Adrian Nicholls.

12th May 1990

The MRS (Monmouthshire Railway Society) Caerwent Cannonball II railtour is seen at the BR limit of ownership on the Uskmouth branch on 12 May 1990. The train was formed of a 2-car class 118 and 3-car class 116/108 hybrid DMU's with 51136 seen closest here. The MRS were usually able to reach the end of such lines with their tours but in 1990 the section beyond here at the 2m 74ch point where the stop board was located still belonged to the CEGB (Central Electricity Generating Board) and was out of use. Uskmouth B Power Station was still in full production but had never been upgraded to receive Merry-go-Round coal trains. It had stopped taking coal by rail in 1984 delivered in vacuum brake wagons and switched to supply by road but the branch remained in situ mothballed hence the red rust here. Adrian Nicholls.

12th May 1990

I did all too little photography of the South Wales branches and my only pictures on the line from Lime Kiln Junction near Newport to Oakdale Colliery are those showing The Caerwent Cannonball 2 DMU tour that ran on 12 May 1990. My notes give no indication at all of the various locations visited so the captions are necessarily vague. Two DMUs, a two car Class 118 (51315/51330) and a three car Class 116/108 hybrid (51133/59248/51136), were used and a headboard was carried on each end to make life easier for the crew during the several reversals on the other branches covered during the day. The vista on the Oakdale branch opened out a bit at a few locations and the sun did manage to appear at times thoughout the afternoon. The hawthorn blossom is prominent in this view as the train receded from the camera. Peter Tandy.

12th May 1990

I did all too little photography of the South Wales branches and my only pictures on the line from Lime Kiln Junction near Newport to Oakdale Colliery are those showing The Caerwent Cannonball 2 DMU tour that ran on 12 May 1990. My notes give no indication at all of the various locations visited so the captions are necessarily vague. Two DMUs, a two car Class 118 (51315/51330) and a three car Class 116/108 hybrid (51133/59248/51136), were used and a headboard was carried on each end to make life easier for the crew during the several reversals on the other branches covered during the day. This was such a decent location that it seemed worthwhile to wait for the train to come back from Rhiw-Syr-Daffydd level crossing, the furthest point reached by the Caerwent Cannonball 2 on 12 May 1990. I just changed to an 85mm lens in order to give a slightly different viewpoint. Peter Tandy.

12th May 1990

Plenty of heads watching the way ahead as the Caerwent Cannonball 2 (51136/59248/51133 + 51330/51315) runs back towards Newport on 12 May 1990. The walker on the well-used track seemed to be more bemused by the sight of photographers on the bridge more than the presence of a train on the by then unused railway line. Peter Tandy.

16th March 1991

Class 108 DMU set C397 (53941 + 59383 + 53627) seen in Crewe station with the 07.34 Cardiff - Manchester service on 16 March 1991. Dave Warby.

16th March 1991

Class 108s in Crewe station on 16 March 1991, C397 (53627 + 59383 + 53941) with the 07.34 Cardiff - Manchester and on the left 54488. Dave Warby.

Do you have any images of the set you can add?