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Stempel:
Deutsche Feldpost
4. 4. 17 11-12V (04. April 1917 11-12 Vormittags)
a
III. Abteilung L. S. (?) Ersatz-Feldartl.-Regt. Nr. 45 (FAR 45)
Briefstempel
An:
Fräulein
Luddy (?) Kehrer
Bad Gottleuba
Markt 93
Abs: Kan(onier) A. Schüne (?) R P Ers Feld Artl.
Regt. Nr. 45, III Abt. Stab
Am 3.4.17
Mein liebes Frl.
Kehrer nebst Eltern !
Vor allen meinen
besten Dank für den
lieben Brief Es freut
mich, daß es Fr. Kehrer
wieder besser geht, ?
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar signs National Blueway designation for the Connecticut River. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Silvio O. Conte National Fish & Wildlife Refuge spans the length of the river (410 miles).
The Connecticut River is the first in the nation to be designated a Blueway.
Credit: USFWS
My contribution to our In Stitches sew along, January. The document duvet and photo file.
Blogged: www.africankelli.com
Mrs. Julia Utten Browne & Cautley papers, the detailed notes and costs of the marriage Settlement of Captain Harry Llewllyn Cautley and Dorothea Julia Beatrice Gertrude Browne from 1907 – 1915. Made by the Solicitors Pomeroy and Son of Wymondham, Norfolk.
Though the marriage took place on 3rd June 1908 the complexity of the Settlement, compounded by the death of the mother Mrs Julia Utten Browne, Lilly on the 8th October 1913 and that Dorothea was a Minor at the time of the Settlement and the marriage resulted in the matter having to go before the Courts twice. Also the search for Trustees.
An extreme example of how complex and detailed such a marriage settlement could be
Title: Alexander Graham Bell's Telephone Patent Drawing and Oath, 03/07/1876
Production Date: March 7, 1876
Alexander Graham Bell's Telephone Patent Drawing and Oath, 03/07/1876 (ARC ID 302052); Patented Case Files, 1836 - 1956; Records of the Patent and Trademark Office; Record Group 241; National Archives.
Persistent URL: arcweb.archives.gov/arc/action/ExternalIdSearch?id=302052
Access Restrictions: Unrestricted
Use Restrictions: Unrestricted
Project 2:3
Tutor's comment:
Well done, Anna, this is excellent work and this document will serve as a useful reference manual throughout your course. This brochure is very smartly presented and has a contents sheet and numbered pages. Some very good illustrations and explanations have been included.
Some of the images in the kitchen design section (the images of the units and kitchen appliances) are a little small . It would be better to have only 2 to a page.
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You can download big size, rare, historic Ottoman Palestine Pictures, Photographs, Illustrations, Maps and Ottoman Archives Documents
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LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 24: Comments in the Cutty Sark guest book written by descendants of Cutty Sark crew were united for the first time ever on board the historic clipper in Greenwich on May 24, 2012 in London, England. The families of 19 of the ship's former crew and key players in her history spanning six generations were traced by Cutty Sark's partners HSBC. The gathering included the only surviving children of a crew member, siblings Frank Dixon, 77, and Elizabeth Willbourn, 80, whose father, Thomas Frank Dixon served as Apprentice and Third Mate between 1885 and 1889. (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
www.newsroom.hsbc.co.uk/press/release/hsbc_unites_descend...
Documenting history for DoD only one function of the VISC
Story and photo by Lee Seung-bin
seungbin.lee@korea.army.mil
DAEGU GARRISON — While Google and Flickr may seem like the hottest search resources on earth, U.S. Army Garrison Daegu and the Southeast Hub can claim bragging rights to an equally useful and reliable source.
It is the Visual Information Support Center (VISC) on Camp Henry. A tiny agency, VISC has a huge mission. From documenting historical events, to missions encompassing high profile visits, serious crime/death scene investigation photography to Changes of Command and all official ceremonies.
According to Sgt. 1st. Class Tashoya Holmes, VI Installation Manager and Supervisor of the VISC, “We support tenant Units of Area IV. The VISC’s mission is to provide audio support, video/photo documentation of historical activities – as well as official events; such as VIP /DV visits, Change of Command ceremonies, support to CID/MPI for major accidents/incidents forensics photography for autopsies and field training/live fire/ documentation events. We support them all.”
There’s another aspect of support that the VISC that is also worth noting.
