The Cab Yard at Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway
The South Wales Loco Cab reservation Group was established in 2012 by Richard Benyon quite by accident with no plan or design just an eager appetite for saving train cabs from scrap yards. At first, it was a passion to save a cab purely for the sake of nostalgia, due to growing up in the 1970s and being a young train spotter spending endless hours trackside on the South Wales main line at Llantrisant Yard watching Class 25, 31, 37, 45,46,47 52s and eventually the 252, 253s and many DMUs.
A road trip to the midlands in 1986 ended up at Vic Berrys Yard in Leicester where the view over the fence was of a mountain of scarp locomotives and another pile of cabs, as seen in Carl’s pictures above. It was the cabs that sparked the interest and the desire to save one. (or more)
Saving a cab from Vic Berrys wasn’t possible as they closed not long after due to a fire, other opportunities came and went. Sights we then set on an AC electric loco cab and after a number of visits to Crewe Electric depot is was clear that many of these early 81s to 85s would be going soon. The 81s when to Coopers in Sheffield and Booths in Rotherham and were cut very quickly, with no internet the only information came from Railway Magizeens but it was always too late by the time they were published.
The final attempt took me to MC Metals in Glasgow where to my delight was a very approachable chap Jim McWilliams the owner of MC Metals who was willing to sell me a cab and in the yard was 83009 just about to be cut, unfortunately, he wasn’t allowed to sell the cab as there was some agreement with BR for the full disposal.
In the yard was a lineup of Class 45s and having been brought up with these great locomotives it was decided I would have a Peak cab! A day was spent going from one to another listing what parts were missing and what parts were needed and the winner was 45128, that day I was able to find all the parts I needed to complete the cab, other than the master controller and the deal was done the cab, both flame-cut names and the flame cut number £400.00. Cardiff transport back loaded it to Newport for £200.00 and R&E Plant Hire dropped it to Llantrisant for £100.00. We didn’t have a lot of money so my wife gave me our savings that were being put aside for a new three-piece suite
After keeping the cab and restoring it with members of the Bridgend Valleys Railway it became difficult to find a home for it and after some years I decided to sell it and in the end donated it to the Cotswold Diesel Group in exchange for shares in 45149. My cab became a lifeline in restoring 149 as it was complete and provided many valuable spares.
After many years without cabs, an opportunity came along to buy an office for our family business an office with a car park, and for the first time in my life a place to keep a cab. my decision was made another cab! this time a Western Region namer so the hunt was on and after a year of searching 47767 was being delivered to Booths, in old money 47086 Colossus a regular through Llantrisant in the day! The cab was stripped but I was having it regardless it was going in my car park. A deal was done with Booths the cab end was selected. Unfortunately, they cut the wrong end off but nevertheless I was very pleased. I needed to find spares so called into Nemises at Barrow Hill only to find an old Fragenset 47 simulator in the form of 47973 in the compound ex 47034 and it was complete inside but was missing the horn cover so water had been running through for years. A deal was done and I had them both.
Another opportunity arose the chance to buy a warehouse right next to the main line at Margam with some land so a decision was made to move the cabs to storage while the contacts were being prepared and the cabs were taken to Ward Jones Self Storage for safe keeping, the car park was now being used for cars as it should and the cabs were safe. Unfortunately, the purchase of the warehouse fell through.
So now I have two Class 47 cabs in storage and I am advised that 45128s cab is being disposed of after 20 years I ask for it back, what’s left of it and its given. It’s now added to the collection at Ward Jones Storage it would seem we now have a collection of cabs 3 in total! So I agreed with Ward Jones to take on a small area in the yard for my cabs and moved them together.
This was the beginning of “The South Wales Loco Cab Preservation Group” there were four of us my Brother, my nephew, my best mate, and me and it was very exciting.
