9466 or 9600 on the Cambrian Coast?

Hi

I know of a lovely B + B in Tywyn if thats any good? Excellent home cooked food, close to the town centre, short walk to the Talyllyn Railway and across the road to the mainline station.

Alex

 

Sounds fine, what is it called?

BTW, I didn't intend to start a debate about the tourist industry, I would simply like the know the names of a few decent hotels and B&B's.

 

I wonder if water would be an issue? Could a small pannier run a realistic service with its limited capacity?

 

The Youth Hostel in Corris is excellent.(and independent) http://www.corrishostel.co.uk/

Another one of my favourites is Snowdon Ranger which you can hire private rooms in.

In fact most hostels are excellent and under £15 a night. Some of them you need to bok up in advance though as they get popular with paries in the summer. I've never managed to stay at Pen-y-Pass!

 

Browsing through a few pictures of the Cambrian Coast in steam days, water was visibly available at Mach (tanks on platforms), Llwyngwril (21 miles,columns N&S platforms), Porthmadog (44 miles,columns N& S platforms), Afon Wen ( 53 miles, columns all platforms), and Pwllheli ( 58 miles, tank on platform end)

There are no signs of watering facilities having existed at Dovey Junction, Aberdovey, Towyn, Barmouth Jct, Barmouth, Harlech, Penrhyndeudraeth, Criccieth, or Pen-y-Chain.

Mach to Barmouth is only 25 miles, and Porthmadog 44 miles, surely within the capabilities of a 1200 gallon tankful?
How often would the West Someset,South Devon or Severn Valley fill (as opposed to top up) a pannier tank during an average day's running, and at roughly what mileage?

It is also recorded that the later 4575 tanks with 1300 gallon tanks were preferred to the earlier 4500 tanks with 1000 gallon tanks. Now, isn't there a 4575 tank airbrake fitted somewhere?

 

You would not do a return trip on the SVR with a 57xx pannier without taking water at each end (ie every 16 miles).

That does'nt mean that the tank is empty at 16 miles but it would certainly be empty ish before you had done 32 miles based on normal levels of consumption (between 400 & 600 gallons per 16 mile trip with a sensible load say 6 coaches).

Workings cannot be planned so that water runs out neatly on arrival at the watering point so the limit for this type of loco has to be 25 miles and that is still really insufficient margin for unexpected delays etc etc.

Don't forget that taking water can be more time consuming than a 5 minute stop at a water column so there is also a time factor to consider.

 

how much water you use depends on whether it is uphill most or all the way, how many stops you make, how fast you go, how long since new rings were fitted, whether you need steam heating on and a host of other things. As a rule of thumb, I reckon on 2300 gallons for a return trip on the NYMR (36 miles) some locos will use a lot more, some less. 5224, with its 1800 gal tanks, always seems to have little to spare just going in the one direction (18 miles) whereas 80135 with 2000 gal will do the full 36 miles if you care to risk it.

 

Water consumption will also be relative to the load. Thus you obviously use less water hauling 2 coaches than 8, but I am guessing the trains on the Cambrian have to be 5-6 coaches minimum for the trains to pay. 9466 could cope with 6 coaches on the route (in reasonable time), but could a 57xx?

 

Mechanically a 57xx & 94xx are the same thing - the 94xx has a bigger boiler & is therefore heavier.

A 57xx in good order is well capable of hauling a 6 coach train to reasonable timings & will quite a lot more if required - unlike many apparenly similar sized o-6-ot locos.

 

No ones doubting a 57XXs pulling power, what is in question is the speed capable when moving such weights and water consumption.

Personally i doubt a Pannier on the Cambrian is viable, 9600 might have trouble keeping to the timings required with a reasonable load and the gradients, 9466 being Red Route avalibility would probably be over the axleloading for Barmouth Bridge.