“The essence of what we do is report and capture history in the Army,: Holmes said. “We record and photograph then caption and archive the media next process is to, package it either for e-mail or for official mail to be sent to the Defense Imagery Management Operations Center (DIMOC) with a special identifier for use through history and to give higher ups at top level visibility on activities on the Korean Peninsula. From there, the material could be used in school books or pulled up for use on the history channel after Public Affairs pentagon level releases the imagery.”
Accomplishing the VISC mission is no easy feat. It’s work that requires dedication, attention to detail, and of course, imagination. Colorful unit posters and symbols are just two of the many things the VISC has to its credit. An illustrator with the Camp Henry Graphics Department, Mr. Yi, Hae-To displayed great pride in his work as a he shared what his duties are.
“Much of my work consists of designing logos for each of the 19th ESC organizations,” he said. “In addition to those duties, I also use computer graphics to support special events. There are some instances where I complete my tasks by hand. So, that’s why I believe creative thinking and originality are the two necessary things an individual should have if they work for VISC.”
The duties performed by the VISC are anything but routine.
“Another aspect of the VISC mission is to stay current with our training,” said Holmes. “VISC videographers and photographers record all scenes for the documentation of criminal incidents or serious vehicle/aircraft accidents for evidence—sort of like what you can see on television shows like CSI. In order to perform our duties at a supervisor standard, we regularly participate in training with our military police investigators.
“We do want to remind our customers that VISC also provides DA/Command, passport, and identification photos. Additionally, customers can request to borrow equipment to be used for Audio projects or presentations as well as graphic consultation for unit training, insignia and logos. We want to provide the best possible service to our customer. That’s our commitment to the Soldiers, and the USAG Daegu community.”
Agreement between Samuel Lewis Lloyd of Ramsgate, Accountant & Tomson Wotton Brewery. Samuel Lewis Lloyd was appointed Secretary of the Company. Dated 1st October 1908
"filigrana" del director Alvaro Muñoz Sanchez se rodara en las selvas del pacífico colombiano. Este documental es ganador de la convocatoria DOCtv Colombia y su resultado final se podrá ver al finalizar este año. El rodaje se llevará a cabo en el municipio de Barbacoas Nariño y contará la historia del oro, desde la mina hasta la joya, desde el minero artesanal hasta la draga, desde las toneladas de oro extraidas y exportadas en este territorio hasta el olvido al cual es sometida esta población.
Poock Ann Ellison Letters 4. Letter sent to Whites & co London from Ann Ellison dated 11th March 1887
In reply to a letter from the Solicitors Ann replies about her income, they have nothing… she earns about £12 per year for giving music lessons and her father allows them to live rent free in his house, at 1 Waterloo Plains.
She has 4 Children one 17 who she is educating to take up her teaching of Music, one of 16 though she has served apprenticeship as a Milliner her health is so delicate she may never work, one, a boy of 15 at Sea but dislikes it so much she will have to withdraw him from his apprenticeship and a girl aged 6. She states there is a cheap excursion to London Monday week and would it help if she and her father came to see them.
This diagram of a gas dugout is taken from the notebook of Lt A. A. Bowman please see previous slide). The notebook was used during an anti-gas training course. Dugouts were usually situated close to the trench line, often within or below the trench wall. The entrance to the dugout would often be draped with a gas curtain to keep out enemy gas, as shown in the diagram. Such protection could work both ways however; a soldier who entered the dug-out in the aftermath of a gas attack could carry the remnants of gas on his boots. The gas curtain would then prevent the gas escaping; it was not uncommon for all men in a dug-out to be gassed while sleeping as the result of gas inadvertently brought in by a colleague.
(University of Glasgow Archive Ref: DC77 2/2/3 p. 64b)
For more information on the Papers of Archibald Allan Bowman please see the catalogue:
Potential inspiration to get me balancing my checkbook. I agree with his ample purchasing of cider.
MSS 1078
Account book of George Choate, 1789-1823
Essex, Mass.
Lil Leland Alexander William Wilson born 4:46 AM 12/7/08
He was born on Easter Morning March 23rd, 2008 1:34 AM
www.legacy.com/niagara-gazette/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeSt...
and
www.funeralquestions.com/obits/lane/memorial.asp?listing_...
