Tom F Posted October 23, 2018 Author Share Posted October 23, 2018 (edited) Wouldn't there be an evening 'light engine' movement in the WTT in the engine had not stayed overnight as you propose? I assume that the early morning workers train is in the WTT even if it was not advertised publicly? It is indeed in the WTT, see below Edited October 23, 2018 by 9793 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted October 23, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 23, 2018 (edited) Morning TJ! Well my presumption is that the loco crew that lived at Trawsfynydd (I do know there were some) would have worked the terminating Pannier to Trawsfynydd in an evening. I'm assuming at this moment in time, but after Thursday I should have a definitive answer (all will be revealed). I like your idea regarding changing the roster after 10 working days for a boiler washout. In real life, I know Bala had a loco shed, but would they have had facilities for that? Or would said locomotives have been returned to Croes Newydd. Photos of the branch show a fair different number of 57XX and 74XX, so we know members of the class came and went from time to time. Quick answer is I don't know, less quick answer is that there didn't need to be much in the way of complex infrastructure and equipment to perform a boiler washout. You need drainage, a water supply and some tools, a place where the loco can stand while the work is carried out, and a 'Not To Be Moved' notice to go on a lamp bracket. Check out British Transport Flims 'Wash and Brush Up' on YouTube for a very good description and account of the work being done on a Standard Class 5MT; it is more or less the same for any steam locomotive. I see no reason why it couldn't have been done at Bala, assuming a boilersmith is available, and boilersmiths are a relatively easily transportable item... But where were your locos shedded? I believe the home shed was responsible for the work and if that was Croes Newydd, they'd have to go there to have it done. Edited October 23, 2018 by The Johnster Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom F Posted October 23, 2018 Author Share Posted October 23, 2018 (edited) But where were your locos shedded? I believe the home shed was responsible for the work and if that was Croes Newydd, they'd have to go there to have it done. Croes Newydd (84J and by the time of last goods train in 61, 89B) was indeed the home shed. Bala, Trawsfynydd (and in fact Penmaenpool) were all sub sheds of Croes at Wrexham. Going off my diagrams, I suspect around 4 tank engines were sub shedded out to Bala and Traws at a time. I do wonder if you may be on to something with locos working for 10 days and then heading back to Croes while a new locos were rostered in. The two locos that appeared to stay permanently on the branch, were the two 58s, 5810 and 5811. Edited October 23, 2018 by 9793 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcordingley Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 Very much enjoying your thread, Tom - Cwm Prysor just oozes atmosphere, and your attention to detail is fascinating. You may already know this (and I may have missed any references earlier in the thread), but there is an advertisement in the latest "Steam World" magazine for a new publication: "The Bala Branch", by Martin F Williams and Derek J Lowe, Lightmoor Press. Not sure it's actually available at the moment or pending, but looks like it will be a useful reference for you. Apologies if this is old news! David C. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom F Posted October 24, 2018 Author Share Posted October 24, 2018 Very much enjoying your thread, Tom - Cwm Prysor just oozes atmosphere, and your attention to detail is fascinating. You may already know this (and I may have missed any references earlier in the thread), but there is an advertisement in the latest "Steam World" magazine for a new publication: "The Bala Branch", by Martin F Williams and Derek J Lowe, Lightmoor Press. Not sure it's actually available at the moment or pending, but looks like it will be a useful reference for you. Apologies if this is old news! David C. Hi David Nothing to apologise about! I do in fact know about the book as through my research I’ve met both gentlemen and can now call them friends. Martin has told me the book is now at the printers so hopefully will be out before Christmas! In fact I’m meeting Martin tomorrow, along with former signalman on the branch, John Roberts. Should have some more tales to tell about the line. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted October 25, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 25, 2018 In fact I’m meeting Martin tomorrow, along with former signalman on the branch, John Roberts. Should have some more tales to tell about the line. Oh, I do hope that that book will be out before Christmas, what a treat! We should be particularly grateful, I feel, to people like Messrs Williams and Lowe, the authors, for all their diligent research and work in preparing books like this and also to retired railwaymen like John Roberts, who seems to have taken some very useful and interesting photos back in the day and who gives so freely of his time now, to help document the past. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWales Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 Very much enjoying your thread, Tom - Cwm Prysor just oozes atmosphere, and your attention to detail is fascinating. You may already know this (and I may have missed any references earlier in the thread), but there is an advertisement in the latest "Steam World" magazine for a new publication: "The Bala Branch", by Martin F Williams and Derek J Lowe, Lightmoor Press. Not sure it's actually available at the moment or pending, but looks like it will be a useful reference for you. Apologies if this is old news! David C. Not on their website yet, as a quick check confirmed, but many thanks for the heads up!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 I have seen it listed as 2019. Gordon A Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom F Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 Evening gents, from a beautiful (but a bit murky) Gwynedd/Merionethshire!Had an enjoyable afternoon with Martin Williams and Former signalman on the Branch, John Roberts. Firstly, I can confirm Martin's new book 'The Bala Branch' is at the printers and according to Martin, it's due out at Warley! I've also been fortunate to see a large amount of photos today, of what will be in the book, you won't be disappointed. Apparently they are only doing a publishing run of 1000 copies, so I'd recommend not waiting too long once it's released. John was able to answer one big question for me. Why the two brake vans on the last good trains? Well, it was done in the last week of goods services before closure, so that railway men could travel on the branch one last time. