The Gwili Railway thread

As Matt has said that is not a problem there is plenty of platform at Abergwili.

One thing for all to bear in mind is that it is a condition of our planning approval at Abergwili that there shall be no pedestrian access to the site. Not surprising really as it's bounded on two sides by 70 MPH dual carriageways - you don't really want to encourage people to wander along there!

The footpath just north of Abergwili starts at a little lay-by just up the road from bridge 5. This sometimes gets filled up during hospital visiting hours but if you want to give it a go here's a link to an OS map. The lay-by is on the north side of the road. http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=242915&Y=221560&A=Y&Z=115

(and it's an open field and slightly down hill to the track from the footpath so no jungle to fight through!)

 

Hi Alan

Yes the brambles are growing thick and fast this time of year, it would certainly be a shame for those views to be obscured by a green wall.

There are a number of jobs deemed not critical to openning but are still on the "to be done" list. So plenty still to do.

With regards to the next steps, it's still early days yet but the picture will become clearer before too long I'm sure.

Regards

Matt

 

I'd think consolidate and sort Abergwili and make it the main port of call with a car park and facilities will really alow the railway to take off;.

 

really useful thanks

 

I agree. While it would be nice for the railway to run somewhere, the Gwili need to look at what they have and how to improve it (as do any railway).
Being a member of the Dean Forest, I sometimes get annoyed at the lack of progress. Don't get me wrong the volunteers do a lot, but that's the problem really I think... there's too much going on! Each project then takes ages to complete. Whitecroft really needs a passing loop/second platform. I hope Gwili can be different to the DFR and address what they need to do before extending.

 

To be honest, there is no reason why both extending the line and getting the car park done can't be pursued at the same time.

The construction of the car park is not something that can be done with volunteer labour, it would be a contractor job. Conversely we have got volunteers who can undertake line extensions. It all boils down to opportunity and funding.

At the end of the day the medium term vision is an Abergwili to Conwil Railway with a 5 mile run through fantastic scenery and accessible and adequate parking at Abergwili with good visitor facilities. If the car park comes first so be it, but the need for some kind of destination would manifest itself fairly quickly after this.

I would also make the point that we could have prioritied the extension over the engine shed, but with careful planning we managed to do both.

Either way I'm sure it's going to be an exciting time...

Regards

Matt

 

I can think of an appropriate Tank locomotive , a South Wales Tank locomotive!

 

Is it DMU or steam this coming Saturday?

 

Coming up in August for the beer festival in Swansea and the Gwilli extension.

 

Just catching up with this thread, having somehow missed it....... probably got something to do with a certain event & photo charter in deepest Hants!

Just to say, I'm rather impressed by whats been achieved & I hope the extension proves its worth - good luck guys.

 

DMU first trip(s) to Abergwili Jtn for Saturday with the diner on Sunday.

 

Some footage from last weekend



Regards

Matt

 

Doh,got to Gwili too late for last trip (3pm isn't late surely!) because I didn't appreciate you have to go the opposite direction first as the return leg is non stop thru Bronwydd Arms. My fault for assuming. Had interesting conversation on how to pronounce Gwili, Internet he say Gee-lee..Staff say it's pronounced as it's written.

 

It's because they don't want to,or aren't allowed to keep the crossing open for very long. There were about 6 people on the train as it passed me, as far as I could see, can they afford to miss out on a seventh fare like that? Maybe it needs looking at again? Maybe a non stop train is a good selling point,something to emphasise. It was game over there by 445,seems very early to me, I wonder if that's so that the crossing isn't used into rush hour? Planning requirement perhaps?

 

Not a planning requirement but a desire not to keep the crossing closed for too long. All this is still very new to us and will be reviewed at the end of the season.

Regards

Matt

 

of course, and I hopefully have some nice photos of the through service. I chatted to the signalman who explained that he can't pull off the (i guess) Home signal for the train to approach the platform unless the gate is open.(I expect the Public would call that "closed" ). It's all very fail-safe and that's only proper. I was delighted to see Welsh Guardsman in action mid week, I had assumed the DMU would be in use, so that was good.
The guy selling tickets had a "tough, last train's gone" attitude and didnt understand my "Oh Mr Porter" quip of " next trains gone".... the Lady in the shop and the Signalman went to great lengths explaining and I very much enjoyed my visit anyway.
I was tickled to see the Mobile phone used as part of the procedure, with the crew phoning in to say they'd be 5 minutes, and that call then logged in the Register.
I must say, and I said on the day, I think you've done wonders there and your signalman was positively raring to go on the next extension.

Edit I must call earlier next time, apparently there was carrot cake so good it had all sold out...

 

ps if it sounded like a moan, it wasnt...look at the time I posted (from the Stena Europe somewhere in St George's Passage or whatever it's called)

 

Whilst one might understand the planners being concerned about allowing access to the trains before a proper car park is in place for visitors it does seem unfortunate that no access is allowed as it prevents anybody on foot or bike arriving easily from Carmarthen railway station. Whilst Google shows a pedestrian route utilising the footpath mentioned as taking 30 minutes I'm sure that is well within the capability of many potential visitors and considerably easier than placing reliance on the bus to Bronwydd Arms.