June 2015 Update
We are half way through the year. So far, it has been really positive, and it is getting better. While group passenger traffic is actually down a little on the first six months of last year, the overall passenger figures are up by 14%, and the income in the station café/shop is up by 35%, no doubt helped by much increased passing traffic. The locally sourced ice cream is continuing to sell very well, (clichés about hot cakes are inappropriate), and the contents of the new chiller cabinet, including delectable cream cakes and salads, are tempting the taste buds. So, all in all, it has been a great year so far, and as you will read later, there is a lot more to come.
One popular event that was just too late to include last month was a photo charter, which proved very successful. The photos, which can be seen in our Photo Gallery, speak for themselves.
There has, in addition, been one item of news in June which is particularly worthy of celebration. Bala Lake Railway Director and Chairman of the BLR Trust, Julian Birley, was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to railway preservation. Unlike some honours which are politically expedient, it is unanimously agreed that this one was long overdue and totally deserved, bearing in mind the enormous amount of effort that Julian has put in with the North Norfolk Railway over many years, and now with the BLR.
As is known, Julian is leading the enormous task of getting the line across the River Dee and back into downtown Bala, a proposal which has been received with almost total unanimity in the area. Julian’s modest ethos is simply; “I just want to make a difference”, and what a difference! This ambitious project needs support from everyone, so it does not matter how much or how little is donated. One perfect example happened during June when our lovely Hunslet,Alice, was simmering sedately in the sunlit station, and two cyclists appeared. They were offered footplate rides to the water tower and back, and in gratitude, they kindly offered a donation which went straight into a Trust donation envelope. The strap-line of a certain supermarket advert is so relevant.
Penrhyn Coach
As you may recall, this whole exercise is being carried out solely by David Hale, and as the photo shows, all ten window liners have now been fixed in place in the framework. The next job will be to order the materials for the inner ‘walls’ of the coach. Completion is a long way off, but it will be so worth the wait, and a real tribute to David’s craftsmanship.
Penrhyn Coal Wagon
Further to last month’s completion, we show a couple of photos of the wagon now in use, and positioned strategically for lighting up in the morning. However, a false floor has been fitted in order to preserve the shape of the wagon, otherwise a full load of coal would produce, over time, an unsightly bulge. As everyone agrees, it is a testimony to the skill of the Carriage & Wagon team.
Wednesday Gang
This intrepid group of volunteers meet each week to perform myriad tasks, and Bob Shell’s words below capture the wonderful atmosphere.
Wednesday 24 June 2015
The day started with the shed ash pit being emptied before Alice, the loco of the day, was dragged out of the shed. This was followed by helping take the stock into the platform and then sorting out some scrapers, a wire brush and some primer paint. Rod had already started on the black paint on the signal bases and metal work. Having read the work sheet for the toast rack coach and assembled my tools, it was time for the 10.00am tea. Andy asked if Rod and I could empty the water tower ash pit and then empty the ash skip as it was full.
After the train departed at 11.00, Rod took Trigger up to the water tower whilst I emptied the ash into the already full skip. We then went on to the head shunt to await the train’s return. Once the train was in the platform, we were allowed to venture down to the end of the carriage shed to empty the ash skip. Then it was back into the head shunt and once the train had departed, the skip was put back at the water tower. All this time, James had been busy painting the platform fence, and very good it looks too!
After dinner, the main task of the day, the toast rack carriage, was set about. This involved scraping, sanding and wire brushing the flaking paint on the beading and then applying a coat of primer to the bare wood. There is still much to do on this coach but we’ve made a start. Lady Luck was with us during the day as, despite some light drizzle, the rain kept away.
Locomotives
There is nothing to add from last month regarding our ‘fleet’ of Hunslets. Holy War is still awaiting the return of her refurbished boiler, and the other three in service are performing and delighting as they should.
However, another name will appear on the roster later in the year. Diana is a Kerr Stuart, and belongs to Phil Mason who also owns the Wickham Trolley which we featured last month. Phil has supplied a most concise history for her, and her restoration progress can be seen on her Facebook page"Diana" KS1158 / 1917.
A brief history of Kerr Stuart 1158 Sirdar Class 0-4-0 She was built in 1909/10 as part of a stock order or 6 Sirdar 0-4-0 locomotives.
She was supplied new to The Home Grown Timber Committee in 1917 to operate on the reopened Kerry Tramway near Newtown in Central Wales, hauling timber to the sawmills for use as pit props and for the war effort. She was crewed mainly at this time by German prisoners of war.
