News from The Talyllyn

With Dolgoch (Red Meadow) in steam at Pendre today the fleet will soon be back at four working locomotives. With No. 6 due for its 10 yearly this Winter, progress on No. 1 will hopefully continue without too many distractions.

 

Presumably the new rods have now arrived, been machined and fitted as I saw on the TR webcams Dolgoch moving around yesterday under her own steam. Hopefully everything is fine and after a few test runs she is released for traffic again.

 

A special appearance for Founder's Day. Still work to do hence double heading with No. 7, but looks smart and a credit to all involved in the overhaul.

 

I preferred it in red!
I’ll bugger off now

 

Reported .
I liked the red liveries on Talyllyn and Dolgoch as a change, but they are best in TR green and I'm glad to see it back after such a long time.

Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

 

As a matter of interest, how far back does TR Green go, historically. I'm guessing that both 1 and 2 were Haematite when built, given their provenance.
Pat

 

Didnt the TRPS decided on deep bronze green as a sort of standard livery from 1951?
Wasn’t No1 black at some point?

 

I'm not sure specifically how long but it is definitely a preservation era "standard" livery. They were certainly a shade of green at some point pre-pres but I don't think it was the same shade this.

Meanwhile, Dolgoch debuted on trains yesterday after final fettling and testing in the week. A grey morning then, but today was much nice (just as I was leaving for home too.)

 

No 2 was painted in a mid-light green when overhauled at Atlas Foundry in 1946 (?). It was panelled (as opposed to "edge" lining) in black and yellow. Given the backwater nature of the line and only black and white photography pre-WW2 it seems to be the only confirmed livery for either loco. No 1 was reputedly black at some point but being unused for some time before the TRPS took over, it could only be described as dull, dirty and possibly green or black! It was daubed in green by some members while languishing in the hay barn.
The dark green was a TRPS-introduced livery. Some council members were GWR fans, and in Martin Fuller's magnus opus he mentions the minutes of an early council meeting where the standard livery should be "lined in orange and black". To the best of my knowledge the orange never appeared - lining (when applied) was, and is, yellow and black.
The shade of green varied over the years, gradually getting darker, either through "cleaning" with oil or just using whatever paint was available and cheap! The TR eventually settled on "Land Rover Green", or Deep Bronze Green. John Bate and Richard Hope were both Land Rover enthusiasts.

 

Does EFF123 still exist? It was new in 1964 when I first met John Bate and he still had it the last time I saw him.
Apologies for going off topic.

 

The DVLA website says a 1960 green petrol Landrover with that registration is currently taxed, so presumably yes.

Tom

 

Interesting. I thought it was new at the back end of 1963 and have held that thought for nigh on 60 years. I live and learn.

 

Itinerary for the July 1/2 Anything Goes weekend now published:
https://www.talyllyn.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Anything-Goes-timetable-and-info-flyer-A4.pdf

Double headers, the traditional steam (and a diesel) cavalcade, runs by Toby the trolley, freight and a quadruple-headed train between Wharf and Pendre on Saturday evening. We are looking at some suitably quirky options for loading on the freight train...

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-65928221
MBE for John Bate ( you need to scroll down).

 

Richly deserved, and IMHO long overdue.

 

That is wonderful news and so richly deserved. John was a great innovator and always had a solution for any problem that cropped up, no matter how complicated. Although he does little now, he must be the longest serving volunteer anywhere, having started in 1951.

 

Set up for Anything Goes commences tomorrow; the beer festival tents partially obscure the Wharf Webcam view which is handy as we're loading the freight and that will help keep it a surprise (I hope!)

We'll also have quite a lineup of 5inch gauge minitures; a both a complete and a partially built No. 2 (static), No. 4 (running subject to weather), and I've heard this evening possibly a No. 5 as well.

If anybody is visiting this weekend I'll be flitting about at Wharf overseeing the miniatures each morning before a quick dash up the line to get some photos - then once off duty will be sampling a few ciders from the bar at Wharf.

Its going to be an... interesting... weekend.

 

I've just mentioned this at Wharf and it is still in the family; on its second owner which is John's daughter.

 

Thanks for this update on it.

 

I want the young fella at 3:24 to say this to certain people who should really know better…