Snowdon Mountain Railway.

Perhaps more steam on Snowdon is one for the Euromillions thread?

 

You would think by now with all that cash sloshing around they would start a program of Steam loco refurbishment to get them looking a bit like when they were delivered. I would love to get rid of the wobbly welded side tanks. A bit like the Festiniog Railways rebuild of Merddyn Emrys that loco used to look god awful in the 1970's and 80's.

 

What cash sloshing around? I can see the logic, if they want to remain profitable, in investing first in the basic passenger facilities before dealing with locomotive cosmetic issues, wobbly though they may be. Have all the old carriages been scrapped?

 

I'm sure we're all aware that the SMR is a commercial operation only and not really a heritage/preserved railway. I'm sure if it thought it could get away with steam altogether, it would!

 

I have a suggestion for the SMR, if anyone from there reads this.

You have a wonderful facility at the top of the mountain. As a business you have a captive audience for it too, not much choice for shopping at the summit. But then you only allow for people to be at the top for 30 minutes. I can understand the reasoning behind only allowing people to travel on the train they came up on, but if you found a way to allow for say an hour and a half stay at the top you would make more money. You can charge what you like for food at the summit, if people are hungry they have to pay it, much like popcorn in a cinema. Half an hour is not long enough to eat a decent meal.

 

Most people going up there won't want 90 minutes there. Any other time other than 1200-1430 and they're going to want a quick look around the top and come back down again. Then you need a special lunch+train service which will probably wreak havoc with the timetables and limited passing places in high season. I could (and do) happily sit and look at the views from the top of Yr Wyddfa in summertime but when I've been up there in the mizzle I frankly want to be back down in Pete's Eats in Llanberis pretty damn quick.

 

Being at the top of Snowdon is pretty rubbish anyway- its too full of people!

Chris

 

Make it double track, or extend it down the other side to Bedgellert.

 

I found this on my hard drive from September 2013.

We went up the mountain with it covered in cloud. As we got to the top the clouds cleared and left this spectacular view from the summit.

 

Some footage from Wednesday, when we 'accidentally' climbed Snowdon.

Pictures from the day here... http://preservedrailway.weebly.com/railways-o…

 

There are three steam locos out of use and missing many parts in store. Also the old carriage chassis. Not the place I worked for over thirty years now. Sad.

 

I think it's worse than that. Three operational with one being rebuilt but of the other four two are off-site apparently and unlikely to work again (I read that as "scrapped")

 

It seems to be with the exception of No 6, the later superheated type are not favoured, with 7 & 8 being the basket cases mentioned and 2 through 5 usually rotated through the works as needed.

 

The 1923 engines are harder to drive. They are more like race horses. The older ones are like cart horses.

# 2 had new frames in 1978/9 and in use
#3 is a runner but the cylinders are a fabrication of a poor standard.
#4 in store with parts robed for #5
#5 went out of use in mid 1990's but was to be rebuilt but I don't know how far it has got. Was not in use a year ago.
#6 was the only new loco to get a new boiler early 1990's
#7 was lat used November 1991. Now stored many parts missing.
#8 lasted a year or two more than #7 but boiler also had failed. Also stripped and stored.

 

I agree it is a great shame that so many of the SMR steam fleet are now out of use, and that all the old carriages have gone. Yet in a way, it is miraculous that the railway survives at all, particularly as it is still a commercial organisation. Unfortunately, it's the kind of attraction that really needs to weather to get the best out of - and it's in Wales!

Since 7 and 8 are unlikely to steam again, I can't help feeling that it would be nice to at least see them cosmetically restored for display somewhere - although I realise that money would be required to achieve that!

 

the economics of the diesels is pretty unanswerable. I imagine the Owner is keeping some steam because he wants to

 

We visited Snowdon in the late 90s on a family holiday where we were deliberately trying to do every Welsh railway we could. Got to the station and the eye-watering price completely put us off. Went back to the Llanberis Lake for another trip. Never been back and really have no desire to either

 

I thought it was one of the best steam journeys Ive done. Hearing a little loco flat out with stunning views. Imagine the economics of paying for a crew and the running costs of an engine just for one carriage worth of passengers. Seems like good value when you think about it.

 

Mountain railways always seem to be pricey but once you've done one you'll want to do another. I've only done Snowden twice but would happily pay that eye watering price for a third trip if I was up that way. In fact on the second occasion I opted for it over the Llanberis Lake, not having time for both.
I've also been up the Brienz Rothorn Bahn in freezing fog. That was fun!

 

What I find irritating in the SMR's advertising is the repeated references to 'traditional' diesel trains.

I was rather surprised that their website includes a link to Tripadvisor as there is almost universal condemnation of the new coaches.