Cwm Prysor - 'The Bala Branch'

[Wellyboots]

Not the same one as we were talking about, but useful nonetheless.

 

Tamiya 300074522 Painting Stand is the one shown in Tom's post #182, it's a two part set featuring a turntable and a body stand, which is the item in Tom's photo. Can also be had from a number of model shop for a bit less than Amazon's price, including;

 

https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/tamiya-spray-work-painting-stand-set/?exchange_rate=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl8O207nC3QIV6LztCh1p7gHaEAQYASABEgK0ofD_BwE

 

https://www.emodels.co.uk/tamiya-spray-work-painting-stand-set-74522.html

 

Regards

[runs as required]

I'd like to register my delight in happening upon your beautifully judged miminmalist modelling of the austere GW line over Cwm Prysor.

• I rode the line in 1954 and 1955 as a very keen Boy Scout. We camped up in the Rhinogs below the Roman Steps enjoying the rough camping and the walking and scrambling and made a point of trying to ride back down to Llan Ffestiniog - always behind the pannier and its single coach.
   
• I nearly got dumped by wife (then girlfriend) early on for hustling her in a pair of new white high heels, by train from Bala via Trawsfynydd to Llan Ffestiniog (pannier plus one non corridor brake composite ), then by Crosville double decker down to Maentwrog to ride the newly extended Festiniog around to Portmadoc .- all on a very wet day
  Our friends (the former Scout troop leader and wife) waiting for us at Portmadoc, asked why on earth had we left our early morning through Birkenhead - Portmadoc train at Bala Junction. This still rankles with wife to this day!
   
• Have you ever read "Waterlog": A Swimmer's Journey across Britain by Roger Deakin?  A crazy project but a very evocative chapter about swimming across the Rhinogs to Trawsfynydd.

I hope to encounter your Cwm Prysor model at an exhibition one day.

dh

[Killybegs]

Not the same one as we were talking about, but useful nonetheless.

 

This is the one shown holding the pannier tank.

[Tom F]

Tom, is that one of Markits "Smokebox Dart" ?

 

 

It is indeed. It's titled as serving LNER locos as well. They aren't cheap, but I think they are the best interpretation of the door dart for me.

[Regularity]

This is the one shown holding the pannier tank.

If you follow the discussion, the one Tom was asking about was the one from Micromark.

[Tom F]

I'd like to register my delight in happening upon your beautifully judged miminmalist modelling of the austere GW line over Cwm Prysor.

• I rode the line in 1954 and 1955 as a very keen Boy Scout. We camped up in the Rhinogs below the Roman Steps enjoying the rough camping and the walking and scrambling and made a point of trying to ride back down to Llan Ffestiniog - always behind the pannier and its single coach.

   

• I nearly got dumped by wife (then girlfriend) early on for hustling her in a pair of new white high heels, by train from Bala via Trawsfynydd to Llan Ffestiniog (pannier plus one non corridor brake composite ), then by Crosville double decker down to Maentwrog to ride the newly extended Festiniog around to Portmadoc .- all on a very wet day

  Our friends (the former Scout troop leader and wife) waiting for us at Portmadoc, asked why on earth had we left our early morning through Birkenhead - Portmadoc train at Bala Junction. This still rankles with wife to this day!

   

• Have you ever read "Waterlog": A Swimmer's Journey across Britain by Roger Deakin?  A crazy project but a very evocative chapter about swimming across the Rhinogs to Trawsfynydd.

I hope to encounter your Cwm Prysor model at an exhibition one day.

dh

 

 

Fascinating story, and to have travelled the line.....glad to hear you wasn't dumped though! Perhaps you and your then girlfriend were in this coach?

 

I'm always interested to read/hear stories from those who have travelled on the line. Here is one from Eddie Bellass and about an incident which occurred, requiring unconventional travel between Blaenau and Bala.

My 7 months pregnant wife and I were waiting to catch the day's last, one coach train down to Bala Junction.  There we'd change into a train from Barmouth to Chester, where a further change would get us home to Earlestown on a North Wales-Manchester express.  While being run round and temporarily stabled to allow for some freight stock shunting, the single ex-GW non-corridor brake coach was derailed on some dodgy pointwork. No amount of old fishplates and sleeper packing would persuade it back on the rails.  The last LMR train from Blaenau Ffestiniog North station to Llandudno Jn. had gone and no taxi could be found.

