List of Vale of Rheidol Railway rolling stock

Last updated

This is a list of past and present rolling stock used on the Vale of Rheidol Railway (Welsh : Rheilffordd Cwm Rheidol), a 1 ft 11+34 in (603 mm) narrow gauge heritage railway, opened in 1902, that runs for 11+34 miles (19 km) between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge in the county of Ceredigion, Wales. [1]

Contents

The railway was later operated by the Cambrian Railways, Great Western Railway and British Rail before being 'privatised' in 1989 and run as a heritage railway operation (though arguably it had operated as a tourist railway operation since the mid-1930s, when the GWR withdrew freight services and winter passenger services, rendering the railway wholly reliant on the tourist trade).

When first opened, the railway owned two steam locomotives, No 1 Edward VII and No 2 Prince of Wales, [2] along with a third contractor's locomotive No 3 Rheidol. [3] In 1922 the Great Western Railway took over the running of the line and over the next two decades invested heavily in new locomotives and replacement rolling stock. [4]

Locomotives

Steam locomotives

The railway has four steam locomotives for use on passenger trains, three of which were built for the Vale of Rheidol line and have operated on the line ever since.

A Garratt locomotive locomotive arrived in 2017 for use on passenger trains and is not prototypical for the line historically.

ImageNumberNameBuilderWheel
arr.
Year builtNotesIn traffic?
VOR7 Abery1.jpg 7 Owain Glyndŵr Great Western Railway 2-6-2 T 1923Hauled the last steam service under British Rail ownership of the line. Withdrawn from traffic in 1997 pending overhaul. Returned to service in October 2018. Carries GWR Green Livery.In Traffic
VoR No 8 Llywelyn.jpg 8 Llywelyn Great Western Railway 2-6-2 T 1923Carries British Railways Black livery with lion over wheel emblems and Llywelyn NameplatesIn Traffic
VoR No 9 Prince of Wales.jpg 9 (1213) Prince of Wales Great Western Railway 2-6-2 T 1924Numbered 1213 from delivery until gaining the No 9 in 1948. [5] Put through Swindon works as an overhaul of the original No 2, but is in fact a complete new locomotive. [6] As of November 2016 the locomotive carries No 1213 and GWR Green livery.Under Overhaul
NG G13 Garratt No 60.tif 60DrakensbergHanomag 2-6-2+2-6-2 1927 NG G13 Garratt locomotive. Arrived at the railway from Schinznacher Baumschulbahn  [ de ], Switzerland in 2017, and has since undergone overhaul, including the fitment of air brakes. Entered passenger service in 2022.In Traffic

Diesel locomotives

The steam locomotive fleet is today supplemented by two diesel locomotives. Although they lack the power of the steam locomotives, they are available for shunting duties, works trains, and also operating light passenger trains. [7]

ImageNumberNameWorks numberBuilderWheel
arr.
Year builtNotesIn traffic?
VoR No 10.jpg 10-BMR002Baguley-Drewry / Brecon Mountain Railway 0-6-0 DM 1987Built out of parts from Baguley-Drewry engineering [7] In Traffic
Hudswell No. 11.png 11-DM1366 Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 DM 1965Built for National Coal Board. Rebuilt at Bredgar and Wormshill Railway in 2012 and named Wormshill. Acquired by Vale of Rheidol in 2021In Traffic

Self propelled engineering plant

The railway has a number of vehicles for permanent way maintenance.

