July 2018 Update
We started July on a very sad note when we learned of the death of Wendy Levy who had been suffering the horrible effects of a brain tumour for over a year. Wendy and her husband, Martin, who is a director of the BLR, were, for years, frequent volunteers on the railway, always doing, amongst many other duties, both days of a working weekend in all weathers. Although naturally not keen on the heavy track-work, Wendy would resolutely spend all day cutting bushes and helping Martin with fencing, the most notable section being near the disused crossing at the bottom of Dolfawr Bank where a mass of blackthorn bushes proliferate. There was never (or rarely) a word of complaint and everyone involved can testify not only to her sterling efforts but also how cantankerous those blackthorn bushes can be.
Wendy was also an extremely hard working member of the café volunteer staff, as well as looking after the accommodation, always doing a first rate job, and without fail welcomed everyone with a lovely smile. Her help was invaluable during Galas, looking after stands on the platform, as well as decorating Llanuwchllyn and Flag Halt for the Santa Specials and Halloween events, where she would dress for the latter in an appropriate and most effective witch costume, albeit with the end result looking far too glamorous!
Everyone who knew her, whether well or just casually, spoke of their great sadness at the news. She engendered friendliness and goodwill everywhere and she will be greatly missed.
July was a good month, helped by the wonderful weather and renowned local scenery which encouraged visitors. David Jones, the BLR General Manager, summed up the passenger numbers in one sentence; “Following on from our best June on record, we have enjoyed the best July since 1992, with numbers for the month up by nearly 4% on last year”.
At the end of the month, the yearly ‘Alice’ Day took place, this being not only a celebration of our Hunslet of the same name but also of the wonderful books about that loco and her friends, written and illustrated by the famous author, Pauline Hazelwood. The day started slowly but soon became very busy, with lots of visitors joining Pauline on the platform where she read to children, did impromptu sketches, signed copies of her books and chatted to everyone, also showing quite a command of Spanish, French and Welsh, a language she is working hard on improving. Alice wore her usual ‘face’ for the occasion and even some children got in on the act!
Eagle-eyed visitors may have noticed that, on her return from the Hunslet 125 Gala at the Festiniog Railway, Alice was ‘turned’ and now faces east, whereas all our other locos face west.
On the Engineering front, a new permanent crossing was installed to the east of the new carriage extension which will provide access to a new hard area for the storage of heavy implements, plus extra parking for staff and volunteers during Galas. A certain well-known Bentley was the first vehicle to venture on to the crossing but the official name, to rule out any confusion, will be decided at a later date.
The hot weather did not only affect the national rail network. The BLR experienced marginal movement in the track in exposed areas but not to the extent of cancelling services. The engineering team anticipated the issue and was duly prepared, knowing exactly where a problem with heat-warped rails might occur, hence our photo of the ballast train checking for any trouble spots. Luckily there were few, and those not serious, but any slight deviation was eased or corrected straight away. Likewise, the dry weather could have caused local fire problems but the verdant nature of our countryside meant that nothing happened and, again, the train crews were prepared.
We mentioned the arduous task of changing our couplings to one standard ‘chopper’ pattern and Rob Houghton, our Chief Engineer, has been beavering away at the lengthy and very time-consuming job. This is a very involved operation, combining as it does numerous bits to make just one coupling, as our photo shows, and this includes five rubber doughnuts for shock absorbing, plus all the washers and other small parts. This is an on-going process and so far, Alice and Maid Marian have been modified together with a couple of items of rolling stock, but the rest of the carriage fleet will be completed in due course.
Regular observers of the railway will have spotted that Maid Marian is back in service sporting her restored full cab, exactly as we planned. Our photo shows her in idyllic surroundings.
Progress on the Penrhyn Coach continues well, as described by David Hale. “Larry Piper has now completed the seat squabs. He brought over one to check the fit and then delivered the ones for the side benches. They do look good, definitely top quality workmanship! He is still waiting for the turned legs and arm rests for the side benches, but is now working on the backrests which should arrive soon. I have been working on the vents to be fitted in the sides which should be finished soon, weather permitting, but the workshop is akin to an oven and the carriage is even warmer since the windows were fitted!” Photos will follow in due course but for the time being, the seats are being left in their protective wrapping.
As our photos from Rod Fairley show, the Carriage & Wagon team has been continuing with the new Llangower signal frame hut. At least Llangower affords them some shade in which to work.
No sooner has one event passed than another three appear in the diary. On the 2nd, 9th and 16th August, we have Barbecue Trains departing at 18.15 after normal schedules have finished. These extra trains leave Llanuwchllyn and stop at Llangower on the way back where passengers can enjoy a barbecue on the beach and watch the sun go down across the lake. The location is a photographer’s paradise, with soft light and majestic scenery, and the barbecue is supplied by one of the local butchers in Bala, their reputation being exemplary. The first run on the 2nd was comfortably filled, and many positive comments were heard about the journey and the quality of the food. Seats are still available for the 9th and 16th but do not leave it too late to book! Please see our website for further details and latest availability.
The other major event in August is the Mini Steam Gala over the Bank Holiday weekend 25th - 27th. The traditional title of ‘Mini’ is perhaps a trifle misleading as there will be all the usual attractions of a BLR Gala, including photo-freights and at least double-heading with the whole locomotive fleet being in operation. Add into that will be our ever-popular ‘Driver for a Fiver’ along the station loop, where anyone can take the controls of one of our Hunslet locos, complete with all the sensations of steam, smells and atmosphere, an experience not to be missed. For those more interested in watching from a distance, the BLR is unique in that there are so many wonderful vantage points along the entire length of the line for photography, which is why we enjoy the well-earned sobriquet of ‘The Lineside Line’.
And finally….. the human touch is what makes so many things tick, particularly at the BLR, and we show a delightful photo of BLR Director Judge Peter Heywood (on the right), a regular volunteer on the railway, when he shared the footplate with Dave Fildes, the first time they had been together since they were in the same class at school (Ysgol John Bright) in Llandudno. Sometimes, the world can be providentially small!
