If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway

Discussion in 'Narrow Gauge Railways' started by tony51, Apr 10, 2017.

  1. tony51

    tony51 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2010
    Messages:
    146
    Likes Received:
    327
    I hardly ever post (having nothing in particular to say most of the time) but I thought it worth pointing out a couple of interesting pieces of WLLR news deserving wider attention. In any case the railway deserves its own dedicated thread, which seems to be lacking.

    Firstly, SLR 85 is going on a national tour before coming home for eventual restoration.

    Secondly:

    "The 2017 season will be the 54th in which the railway has been operated almost entirely by volunteers, overtaking the 53 years – 1903 to 1956 – that it was run commercially by the line’s three previous owners the Cambrian Railway, Great Western Railway and British Railways"

    Presumably this be the first preserved line to achieve this milestone?

    More details on both at on www.wllr.org.uk/news
     
  2. Reading General

    Reading General Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    May 18, 2011
    Messages:
    6,081
    Likes Received:
    2,217
    will just have to call in then!
     
  3. Steve

    Steve Resident of Nat Pres Friend

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2006
    Messages:
    11,930
    Likes Received:
    10,088
    Occupation:
    Gentleman of leisure, nowadays
    Location:
    Near Leeds
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    An interesting claim and you're probably right. The Sittingbourne & Kemsley is probably the next one to achieve this. It loses out because it was operational much later than 1956. What other contenders?
     
  4. Forestpines

    Forestpines Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2009
    Messages:
    1,681
    Likes Received:
    2,438
    Gender:
    Female
    Location:
    Somewhere in the UK
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    The Beddgelert section of the WHR will get to this point within the next decade, because the original line was open for such a short time; but for the FR Co's operations as a whole still have another 50 years to go!

    I would have thought the first standard gauge line to reach this milestone would be the KESR, followed a few years later by the GCR, as in both cases the original lines line opened at around the same time as the WLLR.
     
  5. Ploughman

    Ploughman Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2008
    Messages:
    5,806
    Likes Received:
    2,649
    Occupation:
    Ex a lot of things.
    Location:
    Near where the 3 Ridings meet
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I take it the Middleton has a long way to go yet?

    All credit to the Welshpool though.
     
  6. 5944

    5944 Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2006
    Messages:
    8,034
    Likes Received:
    7,610
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Train Maintainer for GTR at Hornsey
    Location:
    Letchworth
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    If I've worked it out correctly...

    KESR - 61 years in normal service, 43 operated as a preserved line.

    SKLR - 61 years in normal service, 47 years as a preserved line.

    GCR - 74 years in normal service, 43 years as a preserved line.

    Tal-y-llyn - 80 years in normal service, 66 as a preserved line.

    So it does like KESR will be the first standard gauge line to be operated longer as a preserved line than commercially, but not for another 18 years.

    Impressive achievement for the WLLR all the same though.
     
    Forestpines likes this.
  7. pmh_74

    pmh_74 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2009
    Messages:
    2,217
    Likes Received:
    1,457
    Opened 1898, closed 1969, so 71 years in normal service. And I think the first preserved stock arrived in '73 (may have even been '72) so 44 or 45 years as a preserved line.
    Of course, the GCRN section limped on in service for about another 20 years (although towards the end even an annual weedkilling train would have been news).
     
  8. tony51

    tony51 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2010
    Messages:
    146
    Likes Received:
    327
    Leighton Buzzard I think has 49 + 49
     
  9. tony51

    tony51 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2010
    Messages:
    146
    Likes Received:
    327
    paulhitch likes this.
  10. NGChrisW

    NGChrisW New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2011
    Messages:
    172
    Likes Received:
    110
    Location:
    Surrey
    Excellent news regarding the visit of "Superb" for the gala and glad to see that it is intended to use it on passenger trains.
    I presume this will need to be in the company of something else as I don't believe that SKLR locos have ever been fitted with train brakes?
    (Unless of course vacuum gear is being borrowed off something else?)
     
  11. estwdjhn

    estwdjhn Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2013
    Messages:
    325
    Likes Received:
    641
    Occupation:
    Boilermaker
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Foxfield has 22 years to go - 72 years commercially, 50 in preservation.
     
    Avonside1563 likes this.
  12. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    Messages:
    26,105
    Likes Received:
    57,436
    Location:
    LBSC 215
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Bluebell will get there in 18 years as well - 75 years in commercial operation (1882 - 1958 but with a one year closure during that period) and 75 years in preservation (1960 - 2035).

    Tom
     
    nine elms fan and Paul42 like this.
  13. WB2624

    WB2624 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2006
    Messages:
    77
    Likes Received:
    22
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer

    A vacuum ejector and pipework plus W&L couplings will be fitted to Superb before she leaves the S&K.

    Nigel
     
    HY_4273, 5944 and NGChrisW like this.
  14. NGChrisW

    NGChrisW New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 18, 2011
    Messages:
    172
    Likes Received:
    110
    Location:
    Surrey
    Thanks for the clarification Nigel, would be nice to see her working solo.
    Would this be the first time Superb has left S&K metals since delivery to Bowaters?

    Chris
     
  15. WB2624

    WB2624 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2006
    Messages:
    77
    Likes Received:
    22
    Gender:
    Male
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    As far as I know Superb has never left the railway before. Premier, Leader and Melior have all been elsewhere in preservation although Melior was the only loco to actually run elsewhere - Whipsnade and at two steam events at Preston Steam Services.

    Nigel
     
    Richieboy likes this.
  16. tony51

    tony51 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2010
    Messages:
    146
    Likes Received:
    327
    Superb has arrived and made it to Welshpool already, some pictures on WLLR facebook page, including one with her sister Joan. Hope the hills weren't too much of a shock after 70 years on the flat.
     
  17. GWR4707

    GWR4707 Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    May 12, 2006
    Messages:
    18,046
    Likes Received:
    15,736
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Cumbria
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
  18. tony51

    tony51 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2010
    Messages:
    146
    Likes Received:
    327
  19. acorb

    acorb Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2007
    Messages:
    2,505
    Likes Received:
    3,248
    Location:
    Powys
    Great day yesterday; lovely scenery, friendly staff and authentic locomotives having to work hard. Gala looked well attended too!
     
  20. jsm8b

    jsm8b Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2014
    Messages:
    2,899
    Likes Received:
    6,172
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Escapee from the corporate bear-pit
    Location:
    Shropshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Castle Careinion this afternoon. Nice to see the lines two original engines together.



    DSC_1820 WLLR 822 & 823 Castle Careinion 020918.JPG
     

Share This Page