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom F Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 (edited) This evening Lass and I headed up to Cwm Prysor and walked for a good mile along the track bed of the branch. The weather tonight was exactly how I envision the layout, a touch of drizzle with the mountain tops covered with cloud....beautiful! I've taken some photos, but annoyingly I've left the cable at home so can't edit them, I'll post them tomorrow evening! Lass and I are settled in our B&B at Trawsfynydd. Tomorrow I'm heading out early to photograph the remains of the Capel Celyn two arch viaduct which I intend to model on the Capel Celyn boards, before we head south to visit Geoff Taylor and his stunning Penmaenpool/Barmouth Junction layout....photos of that too to follow... Edited October 25, 2018 by 9793 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom F Posted October 25, 2018 Author Share Posted October 25, 2018 (edited) I forgot to add, former signalman John Roberts will be on tomorrow (tonights) episode of 'Walking Britain's Lost Railways' on Channel 5, which will feature the Ruabon-Barmouth line. Edited October 26, 2018 by 9793 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tom F Posted October 26, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 26, 2018 Just back home a few hours ago.Today I spent an enjoyable day with Geoff Taylor. Geoff kindly let me photograph the layout, and here are couple of photos to wet the appetite! 25 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tom F Posted October 27, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted October 27, 2018 Dad and Geoff chat, while Lass waits for her next biscuit on Penmaenpool Station, while 7414 works in with the local from Barmouth. 26 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pteremy Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 did you discuss wire fencing? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom F Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share Posted October 27, 2018 did you discuss wire fencing? Ah yes we did. Geoff added, so in due course once I've grassed the layout, so will I. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pteremy Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 Know we will see in the fulness of time, but what was it about his method that convinced you? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom F Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share Posted October 27, 2018 Know we will see in the fulness of time, but what was it about his method that convinced you? It just looked right to my eyes. Geoff has used fine black cotton....I think it would bug me now if it was missing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerner Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 I must admit Tom adding the wires on the fencing on Wencombe and Kingsbridge made a big difference. I used Eazy- line just in tension. I did it by marking out a metre length of MDF were the post would go, laying the lines along the board then sliding the post in underneath in the marked places and fixing with a spot of superglue. There are photos of the build somewhere in the Wencombe thread. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom F Posted October 27, 2018 Author Share Posted October 27, 2018 Well, today I turned 33 (well it was yesterday now). Couple of interesting books, one on the Mid Wales line and the new Larkin book on Inherited British Railway Wagons. Off to Leeds Show tomorrow afternoon, then plan to crack on with the layout....maybe, just maybe make a start on the grass work. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Regularity Posted October 28, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 28, 2018 (edited) It just looked right to my eyes. Geoff has used fine black cotton....I think it would bug me now if it was missing.Would a dark grey be even better?And many happy returns for 2 days ago. [edit: 1 day ago? Did the system clock rewind at midnight rather than 1 or 2am? 2nd edit: if system clock was running on CET, and moved back at 1 am, then that would explain it.] Edited October 28, 2018 by Regularity Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted October 28, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 28, 2018 33? You're only a boy... I'd paint the wires dark brown, track colour is fine, as the real wires would often rust and get dirty. Tufts of wool (cotton wool) on the posts where the wires are stapled to them, where the locals have rubbed up against them. If you can make these and your grass move a little in the wind, you have the exposed bleakness of the real Cwm Prysor nailed! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium AdeMoore Posted October 28, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 28, 2018 Well, today I turned 33 (well it was yesterday now). Couple of interesting books, one on the Mid Wales line and the new Larkin book on Inherited British Railway Wagons. Off to Leeds Show tomorrow afternoon, then plan to crack on with the layout....maybe, just maybe make a start on the grass work. Happy Birthday Tom many Happy returns of today. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northmoor Posted October 28, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 28, 2018 I've just been watching the BBC4/S4C drama series "Hidden". In the last episode, the police pursue the accused onto what looks very much like the viaduct East of Cwm Prysor. The whole series was shot around Snowdonia, I can't think of another disused viaduct on this scale that it could have been. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
branchie Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 I've just been watching the BBC4/S4C drama series "Hidden". In the last episode, the police pursue the accused onto what looks very much like the viaduct East of Cwm Prysor. The whole series was shot around Snowdonia, I can't think of another disused viaduct on this scale that it could have been. Correct! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom F Posted October 28, 2018 Author Share Posted October 28, 2018 (edited) When my friend Simon and I operated the layout, one thing we realised pretty quickly was I needed more wagons. This certainly isn't a bad thing, wagons and vans are an area of the hobby that really interest me. Photos of goods trains on the branch show no tanker wagons. It was after chatting with John Roberts, former signalman that I discovered that wasn't quite the case. Roughly once a month, a tanker (or perhaps two) ran up the branch to Festiniog (LLan Ffestiniog) to the Vanwil Oil Company's depot. There were a few depots in Merionethshire supplying household heating oil. John did tell me it was FINA that supplied the oil and Bachmann kindly oblige. I haven't got a photo of the van to hand, but I've fitted 3 links and tie bars (as the prototypes show for 14T tankers, reference Geoff Kent's 4mm Wagons Vol 2). Regarding weathering, I'm following Ian Fleming's method from the RMweb archive, although I'll be sticking with enamels (which I know Ian generally does now). The Tanker can be found about 3/4 of the way down the page. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=17068&hilit=6wts&start=50&fbclid=IwAR3ZmcswiVHdRbI9JtHb1sBWum5Q9CEqOqCfHickaYnQpxCGdfFxMEJ3P2c In the meantime, with the fire lit....time to have a read of one of my birthday presents. Edited October 28, 2018 by 9793 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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