Penrhyn Quarry Railway - Jubilee 1879

Sounds like an excellent idea and should hopefully lay a few concerns to rest for the museum.
Interesting times at Aberystwyth all round - Roll on the museum!

Chris

 

Well, at least Jubilee1897 is in a safe place for the time being. Let's hope whatever the issues are at Felin Fawr, there will be some way of sorting them out. From the VoR public Facebook site, this:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?st...96226892727:page_id.205064302842602&__tn__=,;

 

Does this mean that the morons have won again?

 

I have have stayed away from commenting on the awful news about PQR until now As the former chairman of the original supporters organisation and as an active member of the original group of workers who began the restoration of the railway I am appalled at the events of the last ten days.
So why am I writing? to see a lowloader driving through Bethesda High Street on Friday afternoon with the small Diesel engine on it hurt me, the first engine to run on the PQR for fifty years - look on YouTube for a short video of it running into the engine shed maybe in 2010 or 2011.
People have worked very very hard to begin restore the PQR and future looked good, two steam engines on site and a good business plan to extend the line into the quarry.
I feel for all involved, a project that had the support of the community ended. Not right
I thank all of those in the narrow guage world who have sent messages of support, but as always there have been a few negative comments, that dissapoints me.
However what I do know is that the PQR will return

 

And still nothing on the website or to the members!

 

All All of us who have supported the PQR are waiting for a posting from the management team
However I would suggest that Ellis and his team have more pressing matters to deal with i.e. securing the assets of PQR.
I know that when assets are secure Ellis will write to members and supporters
Please support the PQR wherever we are end up.

 

I'm reading the movement of rolling stock etc as temporary storage not disposing of or passing rebuilds on to others, telling comment on their Facebook page.

Edit: 25/7
Which conflicts with the announcement now on the PQR website which says will not be running trains for the foreseeable future.
Not even going to guess where this is going!

 

Most of the rolling stock is now in Minffordd yard so they are unlikely to be running trains any time soon. They seem to have got themselves into financial difficulties from what i understand.

Tim

 

I read somewhere they do not want to let it go outside Wales for some reason.

 

Welsh Slate ltd who own the loco have a preference that it is based in Wales. I doubt that they would have much objection to it crossing the border for a weekend.

 

Double post.

 

If ever I won the lottery that would be one of the first locos in the works, followed by the WHHR Baldwin and then back across town to see that nice man in charge of the FR/WHR to get Mountaineer sorted once and for all we can but dream I suppose.

 

Thank you lynbarn for your thoughts
However what we need to concentrate on is finding a new location for the PQR to recommence operations.
Porth Penrhyn has been suggested as an alternative location but the railway needs both track and workshops to continue. Porth Penrhyn has track but a lack of workshop facility. There may be another site to re establish the railway, but that will involve careful negotiation.
PQR will return

 

Having looked at original maps and current satellite images, I'm not seeing any obvious location other than at either end and either option would require buildings with all the necessary hassle with planning and such, doesn't look much like there being any quick fix option. I presume the Engineering business is going to need accommodating somewhere as well.

 

A few weeks have passed since the events at Felin Fawr and untimely closure of the Penrhyn Quarry Railway.
I called at Felin Fawr this afternoon and was very dissapointed to see track lifted and little evidence of what had been there until July. All very sad.
The Penrhyn Quarry Railway is both of historical importance and an iconic Railway that in time would have joined the 'great little railways of Wales' So my question is who out there can help the Railway come back from hibernation?

 

Just been checking around the net to see if anyone has any information, other than Railway Magazine stating they were unable to contact anyone there seems to be a wall of silence.
If the tracks gone that seems to be a bit final, hope it's not gone for scrap not much bullhead around these days! Could I suppose have been removed for use elsewhere however the total lack of any information is extremely perplexing and I see the PQR Engineering site has vanished as well and according to Facebook is closed, all seems very strange.
Going to be extremely difficult for anyone to try and start again especially as Felin Fawr would now appear to be a no go so where?
All very depressing when things were apparently, or so we were led to believe, progressing so well.

 

If the problems at Felin Fawr really did come down to some thieves and vandals, it's unlikely that's been confined to the PQR and that the local community needs some assistance ridding itself of a serious impediment to any economic progress. I wish the folk behind the project all the best in their efforts to get something meaningful and running in an area which desperately needs things to start heading in the right direction.

 

There has been an unconfirmed suggestion that the problems stem from difficulties with the previous partnership between Felin Fawr Cyf and PQR Engineering Ltd rather than the break ins. For legal reasons I doubt any light will be shed on this for some considerable time.

 

Looking back, it appears the silly spat with Penrhyn Railway Society leading to the split, was a case of the railway shooting itself in the foot. Even if the society couldn't have stopped the closure at Felin Fawr, it might have been able to aid in a relocation effort.

The total lack of communication recently from the railway will strain outside goodwill in any new effort. There must be something they could be saying even if legal or commercial interests preclude a full explanation of the bizarre sudden closure.