The Gwili Railway thread

Hi Tom

The shed appeal is now open.....

Regards

Matt

 

Really? That's excellent news. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant. Where do I donate?

Tom

 

Hi Tom

You can pass your donation via the shop at Bronwydd. Hopefully more to report soon, that's all I can say at the moment....

Regards

Matt

 

Hopefully not chocolate and cream - it will show up the smuts! Wouldn't BR(W) sheds (I think that's what Browydd Arms is supposed to be) have been painted with black bitumen paint. Several "tin" loco sheds in Mid and West Wales were black, maybe white window frames and a brownish wooden door ...... mmmmmm nice!

 

Well the first priority is to get a shed no matter what the colour - 35 years without!
I'm sure that it would be possible to make it look reasonably authentic although many country sheds were ramshackle affairs!

Regards

Matt

 

Chocolate & cream? Oh dear, that would mean we'd have to go out and keep it clean... !
Do they do a sort of sooty grey / black so it would blend in easily?
Or perhaps a jungle camouflage pattern to keep the neighbours happy?

 

Any colour you like apparently!

 

Any colour as long as the engines inside are green with a touch of copper and brass.....

 

A nice home for 28! Carriage shed then, access road, station buildings for Carmarthen and car park, a new bridge at Dan y coed, by this time we will need more carriages!

 

We need more carriages now...

At the moment we have a 4 coach maroon MK1 set and the two open plus one kitchen car MK1s in southern green as the dining set. As the cream teas are developing another TSO or RMB would be very handy indeed. These are the carriages that attract the largest premiums for obvious reasons.

We also have the DMU as an alternative and hopefully a couple of GW 4 wheelers by the end of the year.

Regards

Matt

 

Update

Plenty of activity at Abergwili this weekend, ballast drop on the loop, points drilled for stretcher bars, rail changes, packing etc and so on. Hopefully some pictures later this week.

Regards


Matt

 

They could rehome no.85 from the K&W too, pretty sure they wouldn't mind that too much

 

There's a thought. A couple of GW 4 wheelers top and tailed by fully lined out Nos. 28 & 85...

 

Be far better when a rank of TV coaches can be run with these engines.

 

Don't you just love predictive text....

 

Extension update in the sunshine!

The loop at Abergwili has now been ballasted (almost) fully,

Final work on the points are underway, some rails being changed, and one or two rails along the line have had lift plates fitted

This week's job is to construct a concrete base as part of the station ramp (see second photo)

The major job planned shortly is the renewal of the level crossing surface at Bronwydd, which provides access to the extension.

Hopefully more to report soon!

Regards

Matt

 

Anyone planning to visit the Gwili over Easter please note:-

The railway will be closed on Thursday the 31st March and Friday 1st April.

Unfortunately Welsh Water will be digging up sewers in the road just to the north of Bronwydd Arms Station and will be closing the road... At the same time a HUGE Beech tree is being felled over the road just to the south of the station and to do this BT and power lines have to come down so the road will be closed there as well!

Not wanting to be left out of the fun we thought we might as well dig up the level crossing and close the road in the middle as well.

Anyone who has booked cream teas on Thursday should have been contacted by the office to make alternative arrangements. If anyone has booked and has not heard from us please contact the office on 01267- 238213.

The road from the north will be closed for approximately 8 days from the 29th so if anyone is coming to us from the north along the A485 please do not follow the brown railway signs onto the B4301. Simply continue on the A485 to Carmarthen, continue straight on at the first roundabout then turn right at the second roundabout and that will put you on the A484 (signposted Llandysul & Newcastle Emlyn) and lookout for the brown signs for the railway after about two and a bit miles. (You'll also get some good views of the extension trackbed between the road and the river!)

All the volunteers and staff of the Gwili sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. Hopefully, as all three sets of work are being done at the same time, this won't have to happen again for at least 20 years or so.

If anyone has any queries please contact the Office on the number above. Thank You.

Alan

PS. I believe there is no truth in the rumour that this was planned by 'The Management' to ensure the volunteers could not leave the railway and would therefore be available for work on the level crossing for two whole days before they could go home...

 

Update

Work ongoing on the platform, the photos show the north and south end ramps.

Attention will now turn to Bronwydd Level Crossing, which is being replaced. A first for us, the crossing itself will have flat bottom rail and we are installing a bowmac type surface. This gets underway shortly, hopefully some pics to follow


Regards

Matt

 

Update

Crossing renewal underway in the rain....

Regards

Matt

 

Day 2 of the crossing renewal:

Old rail cleared away and new track laid, FB rail and concrete sleepers now laid on the road. Seems a shame to cover it all up.....

Next job is to install the bowmac surface.

Might even get a pic tomorrow

Regards

Matt