Llangollen Railway

Davy is an EE 350hp shunter, built for ICI at Nantwich and broadly similar to a Class 11 (smaller wheels than an 08). It was Diesel Group property but was sold on to another LR member a few years ago and then subsequently acquired by the PLC as it's main role was shunting carriages at Pentrefelin. It has been purchased by a local scrap dealer for breaking. It's a very sad state of affairs but we have to be realistic. We have not plugged it like the crane as it's in poor condition (but just about operational), we retain 3 other shunting locomotives (08195 and YE 0-4-0 "Pilkington" operational and 03162 in need of repair/overhaul) and the priority has to be on raising funds to cover getting the railway up and running again.

I believe at least one enquiry has been subsequently made about acquiring Davy from the merchant and if any serious potential purchasers are similarly interested you're welcome to make contact with either RA&FC or myself. It sold for £11k.

We will also be releasing details on how to donate specifically to support acquiring the Cowans Sheldon back as we've been asked by a few people about donating to help - this would be much appreciated alongside the scrap appeal.

And please, don't abandon any scrap cars in the yard!

 

Unless you have your own method of getting them into the scrap skip. We no longer have a fork lift or telehandler on site.

Manageable items of scrap metal would be more than welcome though!

 

The same as coaling engines. I hand coaled the kitson using buckets yesterday.

 

Could be worse. Until the end of last year, where I'm involved, the standard MO was to back the loco up to a 16T mineral wagon, climb into said mineral and shovel until the bunker was full. Depending on the level of the coal, there was either nothing to shovel on, or you had to throw the coal over the end of the wagon from floor level. We finally commissioned our coaling stage this year, where the shoveling can occur on a flat floor at a sensible height relative to the bunker. I dealt with the greater part of a completely empty Austerity last Friday (had been emptied for the winter), and by comparison to in previous years it was a joy.

I'm not sure I'd fancy coaling 3802 on this basis mind you!

 

How did the coal get into the sixteen timber in the first place?

 

It would help a great deal if there was a wheel barrow involved in that scenario.

 

Via a telehandler. Before wondering why not just coal the engine with said telehandler, up until recently we didn't have one, but borrowed from a neighbouring firm, and the wagon loading operation occurred at the other end of the railway to the MPD, which would mean a five mile round trip before or after services every day.

 

Seems Mk 1 4702 has gone to the Mid Norfolk Railway. Seen on Facebook earlier, but I can't for the life of me find it again.

 

Looking back at the list helpfully posted earlier, that was the highest selling one at over £38k, a noteworthy achievement!

 

I knew there would be a reason. I just couldn’t think of one.

 

Reminds me of how they excavated Tring Cutting...

 

It’s on the friends of the Mid Norfolk Railway Facebook page. For those with those without FB access:

We are pleased to announce the railway has purchased MK1 4702 at the recent auction of Llangollen Railway PLC assets as sold by the administrators.
The MNR wishes the Llangollen Trust well in their efforts to reopen later this year.

It is seen here in Dereham shed today where it will receive an exam before entering traffic on the MNR.

 

I remember many years ago on the last day City of Truro was at the GCRN (with myself as trainee), our Telehandler had broken, so we had to hand coal in from the ground level into the tender. Then at the end of the day we emptied the excess coal out rather than send it out on the low loader with our coal on board. Couple that with 4 18 mile round trips and I did rather a lot of shovelling that day!

 

Some good news, Davy has been saved from the scrap merchant. We understand "he" will be headed to Shackerstone (Battlefield).

 

Wow! Where did you see this? I volunteer there and Davy would be a good fit for the railway

 

Eee..... you had it easy, lad! In days of yore, the coal traffic from Arigna, on the Cavan & Leitrim, right down to closure in 1959, had to be hoiked up into to the 5'-3" gauge wagons at Dromad by MK1 shovel, across transhipment sidings which all lay at ground level. Not exactly the most efficient way of doing things!

 

Glad to hear it!