Narrow Gauge World - July 2020 PDF

■ PADARN & PENRHYN IN 1961 ■ STEAM SPECIAL IN PORTUGAL
NARROW
■ NEW ERA BEGINS ON
EAST BROAD TOP
ISSUE 149
JULY 2020
NG MODELLING
GREAT NORTH
NG GROWTH AT BEAMISH
CORONAVIRUS – LINE
REOPENINGS SET FOR JULY?
JULY 2020 | £4.75
➧ SURPRISING NARROW GAUGE IN VIETNAM

■ WISTERIA COLLOP – LOTS OF 009
ATMOSPHERE IN A SMALL SPACE ➧ EXTENSIVE WORK NEEDED TO OPEN AGAIN www.world-of-railways.co.uk
InNOW
2013 AVAILABLE
we were IN STOCK
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produce KERRall theACCUCRAFT’S
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Talyllyn Railway locomotives ‘WREN’ TWO
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simplified
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type boiler
locomotives
valve and available
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for a smoother ceased32mm
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in gauge)
1930 and ora45mm
further(‘1′
four
gauge).
performance The axles
were constructed run in bronze
and thereafter
enhanced by bearings
Hunslets.
delivery and‘Wrens’
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of power. all
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owe
before, andwill
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origin gear
the(piston reverse)
‘Buya’ class will be
of 1903 although
the type encompassed a huge number of variations including inside
manufactured
also be offeringfrom the stainless
power unit steel. The cab
(complete roof
with is fixed,
boiler) as an ideal to the regulator and reverser isand
access and outside frames and inside via
outside valve gear. Our model is based on the 2’ gauge ‘new type’ developed in 1915 with inside frames,
the cab doors,
starting point forwater viawho
those the boiler
might filler
wish cap, gas via the toolbox
to scratch-build their own and the lubricator filler is in one of the
Hackworth valve gear and cast-iron wheels fitted with steel tyres. In due course ‘Wrens’ were sent around
bunkers.
body in 1:19 Theor copper boiler scale.
even 1:13.7 is fitted with
the world, many to Africa and Asia whilst in the UK
a gauge glass. The model is built from
they found homes with construction companies
stainless
The locomotivesteel and brass. Although
is internally gas fired fitted
with a centre flueand boiler. The Half a dozen ‘new types’ have been
the MoD.
model
with TRisbuffers
gauge and
adjustable
couplings fromthe 32mm
model (‘O’ gauge) to 45mm (‘1′
preserved, five of them in the UK.
will accept
gauge) andourhasZ1/Z2 chopper
insulated wheels couplings
as standard. The axles run in
for those
bronze who wish
bearings andtoall
usethethem.
rods The
and valve gear are manufacturedThe model is internally gas fired and has slide
from stainless
model steel. The
will be available incab roof flips up and over sideways
TR green, to give with working Hackworth valve
valve cylinders
accessRed
Indian to theor cab
black.controls.
Estimated The UK boiler
RRP is fitted with a water gear.gauge.
The boiler is fitted with a water gauge with
£1650.00.
The modelWe wouldfrom
is built likestainless
to thank Davidsteel, copper and brass. blow down valve, lubricator and pressure gauge.
Fletcher
The model forwill
thebe
superb drawings
available black,and green and red and blue. It is available in 45mm gauge (gauge 1) only. The
members of the Talyllyn Railway for their model can be ordered in black, blue, green and red
help in providing
UK pre-order RRPdata for thepost-delivery
£1050.00, model. £1095.00. with a UK RRP of £1650.00.
I.O.M. 4 Wheel Coaches L&B Howard Van
1:13.7 KS Wren 0-4-0ST 1:19 ‘Dolgoch’ 0-4-0T
TEL: 01981 241380

PUBLISHER
Steve Cole
[email protected]
EDITOR
Andrew Charman
Issue No 149
12 Maes Gwyn, Llanfair Caereinion, Powys,
SY21 0BD. Tel: 01938 810592
Email: [email protected] July 2020
FEATURES EDITOR www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk
David Joy
Email: [email protected] www.facebook.com/narrowgaugeworld
DESIGN & PRODUCTION Twitter – @NarrowGaugeWrld
Andrew Charman
GROUP ADVERTISING MANAGER
Bev Machin CONTENTS
Tel: 01778 392055
First Lines
Email: [email protected]
SALES EXECUTIVE
Hollie Deboo
05 Return to some kind of normality? 31
Tel: 01778 395078 Headline News
AD PRODUCTION
06 Groudle set to lead reopenings
Allison Mould
UK News
Tel: 01778 395002
Email: [email protected] 09 Llanfair seeks help to bring Earl home
SUBSCRIPTIONS World News

Tel: (0) 1778 392469 (UK & Overseas)
Fax: (0)1778 421706
14 New-build project in Maine
UK: £40.50; Rest of Europe: £52.00;

Outside Europe: £60.00
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Seaside electrics in 1984
NG Modelling
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44 Tiny locos and many a Lyn
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16 More Lincs Coast history found
46 Viewpoint
Monarch points of view – again!
Cover Story
Copyright on all materials in this magazine
remains vested in the Authors and Warners Group
Publications. Reproduction of the whole or any part is
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18 Growing narrow gauge at Beamish
47 Narrow Gauge Extra
A Greek mystery and more
Waite’s World
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© WARNERS GROUP
22 Metre-gauge steam in Portugal
48 Railway Websites
Where to find the reopening dates
From the Archive
PUBLICATIONS PLC 2020
ISSN: 1466-0180
Cover: Many locomotives have visited
25 1961 on the Penrhyn and Padarn
51 Encounters
Riding the Wee Georgie Wood
Beamish Museum’s growing 2ft gauge railway
World Lines
in recent times, including John Sutton’s
new-build Decauville ‘Edgar’, seen here
during running trials in July 2018 with
31 Surprising finds in Vietnam
51
US Lines
another new-build, the replica of Stephen
Lewin 0-4-0WTG ‘Samson’ completed at
Beamish in 2016. In this issue we describe
the acclerating progress on the museum line.
34 New era on the East Broad Top
Photo Paul Jarman

NARROW GAUGE WORLD is published
nine times per year.
22
This issue published 26th June 2020
Next issue on sale 31st July 2020
NEXT ISSUE – AUGUST 2020
www.warnersgroup.co.uk On Sale 31st July

No 149 – Subscribe at www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk 03
FIRST LINES
Return to a new normal...
W elcome to NGW149, and

while I write these words
approaching the end of a third
in Wales, where the Government is
taking a much more cautious tone
than its Westminster counterpart.
health concerns and restrictions,
NGW readers will be champing at
the bit to get out and back on the
successive month of absolutely no Here as of 14th June we remain trains, so if you can please support
narrow gauge action in the British effectively in lockdown, strongly our railways when they reopen –
isles (in fact no public services discouraged from travelling more there’s a lot of recovering to do in
on any UK heritage railway), the than five miles, and with potential the near future...
signs for the future are far more visitors coming over the border
positive than at any time since the from England being told “please go Business as usual
pandemic started in March. home, Wales is still closed...” There Regular readers will notice that with
As you will read over the is currently little prospect of the ‘non-essential’ shops reopening in
page, unless we see a significant Great Little Trains of Wales, which England from 15th June, we feel
reversal of the current easing of of course include a majority of the able to remove the panel that has
coronavirus restrictions, by the time UK’s leading narrow gauge railways, formed part of this page over the last
you pick up next month’s issue of joining the return to steam any couple of issues, explaining how to
NGW several lines in the British time soon. In fact one line, the Vale access NGW from home. However if
Isles will be running trains again – of Rheidol, has told us it doesn’t you are still isolating, you can order
joining a growing number of lines currently expect to run passenger single printed copies of the magazine
across Europe and parts of the globe services at all in 2020... from www.world-of-railways.co.uk/
which as I write this have already Store/Latest-Issue/narrow-gauge-
reopened, several on them over this A different world world while details of how to obtain
weekend of 13th-14th June. Of course even as the number of digital issues are on page 49.
I’m careful to write ‘British Isles’ lines reopening grows, this will Finally can I again thank the
because remarkably it appears that not be a ‘return to normal’, not at many readers who have taken the
the first ‘British’ narrow gauge line least the normal we have known time to write or email with positive
Main photo: likely to welcome passengers back before. Initially the required social comments on our efforts to publish
The Groudle will be not only one of the shortest, distancing and sanitisation measures as normal during recent weeks,
Glen Railway’s
locomotives have but one that is not actually in the will make taking a narrow gauge when many specialist magazines
been slumbering UK. The Groudle Glen Railway will train ride a much less relaxing have suspended publication. Your
in their shed for be taking advantage of a determined pastime than it once was. Even comments are much appreciated and
much longer than lockdown programme on the Isle of when hopefully the virus recedes to despite as I write many of the head-
might have been Man that was instigated early and an extent that such measures can be office production team still working
expected, but which as a result appears to have relaxed (perhaps even removed?), from home, our ‘business as usual’
it now looks as resulted in the island ridding itself the damage done by the virus will mantra remains!
if this little line of the virus long before the rest of be felt for a very long time in our Let’s get back to normal – I’m
could lead the the British Isles. industry as it will across the world. currently researching what could be
reawakening of
narrow gauge in We should not fool ourselves – however, let’s be positive – locos an amazing exclusive narrow gauge
the British isles.... this is not the end of the crisis by are undergoing steam tests, train loco story, which hopefully we will
Photo: Richard any means, and writing this seems services are on the horizon. We are tell you all about next month...
Booth/GGR somewhat ironic at NGW Towers sure that, subject to the current Andrew Charman

Send UK NEWS stories to Andrew Charman by email, [email protected],
HEADLINE NEWS or by post to 12 Maes Gwyn, Llanfair Caereinion, Powys, SY21 0BD. Tel: 01938 810592
Groudle set to lead way as

lines prepare to reopen
O ne of the shortest narrow gauge lines

in the British isles could be the first to
restart passenger services following the
13th June staff on the island’s Government-
run lines had not received a promised
four-week advance notice of reopening.
to reopen on 14th June, along with theme
parks, zoos and such like, and several
railways were considering when they could
coronavirus pandemic. As the UK’s narrow gauge lines safely consider restarting services.
As NGW closed for press on 13th June completed a third successive month of A major factor in future plans could be
the Groudle Glen Railway was preparing closure, there were glimmers of hope that social distancing rules, which when NGW
for reopening on Sunday 5th July. The by the time we close the news pages for went to press the Prime Minister was under
kilometre-long 2ft gauge line on the Isle of NGW150 on 18th July, some lines will be increasing pressure to reduce from the
Man planned to restart services almost close to reopening if not already running existing two metres. As reported last month
three weeks after the island, which is not trains and others making plans. enforcing the two-metre rule in narrow
part of the UK, was expected to lift its Following the Isle of Man the next gauge carriages would cut passenger
social-distancing regulations. However the reopenings will almost certainly be in capacity to levels that in many cases would
island remains closed to outside visitors. England, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson make running trains not economically
The Isle of Man Steam Railway was continues to relax the restrictions imposed viable for the line concerned.
predicted to follow soon after the Groudle in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Narrow gauge lines responding to a
line, though NGW understands that as of ‘Non-essential’ shops in England were set survey compiled by the Heritage Railway
Association considered that halving social
distancing to one metre, the distance
recommended by the World Health
Organisation, would have a major effect on
the viability of their services.
Half could mean double

The Talyllyn Railway suggested such a
change could both double potential train
loadings and the capacity of catering
outlets. The Ravenglass & Eskdale
Above: On 7th June Groudle Glen Railway

