Developments on the Corris Railway

Just to say that although "Nancy" will be the likely star attraction at the Alan Keef Open Day on Saturday (congratulations to Michael and all at the C&L and I hope to sample your excellent hospitality again ere long) visitors will also be able to see work done to date on Corris Number 10. The driving wheels are now in the frames and with pony truck complete and its wheels and axles being machined the 0-4-2 stage is approaching. Cylinders and covers are also on site too

 

The latest developments with number 10 are that there are a number of components now ready for fitting at Keef's. These are as follows:-

2 x Coupling rods: 4 x Coupling rod bushes; 4 x Coupling rod oil pot covers
2 x Connecting rods; 2 x Split big-end bearings c/w oil pot lid and tube
2 x Big-end cap plates; 2 x Big-end spacers; 2 x Little-end bushes
2 x Valve spindle guides; 2 x Valve spindles (await final machining upon assembly)
2 x Valve drive rod (part machined)’ 2 x RH/LH valve adjusters
2 x RH Lock nuts; 2 x LH Lock nuts; 2 x Valve spindle glands
2 x Piston rod glands; 4 x Slide bars; 4 x Slide bar mounting angles
8 x Slide bar fitted bolts

However this fitting depends on fund raising so there are now a couple of motion donation buttons on the website. One for donations of £20 and the other for whatever donors may wish to chip in to keep things moving. Meanwhile buffers are being made in the workshops at Measpoeth and they have sponsorship buttons too, along with with 16 driving wheel springs at £34 each.

And although Corris Railway train services, except for October 20th and the Santa Special Trains on December 8th and 9th, have finished for this year the volunteer workforce will continue to progress various projects that make for the revival of the oldest narrow gauge railway in Mid Wales (2019 will mark the 160th anniversary of the line’s origin as the Corris, Machynlleth and River Dovey Tramroad).

One area of the work is the construction of the 21st century recreations of the line’s 19th century carriages and the next of the regular work parties will take place on November 24th and 25th in the carriage shed at Maespoeth Junction. New recruits to the volunteer team would be welcome and although those with wood and metal working skills would contribute to the rate of progress there is also plenty of less skilled work that needs to be done. Anyone interested should contact Andy Cooper (andyc@corris.co.uk or 07976 059293). Away from Maespoeth Junction some of the carriage building team create components in their home workshops which are then fitted during the working parties. After that comes finishing work.

The carriages, three of which are already in traffic, recreate the appearance of the originals externally but differ in having a metal rather than a wooden framing construction to meet modern safety requirements. Two of the originals still exist. One can be seen in the Museum (number 7, GWR 6217) at Corris when trains are running and the other (number 8 GWR 4992) is part of the working fleet at the Talyllyn Railway where it is currently being overhauled. The modern Corris passenger stock takes up its numbering from where the old Corris left off and the two vehicles currently under construction are numbers 23 and 24.

As well as carriage construction the Corris is recreating some of the original waggons that ran on the line. These can see use in works trains as required but are also attractive for charter trains operated for photographic groups. Currently work is being carried out on wooden underframes to replace some destroyed by a nasty fungal rot.

Away from Corris and Maespoeth the Corris Railway Society membership numbering has reached the 2000th mark since it was formed in 1966, although the actual current membership stands around the 500 mark. The more the merrier.

 

With the ending of the main operating season on the Corris Railway for 2018, apart from the two days of Santa Train operation on December 8th and 9th, progress is being made with improvements to the railway’s museum at Corris station. This follows the work carried out last winter to repair the roof and the subsequent replacement of windows in the building which was formerly the hay loft, road coach house and parcels office. New display cases have been ordered and attention is being paid to improving the presentation of the rolling stock and artefacts in the Museum.

The Museum’s new curator is Ioan Rhys Lord, one of the more youthful members of the Corris Railway Society. The Society is mindful of the need to involve younger people in its work and activities and to this end has extended the upper age range for Young Persons Membership to 25 in consideration of the number of those who are in full time education or earning lower wages. The rate will be £17 per annum.

