Brecon's Baldwins

Hello,

Their website doesn't seem to have been updated much since 2007, so I was wondering if anyone have any news on the Brecon Mountain Railway's Baldwins, specifcally No. 26 and the two new-builds?

I was also wondering if there had been any progress on the plans to display Sybil (the Hunslet), Pendyffryn and Redstone.

Is there any news on the extension to Torpanatau as well?

Many thanks

Chris Auckland

 

Hold on

Are you sure about Sybil? I think there is another thread on here about the B.M.R. might be worth finding out about it, the last I heard was that until a second rake of coaches where built the extension would not be used and so until one of the new builds or No 26 is running I cant see the extension being used at present.

 

It's not the same "Sybil". The loco that is/was at Launceston is a Bagnall, but the one at Brecon is a Quarry Hunslet.

 

There were three quarry locos called "Sybil"

Dinorwic "Sybil" - Bagnall 0-4-0ST - Launceston now moving to the West Lancs
Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry "Sybil" - Hunslet 0-4-0ST - Brecon Mountain Railway
Penryhn Quarry "Sybil Mary" - Hunslet 0-4-0ST - Statfold Barn Railway

As for the Baldwins - I don't know although I have had reports that some rather impressive patterns have been made for the cylinders of the new builds. It does beg the question of whether any of the patterns that have been made would also suit "Lyn" - Baldwins were good at standardisation.

G.

 

Ah, many Sybils, sorry! I have amended my previous post!

 

I'm pleased to say Sybil Mary will be in steam at our Enthusiasts Day on the 23rd of March.

First time since January 1955 !

Henry

SBR

 

The Lyn project has gone beyond that stage now please see The 762 Club - Recreating locomotive history in North Devon

That said we might not stop at just having one Baldwin for Devon......


Regards

Colin

 

Does that mean that Lyn's cylinder patterns have been made and possibly cast? Reading the web site I could not find a mention of that.

 

The impression I get from the 762 club site is that Lyn's cylinders will be fabricated, rather than cast, and that parts for this process are ready at Alan Keef's. I also get the impression that the cylinder design is somewhat improved from the original Baldwin specs, so having a cylinder cast from the pattern at Brecon wouldn't be right for the "super-Baldwin" Lyn looks like its going to become.

 

Thanks Selsig, I saw some references to fabrication but not for the main bores so I was not sure.

 

Dropped into the BMR briefly at the weekend. No. 26 is a rolling chassis awaiting boiler and cab, which should be done in the next year or two. They have also built two SR&RLRR box cars, one of which will be used as a 'snack bar' at Torpantau. They want to have No. 26 finished and two more carriages built before opening up to Torpantau.

Sybil & the vertical boilered locos will be going into a new museum at Pontsticill, hoped to open late this year/early next.


The big Baldwin looked great in the snow!

 

Good to see progress towards Torpantau. A nice run already, but there's something about going to Torpantau by train again after 40 years!

 

BMR has relaunched their website with lots of interesting photos in their gallery. The new website also states the Forney's boiler may be started early next year and 'it is likely the additional line to Torpantau will open in 2014'.

 

or even 50 years.........