Bagnall 2-4-0T ‘Sea Lion’ was undergoing a
steam test in advance of plans for the line to
reopen on 5th July. Photo: Richard Booth
Left: Trains have been running on our heritage

lines in recent weeks, principally on weed-
killing duties, here on the Ffestiniog Railway
on 2nd June. Photo: Alasdair Stewart
06 Visit our forum: www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk

PHOTOS are welcome, either digital images on CD-ROM or as
low-res thumbnail samples by e-mail, prints or transparencies. HEADLINE NEWS
Railway added that one-metre distancing
would permit use of a guard’s carriage
rendered unusable by the two-metre rule,
allowing two more trains to be operated
each day with potential earnings
improvements of almost £3,000, and the
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway
suggested that as well as doubling train
capacity one-metre distancing would help
with work to prepare the line for reopening,
making an earlier return to operating the
whole eight-mile route more likely.
Prospects for reopening remain rather
less positive in Wales, the hub of UK
narrow gauge operations with the majority
of major lines located in the nation. The
Welsh Government has been much slower
to ease restrictions compared to England
and at press time stay-at-home measures
were still in place including a requirement
to not travel more than five miles.
Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford CEO Rob Gambrill told NGW that the Kevin Edwins told NGW that restarting
caused alarm amongst tourist businesses on situation would be reviewed in August. trains is in phase three of Whipsnade’s
7th June when he suggested that the The line, which is run entirely with paid four-phase reopening plan.
country would “remain largely shut to staff, has placed all its employees on Bressingham Steam Museum was
tourists” over the summer. furlough until October, though around planning to reopen its gardens in mid June,
Many of the Welsh railways will rely on four of the workshop team may return in with the 2ft gauge Fen Railway following in
accommodation businesses reopening both August to carry out some commercial work early July and the 15-inch and 10¼-inch
for their passengers and volunteers. Mr and bring in some revenue. lines around the middle of the month.
Drakeford did later state that reopening the “It would take us around a week to Bressingham hopes to have its entire site
Welsh tourism industry, “is in the forefront switch the line back on, however our operating by August.
of our minds,” and that he hoped to make approach is to protect our staff and having The Bure Valley Railway plans to
positive moves in July. the public on site is just too big a risk to reopen on 1st August. Manager Andrew
In its HRA submission the Talyllyn them,” Rob said. Barnes told NGW that in a Zoom call with
Railway stated that the overly cautious the Norfolk 15-inch gauge line’s staff it had
approach of the Welsh Government was Shay shut if possible been agreed to bring them off furlough on
putting the tourist industry in Wales at a Rob added that being married to a 21st July, allowing two weeks of
competitive disadvantage, while the front-line NHS worker had given him a preparation before restarting services. As
W&LLR, located close to the Welsh- personal view of the situation; “We will be detailed in our spotlight on page 8, an
English border, stated the differing back next season and all being well all our intense set of measures will be necessary to
regulations would cause great confusion key staff will be as well. I know other enable safe operation.
amongst potential visitors. railways will have different approaches but Meanwhile the BVR’s continuing fight
personally if you can afford to stay shut I against insurers refusing to pay out on
Volunteers return think we should.” business interruption cover, detailed in
Meanwhile some lines are permitting a Among other UK lines, some volunteers NGW147 and 148, saw Andrew Barnes
limited resumption of volunteering. have been carrying out essential putting his case on the Jeremy Vine show
Volunteers returned to the Talyllyn Railway maintenance on the Lynton & Barnstaple on Radio 2 in early June.
on 13th June but under strictly enforced Railway in strict compliance with the
conditions. Those attending the railway distancing guidelines, but spokesman Tony n The situation regarding reopenings is
were only permitted to work outside, Nicholson said any reopening plans would changing rapidly and readers are advised to
effectively on vegetation clearance, and await Government announcements. check railway websites for latest updates.
required to practice full social distancing The 2ft gauge Great Whipsnade The websites are all listed on page 48.
measures. They also had to live within five Railway does not expect to resume services
miles of the railway as per Welsh until at least the middle of July. Whipsnade
Government travel restrictions. was among Britain’s zoos to make national
Talyllyn GM Stuart Williams also told headlines as they pleaded to be permitted
NGW that on advice he had restricted to reopen or face going out of business. A
attendance to members aged under 70 and resultant Government U-turn saw the zoos
therefore not in the bracket considered allowed to resume business from 15th June,
particularly vulnerable to the Covid-19 but Great Whipsnade Railway manager
pandemic. “That hasn’t gone down well
with some of our over-70s members who Above: Any plans for the Manx Electric
insist they are fit and healthy and want to Railway to join other lines on the Isle of Man
come and help,” he said. in reopening could be complicated by a major
Stuart is also looking at offering limited relay that the line has undertaken during the
lockdown. On 11th June there was a 300-yard
takeaway catering activities, managed by gap in both lines between Groudle and Eskdale.
himself and commercial manager Lorraine
Simkiss, who not being furloughed are on Right: The Great Whipsnade Railway’s
site anyway. “Just something to bring a locomotives ‘Superior’ and Excelsior’ were still
little revenue in,” he added. slumbering in early June but could be running
One Welsh line unlikely to run in 2020 trains again by the end of July.
is the Vale of Rheidol Railway, though Photo: Kevin Edwins/GWR

NEWS SPOTLIGHT
Bure Valley – the
work needed to
allow reopening
B ure Valley Railway manager Andrew
Barnes has described in detail to NGW
the extensive measures that will be
necessary to make possible the Norfolk
line’s planned reopening on 1st August.
These measures, planning for which
Andrew admits has seen him working in
the BVR office until after 9pm at night on
several days in succession, demonstrate just
how big a challenge lines across the
country are facing in trying to run trains. will assist in spreading out the demand encourage pre-booking. The entrance to
“We have decided to fit screens between over a greater number of trains and avoid the car park will be stewarded – booked
the compartments in our coaches,” he said. the potential for crowding pinch points. passengers will be allocated their boarding
“These will be of clear sail material with a “Running a three-train service we will pass, those who haven’t booked will only
seat-belt type webbing around the edge see a 20 per cent increase in costs, but we be sold a ticket if there is capacity. “If we
with brass eyes to allow fastening to the consider it worth it to ensure provision of have no capacity we feel it is better they are
back of the seat and the cantrail.” capacity and social distancing compliance.” turned away before getting out of the car.”
The BVR rejected using Acrylic sheet or The line will also only operate five days The railway will also manage entry to
Perspex for the partitions, feeling they a week, closing on its traditionally quietest its toilets, alongside regular cleaning by
could easily be broken by children days of Monday and Friday. staff equipped with full PPE and
climbing on seats and could pose a risk in Train sets will be cleaned at each biological fogging at the end of each day.
the event of an accident. turnaround and again each evening using a The BVR’s shop at Aylsham reopened
“We are only planning on using every biological fogging machine. “The carriages on 15th June with screens installed to
other compartment, but the flexible will then be left overnight – this is to protect counter staff, social distancing
partitions are easily moved by us if we wish ensure the fumes are cleared before use.” guidance and regulated entry numbers.
to accommodate a family group larger than The BVR is considering allocating Other measures have included
four people,” Andrew added. specific drivers to locos and guards to installing hand sanitising devices and
Prohibitive costs forced plans to change individual vans, recommended in guidance reducing the number of spaces available in
the line’s ticketing system, obliging issued by the Office of Rail and Road. the car park.
travellers to book an out and return slot “The key reason we have taken the
and be allocated a compartment number, One-way platforms decision to open is to send a message to
to be dropped. Other potential measures include at our customers that we still exist and we
Instead travellers will be asked to select Aylsham all trains arriving at one platform can offer them a steam train journey in a
their return train time before boarding the and departing from another to avoid two safe environment,” Andrew said.
outbound one, the railway hoping to avoid loads of passengers competing for space on “If we do not reopen this year, are we
a heavily-loaded last return from Wroxham a single platform. sending out the right message to those
which has been typical on sunny days. A barrier could be placed across the looking at booking for next year?”
platform at the country end to prevent “All our measures are based around
Timetable changes visitors getting too close to the loco crew, what we currently know and we accept
“After a lot of careful thought we have but still providing a facility to allow the that the environment is ever changing.
decided to throw our published timetable taking of photographs. “The key message is that we will only
out of the window,” Andrew said. “To “At Wroxham we will use one platform operate if it is legally allowed and Covid
provide capacity and ensure social for the train to arrive and another platform safe compliant.”
distancing, we are looking to operate three for passengers to wait before boarding – n Pleas by the BVR to its local council for
train sets each of eight carriages with three again to prevent a conflict in movement of rent relief have seen the line’s charge
locomotives in steam. arriving and departing passengers. A deferred but not waived. Andrew Barnes
“This will allow us to operate a one-way flow will again operate.” told NGW that many councillors were
departure from Aylsham every hour on the The line intends to allocate a capacity minded that the railway should still be
hour from 10:00 to 15:00 inclusive and for each day’s operation and will strongly required to pay, despite it already losing
more than £1m in revenue this year.
“I also explained that we had a society
Above: One-way with supporters donating time and money
systems on the to support the railway and it would not be
platforms will be good for that money to be used to pay a
just one measure local authority. Also the double whammy
employed at BVR of having to pay £30,000 on insurance and
stations. Photo: at least the same on rent before we ran a
Gerry Balding/BVR train would do nothing for job retention.”
Left: All the line’s The BVR expects to have to redeck a
carriages will bridge over the River Bure before it can
need fitting with run trains. “This is the Council’s
partitions. Photo: responsibility, but again no action,”
Andrew Charman Andrew said.

UK NEWS
n The Ffestiniog Railway’s ‘large
England’ 0-4-0ST ‘Welsh Pony’ was
looking ever more like a locomotive
in early June having been reunited
with its tender. Work on restoring
the loco, which has never run in
preservation, has continued in the
line’s Boston Lodge works, under
strict social distancing measures.
The Ffestiniog is predicted to
announce soon when Welsh Pony
will be launched into traffic – a
planned debut during the ‘Fairlie
Eventful’ Gala in June fell victim to
the event being cancelled by the
coronavirus pandemic.
Photo: Chris Parry/FF&WHR
Welshpool seeks funding to finish

