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FR & WHR & WHHR News

Discussion in 'Narrow Gauge Railways' started by AndrewT, Jul 17, 2012.

  1. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    ... and clips. Seconded!

    Lovely to see Russell back on it's old stamping ground, in locations I'd only ever seen old still monochrome images of it in it's 'cut down' state. Reflections in the big Hunslet's superb paint job can give a few unexpected effects in moving images.

    Among a remarkable WHHR train, I really like that recently completed Blodge wrought 'Pickering' brake compo. Can't wait to see how the 'Spooner' designed NWNG bogie brake currently under consrtruciton at Blodge turns out. I'll admit I did a double take of NWNG 'Gladstone' Carriage and the NER 'Autocar'!

    Mention was made on Barrie Hughes's site that Palmerston's trip home saw the little loco distinguish itself, returning a loaded bogie wagon on top of it's three carriages.
     
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  2. ilvaporista

    ilvaporista Part of the furniture

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    Lovely! What a sight. My first view of Russell was 50 years ago in Carnforth shed as a rusty set of parts. To think it is now joined by a full train just shows how far the whole preservation movement has come. Many thanks for sharing all of the videos and photos.
     
  3. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    It'd be great of another Hunslet 2-6-2T sitting in bits in a shed could make it back to the land of the living .... but Co.Kerry ain't Gwynedd and 5T (built to take serious loads over long 1:29 gradients) is a tad on the large and coal hungry side for what traffic was on offer on the currently moribund (and flat) T&B section. :(
     
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  4. jsm8b

    jsm8b Part of the furniture

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    Likewise; at least it was under cover, looks far better now.




    32ct72b103 WHR Russel Carnforth 230972.jpg
     
  5. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I hate to point it out, but Moel Tryfan survived the 1946-54 closure under cover, right up until it wasn't ...... and didn't! :(

    Just watching another clip of Russell on it's way to Dinas (Mike Herbert, if you see this, I was your 778th watch on YT .... thanks!). A couple of thoughts occurred, firstly four bogies looked well within it's abilities, but at the same time, though the old compartment stuff could handle more bums per square yard (before said bums spread sideways), it's a reflection of customer expectations that the modern kit, with both greater elbow room and legroom, means even a loco as chunky as Russell would likely be way too small to shift the numbers needed today to support successful commercial operation.
     
  6. ilvaporista

    ilvaporista Part of the furniture

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    I just love the young volunteer in boiler suit with the wire brush in hand.
     
  7. meeee

    meeee Member

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    Most of Moel Tryfan was dumped outside and had been for quite sometime. Only the condemned boiler and a very worn out power bogie were inside.

    Lyd is currently running around with 5 of the lighter FR corridor coaches. So someone thinks a smaller train is viable some of the time at least.

    Tim
     
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  8. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Reading their histories, it sounds as if all the rather limited NWNG stud had very hard lives from Day1. I'm not too well up on early traffic patterns, beyond noting Bryngwyn was the original mainline and Rhyd Ddu the branch. Was there anything intrinsically wrong with the design of 0-6-4ST (or should that be 'Cab-in-front 4-6-0ST'?) Beddgelert? Or was it merely run into the ground by three decades of being thrashed?

    With that in mind, it's actually quite surprising Moel Ranger lasted as long as it did! I'm not one who's critical of the decisions back in 1954 .... different world .... but that doesn't mean I don't feel a tinge of regret for the loss.

    Is Lyd the loco rostered on the Cwellyn? AIUI, the service is a 'toe in the water' and one I sincerely hope marks the onset of a busier phase at the northern end of the system. I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess I'm not the only one who'd really love to see some demand from the other extremity (Blaenau) .... though right now, any sign of life up in the Moelwyns wouldn't be the worst start.
     
  9. meeee

    meeee Member

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    Beddgelert seems to have been a good performer as far as anyone can tell. Supposedly it was rebuilt with the inclined boiler to allow it to run backwards up the Bryngwyn branch, putting more weight on the drivers. It was twice as powerful as the Fairlies so i suspect the issue was that by the time it got to Tryfan Junction the saddle was half empty just when you needed extra adhesion. It gives some insight into what they were asking if it though.

    The NWNGR was permanently short of cash and when three new boilers were needed there was only money for two. Conveniently Russell was built as compensation for the line not being electrified on time which got them out of their loco shortage but put an end to Beddgelert.

    Tim
     
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  10. steamingyorkshire

    steamingyorkshire Well-Known Member

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    The Welsh Highland Railway during their 'WHR 100: South Snowdon' event, featuring 2-6-2T 'Russell' and Small England No.4 'Palmerston'.

