Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway

Rabbi Lionel Blue once noted "the lion may indeed lie down with the lamb ..... given an infinite supply of lambs". Wise chap!

 

Absolute stunner

 

A well run railway with a sustainable outlook can support WIBN projects. I can think of one with a huge mileage and a great many assets to look after. Yet it runs at a profit and supports a vast array of projects that don't have a direct commercial benefit.

The W&L had three replica coaches built. They aren't used in regular service and it didn't really need them. Yet they have really added to what the railway can offer. We are not just in the business of running trains, but also telling a story about our history and heritage. Sometimes WIBN is very useful for that.

Monarch seems to suffer from the same affliction as Mountaineer. The longer it is out of service the more things people will tell you is wrong with it. They seem to forget that at various points in the past these were successful, working locos.

Tim

 

Can someone please remind me how much service Monarch has actually seen on the W&L?

 

I agree, with one reservation. The Pickerings reflect the history of the W&L, whereas Monarch represents an evolutionary stub of steam locomotive design, used on a completely different railway. That should and must have some bearing on the choice of where scarce spare funds are focused by the W&L.

 

It arrived in 1966. I think it ran 1969 to 1978 on and off. The loco was well used at Bowaters, but as is often the case with articulated locos it was heavy on maintenance.

A lot of the problems seem to stem from the removal of the spark arrestor at Welshpool. Basically the chimney is far too big and doesn't produce any draft on the fire. This was discovered while the loco was being looked at on the FR. It's amazing they got it to work at all.

Tim

 

Free the Alco.

@35B but doesn't this bring into sharper focus the difficulty of making decisions. One is important in a local context, the other is important in a wider railway design sense. Monarch is also constrained by the fact that the WLLR is about the only place in the UK where it can run because of the gauge.

On the subject of WIBN, someone facetious could argue that investing resources in restoring ex-summer houses instead of buying cheap and available ex-br coaches is WIBN. But I am not that kind of Monkey.

@meeee what was the plan for it at the FR and how far did they get?

 

I agree, it does bring those decisions into sharper focus.

 

Point of order ..... As well as there being the potential to chase it's own bunker around Whipsnade Zoo, much of it's original stamping ground (the SKLR) is still very much open for business .... well, normally it is!

 

Not just the W&L and F.R. An urban myth existed for many years on the IoM that Caledonia wouldn't steam and that its long wheelbase spread the gauge on curves so it was unused except for very occasional snow plough duty. The chaired curves on the ex MNR lines were even cited as evidence. It was only when, in preparation for the Snaefell centenary, the chassis was pushed around the Princes Motors curve at Laxey without incident that the perceived problem was disproved. Since its restoration Caley has been a reliable member of the IMR fleet and hasn't destroyed the track. Now, certain persons on the IMR who weren't there when the ex CDR railcars were last in service know that they can't make the bank out of Douglas without both cars being powered. To remedy this would require completely new, and expensive, power units so they remain sidelined part way through a restoration ..... Remember that one of these 'jokers' wanted to give them away to Ireland a few years ago - after the Manx taxpayers had sunk many thousands of pounds into them. Sorry for the rant, it's one of my pet peeves - and I'm not even a diesel fan!
Ray.[/QUOTE]

 

It was textbook WIBN story. Two individuals who should know better purchased the loco for the railway. The railway didn't really need or want it. I guess you have to go through the motions though.

Although it is actually quite a compact design it is slightly too wide for the FR. Height wise I think a stepped in cab like the Alco would fit. The width issue would have required major surgery though. It was dismantled for assessment and i believe a scheme for oil firing was drawn up by Shaun McMahon and Nigel Day, who also discovered the chimney problem.

It would fit up the WHR but it isn't really much more powerful than a double engine. So it was a useful engine for the line it didn't fit, but not really for the one it did.

I think common sense prevailed in the end. At least at Welshpool there is scope to maybe get it running one day.

Tim

 

The Pickering coaches were wholly funded by a specific private donation and constructed on contract externally so didn’t take up any WLLR resources, either cost, labour or workshop space. If anyone wants to put up a couple of hundred thousand to do something similar for Monarch I’m sure they would listen. I know Monarch ran services in the dry summer of 1976 as various photos show so it obviously has been useful in the past, but meanwhile the company owns 5 other suitable locos of more conventional design, only one of which is currently in working order (and scheduled for withdrawal next year).

Perhaps, going back to the 60s, it would have been better to buy one of the various 062T from Bowaters instead, does anyone know if this was ever considered?

Oh, and here’s the appeal link again ....

https://www.wllr.org.uk/covid-19-appeal-tracks-recovery

 

I wonder if the team at Statfold Barn would have a future interest in Monarch... (especially after what they have done with the K1 in such quick time, although this would be a much bigger task)

 

They have nowhere to run it anymore and the scale of the task is vastly different.
Tim

 

We looked at Monarch at the FR it was there in my early days of modifying locos that I realised just how over sized the chimney was. The was no chance the blast pipe could fill the chimney to make a seal and create a draught. I have subsequently named this as Monarch syndrome. It was through this work I got to know David Moseley and made the offer to look at the other locos at W&L. For what ever reasons Monarch at FR never happened. I believe that she could be made to perform well but don’t know weather W&L would suit her.

We redraughted every other loco there with positive results. That was really where our major efforts took off. Yes we did Cali on the IoM. Maybe not perfect but a lot better than ever before. She is usable now.

Just for clarity the Austrian loco has not been discussed. And I believe Chevalier would benefit from a lempor if she stays there. 85 is my favorate loco there and I look forward to seeing her rebuilt.

 

I would certainly like Zillertal to stay, if only for the sound of that booming exhaust. I'm sure that it has it's peculiarities, just like any other engine, but it does seem to have settled in rather well.

Cheerz,

Alan

 

Certainly is a handsome, good all round machine alright, I'd love it to stay there too. But it's only on lean for a few years then no doubt will return to it's native land...

Unless of course, there is another spare somewhere, perhaps in need of restoration and a place to call home? Bit of a stretch that though.

 

Aren't there any plinthed examples in Austria?

 

There were 2 in the Salzkammergut area 35 years ago

Sent from my SM-A105FN using Tapatalk

 

I believe that there are several U class and similar plinthed around the country. Off hand I can think of one at Mittersil station on the Pinzgauerbahn and ZB 1 'Raimund' in the centre of Jenbach as seen below in Aug 2016.

Ray.