WHR General Discussion.

Re: WHR, has it a future?

You base that on what exactly? Most preserved lines have gone through exactly the same as the WHR, starting off with trains, track but little else - its the revenue that follows that pays for the facilities. While its never great to have such minimal station facilities, its been like that for the past 12 so a few more years isnt going to make a huge difference and i suspect with trains consistently full more carriages will have to come first.

As for your comment about Snowdon, eh? People who want to see snowdonia go on the WHR, especially the Aberglaslyn pass, with the added benefit of a much better view than the SMR when the weather is anything less than brilliant - a future selling point i hope.

Chris

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

Was there or is there tax payers money involved ? Also, criticism is very hard, constructive criticism, i get paid for !!

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

Boredom

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

Hi All,

As someone who has, be it infrequently, visited and worked on the welsh highland offer a few points.

Firstly give the welsh highland time. Its changed a lot since Dinas to Caernarfon openned. Its easy to say it has a lack of facilities but go back to many preserved railways when they began had little to start with. As finance permits things improve. Testimony to this was improved toilet facilities at Beddgelert from portaloos to portacabins and over time, finance permitting, to a station building. The original had very few such facilities!

Second, the best is yet to come. Although most would put the aberglaslyn or the 1 in 40 climb in the route after Hafod-y-llyn to Porthmadog is breathtaking in itself and hopefully with more 25mph running on this section will allow the garratts to run at speed. The only thing I'd like to see are more open summer carriages to take in the views though the best are often seen when working with the trackgangs on the track. On the track issue having worked with both the new track and the older south african I suspect the south african will last longer.

Getting onto the issue of locomotives garratts are ideally suited to the welsh highland to cope with the terrain and the long trains to make it more viable. Whilst specials have and continue to run. Welsh Highland on countryfile on youtube being one example. These dont have the capacity to haul the number of passengers wishing to travel the line. Indeed of late k1 is double heading with vale to meet demand!

If garratts are not the locomotives you wish to see run there is an alternative. There are two NG15s on the welsh highland. One of which is under restoration and requiring the funds to make it happen...

http://whr.bangor.ac.uk/134.htm

Additionally there's also Russell currently being overhauled.

For those who like garratts visit the welsh highland to see a few in action or go to Science and Industry for our Great Garratt Gathering Event 14th -16th August. see the event in the gala page for more details.

Regards

Duncan

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

I must admit that the NG 15s are a vast improvement on the Garratts, would it not be possible to start an comprehensive exchange programme ?

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

What do you mean?

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

You know. One Garratt for one NG 15

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

Hi,

An exchange programme I can't see being too possible. Funds dependant it will be a few years I suspect before an NG15 is running. It will be interesting to see how the tender is reprofiled to give better visability. Think of the work needed on 87 to get it steaming. although it will cost less for 134 it will probably take at least as long. At the moment the focus I believe is on returning 138 to steam before 143s ticket runs out late this year followed hopefully by Lyd. In the long run having NG15s will also help to add variety of locomotives running the line but the garratts will be needed. Lately the compatibility has come in useful as an overhauled power bogie from 138 replaced one under 143 when 143s failed.

Finance wise the project isn't as straightforward. It wasn't just given to us on no conditions! I know it was given on number of hours worked per volunteer on the project and so the money given gradually over time. A lot was raised by the railway itself as well.

Regards

Duncan

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

Hi. 140 I know very little on I'm afraid. I know only one NG15 for now is being restored. It was mentioned a while back on the unofficial welsh highland page 140 may be fourth in the queue to be finished but aside from this little I'm afraid. 140 will enter service eventually but when is anyones guess..

Regards

Duncan

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

Hi will do,

A good source is Barrie Hughes site, link below, or spooners after a day volunteering! I know there a month event scrap to steam in 28 days being held in caernarfon soon to increase awareness of the railway and raise funds for 134s restoration.

http://www.isengard.co.uk/#News

Regards

Duncan

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

I can't see how that works given the components for the Garratts are allready there and mostly servicable. I would have thought given your vast knowledge you'd allready have known that.

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

Don't feed the Troll!

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

A rather limited response, to say the least !!

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

It's good to see there are other's who agree with me.

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

I`m just wondering if there has been any logistical reason why the FR couldn`t have rented the Gelerts Farm- Pont Croesor section of the WHR to the P this summer for say £10k?
There was an initial flurry of rail movements when the line was completed but the FR/WHR seemed to prefer using road transport rather than their railway these days.
I would have thought £10k would have been of more use to the WHR/FR than £0.00, but the what do I know 8-[

 

Re: WHR, has it a future?

I think the main issue with that is the time and effort for no obvious benefit; concentrating on getting a long-term agreement is far more important. Trains operating to PC would be faced with no platform, no run-round and require an extra mile of track to be tamped, inspected and have operating procedures put in place; all done by people who are trying to maintain a busy summer service on the WHR/FR. Given that it wasnt till some way into the year before a full opening in 09 became unrealistic, this just wasnt going to happen however constructive the discussions between the two lines.

I've said this before, but im very hopeful that in a few years time it will be practical to run WHHR trains onto the 'mainline', by which times things will have cooled down and a proper agreement can be put in place. In the meantime both railways have plenty to be getting on with.

Chris