The Gwili Railway thread

Conwil was the GWR way of spelling "Cynwyl Elfed". I expect when we get there we will honour both names....

As is noted below, we've just opened a 1.75 mile extension so we are pausing for breath before we embark on the next phase of development.... Yes, a northern extension is high on the list but so are a few other essentials.

I couldn't tell you how much Conwil will cost to get to, but it is the next aim going north.

Getting to Llanpumsaint involves another 3 miles and 3 bridges, with no platform at the end (unlike Conwil). Personally I don't see the merit in getting to Pencader, we don't own the land, nor do we hold an LRO for that part. That's a fair chunk of cash gone before we lay a single panel.

Regards

Matt

 

I was thinking that. Artus has big plans in the works it would seem.

Speaking of the present needs. There was an article somewhere under the working title "Carmarthen North" showing the railway's full aspirations for the Abergwili Junction site, involving a loco shed? A carriage shed? What was it again?

I can't find it anywhere...

 

This plan do you mean?

regards

Matt

 

That's the one! Thank you.

Ah right, so its a carriage shed. And good parking too. Essential if they are going to be 5+ miles long with potentially more than one train running per day.

 

Yes, 5 miles really would be the "tipping point". Up to this length (which is Abergwili to Conwil) we could use the Austerities and run one-train a day, anything beyond this (to Llanpumsaint) and we'd have to run 2 trains and have bigger motive power as the norm.

Regards

Matt

 

KESR seem to manage with Austerities and their line is 11.5 miles long. Sure bigger motive power would be good but you would cope. I agree you'd need two trains though (but one could be a DMU on quieter days).


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Probably from a water capacity and coal capacity point of view more than power per se, but with our curves 2-6-2t's would also be slightly kinder to the track so it would be good to have a bit more of a mix at that point.

Lots to do to get to that stage first though...

Regards

Matt

 

The good thing with Gwili is they've had plenty of time to consider how the signalling and loop lines will work.

Heck, you could have three trains running or more on the busiest of days and galas.

 

If the number of passengers continues to increase, surely it won't be too long before you'll have to increase the number of Mk1's in both the regular and dining set ?
What is the max train length an Austerity can comfortably cope with on the line as if the operational rakes need to be increased, larger motive power might become a necessity if the austerity's start to struggle ?

Gareth

 

At the moment we have 3 x maroon MK1's on the "normal" train, CK, SK, BSK (150-odd seats) and on the dining train we have in southern green a TSO and a second TSO fitted with a bar (100 seats). This are the operational ones anyway....

We probably would need more MK1's or equivelant in future but they are getting increasingly harder to come by. We also have the DMU of which the centre car can be used as a strengthener.

Sometimes we now run 5-car trains although one of these is the kitchen car. The loop at Danycoed can only take 4 carriages so we are restricted somewhat.

I would have thought that an austerity can cope with a load of 5 MK1's on our line even with the curves and gradients. When we had a GWR large prairie a good few years ago now it felt somewhat "large" for the then 2.5 miles we had. I imagine it would be pretty on the money for the 8-mile run. I hope we can test the theory in the not-to-distant future...

By contrast we hired a 14xx shortly after the prairie and it really struggled with more than 2x MK1's on our line.

Regards

Matt

 

"Artus has big plans in the works it would seem. "
Lots of big ideas being bandied about at the moment. It'll be interesting to see what is presented for shareholder approval at the AGM (Nov 21st - Venue to be advised).
EDIT: Oops! Date should have read the 11th BUT that has now been changed to the 18th as you'll see in a post a little further down
It would be preferable if any proposals were circulated well before then so that shareholders have a chance to properly review what (if anything) is being proposed. I would also hope there would be some real business cases to support these ideas and, hopefully, a decent cost/benefit analysis of each proposal. With the longer run, increasing passengers and turnover the railway is moving beyond the size of a company where the volunteers can get together and just get on with new works. With increasing size comes increasing financial risks and these need to be properly assessed and controlled.

...involving a loco shed? A carriage shed?
No chance of a Loco shed at Abergwili. I believe Carmarthen town planning has set strict limits on air pollution that restrict a loco's 'loiter' time at Abergwili to 10 minutes or so to prevent them breaching the sulphur dioxide emissions limit. Be a bit difficult to stay within that limit when lighting up . However, once the Abergwili car park and station are completed Bronwydd will return to being a small wayside station and then there would be plenty of space on the current Bronwydd car park for an extended MPD (and possibly even a carriage workshop...) and parking for staff cars.

 

I like the Gwili, I make no bones about that, but before further extensions are considered some attention to detail would be good, consolidating on what you've acheived, which is a lot.In particular upgrading your passenger stock a little.

 

@ gwilialan, sounds excellent. You do need to get those vintage coaches undercover, otherwise you'll be spending a fortune having to repolish and repaint them all the time! A nice showroom with the Taff Vale 28 would look gorgeous.

There's a lot of old MK1 and 2 coaches in Old Oak Common sidings:

http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/02/20/022039_599f8350.jpg

Granted some are in better condition than others, but at least there's a stockpile. But yes, Gwili doesn't allow for very long passenger trains to pass one another, in spite of it being the old stomping grounds of the decent sized Manor locomotives...

 

I have read with interest the last 3 posts. All I can say is, if anyone is a Gwili shareholder then yes come to the AGM (which will be 18th November) as we will have an interesting announcement.

Regards

Matt

 

I hope it's a locomotive shed.

It's really needed out there. Even industrial hard-working tanks need tender loving care away from the elements.

Which site do you feel is best for such a building, as Caramarthen have evidently, by preventing a shed at Abergwili, surrendered their intellect/scrutiny, to fallen prey to the growing climate change cult?

 

@Tuska, we do have a loco shed at Bronwydd, this was erected earlier this year.

Regards

Matt

 

Those sidings have been cleared and a large building erected for Crossrail trains. No idea where the coaches went.

 

Apologies for the finger trouble there Matt. My post should have said the 11th which is what was announced in the latest "News from the Board Room". As it's now changed to the 18th it might be worth a quick e-mail to one and all to let them know. Any news on a venue yet?

 

Hi Alan

AGM notices will be out shortly, should be Llanpumsaint as last year.

Regards

Matt

 

Even though it is practically in the countryside Abergwili falls within the 'Carmarthen Town' area and, as with most built up areas, does tend to have stricter emissions limits than more rural areas. The site is also directly alongside the hospital so any east in the wind would drive smoke & fumes straight over them - so I suppose it is a reasonable limitation.

MPD and new engine shed are at Bronwydd now. About a year or 18 months ago some (very) long term draft plans for what happens after Abergwili is fully operational did include the possibility of moving the carriage workshops to Bronwydd to centralise all the engineering in one place. (And therefore make it a place for passengers to stop off and visit rather than just pass through)

Although some might say those facilities would be better in a more central location between Carmarthen and Llanpumsaint folks should remember that the railway was always a single track and is generally very narrow, in most places it is sandwiched between steep hillsides and the river. Bronwydd and Conwil North Yard are about the only two places where there is space for reasonably sized workshops.