Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway

Certainly is….

some bits are starting to see undercoat as well

 

Big diesel update on Facebook, due to arrive in January.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/narrowgauge/permalink/8591335870878365/?mibextid=LROouL

 

from the WLLR E -group

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#inbox/FMfcgzGrbHrBvscpMVpFGBWhVnhMFMXr?projector=1

 

That is not a proper link Colin - it will attempt to open Gmail.

 

Sorry about that it was some more photos of the loco being loaded, so you have not missed much.

 

A short interlude on the Welshpool & Llanfair Railway this morning........

"The Earl" being prepared for the coming day's "Santa Special" trains this morning.........










"The Earl" steams past the signal box at Llanfair Caereinion to couple up to the first "Santa Special"train of the day.....





"The Earl" digs his heels in, on the short, sharp climb to Cyfronydd with the first "Santa Special" this morning........




Cheerz,

Alan

 

Loving the photo at 'The Kink'. We spent several weekends clearing that stretch of vegetation when I first joined the 'Hedgebash' team in Sept 2017.
18 of us on some days, including guys from as far away as Guildford, Doncaster and Huddersfield, helped by a professional tree surgeon. Team work!

 

There’s an interesting new video on Youtube, a cab ride on Zillertal from Llanfair to Welshpool.



And any news on the new Taiwan diesel? I think it was due at the beginning of January but looks like it must be delayed in shipping.

 

To answer my own question, it’s arrived and it’s big!

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=520292846884365&id=100067109622864&set=a.515615790685404

 

TECHNICAL and other data wanted on this ex Taiwan diesel DL34 please.

What is it ?
Who built it ?
When was it built ?
Diesel electric ?
Diesel hydraulic ?
Engine make and model ?
Engine hp ?
Weight ?
etc
etc

There is multiple froth about it but it is all fluff.

Everywhere seems it says one of the most powerful 2 ft 6 in gauge diesel _ yet nowhere quotes any kW or hp values to prove that. Everywhere wibbles on about Alishan forest railway but not when and who supplied it, or, was it even new to them and has some longer history.

Typical blind copying and pasting the same old bit of data without question.

Any authoritative data anyone ?

 

My understanding from various Facebook posts is that the loco was built by Mitsubishi in Japan in 1972, has a Cummins engine developing 520 bhp and weighs 25 tonnes.

 

The Taiwan wikipedia site for the Alishan diesels is at https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/阿里山林業鐵路柴油機車 . This suggests that DL34 has been re-engined with a Cummins KTA19L of 600hp. DL34 was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Works No 1871 in 1972. These locos are 25t and have hydraulic transmission. I attach a sketch of DL38 from a Taiwanese book on the locos and rolling stock of the Alishan Forestry Railway. DL38 is of a similar type, albeit made by Nippon Sharyo, Works No 3322 of 1980.

 

Thnaks !

 

There is now a video of DL34’s arrival on the W&L youtube site. Last time when I tried to post the cab ride video here it didn’t work very well, so here’s just a link to the home page.

https://www.youtube.com/@WelshpoolSteam

 

Just seen this good news from last week (text copied from Facebook).

699 Progression

Sir Drefaldwyn No. 10 was built in 1944 in France for the German military railways, but spend most of its working life in Austria.
The W&LLR acquired the locomotive in 1969 and named it ‘Sir Drefaldwyn’, the Welsh name for the County of Montgomery.

The engine entered service in 1970, proving to be a highly useful and powerful locomotive until the expiry of its boiler ticket saw it withdrawn from traffic in 2000.
After an extensive overhaul by our dedicated workshop team, a major milestone has just been passed with the successful completion of the engine’s boiler inspection and steam test.
Painting, boiler lagging and final assembly is now underway.

We anticipate No.10 re-entering traffic during the this coming season.

 

The beast stirs …

https://fb.watch/jyIYtkroot/

 

Travelled on the line for a 1st visit today. 1.00 train very busy, good for the railway. A very pleasant ride and all seem very friendly and enjoying what they do.

 

Not many details yet, but there is special anniversary celebration event in June, with good news on Sir D. Text copied from Facebook.


120/60 Celebration!

June 17th- 18th

This event will celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway operating its first trains in 1903, it will also celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the first trains run by the preservation movement that continues to operate the railway to this day.

There is a varied and complex timetable with a variety of special and unusual sets throughout the weekend, the first being a Jazz train departing at 10:55 on Saturday the 17th, this will also be the first public passenger train hauled by our recently overhauled Franco-Belge 0-8-0 “Sir Drefaldwyn”.

Smoke & Honey Jazz (smokeandhoneyjazz.co.uk.)
This is a recreation of a train run in the 1980's and will provide a suitable celebration for this engines return to traffic. This train will also include one of our Bowater Paper Mill wagons for the band, this will be fresh out of overhaul as well and shows the railways commitment to maintaining and operating all of our fleet into the future. Pre-booking for this train is essential and carries a special fare.

Watch this page for regular updates.

 

I recall the jazz train. I have a feeling that the 1980s version was itself a recreation of something (possibly adhoc) that happened in the 1960s. Someone might remember better than I do.

 

More details now on the website, focus is on 60 years of preservation on the Saturday and 120 years anniversary on the Sunday.

https://wllr.org.uk/60-years-preservation/