ImageWorks NumberNameBuilderWheel
arr.
Year builtNotesIn Traffic?
Vale of Rheidol Permaquip.jpg DX68804Thunderbird 4Permaquip2w-2DMR1985This light vehicle conveys a team of staff in comfort along with all the tools and equipment required for maintenance work. The vehicle can also be rotated through 180 degrees by means of a hydraulic lift, allowing the P-Way team to turn it so that the cab is always at the front when in motion. [8] In Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Tamper.jpg UGT1-Plasser 4w DH 1986Plasserail ballast tamper, built in South Africa and moved to the Vale of Rheidol Railway in 1991. [9] In Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Flail.jpg 7495-Hunslet / Aberystwyth Locomotive Works 4w DM 1977. Rebuilt 2007Rail mounted self-propelled vehicle used to clear lineside vegetation. Designed by Llŷr ap Iolo and built from chassis components from ex MOD Hunslet 4w diesel locomotive No 7495, originally built 1977 2'6" gauge. The McConnel flail head has a purpose built turntable and has a reach of 15 feet and a maximum speed of 7.5 mph. [10] In Traffic

Former locomotives

ImageNumberNameBuilder Wheel
arr.
Year builtNotes
Edward No 1.png 1Edward VII Davies & Metcalfe 2-6-2 T 1902Re-numbered 1212 in 1922. Overhauled by the GWR in 1925 and gained traditional Swindon fittings. Saw very little use following the arrival of the 3 new locomotives. In 1932 1212 moved to Swindon works The official withdrawal date is given as 9 March 1935. It was scrapped shortly afterwards. [11]
Prince Of Wales No 2.png 2Prince of WalesDavies & Metcalfe 2-6-2 T 1902Renumbered 1213 in 1922. Sent to Swindon works in 1924 and scrapped. The number was immediately re-used for the new locomotive 1213 (now No 9) as part of the pretence of a heavy overhaul of the original locomotive.
Talybont and Victoria locomotives.jpg 3 Rheidol Bagnall 2-4-0 T 1896Renumbered 1198 by the GWR in 1923 but withdrawn and scrapped the following year, having never carried its GWR number. [12]
4131 Wickham Trolley 1947Withdrawn in 1985 with the arrival of the Permaquip personnel carrier. Now at the Moseley Railway Trust, Apedale Railway. Also carried the numbers B146, B146W, PWM2214, TR26 and DX68061

No 1, & No 2 (later 1212 & 1213)

The VoR commenced operations with two 2-6-2 T locomotives constructed by Davies & Metcalfe of Manchester, Nos.1 and 2. These locomotives were given Nos.1212 and 1213 by the GWR when it took over the line on grouping. They were Davies and Metcalfe's first locomotives and a Great Central Railway boilersmith, Thomas Kay, provided expertise in their construction. The contract was given to a company previously inexperienced in locomotive building (although previously they were involved in the repair of locomotives and made injectors) because Mr. Metcalfe was an Aberystwyth man. The design draws inspiration from the Manning Wardle 2-6-2 T s on the then-newly opened Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, to which they bear some resemblance. This may be because the Szlumper family was heavily involved in both railways' design and construction.

No 3 (later 1198)

No. 3 was a small 2-4-0 T locomotive, originally built by Bagnall of Stafford for a Brazilian sugar cane plantation in 1896 but never delivered as the order was cancelled, Bagnall regauging the locomotive from 750 mm (2 ft 5+12 in) to 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) when it was sold to the Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway and named Talybont. In 1903, after the failure of the Plynlimon and Hafan, it was purchased by the VoR, regauged to 1 ft 11+34 in (603 mm) and renamed Rheidol. The GWR numbered it 1198 in 1923, but it was withdrawn and scrapped the following year, having never carried its GWR number.

No 4

Ffestiniog Railway No 4 Palmerston Steam 150 (Monday) - Flickr - Peter G Trimming (7).jpg
Ffestiniog Railway No 4 Palmerston

