The Vale of Rheidol Railway - News

Vale of Rheidol Railway's March Newsletter : http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=6ccaa7a53d486e854cc0b1902&id=c800af2cd3

 

April and May Newsletter Here: http://us6.campaign-archive2.com/?u=6ccaa7a53d486e854cc0b1902&id=7e95f47396
Including stories about the GWR shed new solar roofing and Margaret's restoration!

 

I hadn't noticed this thread before; those are very interesting and well-produced newsletters. Its good to be able to see how much is going on at a line that, for many years, slipped under the radar a little.

 

Now you have your fantastic new workshop and apprentices, there is obviously a lot going on.
I think you have Llwellyn, Diana and a Hunslet (Margaret?) under restoration?
Plus Prince of Wales, Owain Glyndwr and the KS Wren running.
Are there any plans fur further restorations as well?

 

Can we have a 'rail blue' loco & matching stock??

 

Hopefully not

 

Just the loco, please, and in the lined version with the cast double arrows. Unique, historic and funky!
And as we all know, all steam locos should be painted in BR livery, right?

 

"B.R." - that would be British RailWAYS, lined green - lovely. British Rail blue - as Michael says "hopefully not"!
Cheers,
Ray.

 

I'm with johnofwessex on this one. Firstly, because the "rail blue" era is a unique part of the VoR's story; secondly, because in my opinion it really didn't look all that bad (in fact the later, lined-out version was actually rather handsome!); and thirdly, because there's a generation growing up now who just love 1980s nostalgia...!

 

I thought only 1960s nostalgia was allowed in preservation?
Whenever I express a fondness for how I first came across various locos and railways (in the late 80s and early 90s) I get shot down by the dingy green /lined black brigade....
I think a blue loco on the VoR would be spectacular. But then I haven't any money to put where my mouth is...

 

I don't know when the plans for 'BR Blue' were formulated and what the plans were for steam by then but does anyone know if there was any proposals to paint anything other than the VofR Steam Stock in 'BR Blue'

Obviously a number of coal fired paddle steamers carried it, and steam ships into the early 80's

 

IIRC the 'New Image" was announced in 1963 or early 1964 - Railway World and Railway Modeller both carried articles at the time. It covered not only the new blue livery but also the 'arrow of indecision', the letter font and the truncated name to "British Rail". The first items of rolling stock to carry the livery were the, then new, XP64 carriages. The modernization plan of 1955 was well under way by then and the expected elimination of B.R. standard gauge steam only a few years ahead so I don't believe there was any intention to paint them blue. Remember, at this time, B.R. was keen to rid themselves of their old 'dirty' image of which steam was a part. Obviously after Aug '68 the VoR locos were the only steam locos B.R. had so they carried the blue livery of the new 'Corporate Image'. Hope this answers your question.
Ray.

 

It is worth remembering, though, that a surprising amount of steam age coaching stock did receive the new colours. I'm sure I have read in various places that the original plan was that only new stock would carry the new colours after 1964. Obviously, in practice it didn't quite work out like that, hence some pre-nationalisation coaches were eventually turned out in blue-and-grey.

A quick search of Flickr turned up a few examples:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kettledrummle/14386347165/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidwf2009/16036172750/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/5564916935/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/8184977212/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/5890752066/

Hope that's of interest! (Sorry for going off topic though...!)

 

Very interesting! I didn't realise pre-nationalisation stock went blue and grey.
But lets get back to the VoR...

 

To bring my question back to the end of the thread...

 

Info on the Steam Festival at the end of September http://www.rheidolrailway.co.uk/festival.htm

Very tempting.

 

Very tempting indeed, especially liked this attraction:
"Exclusive opportunity to see never seen before locomotives in the workshops".
Are these the locos that have been stored at Aberystwyth for years?, or can they possibly be from the, well, you know what collection. A Gwalior Pacific in Wales would have my guaranteed attendance at this event.

Cheers,

Alan

 

Mhhm, if they've really never been seen before, then they must all be new builds secretly put together in dark workshops...

 

Or the collection X files...

Mysterious....

Sorry, I'll go away again

Steve B

 

I hear that there has been some vegetation clearance work done at a site related to collection X but I have not heard of anyone seeing anything leave.