The Vale of Rheidol Railway - News

I suppose this might not be the only opportunity, or fund-raiser, to see the Surrey collection. Robert Gambrill has previously mentioned the future possibility of showing Peter Rampton’s restored 12th century home (described as his greatest legacy) to the public. I believe he also collected cars.

 

Good to see some news of the Gwailor pacifics here, but it seems a waste to put both in a museum - - couldn't one be considered as a candidate for restoration to running order? The VoR must surely be one of the better candidates for having the loading gauge to accommodate!

 

Wow - I may actually bid for the Surrey tour (though I'm not likely to win)

 

Very tempted to bid, but that'll go for crazy money! It'd certainly be interesting to see Rob again

 

Any chance a moderator could merge the two very similar VoR threads?

 

Will it though? I mean, it is just a day out. Whilst I hope they raise an absolute mint of money, How much can it be worth, even to the most curious with the deepest pockets...

 

Thank you!

 

There is some weird stuff the wealthy will pay for, 160K to play tennis with a politician for example. Look at the prices paid for railwayana, a name plate can go for 10 grand plus.

I am sure there are some wealthy ex public school boys who who will willingly pay extra as well for being blind folded, tied up and thrown in a boot before and after the visit to collection X.

 

Well as anybody with more than a passing interest in the collection has a pretty good idea as to exactly where it is located, I think anyone hoping for the blindfold and car boot experience would be sadly disappointed!
Chris

 

I am sure it can be arranged if required

 

For that matter, think of how much Union Pacific charged for the chance to ride behind the "Big Boy" last year. It was about $3000 a seat as I recall, but the train sold out!

It must be nice to have that much disposable income... I think my only hope of placing a winning bid for the Collection X tour would be if the VoR were willing to accept payment in Monopoly money But the money will all go to a good cause, so I say good luck to them. I'm sure the rest of us will get our chance in due course!

 

Some good news about the carriage shed being completed, and one of it's interesting features: https://www.railuk.com/heritage/vale-of-rheidol-railway-completes-new-carriage-store/

 

Its what all Heritage Lines should be building so that all stock can be placed undercover

 

The auction ends on the 18th December 2020 - see https://www.32auctions.com/organizations/69410/auctions/86086?r=1&t=all

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-55751179
When a heritage railway reopens later this year, it will have a new addition - a 123-year-old steam locomotive used by Welsh Slate.

The 11-tonne Manning Wardle "Jubilee 1897" has been sold to the Vale of Rheidol Railway, which runs between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge.

 

Apart from C C Green's book on the Vale of Rheidol Railway is there any evidence that William Szlumper had anything to do with the L & B ? Because I have never come across any. Green appears to have been somewhat slapdash, because he calls William Sir James' son on p12, but correct in referring to him as a half-brother Sir James (who was 26 years older) on p177. Both of them were MICE. So neither would be expected to be designing locomotives, but Green describes him as Resident Engineer of the VOR, so it would be quite appropriate for him in that role to have signed approving the tender drawing for the engines (reproduced on p176) having consulted Sir James and the Directors. William had been articled to James (sic) in 1879-81 and worked with him on numerous railway projects since that time. By 1905 William was passing law examinations and was called to the bar in 1907 and practiced - he was still on the law list in 1930.

I wrote to Mr Green and he replied: 'I have checked the minutes and notes and the reference to A W Szlumper's * involvement in the L & B engines is verbal hearsay and is not actually mentioned in the V of R minutes which are detailed to the point of fussiness. The Old Gentleman thought that he had been involved and, looking at the Szlumper relationships I would think that his half-brother James would have asked his views and shown him the submitted designs at the very least. Of the two A W * was the loco and stock engineer. Incidentally the V of R minutes make no mention of James' involvement either'.

* he meant William - A W was another brother who became Chief Engineer of the LSWR.

The L & B Directors appointed another MICE - Frank (Francis) William Chanter as Engineer, and he dealt with everything, paying mechanical engineers to test the rolling stock (to the annoyance of the Directors who hadn't approved it in advance) - Sir James Szlumper appears from the available evidence to have had a supervising role as Consultant Engineer. Szlumper didn't survey the route - this was done by Chanter and Bob Jones (of the Cliff Railway) They refused to sign the estimate of expense without an uplift in the cost of excavation, but Szlumper wouldn't budge and two signed in the end. Chanter had trained at the Indian engineering school at Coopers Hill and spent all his career on Indian Canals before the L & B when he was 38 (except for a barrage in Egypt when on furlough for a short period) Some of the drawings of the L & B carriages survive, made in Bristol, and were approved with the signatures of the MD of the BW&CW Co Ltd and Chanter as Engineer. Chanter would have specified the arrangement but not the detail or mechanics - confirmation provided by the strikingly similar Bristol-built carriages for the 3ft gauge Ravenglass & Eskdale and Tralee & Dingle Light Railways to those on the L & B. All the evidence regarding the Manning Wardle engines bought for the L & B (including the evidence from L & B Directors when Chanter sued for more fees) suggests that Chanter had no involvement except the seating arrangement (possibly the choice of couplers invented by an Engineer in India and widely used there on narrow gauge) He went to Leeds with Sir George Newnes on the quest to order engines. One of them said that as far as he knew Chanter had no involvement in the design. The design of the L & B engines was innovative, but it seems to me that, in the absence of further evidence, likely that the manufacturers designed them. Chanter said in evidence that he had nothing to do with LYN except provide a list of requirements when he told them a fourth engine was needed to run the service (after he had compiled the timetable). In the absence of further evidence I disagree with David Payling (p13 of his book on LYD) that William Szlumper designed the L & B engines, and who can tell what involvement he had with the detailed design of the VOR locos ? It was probably mostly Davies or Metcalfe or both.

 

Can't speak as to the original R&E stock, but I'm struggling to think of too many similarities between the carriages of the L&B with those of the T&D.

 

All right - try the West Clare Railway - all their original stock was built by the Bristol Company in 1887, 1893 and 1899.

 

Hum, so how do the L&B 2-6-2's compare with the VofR ones? (The answer I suspect is not well)

 

My sister had a VW Golf with a 1.1 litre engine. I had a Caddy with a GTi 16v. A bit similar, but not comparable. Sister had no points on her licence though