In 1902 the railway's Directors temporarily hired a locomotive from the Ffestiniog Railway. The locomotive sent was Ffestiniog No 4 Palmerston. The following year VoR locomotive No 3 Rheidol was acquired (see entry above), but a need for a fourth locomotive was still discerned. Palmerston No 4 was therefore hired again from Ffestiniog, and became the regular fourth locomotive for the next twenty years, being hired for several long periods, interspersed with brief home visits to Ffestiniog. The locomotive carried fleet number '4' in reference to its position on its home railway, although the number also matched its position on the Vale of Rheidol, as the fourth locomotive. When the line was acquired by the Great Western Railway, the leased locomotive was no longer required and was returned to Ffestiniog (from where it was immediately re-hired to the Welsh Highland Railway, to assist with construction). Palmerston (an 0-4-0 ST ) was built in 1864 by George England of New Cross, the fourth of the original four Ffestiniog Railway locomotives [13] and was named after the Prime Minister, Viscount Palmerston. Palmerston returned to the Vale of Rheidol in 2014, hauling a series of special trains during September to celebrate its association with the VoR, and to commemorate both a century of history since the first world war, and 25 years of VoR independent operation. [14] [15]

Coaching stock

Current coaching stock

The Vale of Rheidol Railway has a total of 16 carriages and 1 brake van. All were built by the Great Western Railway at Swindon to replace much older rolling stock built by the Midland Railway Carriage and Wagon Company for the opening of the line. Twelve bogie carriages were built for the opening.

All the stock is third class only, unless otherwise stated. All currently carry both their GWR numbers (on carriage sides) and also their VoR numbers (on the carriages ends).

ImageGWR No.BR No. (1948)BR No. (1987)VoR No. (1989)Year builtBuilderTypeLiveryNotes
Vale of Rheidol Carriage 1.jpg 4143 [16] M4143W414311938SwindonFully Enclosed ThirdChocolate and Cream with GWR Garter CrestIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Railway Carriage No 2.jpg 4144 [17] M4144W414421938SwindonFully Enclosed ThirdBritish Railways Carmine and CreamIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Railway Carriage No 3.jpg 4145 [18] M4145W414531938SwindonFully Enclosed ThirdChocolate and Cream with GWR Garter CrestIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol carriage 4146 view 1 - 2017-03-04.jpg 4146 [19] M4146W414641938SwindonFully Enclosed ThirdChocolate and Cream with GWR Shirt ButtonIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol carriage 4147 view 2 - 2017-03-04.jpg 4147 [20] M4147W414751938SwindonFully Enclosed ThirdChocolate and Cream with GWR Garter CrestIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol carriage 4148 view 1 - 2017-03-04.jpg 4148 [21] M4148W414861938SwindonFully Enclosed ThirdBritish Railways Carmine and CreamIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Carriage 7.jpg 4149 [22] M4149W414971938SwindonOpen Third "Summer Car"Chocolate and Cream with GWR Garter CrestIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Railway Carriage No 8.jpg 4150 [23] M4150W415081938SwindonOpen Third "Summer Car"British Railways Crimson and CreamIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Railway Carriage No 9.jpg 4151 [24] M4151W415191938SwindonOpen Third "Summer Car"Chocolate and Cream with GWR Garter CrestIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol carriage 4994 view 1 - 2017-03-04.jpg 4994 [25] M4994W4734101938SwindonFully Enclosed ThirdBritish Railways Carmine and CreamIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Railway Carriage No 11.jpg 4995 [26] M4995W4735111938SwindonBrake / First ObservationChocolate and Cream with GWR Garter CrestIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Railway Carriage No 12.jpg 4996 [27] M4996W4736121938SwindonBrake / First ObservationBritish Railways Carmine and CreamIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Railway Carriage No 13.jpg 4997 [28] M4997W4737131923SwindonOpen Third "Summer Car"British Railways Carmine and CreamIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Railway Carriage No 14.jpg 4998 [29] M4998W4738141923SwindonOpen Third "Summer Car"British Railways Carmine and CreamIn Traffic
Vale of Rheidol Carriage No 15.jpg 4999 [30] M4999W4739151923SwindonOpen Third "Summer Car" - Converted to "Vista Car" in 1985. Out of traffic since approx 1990. Returned to traffic in 2018 as a wheelchair accessible carriage.Chocolate and Cream with GWR Garter CrestIn Traffic
5000 [31] M5000W4740161923SwindonOpen Third "Summer Car"Bodywork removed. Out of traffic since approx 1990.Stored
Vale of Rheidol Van 137 view 1 - 2017-03-04.jpg 137 [32] 191938SwindonFour-wheeled full brake. Constructed new 1938 [33] GWR Shirt ButtonIn Traffic

