Southwold Railway

Saw this,
https://www.facebook.com/marketplac...place_top_picks&referral_story_type=top_picks

Glesmac locomotive chassis

 

Thanks. Have enquired. Seems to be no info. out there about "Glesmac". Possibly Italian? Anyone on NP heard of them? JH

 

Its Gleismac and they are Italian in manufacture. I think Bord na Mona had a number of locos of that make - which would tie in with the 3' gauge

That one certainly looks like the B n M ones..... https://locomotive.fandom.com/wiki/Bord_na_Móna_Gleismac

 

Thanks JH

 

Gleismac locos: Bord na Mona had twenty, built locally under license by Dundalk Engineering. The one for sale on Facebook is one of four bought from Bord na Mona by contractor RMS Locotec for use on the Isle of Man.

 

This ^ The missing engine is a Deutz aircooled unit and should be easy to replace, there tend to be a few on Ebay.

 

A small reminder - our first Blythburgh Station Open Day of 2023 is on Sunday April 23rd - 10.30 till 4.00. As always, apart from merchandise and books, it's all FREE (including teas/coffees) with, however, donations and sponsorships being encouraged.
The completed trackwork from main line to Goods Shed on display - plus all the usual things - promotional stands for HSNGR and the Middy, quality second-hand railway books and DVDs, our live steam model railway, guided tours - and a photo display of what we've done over the last five years, since the formation of the Society (now a Charity) in April 2018.
Signed off the A12, opposite the White Hart pub.
James

 

I hope the Open Day goes well, it is good to see the steady progress.

 

Thanks Phil - yes, pretty good considering the very wet weather. Many sleepers sponsored, lots of donations - probably helps now we are a Registered Charity. Loaned original SR items on display. Next Blythburgh Station event - celebrating Suffolk Day on Wednesday June 21st.
James

 

Don't forget about our Suffolk Day event on Wednesday 21 June. It's at Blythburgh station (signposted off the A12 opposite the White Hart in Blythburgh), between 10.30 and 16.00. It's all free - and so are the teas and coffees! Our Greenwood and Batley 4WBE loco is onsite, and will be demonstrated, if all goes well. It's not complete, as we need to test it extensively before putting any bodywork on, as it's been extensively altered, with the addition of air brakes - but meanwhile, it's a kind of battery version of steampunk - 'electropunk?'
Railway films and displays in the Village Hall adjacent. Live steam SM32 railway. And a very good pub across the road.
Buses (99a) from Lowestoft, Southwold and Halesworth.
James

 

...and the Wenhaston Star is worth a visit as well.......!!

 

The wheelbase is a bit short on yours, but you could have a go at something resembling the Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies battery loco design. How many they actually built beyond the prototype isn't known though...

 

Loco & wagon moving about at Blythburgh this lunchtime.......



Close up of loco......

 

Always good to see things moving on newly laid rails!

 

Visited Southwold Steamworks today with the family. Spent a lovely couple of hours there, volunteers were friendly and made us feel welcome. The miniature steam railway was a hit with my kids, and I thought good value for £2 a ride. The coffee shop was lovely, very smart with nice selection of cakes.

Seeing Blyth was the highlight for me, though it wasn’t in steam you were allowed on the footplate (donation bucket hanging nearby) and a very knowledgeable volunteer answered all my questions. Good luck to the volunteers with their future plans.

 

It's indeed very gratifying to see a clean steel line on the top of rusty rails, when you have watched it (and made it!) grow from nothing.
On Sunday September 10th we'll be opening Blythburgh Station as part of Halesworth Heritage Open Days between 10.30 and 16.00 - 4WBE train running, promotional stands, narrow gauge model railway show, rare pre-read railway books at VERY good prices, guided tours of the station, displays of future plans and of found artefacts, light refreshments - free car parking - free tea coffee and cake - in fact - free everything! (Donations welcome, though). And you can join us on the spot for only £5.00 per year......or sponsor a sleeper (£35.00) for the next bit of main line.....
The 1879 trackbed can be walked in both east (see if you can find the bit of original track still in situ) and west directions - and the "Cathedral of the Marshes" (Holy Trinity Church) is worth a look. The White Hart (opposite) do very nice meals and drinks (Adnams), and their garden is bounded by the SR trackbed. They are very supportive, so we support them.
Look for our signs on the A12, in the village.

 

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We enjoyed another very good Open Day at the station on 10th. Lots of people came - more than half of whom had never been before - fine dry weather - a good selection of model narrow gauge and light railways in the hall - train movements on the original main line (including our first 3-vehicle train - a mixed, with a Guard presiding on the coach) - and a great deal of praise from visitors for our achievements so far. As always, the event was completely free of charge - as also were the refreshments - but we (again as always) received a large amount of very welcome donations. Thirteen new members signed up, and several sleepers were sponsored (that's how we get the funds to pay for the station restoration). The almost-complete restored Signal Shed (ground frame hut) was admired - particularly by those members who sponsored it. There's footage on our website, FB and YouTube from a SanCastle drone - which if anything makes us look better than we really are!
It seems that we are becoming an integral part of Suffolk's heritage tourism offer. View attachment 79404 View attachment 79404 View attachment 79404

 

Well done James - and team!

 

What are the plans for the steam loco?