FR/WHR questions

Currently there are restrictions on certain locos and stock, but I can't remember exactly where and what (I haven't got my rule book to hand at the moment). Obviously if there ever was a plan to make WHR stock able to pass through to Minffordd then Minffordd yard would need to be re-assessed. However I doubt there is any real need to make the FR capable of handling WHR stock.

 

Whr stock has been down there in the past. Double engines, bogie diesels and lyd are restricted.

There is no need to change it and the money it would cost would be far better spent elsewhere. Rare through trains can be run with FR profile stock quite happily. Also anything going on a low loader tends to go to Dinas now as access is far easier.

Some people seem to have a strange fetish for seeing NGG16's running on the FR. God knows why. There is certainly no real operational benefit to it and it would ruin everything that makes the FR so unique.

 

I suppose that it's looking to the future. Conversion of the line to Trawsfynedd to 600mm, rebuilding over the mountains to Bala, possible extension to meet the Llangollen at Corwen. Now wouldn't the NGG16s be just the job for that?

 

I realise that's a fantasy. But actually that's the only reason you'd really want to get NGG16's up there. They aren't needed otherwise, and I can certainly see no operational reason for them ever to go beyond Blodge. What would probably make sense is to handle all the SA stuff except for major overhauls at Dinas, because the big engines really are out of scale on the Festiniog, except of course when they are in bits! There is a lot of space at Dinas, and the yard is big enough that the Garatts and Kalaharis don't look too big there. All we need is an overhead watering gantry and it'll look like home to them

If the restricted loading gauge hadn't existed, the FR would have looked a lot more like other narrow gauge lines than it does. So it is part of its character.

 

The project to convert and expand to Trawsfynydd was mooted 25 years ago by the FR ...and the LLangolen have mooted ( about 25 y too) the possibility to expand to Bala ...........not so fanciful but asked to much money labour and time
regards
Noel

 

More out of curiosity than anything else - what, I wonder, is the reasoning behind rostering 2 locos (Lyd and Merddin) on the midweek trains at the moment - the number of carriages doesn't seem to require it.

Thanks in anticipation

Steve B

 

A 7 car set is the usual train - Double Fairlie's are only rated at 6 cars on the WHR.

 

Understood, but I was referring to the FR trains to Blaenau, such as that running today! Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.

Thanks
Steve B

 

My mistake - I assumed you were talking about the WHR!

 

Level of adhesion at this time of year... No sanders on the Double Fairlies... Pilot loco used on the first trip of the day to overcome this problem, not always used on the second run - depending on railhead conditions... or something like that!

 

Many thanks for that Roger - I'd sort of vaguely guessed as much, but I'm a nosey sort of chap!

Steve B

 

Changing the topic slightly, what are the loadings for the different engines on the FR/WHR?

Regards

 

Single Fairlie Taliesin has sanders so there is no reason why the three double engines could not be similarly equipped, but the simplest option would be to take off unneeded carriages.

 

the loadings for locos are as follows:
England Prince and Palmerston 5 cars per loco
Lyd, Mounteneir and the 2 ladys can take 8 cars
Fairleys can take 12 cars

and one question why is Welsh Poney down at Blodge? i have heard from the FR on Facebook that its a cosmetic and working order job? could someone please clarify?
thanks
Patrick

 

Cosmetic restoration. It will eventually be returned to steam but not next year.

 

What is the radius of the mainline curve outside Blodge?

 

No idea. Why?

 

Plotting a garden railway

 

It's 9.56 chains. Tyler's Curve is the tightest at 2.5 chains.