Former coaching stock

ImageGWR No.VoR No.Year builtBuilderTypeNotes
135171938SwindonFour-wheeled full brakeConstructed new in 1938. [33] Scrapped in 1968. [34]
Ex-VoR brake van.jpg 136 [35] 181938SwindonFour-wheeled full brakeConstructed new in 1938. [33] Sold to the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway in 1968. [34]

Wagon Fleet

The railway has a number of wagons used for freight / engineering work.

ImageNumberHistoric NumberTypeOriginNotes
VoR Wagon No 20.jpg 20341044 Wheel - Side DoorMidland Railway Carriage & Wagon Co [36]
VoR Wagon No 21.jpg 21341084 Wheel - Side DoorMidland Railway Carriage & Wagon Co [36]
VoR Wagon No 22.jpg 22341104 Wheel - Side DoorMidland Railway Carriage & Wagon Co [36]
VoR Wagon No 23.jpg 23341114 Wheel - Side DoorMidland Railway Carriage & Wagon Co [36]
2485124 Wheel Flat - ex Side DoorMidland Railway Carriage & Wagon Co [36]
2585104 Wheel Flat - ex End DoorEx Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway [36]
26341064 Wheel Flat - ex End DoorEx Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway [36]
VoR Wagon No 27.jpg 2785134 Wheel Flat - ex End DoorEx Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway [36]
VoR Wagon No 28.jpg 28341244 Wheel End DoorEx Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway [36]
VoR Wagon No 29.jpg 29341364 Wheel End DoorEx Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway [36]
VoR Wagon No 30.jpg 30341414 Wheel End DoorEx Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway [36]
31Rail carrying BolstersEx Bowaters Paper Mill [36]
VoR Wagon No 33.jpg 33Bogie Ballast HopperEx South African RailwaysSAR Type Y [36]
VoR Wagon No 34.jpg 34Bogie FlatEx South African RailwaysConverted from SAR Type B [36]
VoR Wagon No 35.jpg 35Bogie Open Side DoorEx South African RailwaysSAR Type B [36]
VoR Wagon No 36.jpg 36SAR No 2888Bogie Open DropsideEx South African RailwaysDZ-9 [36]
37SAR No 2762Bogie Open DropsideEx South African RailwaysDZ-10 [36]
VoR Wagon No 38.jpg 38SAR No 1914Bogie Open DropsideEx South African Railways.DZ Type. [36]
39SAR No 3176Bogie Brake VanEx South African Railways.NG V-16 Type [36]
VoR Cattle Wagon.jpg 4038089Cattle WagonGreat Western Railway.Built Swindon (Lot No. 914) Moved to Welshpool & Llanfair 1937. To Ffestiniog in 1960. Returned to Vale of Rheidol in 2014 and re-entered traffic in 2017. [36]

Museum collection

The Vale of Rheidol Railway owns an extensive collection of historic narrow gauge locomotives and rolling stock which are and are destined for museum display at a future date.

Museum collection locomotives

Only some these locomotives are available for public viewing.

