The Vale of Rheidol Railway - News

.... or 'Halfway to Heaven'. I passed on it when it first came out as I thought the postage too expensive. A big mistake which I didn't repeat when the sequels came out!
Ray.

 

If that is one of the three Darjeeling books, then yes, I agree (I did say I had a lot of books, mainly narrow gauge). Last year, someone put one on eBay for £250.00. I am not sure if it got sold or not.

Indian narrow gauge and Books on Baldwins appear to command a fair price, mainly in America; that said, some books stateside we would consider taking out a second or third mortgage to get them. If you are into the Maine two-footers, then that is in a league of its own.

Of course, not all the best books have been published in English; French and Spanish don't do too badly either, if for nothing else, they are good to learn the language by (I miss out on language lessons at School, it was TD and metalwork or languages, didn't get many girls to do Tech Drawing (something before CAD) and metalwork).

 

On a recent trip to the US I found one of the more shocking things was the cost of books. Even paperback fiction was 3 or 4 times the price it is in the UK. So it's no surprise that niche non-fiction hardbacks like books on the Maine 2 footers or D&RGW narrow gauge are extortionate. Can't imagine it really helps literacy and education if nobody can afford to read.

 

That w

That would explain many things

 

I am wondering whether to go to the VoR gala at the end of October. With no museum exhibits, (as it will be vacated to accommodate Pete Waterman's very large train layout) will it "just" be a gala of the working locos, or will the workshop be open? I have looked on their website and there is not much info.

 

I was in the US nearly thirty years ago and that certainly wasn't the case back then: I spent quite a few bob in The Engineers' Bookstore near Georgia Tech.

No wonder Dolly Parton does such good work with her Imagination Library.

 

Most (but not all) of the museum exhibits will need be vacated to allow the Waterman layout to be assembled. The event is primarily about the working locos in the fleet and the launch of a much requested BR blue livery locomotive.

The three Rheidol Tank locos will be lined up each morning between 0930 and 1030.

I've added some further info and the timetable to our website.
https://vor.wales/blog/steam-festival-2025/

 

Thanks very much for that, it certainly answered my question.

 

I heeded my own advice and broke open the piggy bank. Looking forward to reading about the collection and the place I almost crashed my father's car into. Marwick Lane was a regular route and I had no idea I was so close to heaven!

 

Srprised there's been no mention of the Collection X feature on BBC Breakfast today…

Around 1.27 in at https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002l4dr/breakfast-24102025

Simon

 

You beat me to it. Here is the YouTube version as well

 

After all this time, it now appears that the Trust may be willing to lend some of these locomotives to other railways on a restoration and operational basis. I think there are enough 2ft 6 in gauge locos in the collection to give some credence to seeing a new 2ft 6in gauge tourist line built somewhere, not in the UK, but somewhere in Europe.

I know that at one time, Peter Rampton looked at rebuilding part of the L&BR, so if there was still enough interest and backing for that to happen. This could open up all sorts of possibilities for the rebuilding of the L&BR.

 

I caught wind of it after the event, but saw it on the end of the lunch time news, don’t know if it was full length, but a real eye-opener.
They mentioned relocating most of the 50? locos to Aberystwyth - is that feasible space wise?

 

Given where many of many of the loco's ran has any thought been given to making them available for display in areas where there is a large population with Indian Heritage?

 

I don't think there are as many as 50 as their list that appeared on one of their newsletter amounted to 46 items inc coaches and they sold one of the Henschel's (103?), given (?) Conqueror to the W&LLR and didn't some of the IOM coaches go back to the island??

As for shed space the newish carriage shed at Aberystwyth has provision for some of the collection along with the museum & the enlarged sheds up the line at Capel Bangor so its probable most will have shed space but time will tell if they get them all inside.

This new video may be of interest (shows the shed at CB):

 

Three of the IoM coaches F6,F37 and F38 have been or are returning to the Island. F68 restored and mounted on 2'g. bogies in in the VoR museum. AFAIK the two Cleminson 6 wheelers are still in Surrey but fairly derelict.
Ray.