'The Cambrian' Photo guide

Right, I was wondering if some of you may be able to help?

I'm booked into a place in Barmouth in a couple of weeks filming 'The Cambrian', I've got a few locations in mind from a couple of years ago when I last did some filming there, but was wondering if someone would be able to offer some locations where the engine will be working hard and easy to access?

Many thanks in advance.

Simon

 

One I've long been waiting to try is to go down beyond Llwyngwril station to the seafront and watch/film one coming up from Fairbourne. Not entirely sure of the gradient after the climb up Friog but you should get a fairly long run along the cliff edge. There are a couple of car parks in the village off the A393 and then its just a question of following the footpath down to the station and going on to the beach beyond.

The other option is going right to the south end of Fairbourne beach and getting them on the climb up there - both locations will need good wind shielding on the microphones though! Both also really need to loco facing south for best results which I think might not work as they normally face north from memory. Might be interesting for sound on a poor light day though.

 

Had my eye on the first one myself, I usually take penny a walk down there late in the day after chasing trains at tally.

 

Thanks for the location advice. I really like the look of the first one you've pointed out Ralph, I recall a shot taken there before.

I've just been looking through some stuff on the internet and found quite a number of locations I want to try... One week is not going to be long enough... :/

I just hope this rather long spell of nice weather continues a little while longer... I look forward to posting some stuff after the filming's taken place...

 

Thanks for searching them out Ralph, even some of the stuff I've uploaded from the back end of last year has ended up like that Ralph and it was uploaded in HD, must be something to do with how Youtube operate...

I quite like the 2nd shot actually, I think I may find time to do it actually on the Thursday afternoon

 

One word - caravans!

I once tried to chase 76079 along there. First shot was crossing Barmouth Bridge, taken from Fairbourne and Barmouth Railway station, the second was about half a mile south of Fairbourne station. That was sticking to the speed limit, but was pretty tight. I then tried to chase it along the coast back towards Mac. Completely impossible due to someone going for an afternoon trundle at 30mph towing a ton of fibreglass.

It might be different this year, now that they are chimney first towards Pwllheli. When I tried it the loco was chimney first towards Mac, so I was driving along the main road in the afternoon. It could possibly be easier in the morning.

 

Thanks for the advice. I hadn't planned on chasing it in all honesty, knowing what the roads are like down there... I thought I would leave it. Chasing the train is a lot easier on the Fort William to Mallaig road with the new straightness of it.

My intention is, to video the train in the morning then capture some miniature stuff then capture it on the return.

 

It is quite possible to film the Cambrian in three locations on one day.
You'd need to start at or very close to Machynlleth then a steady drive along the A487/A470 to Penrhyndeudraeth or Minffordd ( you have about 90 minutes to do 40 miles). For the third you'll have to pick a day when the train goes to Pwllheli and from Penrhyndeudraeth you'll have around 40 minutes to get to Criccieth. For this using 'the Cob' into Porthmadog may not be a good idea, instead take the A4085/B4410/A498 around Porthmadog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4cC1b5vgnA

 

could be ticky getting even close to the Cob this year, as they are building a bypass, starts just before minffordd

 

Can anyone tell me when the climb to Friog starts? Does anyone have a gradient profile or know what the mileages are on the bank?

 

Climb to Friog starts at Fairbourne southbound - 1:76 for just over half a mile, then 1:55 for 7/8ths of a mile to the summit at the avalanche shelter. Drops downhill 1:66 for 1/8th of a mile then levels to 1:550 for 1/4 of a mile, before 1:75 down hill for half a mile. Fairly level then to Llwyngwril. Climbs again 1:82 for half a mile, level for 1/4mile, before 3/4 mile at 1:75 to Llangelynin - drops same gradient for a mile beyond.

Taken from CC Green's book on the Cambrian. Hope that helps!

 

Thanks very much, very helpful.

 

The problem with the climb to Friog is that for the best pictures you really need to be on a boat due to the angle of the sun, in the afternoon. That is if you are lucky enough to see the sun. Also with the speed restrictions now around the avalanche shelters the loco tends not to be working as hard as you would expect from the gradient. Still a decent shot from the top of the defences at fairbourne beach though.

I have not done it as I do not video, but i think it might be worth thinking about walking down along the coast from the quakers path at Llwyngwril towards Fairbourne when the tide is out. It is possible if the tide is right to walk from Fairbourne to Llwyngwril along the beach. Another alternative is to go down one of the various farm/caravan park tracks and get the sea side of the track south of Llwyngwril on the climb to Llangelynnin. It is normally accelerating hard away from Llwyngwril. You may have to do some research to find out where is best but from the sounds of it you will have plenrt of time.

 

What way does the locomotive normally face? I think I've seen some photographs of 76079 facing south, I thought they faced north?

 

Only in 2005 and 2006 it faced south, and that was because kettles are only allowed up Talerddig under power chimney first. From 2007 onwards it faced north because kettles are restricted to 45mph when running tender first (yeah, right, as if much notice was taken of that). Because of this, there wouldn't have been a path for it up the coast had it run tender first from Mach, so it had to run chimney first instead.

 

Thanks to everyone that has taken the time to reply, it's highly appreciated. I'd love to just go down and search out my own locations, but a week just isn't long enough!

Here's the plan for the week:

Monday: Arrival to Barmouth, Barmouth Bridge followed by the Fairbourne Railway and a shot near Morfa Mawddach
Tuesday: Penrhydeudraeth, Welsh Highland Railway, Near Minffordd, late evening on the Ffestiniog Railway
Wednesday: (The Welsh Mountaineer Tour) Roman Bridge, Ffestiniog Railway, Blaenau Ffestiniog Slate Quarry
Thursday: Tonfanau, Talyllyn Railway & Escuan Hall near Tywyn.
Friday: A trip on the train to finish off the week from Machynlleth to Pwllheli =]

 

That sounds quite a good itinerary to me.