The Santa Trains will have an additional attraction this year with a signing by Sam Knappett of his childrens’ books “Daniel’s Branchline”, “Mainline Engines” and a new title “Four Friendly Engines”. The steam hauled trains will leave Corris station at hourly intervals between 11.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. to take passengers to meet Santa and his helpers who will be ready with presents for the children and seasonal refreshments for the adults in the carriage shed at Maespoeth Junction. Travel on the trains with the visit to Santa is on a pay on the day basis and the Corris is hoping that there will be no repeat of last year when weather related travel problems left some 400 mince pies stranded in Rhyl rather than being ready and waiting at the Railway.

 

What's the latest on the Goedwig South extension, and the re-design of Corris station? I'm assuming the extension to Tan-y-Coed is still on the cards in the long term - is that realistically as far as they can go southwards, or is Llwyngwern a possibility?

 

Watching a (decidedly unedited) YouTube clip, several hours long (from, I think, the SB at Maespoeth and confirmed on the CR website, soon after), it was satisfying to see the late May gala was a success. If there was a problem, it seemed confined to needing more passenger accommodation (roll on carriages 23 and 24). Bearing in mind the short length currently in service, it bodes extremely well for the extension down to Tan-y-Coed. Congratulations to all on the Corris for a well organised event.

My only gripe is, there's been no recent photo of y mochyn !

 

Me and my brother called in at the Corris yesterday. First visit to the railway for me, and I’d recommend it to anyone. Corris is a lovely little village in an astonishingly beautiful part of Wales. The railway - with its ornate rolling stock and trackbed winding along a hillside far above the valley floor - complements it perfectly. The museum at Corris and engine shed at Maespoeth (which you get to see as part of a visit) are extraordinarily evocative. Here are a few pictures:

 

Update time! Isn't Corris No.9 tiny? And do keep an eye out for photos of carriage No.24 on its first outing:
https://www.corris.co.uk/news/

 

Update time: Quite a few new photos recently. Keep an eye out for a very interesting caption concerning Carriage 24's south end compartment.
https://www.corris.co.uk/news/

 

It is the morpeth show!!!!!!!!!!!

 

More from Maespoeth (.... and Alan Keefe's):
https://www.corris.co.uk/news/

Along with the headline stuff, it's particularly nice to see progress on another waggon .... a 2-planker this time. Roll on one of those characteristic Corris trestle slab waggons!

 

Developments regarding the new station at Corris, which are moving up a gear:

https://www.corris.co.uk/news/press...push&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=corris.co.uk

 

Here's an update on loco No.10 "The Falcon", with figure needed to produce a rolling chassis:
https://www.corris.co.uk/news
Looking good .... and if enough of us can spare a few quid to chuck their way, it'll soon look even better.

 

Latest photos from the line, with a few nice shots for waggon fans:
https://www.corris.co.uk/news/

 

More from Maespoeth. There have been two recent updates. Check out progress with No.10's undergubbins since @Occasional's post (#61) at the top of this page:
https://www.corris.co.uk/news/

 

More updates (and lots of piccies) from the line. Carriage 23 is making good progress and the resurrection of Waggon 5 continues apace:
https://www.corris.co.uk/news/

 

.... and it gets better. Look what's on it's wheels and beginning to look a lot more like a complete rolling chassis: https://www.corris.co.uk/news/

 

Some highly encouraging news concerning No.10s funding. If a few more of us can dig into our pockets, the welcome sight of a new Falcon storming Maespoeth Bank will be a reality, sooner rather than later. A quick butcher's at the latest photos in the 'news' section shows good progress with (metal bodied) waggon No.5 too:
https://www.corris.co.uk/news/press...push&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=corris.co.uk

If I was being ultra picky, although (as reported) the advent of No.10 will indeed represent the first time the Corris has had two resident steam locos since 1948, by then only one was serviceable, as No.4 was languishing OOS with a condemned firebox. (With apologies to the article's author, John Simms ..... well, it's NP, so there was always gonna be at least one pernickity smartarse! )

 

Go on the Corris! Great news. I'm in their neck of the woods this weekend. I'll try and call in.

 

Assuming you're better with a camera than me, which is actually a fairly safe bet, some piccies would be more than welcome.

 

We didnt have time to stop unfortunately, but tracklaying seemed to be happening as we passed on the road, and was well beyond Maespoeth. The valley was looking really lovely too. Every increase in the length of the journey will be a treat.