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Long Term Steam Routes

Discussion in 'Steam Traction' started by KentYeti, Jul 27, 2010.

  1. acorb

    acorb Part of the furniture

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    Machynlleth had a very expensive footbridge (& lift?) fitted recently, I guess this means both platforms are now accessible.
     
  2. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    I did say that the Dukedog over Barmouth bridge is one for the dreams, model railways and computer games for that reason :)

    I think there would be a delicious irony in the Dukedog being fitted with ERTMS
     
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  3. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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    How about Ropley to Yeovil Steam Centre and return using Kilmersdon?
     
  4. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    :Morewaitingisrequired:
     
  5. peckett

    peckett Member

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    A few pic's with dates etc.7819 Cricceth with a Mac to Pwle,23/09/1987.46443 Fairbourn 11.40 Barmouth to Mac 25/09/1987. 46443 Barmouth 26/09/1987
     

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  6. RLinkinS

    RLinkinS Member

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    Braunton ran from Hastings to Ashford last year

    Sent from my SM-A105FN using Tapatalk
     
  7. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Sounds about right for the 2 hourly service pattern. Barmouth certainly used to see some terminating services from off the Cambrian system back in the 70s. 3 car DMUs, of up to 9car formations, were a dead giveaway, as all the local kit was 2car. Loco hauled services were rarer, but featured either double headed 'rats' or 37s. The warm tidal pools of Morfa Mawddach were (and remain) a wonderful place to watch the trains coming and going.

    OK, so the modern DMUs are reliable, ride better and accelerate better, but not having responsibility for running reliable services, I really miss the old 103s with their panoramic windows, including the view directly ahead. Shame about those infernal corrosion issues which caused their downfall, years before the 101s went extinct.

    I do hope some solution to signalling issues is developed to allow steam back onto the CCL, but it's not the only problem. I mentioned the max linespeed of 55mph earlier, though speed restriction on tender first running might still be an issue these days, given the reduction in passing loops. Whether there's still space for a TT at Aberystwyth, Machynlleth or Pwllheli, I've no idea. Aber and Pwllheli aren't anything like the stations existing in steam days. Aber's old shed is now property of the VoR and still very much in use, plus the remaining SG station is a mere shadow of it's former self. IIRC, a couple of hundred metres were cut back at Pwllheli too. Maybe Porthmadog might prove a more realistic outer terminal? I'd reckon there'd be vastly more chance there than at Pwllheli of finding somewhere suitable for siting a TT!
     
  8. RalphW

    RalphW Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Administrator Friend

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    August 22nd 2007, 76079 on the Cambrian Coast Express. Sorry about the quality but 14 years ago it was considered good. 1st location is mine, 2nd location friends footage.



    Yes running was very spirited.
     
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  9. Romsey

    Romsey Part of the furniture

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    I've had a look at the on line sectional appendix and the route is RA7 Ore to Appledore , so OK for 34046.
    ( Apologies for any confusion - I remember when it was RA4 when routing ballast trains some years ago.)

    Cheers, Neil
     
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  10. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Thank you :)
     
  11. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Have you ever been to Yeovil, Martin? Not sure it would be a top destination ... (Oh, and the Fleet Air Arm Museum is almost ten miles by road from Yeovil Junction station ...)

    I suspect if you did want to do something in that general vicinity, Sherborne (for Sherborne Castle) would be more viable, with the train (but not the passengers) going on to Yeovil Junction for stabling / servicing. Whether there would be enough trade to make it a regular steam service I'm not sure; nor am I sure how the pathing would work where you would need a reasonably long dwell time at Sherborne to get all the passengers off and then back on again.

    Tom
     
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  12. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    Machynlleth is the best starting point for servicing but also because tourists can connect to any trains from Birmingham, Aberystwyth and Pwllheli.

    You have three potential journeys: short to Aber approx 30 minutes e/w, over Talerddig (not sure where you would turn around), and then up the line to Pwllheli and you'd need to make a decision about ideal journey and break time before making a decision as to where you end up. Pwllheli is about 2 hours from Machynlleth. As far as I recall there is a loop at Pwllheli, nothing at Porthmadog, I don't know if there is anything still at Barmouth or Tywyn where a train could lay over while the passengers go to the beach.

    Another question would be if you intended to feed into any of the narrow gauge lines - ie trip along TR, Fairbourne, VoR, FR/WHR, WHHR, and how long the layer over needs to be to allow a trip (assuming that there is a desire for another hour + to go to say Tan y Bwlch or Beddgelert and back.

