FR & WHR & WHHR News

Basic timetable for Hunslet 125: http://www.festrail.co.uk/content/uploads/1/FR-H125-TTsimple_v2.pdf

On the WHHR on 23 & 24 June:

• Starring: Hunslet ‘Russell'
• With: Andrew Barclay ‘Gertrude'
• And: A conglomeration of heritage Diesel locomotives
• Ride in our beautifully restored Heritage Carriages.
• View our Demonstration Goods Train
• Drive our Ruston diesel ‘Glaslyn’
• Be a ‘Driver for a fiver’ on Russell or Gertrude at Porthmadog (WHR) Station
• Ride the Miniature Railway
• Enjoy visiting Model Railway displays
• Drive the world famous original WHR loco Russell from Porthmadog (WHR) station to Pen Y Mount Junction on Saturday evening for only £20! (Booking essential)
• Normal fares apply (please see leaflet or Website for details)
• 10% discount to Hunslet 125 Ticket Holders

Copy & pasted from https://www.facebook.com/events/175827826439442/

 

I doubt anyone at Dinas would be too miffed if you turned up with tea bags and some overalls!

 

Wasn't "Earl Of Merioneth" an attempt to curry a bit of Royal favour?

Henry Archer also would be suitable, if you were that way inclined.

 

Been there, done that. That ship has sailed.

Maddocks and Holland both had buffet cars named after them. I think Spooner was the name of the third buffet car.

 

Probably not when they’re going backwards as they will half the time. I love tender-first photos but have to accept I’m in the minority.

 

The tender layout has been ummed and aaah'd about for yonks. I believe the preferred option is 'cut away' to permit crews decent sighting, rather than the large chunky box they were in SA, so yer photographic types would be able to get some interesting compostitions when they're running backwards (the loco, not the photographer) .... plus the crews would be able to see where the hell they're going!

 

The nice thing about Linda's tender/cab arrangement is that you used to be able to watch the crew on the way up (assuming that the front carriage was a tin carriage). Like a better 1st get DMU view.

 

The new tender body for 134 was constructed a few years ago. It looks similar to what you see behind a BR std 2.

There is one 3rd class top end observation coach in service on the FR, and other one will join it in due course. They offer a great view of the loco and crew in action providing there are no spares added to the set.

In other tender news the C2 group finished wheeling their chassis last month. So now the whole loco is 2ft gauge. If you are coming to the Hunslet 125 event. The loco will be on display in Minffordd yard and members of the group will be around to answer your questions.

Tim

 

I was disappointed to discover that there will be no public access to Boston Lodge during Hunslet 125.
First FR gala that I can recall attending over the last 25 years where this isn't possible on at least one day of the event.
As well as always being an interesting location to visit and view progress on projects, seeing multiple locos being prepared for the days activities each morning was one of the highlights of Hunslet 100.

Anybody "in the know" aware of the reason for denying participants access on this occasion?

Chris

 

The C2 is so arms-length as to fly under the radar much of the time. I do remember to visit their website every so often (http://c2project.org by the way). I watched a YouTube clip of the inspection and in-steam tests of the loco, ahead of it's purchase .... search YouTube for 'Buying a Chinese C2 for Welsh Highland Railway' by Andy and Dandan Fisher. It's just over 22mins of fascinating HD footage and well worth a shuftie IMO.

With those small drivers, I do wonder what sort of rate of knots it can be expected move at, but seeing it in steam is a mouthwatering prospect nevertheless ..... and I'm betting WHR crews will appreciate that cab when it's raining sideways in Snowdonia!

 

Here is a pic of the new tender (from the NG15-134 website):



Keith

 

600mm so basically the same diameter as Prince or 2" less than Linda/Blanche.
Examples travelled behind in China certainly seemed happy to run at typical FR running speeds (and although that was on 2'6", the track wasn't always up to FR standards!)

Chris

 

Yes the loco will be perfectly capable of 20mph. You only actually need to do about 17mph to keep to time anyway. Also it will fit up both railways when finished.

Tim

 

@ghost I had no idea it was that complete. Cheers for posting that shot.

.... is the bit which really took me by surprise!

 

Yes the only bit that is substantially outside the loading gauge is the cab. No 4 originally had a smaller cab when built similar to the polish Kp-4 locos, but was fitted with much larger one at some point. It is intended to recreate the original one but with the footplate lowered 100mm. The width will be the same as the running boards. Visually it will still look like a C2.

The tender design is more tricky. It will be a fine balance between being able to see where you are going, and being true to the original.

 

I totally "get" the authenticity argument, though in all honesty, a bit of me thinks "It's a WHR loco now, for use under WHR conditions" i.e. no elephants likely to raid the water tank (!) From what I can see from the photo, I'd say a good compromise has been found.

Random thought .... how much would a brace of NG15/NGG16 size turntables set you back I wonder? Not like there's too much space at either end though, so probably not, Eh?

 

There an article in NG Magazine on the Earl of Merioneth. Seems some parts will be used to get James Spooner operational in 2020. Then the Earl of Merioneth could be overhauled, (which will then allow another to be overhauled).
It says in an ideal world 2 Fairlies will be operational, one on standby, and one being overhauled.

This may also allow Lyd to maybe make more visits to other lines and the L&B?.

 

I think you'll find wheel diameter has a greater effect on speed that how tall the driver is...

 

If you stand in the cab of Welsh Pony you realise that FR drivers before 1946 were all tiny or had cricks in their necks and back.

 

I suspect it was universal. You need to be short to fit comfortably in a Stroudley Terrier, and the Webb Coal Tank was pretty bijou as well.

I seem to recall seeing stats that the average height of an adult male in the UK was about 5’6” towards the end of the nineteenth century, and about 5’9” now, presumably on account of better diet.

Tom