 

We and one other passenger were invited up with the crew of the ex Great Western 0-6-0 Pannier Tank locomotive and off we chugged, five in the cab, with my wife turning her 'bump' through 90 deg. whenever the fireman needed to put on a round of coal -- not very often due to running downhill almost all the way.  The other passenger alighted at Trawsfynnydd but two more joined, one with a bike! This was put up on the flat top of the tanks. With six up, the name of the game was to avoid the rise and fall of the rear driving wheel springs which protruded into the cab on either side of the firebox. The extra two people and one bike disembarked at Arenig and we remained at four up into Bala Junction, where the connecting train had been held for us.  On a remote railway branch like that one, operations were conducted very much in a 'family' manner, with no questions asked as long as the job got done.

 

 

From the penmorfa website here

[KeithHC]

Did I see earlier a hint of a possible extension. If so sitting on the edge of my seat waiting. No matter what it will be great.

 

Keith

[Tom F]

Did I see earlier a hint of a possible extension. If so sitting on the edge of my seat waiting. No matter what it will be great.

 

Keith

Oooohhh ermmm did I say that?

 

It’s an idea I’m throwing around. Sadly the extension I’d love I just do not have room for. Now I’m finally focused again, it’s logical to extend the branch. It doesn’t require further costs of rolling stock etc.

 

By November I’ll have committed and ordered baseboards across the shed for the first part of the branch extension. For now though I’m going to keep the actual plan under wraps until I’m 100% sure.

Edited September 18, 2018 by 9793

[runs as required]

Might I have the temerity to suggest very occasional use of Cwm Prysor for "recreation of past events" days.

Fairly obvious might be a recreation of the famous pic of the troop train disembarkation - set up for a photo shoot of a special collection of images.

2

I have a vague recollection of seeing a short mixed goods train headed by the ubiquitous pannier easing around the curves in the mist above us. But presumably there were once a few slate trains out of Blaenau via Bala Junction - perhaps even headed by a Dean goods. A posed view or two like this would be haunting..

I am sure enthusiasts would be happy to lend stock and figures for such photo shoots

dh

[durham light infantry]

Might I have the temerity to suggest very occasional use of Cwm Prysor for "recreation of past events" days.

Fairly obvious might be a recreation of the famous pic of the troop train disembarkation - set up for a photo shoot of a special collection of images.

2

I have a vague recollection of seeing a short mixed goods train headed by the ubiquitous pannier easing around the curves in the mist above us. But presumably there were once a few slate trains out of Blaenau via Bala Junction - perhaps even headed by a Dean goods. A posed view or two like this would be haunting..

I am sure enthusiasts would be happy to lend stock and figures for such photo shoots

dh

Sorry, I don't think this fantastic layout needs or deserves overcrowding.

 

I see it at some kind of Elysium field. Where Dad, Lass and Tom will forever exist. In that perfect past where the last train has never left, and never will.

 

Mike

[runs as required]

Sorry, I don't think this fantastic layout needs or deserves overcrowding.

I see it at some kind of Elysium field. Where Dad, Lass and Tom will forever exist. In that perfect past where the last train has never left, and never will.

Very beautifully put: Adlestrop - only high altitude Welsh, wet & windy !

How gross I feel, put down by the DLI..

I'd borrowed the idea from, I think, Dale St Liverpool which is advertised as available for Victorian street scene photoshoots

dh

[Tom F]

Very beautifully put: Adlestrop - only high altitude Welsh, wet & windy !

How gross I feel, put down by the DLI..

I'd borrowed the idea from, I think, Dale St Liverpool which is advertised as available for Victorian street scene photoshoots

dh

It’s a good suggestion dh, so do not feel bad about it.

 

If I’d modelled pre 51 when the loop was in it would still be doable. Apparently 43xx appeared in the 2nd World War but there after were seldom seen. I might get away with one on a Trawsfynydd goods

[tomparryharry]

Sorry, I don't think this fantastic layout needs or deserves overcrowding.

