FR & WHR & WHHR News

Dim ond un foron y ceffyl?

More seriously, in pre-steam days, were stables provided at each of the points horses were exchanged, or did all return to 'top' and 'bottom' stables at the end of the working day?

 

Oatmotors, as they are referred to in certain corners of the internet.

Interestingly, most horses are not 1hp. The term was invented by Watt as a sales tool for his steam engines, and was apparently based on big carthorses. So depending on spec, you may find need more than one to get 1hp

 

Yes there were stables at the intermediate horse change points. A surviving timetable seems to suggest that up trains would wait overnight at intermediate stations. Up trains would pass down trains at every loop. Capacity was increased by running the up trains with more portions, then combining them for the down train. Horses would normally stick to one section so the gravity trains stopped at each station to load and unload horses. They would also be rotated to visit the farriers at Boston Lodge, Rhiwbryfidr, or the large stables at Cae Ednyfed (Minffordd)

An interesting feature of the horse worked period is that operation of each section was individually contracted out. There are some periods where various sections were run by different contractors. I can only imagine this was the inspiration for the 1993 railways act.

Tim

 

This cropped up on the Edward Thompson thread, but given it clearly has the potential for major thread drift, this seemed the appropriate place to seek wisdom and clarity:

That's how I've read it, but may be totally wrong! I do know monobloc was adopted to solve ongoing repair issues, which were occurring too often for comfort.

 

Yes that is correct. Taliesin and DLG have monoblock piston valve cylinders.

The orignal three piece cylinder block on Taliesin had a manufacturing fault and would reguarly blow the joint between one of the cylinders and the valve chest. This was happening about every 40 days. The other issue was both these engines were orignally designed for 200psi and double the superheat of the other double engines. This inevitably caused lubrication issues with the slide valves. Particularly on Taliesin where the bogie is worked very hard. Taliesin had the boiler pressure reduced to 165 and DLG to 180 to combat this.

As Taliesin needed new cylinders to correct the joint issue, it was decided to experiment with a monoblock piston valve design. This has allowed the boiler pressure to be increased back to 200psi and the loco can now handle 7 coaches as originally designed. The wear on the valve gear is significantly reduced and it also eliminates the dummy valve spindle and offeset valve. The design was then adopted for the new bogies for DLG.

There are a few drawbacks. One of the big issues was getting casting sand out of the steam passages. Despite the best efforts this was a continuous problem for about a year. On DLG one of the valve liners had to be replaced due to damage from the sand. These cylinders also have a much bigger steam chest volume which means when they slip they take a while to get back under control.

There are no plans to fit these cylinders to the other bogies at present.

Tim

 

Thanks for the comprehensive replies to this question.

The problem with sand in the ports and passages is interesting. Perhaps a limited redesign for any future monoblocs would allow better access for cleaning the sand out. If passages were made as round and straight as possible then abrasive wheels could be used for cleaning. May be the cores could be coated with something to limit the amount of sand which attaches itself to the iron? Will James Spooner have monoblocs?

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James Spooner will have a 160psi boiler and a single row of superheat like Merddin and EofM. It will use the slide valve bogies that were under EofM before it was withdrawn. Both these and the set under Merddin are in good condition and there is no reason to replace the cylinders any time soon. So I don't think we'll see any more of these cylinders cast for the time being.

Tim

 

Morning All,

I've put another blast from the past on my YouTube channel; it's Part Three of my video video footage from the 'Hunslet Hundred Gala' in 1993 and includes a gravity train at Penrhyn and shots of CHARLES, the third PQR main line Quarry Hunslet, at Boston Lodge. Hope it's of interest:



TTFN,

Ron.

 

130 was out on another test train today. I only had an old film camera with me - something I had bought off eBay while bored as scrap and tried to fix - if pics come out will post.

 

Running a service for Members today.

 

Number 130 got quite the workout today. A badly timed shower at Beddgelert turned the track to grease and it took us over an hour to get to Rhyd Ddu. After setting back several times and some very skillful driving, we slithered over the top and eventually got back to Caernarfon just under 60 minutes late.
The loco looks amazing and sounded pretty good too. Obviously has got plenty of power to restart 12 carriages on those 1:40 gradients - perhaps a bit too much!

 

12 carriages? I only made the train up with 11 in the morning!

 

I obviously need a trip to Specsavers!

Honestly full credit to the crew for getting the train going again and also a shout out to the general manager for the cow herding on the way back too!

Is there some technology out there to create a Bovine User Crossing out there!?!

 

If there is...somebody let us have it. The ones at Dinas Farm Crossing (just beyond the carr shed) had been for a wander either Tuesday or Wednesday and there is evidence to prove it as far as the Porthmadog end of the platform!

 

I’ve just booked a cottage in N Wales for August. What are the odds of the WHR running through services the full length of the line by then, rather than the current Glaslyn & Gelert Explorer operations?

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It's a pretty safe bet, if you chartered it, they'd run it!

 

I'd be using up enough credit with domestic facilities to take the day out on the WHR, without ramping the bill up to chartering the whole train. Even if "Prince" plus a bugbox could be an interesting subject for photographers in the area

 

The Flying Bench as vehicle of choice?

 

That may very well depend on social distancing rules if I'm honest. However, a full line service has been discussed, but only in passing. I suspect there will be more discussion within the next few weeks as we've only planned up until July - with a faint hope that the world may be different after that!

 

Late summer for Seren Castell/Seren Eryri according to the Snowdon Ranger magazine, subject to usual provisions.