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News from February 2005
A busy weekend...
It was a busy weekend in Tywyn, with a good number of volunteers at work getting things ready for the start of the 2005 operating season on Saturday 12th February; tasks included putting up posters for the train service.
A couple of other reports concentrate on events at Pendre; at Wharf, work was ongoing on the shop refurbishment (glazing the platform side windows) and on the Wharf edge.
Looking through into the shop from the café
Looking out into the café from the kitchen
Out in the yard, a gang was busy removing the rail and timber fencing around the coal road. This needs to be altered to allow access to get the large museum exhibits through the large doors (with the removable section of platform out of the way).
The large museum doors and removable section of platform
Excavations continued, too, in preparation for installation of the new siding for the museum’s wagon fleet; this leads off the recently installed wagon turntable. The area will then be dressed with slate waste delivered this week following the offer of grant funding to the Museum from CyMAL (Council for Museums, Archives & Libraries in Wales).
Site for the new siding
The section of track between the two wagon turntables
Also on the agenda in this area is some work on improving the Wharf water tower, which is now rather out of keeping with its surroundings. It is to be clad so as to resemble the well-known old water tower at Dolgoch.
The Wharf water tower
Source: Talyllyn Railway: Latest News
Posted by Peter Bowyer on 8 February 2005
Elsewhere at Pendre...
In addition to the busy activity in the loco shed at the weekend, various other things were underway elsewhere at Pendre. Another replica TR slate wagon is under construction, this one to go on display at the rebuilt Wharf station.
Drilling timber for the replica slate wagon
Ironwork for the replica wagon stored in the Nantlle wagon
Wheelsets wait on the platform
The Nantlle wagon (formerly on the plinth at Wharf station) is itself at Pendre for refurbishment.
The Nantlle wagon
Across in the paint shop, 5th/6th February was a bodging weekend. A lot of Saturday was spent installing a new gate at the entrance to Rhydyronen station. The new gate had been made from oak (appropriately it was made in Oakengates!) in a similar but stronger design replace to the old life expired one. In the meantime a piece of wood was shaped to replace part of a window frame in coach no.23 which came away when the glass was removed – it should have been part of the cant rail section but presumably the router slipped! The rest of the weekend was spent filling and sanding, then filling again – it seems to be never ending, the more you look the more you find.
Carriage 23 in the paint shop
On the ash siding was the new underframe for the new ballast hopper that is under construction to replace the last of the Winchburgh wagons, No. 22. Shallower main frames allow rubber block springing in this de luxe hopper, which will also feature another novelty, a handbrake.
Wagon chassis
Down at the west end of the yard, another recent arrival is this rather fine cast Limit of Shunt board to denote the start of the block section to Wharf; it is designed to be removable so it can avoid the flail mower.
Limit of Shunt board
Source: Talyllyn Railway: Latest News
Posted by Peter Bowyer on 8 February 2005
Loco Status
Since the New Year, Loco 2 has passed its steam inspection and can be used on the February half term service.
Loco 3 has passed its cold inspection and was steam tested at the weekend on Saturday and Sunday (less than 5 weeks after working the last New Year service). After 3 has passed its steam inspection the equalizing reservoir and wishbone can be refitted. Some work has been undertaken on the manifold.
No. 3 is lit up for a steam test
By the close of play on Sunday Loco 4 had been water tested and the brake gear and wish bone refitted ready for steam testing on Monday. 4 now sports its nameplates, 1 maker’s plate, number plate on the back sheet and new steam pipe flange covers in the smoke box. The mud hole studs have been replaced and the bridges reconditioned. It has also been very smartly lined out.
No. 4 sports its new lining
Nos. 4 and 3 in the loco shed
New tubes for 7 have been expanded and annealed ready to be fitted to the locomotive. Some work has been undertaken on the manifold.
No. 7 awaits retubing
No. 1 is still very much in pieces in the South Carriage Shed.
No. 1’s underframe and boiler…
...cylinders…
... cab, dome, sandbox, count the bits…
...and finally the saddle tank.
No. 6 is currently up in the air in the works for attention to its axleboxes.
No. 6 up in the air
And finally, a bit of that loco shed atmosphere…
Source: Talyllyn Railway: Latest News
Posted by Peter Bowyer on 8 February 2005
Open This Weekend
Read this one and you might be able to save money…...
Source: Welsh Highland Railway – News
Posted by Peter Bowyer on 11 February 2005
Busy time at Gelerts Farm
Lots going on at Gelerts Farm, WHR Porthmadog, over half term week.
Work is progressing on new four wheel coach no.6, with brake adapter fitted, insides painted and varnished, seat components constructed and varnished. The wheelsets are being gauged and profiled on the big lathe and the axleboxes refurbished. The coach should be in service for Easter and has the facility to be used as a guards van which would enable the present ex-VoR guards van to be taken out of service for attention and restoration back to original GWR condition.
