WHR/FR news

The documentary is indeed most enjoyable. A couple of points of criticism - firstly, very reasonably, time was given to the protestors, but time was not given to representatives of the WHR/FR to respond to the protestors specific complaints.

Secondly, and I fear I may come in for a spot of criticism in this; did anyone else get the impression that a couple of the volunteers given notable time on the documentary may have been chosen by the makers for their eccentricities and personalities, in an attempt to appeal to, and thereby strengthen, the prejudices of the non-enthusiast viewing public?

 

You'll get no criticism from me on your observations, Jamie.

 

Excellent production. I think the protesters' views were thoroughly answered by the programme itself and emphasised by the soaring success of the Railway. Anyone who has visited the area will, by now, know the minimal impact the railway has on its surroundings. It fits seamlessly into the scenery, the passage of the trains disturbing no-one, indeed, from my observations, both from the train and the footplate, it enhances peoples' pleasure. Everyone smiles and waves, hardly the mark of upset people. As for, "It'll never succeed. The last one didn't," she'll spend a long time eating those words! :smile:

 

I think you're right, but a few specifics wouldn't have gone amiss.

Toys for rich men? Look at the numbers of people of all different incomes travelling, working and volunteering.
Destruction of the landscape? The programme did pretty much answer this.
It'll never succeed? Well...
Railway related traffic into the Park? Look at the number of people coming into the park now by train.

The one trick which I think has been missed so far is the evidence from a Phd at Bangor University I believe, that showed the additional income from the WHR to the local economy amounted to tens of millions each year.

 

I think you'll find that was mostly the annual income of the FR as the study was made before the opening beyond Rhyd Ddu.

 

The 425 page thesis was published in November 2008 by Dr Megan Williams of Bangor University. It includes revenues for the F&WHR and calculates the impact the railways have on spin-off industries such as hotels and restaurants serving its passengers, giving a total contribution to the local economy of £15 million annually and the creation of up to 375 jobs on top of the 65 full-time FRCo employees (100+ in peak season). With the substantial increase in passenger numbers with the WHR now open throughout, we estimate that the figure is now over £20 million.

This is in addition to the non-recurring injection of capital from the £28.5 million reconstruction of the Welsh Highland Railway. Further to this, we will be announcing which local firms will be working on the million pound Cob widening project towards the end of next week.

 

I think that the fact that every last one of them was self-evidently an incomer told the audience all they needed to know, especially when the documentary also showed WHR taking the time to reach out out to actual locals who had actual concerns. The protestors were shown to be a bunch of selfish, rich English NIMBYs who didn't like the idea of poor people getting a look at their weekend cottages. Subtly done; full marks to the BBC.

 

All the footage showing the protest has already been seen in an S4C (IIRC) video entitled 'For the Love of Steam'.

The protestors came across very badly at the time and that position hasn't changed!

 

Very slightly unfair to the protesters, I happen to know a couple of the families involved and they do live locally full time. The rest is true .

Oh and some of them were hoping to annex chunks of land free as well.

 

Part 2 up on iPlayer now

BBC iPlayer - Welsh Railways: Full Steam Ahead: Part 2

 

Lyd steamed on coal for the first time this afternoon...

Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways - Lyd steams on coal!

 

Video now up:

Lyd - coal fired test run - YouTube

 

I don't suppose this is still available to watch online somewhere? I missed them, and would be keen to see them!

 

Not that I'm aware of, Jon, but I can thoroughly recommend the new Railfilms Welsh Highland Story DVD - an exceptionally-good account of the WHR reconstruction.

 

If you'll make a suitable donation to the GWSR Appeal Fund, I can send you three programmes on DVD - the second part of the WHR Story, plus programmes 3 and 4 about steam in Wales. I already deleted WHR part 1 programme unfortunately, but part 2 does recap a lot of it.

Send me a PM if you want me to do that.

 

The copyright holder might have something to say about that. I believe Helen Williams-Ellis plans a DVD release in the not-too-distant future.

 

An interesting set of old photos has appeared on the FR website:

Jim Jarvis photos

 

I'll lend it then

 

The Ffestiniog Railway Temperance Society headboard was dusted down for the WHR/FR/TR/WLLR beer train from Port to Rhyd Ddu yesterday. Headed by 'Queens of the Hill' Linda and Blanche, the train was packed. The sun shone a bit and we had to send out for more beer at Beddgelert. A good time was had by all, especially watching the spirited runpasts at Hafod Ruffydd.

Couple of videos on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/festrail didn't take any pics myself as my hands were full.

 

Having been staying at Beddgelert for over a week now I can say with certainty there is no fire risk for WHR operations!

Indeed I have seen more rain this last week than in Kent for the whole year.

My trip has been to walk the hills, photo the WHR and to continue my research into whether the Aztecs ever settled locally.

Walking has been, eeeeerrrr, good. Although I did do a few miles on a tarmac road yesterday just to feel solid ground under my feet for once.

The WHR is superb as ever. A single NGG doing all the work on the main trains. Lovely locos that I first saw back in 1979 in SA.

And I feel I can now conclude that the Aztecs never settled here. The last known sighting of the sun here being before records bagan.