I remembered years before the garden in Stockport with all of the cabs and wondered if Mel Thorley would sell me the Class 25 cab he had. I didn’t know the address so I wrote a letter to Mel Thorley “The house in Stockport with the full of trains”, well done to the post office it got to him I get a call from Mel and within a week we had done a deal for them all, 25, 45,47 and 50 cabs, the 47 and 50 cabs were wanted by others 47100 and 50046 so I agreed to take 45140 and Ethel 2 but I would extract them all along with the Class 40 and 20 nose ends.
Our group is going great now we are working on the cabs weekly and I find out from a mate that The DPS is looking to sell 55021s cab. This was such a great opportunity that I had to make contact and see if we could get it for the SWLCPG. A letter of introduction was sent and I was excited to say that we did come to an agreement to purchase the cab and bring it from Barrow Hill to South Wales.
The cab had spent many years outdoors and was in poor structural condition and need a great deal of work. The DPS with 3 Deltics to maintain didn’t have the spare capacity to carry out the work. The cab was collected by Die Coity and added to the other cabs at Wards yard.
The cab collection is moving at a pace now at 6 cabs, we are going to need a decent home and somewhere dry to work at some point. Our landlord offered us a place in his work compound next door, with a container and access to scaffolding and electricity with a set monthly fee rather than paying per cab per week which was getting expensive. so we lifted them all next door ready for our next arrivals.
The new yard was fantastic and we were able to really start restoration work on 21 having use of the scaffolding and more cabs started becoming available. I got a message from Scott Bostock who was a friend on Facebook telling me about 31144 being stripped at Walsingham. I made contact and we agreed to purchase a cab, in fact we ended up with them both
It took a while for 31144 to be cut up so we took the cabs when it was. We needed a lot of parts for it so traveled to Booths to get bits from 31422 and 31410. I had agreed to have a cab off 31410 but it was stripped before I could get it.
A call from a mate Dave who had purchased the cab from 50046 to say that the cab from 50037 was available. Currently stored in a factory in Sheffield and needed to move very soon a Saturday lift. The cab was stripped bare but had some seats, buffers and jumper cables. Back onto Matt at down she came. We got here glazed and a coat of sealer paint.
By chance a look through Facebook showed a picture of 38 stock tunnel cleaner cab at Ruislip deport, a few messages and emails to the depot manager saw LT giving me the cab if I collected it. Back to Matt at Brian Alexandra and she was on the way to Wales
Our next cab was a small underground cab found on eBay sitting on a container in Newport and owned by Kyle of Kyles Transport, not only a decent cab but a great hiab man as well is Kyle! The deal was done and it was delivered with the seond 31144 cab
The SWLCPG was going really well, the yard was filling up but we were doing really good and trying to make plans for a bigger yard. I had a message from Benjamin on Facebook telling me that 86247 was being cut now! So I made a call to a friend on Facebook who was a driver for Freightliner and I managed to get a mobile for the depot manager at Basford Hall, who gave me the contact of the scrap processor, and a deal was done for both cabs. I didn’t need them both it is good to have them, as one is now restored and on display at Crewe Heritage Centre
These were exciting times but the yard was filling up and I had just met Paul from Raxstar who was scrapping 58008, I tried to resist but I was collecting cabs so ended up buying a lovely cab and most of the engine bay and roof. This would be the last thing to fit in my landlord’s building yard there was no more room!
A friend from the Swindon & Cricklade contacted me to tell me about Thumber 1305 Ajax which was going to be scrapped. In partnership with Raxstar we waited for the component recovery they transported the unit to Swansea for disposal and removal of the cab.
Time to expand and make firm plans for the cabs
The landlord had just purchased 5 acres of land adjacent to the current yard. We had been going for 2 years and need to make plans for the future. So we agreed to take on a third of an Acre site, secure fenced, power, and water and we were going to open a cab museum. We were going to apply to be a charity and start getting members to help us build it.
July 2018 we moved to the new area and waited for our fence, water and power it was slow but it came in the end life was good and going as planned. More cabs were coming and we had a purpose and a plan.