    And then we can pick the loco roster from a Manor, 80xxx, 82xxx, 75xxx, 76xxx, 46xxx and a the Dukedog. Maybe we can get a Praire mainline as well ;)
     
  13. Robin

    Robin Well-Known Member Friend

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    A 46xxx at Class 2 is a bit underpowered for the job, although 46443 did take 8 vehicles from Machynlleth to Barmouth on at least one occasion in 1987. She was there as a replacement for 75069 which had suffered a boiler failure, and proved a more than adequate replacement. Alun Rees described 46443's debut in SVR News:

    The imminent arrival of 46443 brought a mixture of howls of derision, total dejection, threats of resignation, etc, etc, from the somewhat GWR orientated footplate crews of 89C. Most of the comments are unprintable but all contained the theme that LMS engines would not pull the skin off a rice pudding and that the Cardigan Bay Express would be creeping around with three coaches at about 20 mph! An excellent week of running with 7819 further fuelled the dread of the impending appearance of 46443. Monday morning, 27th July dawned, with an immaculate 46443, prepared for duty, awaiting the arrival of the BR crew - the ones who drew the short straw, presumably. Incidentally, 46443 on this day boasted the cleanest set of corks ever seen on an LMS locomotive - having been individually polished by a keen support crew member. Driver Arthur Williams and Fireman Victor Price were the unfortunates who were going to do battle with this horrid, foreign machine. A subsequent on-time arrival at Barmouth resulted in the comment, "she steams quite well, doesn't she!". An early return to Machynlleth gave rise to, "she isn't a bad little engine, is she!". Praise indeed! Suffice it to say that after two days use, tonight's comment on 46443 was "I'd take ten to Pwllheli with her anytime!".
     
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  14. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    Good old Mr Rees! Didn’t he chalk ‘I am going home’ in Welsh on 7819’s smokebox door at the time? (Rydm im mydn adref)
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2021
  15. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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    I know that you can't always go by Google Earth or Streetview but it appears that there are still loops at Tywyn, Barmouth and Porthmadog but nowhere to put a train 'inside' for a long period. My own view is that you'd have to run all the way to Pwllheli and just use Tywyn, Barmouth and Porthmadog as drop off and pick up points so as not to hold up scheduled services.
    Ray.
     
  16. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    There's still a loop at Harlech too .... mercifully! With TRAWSLINK allegedly in the offing (concerning the viability of which I have serious doubts), one possible location for turning facilities might be the site of the erstwhile Afon Wen Jnc, which if nothing else, would go some way to improving the scheme's perceived public credibility. Of course, I could merely be unduly realistic pessimistic about the Senedd's transport ambitions and we could eventually see a regular Shrewesbury-Machynlleth-CCL-Caernarfon-Llandudno service .... and a squadron of monkeys flying out of my a##e but, attractive as such a service may potentially be, I regard it as somewhat unlikely.
     
  17. Steam gets in your eyes

    Steam gets in your eyes New Member

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    My son and I spent a week at She'll Island,Harlech when 76079 was running from Machynlleth to Pwllheli. We got off at Porthmadog to have a trip up the Blaenau Ffestiniog railway, but had to get off at Minffordd to catch the return. We also watched it cross Barmouth bridge a couple of times from the beach
     
  18. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    My copy of the Quail atlases is a bit vague, so I went to the Network Rail Sectional Appendices, where PDF copies are available for download (beware - the smallest file is 80MB). The Feb 2021 edition y suggest the following sidings exist:
    • Tywyn - Up Relief siding, 259 yards
    • Barmouth - Up Relief siding, 259 yards plus headshunt 35 yards
    • Porthmadog - Down Relief Siding, 322 yards
    By comparison, the run round loop at Pwllheli is 364 yards with a 42 yard headshunt.

    I can't comment on whether or not any of these might be usable for a passenger operation.
     
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  19. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    A Mark one carriage is about 21 yards (63 feet) and a loco say 20 - 23 yards depending on type. Do your own maths! ;) 259 yards would give you a loco + 11 carriages - just.

    Tom
     
  20. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Went on a boat trip from Barmouth to Shell island back in 72, which was somewhat marred by the stench of a putrifying dogfish! The ferry to Penrhyn Point holds far happier memories .... either Katie or Sîan waiting with a train for Fairbourne (Count Louis and Ernest W Twining were OOS both years I was there). The fact that all the steam locos survive and the charming Twining Twins are now gainfully employed at Kirklees is a source of great satisfaction.
     

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