In my frolick with the pointed pen, I thought I would document all the nibs I had stashed away. My favorite I think right now is the Joseph Gillott's 170. I'm no expert but, for me, it was awesome. I recently purchased the adjustable rosewood oblique nib holder and it is really luxurious. www.paperinkarts.com
Note: During most of the period of operation of the BP&GVR the anglicised spellings of Welsh place names were in use, and for consistency are used in this article. The Company's registered name included the incorrect spelling Gwendreath due to an error by parliamentary draftsmen.
The Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway (BP&GVR) was a mineral railway company that constructed a railway line in Carmarthenshire, Wales, by conversion of a canal, to connect collieries and limestone pits to the sea at Kidwelly. It extended its network to include Burry Port, Trimsaran and a brickworks at Pwll, later extending to Sandy near Llanelli. For a time, the company worked the separate Gwendraeth Valleys Railway. The BP&GVR was notable because of the very low height of some overbridges, a legacy of the canal conversion.
It was completely dependent on the economy of the mineral industries it served, and due to the depression it was for many years in administration. In the final years of the nineteenth century, those industries developed considerably, and the fortunes of the BP&GVR improved as well, paying 10% dividends for several years, before absorption by the Great Western Railway in 1922.
For some time the line carried miners to their place of work, and their families to market, and from 1913 the Company carried the general public in passenger trains.
After 1945 mineral extraction in the area declined steeply; passenger operation ceased in 1953, and in the 1960s most of the network closed progressively as pits closed. The final short section at Kidwelly closed in 1998.
The BP&GVR system
Coal had been extracted in the area above Llanelly for centuries, but transport of the heavy mineral to market was difficult. Coastal shipping was essential to the process, although there were limited harbour facilities before the nineteenth century. Getting the coal from the hills to the coast was the problem.
About 1768, Thomas Kymer had built a canal to Pwll-y-Llygod, and a waggonway was constructed from the head of the canal there to pits at Carway a mile or so distant. The rails were of timber and the wagon wheels were flanged; it was probably opened in 1769.
In 1796 John Curr developed a plateway system, in which flat plates with an upstand for guidance could carry wagons with plain wheels.
The Stradey Estate near Llanelly had long been active in mining, and had constructed plateways; horse traction was used. The most important waggonway on the estate brought coal from a pit at Cille to Llanelly where small ships were beached for loading, as there was no proper wharfage at the time.
In 1804, the Carmarthenshire Railway was opened; it was an important plateway connecting coal pits near Cross Hands and ironworks to the harbour (which it developed itself) at Llanelly.
In 1812, the Kidwelly and Llanelly Canal and Tramroad Company was authorised by Parliament. As well as the main line of the canal, there were to be waggonways as feeders to the canal. Two waggonway branches, probably of 4 ft 2in gauge in connection with the Burry Port harbour, were completed in 1832. The waggonways were horse-operated; one ran north to Cwmcapel and the other east to Sandy, near Llanelly. At this point, it connected with the Cille Colliery waggonway on the Stradey Estate. Completion of the project was much delayed, taking until 1837, by which time railway technology was clearly overtaking canals as the dominant transport medium.
A powerful storm breached the main line near Sandy in 1846, and the low traffic volume was not considered to justify the expenditure of reinstatement. From then onwards, the line from Burry Port ended at a colliery and brickworks at Pwll. The company also had two short branch canals, which were extended by tramroads to the collieries at Trimsaran and Carway. The tramroads were owned by the respective collieries.
The main line of the canal up the Gwendraeth Fawr Valley reached Cwm Mawr at a considerable altitude, and the upper level had three inclined planes, with gradients of 1 in 13, 1 in 7 1⁄2 and 1 in 10 1⁄4. By 1865, the top portion of the canal above this last incline had become disused, and a tramroad was laid along the towpath.
Broad gauge railways
In 1844, the Great Western Railway (GWR) sponsored the South Wales Railway to build a broad gauge railway connecting Gloucester and the GWR network, with Fishguard, originally with the intention of forming a rail and ferry connection to Dublin. The line from Landore (Swansea) to Carmarthen opened on 11 October 1852. The GWR worked the line, and although the relationship was not always smooth, amalgamation followed on 1 August 1863. When the South Wales Railway line was opened, it crossed the tramroads to Pwll and Cwm Capel on the level.
