Brecon

Did the BMR have a SAR Garrat? Just watching a YouTube video about the Lynton and Barnstaple (The Little Train to Lynton series) and they're at the Brecon and there is a Garrat there! Where did it go?

 

Dont quote me on this, but i believe they had a NGG13, which was sent to Exmoor for overhaul. Im not sure how much was completed, but apparently its now been sold to them.

Chris

 

Indeed, that would be NGG13 No. 77. I remember visiting the line quite frequently in the 80s when 77 looked, already, virtually ready to go. Fast forward 20 years and she's now at Exmoor, and still looks exactly the same as I remember her. http://freespace.virgin.net/hanson.mike/Exmoor.htm

 

What is the status of the extension to Torpantau? It seems the track has been in place for a few years.

 

Are you sure it is the same one?

The Brecon Mountain Railway had a connection with Peter Rampton at one time.
The Phyllis Rampton Trust has NGG13 No. 82 in store in Surrey, is this not the ex Brecon Garrett?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Rampton_Trust

 

No, the Rampton Garratt is No. 82, the ex- Brecon one is No. 77

Richard

 

Is NG15 No 135 still at Exmoor?

 

Is NG15 No 135 still at Exmoor?


As far as I know it is, though I haven't seen it for many years. When I last saw it it had been dismantled.

 

Anybody know more? I went walking round that way and could see the terminus platform and run round looked pretty complete a couple of months back - what is holding things up?

 

Last time I was up there (end of last summer) the guard who I was with said that the railway needs a more powerful loco to run up the graients further along the line.

 

Is the Baldwin not as powerful as it looks then?

 

Oh wow, so its all ready to go, their just waiting on a locomotive? Thats a shame! Kind of exciting though! Will they be getting the Garrat back at all? Or do they have any plans for a more powerful loco?

 

I'd imagine that it is more than just a loco - if that really was the case, and they wanted the extension so badly, then a suitable loco could easily be hired in.

As far as I can tell (and this is from an outsiders point of view), it makes no practical business sense for the railway to open to Torpantau, just yet. After all, it is a run-round loop in the middle of nowhere, a bit further on than the current terminus of Dol-Y-Gaer. Why run that extra bit further into the middle of nowhere, just to come straight back again? To do so would disrupt the current convenient timetable (a train every hour and a quarter - ideal for coach parties, who turn up on a whim, and expect a ride...allows 'em time to use the (excellent!) cafe), and would also create an unacceptable time between trains both at Pant and Pontstycill - which is the reason the railway survives, really.

Running beyond Pontstycill makes no odds really - its only for the views, and the offer of a slightly longer ride. Tourists are the main body of traffic at the railway, as it so rarely is visited by enthusiasts...to open that extra stretch of track to cater for enthusiasts, would make a day out there for a tourist seem less attractive.

Speaking to a staff member at the BMR a good few years ago, he hinted (note hinted) that the extension would only come into service when a second rake of coaches could be aquired or built, to allow a good two train service. Thats a fair point...realistically, if the extension opened tomorrow, it'd be a train every two hours off Pant...not good, especially in Summer.

If thats the case, that would explain the current 'new build' locomotives - after all, they've made do with the Baldwin and Graf Schervin Lowvitz for donkeys years, and even the diesel on occasions - two new build locos are hardly at the top of their priority list, nor is an expensive to run (and maintain) Garratt. If all else failed, it'd be far cheaper to hire a loco in for a season or two, than to build two completely from scratch. Therefore, one can only assume that there is some form of extension business plan in place, to cater for an antipated rise in traffic, if the extension was opened. It'd also explain why the Pontstycill loop is still in situ! There are also lots of air/vac braked bogies 'just lying around', on the railway - have a look. Put two and two together - remember that their current rake was a new build, built on bogies.

All a hunch, but it seems to add up....

 

Does anyone know what stage these have reached?

 

Such as?

 

"Prince of Wales" from the VoR was hired to the BMR back in the 80s, when Graf Schervin Lowvitz was out of service - it worked their Santa Specials. I believe here was also once talk of getting "Mountaineer" from the FR too.

Although Mountaineer is now out of ticket, given the feats they regularly do on their 'home' railways, one would imagine that four lightly built coaches plus a caboose would not offer any problems, even on significant gradients.

Unless there's a paperwork issue with the extension?

 

You are correct about Mountaineer. It is out of ticket and requiring extensive mechanical repairs, and unlikely to return to steam any time soon.

The VofR only have two working steam locos, 8 and 9, so it would be unlikely that they would release one when they need both just to run their basic summer service.

So, which loco could Brecon hire?

 

Our No.9 Prince of Wales only ran trains on the BMR after its re-build in 1996 when Tony Hills and Peter Rampton part owned the VoR and the BMR ran the Santa Specials bit of an arse for the Aber crews to 'pop' back and for to Merther Tydful!

 

I think its more likely they want 2 decent sized locos to work the extension Graf Schervin Lowvitz isn't really up to the job. So i expect they are waiting for the ex Mike Hart baldwin to be finished but this has had a lot of work done to it including converting to a 2-6-2 and un Winson engineering it. The bigger locos could keep to a tighter timetable so the gap between trains wouldn't be so bad.

Like Tony says, what locos can they hire in bearing in mind they need to be pritty sizable and oil fired. Nither the FR nor the VofR have anything to spare.

Tim

 

But why would they want to hire a loco?