The Vale of Rheidol Railway - News

The wreck which was VoR cariage No.15 is coming along nicely. Some photos here:
https://m.facebook.com/rheidolrailway

 

No 15 last ran around 1990 - returning it to traffic has long been our objective. The overhaul is well advanced and a launch into traffic in the Spring is on the cards. Once completed it will provide ramped access for wheelchair users, something not previously possible in the other carriages in the fleet.

Once No 15 in traffic, the plan is for No 14 will come out of service and move to the workshops for similar treatment.

^Will, VoR

 

Often seen as something of a sleeping giant, progress on the VoR has been remarkable in recent years and I'm particulary impressed by the way the emphasis on it's rooting in the local community and involving today's generation across the board.

I can readily forsee passenger numbers continuing their steady increase past the capacity of current stock in the not too distant future. Are there any plans in hand for additional stock when (not if!) passenger numbers reach this point?

 

No current plans for additional stock. As things get busier, we'll inevitably run the existing stock, just with a higher annual fleet mileage. In the high summer service, several trains are booked to run with 7 carriages - the maximum permitted with a Rheidol tank loco.

^Will

 

@rheidol ..... and when a regular 3 train peak service becomes neccessary? Perhaps that's not as over-optimistic as it may have seemed a few years ago and after all, that Garratt's going to need something to get it's teeth into, even if your namesake loco (old No.3) doesn't get recreated any time soon.

Call it a vote of confidence in the line's future.

 

VoR has announced on Facebook that, due to the freezing weather, the line will be closed this weekend, 3rd & 4th March 2018.
https://m.facebook.com/rheidolrailw...052622828086731/?type=3&source=48&__tn__=EH-R

 

Just taken at Aberystwyth this morning - and about time too!

 

That's just how I remember 'em .... along with carriages featuring seat backs designed by Torquemada .... and just to add insult to injury, they called it 'second class' back then. Thank Bob the present owners have put some cushioning in the carriages.

Some stuff has improved over the past half-century. Count the VoR among such stuff.

 

For thos that are interested - I posted some images from the VoR taken over Easter 2018, to this Flickr Album

https://flic.kr/s/aHsmdHMsMh

 

A few piccies from the VoR Facebook page of materials for the second disabled access carriage (No.14) and (.....drumroll, please.....) loco No.7's current progress ..... which is good. Looks like it'll be time to dig the paint out soon. No sign-in needed:
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...38088758422&source=49&locale2=en_GB&__tn__=+=

 

The latest VoR online newsletter has just popped up. No.7 will be done when it's done, but is looking a lot more like it's old self on it's FB page.

Hat's off to the gardening team. The splashes of colour at the well kept stations are a joy to behold. I'm chuffed to bits to hear pine martens are back in Cwm Rheidol. (I've mentioned the VoR's support for local non-railway causes before).

Perhaps rashly, they're inviting suggestions for 2ft gauge locos we'd like to see running on the VoR. Do any of those Brecon Mountain monsters fit? It'd be nice seeing a gesture or two between two lines formerly under common management.
Does 'Lyn' go without saying?

Over to you!

 

Top of my list would be Russell and Lyd...preferably at the same time! It would be a 2' gauge "battle of prairie tanks"

(Of course, ideally Mountaineer and Felin Hen would join in too, but I fear that may be unrealistic!)

 

Well the original VoR locos were allegedly based on the L&B design, so there's a connection to justify the choice ..... but who the hell needs an actual reason?

As the Ffesterbahn's Alco can't come out to play (in steam at any rate) ..... how's about it's sibling paying a visit from France? If Felin Hen can make it too, that's two US builders represented, before looking at 4-6-0's. I quite like the notion of Sea Lion piloting a Rheidol Tank. Take a B&W photo and from certain angles, you might even convince some gullible soul that VoR No.3 Rheidol hadn't been so much scrapped as just shrunk a bit.

I wonder ... is the VoR's carriage stock gonna need some reinforcement for the occasion?

 

I'd love to see Brecon's big American Baldwin on the VoR, equally Lyn and Lyd could be a lot of fun. I'm sure some fun could be had with a lot of the Statfold collection too!

 

All of the above, plus Adrian Shooter's Darjeeling tank and the Lawleys and Hong Kong Bagnall from the museum collection! And somebody should probably mention the articulated locos in the Rampton collection in Surrey.....

Palmerston a few years ago was pretty special and I endorse everything said about the current VoR; the restoration of intermediate stations and footpaths has been wonderful.

Peter Hayward

 

Are we up to a cavalcade which will reach Llanbadarn before the last loco leaves Aberystwyth yet?

Not sure tbh. Not even sure it's anything more than a suggestion at the mo. I do seem to recall mutterings about back-to-back dimensions and check rails. I guess that's one for whoever's actually origanising it, if the VoR run with the idea.

My OP did include the words 'perhaps rashly' ahead of reporting the idea!

 

Currently closed due to forest fires, diesel has been assisting fire fighting logistics.

 

The Brecon Baldwin definitely gets my vote!! Had several wonderful trips behind it on the BMR and the chime whistle on it is stunning!

Linda and Blanche would be a good pairing as well.

And we've still got the NGG16 to look forward to as well.......

Exciting times ahead, I look forward to the the developments