The Gwili Railway thread

Fantastic set of images! Gwr perfection.

Is the railway taking bookings for driver experience again?

Kind regards,
Tom

 

Miscellaneous goings on

1. Door to Aberaeron Signal Box attached

2. work ongoing on GWR 216 and TVR 220

3. TVR 28 dismantling continues

Regards

Matt

 

More work on GWR 216

1. Compartments being scumbled, trial fit of picture frames. We are looking to fit the cast controls for the steam heat which can be seen from the cut out in the ply attached to the wall.

2. drop lights in gloss and leather straps being fitted

3. painstaking door work continues. Almost ready for trial fitting. Each door has had replacement external wood and several coats of paint and on the inside mahogany panels attached with the ventilators.

Other work ongoing includes collection of the cast blind brackets, working out a new LED lightning system to be attached to the gas lamps and general sanding, painting and finishing work.

regards

Matt

 

Possibility of a north-south Cymru rail link is surely somewhat stronger after the Plaid-labour agreement in the Senedd. If there's no guarantee of a new route out of Caerfyrddin should not the Gwili be making preliminary searches for a new site? (Maybe they are, of course!) One wonder whether the troubles of the Teifi Valley line might be an opportunity for the Gwili?

 

Yes, TfW have been tasked with a feasibility study into a north/south or west coast rail link. While I broadly support the principle of a north-south link (it's ridiculous trying to get north from my part of Wales), the obsession with Caerfyrddin/Aber being the only way to do it is getting a little excessive. I hope the feasibility study raises the possibility of alternatives or even a new route.

 

If you look at the wording in the agreement, the ask of TfW is to actually explore the development of North South transport links. The assumption it is rail related isn't necessarily correct. The Co-Operation Agreement (gov.wales)

 

i can confirm we are not searching for a new site. If doomsday scenario comes to pass then it is more likely that the collection that is the Gwili would be dispersed over several sites. (just my humble opinion)

as mentioned above the study is broader than let’s reopen the line (we’ve already had that report). Read the terms of reference in the article and it does not seem likely that the line will open anytime soon. I’d also point out that TfW has previously said they see little merit in opening the old line.

regards

Matt

 

It won't happen, I did my dissertation on why it's a fantastic political football to talk about even when everybody knows it's such a stupid idea! One of those crazy ideas that sounds good, but anyone looking at the facts would come to the same conclusion, there is little need, journey times would be no quicker than car in all likelihood, and except for a sparce smattering of small settlements there would be very little patronage.

 

Never say never. If the Senedd kicks off a scheme to reclaim Cantre'r Gwaelod, there'd be a reasonable case to be made for a north-south rail link ... and it'd be a damned sight easier to build!

 

The Welsh government is the worst thing that has happened to Wales. If they spent less time on crackpot schemes and imposing a language that only people in Wales and Patagonia understand they would be able to fund their health service properly.

Bob.

 

Cer i'r uffern

 

A yw hynny'n golygu "Symud i Loegr"?

 

I meant only 20% of the people in Wales understand. I hope that what you've written about England isn't rude !

Bob.

 

Fear ye not, t'was merely a polite question! I'm English, born and bred, with both Celtic and Viking ancestry. Brythonic may be gone beyond recall, due in part to one line of my family invading t'other (!), but that does nothing to diminish my interest in that shared history which doesn't get included in the usual '1066 and all that' history of Britain.

That 20% you mention varies from virtually nowt in Newport and Chirk to 80+% for whom Welsh remains the proud first language, most notably smack bang where many of the GLTW are. When in Rome ..... and all that. Maybe consider giving it a shot? You might even be pleasantly surprised.

 

Language is a literal building block of culture. That thing that Wales is very proud of. The thing without which Wales would be overrun with The English, arguably the worst thing to happen to them. Language cash probably isnt a huge amount a year. Probably barely dent the health and welfare budget.

 

Cau i fyny os gwelwch yn dda

 

Dywed yn dda am dy gyfaill, am dy elyn dywed ddim. Perhaps remember John Cale's question. "What's Welsh for Zen?"

 

Dwi'n ei hoffi!

 

Humm, Feasibility study came up with estimated costs to reinstate line = £750 million and estimated total financial benefit from reinstating the line (including new jobs, time saved commuting etc. etc.) c. £520 million. Will need quite a lot of political hot air to make that scheme fly. HS3 anyone?