Oswestry Update

The latest newsletter gives some details of the plans for Weston including a sketch of how things might turn out. Also a track walk next weekend if you fancy seeing in person the progress.

Details on the blog.
http://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

Lots going on at the moment. The Suburban Coach has taken a big step forward, clearance continues along the line and we are gearing up for a series of special events.

Details on the blog.
http://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

Just to see how far we have come there is a before and after picture at the new crossing. Plus other ongoing work.

Details on the blog.
http://ilvaporista.blogspot.com/

 

The CHR Facebook page has some progress photos from Weston. I will copy across to the blog but if you only look at one blog post look at this one. A lot of effort went into the grant application and now the physical work on the ground is at an advanced stage.

I want again to publically thank every single person who made this happen. Yes I know we have been very quiet about Weston but we are at a very exciting phase and we can finally show what has been going on. A similarly rapid rate of progress is planned until we have a working station, 'all' we need to do is lay the track!
This change from a steam centre type operation to a fully operational heritage railway is a big step. This means lots of opportunities on the operating side so come along and get involved.

 

Congratulations to all involved, it's a massive step and an inspiration.

 

Taken from the Facebook page, but easier to show on here this way.

 

Many thanks Gav. One day I will get round to having a hosting account to be able to post pictures on here...

 

Hosting account?

All I do is download the pic from Facebook onto my phone, then in this box that I'm writing in there is the bit that says upload file. Then upload it and once done you'll see the attachment below, then click full image. Then it appears.

 

You don't even need to do that if the photos are on a blog already, just right click on the picture and "copy link address", then click on the image button just above the reply box on NatPres and paste the link into the box, as in effect the blog account acts as a hosting account.

 

The wonders of modern technology! I might even make it out of the steam age.. Then again that would be sacrilege.

 

Just as a try here is the next new build project out of the works.


Although I would love to see a full size one the version currently in the works is a Gauge 1 version, possibly a 7 1/4" version to follow.

Edit. There will be no stopping me know I have learned how to post photos, you have been warned!

 

It's great in my opinion. I love seeing pics.

 

Well for me this is a stunning loco, and if anyone was to start a "new build" of one of these then sign me up!

While the railway is obviously making the biggest strides it has ever done at the moment, it would be great to see a vintage rake of Cambrian coaches at the railway. There must be enough dotted around to create a rake. I love what the knotty coach guys have done at the foxfield and obviously the bluebell, IOWSR etc but would love to see more heritage railways going down this route. I wish the GC would really push for the Barnums or a vintage 6 or 4 wheel rake rather than just mk1s all the time. This is the sort of thing that really makes me visit lines around the UK.

 

According to the RHRP/Vintage Carriages webpages (http://www.cs.rhrp.org.uk/se/results.asp) , this is a list of known Cambrian survivors:

Cambrian 214 Lavatory Tri-composite built 1891
Cambrian 247 Six wheel Six-compartment Second (body only) built 1895
Cambrian 250 Six-wheel Six compartment Third (body only) built 1895
Cambrian 723 unknown Third Class part-body built 1865
Cambrian 9 First Class Saloon (body only) built 1889
Cambrian 251 Six wheel Six-compartment Third (body only) built 1895
Cambrian Six-wheel Brake (body only) built 1895
Cambrian 238 Brake Composite built 1895
Cambrian 4 Six-wheel 5 Compartment Third (body only) built 1894
Cambrian 104 Six Wheel Full Brake (body only)
Cambrian 110 Six-wheel First/Second Composite (body only) built 1894
Cambrian Four-wheel First Class carriage (body only) built 1870

Only the Brake Compo 238 is on its wheels. the rest are bodies in various states of disrepair, but there would be sufficient to make up a representative rake of 6-wheelers....

 

A tempting notion indeed!

