Rother Valley Railway

Yes, I'm unsure how long it had been at Barry but I suspect it may be the only wagon to have escaped the yard into preservation. Unless anyone knows of another?
From there it ended up at Preston Park with a vintage body on it, until most of the marooned stock was extracted from Preston Park in about 2009.
I was really trying to find out if any more information existed on how it got from Barry to Preston Park.

It had better be; I'm one of the group who clubbed together to buy it for use on the GCR (along with @weltrol of this parish). I was really trying to find out if any more information existed on how it got from Barry to Preston Park.
It has had one of the bogies out for a few years so it isn't going anywhere; there's a riveting job to do before the bogie can go back in. The GCR quite understandably want it putting back together, but given that the parts are in a van at the other end of the site, and all of the owners are otherwise preoccupied, nothing is happening at the moment.

Anyway, apologies for the thread drift. Back to RVR matters...

 

pmh_74, I can help you there, as it would have followed the same route in as just about everything else:
By road from Barry, to what was known as the "Ponderosa"- a small p/way depot on the down side of the Mainline, almost directly opposite the Pullman sheds, and accessed via Highcroft Villas. There it would wait, often for several months, pending inspection, before being tripped across the mainline by 08. It would then be left at the site boundary before being brought inside by muscle power alone, neither the Rustons or the 09 being in running order.
Hope that helps.

 

Hi Mark,
Thanks. Although what I really meant was "how come some preservationists went to Barry and bought a wagon... who were they and why?
We didn't get much of the back story when we bought it for the GCR; we knew about the stock being trapped in the Pullman Works and Andrew Goodman having the contract to clear the stock, and everything being tripped across the other way in a possession, with a temporary connection made to the otherwise isolated sidings. But not about the early history of how the vehicle came to be preserved in the first place.
It's especially interesting as of the six built, at least four others were still around back then. But it's almost certainly now the only survivor, so we owe those first owners a debt of gratitude, whoever they were.
(DB901200 was cleared out of Old Oak when the HS2 work started, we're not sure where it went. Disposal of the others is I think accounted for.)

 

The connection with Barry can almost certainly be traced back to Mike Cockayne, the founder of BSLAG (Barry Steam Locomotive Action Group), who was heavily invested with getting 4 Bulleid Pacifics from there to Brighton, which was finally achieved. The Weltrol was almost certainly aquired for moving boilers.
Beyond that, I can't help, as there seems to be no trace of MC anymore. Certainly no social media presence, the search made harder by the film producer of the same name. Mike just wouldn't have been a social media type, of that I'm sure. Far too old school and phlegmatic. Im fairly sure hes no longer with us.
Beyond that, can't help. Sadly all lost in the mist of time.

 

I think I remember reading in one of the railway magazines a few years ago that he had passed away.

 

An update on plans for the station building and, at last, a fundraising appeal.
https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/2024/12/works-start-on-robertsbridge-station.html

So please send all your money (if you can)!

 

Also apologies for prolonging the thread drift. On the Severn Valley, Bob Sim of the 4566 Group acquired Fruit A 134290 from there. The GWR 813 Fund's Vanfit 65620 also came from the scrapyard according to the stock book. I believe the former was for loco parts storage. The latter, given Paddy Goss has acquired around 100 wagons for preservation, its probably not surprising that at least one was from Barry. As to why he would want to acquire that many, only Paddy could tell you!

 

Thanks for the above replies re ex-Preston Park Weltrol and ex-Barry wagons (good to know a couple of others did escape!). Appreciate the additional info. We'd probably better get back on topic now...

 

Does this refer to rolling stock that is already in the K&ESR's possession but currently lacking covered accommodation? If so, is that because there is no space for suitable buildings along the present line? Or are the buildings at Robertsbridge for additional rolling stock that is to be acquired for operating the extended line?

 

Its the latter, so that a service loco (or 2) can be sub- shedded at Robertsbridge, and there is secure overnight accommodation for a 5- carriage service set. Bearing in mind the mainline connection, timetabling for at least some of the season would require an early-ish departure from Robertsbridge.

 

I'm not so sure. I think that the intention is that trains can start from both ends, but I don't think that there is an intention to bring in more stock. I think it will be more a case that the B set, be that mk1's or Maunsells, will be shedded at Robertsbridge, along with a couple of locos.

 

I didn't say there was an intention to bring in more stock.
Ah, but now I look, I see @MellishR mentioned it! That obviously passed me by.

 

A small snippet from the above link:

I'd always assumed that something like this must be the case, but it's the first time I've seen it explicitly stated.

 

I haven't seen any post pandemic business case for extension of K &ESR services to Robertsbridge but the original assessment didn't anticipate much in the way of additional vehicles, because of their low capacity and high running costs I doubt that maunsell stock will be used other than in the current configuration.[/QUOTE]

 

Latest update. The station building begins to rise:
http://rvrailway.blogspot.com/?m=1

 

Those bricks being used for the plinth look excellent, are they reclaimed or a particularly well-crafted reproduction?

 

They do look good, don't they? Im pretty sure they are new. What also helps, is that they are being laid in an imitation of the old Flemish bond, ie. one header (half brick) and one stretcher alternately. The gang reconstructing the station buildings at Broadway have used a similar method to achieve the appearance of English bond. It makes a huge, yet almost subliminal difference.
Also, further east, 14.6 cu. metres of concrete later:
http://rvrailway.blogspot.com/?m=1

 

I'm pleased to see the Toads work was in vain.
Happy Christmas Everyone!
Martin

 

It was publicly stated during the planning enquiry that they would personally guarantee the cost was met. I think a letter to the Sec State was part of the so documents.

 

Further blog update today https://rvrailway.blogspot.com/ - Bridges 6 and 12,

More pictures of Bridge 6 have appeared today.