Trawsfynydd and Blaenau Ffestiniog Railway

The Battle of Ecky Thump was a Goodies episode from 1975, so technically you're both right... (infamously remembered as the one where a certain Mr Mitchell died laughing while watching...).
All those 'K's, though... not from around here (mae'n ddrwg gen'i).

 

I have a vague memory that the f-like style of s was only in the middle of a word, and at the end it was always "s". And also that something similar happens in Greek (which I don't speak, write, read or understand, but I like the letters for use in equations).
I know I could find out if I am right by about 40 seconds on Google, but idle speculation is more fun and just so 2017.

 

Yes to both, I think. German orthography includes the letter ß, which is called "sz" but means "ss", and derives from a printers' ligature for the long "s" followed by "z". The German spelling reform of the 1990s sadly reduced the number of words in which ß is used - for example the word for "castle" or "palace" changed from "Schloß" to "Schloss".

 

Greek lower-case sigma does indeed change from 'σ' in the middle of a word to 'ς' at the end... although I don't claim to be authoritative, yet (in the spirit of 2017, am choosing to ignore my car's expert opinion that a service is due - fake news, methinks ).

 

Two railway companies fighting over a line that goes to the exact middle of nowhere would certainly be unique. Not sure about the selling point bit though.

Tim

 

Unique? Didn't the LNWR and the GWR do that in the same place?

 

In fairness to the chaps who are out there trying to bring this back to life, it does have a destination. Lyn Trawsfyndd has a visitor centre and café, cycling trails, kayak and fishing boat hire. The lake is a tough sell as a visitor destination of course, because it also has the vast grey hulk of the nuclear power station sitting next to it. But a nice train taking you and your bikes up there from Blaenau will help make the lake work as a destination.

Also, the railway could offer environmentally friendly transport from Blaenau into the national park. The national parks seem to having a go at forming partnerships with companies that offer sustainable transport within the parks - http://www.nationalparks.co.uk/partnerships - so there might be the possibility of some funding there to explore.

 

I can't help but think if the velorail project wasn't achievable then what hope for a proper railway? The velorail project was unique and had broad appeal; a couple of decaying Mk1s and shunting loco much less so. However, I wish all dreamers good luck; many decent projects started with an idle daydream.

 

In the past, perhaps. Transforming daydreams into preserved railway reality is about a million, billion, trillion, zillion, fortwillion, terrygillion, ridingpillion more times difficult in the mid-2010s than in was in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

 

Of course it is, but rationality should not stifle idle daydreams per se. However, the daydreamer has some responsibility too and should not start a facebook page outlining his WIBN ambition.

 

I think both the Epping-Ongar and Ecclesbourne Valley show that a late start is not necessarily a barrier to success. The former has a wealthy backer though, not so sure about the latter, but both are rather nearer to centres of population which will no doubt help their cause. (Incidentally I have not yet visited either!)

 

Hang on. Isn't setting up a Fudbook page the most difficult part of reopening a disused railway (apart from deciding what colour the engine should be painted, of course)?

Many nowadays would seem to believe so.

 

Bit early to confirm success in either case, and the former in particular has a huge potential local customer base and few nearby competitors. Meanwhile Blaenau Ffestiniog is just about the centroid of the preservation scene, with many more attractive lines in close proximity and low population base.
I understand that the line was once extremely scenic, but the best bit is gone.
I personally would have preferred to see the effort being expended instead helping the Llangollen, Talyllyn, Bala Lake or other local lines who could always do with more help.

 

There are different personality types in preservation. Some people are happy with the challenge of keeping an existing line running. Others have that pioneer instinct and want to extend, reopen, double-track, etc.. It's not going to be easy to harness that pioneering energy on a line that has reached its maximum extent.

At the same time, it's a shame if that energy is wasted on a scheme that has no hope, but that's down to individual choice.

 

Quite understood (although slightly lamented). I'm a civil engineer precisely because I understand the attraction of things like pioneering work. But if that is what people like, there are plenty of places they could be involved - GSWR for example, hopefully soon the L&B. As discussed elsewhere the Irish scene is crying out for help and support. Surely Blaenau Ffestiniog is not the sensible place to indulge this whim?

 

There was a thread somewhere on their Facebook page, where the admin spoke of ideas of running Jacobite esque operations from Llandudno to Lyn Trawsfyndd. Whilst I am sceptical of the viability of another heritage railway in the area, i could see a service being viable bringing people from the Coast inland for a day.

 

I think you're being a little generous there. Often this 'pioneer instinct' seems to be far more a case of "I want my own 12ft to the inch scale train set. I am not prepared to channel my enthusiasm into an existing scheme because I want to be le gros fromage..."

There have been a number of semi-legendary figures suffering from this malaise who you may not be aware of - the redoubtable Alf Roberts, 'Meon Valley bloke', the guy from the infamous BDLPG and so on. Some of this type of people have caused genuine damage to the cause of railway preservation, by wasting the time of councils and railway professionals with their hopelessly WIBN schemes, pissing them off so much that they have been less likely to help those who are representing projects with a genuine chance of success.

 

You're right, these people do exist. I have met a few. I have seen preservation egos clashing, to the detriment if the thing they were trying to preserve.

At the same time, there are people who are simply more excited by new schemes, extensions, double-track projects, etc., than they are by operating an established railway. The preservation movement needs to recognise these different personality types, and find ways of channelling their energies into worthwhile projects.

 

Fair comment. But I guess there will always be some who refuse to be channelled.

I can't help but wonder how much the KESR, Bluebell, EKR or - perhaps most needfully - the SKLR would have benefitted from the enthusiasm, drive and amount of publicity that the protagonist(s) put into the utterly hopeless WIBN dream of reopening the Folkestone Harbour branch.