The Vale of Rheidol Railway - News

Is 1213 awaiting overhaul, or close to a return to traffic. I noticed that the Knorr pump is no longer hung on the front of the RH tank - it made me wonder.
Pat

 

Awaiting overhaul at present.

 

Well that's a bit of a surprise!

 

The 2024 timetable is now up on https://www.rheidolrailway.co.uk/timetable/

There is a special event over the August Bank Holiday weekend with an intensive timetable.

 

Will some vacuum braked coaches be accompanying 'Palmerston'?

 

No, air pump in the luggage area of be the brake van is their usual way of doing it, with pipes and brake valve on the loco.

 

What needs doing to the loco, that can be done between July and 24th August?

 

Not much. It had a full mechanical overhaul during covid times and only did a few hundred miles after that. It is pretty sound underneath. The boiler is reasonable apart from some grooving along the throatplate but it would do another 10 years. So basically it just needs an inspection and retube. This was already on the cards for this year but the offer from the Rheidol moves it along a bit faster.

 

As interesting as it will be to see Palmerston, it would have been nice to have something different visit from the FR. Maybe Lyd or one of the Penrhyn Ladies?

 

Well if you go and support this event they might be more inclined to do another and who knows what might happen then.

 

I’d love too but I’ll be with my steam engine at Shrewsbury steam rally. Bad weekend for a gala event.

 

While we had not planned on stopping at the Vale of Rheidol, timing cooperated for us to visit the new museum yesterday, and it is simply gorgeous. The wooden floor of boards on end is brilliant, the whole building is well designed, and a great way to present equipment.

Cheers,

Stephen

 

That's got to be one of the most eclectic mixes of locos on display anywhere in the country!

Tom

 

boards on end?

 

Presumably vertical grain in parquet style flooring.

 

I was there on Bank Holiday Monday (1/4/24) and agree with Stephen about the excellence of the museum display. The floor is notable in that it consists of loose individual wooden blocks providing a very smoothe surface. I've no idea how durable it will prove to be but I suppose that any damaged sections can be used as lighting up fuel if nothing else. Hopefully this picture shows the size of the individual blocks.

Peter

 

I’m currently at Blaenau isolated from yesterday’s photos safely pulled off camera.

I’ll post a close up picture tonight or tomorrow (because I did take some) when I can. But thing a 2x4 board laid with the cut end vertical so the floor is a pattern of 2x4 ends, rather than long planking.

Stephen

 

Photo of Vale of Rheidol museum floor attached.

Stephen