The Gwili Railway thread

link to article in this week's local paper-

http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/s...tory-20038446-detail/story.html#axzz2jtwq53Ce

Regards

Matt

 

Typical Jeremy... Send my regards to him.

 

Gwili features prominently in this month's Steam Railway mag too with news items on TVR28 and the extension

Regards

Matt

 

Page nine to be precise !

 

Good to see we're finally moving up the page number ranks!

 

Update

Photo from the member's special on the extension (yesterday) attached- first DMU seen here sine the last Railtour 40 years ago. The train stopped at the end of the present ballasted section and returned to Bronwydd. There were some excellent views of the river from the train, it is going to be a very attractive stretch of line once opened.

Extension works will now slow down until January as the priority will shift to getting the railway ready for what promises to be a busy Santa season. It has been a very productive year on the extension, with nearly 3/4 mile laid, 1.5 miles ballasted, S and T works and the platform built. We are still looking for a 2014 openning.

Still left to do is construct the platform line and loop, final ballasting and tamping.

A GWR 8 plank wagon has been outshopped in GW grey complete with lettering. The two vintage coaches are currently in the shed getting those all important jobs done so that they too can enter traffic.

Meanwhile Welsh Guardsman is all but complete and has a loaded test at Llangollen tomorrow (Monday). All being well it should be back at Bronwydd before the end of November ahead of the Santa season after a 2 year overhaul which includes the fitting of a new inner firebox.

Regards

Matt

 

Is there a weekend set out ready for the (more public) opening of the extension?

I wouldn't mind being there, but I'd need to be with my dad and he has a very awkward shift system, that seems to work better with plenty of forward planning.

 

Hi Kingston Flyer, we are not yet in a position to confirm the first public day and probably won't be able to until the new year but it will be posted as soon as we can. Rest assured there will be plenty of publicity....

Regards


Matt

 

Ok. Thanks Matt

 

How is guardsman doing since she's back? Also are the Christmas services going well? All the best, tom

 

Hi Tom

Santa season starts this weekend, Haulwen and Guardsman top and tail on the trains, pre bookings coming in well. Hopefully all set for a good Santa season as like many railways we rely on Santa income to see us through the winter shutdown. With much to do and look forward to in 2014 we are fingers crossed for a good festive period.

Regards

Matt

 

How did the Santa season go Matt?

 

Hi Tom

Very well, we carried a record 11k passengers for the event, which marked the return to steam of Welsh Guardsman after overhaul

Regards

Matt

 

Great work! When you consider the population of Carmarthen in 15k that's no mean feet! Great to have welsh guardsman back! Massive year 2013 looking forward to 2014!

 

Increase of 45 per cent on 2012 santas.

 

Is there any chance of a project update on the Gwili Project website ? It doesn't seem to have been done since Oct 2012 and their must be lots to talk about with the opening so near.

 

The opening has been put back until May at the earliest. Current work remains getting the track into the platform, re-grading the track under and around Bridge 5 (it's like Nine Elms coaling plant at the moment!), and tamping, which will complete the grant-funded elements of the project. A work party is scheduled to begin the track tomorrow, and assembly of the platform road will begin on 15 January, with the north turnout for the loop installed if there is time before the grant deadline. Fencing is about 90 per cent complete. Most of the delay is related to documentation and certification, and final revisions to the safety paperwork. Add to that a degree of contingency, we reach May, but we don't want to put a firm date on it at the moment, as with all these things time slips. All third parties are being kept informed regarding the opening, but we intend to iron out the snags before this happens to ensure things run as smoothly as possible.

Your request for updates on the website have been passed on to the relevant person, so hopefully there will be an update soon. The extension website itself has effectively been left to grass as there is now a dedicated section on the main website. However this also needs updating. Thanks for your interest.

 

How are the vintage carriages doing and how has guardsman been performing? Cheers tom

 

Only worry when you reach Page 3 !

 

BP Thanks for offering to remind them about the website. People will be making plans for summer 2014 soon so something current on the website would be great. I will have to declare a personal interest though, as I will be travelling 250 miles to visit the Gwili for the first time in July, so I would be interested to see some updates in the countdown to opening and very much hope that the date doesn't slip beyond May. I would still enjoy myself regardless of it being open though