The Gwili Railway thread

From a private site in Essex I think

Matt

 

Is it this one then http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=117

 

Don't think so. It was from Morgan Marine in Brightlingsea.

 

It's this one: http://www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=3657

 

I have walked past that one at Morgan's in Brightlingsea on many occasions as I have gone into their chandlers. I am pleased it has gone to a good home. It was only about 30 yards from the water in that photo and the sea air won't have been doing it much good.

 

Well reports are it rolled off the lorry and people in the know where pleasantly surprised with its condition.

 

Sent an email to the VCT so their site will be updated with this wagon moved to your railway.

 

More updates from Abergwili Jtn HQ!

Regards

Matt

 

Ex-Brightlingsea example was built by the GWR in 1944 for Cow & Gate; the other might well have been LMS, so could have been built for UD, Express or even Independent Dairies. CWS predominantly used road-rail tanks, although there were some examples of the 'normal' design in circulation- they also had twin-mounted tanks for different grades of milk. The only difference between the two tanks is the company that built the chassis, as the wholesale dairies owned the milk tanks. This was an unusual arrangement from when bulk milk tanks by rail started in 1927, as oil tanks were generally 'Private Owner' vehicles wholly owned (ie. chassis and tanks) by the oil companies.

 

Brief update

The North end point at Abergwili is progressing well with the common crossing now installed. The loop line is almost finished too and starting to look impressive with double track formation into the station throat. Hopefully a pic this week

Regards

Matt

 

Couple of photos showing the loop and pointwork at Abergwili.

Last year's passenger figures now confirmed as 29,257- a record - hopefully this year we will break 30k.

Regards

Matt

 

Well done!

 

The Cambrian News reports today that Welsh Government is to fund an initial study into the reopening of the Aberystwyth-Carmarthen line.
http://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/news/i/48948/

 

better start mapping out an alternative route out of Carmarthen to avoid the Gwili's running line and trackbed up to Llanpumsaint!

 

Yes, I agree. If the Gwili has access to a cartographer, some preliminary sketches of routes might be time and money well spent!

 

The campaign will rightly see this as a positive step forward but in all honestly I can't see the study coming out in favour of re-instatment. Is 30k enough money to provide the depth of study required? The suggestions have previously been that the Gwili will by bypassed but I imagine the study will look at all alternatives. It is one think to spend 30k on a study, quite another to fund reinstatement of the whole route.

Regards

Matt

 

I wish the campaigners luck but as Matt has said I can't see a positive outcome for Rebuilding the line. Of the three big towns only lampeter is not currently served by rail and the current bus service struggles for passengers outside of peak hours.
We shall see what the future holds !

 

Cambrian News is a bit of a rag, so may have 'sexed-up' the story. It strikes me that the funding will actually pay for an exercise considering whether or not it is worth scoping further into the issue- sort of a toe in the water before any major expenditure on surveys. As with James and Matt above, apart from ensuring that any successor to ATW will be able to access North Wales without going into England, I am still skeptical as to the social and economic value of reopening this particular route, as it is an expensive way of re-linking Lampeter to the railway network when there is an under-used bus service in both directions.

 

I too feel that the likelihood of reopening the line is remote. However, the fact that this campaign has been going on for some years and has some support at Senedd level means that the Gwili, as part of prudent future planning, really should consider their response should the line be approved, or even if a full-scale review be agreed on. As part of this response it only makes sense to plan and be able to propose an alternative route out of Caerfyrddin/Carmarthen.
I am a Gwili member, and don't want to see our line taken over....!

 

Gwili Board has already suggested and ensured an alternative plan for Carmarthen to Pencader as part of the initial plan. Whether in the euphoria of re-instatement this becomes lost remains to be seen.