Welshpool and Llanfair 2016 timetable

Just come across this interesting news item - expansion at Llanfair, and info that the Resita loco is leaving - http://www.wllr.org.uk/news

Steve B

 

Both Resitas. I'm a bit miffed that I never saw 764.425 in service, or even at all in fact, having last visited the W&L in 2006. However I did see 764.423 at that time and I'm sure it had a boiler, but this news report refers only to the chassis - where did the boiler end up?

 

The boiler went to the Vale of Rheidol for testing purposes last year I think.

It's a shame they're getting rid of the Resita, I always liked it but I understand it wasn't universally popular. I wonder how much that little adventure cost the railway?

 

Hello there,

I'm thinking of taking my family, including two toddlers, for a trip on the WLLR one day this week. Does anyone know what sort of range of food is available in the Llanfair Caereinion café and how child-friendly it is, given I suspect it won't be picnic weather?

 

The railway tea room at Llanfair does sandwiches, cakes, scones, soup, crisps etc. It is child friendly (high chairs and child portions available in the tea room) and a play area (plus kids love the open balconies on the carriages of the train!).

Alternatively in Llanfair Caereinon there is the Goat Hotel in Llanfair and there is also two convenience stores and a chippy, however this would involve a half mile walk (so if taking the young children you would be better parking at the Llanfair end so you have the car).

Kind regards,
Gareth

 

Thank you for the advice!

We decided to start from the Llanfair end with the first train of the day because we were wary we don't usually manage to eat lunch in a café in the hour that would have been required otherwise. As things turned out we could have managed it easily, but it did mean that we essentially had the train to ourselves on the outward trip. Everyone I think had a fantastic time.

 

More news, Chevallier visiting again

http://www.wllr.org.uk/news

 

Had a nice day over there today, pleasant ride this morning then played chase in the 'ol Landy this afternoon:





Have to confess I couldn't find any of the advertised road steamers, but the highlight of the day had to be the district nurse chasing up and down racing the train on her little phut-phut motorbike. With all the trains consisting of 'mixed' stock, it was interesting to watch the shunting at each end of the line, with wagons getting swapped over at Welshpool on some services and platform staff coming to meet the train with a barrow of luggage.





Multiple trains running meant a fairly frequent timetable, and with both Castle C. and Cyfronydd yards open it made the chase back and forth this afternoon a bit better as you could pull up and wait:



(sorry, my "Ivo Peters" moment!)




Hopefully the event might run again next year?
I'll probably make the effort to visit again if it does.

 

Was bored, 'nowt much to do, so went back again today.
Nothing more to say, just a few more pics...








(whoops - it got in the way of the pic again...)

Didn't seem as many passengers as there were yesterday, which is a shame, but then the weather wasn't as good today either.

 

What a wonderful little railway it is.
I have always had a soft spot for Joan, but despite passing along that way quite often, I haven't seen her since the 1990s...! Is she often in service at the moment?

 

'fraid I have no idea.
I overhead one of the other passengers making similar comment about the loco to the guard whilst we were stopped at Welshpool: Apparently it had been working on passenger duties the previous weekend.

 

This is one of the only Welsh lines I've never got around to visiting, should put that right this year when I'm making a couple of trips that way in the summer.

How does it compare scenery-wise compared to the others? I'm making one trip Wales-wards that could be considered a 'family' outing, in which railways can certainly feature, and one that'll be more of a solo enthusiast's blast. Really scenic lines, particularly nice vintage stock tend to be the priorities for family trips. For 'solo' trips I want noisy hill climbs and chance to zip around trying varied photo locations! Suspect Welshpool could fit into both categories.

 

It isn't a railway I visit all that often and my trip the other week for the first time I've travelled in a number of years. I'd forgotten just how scenic and pleasant it is. I guess because I tend to think of the road from W'Pool to Llanfair as nothing to get worked up about it's easy to overlook the fact the railway takes a different route through the same valley. Setting off from Llanfair it starts of snaking along the course of the river, before crossing over on the Banwy viaduct and instead working along around the fields and farms before dropping into the woods on the approach to Welshpool. The return journey certainly justifies an open window as the locos bark their way up the steep gradients away from the station! I wouldn't like to try comparing any railway route with any other, as they all have their attractions.

The standard carriages don't come with upholstery, although aren't uncomfy and the opening windows are right alongside the seats It probably pays to look at the timetable before visiting, as their normal service isn't the most intensive in the world - so you wouldn't want to just miss the train as you'll have a reasonable wait for it to get back again (unless you drive to the other end and do the trip the other way!). This also means away from gala timetables it can require patience if you want to watch from the lineside. It's also made difficult by all but no public footpaths in the adjoining fields, so you're limited to the four or so locations where the public road crosses the line. The intermediate stations are plain halts and when the blockposts are unmanned the gates into the yards are normally locked. There's likely to be enough room to pull up one car alongside though. The annual September gala is exceeeeeeedingly popular with parking at a premium and trains heaving - although the timetable is about as intensive as it's possible to make it.

Certainly don't pass them by, have a ride and see what it's like yourself.

 

That's all really handy advice - thank you!

 

Just to let you know that if you want to see which locos are scheduled to be working on a particular day, go to the timetable page at http://www.wllr.org.uk/timetable and click on a particular day and it will tell you. Obviously this does not account for last-minute changes that may be necessary if locos for example 'go tech'... Hope this helps.

 

They are all different - WLLR is a country branch line. If you travel - go for the Vintage Train which consists of superb replicas of the original coaches together with 2 or 3 wagons - a typical branch line mixed train. It's a wonderful experience.

 

The gala timetable has been published http://www.wllr.org.uk/steam-gala-2016

It's very similar to last year with the Earl and the Countess running a two train service with goods and short passenger trains fitted around them. Chevalier doesn't see much use and is only used on one passenger train to Cyfronydd each day. I understand it ran hot on test which explains this but it is disappointing nonetheless. There are also no doubleheaded trains which is a shame.

 

I think you quite underestimate the challenge posed by this extremely difficult route. Visiting locomotives over the years have tended to suffer from from lack of steam or over-heating bearings, sometimes both! One such is Chevallier, which suffered from overheated axleboxes on its previous visits.

Clearly at an event which aims to shift the maximum number of people, any out of course delays are particularly undesirable. Hardly surprising therefore that those organising the event will be cautious. They have a deal of experience.

PH

 

I know, but one passenger train a day? By turning a few of the goods turns into passenger trains it would do the same number of trips to the same timings but give people more chance to travel behind it.

 

It's very difficult to reply without seeming to be unduly tart but I will have a go!

Climbing out of Welshpool involves, inter alia, a mile of 1 in 29 topped off by multiple reverse curves. a number with check rails. In the reverse direction, the climb up to and beyond Castle Caereinion is almost as severe and there is more further on towards Golfa summit. Although there is a violent climb when heading to Cyfronydd from Llanfair, it is of short direction and very near to the former station so if any steaming or overheating problems do develop their effects will be minimised. As far as I can recall, only one visiting locomotive, a fairly small Henschell from Bredgar, has proved problem free for passenger workings over the whole line and that was many years ago.

Unlike last year, the visitor will be seen on passenger working. Let's just hope her heating woes have been sorted.

PH