BuilderWorks numberNameYear builtWheel arrangementGaugeNumberNotes
A Borsig 59131908 0-4-0 WT 1 ft 11+58 in (600 mm)ex Sobemai N.V.Maldegem, Belgium [37]
Société Anglo-Franco-Belge 26681951 2-8-2+T 2 ft (610 mm)121 SAR NG15 Class, South Africa [37]
De Winton 106Kathleen1877 0-4-0 VBT 1 ft 10+34 in (578 mm)1877Vertical boiler locomotive ex Penrhyn Quarry Railway [37]
Decauville 10271926 0-4-0 T 1 ft 11+12 in (597 mm)7'Progress 5T' type, ex Belgian Industries, Pas-De-Calais, France. [37]
Falcon 2651897 4-4-0+T 2 ft (610 mm)27 SAR NG6 Class "Lawley" F4 Type ex Beira Railway, South Africa, later at Buzi sugar refinery, Mozambique [37]
Falcon266Lisboa1897 4-4-0+T 2 ft (610 mm)28SAR NG6 Class "Lawley" F4 Type ex Beira Railway, South Africa, later at Buzi sugar refinery, Mozambique [37]
Fowler 102491905 0-6-0+T 1 ft 11+34 in (603 mm)6Ex Colonial Sugar Refining, Lautoka Mill, Fiji. [37]
Fowler119381909 0-4-2 T 1 ft 11+58 in (600 mm)S.S.E 21Ex Sena sugar, Mozambique. [37]
Fowler155151920 0-6-2 T 1 ft 11+58 in (600 mm)S.S.E 23Ex Sena sugar, Mozambique. [37]
Henschel & Sohn 11854/2519171 ft 11+12 in (597 mm)Bogie Tender designed to run with Feldbahn locomotives. [37]
Hudswell Clarke D56419304wDM2 ft (610 mm)ex Beswicks Lime works Hindlow quarries. Was once part of the Gloddfa Ganol` collection. [37]
Hunslet 605Margaret1894 0-4-0 T 1 ft 11+34 in (603 mm)Small Quarry Class. ex Penrhyn Quarrry Railway. [37]
Kerr Stuart 31141918 0-4-0 T 1 ft 11+58 in (600 mm)Wren Class. Former contractor's locomotive. Worked at various locations engaged in reservoir construction. Worked briefly at a quarry connected to the Ashover Light Railway. [37]
Kerr Stuart44081928 0-6-4 T 2 ft 6 in (762 mm)695PL Class ex Parlakimidi Light Railway, India. [37]
Maffei 47661916 0-8-0+T 1 ft 11+12 in (597 mm)DFB 968 / 31Brigadelok. Built for Deutsche Heeresfeldbahn. [37]
Manning Wardle 1382Jubilee 18971897 0-4-0ST1 ft 11+12 in (597 mm)Formerly at Cilgwyn Slate Quarry, later at Penrhyn Slate Quarry. Previously owned by Welsh Slate and on long term display at the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, Tywyn, the locomotive was purchased by the Vale of Rheidol in 2020. [37]
North British 171111906 4-6-2 T 2 ft 6 in (762 mm)666ex South Eastern Railway of India CC class Parlakimidi Light Railway, India. [37]
Orenstein & Koppel 37701909 0-4-4-0 2 ft 3+916 in (700 mm)Krebet Baru Mill No.3 Mallet locomotive, formerly operated in Java. [37]
Ruston Proctor Either 50823 or 511681915 or 19164wPM3 ft 3+38 in (1,000 mm)ZLH Paraffin Mechanical. Believed to be the oldest narrow gauge internal combustion loco in the British Isles. Ex-Cotton Powder Company. [37]
Sabero6La Herrera1937 0-6-0 T 1 ft 11+58 in (600 mm)6ex Hulleras de sabero y Anexas S.A., Spain. [37]
W. G. Bagnall 22281924 0-4-4 T 2 ft (610 mm)18BGex Kowloon-Canton Railway / Sha Tau Kok Railway, Hong Kong. In 1928 moved to Victorias Milling Co., Negros Occidental, The Philippines. [37]
W. G. Bagnall 2192Conqueror1922 0-6-2 T 2 ft 6 in (762 mm)3ex Bowaters Paper Railway and Great Whipsnade Railway. [37]
W. G. Bagnall 20291916 2-6-2 T 2 ft 6 in (762 mm)AK16Originally ordered for the Egyptian Delta Light Railways, but worked at the Kalighat Falta Railway, Calcutta, India until 1997. [37]
W. G. Bagnall 24571932 4-6-2+T 2 ft (610 mm)38ex Western Railway (India), Dabhoi Gwalior Railway, India. The railway owns a pair of these locomotives. [37]
W. G. Bagnall 24601932 4-6-2+T 2 ft (610 mm)41ex Western Railway (India), Dabhoi Gwalior Railway, India. [37]
W. G. Bagnall 312419572 ft (610 mm)Worked at the Rustenburg Platinum Mines, South Africa until 1988 where it was numbered RPM 9, before moving to the Alfred Country Railway.

