Photo:; David F Boughey
The week before the bank holiday was an interesting one for me. Starting with the two day model show at Minffordd at which I was doing a kit building demonstration. A feature of the weekend was a “do” to celebrated the 90th Birthday of the organiser Paul Towers.
There was an evening train to Tan-y-Bwlch for a meal on which I was invited. I was definitely not driving the train. Well, not until the Wednesday before after which we ended up with more engines that carriages. Three locomotives to two carriages.
I’ll explain that in a moment but first…… One of the engines was Maid Marian from the Bala Lake Railway which visited for this one train only. Paul was an early member of the Maid Marian Society and then its President for seven and a half years. With that special connection Paul arranged for Maid Marian to visit to pull his train.
Photo: Chris Parry
Enter Plans A, B & C.
Plan A was for Britomart and Maid Marian to pull the train. Two carriages is well within their capability. Britomart is vacuum braked and we have a piped quarry Hunslet kit that fits on the guests.
Problem! Wales is tinder dry and keeps catching fire. Maid Marian doesn’t have any/enough spark arrestors.
Plan B. Maid Marian would lead the train and Blanche would go along too. Blanche has full spark arrestors and could easily pull the train and push MM past the flammable bits.
Plan C. Can we take Britomart along too? So we end up with the three for two. Blanche, which I drove, did the vacuum and pulled much of the load. Britomart lead the way with Maid Marian coasting along in the middle.
Photo: James Hoyle
On arrival at TyB we ran Blanche round and then the little ones gave footplate rides up and down the station.
There was one bit of interesting operational expediency. To form the two car train we had taken a five car set from a blocked road in the new carriage shed as we wanted the top two. The set was taken in to Porthmadog 2 road and the two we wanted taken off and put in the platform.
At the end of the evening the set had to go back from whence it came so the little engine put the two on to the three in two road and I put Blanche on the back. Britomart and Maid Marian pulled us all back to Pen Cob and then disappeared to the engine shed. Blanche then pushed the set back into the carriage shed before disposal on the pit, into the shed and us to the pub just in time for last orders.
Photo: Becky Knight Booths’ Mum
Monday was the start of three days on the loco roster proper. Monday was earlies with the first Mountain Spirit of the Day with Merddin Emrys.
Its an early start but another crew do the second one so you’re done by about 14:30.
Tuesday was payback with doing the second Mountain Spirit again with Merddin Emrys. You don’t start until 13:00 and aren’t done until 19:00 by which time its almost impossible to pass Spooners on the way home.
The B&W photo of us leaving Port was sent to me by Becky and taken by her mum whose name I don’t know but thank you.
Photo: Roger Dimmick
Wednesday was two Woodland Wanderers to Tan-y-Bwlch driving Lyd. Actually, with a trainee driver and a trainee fireman I was mostly chauffer driven.
The Trike in this picture belongs to my landlord when in Wales, Phil, and is ten years older than the steam engine.
Photo: Bruce Brayne
There was quite a fuss during the week as this arrived from Aberystwyth having been overhauled by the Vale of Rheidol for the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway.
It was delivered to the FR at Minffordd, commissioned and tested at Boston Lodge, did a loaded test run and spark arrestor test through the tunnels to Beddgelert and then delivered itself to Gelerts farm already certified for working vacuum braked stock and working up the WHR when the opportunity arises.
Its been the star turn at the WHHR through the bank holiday weekend of its official launch.
One advantage of the easy part days was that it allowed some research and some CAD drawing work. More of that in a future episode.