There had been proposals for railways from Kidwelly into the Gwendraeth Fach Valley, but the powers lapsed without any construction taking place. But in 1864, a Bill was presented by the Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway to build two broad or mixed gauge branches from the GWR at Kidwelly. The Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway was a broad-gauge line friendly to the Great Western Railway. One of the proposed branches, known as the "Lime Line", was to be routed via Mynydd-y-Garreg to Velindre in the Gwendraeth Fach Valley; the other, known as the "Coal Line", was to cross the canal and the river Gwendraeth Fawr in an eastward direction and then curve north-eastwards via the Carway Colliery up the Gwendraeth Fawr Valley to Coalbrook. The Coal Line was thrown out in Parliament, but the Lime Line was authorised by the Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway Act of 28 April 1864. A second attempt at the Coal Line was made in the following session of Parliament, and this time it was authorised by the Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway (Kidwelly Extension) Act of 29 June 1865. However, the C&CR found itself unable to raise the capital authorised, and it never reached Cardigan, nor built the branch.
As part of the financial solution, the two Kidwelly branches were transferred to a new company: the Gwendraeth Valleys Railway (GVR), authorised by Act of 30 July 1866. This new concern duly completed a short length of the Lime Line to Mynydd-y-Garreg, and this opened to broad gauge traffic in 1868. A short section of the earthworks for the Coal Line was completed, but then this line was abandoned.
Converting the canal
At this time, there were also movements to revive the old Carmarthenshire Railway; this had been built as a plateway in 1804, bringing down minerals from Cross Hands to a harbour at Llanelly. The Llanelly Railway and Dock Company had opened a line from Llanelly to serve pits in the Cwmamman area, also reaching Cross Hands and extending to Llandeilo. In 1861, the LR&D obtained Parliamentary authority to extend from Llandeilo to Carmarthen, and the line opened to goods trains in 1864.
Coupled with the Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway, these schemes represented a definite competitive threat to the Kidwelly and Llanelly Canal and Tramroad Company, and it submitted a Parliamentary Bill to convert the obsolescent canal system to a railway. The Bill received the Royal Assent on 5 July 1865; the Canal Company was to change its name to The Kidwelly and Burry Port Railway Company (K&BPR). It was to absorb Kymer's canal and build 18 1⁄2 miles of new railways: from Burry Port to a junction with the Mountain Branch of the Llanelly Railway and Dock company at Llanarthney, and a second main line to Cross Hands Colliery. The authorised capital for the project was £120,000, of which £72,400 represented the purchase price of the canal system; as out-dated technology threatened by viable competitors, this was a huge over-valuation.
The new railway system was closely connected with the Burry Port Harbour Company, with which it shared many directors, and the decision was taken to combine the two companies. This was done by a further Act of 30 April 1866, vesting the Burry Port Harbour in the K&BPR and changing the name of the combined undertaking to the Burry Port and Gwendreath Valley Railway. The harbour company's share and loan capital of £85,000 was added to that of the K&BPR. The Company's Parliamentary legal advisors included the misspelling of Gwendreath in the deposited documents, and it was under that name that the Company was authorised. The Company seems not to have noticed the error for two years, but the opportunity to correct the matter was not taken in an Act obtained in 1868, nor in six later Acts.
A contractor, Frederick Furness, was appointed on 9 July 1868, and he was prepared to take part of the payment for his services in preference shares. The canal was closed and the line was laid as far as possible on the towpath. Under certain bridges, the line was laid at a lower level than the towpath, necessitating short downgrades to pass under; nonetheless, the headroom at overbridges was very restricted, leading to problems later. At the locks quite steep gradients were employed to accommodate the change of level. The track was laid with flat bottom rails weighing 50 to 60 lbs per yard, spiked directly to the sleepers.
With the canal closed it was obviously essential to make the conversion and open the railway quickly, and the line was officially opened as far as Pontyberem on 23 June 1869.[note 3] It had cost £33,841 to build, excluding the cost of acquisition of the canal. The short Carway branch opened about the end of 1870 and that to the Star Colliery at Trimsaran followed in June 1872. The opening of the main line and these branches encouraged the revitalisation of several pits in the area, by reducing the cost of transport of the mineral to market; however, this effect was accompanied by some closures as well. The main line was completed to the foot of the Hirwaen Isaf incline, a mile short of Cwm Mawr in 1870.
Mason and Elkington Ltd owned a copper works at Burry Port, and acquired the Pool (or Pwll) colliery in 1865. They started converting an old canal tramroad from Burry Port to Pool into a railway; the work took at least until 1867. The same company converted the old Cwm Capel waggonway to a railway in 1876. It was not directly connected to the BP&GVR, but was accessed through the docks and the GWR line.