Museum collection coaching stock

The railway owns a number of historic carriages from other railways. This is destined for museum display in future.

No.Year builtBuilderNotesStatus
F681909 Metropolitan Carriage & Wagon Co. Former Isle of Man Railway [37] Not currently on display
141879Swansea Carriage & WagonFormer Manx Northern Railway - Third Class. IoM No N51 [37] Not currently on display

Visiting locomotives

The following locomotives have visited the railway in the past.

ImageNumberNameBuilderWheel
arr.
Year builtNotes
Palmerston - Vale of Rheidol Railway.jpg 4Palmerston George England 0-4-0 ST+T 1864Hired from the Ffestiniog Railway on various occasions between 1912 and 1923. Returned to the Vale of Rheidol in 2014 and operated a number of special trains to Devil's Bridge.
Mountaineer Tan-y-Bwlch 2.JPG Mountaineer ALCO 2-6-2 T 1917Hired from the Ffestiniog Railway during September 1986. [38]
Diana (locomotive).jpg 1158Diana Kerr Stuart 0-4-0 T 1917Restored in Vale of Rheidol Workshops. Steamed in 2015 for first time since 1950. Operated passenger services between Aberystwyth and Capel Bangor during "The Forgotten Engines" gala.
Winifred (locomotive).jpg 364Winifred Hunslet 0-4-0 ST 1885Visited Vale of Rheidol Railway in 2015 for "The Forgotten Engines" gala. Operated passenger services between Aberystwyth and Capel Bangor. Normally resident at Bala Lake Railway.
Sybil Mary (locomotive).jpg 921Sybil MaryHunslet 0-4-0 ST 1906Visited Vale of Rheidol Railway in 2015 for "The Forgotten Engines" gala. Operated passenger services between Aberystwyth and Capel Bangor. Normally resident at Statfold Barn Railway.
Ogwen (locomotive).jpg 2066Ogwen Avonside 0-4-0 T 1933Visited Vale of Rheidol Railway in 2015 for "The Forgotten Engines" gala. Static display only.
Marchlyn (locomotive).jpg 2067MarchlynAvonside 0-4-0 T 1933Visited Vale of Rheidol Railway in 2015 for "The Forgotten Engines" gala. Operated on demonstration line at Aberystwyth. Normally resident at Statfold Barn Railway.
Britomart (locomotive).jpg 707BritomartHunslet 0-4-0 ST 1899Visited Vale of Rheidol Railway in 2017 for the Roaring 1920s and 30s event.
Talyllyn 3 at Abergynolwyn.jpg 3Sir HaydnHughes,
Falcon Works,
Loughborough [39]
0-4-2 ST [39] 1878 [39] Owned by the Talyllyn Railway. Major overhaul completed in the Vale of Rheidol workshops in 2018. This is a 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) gauge locomotive, and therefore was unable to operate on the line.
WLLR 1, Llanfair, 2016.jpg 822 The Earl Beyer Peacock 0-6-0 T 1902£350,000 overhaul completed by the Vale of Rheidol railway in 2021. The locomotive has now returned to operating trains on the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corris Railway</span> Narrow gauge railway in Wales

The Corris Railway is a narrow gauge railway based in Corris on the border between Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire in Mid-Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cambrian Railways</span> British railway company (1864–1922)