overhaul of original Beyer Peacock
T he Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway
has repurposed its ‘Tracks to Recovery’
appeal in a bid to avoid locomotive issues
“If we can raise the whole £95,000, we
can ask our contractors to finish the job off,
so that The Earl can be back in service in
depleting our reserves, was over halfway to
its initial milestone target within a week of
being launched.”
going into what the mid-Wales 2ft 6in 2021 and feature at the 2021 Steam Gala. Charles believes such donations reflect a
gauge line hopes will be a normal operating That way, after The Countess steps aside confidence that the railway has a future,
season in 2021. for its refit, we will still have one of our which the donors want to help assure; “One
With the benefit of a large legacy of original historic locomotives available.” covering note was very explicit about the
unassigned funding, the W&LLR was able Iain added that without a successful donor’s confidence that his money was not
to contract out the 10-year overhaul of appeal the rolling chassis of the loco would going in to a ‘black hole’, never to be seen
1902-built Beyer Peacock 0-6-0T ‘The need to be set aside until funds permitted again, rather that the railway would re-start
Earl’ to the Vale of Rheidol Railway. This the job to be completed, making it very when possible and that funds were being
left the line’s workshop team free to unlikely that The Earl would run in 2021. managed prudently to achieve that goal.”
complete the much delayed restoration of He also paid tribute to the moral
Franco-Belge 0-8-0T 699-01 ‘Sir Rapid response support supplied by volunteers, members
Drefaldwyn’, with the prospect of both this Acutely aware that a next step would need and the wider narrow gauge community
engine and the overhauled The Earl being to be decided by the time the VoR who put up and viewed hundreds of
available for the start of the 2021 season reopened its workshop, the W&LLR photographs of earlier activity on the
when the boiler ticket of sister Beyer launched its appeal in early June and in the railway on social media, keeping the
Peacock ‘The Countess’ is due to run out. first week raised more than £19,000. W&LLR in front of internet fans.
The Earl left for the VoR in June 2019 “During the shutdown I have been “Other railways are reporting the same
and the overhaul was more than half struck by the level of support, financial and depth of financial support and I hope they
complete when in March the Covid-19 moral, that heritage railways have had and are also benefiting from the same feeling of
outbreak closed the Aberystwyth workshop the confidence that reflects in our cause,” confidence that heritage railways will be
along with all other heritage operations. W&LLR general manager Charles Spencer back,” Charles said.
As well as delaying the rebuild, the told NGW. “It will be hard work and require
pandemic has also put pressure on the “In the case of the W&LLR our quickly creative solutions, but it’s essential to
W&LLR’s funding. While the Tracks to mounted Tracks to Recovery appeal raised protect the decades of work that have gone
Recovery appeal has been highly successful, more than £55,000 in a few weeks for the into preserving and explaining our history.”
raising more than £55,000, this will be unglamorous cause of paying unavoidable Details of the appeal to finish The Earl
used to meet the railway’s fixed costs in the bills while the railway was closed and are at www.wllr.org.uk/node/267
three months so far it has been closed, and earning no income
the line’s reserves will be needed next from running trains.
winter which would normally be funded by “Hard on its heels, a
revenue from the preceeding season. second appeal to finish
In this situation spending the £95,000 the overhaul of The
that is still required to complete The Earl Earl without further
without securing additional funding
becomes difficult to justify. Right: ‘The Earl’ leaving
“A critical next step is to reassemble The Llanfair Caereinion
Earl as a rolling chassis,” W&LLR appeals for the Vale of Rheidol
director Iain McLean told the line’s Railway on 24th June
members. “If we can raise £30,000 by the 2019 – when it returns
time the Vale of Rheidol workshop (and will be decided by the
we) reopen, we can ask our contractors to result of a new appeal.
do that straight away. Photo: Phil Ellis/W&LLR

UK/MANX/IRISH NEWS
Temporary narrow
gauge in Ireland
T he first 3ft gauge train ever to run in
Connemara, County Galway will
arrive at Maam Cross station later this year
(writes Hugh Dougherty), as part of an
ambitious project to bring steam back, 85
years after the last train ran on the standard
gauge Galway-Clifden line.
Jim Deegan, director of the Connemara
Railway project, plans to run a steam loco
and carriages to Maam Cross on temporary
narrow gauge track, as a proof of intentions
to develop a working steam railway.
“We have already laid standard gauge
track at Maam Cross and have a 25-year
Bressingham plans narrow lease and planning permission to rebuild
the station, recreate its original track layout
gauge heritage depot project and operate steam trains,” Jim said.
“As this will take some time, we decided
to bring a narrow gauge train to the site
B ressingham Steam Museum trustees

have made public their vision for a new
hew heritage project, replacing the current
They will be joined later in the season
by vertical-boilered 0-4-0 ‘Fernilee’ after
attention in the workshop. Overhaul of
this year, both to make railway history and
to show the community and the railway
heritage movement that we mean business.”
life-expired narrow gauge running shed Hunslet 0-4-0ST ‘George Sholto’ continues Stock will be sourced in Ireland, though
with a purpose-built building in which with the bodywork and tank now painted the identity of the engine is not currently
heritage rolling stock can be displayed. and awaiting the refurbished bottom end. being revealed.
“We have acquired over the years a range Exmoor Steam Railway built 0-4-0T ‘St Plans to run the train this summer have
of wagons, internal combustion and diesel Christopher’ will again be in charge of fallen victim to Covid-19 restrictions, but
locos that we would like to display alongside services on the 15-inch gauge Waveney he still has hopes of staging the event in
out-of-ticket and ‘not in use today’ steam Valley Railway, while the end of lockdown 2020, the 125th anniversary of the opening
locos,” trustee Rob Ellis told NGW. will enable work to resume on restoration of the Galway-Clifden line, built under the
“The vision is for a building that gives of Krupp 4-6-2 Pacific ‘Männertreu’. Light Railways (Ireland) Act of 1889,
visitors access to both our 2ft and 15-inch The design of a new firebox has been although, unusually, to 5ft 3in gauge.
gauge exhibits and to which we can add completed by Graham Morris Engineering, “There is evidence to suggest that it was
appropriate interpretation on the use of and is waiting approval by Bressingham’s to be built on the 3ft gauge,” said Jim. “So
narrow gauge.” boiler inspectors. The one remaining we’re really showing what might have been
Rob added that East Anglia’s lack of original Krupp tender was extensively when we run the train.”
narrow gauge history compared to other overhauled in 2019 to make it serviceable Details are at www.connemararailway.ie
parts of the UK increased the feeling that without altering the outward appearance
the Bressingham collection should be more and retaining the original riveting. The Maam Cross already has 5ft 3in gauge rails and
accessible to visitors, “who may have less loco’s bottom end awaits new tyres on the tracks broad and narrow will meet here later
opportunity to understand its use than wheelsets and re-erection – this is on view this year. Photo courtesy Connemara Railway
those in other areas. in Bressingham’s ‘live’ overhaul area.
“At the moment it is a vision and an Meanwhile the museum’s profile has
aspiration, but we have formed a working been significantly enhanced by a starring
group to try to unpick the challenges and role in a documentary TV series. Inside the
find a way for us to make it become reality.” Steam Train Museum was shown on
When Bressingham reopens services on Channel 5 in June.
the 2ft gauge Fen line will be worked by no
2 ‘Bevan’, built in the museum workshops Above: Bressingham’s narrow gauge shed is
in 2010, and Hunslet 0-4-0ST ‘Gwynedd’. overdue for replacing. Photo: Andrew Charman
n The new depot for the Douglas Bay

Horse Tramway on the Isle of Man has been
completed while the services have not been
running during the coronavirus pandemic. The
brand-new building visually replicates the
previous demolished depot.
Meanwhile in a controversial move the Manx
Government’s Department of Infrastructure
has confirmed that the Tramway is not likely
to run over its full length again until 2022.
Rebuilding work on the Douglas promenade
will be paused on 31st March 2021 to avoid
conflicting with visitors to the island, and the
southern section of the tramway temporarily
replaced with landscaping prior to work
starting again over the winter of 2021-22.
Photo: David Lloyd-Jones

PHOTOS are welcome, either digital images on CD-ROM or as
low-res thumbnail samples by e-mail, prints or transparencies. UK NEWS
BRIEF LINES
No Hollycombe in 2020
Hollycombe Steam Museum has
confirmed that it will not open at
all in 2020. The Hampshire
museum includes a 1.5-mile ling
2ft gauge line and is home to
former Dinorwic quarry Hunslet
0-4-0ST ‘Jerry M.’
...and no Llanfair Gala

The annual Welshpool & Llanfair
Light Railway Steam Gala,
Talyllyn and Corris plan Kerr scheduled for 4th-6th September
in 2020, will not take place this
year due to the Covid-19
Stuart centenary celebrations pandemic, which has particularly
affected locomotive restorations.
T he Talyllyn and Corris Railways will join

forces in 2021 for a series of special
celebrations marking the centenary of Kerr
heading with no 7. It is also hoped that there
will be other attractions for visitors to enjoy.
On the Talyllyn the pair will be rostered
Virtual success for Bala
The Bala Lake Railway’s ‘Virtual
Stuart Tattoo class 0-4-2ST ‘Edward Thomas.’ alongside ‘Sir Haydn’, the only other surviving Gala’, featuring a range of videos
The loco was built by the Stoke-on-Trent Corris engine, and with newly restored streamed on the mid-Wales line’s
firm in 1921 an delivered to the Corris line original Corris carriage no 17, which is Facebook page on 12th June,
where it became no 4. After the line closed, currently undergoing restoration work at proved a major success. More than
the loco was purchased in 1951, along with Stanegate Restorations. £2,000 was raised for the line’s
Hughes 0-4-2ST no 3, by the fledgling The original Corris brake van, which was Covid-19 appeal, taking it past
Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society. purchased for the TR at the same time as the halfway to the target of £25,000.
At the TR the Kerr Stuart retained the two locos, will also be restored in time for the The videos should still be available
number 4 and was named ‘Edward Thomas’ Gala while model Tattoo locomotives and by scrolling down the Bala Lake
after the line’s last pre-preservation general other attractions are promised. Facebook feed and we will have
manager. Indeed following gauge issues with Corris no 7 will be making a second visit to more on this next month.
no 3, named ‘Sir Haydn’, Edward Thomas the Talyllyn, providing an opportunity to
effectively proved a saviour of the Talyllyn in analyse improvements made since its previous
its first years, bringing much-needed relief to visit highlighted the need for front-end
the only working TR loco, 0-4-0T ‘Dolgoch’ drafting changes that have since been done.
which was badly in need of heavy overhaul. Next year will also mark the 70th
The first centenary celebration will be held anniversary of the first train operated by a
on the Corris Railway over the 8/9th May railway preservation society on the Talyllyn on
Gala weekend. Edward Thomas will return to 14th May 1951. This event will be marked by
its former home and work alongside new-build celebrations over the weekend of 14th-16th
sister, Corris no 7 completed in 2005. May, more details of which will be announced n Happy in his work! NGW Manx
At the beginning of June both locomotives by the line at a later date. correspondent David Lloyd-Jones
will transfer to the Talyllyn Railway for a Gala All these events are of course dependent on enjoyed the glorious weather on the
island last month in the conservatory
event over the weekend of 12th-13th June. a resolution of the current Covid-19 issues. – or in his case the waiting shelter at
Both celebrations promise special the nearest stop for the Manx Electric
photographic opportunities including no 4 Above: ‘Edward Thomas’ and its new-build Railway! With the line closed by
hauling a rake of recreated Corris carriages sister were last together on the Talyllyn in 2012. Covid-19 restrictions, David was able
and also some vintage wagons, and double Photo: David Coleman to work without interruptions...
Statfold plans for 2021

T he Statfold Barn Railway is planning two special
events for 2021 after the cancellation of its 2020
enthusiast days.
‘Quarry Hunslet 150’ on 20th March will form a
belated birthday celebration for the iconic 0-4-0ST, the
first example of which was ordered for the Dinorwic
Slate Quarry of North Wales in 1870. “We are in initial
planning stages at the moment, but the event promises
to be good,” Statfold’s Henry Noon told NGW.
On 21st June the second Enthusiast Day will
celebrate 50 years since the building in 1971 of the last
commercial industrial steam engine in the UK,
‘Trangkil No.4’, today preserved at Statfold.
Henry added that the SBR is ready to stage events at
short notice in 2020; “but until we are sure of the
lockdown being lifted we are loath to mention dates.”
Photo: This could be the 1950s but was actually taken in
June in Statfold’s new loco workshop. Photo: Joey Evans