Early operation[edit]
The BP&GVR was simply a mineral railway (general merchandise was carried too) and operated without signalling.
In December 1869, the BP&GVR tried out a double Fairlie locomotive, named Pioneer, which had been constructed for a Swedish railway but not delivered to them. The trial was very successful and the company purchased the locomotive for £1,822, renaming it Mountaineer. A second double Fairlie was acquired soon after.
The BP&GVR obtained a further Act of Parliament on 18 July 1872 authorising the raising of additional capital and the construction of a branch to Kymer's Quay at Kidwelly. The extra capital was to be £97,000, though only £2,200 was actually taken up; borrowing was permitted and this was activated. The 2 1⁄4 mile section to Kidwelly Quay was opened in June 1873. However, serious silting of the harbour meant that little use was made of it by shipping, and the railway activity was correspondingly limited.
The neighbouring Gwendraeth Valleys Railway had reopened in 1872 as a standard gauge line from the GWR at Kidwelly to Mynydd-y-Garreg. Relations between the GVR and the BP&GVR became strained for a time over the supposedly inadequate working by the BP&GVR of GVR traffic to the Quay, but matters later improved. The GVR was worked by the BP&GVR by agreement of 30 November 1876; the GVR only had one locomotive, and this was taken into BP&GVR stock.
On 17 July 1880, the West of England Bank failed, and the financial aftermath resulted in the Pontyberem Colliery also failing. This loss of the major customer of the line resulted in the BP&GVR not making enough income to pay debenture interest, and it was referred to the Court of Chancery; on 29 July 1881, the company was in receivership.
From at the latest June, 1883 passenger excursions were run from time to time, in most cases from the collieries to the seaside. This was not a regular passenger service and the passenger vehicles were probably ordinary coal wagons. No fares were charged, the trip being free for the miners and their families. Excursion trains are known to have run to Pontnewydd dating back to the 1870s in connection with the eisteddfods held in the grounds of Glyn Abbey.
However, a workmen's service was started before the end of 1898, from Burry Port and calling at Trimsaran Road bridge at Morfa to pick up miners who had walked there from Kidwelly. When the Kidwelly branch was relaid with stronger track as far as Tycoch Junction where the Gwendraeth Valley line connected, a workmen’s' trains ran from Tycoch Bridge, about half a mile from the centre of Kidwelly.
As well as the miners' train every weekday, a Thursday market train was run to Llanelly, chiefly for the wives and families. The miners paid for their travel by deduction from their wages rather than by ticket, and the families visiting the market paid a charge per parcel brought home. No doubt this was considered to overcome Board of Trade rules about commercial passenger operation and the payment of passenger duty.
Extensions, but in receivership
The mainline was finally completed to Cwm Mawr in June 1886 (although Miller mentions several other dates put forward by other sources). The heritage of the canal inclined planes meant that the ruling gradient on the extension to Cwm Mawr was 1 in 14.
There was a gap of only 1 1⁄2 miles between the BP&GV at Pwll and the Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr Railway at Sandy, and a connection, enabling BP&GVR traffic to reach Llanelly harbour, was proposed. In early 1889, the L&MMR was approached to see if it would agree to the connection, and the outcome was that the L&MMR offered to purchase the BP&GVR instead. At the time, the BP&GVR was still heavily indebted and the purchase would have cleared the debts. The existing shares in the company were almost worthless, but acceptance of the offer would have realised that unpalatable fact, and after some hesitation, the offer was put in abeyance in 1890. Instead, a financial reconstruction was arranged, in which many shareholders received reduced holdings and debenture holders lower interest rates; arrears of interest were cancelled. The scheme was accepted and the former £373,000 issued capital of the company was reduced to £148,000. This enabled the company to apply to be released from receivership and this took place on 5 July 1895. The company soon found itself unable to pay the current interest, however, and it was returned to receivership on 6 February 1896. This second period lasted until release on 29 July 1898. For the half-year ended 30 June, 1899 preference shareholders received a dividend of 2 1⁄2%, although ordinary shareholders had to wait.
The Sandy to Pwll connection was proceeded with, authorised by Act of 28 July 1891
Passenger operation
On 3 September 1903, there was a collision between a light engine and one of the workmen's trains. The Board of Trade wrote to the company on 23 September, warning of the "responsibility incurred by your company in carrying persons in this manner without the proper safeguards adopted for passenger lines". Lt Col Yorke of the Board of Trade visited the line by invitation to discuss what the proper safeguards might be, and he advised that the Board of Trade "could not recognise the practice of carrying outsiders..."
