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Sugar Loaf Mountaineer II: 7/09/19

Discussion in 'What's Going On' started by NathanP, May 30, 2019.

  1. NathanP

    NathanP Member

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    No letter or email from Pathfinder yet (I'm sure one is on the way) but I've noticed Sugar Loaf Mountaineer II is now on their website:

    https://www.pathfindertours.co.uk/events/the-sugar-loaf-mountaineer-steam-hauled/

    Saturday 7th September, same itinerary as the one originally planned. Diesel to Shrewsbury, 45231 from there to Carmarthen and back
     
  2. garth manor

    garth manor Well-Known Member

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    Together with a heading picture of a nice green loco !
     
  3. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Sensible time of year, and no clashes with anything else I'm doing. Willing to give it a whirl. Pantyffynnon or bust...

    *Spent eight years of my life living a couple of miles up the road from there, so it really would be nice to finally tick this route off.
     
    Last edited: May 30, 2019
  4. MellishR

    MellishR Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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    With the original version there was concern about getting there and back in the time, and in the event (besides being diesel-hauled) the train only got as far as Bynea. The (presumably provisional) times for this September show it starting nearly three hours earlier.
     
  5. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    Good to see that a sensible rethink has been given to the timings for this trip. So it's a traditional Pathfinder marathon but if you are going to try and do the line each way from the Midlands then that is the way it has to be. I must say that even if one direction had been via Newport (and therefore more manageable), it would still have been a good trip. So let's hope that things go well on the day.
     
  6. Davo

    Davo Well-Known Member

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    Cheers Bleeder4 ive tried my luck again to book this pathfinder tour rerun. Hopefully 45231 will more than likely to be fit to run after having its minor overhaul and airbrakes fitted.;) and recommend to anyone who think they lost out on last years class 37 hauled last minute tour.
    Davo56F
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 31, 2019
  7. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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  8. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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  9. 1020 Shireman

    1020 Shireman Part of the furniture Friend

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    Actually doable from Newport by Service train - on a wing and a prayer though with TfW. We'll probably drive to Shrewsbury.
     
  10. mattspencer

    mattspencer Well-Known Member

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    On the southbound run is there only one water stop at Llandovery as I can't see any other stops long enough for water
     
  11. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    I'd say there's just time for a splash and dash at Knighton.
     
  12. KRM47827

    KRM47827 New Member

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    And with only an hour of the journey gone that would probably just about do as you'd probably need it topped for the climbing thereafter. No units to pass at Knighton either.
     
  13. Davo

    Davo Well-Known Member

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    A first time on this tour and also with pathfinder tours im looking forward to next saturday, i pressume if 45231 is coming from crewe either at crewe heritage centre or shrewsbury s going to be the 1st watering point cos 45231 has to go light engine + support coach via Nantwich to shrewsbury and then a water stop at llandovery not sure about knighton if thats a op stop or water and 3 hours servicing time in carmarthen and a waterstop at llandeilo. On the return to shrewsbury And maybe a quick ride up gwili r,way or a quick look roud at bronwydd arms if theres time to get up that far.
     
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2019
  14. Bulleid Pacific

    Bulleid Pacific Part of the furniture

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    Just make sure you watch your times. Whilst three hours is pretty reasonable for 'doing' Carmarthen, unless @JWKB can confirm otherwise, apart from a brief out and back by taxi, the 460 is probably your only bus service to Bronwydd. Also bear in mind it's a 5 to 10 minute uphill walk (did it myself back in the day as a prospective volunteer once - decided it would be better if I learned to drive!) back to the bus stop on your return from Bronwydd Arms station. However, if there is time, the extension is well worth doing.
     
    Last edited: Aug 29, 2019
  15. Davo

    Davo Well-Known Member

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    Was the heart of wales L.N.W. line once double track as it always been a single track with passing loops?
     
  16. garth manor

    garth manor Well-Known Member

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    Singling in the Beeching era, and a drink in the Arvon will be tight on the return journey.
     
  17. Davo

    Davo Well-Known Member

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    Are right its like what happened to the esk valley line to whitby and the line near where i live from huddersfield to barnsley via penistone to save running costs cos freight on those rural lines wasent as common through the 1970,s and 1980,s and so only left with a hourly DMU service on such lines and so B.R. rationalised them to single line systems and a passing loop somewhere halfway down the single track section like from huddersfield its between stocksmoor and shepley and gets to barnsley exchange and back to double lines.
     
  18. jsm8b

    jsm8b Part of the furniture

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    I'd always thought the line was single track with passing loops from Craven Arms through to a short section in South Wales. While I don't claim in depth knowledge of every mile of the line the major structures of Cynghordy and Knucklas viaducts and Sugar Loaf tunnel are definitely single track as can be seen quite clearly on the arial views on Google Maps. I did a quick look and couldn't see any evident double track structures until south of Llandeilo where the arial view shows a double track bridge across the Towy, only one side of which is in use and another south of Pantyffynnon across the Loughor.

    * edit - the bridge south of Llandeilo is at the junction where the Central Wales headed to Carmarthen and the GW line south to Pantyfynnon.


    This map extract seems to show the Central Wales single north of Pantyfynnon and double to the

    https://maps.nls.uk/view/135193807south.


    Well worth looking at old maps if you won't get depressed by how much the railway has contracted over the years.
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2019
  19. 5098

    5098 Well-Known Member

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    Some sections were originally double track: Craven Arms to Knighton, Llanbister Road to Llandrindod Wells (apart from a single line section through Penybont tunnel), and south of Pantyfynnon as you say.
     
  20. NathanP

    NathanP Member

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    The only reason why the line survived at all in the Beeching era was because it passed through several marginal constituencies.

    Unfortunately I can't make the trip next Saturday, it would have been good to travel over the line again as I've not done it since the last minute 37 on last year's tour. Has there been any word from Crewe yet about whether the Black 5 will be ready to go?
     

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