UK NEWS
Restoration progress as
Lancs readies to reopen Threlkeld takes
T he West Lancashire Light Railway has
launched a discounted ‘Advance
accommodate a housing development
underway adjacent to the line – an to the curve
Return to Steam’ family ticket for £6 on its
website, as it awaits a date when it can
safely reopen.
entrance and car park is now being
constructed for the railway and will be
available for use later this year.
E asing of some Covid-19 restrictions has
enabled work to restart on the
extension to the 2ft gauge running line at
WLLR chairman Mike Spall told NGW Work also continues on the 10-year Threlkeld quarry mining museum.
that a donations button on the 2ft gauge overhaul of Orenstein & Koppel 0-4-0 Making use of good weather, the main
line’s website (www.westlancsrailway.org) ‘Montalban’ (6641/1913) and the focus of recent work has been on the
had also proved very popular, “particularly restoration of Bagnall 0-4-0ST ‘Sybil’ horseshoe curve. This has taken some 1800
with our local community and friends.” (1760/1906), with the aim of having both tons of material to construct using some of
A limited return of volunteers has in service in 2021. the vintage machinery that the museum is
started under strict control measures to Work on Montalban has included known for. The quarter-mile extension has
carry out maintenance and to prepare the significant attention to the boiler – an required moving 3000 tons of earth.
railway for a return to service. all-new welded unit built in 1986, it Bagnall 0-4-0ST ‘Sir Tom’ (2135/1925)
All three operational steam locomotives, required replacement of a pitted section in was steamed on 3rd June for footplate crew
Hunslet 0-4-0ST ‘Irish Mail’ (823/1903), the lower barrel. familiarisation and to check that
Kerr Stuart 0-6-0 ‘Joffre’ (2405/1915) and The frames of Sybil have been maintenance carried out over the winter
Orenstein & Koppel 0-4-0 ‘Utrillas’ reassembled with new brake gear and was satisfactory. Threlkeld’s Dickon
(2378/1908) have been successfully couplings, ready for a new riveted marine Chaplin-Brice told NGW that the exercise
steamed ready for their boiler inspection boiler under construction by members of also provided an opportunity to assess how
steam tests. the Sybil Locomotive Trust and Johnson’s the railway could operate as and when
Remodelling of Becconsall station is of Banks. Currently final fitting of the restrictions are eased further.
underway with the main platform being firebox is underway and the railway is Two further steamings have since taken
extended and relaid to accommodate a new aiming for hydraulic testing of the boiler place to collect data using alternative fuels.
toilet block currently being installed. The by the Autumn followed by a steam test. The dry spell at the end of May
platform tiles include many from the provided a window to start repainting
original West Lancashire Railway station at Above: Rapid progress is being made on the carriage stock, four being completed over
Hesketh Park in Southport and will be over new marine boiler for Bagnall 0-4-0ST ‘Sybil. three weeks. The remaining two are
140 years old. The reconfiguration is to Photo: WLLR expected to be painted by the end of June.
Threlkeld was forced to cancel its
n Lynton & Barnstaple Railway members appear to have failed for a annual steam gala planned for the last
second time in an attempt to buy the former Bratton Fleming station. weekend in July, but Dickon added the
The collapse of a previous sale of the building prompted an urgent event would return in 2021.
fund-raising campaign, but as NGW went to press the property was
understood to be under offer for a second time. ‘The Friends Above: On-site heritage plant has proven
of Bratton Fleming Station’ are keeping a close useful in construction of the extension.
eye on the situation in the hope that the sale Below: Good weather has aided a carriage
may fall through again. Photo: L&BR repainting programme.
Photos: Threlkeld Quarry

UK NEWS IN PICTURES
Colossus project
launches appeal
to fund frames
T he group intending to construct a
new-build version of 15-inch gauge
Bassett-Lowke 4-6-2 Pacific ‘Colossus’ has
announced an appeal to fund the frames of n Further progress on the Southwold Railway Trust’s ‘Blyth’ new-build project at North Bay
the locomotive. Engineering in Darlington has seen the wheels and axleboxes of the Sharp-Stewart 2-4-0T
The original loco was commissioned in mounted in the frames, along with the brake gear. The next major job will be to add the motion
1913 by Captain J E P Howey, later to plates and slide bars, followed the eccentric straps and rods.
build the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Since returning to work on 10th May North Bay has also completed the boiler for the project
Railway, for his private railway at to recreate the 1873 Festiniog Railway England 0-4-0 ‘Mountaineer’, and significantly advanced
the overhaul of the Llanberis Lake Railway’s Hunslet 0-4-0ST ‘Thomas Bach.’ Meanwhile a new
Staughton Manor near Northampton, An project is to build a 15-inch gauge customer loco, described by North Bay’s David Humphries as
enlarged version of Bassett Lowke’s Class “basically a Heywood ‘Effie’ with side tanks.” Photo: NBE
30 Atlantic loco designed by Henry
Greenly, the new engine was designated
class 60 and named ‘John Anthony’.
The loco was among stock sold to the
Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway during the n Another new-build making significant
First World War and ran on the Cumbiran progress is the Corris Railway’s Hughes Falcon
0-4-2ST – the latest component completed for
line until 1927 when it was scrapped and the loco, which will be erected at the Ross-
some parts used in the first ‘River Mite’. on-Wye works of Alan Keef Ltd, is a stainless
Four years ago a small group started to steel smokebox. The smokebox is soon to be
acquire drawings and information displayed alongside the loco’s boiler at the
regarding Colossus. Design work and Corris line’s Maespoeth base to aid fundraising
smaller component manufacture has been for the project.
started, but now the project is stepping up Meanwhile construction of the embankment
a gear with a bid to build the main frames. to allow the southwards extension of the
The project is looking for 60 supporters Corris line has also progressed well with the
last of 100 gabions filled on 11th June.
to donate £60 each, either as a single Photo: Corris Railway
amount or in six instalments of £10. Each
supporter will have their names
permanently stamped on the frames and
receive a certificate and a Jonathan Clay
print of Colossus.
Supporters will also receive a regular
newsletter on progress, and an invitation to
the first running days of the new engine.
Anyone interested in joining the
new-build project can call 07773 185342
or e-mail [email protected]
for further information.
Tramathon aids
Seaton line
T he Seaton Tramway streamed a week of
live videos on Facebook between
8th-12th June and on 11th June broadcast
a 24-hour tram trip continuously between
Seaton and Colyton Stations, to help raise
funds for the line while it is closed due to
the Covid-129 pandemic.
The tramway hopes to celebrate its 50th
anniversary of operating in August. Those
donating to the appeal were in line for n A grant from the local SSE Keadby Wind Farm Fund has enabled the Crowe Peatland Railway
prizes and experiences including Driver’s Project in Lincolnshire to purchase a former Lisbon Tram car, no 711. The car arrived at the North
Eye experiences, tram driving lessons, free Lincolnshire base of the project from its previous location in Essex on 13th June – the plan is to
tickets and lifetime free travel. Details are restore it enabling the fledgling project to operate passenger trains on its 3ft gauge running line,
at www.tram.co.uk/tramathon the tram car hauled by one of a pair of Schoma diesels. Photo: CPR

Send WORLD NEWS stories to Andrew Charman by email, [email protected],
WORLD NEWS or by post to 12 Maes Gwyn, Llanfair Caereinion, Powys, SY21 0BD. Telephone: 01938 810692
Lines open
up as virus
fears ease
N arrow gauge railways in Europe have
begun getting back to some form of
normality as Covid-19 restrictions are eased
across the continent.
Typical of the current situation is a full
report from Donald Brooks describing
the latest situation in EAST GERMANY. Zittau are every two hours on Monday to blocked off to ensure social distancing.
Many services are now operating led by the Thursday, two steam sets needed to operate Trains are also resuming on FRENCH
metre-gauge Harzer Schmalspurbahnen the service to the two upper termini. lines. Steam services restarted on the
which reopened throughout from 18th May Fridays to Sundays see hourly departures Vivarais line on 14th June, though with
– currently six steam-worked services run using a third set. According to the timetable an adapted timetable, and again with social
to Brocken, increased from an initial four, this is either diesel hauled or, on some distancing measures.
three running through from Wernigerode Sundays, worked by railcar VT 137 322. The Petit train de la Haute Somme
and three shuttles from Drei Annen Hohne. On Fridays to Sundays one of the steam welcomed visitors back on Sundays from
Nordhausen to Ilfeld Neanderklinik and sets becomes a historic train, either the 7th June, though for now only diesel-
Eisfelder Talmühle sees its usual suburban Reichsbahnzug with 2-10-2T 99 731 or hauled services are running. Seats are
service of trams and railcars, with a the Sachsenzug with 0-4-4-0T IV K Meyer limited, while for people over 12, wearing
minimal railcar service on all other sections. 145. This spends most of the day shuttling a mask is recommended in the train and an
The Harzquerbahn offers two return between Oybin and Jonsdorf. obligation in the line’s museum, which has
railcars between Drei Annen Hohne and The Döllnitzbahn is working as usual, also instigated a one-way system.
Eisfelder Talmühle, while a single railcar with diesel trains between Oschatz and The Museum of French Steam
runs on all sections of the Selketalbahn, Mügeln or Glossen on schooldays and Tramways and Secondary Railways
with no more than two daily returns. Only three return workings from Oschatz, one (MTVS) also planned to reopen at its
daily departure from Quedlinburg is the each to Glossen, Kemmlitz and Mügeln, at Crévecoeur base on 21st June, and the
17.28 to Nordhausen via Harzgerode. weekends, these occasionally steam hauled. Musee des transports de Pithiviers
On all Harz lines face coverings must be reopened on Sundays in June. However
worn and social distancing of 1.5 metres Adults only only the depot and museum are available
is required. From 6th June Traditionszüge The Dresdner Parkeisenbahn children’s to guided tours of 10 people, no trains
began operating from Wernigerode and railway resumed running on Wednesdays to planned to run before July at the earliest.
Nordhausen to Brocken on selected dates. Sundays from 23rd May, between 1pm and In AUSTRIA the start of the steam
The 900mm gauge Mecklenburgische 6pm. However trains can only be boarded season on the Zillertalbahn, postponed by
Bäderbahn Molli began running 11 steam- at the Hauptbahnhof an der Gläsernen the pandemic, has been rescheduled for 1st
hauled services from 21st May (one fewer at Manufaktur and round trips taken. July and in SWITZERLAND trains began
weekends) at roughly hourly intervals until Initially the 385mm gauge line is being running on the 800mm gauge Brienz
November. Again face coverings and social staffed only by adults, possibly for the first Rothern Bahn rack line on 11th June.
distancing are obligatory, while the trains time in its history, one train in service on Globally the picture is very mixed – in
do not carry refreshment services. weekdays and two at weekends. Steam may AUSTRALIA the Puffing Billy Railway
The 750mm Rügensche Bäderbahn- operate at weekends, face coverings must remained closed at press time, but the
Rasender Roland also began its normal be worn in the station building and the Walhalla Goldfields Railway planned to
steam-worked timetable from 21st May, number of passengers per train is restricted. reopen on 24th June, while in the USA the
with hourly services between Göhren and Both the Pressnitztalbahn (750mm Cumbres & Toltec was planning to reopen
Binz Ost, continuing every two hours to gauge) and Waldeisenbahn Muskau with strict social distancing measures on
Putbus and five times a day to Lauterbach (600mm gauge) are operating with the 13th June and the Wiscasset, Waterville &
Mole. The only Covid-19 measure is the former forced only to delay the start of its Farmington Railway Museum in Maine
State requirement for face coverings on season by a week until 9th May. The Bad on 8th August. The Durango & Silverton
public transport. Muskau line requires face coverings in had earlier extended its closure until 22nd
closed carriages, but tries to use its open June but was strongly hopeful of restarting
No themed trips stock as much as possible. Some seats are services before the end of the month.
All three 750mm lines comprising the
Sächsischen Dampfeisenbahngesellschaft Above: Lines back up and running
MBH are now operating again, with face in East Germany include the
Rügensche BäderBahn – on 23rd
coverings obligatory, but all themed trips June last year 2-10-2T 99 1781-6,
and workshop tours have been cancelled LKM Babelsberg 32022 of 1953,
until the end of June – later planned events was on the rear of the 11.22
will be reviewed on a monthly basis. from Lauterbach Mole to Göhren
Both of the 750mm Soeg – Sachsisch- approaching Putbus station.
Oberlausitzer Eisenbahngesellschaft Right: The Dresden Parkeisenbahn
MBH lines are working with face coverings is also running again, two third-
obligatory. The Zittauer Schmalspurbahn scale Martens Pacifics seen on
reopened on 1st May with a limited service a train in 2012. ‘Whillan Beck’, a
and resumed full service from 15th May, sister loco to these two, is now on
following the reopening of all tourist the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway.
infrastructure in Saxony. Departures from Both photos: Donald Brooks
14 Visit our forum: http://www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk

WORLD NEWS
Maine plans new-build BRIEF LINES

T he Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington
Railway Museum in Maine, USA has
started a fund-raising campaign to build a new
to make new parts to original specifications.
More than 500 images have been produced
so far, and the first parts – the main frames and
steam locomotive (writes Wayne Laepple). smaller items – are already in production.
Designated no 11, the new loco will be a To support the project, the museum, which
faithful reproduction of the original railroad’s was fully described in NGW124, has opened a
no 7, a 1907 Baldwin 2-4-4RT Forney. No FundRazr crowd-funding site. The goal for the
7 was damaged in a roundhouse fire in 1933 first round of fund-raising is $17,000, which
and was then scrapped along with almost will boost the funding for the first year of the
everything else on the WW&F in 1937. project to $50,000. Donations can be made at Sandstone Garratt progress
During closure of the museum due to http://build11.wwfry.org Sandstone Steam Museum in
the Covid-19 pandemic, a team of WW&F SOUTH AFRICA has been
volunteers with engineering backgrounds The new loco will be a faithful recreation of donated the power bogies of
has been using Baldwin data to create two- Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway no 7. modified class NGG16 Garratt
dimensional drawings and 3D images Photo: Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania – H.L. no 141 to use on its restoration
Broadbelt Collection
of components. These will be used of sister loco 155. In return the
museum will undertake a cosmetic
restoration of 141. Work on
155, delayed by the coronavirus
pandemic, has resumed and we
hope to carry more on this project
in a forthcoming edition of NGW.
The photo above shows both 141
and 155 at work on the Alfred County
Railway in 1991. Photo: Patrick
Hosford, courtesy Shaun McMahon
West Coast goes plastic

The West Coast Wilderness
Railway in Tasmania,
Perry sale to fund Fowler rebuild AUSTRALIA, is planning to use
reccycled plastic sleepers in future
P ete’s Hobby Railway, a 2ft gauge line

created and owned by enthusiast Peter
Neve on private land at Juness in southern
if restored to working order, the loco would
not be able to negotiate the line’s sharpest
curves of 18-metre radius.
relays of its 3ft 6in gauge line.
According to railway manager
Anthony Brown the composite
New South Wales, AUSTRALIA, is putting its Serious expressions of interest are being sleepers will last much longer than
Perry 0-6-2T locomotive (6771.38.1/1938), sought for the loco, which is unusual in wood versions, with a lifespan of
up for sale. being equipped to haul both 2ft gauge and 40 to 50 years, and each kilometre
The sale of the locomotive, which 3ft 6in gauge stock. of line relaid using them will save
formerly worked at the Kalamia sugar mill “The purchase cost of the loco would around 154.5 tonnes of plastic and
and is currently on static display, will release be the least of (a buyer’s) total expenditure, thousands of trees.
funds to go towards the line’s restoration of dependent of course as to whether the
Fowler 0-6-0TT ‘Perth’, built in 1900. applicant wants to restore it as a relative Not that Indian tour
Restoration of the Fowler, which was complete static, or fully operational unit,” Ian Evans, who contributed
formerly at the Victoria Mill, has reached Peter told NGW. He has set 30th July as an the centrespread picture of the
the stage with the bottom end complete initial deadline for expressions of interest but Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
and ready for reassembly and other parts adds that this deadline can be extended if in NGW148, was a participant
obtained including replacement boiler tubes serious enquiries are received. on a Ffestiniog Travel Indian
and side tanks. Full details of the sale, and the railway, are Hill Railways trip and not the
Peter has obtained a quote for work on on the website www.peteshobbyrailway.club Darjeeling Tours organised trip, as
the Fowler to be completed commercially and we hope to have more from the line in a stated. Our apologies for the error.
but considers that it can be finished for forthcoming edition of NGW.
Readers can send in news
much less in-house. But he will still need to from overseas lines for
raise the funds required. Sale of the Perry (below) will release funds to inclusion on these pages –
Peter describes the proposed sale of the continue restoration of the Fowler (below right) contact details are on page 3
Perry as “very reluctant” but adds that even seen here before work began. Photos: PHR

NEWS EXTRA
Back in
time...
David Joy describes how a
lockdown find is adding to
the relations between two
northeast railways.
T he 60th anniversary of the 60cm

gauge Lincolnshire Coast Light
Railway, celebrated in NGW148 with
photos dating back to 1965, has
prompted the discovery of some
unseen older images from the line’s
earliest days.
The LCLR, which claims to be the
world’s first heritage railway to be
built by enthusiasts, was originally
constructed and opened in 1960 at
Humberston, south of Cleethorpes
and close to the site now occupied by
the 15-inch gauge Cleethorpes Coast
Light Railway (CCLR). Closed in
1985, the LCLR reopened in 2009 at
Skegness Water Leisure Park, more
than 40 miles further south, and has
since flourished in its new location.
Spring cleaning
Like all heritage lines both the LCLR
and CCLR have been closed since
Top: A full train March due to the coronavirus
ready to leave the pandemic, and the lockdown gave
original North
Sea Lane station
CCLR director Peter Bryant the
at Humberston opportunity to tidy up old
behind LCLR no 1 cupboards, drawers and files and see
(Motor Rail what was at the back of them.
‘Simplex’ As a result Peter discovered photos
3991/1926). of the Lincolnshire Coast line that
were taken in 1962, in only its third
Upper left: A quiet season, by C W Underhill from
day at Humberston Belper in Derbyshire. A selection is
Beach terminus, included on these two pages – and
the end of the
1960 line, with no they certainly capture the line’s real
1 and an open narrow gauge atmosphere in those
carriage built early days.
on a converted There are now hopes that the
First World War search can be taken a stage further to
bogie wagon. embrace early images of the time
when the CCLR was the Cleethorpes
Centre left: This Miniature Railway, using parallel
could be a scene tracks of 10¼in gauge on which
on a Lincolnshire
agricultural trains were pushed and pulled by
railway a century model locomotives based on the LMS
ago. No 1 passes pioneering diesel electrics nos 10000
the run-round loop and 10001.
before Humberston Members of the LCLR at Skegness
Beach terminus. have been sent the rediscovered
pictures with a request for them to
Left: Peckett check their own archives to see if they
0-6-0ST ‘Jurassic’ might have photos of the Cleethorpes
inside the loco
shed. The Ruston Miniature line. They have also been
diesel on its right made aware of the CCLR’s appeal
proved near (www.crowdfunder.co.uk/
impossible to start keepusontrack) hoping to raise funds
and was broken to cover the costs the 15-inch gauge
up in 1968. line will need to bear from the

NEWS EXTRA
enforced closure and protective Right: The main
measures for it to reopen. station at North
The connections between the two Sea Lane,
lines are close – one of the CCLR Humberston, with
termini is called North Sea Lane, one of the huge
recalling the original LCLR Ashover Light
headquarters, and there are extension Railway carriages
ambitions that would take it closer to and some of the
the former site of the 60cm gauge line. signals that gave
the line great
character.
Reciprocal gift?
“We’re hoping that our older Centre right:
volunteers, many of whom vividly Ashover carriage
recall the original Cleethorpes at North Sea Lane
miniature line, will have never- awaiting adding
before-seen photos of it tucked away to a train if
somewhere and we can let today’s warranted by
Cleethorpes line have them,” said passenger levels.
John Chappell of the LCLR. Below: The
“We’re working on our own plans modern-day
to reopen the LCLR when we can, in Cleethorpes
line with guidance from HM Railway Coast Railway
Inspectorate, government regulations runs close to the
and the implications of having part of original sites of
our site in the Skegness Water Leisure the Lincolnshire
Park, with its variety of facilities,” Coast line. Here
John added. 1990-built 2-6-2
Might this quest for early photos No.24 emerges
from its shed.
be the start of a trend that NGW
readers of a certain age will emulate? Below right:
Many of us currently have unusual Sister former
amounts of spare time and to Fairbourne
rediscover such old photos would be engines ‘Katie’
doing something positive in these and ‘Sian’ at the
difficult days. CCLR’s North Sea
We would be delighted to receive Lane, recalling
photos that come to light, especially if the original LCLR.
they depict UK lines taken in the Photos: C.W.
1960s or early ’70s. Ideally these Underhill/CCLR/
should be scanned and sent with brief LCLR. Modern-day
details to the Features Editor at the CCLR pictures by
email address shown on page 3. NGW Harry Billmore

COVER STORY
Industrial action...
Back in NGW82, Paul Jarman described the beginnings of an industrial

narrow gauge railway at Beamish Museum in County Durham. Seven years on,
we hear from Paul about the developments since then and plans for the railway’s future.
T he narrow gauge railway at