The Cambrian Railways owned 230 miles (370 km) of track over a large area of mid Wales. The system was an amalgamation of a number of railways that were incorporated in 1864, 1865 and 1904. The Cambrian connected with two larger railways with connections to the northwest of England via the London and North Western Railway, and the Great Western Railway for connections between London and Wales. The Cambrian Railways amalgamated with the Great Western Railway on 1 January 1922 as a result of the Railways Act 1921. The name is continued today in the route known as the Cambrian Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Rail Class 98</span> Classification of restored steam locomotives

The British Rail Class 98 is a Total Operations Processing System (TOPS) classification that has been used to cover all steam locomotives used on the mainline in Britain, but also has a particular usage for the three Vale of Rheidol Railway-design 2-6-2T locomotives that remained in the ownership of British Rail (BR) after the end of mainline steam traction in August 1968. The locomotives on the Vale of Rheidol Railway were the only steam locomotives ever officially to carry the British Rail corporate blue and the double arrow logo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bala Lake Railway</span> Heritage railway line in Gwynedd, Wales

The Bala Lake Railway is a narrow-gauge railway along the southern shore of Bala Lake in Gwynedd, North Wales. The line, which is 4+12 miles (7.2 km) long, is built on a section of the former standard-gauge Ruabon–Barmouth GWR route that closed in 1965. Another section of the former permanent way is used by the Llangollen Railway. The Bala Lake Railway, which runs on 600 mm -gauge preserved rolling stock, is a member of the Great Little Trains of Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vale of Rheidol Railway</span> Welsh heritage railway

The Vale of Rheidol Railway is a 1 ft 11+34 in narrow gauge heritage railway in Ceredigion, Wales, between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge; a journey of 11+34 miles (18.9 km).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Lodge</span>

Boston Lodge is situated at Penrhyn Isa, Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, on the A487 road about 1 mile SE across the Afon Glaslyn causeway from Porthmadog, Gwynedd in north-west Wales.

The Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway was a 2 ft 3 in gauge narrow gauge railway in Cardiganshire in Mid Wales. It ran from Llanfihangel station on the Cambrian Line, through the village of Tal-y-bont and the valley of the Afon Leri, into the foothills of Plynlimon Fawr. It was built to serve the lead mines at Bwlch Glas and stone quarries around Hafan and opened in 1897, closing just two years later. The line was a little over 7 miles (11 km) long and, despite running a short-lived passenger service, it served no communities of more than 100 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Festiniog and Blaenau Railway</span> Disused railway in Wales

The Festiniog & Blaenau Railway (F&BR) was a narrow gauge railway built in 1868 to connect the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog in Wales with the slate quarries around Tanymanod and the village of Llan Ffestiniog, 3+12 miles (5.6 km) to the south. At Blaenau Ffestiniog it made a direct connection with the Festiniog Railway (FR) with which it was closely associated during its fifteen-year life. The railway was purchased by the Bala and Festiniog Railway in 1883 and converted to 4 ft 8+12 instandard gauge to extend the Bala Ffestiniog line, a branch of the GWR's line from Ruabon to Barmouth.

The Bala and Festiniog Railway was a 4 ft 8+12 in, standard gauge, railway backed by the Great Western Railway (GWR) in north-west Wales. It connected Bala with Blaenau Ffestiniog.

The Vale of Neath Railway (VoNR) was a broad gauge railway company, that built a line from Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare to Neath, in Wales, mostly to transport the products of the Merthyr iron industries to ports on Swansea Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phyllis Rampton Narrow Gauge Railway Trust</span> Welsh charitable organisation

The Phyllis Rampton Narrow Gauge Railway Trust is a British charity which is registered with the British Charity Commission as 292240 under the classification of "Education/Training Environment/Conservation/Heritage". The Trust is the 100% shareholder of the Vale of Rheidol Railway in Wales and was established to both protect the future of the railway and provide funds to build a museum at Aberystwyth station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Whitehouse</span> English railway preservation pioneer

Patrick Bruce Whitehouse OBE was one of the pioneers of railway preservation, when he helped save the Talyllyn Railway in 1951. He also led the restoration to working order of several of Britain's steam locomotives after they were replaced by diesel locomotion in the 1960s.