From the careful wording, it is evident that the carrying of workmen was condoned, but that it had come to light that the company had been improperly permitting the carriage of members of the general public. The company continued running the workmen's trains.
At the same time, local people were demanding the operation of a public passenger service on the line; an outlay of £8,500 was calculated to be necessary to enable that, and the work was deferred. However, public opinion was insistent and the Company noted that the Light Railway Acts permitted the authorisation of passenger operation as a light railway on an existing line. To ensure that they made use of relevant experience, the Company consulted Holman Fred Stephens (later Colonel Stephens), who had much experience in the field. Stephens produced a report and waited on the Directors at a meeting on 13 July 1908; his estimate confirmed the £8,500 previously arrived at.
The scheme gathered pace, and new, heavier, rails were ordered together with a new locomotive and signalling equipment. Ten second-hand coaches were acquired from the Metropolitan Railway. On 30 June 1909, the Light Railway Order was confirmed by the Board of Trade, and the passenger service was inaugurated on 2 August 1909. As well as the mainline, the branch to Ty Coch was included. The mainline operation was as far as Pontyberem, although a petition had been received from residents at Cwm Mawr for a service; the incremental cost of that would have been £4,000, and there were formidable gradients on that section. Public stations were at Burry Port (immediately south of the GWR Pembrey & Burry Port station), Pembrey, Pinged, Trimsaran Road, Pontnewydd (renamed Glyn Abbey in 1910), Pontyates, Ponthenry, and Pontyberem.
The possibility of extension of passenger operation to Cwm Mawr was revisited; considerable new earthworks were required to ease the gradient to 1 in 40, and an estimate of £4,844 for the work was arrived at. The proposal was ratified and the necessary Light Railway Order was confirmed by the Board of Trade on 4 October 1911. Three former London and South Western Railway six-wheel coaches were acquired to be converted to four-wheelers.
Cwm Mawr was to be supplied with water and electricity from the New Dynant Anthracite Colliery company. Passenger services started on 29 January 1913. Another halt was opened to serve Glynhebog Colliery, probably in 1898 when the passenger service was extended to Cwmmawr.
After the introduction of authorised passenger trains from 2 August 1909, the workmen's trains on the mainline became regular service trains; however, the Ponthenry and Pentremawr Colliery halts for the collieries were not shown in the public timetable, and only certain trains stopped there. The halt at Trimsaran Road became a regular stopping place, and additional halts were opened to serve other collieries at Trimsaran Junction and Carway Colliery Sidings (between Glyn Abbey and Pontyates). Workmen's trains continued to run to Tycoch on the Kidwelly branch but these were not shown in the public timetable.
The twentieth century
In the first years of the twentieth century, the production of anthracite in the area served by the railway increased very considerably, and the fortunes and profitability of the company rose correspondingly. 10% dividends were paid on ordinary shares in certain years in the period.
At the end of 1903, the Gwendraeth Valleys Railway Company approached the BP&GVR with the intention of selling their concern; the BP&GVR negotiated but an acceptable price could not be agreed, and the Gwendraeth Valleys Railway later sold its line to the Kidwelly Tinplate Company for £3,000, effective from the end of 1904. The new owner immediately procured a locomotive and gave three months' notice to terminate the working arrangement (whereby the BP&GVR worked the GVR); this took place in March 1904.
Burry Port declined as a port, with collieries preferring to forward coal to Swansea Docks, where larger ships and mechanical handling facilities meant that the mineral could be dealt with more efficiently. More wagons were being sent away over the GWR mainline, and the exchange sidings at Burry Port became congested with loaded wagons waiting to be taken forward and empties returning to the collieries. Some traffic was diverted to join the GWR at Kidwelly via Tycoch; previously, this route had only been used for coal travelling on towards West Wales. A triangular junction was formed at Kidwelly Junction by the installation of a south-to-west curve, known as the Kidwelly Loop; this enabled direct running from Llanelly and Pwll to Kidwelly GWR; it was laid by 1909. At the same time, silting of the Gwendraeth estuary led to the little quay at Kidwelly being much less used after 1920, and it is believed that the last traffic to use it before closure in October 1929 was roadstone. The track from Tycoch Junction to the quay was recovered in 1933.
