Glyn Valley

If I understand correctly the group up at Glyn Ceiriog https://www.glynvalleytramway.org.uk/news.html is the one building to 2' 4 1/2" gauge. It's a bit like Monty Python's "Are we the Judea Peoples' Front or The Peoples's Front of Judea?"
Ray.

 

Hasn't this joke reference already been said before?

But in any case, it is a pity that the GVT revival is split apart and at odds with one another. Honestly I can't see either getting anywhere anytime soon if they keep working separately all the time, just doesn't look good. Though at least the group art Chirk are making a solid effort to get the station there rebuilt and even put down a stretch of track there. As far as I can tell the other group has laid a little bit of track within and around a shed, and that's it, not done much since.

 

Aren't the likes of the Corris, Southwold, and L&B showing that a lack of correct equipment isn't really a barrier anyway. Seeing as realistically the rebuilding the section along side the road will be very challenging, you might as well do the mile you can rebuild right.

Given the unique feel of the old GVT. The prospect of some 2ft 6in cast offs trundling up and down leaves me somewhat cold.

Tim

 

That's a tough one. Corris and Southwold have similar gauged lines from which to either borrow or buy initial equipment from, indeed before the new-build bonanza at Southwold they were exclusively making use of European and Irish 3' equipment (it's also worth nothing that there's no running line at Southwold so there's no pressure to have adequate equipment yet). The GVT is unique, I cannot think of any other 2' 4 1/2" line anywhere in the world. So that presents the choice of additional hard work to acquire and modify stock or compromise on authenticity. I can certainly understand why they've made that decision

 

From the line's own history comes the example of one of the original locos being lent to the Snailbeach (2'-4" gauge). Fair to say, it wasn't an unqualified success and the loco was returned rather sooner than originally anticipated.

Of course, track gauge isn't the only issue. When the surviving GVT carriages entered service at Tywyn, the decision not remove the lamp housings was a no-brainer, as the overbridges on the TR would've done the job anyway. Loading gauge on the Corris was no more generous.

 

Some nice coverage on the BBC. We're gaining traction now!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=410926360782777

 

No no, you are on track! (You need track before you can have traction.)

(Oh how I hate the same old puns that the media feel obliged to wheel out whenever railways are mentioned. )

Sorry. Off topic. Carry on.

 

I hope their plans aren't ... derailed. Or they don't ... hit the buffers.

But if it all works out, I'm sure they'll be ... chuffed.

 

Maybe someone around the borderlands knew what had happened at Towyn (as was), where the gauge was increased by that amount, apparently without consequence (at the time!), to suit Talyllyn's long fixed wheelbase once it's fixed trailing wheels were added? Recall the fun and games which ensued once the loco came back from rebuild at Gibbons Bros in 1958, by which time the TR gauge had been corrected back to the official 2'-3".

 

8' 0" on No.1 against 6' 6" on No.2
Ray.

 

Were, but mercifully no longer are. The first effort to mitigate it's long rigid wheelbase was to make the rear coupled wheels flangeless. There's an old photo of Talyllyn stripped down to the chassis at Pendre (around 1968, IIRC) where said flangelessness was very obvious. Thankfully, during John Bate's tenure, the situation (along with bad steaming) was remedied.

 

Quite a few new photos of progress by working parties, over the past couple of months at Chirk. This is the public Facebook page, so no sign-in required:

https://m.facebook.com/glynvalleytramway/

 

It’s great to see the work going on at Chirk and I’m hoping I might get to visit at Easter to see the work done so far first hand.

If they build replica GVT stock in the longer term, would it really make a massive difference if the line stayed as 2’ 3” or 2’ 6”, especially if they could borrow stock from other railways? My heart says it should really be 2’ 4.5” to be authentic but my head says using a more common (but close) gauge might be more pragmatic. I’ll get my coat….

 

Of course, there was "another local concern", with a gauge a mere half inch narrower.

Could you pass my coat while you're there, please?

 

I'm not sure what stock would be available from the two foot three TR and CR or the two foot six Welshpool. Stock and locos would be required for a whole season rather than a Gala weekend and there isn't a lot of surplus of either. Nor would it be a case of borrowing. There would be hire charges to pay to have money for overhaul and maintenance at the home line, and road haulage movements to be paid for. By adopting the original gauge the Corris revivalists were set on a path of having to build or, at minimum regauge, items and gala visitors can only be drawn from a small pool because of loading gauge considerations.
Decisions will be have to be made between purity and pragmatism. As per usual.

 

The TR have GVT numbers 14 and 15 which would make perfect loaners, and when the new fleet of FR built bogie coaches arrive they will be coming out of regular service. If it was me I'd go in for 2'3" as sufficiently close to before to make no cosmetic difference whilst allowing the original stock to visit. But it's not me