PBR What's Occurring

Hi All

decided to start a new thread of general goings on at the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway rather than just using the one referring to the bridge lift. Gala details are in the gala thread

Pictures from Saturday are here with 37216 and 73128 doing the honours again

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/PontypoolandBlaenavonRailway/PBR-week2-2011

Work is progressing on the Varteg Road Bridge and the Furnace Sidngs station building but we still await planning approval for the new station at Big Pit.

regards
Alistair

 

Excellent idea, nice one really look forward to coming down again in the summer.
The Station building looks massive !!! That is really going to be something indeed.

Great Western

 

second that, nice to hear from our colleagues down in Wales,like the fact were all running under the whats occuring banner!, most popular phrase of the decade!!!

 

Thanks guys

What's occurring is the way forward :0)

 

Excellent stuff! the PBR is really getting on with it. Is the Furnace Sidings station going to be as big as Loughborough Central? It certainly looks like it!

 

Not quite as big .. but it will have everything under the one roof

Also forgot to mention our new neighbours

http://www.rhymneybreweryltd.com/update.php

and only a 5 minute walk from the big pit station!

This shows you how close it will be to us

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp...BR-week2-2011/16552496_HNk6j#1246522244_vnA3o

Lovely

 

A railway station next to a brewery, that is great. Good stuff.

 

Shots from Saturday Easter Bunnies are here

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/PontypoolandBlaenavonRailway/PBR-bunnysat

Varteg road bridge is coming on well

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp...R-bunnysat/16746894_sbPkXb#1263372423_Cpwbz3D

And as for the station building at Furnace Sidings
http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp...R-bunnysat/16746894_sbPkXb#1263372644_MXnpRnX

regards
AliG

 

Station building coming on well - http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp...Rmixed2011/16891595_bCdNxg#1276036661_hPXgK6g

and so's the brewery - http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp...Rmixed2011/16891595_bCdNxg#1276036675_NtHf822

 

Apologies if anyone has been wondering why our website hasn't been updated recently but our webmaster John Down has struggling with cancer and had taken a turn for the worse. Sadly this time he did not beat it and he passed away on the evening of the 11th. It is thanks to John and all the hard work he put in behind the scenes dealing with councils, planners HoVI etc that we are where we are today. At least he was able to see us running to Blaenavon and is now free of pain.
regards
Alistair

 

I'm very sorry to hear about John Down. Hopefully someone at the PBR will take up the baton with his LSWR coaches.

 

Im sorry hear about Mr Down. At least he can look down on the railway with a smile.
God bless you Sir.

Great Western.

 

Is there any news on the progress of the station buildings, bridges and big pit branch?

Nat

 

Thanks for the kind comments on John, all trains over the May bank holiday carried a wreath in John's honour -

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp.../PBR-Teddy/17323754_M5tckw#1315637440_JZGJfng

Not sure what's happening with the coaches yet.

As for the development stuff - we're still awaiting on sign off on the Big Pit station from Torfaen CBC, has been with the planners for a couple of months now, ext planning meeting on the 14th so hope it's sorted then.

Varteg road bridge should be going in in the next coupe of weeks or so

Work has restarted on Blaenavon High Level with brick cladding going up -

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp.../PBR-Teddy/17323754_M5tckw#1315642546_RMgZ6Bw

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp.../PBR-Teddy/17323754_M5tckw#1315642763_WCJg4Lm

At Furnace Sidings the station building is now watertight with roof on and windows and doors in

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp.../PBR-Teddy/17323754_M5tckw#1315641491_wLHzwZh

http://aligrieve.smugmug.com/Pontyp.../PBR-Teddy/17323754_M5tckw#1315642373_LKjGbJf

It's going to be a grand place when complete

regards
Alistair

 

Thanks for the update Alistair.
I've been following progress for the last couple of years and I'm very impressed by the progress you've all made. I look forward to seeing the future changes.
I'll have to pay a visit some time when I'm not over 4 hours away.

Nathanael

 

That's no problem at all

One other snippet 4253 will leave the railway for the KESR and restoration on Monday morning. It is planned to the load the locomotive between 10 and 12 in the morning at Furnace Sidings.

This is the last of the locomotives that have been up for sale by their owner

regards
Alistair

 

Good luck to them with that restoration. It'll take more than a weekend with some odds and ends from B and Q and a lick of paint to fettle that one!
Furnace Sidings will look better with fewer rotting hulks on view from the car park. They were quite depressing at times!

 

Oh, I think we're well aware that there's a lot involved! Fortunately, the group is being driven by some of the people behind the SLL restorations at Sellindge. There will be NO promises of a "quick return to steam", and instead a measured and committed restoration. The group has a website at: http://www.4253.co.uk/ where progress will be updated.

 

Can anyone say which ex-Barry engines still reside at the PBR please? Is it just the GW 0-6-2T?

Looking at the images in the "Gallery" on the 4253 website, incredible to see the arch still in place after all these years.

Good luck to the 4253 team.

Edit: The PBR website only shows 4253 and 5668. 4253 has just left, and presumably also departed have been 2874, 3855, and 5967? Does that look correct?

Thanks.

 

That's correct -

2874 - now stored in the Midlands by the Dinmore Manor group for future use on the WSR (website)
3855 - privately owned, stored on East Lancashire railway
4253 - moving to Kent & East Sussex railway (website)
5967 - being actively restored on the Northampton & Lamport railway (website)


Keith