66127 passes through the village of Pantyffordd, north of Seven Sisters, en-route to onllwyn, working the 4O32 from Margam. The train will load with coal for the return journey to Immingham (6E09).

Tags:   66127 4O32 Margam Onllwyn Coal Empties Pantyfford Seven Sisters Dulais Valley South Wales

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A rare sight nowadays. The flat hill in the background is a coal tip adjacent to Nant Helen open cast coal mine seen at the former mining town of Seven Sisters, as 66127 quietly passes by hauling loaded coal (anthracite) in 21 HTA wagons on the 6E09 Onlwyn - Immingham. The loco will run round its train at Swansea Burrows and join the Swansea and District line to Briton Ferry where it will join the South Wales main line to Margam, prior to the long haul to Immingham.

Tags:   66127 6E09 Onllwyn Immingham Coal Train Seven Sisters South Wales

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A dump truck hauls coal (anthracite) to the Onllwyn wash plant mined from the nearby Nant Helen open pit. Meanwhile, 66127 reaches the end of the 16 mile stretch of line from Swansea Burrows with 21 HTA coal hoppers which will be loaded with coal for the return journey to Immingham (6E09).

Tags:   66127 Margam Onllwyn Coal Empties Dump Truck Anthracite Weslh Coal Bant Helen Pit Dulais Valley

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66127 approaches Onllwyn washery in frosty conditions at the end of the 16 mile stretch of line from Swansea Burrows, with 21 HTA coal hoppers in tow brought up from Margam (4O32). The train will load with coal for the return journey to Immingham (6E09).

It’s also the end of the line in terms of coal trains. Permission was granted by Powys Council to enable Celtic Energy to continue mining at the Nant Helen open pit until December 2021. There are currently 1-2 trains running per week hauling coal to Immingham and Scunthorpe. Whilst dump trucks are still bringing in coal to the wash plant from the pit, I suspect it is stockpiled coal as I gather the accessible coal reserves have been mined out. The only other coal mining operation in South Wales still active is at Cwmbargoed near Merthyr Tydfil. It’s days of operation are also numbered with its closure scheduled in September.

Tags:   66127 4O32 Margam Onllwyn Coal Empties HTA Wagons Nant Helen Pit Washery Celtic Energy Dulais Valley South Wales

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66155 gets ready to depart Onllwyn washery with 40 empty MEA wagons destined for Swansea Burrows, having discharged coal from Gwaun Cae Gurwen (GCG) for processing at the washery from two earlier workings (6O07 & 6O08) on the 6O10. These trains are now confined to the history books with the closure of East Pit near GCG in the Amman Valley.

Tags:   66155 6O10 Onlllwyn Washery Swansea Burrows Coal Empties MEA Wagons Dulais Valley South Wales

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