Beamish Museum has become
something of a hidden gem, now
stockyard railway, with elements from
other internal-user systems as might
have appeared in County Durham
Above: Looking
across the colliery
from the pit heap,
line is now broadly complete, being
formed of a distorted triangle, with
sidings and branches leading away
being a well-established feature of the and Northumberland around the with Hunslets from this. The layout is confined by
museum’s ambitious events period of the First World War. ‘Edward Sholto’ several fixed features, including roads
and ‘Hugh Napier’
programme, including the annual The area around Beamish is on the narrow and railways as well as a pit heap and
April Great North Steam Fair, but pockmarked with former colliery sites gauge sidings. set of colliery buildings. However, it
retaining its industrial charm and and mining activity, and whilst the has never been about creating route
sense of intrigue for the observer. majority of these were served by Below: Typical of mileage, rather a setting for carrying
Great care has been taken to create horse-drawn waggonways and later recent Great North out shunting in connection with
(and retain) the industrial atmosphere standard gauge railways (an extensive Steam Fairs, an working displays.
of the railway, which has continued network of these being located right 1889 Marshall To date these displays have
to gently expand its compact network outside the museum’s front gates), traction engine included stone crushing for ground
of sidings and operating features, there were also a number of narrow powering a reclamation and timber sawing on
sawbench. The
whilst ensuring that it doesn’t look gauge railway lines in the vicinity, Moseley Railway steam-powered saw benches. These
either ‘new’ or too tidy! notably in nearby Stanley and a few Trust’s Hudswell have been set up for special events,
The development of the railway is miles further away at Lintz (sites now Clarke 0-6-0WT including the now well-known Great
still based on the original intent – to lost to nature). No.104 was North Steam Fair, attracting 23,000
create a ‘typical’ Edwardian colliery The track layout of the museum visiting in 2016. visitors over four days in 2019.
Extended run
Since the article in NGW82 the
railway has been expanded to several
times its original size. The purchase
of a sizable quantity of ex-Ravenglass
35M rail, and later the sponsorship of
some new components or materials
that originated from the Eastriggs
MoD system, have enabled
development to proceed on more
structured lines. Consideration has
also been given to accommodating
the varied dimensions found on
narrow gauge railways of nominally
2ft gauge, in particular the differing
back-to-back standards between, for
example, the Ffestiniog Railway, War
Department Light Railways and pure
2ft gauge railways.
Infrastructure is also being
developed, with two water towers
www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk
COVER STORY
being constructed using timber
stands and reclaimed iron tank
bodies. A coaling platform was
assembled from scrap timber and an
iron waggon body while there are a
number of sheds, with a further one
planned, as well as the partially
constructed stone engine shed that
will one day accommodate our
Stephen Lewin new-build loco
‘Samson’ as part of a permanent
period display, based on the narrow
gauge shed (and former stable) that
still survives at Chadwick Nick in
Crich, Derbyshire (part of George
Stephenson’s Crich Railway).
The collection of rolling stock has
grown, with a number of Ffestiniog
Railway waggons being based at
Beamish at present. The museum’s
own collection has also been
expanded, including the waggon of
which we are most proud, our brake
van No.V3. This started as a Above: Newly-
⅞ths-inch to the foot model built by restored, Phil
Mason’s Kerr
the author, itself based on a standard Stuart ‘Diana’
gauge waggon used at Seaham visited in 2017 to
Harbour (and which bore striking help recreate a
resemblance to the Corris Railway First World War
brake van now located on the timber tramway.
Talyllyn Railway).
Plans were produced and the Right: Some of the
chance to utilise the joinery team for rolling stock that
a number of weeks one winter has been restored
or constructed at
enabled substantial progress to be Beamish including
made on this project. The van has three Ffestiniog
proved to be very popular with Railway granite
several requests for its plans to be waggons and the
made available for others to copy, new-build brake
build models of or even base van, V3. Photo:
domestic garden buildings on! Paul Jarman
museum, which is, after all, about construction of the replica of Stephen
Fair dates Below ‘Statfold’, telling stories. Lewin built 0-4-0WTG Samson (the
The railway has developed in visiting from the The railway operates at other original dating from 1874) and the
conjunction with the previously Statfold Barn times throughout the year, another restoration of former Durham
mentioned annual transport festival Railway, hauls a busy weekend being the museum’s County Water Board/Penrhyn
mixed FR and
and Great North Steam Fair each Beamish train up celebration of local coal mining Quarry Andrew Barclay 0-4-0WT,
April – this being the catalyst for each the hill from the heritage, titled ‘Old King Coal’. ‘Glyder’. The construction of
phase of development and also the Sinkers sidings Two significant developments that Samson, the original of which
opportunity to invite and enjoy a
wide variety of locomotives and
towards Top Yard. have occurred in recent years are the worked locally in Weardale, has been »
rolling stock. Highlights have
included the Great War Steam Fair
event, with visiting First World War
traction and rolling stock working
alongside a sawbench display that
featured volunteers attired in suitable
prisoner-of-war costume to recreate
domestic forestry activity that took
place in the 1914-1918 period.
This was further developed for
one of the Great North Steam Fairs,
where the Kerry Tramway in Wales
was recalled through the appearance
of Kerr Stuart 0-4-0T ‘Diana’ (which
worked on the Kerry Tramway) and a
collection of timber-carrying waggons
from a number of locations. Having a
theme certainly helps the narrow
gauge railway to have real purpose
during such events, and enables it to
take its place within the wider
www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk 19
COVER STORY
Village housing and café – thus
creating a safe arena for displaying
both standard and narrow gauge
railways as well as some interesting
industrial processes.
On public view
Further sidings are planned, and an
Left: Barclay additional locomotive shed will
0-4-0WT ‘Glyder’, provide public viewing of the loco
restored in 2019, fleet when not in use – something
retains much that we have received comments
original paintwork about. Samson has its own shed but
as a result of whilst there are windows, it isn’t
great care to terribly accessible when out of steam.
preserve the
working patina In response to the need to improve
acquired at public access, a series of viewing
Penrhyn Quarry. It walkways are planned for the railway,
rests alongside to enable safe access to view the
the suitably operation, whilst also segregating the
industrial water public from stored industrial artefacts
well chronicled in these pages, whilst around the region with Ffestiniog tower and coal and the steep slopes of the pit heap.
Glyder’s restoration was completed in Railway connections and who were platform. Photo: The challenge is creating a walkway
June 2019. able to bring additional skills and Paul Jarman that suits the period nature of the site
Great care was taken to retain resource to the restoration of rolling Below: In April – the paintings of renowned local
Glyder’s original paintwork and stock for the railway. 2015 Graham artist, Norman Cornish, have
appearance, and this has been Matt Ellis, our Keeper of Lee’s impressive provided some inspiration for the
achieved more successfully than we Transport, has well-established steam face shovel solution now being developed.
expected, with a clean but work-worn F&WHR links (he is a driver on visited Beamish. It This amply illustrates the
appearance resulting. The boiler was both railways there) and through this, was put to work challenge of creating an accurate
overhauled at the Severn Valley a collection of unrestored FR for four days, recreation of a working narrow gauge
Railway, whilst the mechanical waggons have been placed on loan to shaping the industrial railway – though we are
overhaul was carried out at Beamish. Beamish and the BINGE group are cutting through fortunate that the usual visitor
which the narrow
The loco also worked in Weardale, steadily working through their gauge would be facilities that a preservation group
and will remain at Beamish for at restoration. Many of these can be extended later. It might be expected to provide already
least ten years through an agreement seen in the accompanying photos. is seen here with exist elsewhere within the museum
with its owner, Graham Morris. The latest development has been visiting Kerr grounds, such as toilets and cafés.
an eastward extension of the running Stuart ‘Wren’ The principle objective is now to
Volunteer group line, by around 60 yards, as well as Jennie, and enhance the existing railway, carry
A very fruitful development has come creation of a siding and raised Hunslets ‘Hugh out some track renewal (a lot of
through the creation of BINGE platform upon which a stone crusher Napier’ and secondhand material was used in the
(Beamish Industrial Narrow Gauge has been mounted. This enables ‘Edward Sholto’. initial stages of construction) and
Engineers). This started as a group of shovelling of the crushed arisings to All photos by Dave
then look to opportunities to operate
staff volunteering in their own time be downhill – a big improvement on Hewitt, Beamish the line more frequently for the
on narrow gauge projects, to which previous arrangements! It is bounded Museum unless visitors to enjoy and perhaps even
was added a group of volunteers from on one side by the Museum’s Pit stated otherwise take part in.
20
COVER STORY
No. 18, the 1877-built Stephen Right: In 2019 a
Lewin locomotive that worked at short 15-inch
Seaham Harbour for 93 years, will be gauge running
withdrawn for overhaul on the line was added to
adjacent standard gauge colliery the Colliery
Railway network,
railway in the next two years, so our and in April ‘River
focus will shift slightly towards more Irt’ and ‘Katie’
frequent operation of the narrow visited from the
gauge line to ensure regular steam Ravenglass &
activity in the area – currently No. 18 Eskdale Railway
operates on three days per week The line is laid
during the season, school holidays between standard
excepted. This therefore is a very gauge rails –
positive opportunity for more use of recreating the
post-conversion
Samson and Glyder during the year. Ratty between
Ravenglass and
Gasworks loco Murthwaite.
There are plenty more rolling stock
projects to focus on as well, including Centre right: The
further BINGE work beyond the Moseley Railway
current programme of FR granite Trust’s Simplex
waggon rebuilds. The restoration of ‘Tin Turtle’ LR 400-plus acre site. Drawings have More Information
the ex Dundee Gas Works Kerr 3090 is the been obtained for the railway chassis, For those interested in following the
backdrop for this
Stuart No. 721, which is on loan scene at the 2016 wheels and adaptations, and these will narrow gauge railway developments
from the Narrow Gauge Railway Great War Steam be manufactured at some point in at Beamish, Paul maintains and
Museum at Tywyn, commenced in Fair, with visiting the future to enable this very early updates a comprehensive blog at
November 2019 and, when complete, War Department road-railer to be demonstrated. NGW www.beamishtransportonline.co.uk
it will further enable the operation of rolling stock and
locomotives that might not readily genuine WW1
find a use on passenger carrying Triumph Model H
heritage lines. motorcycles.
We also have a Hibberd diesel Both photos:
locomotive named ‘Ashover’ in store, Paul Jarman
on loan from the Ffestiniog & Welsh Below: Extending
Highland Railway Railway and which the narrow gauge
will be overhauled by the BINGE to Sinkers Siding
volunteers, some mechanical work allows locos on
already having been carried out. This three gauges to
will give us a very useful shunting be compared. On
locomotive for the site. A replica of the left is ‘Katie’
the 2ft gauge Crewe Tractors, whilst ‘Samson’ is
assembled around production line overlooked by
Ford Model T cars in the First World 1871-built Coffee
Pot No.1 and
War, has also been started, the road 1877-built No.18
vehicle being the author’s regular on the standard
runaround within the museum’s gauge line.
21
WAITE’S WORLD
Metre Gauge Steam

in Portugal James Waite made a final narrow gauge outing
before the lockdown of the 2020 pandemic.
I t was 4am on the damp morning of