Following the rundown of operations at Kerry, she was sold by E.Longhurst and Sons at Kerry Sawmills to Oakeley Quarry at Blaenau Ffestiniog and was on site by December 1925. Whilst there, she gained the name DIANA which was painted on the tank sides.
Following the introduction of a Ruston diesel, she was sold in 1942 to a dealer in Harlech called W. O. Williams. It is unclear if the locomotive stayed at Oakeley or was moved to Harlech. However, the locomotive was purchased by The Pen-yr-Orsedd Quarry in 1945 and it is recorded as being there by 16th July 1946.
The boiler was declared unsafe by 1950, so she was shunted away into a shed where she remained until 1963 when she was purchased by Graham J Mullis and moved to his railway near Droitwich, Worcs. with Una and Eigiau.
When that railway was closed and the assets sold off, most of the rolling stock including Diana was bought by Hills and Bailey at Llanberis and she moved there in 1970. She was stored at times in the tunnel and outside the Fire Queen shed.
Diana then moved with Tony Hills to his new base at the Brecon Mountain Railway in 1976.
She was purchased by the Davies Brothers in 1978 and was moved to their home in Clydach near Swansea in 1981. Much work was undertaken here by the brothers, with other works being carried out by Alan Keefes, Bartletts and the Talyllyn Railway. By 2005, work on the loco was proceeding well when sadly, following the death of one of the brothers, Dennis, the remaining brother, was in ill health. He continued to carry out work on Diana as and when he could, making steady progress, but sadly with the locomotive initially in a polytunnel, which disappeared one windy night, and subsequently in the open, the condition of the locomotive slowly deteriorated until his death.
In February 2014, the locomotive was purchased by its current owner, a long time narrow gauge enthusiast and volunteer at the Talyllyn Railway, and following assessment in Hampshire, the decision was made to begin the restoration again from scratch. The locomotive moved to the Vale of Rheidol workshops in Aberystwyth for return to as near to original ‘as supplied’ condition as possible. A recent photograph of restoration progress is shown below. Stephens Link Motion
Boiler Pressure 140psi
Wheelbase 3ft 6 ½ inches
Max Width 5ft 8.5in
Height rail to top of chimney 8ft 2in
Length of Boiler and smokebox 8ft 8in
Weight empty 5 tons 6cwts 3qtrs.
Tubes 62.5 inches long
Firebox heating surface 16.5 sq ft
Grate area 3.33 sq ft Cylinders 6” Diameter by 10” Stroke
Driving Wheels 2ft diameter
Length over Headstocks 12ft 3in
Height rail to top of boiler 4ft 8in
Height to top of cab 8ft
Diameter of Boiler 2ft 6in
36 tubes at 1.75 inch
Tube heating surface 83.5 sq ft
Total heating surface 100 sq ft Tank capacity 200 Gallons Diana is one of only two Sirdar Class locomotives still know to survive, the other being a much modified 2-4-2 version saved as a national monument and preserved in Namibia South Africa.
Winifred Gala 28 – 31 August
Plans are shaping up nicely for what will prove to be a seriously big event for the BLR. The current list of different activities and exhibits is now numbering over 20, is listed in its entirety in theSpecial Events section of this website. But here are just a few:
- All four of our resident steam locos will be in service, with double-heading on some passenger trains.
- There will be a cavalcade of steam locos on Sunday and Monday evenings, with a diesel hauled passenger train to get photographers into position at prime locations.
- The photographers’ train for the cavalcade on Sunday evening will feature quintuple-heading, including a diesel on its return.
- The Wickham Trolley will be running to Pentrepiod and back, this station enjoying the unique distinction of having the shortest platform in the UK.
- Vintage tractors, buses and the Ivo Peters Bentley will be on display, plus London Transport Routemaster double-decker buses will be providing transfer from Bala Station to car parks in the town as well as the leisure centre.
- There will also be a 5-inch gauge miniature railway, plus a 16mm model layout.
And finally…..
With all this on the cards, we will all be working our hardest to ensure that everything goes perfectly. A vast amount happens behind the scenes, perhaps none more so than with the Red Dragon Project, our quest to re-unite the railway with the town of Bala itself. So much of an enterprise like this is taken up with meetings and arrangements, so if nothing is making the news, it is not because of any lack of activity on our part. But we need support for this work, continued support. It matters not to what extent you can help, be it financially or physically, it is all greatly appreciated. Please help if you can. We would love to welcome you.