PBR What's Occurring

Let's not forget 9629....

 

Indeed, I saw 9629 on the PBR website, but was really listing unrestored Barry wrecks. 9629 looked in better nick!

Presumably 9629 when back in use, and 5668 when resurrected will form the backbone of PBR steam motive power alongside the Austerity.

 

That's correct, 9629 and 5668 will join 71515 in service

work has been going on on 9629 after most of the missing parts had been gathered. It should be moved under cover into the top shed when work on 37421 is complete

4253 left slightly later than planned today as the lorry didn't arrive until 1pm!

regards
Alistair

 

What about Austerity No.8? I presume this is likely to be the next to return to steam in the P and B fleet, given the work ongoing at the SVR and Flour Mill.

 

The fantastic no.8.... I know a number of others who are also looking forward to her return but please remember to put water in the boiler!

 

and Llantarnam Abbey and Harry just to round it all off

to paraphrase Roy Schneider in Jaws "We're going to need a bigger railway" LOL

 

The lads running pannier 9629 have part-financed the large extension to our workshops. As Alig8048 has pointed out, this will get the loco under cover, probably for the first time since 1984. Despite the photo on the PBR website, the loco was realistically only frames, wheels & tanks. The rest was missing. Luckily, we've been able to beg, borrow, or buy a lot of the missing bits (I'm out of date with the 'wanted' list).

The members at PBR are working flat out delivering the service right now, so its a realistic assumption that it will go under cover around easter, 2012. As usual, I could be wrong, so don't hold me to the date.

Kind regards,
Ian

 

Whats the latest on Pontyberem? I remember seeing it in its unrestored state at Didcot so many times and it would be great to see it in steam, is it still on track to be finished in a couple of years time?

 

Pontyberem has been taken offsite by its owner for restoration, but I'm not sure where.

 

I heard that Pontyberem was being restored in Barry, not sure where exactly though, possibly an engineering firm?

 

Well done that man, it is Barry, cheers for jogging the memory.

In further news the railway bridge at Blaenavon and the cycle track bridge were installed yesterday morning.

The plan was to start the installation at 8 but they'd finished by 8!!!

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp.../pbrvarteg/17631828_v8HJRq#1343868514_6KmLCDV

Station building at Bleanavon is looking better as well

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp.../pbrvarteg/17631828_v8HJRq#1343867949_2jxBxM2

regards
Alistair

 

Well, I thought it about time I updated this with the latest news from the PBR

the cycle track bridge is now open for use
http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/PontypoolandBlaenavonRailway/PBRIVOR/18547316_VjKTtt#1432088174_w5kHcPG

The railway bridge now awaits track laying which will be done after the season finsihes
http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/PontypoolandBlaenavonRailway/PBRIVOR/18547316_VjKTtt#1432088602_SVscknj

The station building at Blaenavon now has a roof and a brick covering
http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/PontypoolandBlaenavonRailway/PBRIVOR/18547316_VjKTtt#1432088870_fj7HgBn

station building at Furnace sidings is coming on a treat (old shot)
http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp...y/PBR1940s/17997309_pvs7gW#1378959570_SXfXBtQ

the front is being prepared with reclaimed brick from Blaenavon High level to take the stonework from Pontypool crane street
http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/PontypoolandBlaenavonRailway/PBRIVOR/18547316_VjKTtt#1432089386_mZ4FQZ6

Inside the floors are down, the walls painted and the electrics are now being done
http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/PontypoolandBlaenavonRailway/PBRIVOR/18547316_VjKTtt#1432089325_dbLBnMB

On the Big Pit branch we await the outcome of the ecological survey before we can build the platform, it would have been sooner but the initial survey points were disturbed (prob by dog walkers) so they've had to use a different method.

After the track was laid it was found that the curve was too tight so it has been realigned and the new station will now sit to the left of the track, rather than the right
http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/PontypoolandBlaenavonRailway/PBRIVOR/18547316_VjKTtt#1432089117_JBK5Phw

This shot shows the curve onto the mainline, the line from the rail over rail bridge comes in on the right. For the foreseeable future this will be separate to the branch until such times as we can afford a point or obtain one cheap, the money can be best used elsewhere for now. This is accessed from the bottom of the shed yard and the down exchange sidings so we will still be able to run trains over it.
http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/PontypoolandBlaenavonRailway/PBRIVOR/18547316_VjKTtt#1432089109_dTZtq5G

Oh, and not featured here but the van body at the Whistle Inn that acted as a station shelter has been removed and will be heading off to become a chicken coop. A new stone shelter courtesy of Cliff at the Whistle Inn is to be built in its place.

regards
Alistair

 

Well, we've just had one of our best christmases yet. I thought we'd broken our christmas record on saturday (17th), but sunday (18th) blew away the records, making this the most patronised christmas at the P&B.

On the 9629 front..... Well, how wrong can I be? The frames went into the new workshop extension far earlier than planned ( I think I said easter 2012). Much cleaning, scraping, and drilling out broken studs has ensued, with new buffer beams temporarily bolted on. Some new platework has been made, specifically around the cab & bunker area. Although the loco is still a 'kit of parts', its nice to see that the parts pile is ever-growing.

I'm sure Ali8048 & others of this parish will give a fuller update of christmas over the next few days.

Happy christmas, one & all!

Kind regards,
Ian

 

Excellent News about the xmas ridership numbers and profits hopefully ! Im extermly glad to see the incident a few weeks ago hasnt stopped the railway pushing forward.

Here's to a productive New Year !

Great Western.

 

Hear! Hear! Great stuff. Good news also about 9629 (This was the ex-Cardiff Holiday Inn display pannier loco I believe?).

 

just to back up what Ian said, we had our best Santa Season ever and last weekend, well what can I say. We had the best ever day on Saturday and then Sunday blew that away with another 200 on top! Over 1,000 passengers for the weekend alone was amazing.

It's helped us to pass 12,000 passengers for the second year in a row which is remarkable considering last years came with the big Blaenavon opening, the Eisteddfod visit of Number 19 and the visit of City of Truro to the railway so we had no big band this year. Some of our events though have seen huge number increases, 1940s, ghost train (1700 people!!!) and the Santa's. With the Big Pit branchopen from day 1 next year who know's what we might achieve?

week 3 santa's are here
Snow on the Coity - PBR Santa's week 3 2011 - aligrieve's Photos

week 1 are here
PBR 2011 Santa specials - aligrieve's Photos

9629 was the Holiday Inn loco.

and if anyone missed the industrial gala here's shots from that weekend
PBR Industrial Steam of South Wales Gala - aligrieve's Photos

and the photo charters
PBR photocharters 2011 - aligrieve's Photos

regards
Alistair