    Video Available Here

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  11. meeee

    meeee Member

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    Speaking of 2-6-2 tank engines everyone loves, the following is from Facebook.

    "To launch the restoration of the Mountaineer.
    On Saturday the 27th of August, between 07:00 and 8:45, the Alco will be pulled by up to 20 willing volunteers from the point blade tips at Boston Lodge Pen Cob to the Platform 1 yellow train stop maker at Porthmadog. Guess how long this will take (closest to the actual time wins) and have the opportunity to win a set of 5 pieces of Alco merchandise, options include cap, badge, sweatshirt, hoodie, print of Alco and sister loco at Minffordd, polo shirt and t shirt (all available separately for everyone who doesn't win!).

    The cost of each ticket is a mere £12.65, all proceeds to the Rebuild the Alco fund held by the Ffestiniog Railway Society.

    This will also be the last public occasion to see the locomotive complete before it moves into the depo at Glan Y Pwll for work to begin. "

    Details of how to enter can be found here.
    https://form.jotform.com/222016916582354

    Of course if your lottery numbers just happen to have come in this week you can also donate straight to the Alco fund though the FR Society.

    Tim
     
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  12. 45669

    45669 Part of the furniture

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    The latest 'Moving Pictures' featuring RUSSELL and the WHR train between Dinas and Rhyd Ddu is now on YouTube:

     
  13. Paul_Turner

    Paul_Turner New Member

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    I think the view on his site is from the rear. A front view showed Hugh Napier lending a hand too.
     
  14. James Hewett

    James Hewett New Member

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    WHR 100 - the finest Gala I have ever attended, on any railway at any time. Russell was the undoubted star, although Palmerston operated manfully (and appropriately) - but the real revelation was the comfort of the Gladstone, No 9, the Buffet (complete with Purple Moose beer) and the new Pickering, over a relatively long journey - the first time air-braked stock has operated on a timetabled train on the railway, since the long-ago two seasons' services of WHHR trains to Traeth Mawr.
    After all, it's the coach that the passenger mainly sees....
    And the Russell-hauled train to Gelert's Farm On Sunday afternoon/evening was - one can only say - sensational - thanks to Clare Britton for the opportunity: rarely have I seen so many happy volunteers - from all the railways.
    It'll be hard to better this year's event in June 2023 - but I imagine everyone will try!

    The whole thing was a real tribute to FfR, RhE and WHHR volunteers and paid staff -and was a good omen for the future, in what is likely to be a hard few years for heritage railways (and all of us).

    Let's hope that the junction at Pen-y Mount can be sorted out in time for next summer's celebration - the current operating situation is cumbersome to say the least, and the anniversary would be an ideal opportunity to further integrate the two railways' signalling and operating systems.
     

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  15. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Aha! ... any picces .anyone? ... pretty please?
    Glad to hear the Pickering feels as good as it looks. Not to 'dis' the Gladstone Car in any way - along with the rest of the WHHR train it looked stunning, but isn't it good to know the master carriage builder's craft is so evidently alive and well at Blodge? (BTW Have you seen the latest publicity from La'al Ratty featuring their wonderful new obs saloon?).

    Re: Pen-y-Mount. You mention signalling, but are cross platform facilities still on the agenda??
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2022
  16. Mrcow

    Mrcow Member

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    When I went to the gala a couple of years ago I did cross platform interchange there and it worked really well. They'd put a platform in on the WHR side.

    IIRC the MicroETS set up doesn't allow for easy interchange as it is now?
     
  17. Selsig

    Selsig Member

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    The MicroETS isn't currently set up for an intermediate instrument, and although it isn't a particularly hard job, I don't believe that it is on the radar of the FFWHR S&T department right now, given a limited budget, limited time, limited staff and a lot of COVID deferred work to catch up on. There is also the locking of the frame at Penymount to do, and I don't know what the status of that is either.

    Sadly I think that PyM Junction is a while off yet.

    John (FR & RhE Signalling tester)
     
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  18. RedDragonofLondon

    RedDragonofLondon New Member

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    Would such a link require signalling?
     
  19. Selsig

    Selsig Member

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    Not necessarily, insofar as actual sugnals are concerned, as it is mid section of a single line, and thus there is no chance of any approaching traffic along the RhE main line, and the ground frame will always need the token to unlock it. There may need to be signals on the WHHR side, as it is outside a token section, but that could just be the standard RhE ladybird with the shunt light lit by the GF being locked for the WHHR headshunt.

    John
     
  20. acorb

    acorb Part of the furniture

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    A certain Mr Portillo was spotted last week boarding a trip to Beddgelert. Hope he enjoyed the trip! IMG_20220804_131442.jpg
     

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