European Railroad Discussion > A foreigner visits Abergavenny, Wales

Over the strong objections of member '86235' (kidding), I invaded the town of Abergavenny in south Wales in search of semaphores and to have the Marches Line experience on September 3, 2025. I enjoyed it. The weather was all over the place.

1. Like a blind squirrel finding an acorn, even I can get lucky once in a while. A southbound Transport for Wales (TfW) 197-class DMU set arrives at the north end of the station in dramatic sunshine!

2. I was always happy to see a locomotive-hauled passenger train such as this one with the ubiquitous DB 67-class diesel.

3. And the going away shot. This loco was in the plain gray/silver scheme with a set of black TfW coaches.

---

---

---

4. The control car/cab at the rear of the northbound train.

5. A less dramatic arrival of a southbound TfW train of 197-class DMUs. Note the green signal at left for a northbound. It had just started to rain lightly.

6. In slightly heavier rain, the northbound TfW DMU set passes.

---

---

---

The rain chased me down to the cover of the station where I could shoot in both directions without being completely in the way. The rain added to the atmosphere and made everything shiny.

7. A northbound TfW DMU set passes the signal box with a destination of Manchester Piccadilly. The biggest cluster of semaphores was reachable with a telephoto lens.

8. A southbound TfW DMU soon passes with a destination of Cardiff Central.

9. And a distant shot of the same train.

---

---

---

10. I could not figure out a way to photograph this semaphore with a train but I did take a shot in the rain. When this signal was set to green and there was not a scheduled passenger train due, I had a pretty good idea that the one freight train I could count on was coming.

11. And indeed it was and it was moving right along. DB 66-class with canvas-covered coil steel cars.

12. And a little closer. It had stopped raining for the moment.

---

---

---

13. The sun has returned for this southbound locomotive-hauled TfW train with a set of red and white coaches.

14. And rolling into the station.

15. This was the only 67-class locomotive that I saw in this black scheme.

---

---

---

16. This was my favorite DB 67-class scheme in part due to the Transport for Wales "T" logo on the side.

17. The last train that I would photograph in Abergavenny departs the station.

18. And a final view showing the control/cab car. It was time to return to Newport. During that trip it would periodically pour down rain but it was nice upon arrival in Newport.

---

---

---

Nice! Like you I think the black 67s look really good, especially when leading one of the ex-Grand Central black sets.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/24/25 23:54 by 86235.

86235 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice! Like you I think the black 67s look really
> good, especially when leading one of the ex-Grand
> Central black sets.

We call that paint scheme a Belle over here in Texas.

Perhaps that should be called a Charmer in Wales ?