Trawsfynydd and Blaenau Ffestiniog Railway

Their website is up: http://www.Bftr.cymru plenty of photos of clearance work as well as on their facebook page: https://en-gb.facebook.com/trawsblaenaurailway/, they've started repairs on the maentwrog goods shed, which will be their operational base I believe.

 

The works party announcement doesn't look very professional. Full of grammatical errors !

Bob.

 

No worse than some of the posts on this site...

 

From their website + facebook page it seems that contractors were hired in and have been clearing maentwrog goods yard and the trackbed/cess drains all the way to traws lake halt over the last week or so, judging from the photos it looks to have been a mammoth job. A good read though, they seem rather more punctual with photo updates than other fledgling rail heritage projects I've seen.

 

I like their aspirational video animation. I have to agree about the working party announcement, they need a proof-reader!

 

It has been agreed that Class 414 2HAP 4311 from the closing ERM is to head to maentwrog yard, if the society manages to get the funds together to buy it of course.

 

Hardly likely to encourage potential supporters of the T & BF Railway project to stump up their cash.

 

New start-up schemes such as this are going to struggle to get any suitable rolling stock & will find it virtually impossible to get appropriate locos.
There are established lines struggling to get both of the above, and yet these new schemes keep popping up. If I was starting a new heritage line I wouldn't do it next door to one of the U.K.'s major heritage lines.

Bob.

 

I certainly would not regard a Southern EMU as suitable rolling stock for this location.

 

Newstead?

 

They've said that the EMU is going to operate push pull, and they want it for the 300 seats that it will provide, I think they have an 08 sorted too, but newstead would be a good one for the line. Would be a lot of money but installing third rail on some of the route would give them an edge over the other heritage railways in the area. I fear that a suitable home won't be found for the electric stock/motive power at the ERM and scrapping a will be on the way

 

i don't think you'd get permission for third rail, maybe a class73? I can't really see SR third rail stock being the answer here (or anywhere else) much as I'm a fan

 

It doesn't look like the most scenic bit of Wales… am I missing panoramic photo opportunities of glorious vistas taken from swooping viaducts, or is it more likely to be a plod through a tree-lined avenue from Blaenau (not exactly one of the nation's treasures) to the middle of nowhere?

Simon