Devonbelle's Recent Activity
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Devonbelle replied to the thread The Gwili Railway thread.
Well Well done. I must pay you a visit again. The late John Morris, a Gwili volunteer and one of my former team would be well chuffed.
Jul 30, 2026 at 11:14 PM -
Devonbelle liked Matt78's post in the thread The Gwili Railway thread.
Work continues at Llwyfan Cerrig as an access is being created to Aberaeron Signal Box so that visitors can view the box.
Jul 30, 2026 at 11:13 PM
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Devonbelle liked Matt78's post in the thread The Gwili Railway thread.
Moorbarrow is currently out for repair so as things stand will either be L150 or Haulwen. L150 is in use at the moment. Difficult to say right now as loco allocation is being done slightly differently this year rather than the standard 28 day...
Jul 30, 2026 at 11:13 PM -
Devonbelle liked Deepgreen's post in the thread Fire Risk.
I look at the ten day forecasts quite often, as a weather enthusiast, steam enthusiast AND a gardener! Hopes rise when I see rain a few days ahead, then the next day the rain has disappeared from the forecast! The problem at the moment is that...
Jul 30, 2026 at 4:35 PM -
Devonbelle liked Big Al's post in the thread Fire Risk.
Pleased to see that the MHR is using 35005 currently and not other locos that might be more risky in current conditions. That said, it is a tricky one to call as any steam loco is potentially problematic and will continue to be so until the soil...
Jul 30, 2026 at 4:34 PM -
Devonbelle replied to the thread Fire Risk.
In my 40 years as a railwayman I've never seen the line side vegetation so bad, and now so tinder dry too. I get it that Network Rail under the cosh on costs so veg management has suffered; but sparks from trains aren't limited to steam...
Jul 30, 2026 at 4:12 PM -
Devonbelle liked The Gricing Owl's post in the thread Fire Risk.
I am surprised that they are still running steam. I would have thought diesel only in the current conditions. But possibly with their Thomas event due soon, seeing the locos only in light steam and only running in the station confines at Ropley....
Jul 30, 2026 at 3:58 PM -
Devonbelle liked Romsey's post in the thread Fire Risk.
Returning to the topic of fire risk, there are other problems caused by prolonged hot weather. https://www.msn.com/en-gb/weather/general/network-rail-blames-dried-up-soil-for-slowing-down-trains/ar-AA28Nq7n?uxmode=ruby The West of England line is...
Jul 30, 2026 at 3:57 PM -
Devonbelle liked 26D_M's post in the thread Fire Risk.
The largest loco I've seen fitted with a 'basket' was an NCB Austerity at Graig Merthyr Colliery. The duty involved taking trains of empties up a steeply graded 2 mile branch in a narrow valley. So I imagine there was significant propensity to...
Jul 30, 2026 at 3:57 PM -
Devonbelle liked Big Al's post in the thread Fire Risk.
Nail hit firmly on the head there Tom. I have already said that there is an uncomfortable truth that some loco owners really have to acknowledge even if there may be little that can be done about it, namely that all steam locomotives are not the...
Jul 30, 2026 at 3:57 PM -
Devonbelle liked Jamessquared's post in the thread Fire Risk.
Ships have funnels, locomotives have chimneys! I don't think there is a magic bullet. Minimising risk will come from a combination of control measures, including - but not limited to: Spark arrestors in smokeboxes Proper maintenance of ashpans...
Jul 30, 2026 at 3:56 PM -
Devonbelle liked 26D_M's post in the thread Jacobite 2026.
Although there isn't mention of that option on the website. On the assumption that anyone who is interested in taking a ride on the Jacobite would ordinarily look at the website for times and booking arrangements it seems odd not to mention that...
Jul 25, 2026 at 5:54 PM