In the meantime the VoR van has been repainted into GWR brown and the roof recovered with canvas and painted. Future work subject to fundraising will restore the original duckets and regauge/reprofile the wheelsets to suit the WHR gauge.
Simplex 60S No.9 Katherine has had the rather battered cab removed preparatory to restoration to a similar condition to its sisters no.4 and no.6.
Work continues on the Lyd2 diesel locos: no.58 was outside the shed on 13th Feb having the engine and bodywork pressure washed. No.60 has had an electric pre-heater built which will replace the failed Webasto diesel-fired unit.
The frames and cylinders of Hunslet 040ST ‘Lady Madcap’ were being painted in the RED shed.
1994 Hunslet diesel ‘Kathy’ is in the loco shed sporting a new cardboard cab! This is to work out placements for windows and controls etc. before a new proper steel cab is built. The loco has now been fitted with a train pipe ready for operating passenger trains.
Posted by Andy C on 16 February 2005
Shop progress
The refit of the Railway Shop is now nearing completion. The new slate floor is complete and was sealed yesterday (Tuesday 15th), with the new wall panels for display system in place. The new light fittings were also being installed. The display units have been brought over from the café ready for installation later this week. The should reopen on Friday 18th February.
View inside the shop.
View inside the shop.
Work is continuing in the café and museum. Some track panels have been assembled ready for the locos to return to the museum, other track waits outside. The lever frame has been brought back from store and carefully carried upstairs ready for the new signal box to be installed by "The Works".
Work progressing in the museum.
Source: Talyllyn Railway: Latest News
Posted by Peter Bowyer on 16 February 2005
2005 season underway!
The 2005 season got underway on Saturday 11th February, with No. 2 "Dolgoch" in charge. At present, coaling is from a bogie wagon in the middle road as the coal dock has been temporarily dismantled to allow the large museum exhibits (locos etc.) to be brought into the new museum building.
No. 2 waiting to leave Wharf.
No. 2 being coaled from a wagon in the middle road.
Source: Talyllyn Railway: Latest News
Posted by Peter Bowyer on 16 February 2005
Wharf Station rebuilding - Progress report, 22nd February
Progress towards completion of the new building at Wharf Station is now gathering pace. The museum ground floor ceiling has been boarded out and skimmed with plaster, edges and gaps filled with intumescent filler and "the electrics" have now been replaced. Yesterday morning (Monday), the display fit-out team arrived; during the day they started to paint the ground floor ceilings grey and started the construction of the ramps and the boards that will hold the graphics panels and showcases. The floor covering on the top floor is due to be laid today (Tuesday). We are planning to put the big exhibits back in the museum during the week commencing 7th March
The new ceiling in the café and the ground floor offices/stores/cloakroom has been replaced and all the lights re-connected. The area is currently being used as a workshop – but will start to be cleared from today.
The kitchen ceiling has been removed, fire boarding added and the "staykleen" ceiling is well on the way to being replaced – the work should finish today. The electrician is also due today to replace the lighting (removed to work on the ceiling).
The shop re-opened last Friday afternoon (18th Feb) and it looks totally different. New pendant lighting; hidden, high level uplighting fluorescent tubes (completed yesterday evening); a Welsh slate (tile) floor; a new coat of paint; slatboarding to display goods all along the platform wall. The Pendre gang have all worked hard here to complete the transformation – and it looks great; here’s hoping the general public like it and what we have on the shelves.
Progress towards completing the other items on the snags list is ongoing, but will not stop the moves towards opening the new building. If you want to savour the delights of "Ed’s Shed", please come along this Sunday, for the last supper (or dinner) will be served there this weekend. The facility will be closed on Monday 28th and the items that are to be transferred will be moved across and fitted in the new kitchen; the installers will be on hand that day to complete the familiarisation and snagging. The existing café building is for sale.
After cleaning the equipment and training of the staff with their new equipment, it is planned to open the new café to the public from Friday March 4th. We will be using the old furniture (tables/chairs) for a while but plan to renew all the seating and such-like over the next few months once we see how people flows and the rooms’ use pans out. Additionally, the offices will be cleaned out over the coming days and we expect that they will be available for occupancy by Friday 4th March as well.
Over the last couple of weeks, we have made the penultimate grant drawdown claim from the Heritage Lottery Fund (the ninth) and will be able to claim no more until the project "has been completed to their satisfaction"; that will be sometime in July/August, when the final bills have arrived and have been paid.
Source: Talyllyn Railway: Latest News
Posted by Peter Bowyer on 22 February 2005
