Class 70's around the Bristol area?

[truckman060473]

I was thinking of taking a trip sometime with my boy to see class 70's in operation and was wondering at which location you are most likely to see one without having to travel any further than the Bristol area? For example, I noticed before at Bristol Parkway where you can see the sidings of Stoke Gifford yard, there are Freightliner hoppers there and hence would it be a place where the 70's would frequent? Does the class ever enter into Wales e.g. Seven Tunnel Jn / Newport / Cardiff? I know there's a Freightliner diagram from Portbury, but which route does it take from there?

 

[wjp]

The chances of seeing 70s in Bristol seems to have reduced as they appear to have migrated North - 12 months or so ago there was often one to three of the Heavy Haul-allocated locos stabled at Stoke Gifford Yard; my occassional visits recently have resulted in only 66s (others will be better placed to comment as to whether things will change now that additional locos have been delivered - I believe that 70010 and 11 have been allocated to Heavy Haul).

The 70s were working Portbury-Rugeley Power Station services (these were c. 08:25 and 10:50 off Portbury but tend to run as required and have produced 66s) and there appears to have been little since the Autumn. However, 70011 worked it's first service last week from Avonmouth-Rugeley.

When running, the Portbury services are routed North via the Severn Tunnel (so Temple Meads - Filton Abbey Wood - Pilning). Empties return via Cheltenham so initially approach Stoke Gifford Yard from the East - these empties are then reversed as access is only possible from the Western end.