Great Western Railway absorbed locomotives gives details of Great Western Railway absorbed locomotives which do not yet have individual pages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taff Vale Railway O1 class</span> British 0-6-2T steam tank locomotive

The Taff Vale Railway (TVR) O1 class is a class consisting of fourteen 0-6-2T steam tank locomotives, designed by Tom Hurry Riches, which were introduced to the TVR during the period 1894-1897.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GWR Rheidol Tanks</span> Class of 3 British 2-6-2T locomotives

The GWR Rheidol Tanks are a fleet of 2-6-2T steam locomotives of the Great Western Railway design built between 1923 and 1924. They were designed by the railway's Chief Mechanical Engineer, Charles Collett, for working services on the Vale of Rheidol Railway between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge (Pontarfynach).

<i>Rheidol</i> (locomotive) Former narrow gauge steam locomotive

Rheidol, formerly named Treze de Maio and Talybont, was a 2-4-0T steam locomotive built by W.G. Bagnall in Staffordshire, England, in 1896. Originally built to a gauge of 2 ft 5+12 in, it was for a Brazilian sugar plantation, however the order was cancelled before it was exported. The locomotive was then regauged and renamed for the 2 ft 3 in -gauge Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway, in Wales, where it worked from August 1897 until 1899. It was then regauged and renamed a second time for 1 ft 11+34 in -gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway, in 1900. It worked on the Vale of Rheidol until 1924, when it was scrapped.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewis Cozens</span> British railway author and historian

Lewis Cozens was a British railway author and historian, notable as one of the earliest writers on Welsh narrow gauge and light railways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloddfa Ganol</span> Railway museum in Gwynedd, Wales

Gloddfa Ganol was a museum dedicated to the Welsh slate industry and narrow-gauge railways, situated in the Oakeley slate quarry in Blaenau Ffestiniog. It opened in 1974 and closed in 1998 following an auction of its exhibits.

References

  1. Johnson 1999, page 15
  2. Green 1986, pages 177 - 187
  3. Green 1986, page 204
  4. Green 1986, page 188
  5. Green 1986, page 192
  6. Green 1986, page 189
  7. 1 2 Vale of Rheidol Railway Guidebook, 2016, page 13
  8. Vale of Rheidol Guidebook 2016, page 24
  9. Vale of Rheidol Guidebook, 2016, page 24
  10. Vale of Rheidol Railway Guidebook, 2016, page 17
  11. Green, 1986, page 187
  12. Green, 1986, pages 204-205
  13. See entry at this location Archived 20 September 2008 at archive.today for details.
  14. See BBC report.
  15. Details at Rail.co.uk website.
  16. "Carriage 4143 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  17. "Carriage 4144 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  18. "Carriage 4145 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  19. "Carriage 4146 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  20. "Carriage 4147 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  21. "Carriage 4148 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  22. "Carriage 4149 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  23. "Carriage 4150 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  24. "Carriage 4151 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  25. "Carriage 4994 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  26. "Carriage 4995 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  27. "Carriage 4996 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  28. "Carriage 4997 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  29. "Carriage 4998 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  30. "Carriage 4999 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  31. "Carriage 5000 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  32. "Van 137 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  33. 1 2 3 Phillips et al, 2021, page 226-231
  34. 1 2 Green, 1986, page 219
  35. "Van 137 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Phillips et al, 2021, page 459
  37. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 "Vale of Rheidol Railway Museum Collection". Vale of Rheidol Railway. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  38. Green, 1986, page 258
  39. 1 2 3 "No. 3". Talyllyn Railway. Archived from the original on 14 September 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2010.

Bibliography