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PBR What's Occurring

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by alig8048, Apr 11, 2011.

  1. alig8048

    alig8048 New Member

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    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
     
  2. Great Western

    Great Western Member

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    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
     
  3. kestreleyes

    kestreleyes Well-Known Member

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    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!!!
     
  4. alig8048

    alig8048 New Member

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    Thanks guys

    What's occurring is the way forward :0)
     
  5. Kinghambranch

    Kinghambranch Well-Known Member

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    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!
     
  6. alig8048

    alig8048 New Member

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  7. std tank

    std tank Part of the furniture

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    A railway station next to a brewery, that is great. Good stuff.
     
  8. alig8048

    alig8048 New Member

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  9. alig8048

    alig8048 New Member

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  10. alig8048

    alig8048 New Member

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    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
     
  11. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

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

    Great Western Member

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

    Great Western.
     
  13. natdawson

    natdawson New Member

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

    Nat
     
  14. alig8048

    alig8048 New Member

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    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
     
  15. natdawson

    natdawson New Member

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    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
     
  16. alig8048

    alig8048 New Member

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    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
     
  17. Tim Hall

    Tim Hall Member

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    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!
     
  18. Fireline

    Fireline Well-Known Member

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    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.
     
  19. 46118

    46118 Part of the furniture

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    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.
     
  20. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

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    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
     

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