Saturday 14th December 2019 as I
drove down the long hill towards
I thought that some night shots
might provide my best opportunities.
As the yard came into view I saw
Sernada do Vouga, the operating that most of it was lit by yellow
centre of the old EF Vale do Vouga. sodium lights, not conducive to
Five hours later the first public steam colour photography, but as I drew
train for many years anywhere on into the station’s parking lot I could
Portugal’s metre gauge railways would see a tell-tale plume of steam lit up by
set off from Aveiro, the Vouga a white light. Sure enough there was
railway’s southern terminus, and the 2-4-6-0 Mallet tank no E214
train was being prepared in the yard (Henschel 19877/1923), standing
at Sernada. just outside the loco shed, with
I hadn’t planned to be up at this several of its team of enthusiastic
early hour but the weather was so supporters preparing the loco for the
dismal that the prospects of successful day’s outing.
daylight photos looked poor and In 2017 this engine had been
restored to working order at Porto’s
Contumil works, the principal repair
facility in northern Portugal run by
CP, the state railway. By then two
sections of the old Vouga system were
the only remaining metre-gauge
22
WAITE’S WORLD
railways anywhere in the country.
For several summers past CP had
operated a tourist train on the
Aveiro-Sernada line using splendidly-
restored historic carriages. It had
always been hauled by an equally
well-restored diesel but many people,
both within Portugal and beyond,
considered that what was really
needed was a steam loco. No E214
had been restored with just this in
mind but concerns about the fire risk
and other logistical matters meant
that it would be another two years
before this long-awaited first steam
train could run.
Looking back
Like many enthusiasts of a certain age
I often visited northern Portugal in
the 1970s when steam trains operated
on the several magnificent narrow
gauge railways which ran to the north country but all regular trains since place without causing considerable
of the River Douro. The most Facing page: The then have been diesel-worked. hardship. The railway, fondly called
westerly of these consisted of a crew prepares At first most of these consisted of Vouguinha locally, is clearly greatly
suburban system running out into Mallet 2-4-6-0 no railcars built by Allan in Rotterdam valued, and it wasn’t a surprise to see
the countryside from central Porto, E214 at Sernada in 1955 along with some earlier that many people had turned out to
and further east were four other lines shed in the small railbuses which had run on the watch the first steam trains go by.
which served remoter districts in the hours of 14th system for many years. By the time I The Vale do Vouga was built by a
country’s far north. December 2019. first visited the Aveiro line in 1994 French company. Its stations look
Back then all these lines were to a regauged four-wheeled railcars, quite different from those on the
greater or lesser extent steam- Above: Waiting on bought secondhand from Yugoslavia lines further north and wouldn’t be at
the following day
operated, using a series of old but to leave Aveiro
after closure of the 760mm gauge all out of place on the French metre
magnificently maintained locos. station – the railways in Bosnia, had taken over. gauge. The first section was opened
From 1975 onwards they were Vouga line uses They weren’t very successful and by the King of Portugal in 1908
gradually replaced by diesels and by the two most nowadays services are worked by a – one of his first acts after he became
the early 1980s steam operation was easterly of the series of railcars built in the 1970s for King following the assassination of
largely confined to occasional special station platforms. the Porto suburban lines. his father and elder brother.
workings, mostly associated with The line itself has been relaid with The Aveiro line followed in 1911
local festivals. The last time I saw a Below: A lucky heavy-section rail and looks to be in but the King couldn’t officiate as he
loco in steam was in June 1978 and shot! James Waite excellent shape. However this work was deposed the previous year and
watching no E214 being prepared for comments: “I’ve hasn’t stopped occasional threats had moved to the UK. He soon
never before
operation more than 40 years later managed to being made to close it once more settled in Twickenham and became
was very nostalgic. photograph a though the trains which I saw were an active and valued member of the
Back in the 1970s a warm train entering a well-patronised. Parts run well away local community. Several roads bear
welcome awaited enthusiasts at tunnel from the from any main road and it’s difficult names recalling him and his family
engine sheds and other operating
facilities all over the country. The
other end.” to see how any closure could take and the Roman Catholic parish »
welcome from the railwaymen is still
there, but I was soon to discover that
nowadays the sheds are fenced off
and security guards are omnipresent.
To be more accurate perhaps I should
say that they are almost omnipresent
because it would be another hour
after my 4am arrival before the one at
Sernada, complete with what looked
like a Kalashnikov, appeared for duty
and I was politely asked to put my
camera away. By then I’d completed
my photo session and was ready to
drive back to my hotel to complete
my night’s sleep!
The Vouga system was the first in
northern Portugal to dispense with
steam locos. Much of it, including
the Aveiro line, was closed completely
with little warning in 1972 after
forest fires were blamed on sparks
from the locos. The lines reopened as
a result of popular pressure in 1975
after democracy was restored in the
WAITE’S WORLD
church is still home to the stained
glass windows and furnishings with
which he endowed it.
Surviving Mallets
No E214 is one of 16 members of its
class built by Henschel for Portugal’s
Estado or state metre-gauge system
which operated some of the lines
north of the Douro. The first four
dated from 1913, two more came
two years later and the final ten were
built in 1923 as reparations after the
First World War in which Portugal
fought on the Allied side.
For many years from 1924 some
worked on the Vouga system, initially
on loan until it was nationalised in
1947. All remained in service until
the 1970s and no E214 was one of
the last to receive a general overhaul
in 1980. The loco remained
serviceable for at least the following
eight years. All 16 have survived
– indeed only one loco from any of
the country’s several metre-gauge
Mallet classes has ever been scrapped.
The Vale do Vouga company’s
Above: A return on own locos included three Corpet
4th January with Louvet 0-6-0Ts, seven 2-6-0Ts built
the special train by Decauville and by Orenstein &
surmounting the Koppel, four Borsig 4-6-0Ts and
steep climb out three Henschel 2-8-2Ts. The Corpet
of Aveiro. Louvets disappeared many years ago
Left: Welcome but examples of all of the others have
morning sunshine been preserved on the line, either in
greeted the train Sernada shed or in an excellent
as it left Aveiro. museum converted from the old
carriage shed at Macinhata do Vouga,
Below: Sernada the first station south of Sernada on
station. Behind the Aveiro line.
the Mallet is the My daytime photos during the
preserved Alsthom first weekend were mostly
diesel no 9004,
built in 1964 for disappointing because of the poor
the Tajuna railway weather, but the trip was enlivened
near Madrid. by a long, and not entirely alcohol-
free, lunch with the loco’s support
All photos by crew at Sernada’s excellent family-run
James Waite station restaurant.
A final train had been scheduled
for the following Saturday but the
rain got steadily worse and it was
postponed after an embankment at
Macinhata began to collapse.
Emergency repairs immediately after
Christmas enabled the train to run
on 4th January 2020.
I returned, this time with my wife,
to see the train once more, to enjoy
another fine lunch at Sernada and to
explore Aveiro. It’s a fascinating city
built around canals, a little like
Venice but without the crowds. There
was a frost overnight but the day with
the train was blessed with crisp
winter sunshine. It was our final
narrow gauge outing before the onset
of the Covid-19 pandemic and we
just hope we can soon travel again.
A historical feature based on visits
to Portugal in the 1970s will follow
in a future issue of NGW. NGW
24 www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk
FROM THE ARCHIVE
Penrhyn and Padarn – 1961

David Mitchell recalls his first and only visit to the two major North Wales slate quarries.
I n August 1961, I persuaded my

mother that a few days spent in
Llanberis, north Wales, would be a
‘Blanche’ has
derailed on the
very grass-grown
joy, a silver and black Daimler
Century. I also had to take my
cousins with me.
but lack of time prevented us going
further. It was disappointing that we
did not see any of the little Hunslet
good idea. We duly went, my brother track somewhere On 15th August we went round tanks at work.
beyond Tregarth.
and I, together with my aunt and two A passenger the quarry and onto the galleries. Presumably we then drove to Port
cousins. I had arranged a visit to discusses the Here we saw the two Barclay 0-4-0 Penrhyn where Hunslet 0-4-0ST
Penrhyn Quarry and having recently problem with tanks, ‘Cegin’ and ‘Glyder’, at work. ‘Blanche’ was in steam outside the
learned to drive was allowed to take the driver. Photo: We were told the Hunslet 0-4-0ST shed. Inside sister loco ‘Charles’ was
the family car, my father’s pride and R L Mitchell ‘Winifred’ was in steam higher up, out of use and in the carriage shed »
25
FROM THE ARCHIVE
we saw and photographed the famous
line of disused locomotives, never
guessing that one day I would see
Left: ‘Blanche’ at some of them back in steam. In the
Port Penrhyn works were the third of the larger
about to bump- Hunslets, ‘Linda’ and ‘Pamela’, the
start diesel no 23. quarry Hunslet bearing the boiler of
The sand bucket Hudswell Clarke ‘Bronwllyd’.
hung on the front We met up with the mainline
was a feature of train again back at Coed-y-Par and
Penrhyn mainline with some eight loaded slate wagons
engines. Photo: plus empty coal wagons, we returned
R L Mitchell
to Port Penrhyn on a pleasant sunny
Below: ‘Cegin’, a afternoon. Blanche went to the shed
Barclay loco that and we drove back to Llanberis.
Penrhyn bought
secondhand in the The Padarn Railway
1930s, hauls a The following day was overcast and
rake of slate on raining with a low cloud base. I went
the main level alone to the Dinorwic Quarry office
where the cutting at Gilfach Ddu, Llanberis. I was
sheds were
located. Photo: shown into the general manager’s
David Mitchell office, suitably Victorian and with a
fire burning in the grate, despite it
Facing page, being August.
were a couple of the quarrymen’s very tolerant of the youthful above right: I had two options, only having
open carriages and Lord Penrhyn’s interlopers. No doubt through his ‘Glyder’, another one day available. I could go round
saloon. A small diesel, no 23, was also influence one of the quarrymen’s’ secondhand the quarry or ride on the 4ft gauge
in use. At one point it was reluctant carriages was attached to the rear of Barclay loco. It is Padarn train. I opted for the ride, not
to move and Blanche was brought to the quarry train. It comprised three working on one of knowing at the time that the line
the lower levels.
push-start it. wagons of coal and about ten empty In the background
would close in a few months.
An Ivatt 2-6-0 was shunting the slate wagons – very loose coupled. wagons of waste The 0-6-0T Hunslet tank
standard gauge and at one stage stood I do not recall the departure time, are being joined ‘Amalthea’ was in steam, presumably
alongside Blanche. Of much interest probably mid-morning. It was a very to the cable on an having come up that morning from
was the trackwork – as the Penrhyn pleasant ride until a little beyond electric incline to Penscoins, the top of the incline
Quarry Railway had double-flanged Tregarth when the train came to a be taken higher down to Port Dinorwic and where
wheels, the points had movable stub sudden stop. Blanche had derailed. and tipped. Photo: the loco in use was shedded. Coal was
ends and crossings. There were a We decided to walk up to the quarry. R L Mitchell in short supply and the two mid-day
couple of crossings over the standard Part way a diesel came from the trains did not run. I helped the crew
gauge, which had movable sections quarry direction with a slate wagon All photos taken scavenge in the coal heap for
August 1961
that were swung clear when the Ivatt carrying four men and a quantity of (except those whatever could be found.
went through. timber and tools – clearly this was the credited to the On the 1ft 10¾in gauge, 0-4-0ST
The Reverend Teddy Boston and a rescue party. David Mitchell ‘Sybil’, a Bagnall of 1906, was
couple of his friends were there and At Coed-y-Parc, the quarry works, collection) shunting and had earlier pushed the

FROM THE ARCHIVE
wagons to the loading dock. This was
roughly where the Llanberis Lake
Railway station stands today. It was
close to the building where one of the
original 4ft gauge engines, ‘Fire
Queen’ of 1848, spent some 80 years
like a Sleeping Beauty after
withdrawal in 1886.
At the dock the quarry wagons
went onto a train of some 12 4ft
gauge transporters, each with four
loaded slate wagons. The last vehicle
had three wagons and the box van for
the guard. He could work the brake
on the transporters with a handle that
protruded between the ‘van’ and the
adjacent wagon.
It was a very dull day and my
pictures, on Kodachrome 1, were
taken at a 15th of a second and f2.8
– the maximum exposure possible.
The train left about 3.30pm and I
started by riding in the ‘van’, but the
view was very limited so I moved to
the adjacent slate wagon. This was
better but it was not very comfortable Below: View of the guard, ran into the right-hand track. then caught a bus to Caernarfon and
sitting on the edges of the slates. At Gilfach Ddu area at From here they were moved manually a second one back to Llanberis, damp
Penscoins we drew up to the Dinorwic circa to the loading dock for the small but happy.
south-end points and the fireman 1960. Large wagons to be removed and lowered
alighted. The train then set back Hunslet ‘Jerry M’ down an incline to the harbour. The Final reflections
about 200 yards, before running or ‘Cackler’ shunts empty transporters then went onto Thus ended my first and only visit
forward at a moderate speed. quarry wagons. the left-hand track to form up behind to the two major North Wales slate
About 40 yards from the points The loading dock the engine for the next train back to quarries – a schoolboy’s outing with
for the 4ft gauge
the loco was uncoupled by the driver Padarn Railway is the quarry. my mother’s camera and film. It
using a treadle on the footplate and behind the building From Penscoins I walked down would have been nice to go again a
accelerated into the left-hand road. at upper centre. the incline to the quay at Port year or two later when I had a better
The fireman changed the points and Photo: David Dinorwic and took a very poor camera and more knowledge, but life
the transporters, under control of the Mitchell collection picture of shunting on the quayside. I is too short for regrets about what »