In January 1913 the designation of up and down directions was reversed; it had been "up" to Burry Port, but now it was "up" to Cwm Mawr; the reason for the change is not clear, but "up" was now uphill.
Sale to the Great Western Railway
The Railways Act 1921 was passed by the Government and resulted in most of the railways of Great Britain being "grouped" into four large concerns. The Great Western Railway was to be one of the groups, and therefore, it was to absorb many smaller lines in its geographical area. The BP&GVR had already been considering a sale to the GWR, and the excellent profitability of the little line now meant that a good price could be negotiated. The proposed GWR Scheme of Absorption received approval by the BP&GV Board on 20 March 1922, and an Extraordinary Shareholders' Meeting was held on 10 July. The Railway Amalgamation Tribunal of 24 July 1922 ratified the scheme, which was backdated to 1 July 1922 for administrative purposes. The BP&GVR network was now simply a part of the GWR.
The terms for shareholders agreed with the GWR were for 10 GWR preference shares to be exchanged for each of the 3,312 BP&GV preference shares, and for 143 GWR ordinary shares to replace every 10 BP&GV ordinary shares.
After 1923
Kymers Quay had long been moribund due to silting and the inability to handle modern, larger vessels and the BP&GVR branch to the Quay closed beyond Tycoch Junction in October 1929.
A new passenger halt called Craiglon Bridge Halt was opened on 1 February 1932.
The Cwm Capel branch at Burry Port had long been worked by the locomotives of the Pembrey Copper Works. Crossing the GWR mainline on the level, it was worked by the GWR after 1898. In the 1920s traffic declined, and Cwm Capel colliery closed in 1931. After that date, there was little traffic on the branch after 1931. In 1932 the signal box controlling the crossing of the branch over the mainline (Snook's Crossing) was closed, the crossing is protected by a ground frame. The track on the Cwm Capel branch remained for a time in case the colliery re-opened but was eventually lifted in 1940.
During World War II women were employed on various duties to alleviate staff shortages; at one time on the BP&GV section there was a woman porter and several women signallers, and at one period there were women operating all the signal boxes except Ty Mawr and Cwmmawr. They found that some of the point levers were difficult to operate, especially those at Dock Junction and Kidwelly Junction boxes, with each lever working both the points and the locking.
The railways of Great Britain were nationalised in 1948, and from 1 January, were part of British Railways.
Consideration of the closure to passengers had started in January 1951. It was found that during 1949 that 71,397 passenger journeys were recorded; passenger receipts came to £1,499, stated to result in a loss of £1,144 for the year. The intention to close was announced; objections were received: the main objections were that the inhabitants of Glyn Abbey and Pontnewydd would be left without any alternative bus service, and the 9.30 pm train from Burry Port was being replaced by a motor bus leaving at 10.00 pm which it was claimed arrived at the Capel Ifan Slant too late for the miners starting their shift at 11.00 pm. Arrangements were made to deal with the objections and the last passenger trains ran on Saturday, 19 September 1953.
From 1953 opencast coal extraction gathered pace in the Gwendraeth Valley, and this coupled with economic factors, gradually led to the closure of most of the deep mines. By 1961 only the Capel Ifan Colliery at Pontyberem continued deep mining, and that pit ceased to forward coal by rail in 1970.
The Sandy branch connected the BP&GVR to the Llanelly and Mynydd Mawr Railway near Llanelly. At the eastern end, it divided into two and curved round to the south; one part joined the Stradey estate line and the other the L&MMR line; with the closure of the Pwll brickwork, all traffic between Burry Port and Sandy Gate sidings ceased from 4 October 1962. Sandy Gate sidings were simply located on a short stub now served from Sandy, and that too closed on 22 December 1963.
The Trimsaran branch closed to revenue traffic in 1960, but it was retained for wagon storage until June 1962. Goods traffic to Pwll Brickworks ended on 4 October 1962. Regular traffic to Smart's Dinas Silica Brickworks at Kidwelly ceased in February 1959, after which the Kidwelly branch was little used, and was closed in October 1965.
The section from Kidwelly Junction to Kidwelly closed in October 1965 but reopened after relaying on 19 September 1983.
