Due to the success of the diesel locomotives on the Wales & Borders Railway, and the unsuccess of Mr Griffiths, railway director's steam locomotives, he started getting second thoughts about keeping every single locomotive, "Why, are you doing this to our trains, sir, it's a diabolical liberty?" asked Gary Clifford & Guto Prescot, N2 no.190's crew, "Because these steamers are getting too expensive to maintain, they keep running out of coal and water, and trust me coal isn't cheap to get nowadays", replied Mr Griffiths. Ian Charles Jenkins, the manager of Part Mart Automotive Recycling Ltd of Tir-y-Berth, had offered to dismantle any unwanted locomotives. Mr Griffiths went to his office, where he grabbed his clipboard and wrote down every steam engine he had running in his fleet, and he organised them into 3 categories: Save, Scrap and Preserve.
The next day, Mr Griffiths trundled over to Canton Depot, where his crew were waiting to be greeted with the bad news, "I have made my decision with the help from Robert Horton as well", Mr Griffiths said, "Who's Robert Horton?" asked Les, "He's the manager of Railtrack", "What's Railtrack?" asked Les, "Oh for Pete's sake" mumbled Mr Griffiths, "let me bear you with the bad news, right: the locos that will be saved will be 60103, 8572, 190 & 30285. The locos that will be preserved are the 2 BMR locos 1 & 2 on the BMR, the 2 Black 5s 44871 & 44901 for West Coast Railway for railtours, 2007 for Locomotion in Shildon & 109 & 110 for the Bodmin & Wenford Railway. The locos that will unfortunately be scrapped by the end of the day will be 1211 & 44932, I'm sorry to have to bear this news to you lot", after saying that he went back to his office and called Ian Charles Jenkins of Part Mart. "Also, we have decided to recover the old rusting BR Mineral wagons, and the LMS Class 3F 'Jinty' 7119, the wagons will be taken to the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway, where Robin will look after them, and 7119 will be taken to the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, where it'll be preserved" Mr Griffiths added.
The crew who had their locos scrapped or preserved, with new owners and new crew, retired and went looking for a new job, some worked in factories, shops, schools and other local businesses around the area. It was a whole lot different for them compared to driving a great big marvel like a steam locomotive. 2 Class 37s (37 042 & 37 153) and the previous 3 class 66s (66 001, 66 176 & 66 207) started to work back in the South Wales area, the 37s were allocated passenger services on the Penarth - Rhymney line, to ease the work of the battery trams, and the Class 66s were allocated to freight working to and from Margam. The crew were trying to get used to the diesels, but still they preferred their steamers, they were all trying their very best to keep their steam trains in revenue earning service for as long as they possibly could, but that will soon all change!
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The Wales & Borders Railway
Short StoryBased on Thomas & Friends, but is in wales with different characters, engines and vehicles still talk, but don't have faces