Slowly the fence and the gate came we purchased two big cabins and restored them for workshops and den and added containers for storage
The beginning of the end?
One Sunday morning we were fixing the roof cutting new timbers minding our own business. Monday came and there was a call from the planning department with a complaint of noise and the full force of local hatred hit us head-on. The local residents were not happy about the development of the land and needed a target and a weapon to fight the landlord and it was us. We have advised no more cabs on site and there were another 10 in the pipeline! Our landlord assured us it was something and nothing and would blow over, just carry on it will be fine – “Happy Days”
The next to arrive was a pair of RM34 cabs from Plasser UK in West Drayton. They were being cut up and we could have them if we collected the two would make one good one.
At the same time the NRM were clearing out and a Matesia Neptune was going for scrap, located at Shildon it seemed a shame to scrap it so we had it for safekeeping
Things seem fine on-site no issues we are being good and no complaints so our next purchase was 1399 the 4CIG from Raxstar at Eastleigh. We only wanted the cab but ended up with the whole grounded body cut in two to use as storage. This is a big old beast 25te in total. It has been stripped due to asbestos removal but still looks good.
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The end of SWLCPG and the beginning of The Cab Yard
The issue with the local residents and council escalated when we got the Iron Fairy crane. We think a local community councilor or resident was a member of our Facebook page and kept a close tag on what we were doing and was horrified about our plans to open to the public.. The council enforced that no power tools could be used or ant restoration on trains at all and planning consent was given for storage only, so we were done before we got started.
For three years we looked for a new site in our locality but this was following us around so we just kept on getting cabs and fingers crossed.
Back in the early days before the Deltic Mel Thorley offed us the class 506 from Barrow Hill, we declined because space was an issue at the time. Thankfully it went to the Electric Railway Museum in Coventry. Regretfully the ERM had to close due to their council issue and the cab was offered to us, we accepted and picked it up. We last one of the guard’s doors on the A46 on the way back but it was recovered in the hard shoulder by one of the ERM members. Shortly after we took ownership we were approached by the Woodhead Heritage Group and we agreed that at some point in time it would go to them for the Guide Bridge Station project.
Next to the yard was Class 508 211 this was down to a great deal of help from Arlington and Raxstar. This is a great cab fully complete and it was made this was bu Angel Trains who agreed to leave it intact for our collection
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After some years of trying we managed to secure the cab from 20177. The 20 had been in Toton compound for years and the Severn Valley Railway. We agreed to take the full loco to Booths and have them remove the cab for use.
After many years of trying to save 47738 , we struck lucky when it was decided to demolish the old postal building on Plymouth Railways station. A chance 10th email was timed right and was given the cab and bogie if we removed it from the building. After many weeks of trying to find a solution, we approached Andrew Goodman of RSS services only to find they had put it in there 10 years earlier. It was very expensive to remove the cab so the bogie was sold to cover the cost. It all worked out well in the end.
A mate Jason from Bristal gave me the heads up yet again on these DVTs being scrapped at Booths. They were pretty much complete so I agreed to take 82110. These are heavy cabs at 7.5te as they are weighted being non-powered
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Little Yellows cab came from Ebay a long welded rail wagon chute Purch. Small and neat, scrapped at York some years before
The DR98305 & 306 Giesmar Tramm cabs followed form Eastleigh one was our and the second was sold on to chap in London for his garden.
There has been a spare class 25 cab floating around the heritage railway scene for many years. It ended up at the North Norfolk Railway before coming to The Cab Yard. We don’t know last Class 25 it came off as it is probably one of Derbys spares
The next cab was 3911 1960s Craven stock. Unit (3910 + 4902 + 4903 + 3911) was used for engineering tests. This unit traveled Widely it was even hauled along the disused Highgate – Finsbury Park line to reach the Northern City when that was part of the Underground! The cab was collected from Quantion Road along with the Sleet Loco fronts in January 2018
While at Eastlight we found out that there was a Class 117 DMU being stripped for spared. There wasn’t a great deal left of it but it would e one of our only opportunities to get one. Raxstar was there to make it happen again.