I'd be interested to learn more about the Cambrian's passenger loco fleet, as the impression I always get is that, although the line seemed to veer to the 'conservative' school of design, their comparatively early demise had more to do with their low numbers and Swindon's standardising tendencies than any particularly glaring shortcomings. Certainly, several of their freight locos enjoyed a fair innings, under GW auspices. Any thoughts, folks?

 

The Cambrian locomotive fleet was very much 'mixed traffic' in nature, but it was a case of 'horses for courses'.
Many of the branch lines were lightly laid ( eg Van, Mawddy, Tanat Valley, and Kerry), which limited the sizes of the locomotives which could be used, and trains running on these were often of mixed traffic.
There were possibly only the Sharp Stewart 4-4-0's, large and small, the Aston 0-4-4T, and 4-4-0 and Jones' 0-6-0's of the more modern designs which were used on the 'mainline' diagrams.
Lightweight 0-6-0's and 2-4-0's were more often allocated to the former Mid Wales services. Tank engines of the 2-4-0 , 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 types were used for the smaller/ lightweight branches.
Many locos were purchased 'second hand', there were even four purchased from the GWR itself.

The GWR 'takeover' in 1921 resulted in the call to Swindon of locomotives over a certain age, but Oswestry successfully argued for the retention of most of these ancient lightweight locos to keep operations going.
Swindon's answer was to transfer more oddball locos, mainly from south Wales and other absorbed lines, to Oswestry, whilst track improvements were commenced to allow heavier locos into the area.
Most of the Cambrian was graded 'Yellow' by the GWR, and nearly all the branches were 'uncoloured'. The introduction of the 14xx tanks, alongside the 'Dukes', 'Stellas', Dean Goods, and later on, 'Dukedogs', showed the first signs of Swindon's improvements. Later on came the 'Manors' after the mainline was upgraded to 'Blue', and many of the 'permitted' BR standard classes.

Although Oswestry works maintained 'Red' locos via the Gobowen branch, the use of 'Red' locos on the mainline has been recorded several times by local enthusiasts.
A photograph exists of a Britannia-class 4-6-2 on a ballast train at Oswestry, and more famously, a 'Princess Royal', 46203, traversed the Coast line from Pen-y-Chain and on to Shrewsbury. Recent preservation runs before ERTMS stopped them have involved a Black 5.

The link http://www.barrowmoremrg.co.uk/jr_locos.html should open up a page of photographs of 7mm/foot models of Cambrian locomotives.

 

As mentioned the Cambrian loco fleet was based on traffic requirements and limitations. Never a company to overspend they just about pulled through with the absolute minimum investment. The 0-6-0 were solid and dependable and survived for a long time post grouping. The specialist and smaller 2-4-0T were Westernised and also lived on. The majestic 4-4-0's were all gone within 10 years.

The coaching fleet was a similar mix. Rebuilding a Cambrian rake would be an admirable long term aim and as indicated there are some survivors. Personally I think we are too early to be able to think about these but should any of these become available it would make sense to put to one side for the future.

The key point is to create a visitor attraction which puts CHR on the map, raising the profile, attracting vistors and funds for further developments.

As part of these plans CHR ran a Halloween event for the first time at Oswestry on Saturday. It all went well despite the weather. CHR seemed to be the only operational railway in Shropshire at one point.
It was a very good dress rehearsal for next year. By popular agreement, we shall now be running a Ghost train on Sat 31st Oct 2020, which I am told coincides with a Blue Moon.

Other dates for your diary in 2020 are:

30th - 31st May , for the Model Railway exhibition,
Oswestry Food & Drink Festival 11th & 12 July.
Heritage Open Days 11th -20th September ( we only run at the weekends but the museum will be open throughout )

Santa Specials 5th-6th, 12th 13th, 19th -20th December 2020.

Come along to one of our special events if you can.

 

The latest CHR Newsletter has just been published, you can sign up to receive this on the CHR Website

http://www.cambrianrailways.com/

 

I see my dad got a mention in there. I wasn't expecting to see my mum and sister in there though!

 

It was a bit wet over the weekend but ballasting continues.