 

I see it at some kind of Elysium field. Where Dad, Lass and Tom will forever exist. In that perfect past where the last train has never left, and never will.

 

Mike

 

 

The pen is indeed, mightier than the sword. It can reach out, and grab you back in  an instant. "You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave". 

[Tim V]

If I’d modelled pre 51 when the loop was in it would still be doable. Apparently 43xx appeared in the 2nd World War but there after were seldom seen. I might get away with one on a Trawsfynydd goods

Why not model with the loop and signals? Could make it operationally more interesting.

[Captain Kernow]

Why not model with the loop and signals? Could make it operationally more interesting.

Perhaps with the signals removable, so that both periods could apply?

[KeithHC]

No leave Cwm Prysor as it is to me it is in the vein of Pendon. However the new extension that could be a different matter one wonders what it could be? Bala town or maybe Trawsfynydd .

 

Keith

[Tom F]

Why not model with the loop and signals? Could make it operationally more interesting.

 

 

It's a good point you make Tim, and it was something I was originally going to do. The primary reason was I wasn't confident enough, but a secondary reason was that I'm modelling 1956-1961 and the loop had gone in 1951. The signals were permanently set to line clear, and the singalbox was only used 'if' there was a troop train needed in the loop (wartime). 

 

The fact the far end of the loop was retained as a siding, still gave me the option to pick up and drop off.

 

As I'm looking to extend the layout.....then the lack of signals and sidings, wont be an issue! 

 

Now I'm home from work, I'm able to look at the rather nice documentation sent to me by a kind member of this forum. I get a real kick out of going through WTT documentation! 

 

[Tim V]

It's a good point you make Tim, and it was something I was originally going to do. The primary reason was I wasn't confident enough, but a secondary reason was that I'm modelling 1956-1961 and the loop had gone in 1951. The signals were permanently set to line clear, and the singalbox was only used 'if' there was a troop train needed in the loop (wartime). 

 

The fact the far end of the loop was retained as a siding, still gave me the option to pick up and drop off.

 

As I'm looking to extend the layout.....then the lack of signals and sidings, wont be an issue! 

 

Now I'm home from work, I'm able to look at the rather nice documentation sent to me by a kind member of this forum. I get a real kick out of going through WTT documentation! 

 

41984643_10156079598237984_2897365086542757888_n.jpg

At some point between 1951 and 1957 they changed from Service Time Tables to Working Time Table. I have those dates (for another area)!

[Tom F]

At some point between 1951 and 1957 they changed from Service Time Tables to Working Time Table. I have those dates (for another area)!

 

 

Would this coincide with when the freight timetable was made separate from passenger?

Edited September 19, 2018 by 9793

[Tim V]

Possibly. They are combined in '51, but separate in '57.

[Tom F]

Possibly. They are combined in '51, but separate in '57.

 

 

Interesting, the 1956 WTTs for Passenger and Freight are also separate.

 

[Tom F]

Not a lot to report today.

The numberplate and late crests have arrived (numberplate Modelmaster, crests Fox). I intend to get on with that job tomorrow, as well as making up the screw links and fixing the Vac Pipes.

 

Also need to have a think about fitting a decoder in the loco (it's a year a half since I programmed a loco....will have to reacquaint myself!)

 

With the current weather, I'm not attempting to head out to the layout, so staying in this evening. However here's a photo with the all familiar Presflo behind the humble single coach train.

 

[Tom F]

Last night I made up two screwlinks for 5774 which I intend to do further work on tonight.


Also going to start work on 5810 again which I had already started doing a large amount of fettling on (top feed and moulded pipe work gone).


I can use two 58XX class on the layout, 5810 and 5811 (long term Bala allocations). This will be 5810 with a comet chassis.....don’t get me started on the Hattons 58XX/14XX...

Edited September 21, 2018 by 9793

[PaulCheffus]

Was it like this?

https://www.micromark.com/Hold-It-Easy_2

Hi

 

Phoenix Precision Paints do this type of handle. I can't link unfortunately as work block the website.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Tom F]

Hi

 

Phoenix Precision Paints do this type of handle. I can't link unfortunately as work block the website.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

 

Cheers Paul! I'll have look (useful alternative to the one I have).