The Gwili Railway thread

How many would the original conwil loop have held? A good reason to extend north?

The need for a six coach train would have seemed crazy when I volunteered 10 years ago, its great the patronage is there for it!

 

Getting closer: just one panel to cut now

regards

Matt

 

Some more pictures of the work this weekend. The buffer stop is one of two recovered from Whitland station earlier this year. As a straight type it maximises space in the shed and is also of interest as the last part of the old Cardi Bach line (closed 1963).
Regards

Matt

 

Looks amazing, Abergwili is really coming on now, I imagine there's still a lot to do but milestones like this must be very rewarding!

Cheers,
Tom

 

Another milestone as the 08 becomes the first loco in the shed after link up.

 

Wow, is it that bright without lights? Looks class!

Cheers
Tom

 

yes, been designed to make maximum use of daylight, no lights in shed yet.

 

Also received this image which shows the carriage shed and the site to good effect.

 

Wow, that rteallly is soemthing else. Real cause for joy in Soth Wales!

 

TSO 5008 arrives for a 14 month stay from the GCR, just in time for Santa.

 

Ooo in maroon too! Looks in nice condition.

 

Nice view from on high. Out of interest, is the shed on the trackbed, or alongside it? And how much further does the trackbed go, or does that trunk road sever it?
(Yes, I know you don't plan to go any further that way... just idle curiosity really!)

 

the shed is located on the original track bed. The levels have changed since the construction of the Carmarthen by pass, and part of the old line is now taken up by part of the road bridge. It would theoretically be possible to construct a railway but the likely cost of this (Transport and Works Order, land acquisition, physical works) make this almost improbable for the GR. There is also the not inconsiderable matter of the missing bridge over the river Towy into the mainline station. The benefits of connecting the GR to the mainline are outweighed hugely by the costs so it’s in the not going to happen category. There was a window in the 70’s where it could have been theoretically possible to keep the route intact, but the by-pass did not get built until the 2000’s.

regards

Matt

 

I think it makes sense to have a terminus with the space for a car park and facilities anyway. A new northern terminus would be nice though in conwil or llanpumsaint.

Matt what is the extent of the railways ownership of these two stations? Is there much room at either?

 

the old Conwil staton is owned by the railway, the boundary at Llanpumsaint currently stops short of the old station site.

 

http://streetmap.co.uk/map?X=241568&Y=229689&A=Y&Z=115
The arrow is on the old station site and the railways boundary is the west (i.e. The left side as you look at it here) of the road bridge
And the old station site is now a plant nursery:-
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9427435,-4.3064325,159m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

 

Olwen leaves for pastures new

 

A great engine she has been. A little small for the railway nowadays but many great years of service. Very sad but hopefully it has a bright future. Its times as Percy and the br livered dockyard shunter as well as in gwr livery hauling tvr 220 and Heidi's train particular highlights for me.

 

Interesting as I quick search saw the fund was raising money to overhaul Olwen not that long ago (as late as 2019). It has been a useful locomotive for a previous chapter in the Gwili's story but certainly deserves a more rosy future. Hopefully the Taff tank is making good progress.

 

Which pastures are those? Or is that not for public disclosure