Lost_In_Normandy
Well-known member
Hello all!
made use of a visit to a good friend in Barry to go exploring around the dock yard area. I'm sure many of you are already accustomed to the legend that is Woodhams Scapyard, but for those that aren't a brief history.....
Dai Woodham returned to scrap metal after WWII, firstly scrapping the spoils of war and removing armament from merchant vessels, before progressing into rolling stock and then locomotives in 1959.
His real rise to fame came after the Beeching report of 1963. Dai saw a huge opportunity to expand his business and made it his mission to learn everything he could about scrapping locomotives. The Beeching report called for the complete removal of steam for the network by 1968 as well as the disposal of the first of the diesels Warship class. Over the course of the next few years a further 200 redundant locomotives arrived, many under their own steam. Woodhams however where still very busy with dismantling rolling stock and Dai kept the loco’s for a rainy day. It was this decision that saved many of our now preserved engines. Post 1968 there was still around 217 engines awaiting disposal and suffering in the harsh seaside environment.
At this point preservation societies were taking a interest in the loco’s and very soon Dai realised he could make more money by selling on the engines rather than scrap them. And so the legend was born. Off the 297 engines brought by Dai Woodham, 217 were rescued and many of them still steam today.
By his own admittance, Dai preserved the engines and sold on not for a love of the engines, but because it made good business sense. Although i dare say being around these wonderful machines did pull at his heart strings!
My visit took me to the last remnants of his yard and a few surprises awaited…..as normal I work in B&W and don't post edit, so sorry if they're a bit hit and miss!
DSC_0004 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0018 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0009 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0140 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0033 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0024 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0103 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0045 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0037 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0066 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0059 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0049 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0073 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0085 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
At first sight this looks in good nick...unfortuntely the local vandals have had their way...
DSC_0095 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
And the obligatory H&S signage!
DSC_0121 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
made use of a visit to a good friend in Barry to go exploring around the dock yard area. I'm sure many of you are already accustomed to the legend that is Woodhams Scapyard, but for those that aren't a brief history.....
Dai Woodham returned to scrap metal after WWII, firstly scrapping the spoils of war and removing armament from merchant vessels, before progressing into rolling stock and then locomotives in 1959.
His real rise to fame came after the Beeching report of 1963. Dai saw a huge opportunity to expand his business and made it his mission to learn everything he could about scrapping locomotives. The Beeching report called for the complete removal of steam for the network by 1968 as well as the disposal of the first of the diesels Warship class. Over the course of the next few years a further 200 redundant locomotives arrived, many under their own steam. Woodhams however where still very busy with dismantling rolling stock and Dai kept the loco’s for a rainy day. It was this decision that saved many of our now preserved engines. Post 1968 there was still around 217 engines awaiting disposal and suffering in the harsh seaside environment.
At this point preservation societies were taking a interest in the loco’s and very soon Dai realised he could make more money by selling on the engines rather than scrap them. And so the legend was born. Off the 297 engines brought by Dai Woodham, 217 were rescued and many of them still steam today.
By his own admittance, Dai preserved the engines and sold on not for a love of the engines, but because it made good business sense. Although i dare say being around these wonderful machines did pull at his heart strings!
My visit took me to the last remnants of his yard and a few surprises awaited…..as normal I work in B&W and don't post edit, so sorry if they're a bit hit and miss!
DSC_0004 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0018 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0009 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0140 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0033 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0024 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0103 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0045 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0037 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0066 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0059 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0049 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0073 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
DSC_0085 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
At first sight this looks in good nick...unfortuntely the local vandals have had their way...
DSC_0095 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
And the obligatory H&S signage!
DSC_0121 by Lost_In_Normandy, on Flickr
