The Vale of Rheidol Railway - News

Two IOMR carriages are also now back on the isle, F37 and F38, I think they are

 

I was surprised to read this on the U.S. based Narrow Gauge Discussion Group https://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,481156,481528#msg-481528
Is there any truth in this? Perhaps someone at the VoR can comment?
Ray.

 

Markings on the tender identify the loco as belonging to the Beacon Mountain Railway. Not the VoR

 

@marshall5 means the replica Forney being built, not the two operational Baldwins.

 

Actually, the quote #682 refers to another replica, of a SR&RL 2-6-2 No. 23; it's at a less advanced stage but is (I think)~ actually slightly bigger than either of the two operational Baldwins. I, for one, hope that they do actually decide to finish it, but, failing that, I hope that it winds up at the WW&F in the USA as the next best option.

 

The VoR now owns the BMR, the acquisition funded from Peter Rampton’s legacy. Statutory authority passed to the VoR via a Transport & Works Act (Transfer) Order made by the Welsh Gov in June ‘25.

 

Why would they want to sell it, unless the long-term plan is to run some of the larger Collection X locomotives on the Brecon Mountain Railway?

 

I think I've seen an article recently that says the Forney will give them three engines and they don't ever envisage needing more than one loco at a time on a regular basis, so perhaps selling 23 would give them a welcome cash boost - and now that they are one with the VoR presumably there's a reserve of locos there that they could call on if desperate in future.

 

Purely speculative from the original poster I think! Nice idea though.

You'll find some recent updates on the progress with the Forney loco construction on the BMR YouTube channel.

Whilst the T&WO was granted in 2025, the two lines remain separate entities at the moment. The intention is to bring both railways under unified management at the earliest opportunity but at the time of writing this has not yet been finalised.

Will
Vale of Rheidol