Class 442 “Plastic Pig” 2405 was saved again by Raxstar at Eastleigh. An excellent example of a fully fitted cab. Unfortunately, Raxstar are now using mechanical grabs to cut locos leaving some tidying up work at the rear.
Our situation at Bridgend going from bad to worse
The final planning consent for the site stated storage only, no restoration or power tools allowed, and a limit to the number of cabs on site. During this time in January 2021 my wife Nikki had a stroke which put the future of the project in doubt. We either expand away from this site or we pack it in and re-home the cabs. I had spent the past 2 years looking for a new home in the area without success, either too costly or no planning consent, all the while the cabs are deteriorating with no restoration being carried out. It was a very stressful time and I was still getting cabs offered.
We did sell one of the Class 86 cabs to James from the Crewe Heritage Centre along with most of the parts he needed to restore it. He has done a fantastic job of putting 86247 in Anglian livery and it’s on display.
Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway
There had been a number of conversations with Mark Thomas the Chairman of LMMR and myself and he had kindly offered The Cab Yard a permanent home on their railway so it was decided to give it a try and in August 2021 the cab from 47738 was collected and taken to the LMMR for a trial to see how we got on and how popular it would be?
In January 2022 it was made official and The Cab Yard became a sub-group of the LMMR Charity plans were drawn up to expand the cab yard over the next 12 months. Plans that included erecting a 120-meter fenced compound, the purchase of a low mac wagon to place cabs on so they could be shunted into the maintenance shed for restoration, and the creation of a Heritage Department and a Rolling Stock Restoration department with the LMMR and The Cab Yard working together with the ultimate aim of creating an interactive cab museum on the LMMR heritage railway.
The Tamper Tea Room
The next cab to come to the LMMR was what we now call the tamper tea room. Its the cab and canteen workshop form a scrapped Volker Rail Matesa tamper that was supplied by Raxstar at Eastleigh. The Tamper has become the meeting place at the railway and common room for volunteers.
Matisa B41UE Tamper No. DR75403, operated by VolkerRail, was stored in a siding at Harrogate Station on Wednesday 13th June 2016 after the tarpaulins covering one end of the machine had blown off to show the extensive fire damage. This vehicle caught fire and was stopped on the Knaresborough viaduct where five fire crews took over two hours to extinguish the fire. (Railway Herald)
We are now able to acquire more cabs if needed so in March 2022 there were many shares on the Facebook page about the cab from Castell Caernarfon at the Welsh Highland Railway. It’s an unusual exhibit but will come in very useful at the railway as a Parking attendant’s hut!
The Cab Yard becomes mobile
For many years we had been trying to purchase the cab of 40088 and after many rejections, we finally had a breakthrough in January 2022 due to a conversation between Andy Coward the editor of Railways Illustrated magazine, and the then Chairman of the DPS Mr John Stephens and our name came up. An email came to me on New Years’ Eve saying it was now possible to have the discussion about a possible sale of the cab. After many months of waiting for news, it was agreed that it would go to a vote of the CFP membership at the AGM in April. The membership voted a very big yes and the sale was agreed!
Luckily for us one of the members of the CFS had pulled the cab trailer before and offered to take it to his works in Old Trafford and make it road worthy as it had been sat static at Bury for 6 years. It passed its mot and was collected by Ken of Kelsan Haulage and delivered to the LMMRin July 2022
A Pacer Cab for a Pacer Railway
Have purchased a full can from a Northen Pacer 142056/55706 which will be low-level and accessible to give people the experience of being in the cab without the risks of a working train. At the time of writing the cab is in store in Bridgend waiting to be delivered to the LMMR. The cab was made available from Raxstar along with many other parts for the railway’s resident units.