Diesel traction was inaugurated on the BP&GVR section on 4 October 1965. Two D2000 class (later 03 class) locomotives were modified to work together in multiple, and soon a third was used to bank the trains up the steep gradients in the rear of the train. On the downhill journey, the three locomotives hauled the train. The cabs were cut down to pass under the low bridges on the line. The original reason for the use of the 03 class was the frequent flooding on the line which would interfere with the low-slung auxiliary equipment on the more powerful 08 class; however, in June 1984 the affected section of line was closed and there was no longer an objection to the 08 class; three locomotives were modified to lower the profile for the low bridges and were designated class 08/9.
The short section from the New Dynant North ground frame to the Cwmmawr terminus was closed on 1 May 1967, although the coal depot at New Dynant continued to be referred to as Cwmmawr.
The Kidwelly branch beyond Coed Bach was re-opened (after relaying the track) on 19 September 1983 and for the first time, large mainline locomotives were able to use this short section of the BP&GV as far as Coed Bach. The re-opening enabled the original section of line from Burry Port to Kidwelly Junction to be completely closed, from 19 September 1983. The remaining line was now worked in two sections: Kidwelly yard to Coed Bach and Coed Bach to Cwmmawr (New Dynant). From February 1987 substitute locomotives capable of operating air-braked wagons were introduced on the line,
The very last train to Cwmmawr ran on Friday 29 March 1996, so the closure of this remaining section of the BP&GV mainline took place on 1 April 1996. Coed Bach continued to be fed by road, so there was still rail traffic over the short distance from there to Kidwelly yard. This remaining stub of the BP&GV, and also of the GVR, finally closed on 23 March 1998.
Preservation
There has been some discussion of preserving the railway however, the tight clearances and light construction of the line would be a problem. The costs however of preserving the entire line were, at that time, prohibitive. Parts of the route can be walked as part of the Pontiets (formerly Pont Yates) mining heritage trail and the section between Burry Port and Craiglon Bridge Halt is now a footpath/cycleway. Preservation of the railway at Pontyates has now begun. Much of the group's railway stock is in storage at the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway.
Only one Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway locomotive still exists today into preservation. The last survivor is BP&GV No.2 Pontyberem, an 0-6-0ST built by Avonside Engine Company in 1900. It is in need of an overhaul and is being restored to working order. The engine was sold off by the Great Western Society and is now in private hands, currently residing at the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway.
BP&GVR.png
File name: 10_03_000702b
Binder label: Soap
Title: B. T. Babbitt's "1776" New York [back]
Date issued: 1870-1900 (approximate)
Physical description: 1 print : chromolithograph ; 11 x 7 cm.
Genre: Advertising cards
Subject: Boys; Paintings; Household soap
Notes: Title from item.
Collection: 19th Century American Trade Cards
Location: Boston Public Library, Print Department
Rights: No known restrictions.
Source: Scan of original document.
Set: OSM01-EPH.
Date: 31st May 1926.
Repository: From the collection of Mr Osman.
Local Studies at Swindon Central Library.
Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, Bicycle and Tricycle Club, Chess Club, Rowing Club, Swimming Club, Meyrick Park Golf Club, Bournemouth Golf Club, Bournemouth Football Club
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Photo: Documenting Yes / Simon Baker
August 26, 1954
To Mr. Henry Ford II, President
Dear Mr. Ford:
I have been driving Fords continuously since 1929, and we have had Ford convertibles since 1941. We believe in the use of standard production models. Up until now we have been able to find one acceptable anonymous model.
The following is what we could consider as an anonymous model – one we would like to buy now:
Black Convertible, natural top, minimum of advertising signs and symbols attached – preferably none.
The interior: simple neutral tan leather or good neutral color synthetic material – no two-tones – preferably matching tan paint on interior metal, but would accept black if that is standard.
We have needed a new car for some time, but have been unable to obtain any assurance from our local agent that our requirements are in any way possible to fulfill. On a recent visit to the Alexander Girards in Santa Fe, we were advised by them that our only recourse was to write to you directly and that by so doing we would undoubtedly obtain the information we cannot obtain here. We are taking the liberty of following the Girards’ advice, and trust that this letter will be channeled by your office to the appropriate department.
Thank you for the many positive things that bear the name of Ford.
Sincerely,
Charles Eames
The hand-written draft on the left generally follows the text of the typed letter, but also includes the following sentence at the bottom:
We find the forced, no alternative garish décor revolting and dictatorship-like.
Eames' plea to Henry Ford II was unsuccessful, and for the rest of his life, he bought Mercedes Benz products.
(the above letter as shown at the Eames show at the London Design Museum in 1999)