Cardiff

Cardiff needs no introduction. I have visited the city on and off over the years, although as far as freight is concerned it's not like it used to be, but what is? The earlier visits were always remembered for the "hoppy" aromas emanating from the Brains Brewery, located alongside the station. You could almost get drunk on the fumes! A slight exaggeration, I know, but that's how it felt.

Coal and iron ore was in constant flow, to and from collieries and steelworks as far as the coal was concerned, with the iron ore trains operating like a conveyor, between Margam and Llanwern Steelworks. Class 37s dominated the scene, so there was always plenty of noise back then!