FROM THE ARCHIVE
might have been done. Today we
have the superb pictures of Ivo Peters
and Dick Blenkinsop, which allow us
to recall these two fascinating
industrial railways.
The part of the Padarn trackbed
alongside the lake was relaid with 2ft
gauge as the Llanberis Lake Railway.
A preservation scheme at Coed-y-
Parc, the Penrhyn Railway’s
workshops at the south end of the
line, relaid a short length of track a
few years ago. For a brief period it
was possible to see Penrhyn engines
on their home ground, but sadly the
scheme failed and the track was lifted
a couple of years ago. NGW
Previous spread: ‘Blanche’ prepares to

work the train from Port Penrhyn up to
the quarry. In the background an Ivatt
2-6-0 is shunting wagons to take up to
the main line. Photo: David Mitchell
Top left: ‘Amalthea’, the second of the

three 4ft gauge Hunslet 0-6-0 tanks that
worked the Padarn Railway. Built in 1886
it was named ‘Pandora’ until 1909. It is
at Gilfach Ddu waiting to depart to
Penscoins, the interchange point above
Port Dinorwic. Photo: David Mitchell
Left: ‘Sybil’, a Bagnall tank of 1906 and

one of the few non-Hunslet engines at
Dinorwic, takes water by the works
building (now the Slate Museum). It was
working between Gilfach Ddu and the
main quarry yard at Hafon Owen, further
south. Photo: David Mitchell collection
Below: Penscoins in 1959. The dock and

head of the incline are in the building
behind ‘Amalthea’. The building to the
left with the doors is the shed that
housed the magnificent saloon used by
the owner, Mr Assheton-Smith, and also
once a week to convey the wages to the
quarry. Photo: David Mitchell collection

WORLD LINES
Rails in Vietnam
Adrian Garner experienced two contrasting railways
just before tourism came to a halt.
V ietnam is not known for its

railway attractions but a holiday
taken earlier this year – and arriving
Above: On leaving
Hanoi main
station trains have
during the wars that finally finished
in 1975. This line has since been
rebuilt and is now operated with
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway as it
crosses roads with makeshift level
crossing gates and heads through the
back to the UK on 9th March just as to crawl between diesels built by the Czech engineering narrow streets. Until recently locals
the world went into lockdown – buildings and firm CKD Praha in the late 1980s. spread their shops and restaurant
cross many side
revealed both an interesting mainline streets on their Whilst little of the original rolling chairs out over the tracks. These are
and a fascinating preserved narrow way south. stock exists, around Hanoi there are now kept clear by the authorities
gauge railway. two areas of interest. To the north of who have introduced flowerbeds, but
The railways in Vietnam were Below: The train the city, towards China, the line has there is still minimal room for the
built to the ‘standard’ narrow gauge to Hanoi enters to cross the Red River and does so by train to pass.
of one metre adopted by the French Gia Lam station to the Long Bien Bridge designed by
whilst Vietnam was part of their the north east of Gustav Eiffel, of Eiffel Tower fame. Escaping the heat
colony of IndoChina. To limit costs the city on 6th The bridge is 2.4km long, took three Of greatest interest is the preserved
the lines were nearly all single-track. March, 2020. It years to build and opened in 1903. It section of hill railway at Da Lat. The
was crowded with
The main route running the length locals shopping in
was bombed during the Vietnam War summers in Vietnam are hot and,
of the country from Ho Chi Minh Hanoi but they but escaped destruction and has since akin to the hill railways in India, the
City in the south, still often referred were relaxed been repaired. French began building a line in 1903
to locally as Saigon, to Hanoi in the about being joined Near to the main station the line to connect the low-lying area of Thap
north was substantially damaged by tourists. becomes reminiscent of an oversize Cham with the cooler hill town of »
31
WORLD LINES
firm of Schweizerische Lokomotiv
und Maschinenfabrik (SLM).
The first group of five HG 4/4
locos were delivered by SLM in 1924,
followed by two of the same type
manufactured by Machinenfabrik,
Esslingen, Germany in 1929.
Subsequently a further two HG 4/4s
were supplied by SLM in 1930 and
four of type 3/4 were acquired in
1947 from the Furka-Oberalp Bahn
in Switzerland after it was electrified.
Incidentally the H in the designation
indicates a rack locomotive, the G
means narrow gauge, the first
numeral represents the number of
powered axles and the second the
total number of axles.
Although the line was attacked
during the Vietnam War, the railway
was south of the main war zone and
high up out of major strategic
Da Lat. Its 84 kilometres opened in Da Lat and this was achieved by four Above: The grand
military importance. It thus survived
stages and the full route was not sections of Abt rack track. To haul Art Deco terminus and remained in operation through
completed until 1932. the trains metre gauge rack-enabled at Da Lat is now to 1969. Indeed, the Art Deco station
About 1600 metres needed to be steam locomotives were required and preserved and a at Da Lat, designed by the French
climbed from near sea level to reach all but two were built by the Swiss major feature of architects Moncet and Reveron in
the town. 1932 with its stained glass windows,
Type HG 4/4 locomotives supplied direct to Thap Cham – Da lat line was largely untouched. So too was
Below: Japanese the nearby Summer Palace built as
Dalat Rly No Works No Vietnam Rly No Status built C12 class the King’s summer retreat in Da Lat.
701 SLM 2937/1924 40-301 Destroyed in Second World War 2-6-2T no 131-428 Both these buildings along with the
702 SLM 2938/1924 40-302 Scrapped is displayed at Da
Lat station. attractive Xuan Huong Lake have
703 SLM 2939/1924 40-303 Unknown made Da Lat a tourist attraction,
704 SLM 2940/1934 40-304 At DFB, Switzerland Facing page, top particularly for the Chinese.
right: To reach Trai Unfortunately, whilst the line
705 SLM 2941/1924 40-305 Destroyed in Second World War Mat the line heads survived the war, albeit closed from
706 MFE/1929 40-306 At DFB, Switzerland through the back 1969 to 1975, the authorities in
707 MFE/1929 40-307 Destroyed in Second World War streets of Da Lat Vietnam decided to use its rail to
before emerging rebuild the main line from Ho Chi
708 SLM 3413/1930 40-308 Now at DFB into the hills. Minh City to Hanoi and most of the
709 SLM 3414/1930 40-309 Destroyed in Second World War rails vanished in 1976. Even worse, it
Of the three type HG 4/4 locos repatriated to Switzerland, no 704 has been restored to Top far right: After
25 minutes the appears that the rails did not match
working order, 708 is being restored and German-built 706 is being used for parts. those of the main line and eventually
journey ends at
Type HG 3/4 locomotives transferred from Furka Oberalp Bahn in 1947 Trai Mat where ended up as scrap.
FOB No Works No Vietnam Rly No Status there is a simple
run-round loop. Changing times
1 SLM 2315/1913 31-201 All four type 3/4 locos have been Just beyond was a This could have been the end of the
2 SLM 2316/1913 31-202 repatriated and are now at the steep descending
DFB. No 1 ‘Furkahorn’ and no 9 story for both the railway and its
grade where the surviving locomotives but luckily two
8 SLM 2418/1914 31-203 ‘Gletschorn’ have been restored locos engaged
9 SLM 2419/1914 31-204 to working order. with the rack.
events changed matters. Firstly in
Switzerland the original route of the
Furka Oberalp Bahn was restored and
operates as the preserved Dampfbahn
Furka-Bergstrecke, or DFB for short.
In 1989 a Swiss team arranged the
repatriation of seven locomotives
– three of type HG 4/4 and the
original four Furka Oberalp Bahn
type HG 3/4. The fortunes of the
line’s locos are shown in the table.
The second positive event stems
from increasing tourism in Vietnam.
More people want to visit the
50-metre long Linh Phuoc Pagoda
built in 1952 in Trai Mat, the first
station out from Da Lat. With both
stations still existing, along with the
track bed, the authorities allowed the
7km upper section of the line to be
reopened. There were plans in 2002
to reopen the whole line for both

WORLD LINES
passengers and freight but this is Right: DFB no1 on day. A minimum of 20 passengers is a shortage of usual passenger
unlikely to happen as it would not the Furka Pass in required for a train to run but luckily, numbers meant photography was
only require the track and the rack to 2008. After the despite the coronavirus, this number easy. Tourism came to a halt shortly
be re-laid but also the acquisition of electrification of was met at the time of my visit, while after we left Vietnam. NGW
new locomotives. the Furka Oberalp
The reopened line now has only a Bahn the loco was
bare minimum of operational stock sold to the Da Lat
which is kept at Da Lat station. It line where it ran
until closure.
includes a Russian-built diesel Since returning to
locomotive D4H 866 TL.24T, two Switzerland it has
bogie carriages – VNR nos 51620 been restored on
and 51622, and a quartet of four- the Dampfbahn
wheeled carriages – nos 1060, 1080, Furka-Bergstrecke.
3044 and 4160.
Preserved on the disused platform Below: On 27th
is C12 class 2-6-2T no 131-428. February, 2020
Built in Japan in the 1930s to 3ft 6in the train at Da
Lat awaits its
gauge, it was converted to metre passengers. Cases
gauge around 1938-39 for use on the of coronavirus
Datong to Pazhou Railway. When were minimal in
this system became standard gauge in Vietnam at that
1956 the loco was transferred to time and no
Vietnam to work on the line to Da restrictions were
Lat. It is not a rack engine and was being imposed.
presumably used on the flatter lower Those running the
section and hauled up for display railway were
relaxed about
before closure. Also on display is climbing on the
covered wagon VNR no 13103. engine for photos.
In high season this line is very
popular with Chinese tourists and up All photos by
to four return trips are made each Adrian Garner
33
US LINES
New Era at East

Broad Top
As reported in NGW
NGW146,
146, this
famous Pennsylvania railroad has
a new owner and should soon reopen
after slumbering for more than eight years.
David Joy looks at its tangled past and future plans.
T he USA’s only original 3ft gauge

railroad surviving east of the
Rocky Mountains has a long history
Pennsylvania Railroad. Passenger
services began the same year.
Southwards the ultimate
Above: The power
of the East Broad
Top Mikados
workshops of the railroad, roughly
midway along its 33-mile length and
the heart of a community that was
that makes the line of compelling destination was the coal-mining town captured in this virtually self-sufficient. Rockhill as a
fascination. It goes back to the early of Robertsdale on Broad Top view of no 15 place-name was not unique in
(Baldwin Loco
1830s and the beginnings of iron Mountain. A relatively easily graded Works 41196/
Pennsylvania, so a new station
smelting at Rockhill Furnace, 30 line as far as Saltillo gave way to a 1914) crossing theopened in 1906 was named
miles south-east of Altoona in south tortuous 1 in 25 climb with two Aughwick Creek Orbisiona, after a larger town on the
central Pennsylvania. tunnels, these fitted with doors at Road near the other side of Blacklog Creek.
Plans for a rail connection were their northern ends in a bid to reduce northern end of Apart from the main line there
delayed by the American Civil War, icing in winter. From 1874, coal was were several branches including one
the preserved line.
but a consortium of mine owners and taken down from the terminus to from Saltillo to Narco, built to serve
business associates finally formed the Rockhill where a new furnace proved Left: Map of the a quarry producing ganister rock used
East Broad Top Railroad & Coal capable of producing over 28,000 East Broad Top in manufacturing firebricks at Mount
Company in 1871. Two years later tons a year. Railroad and ita Union. The EBT became a profitable
associated lines,
iron from the furnaces was being Here also were the main yard and drawn by J Craig enterprise and the only US narrow
hauled northwards to Mount Union Thorpe in 2006. gauge line to convert to an all-steel
for onward shipment over the main freight car fleet. In the early 1900s it
line of the standard gauge Uncredited photos was able to upgrade its main line with
by James Waite, heavier rail. This enabled the use of
October 2011 much larger locomotives than was
common on many 3ft gauge lines,
giving its heavy freight trains a sense
of power and purpose.
As might be expected in
Pennsylvania, the sole supplier of
motive power was Baldwin, which
delivered the original pair of 2-6-0s
from its Philadelphia works in 1873.
The first loco fitted with a trailing
truck, 2-6-2 no 11, arrived in 1908,
and then three years later the first of a
succession of six 2-8-2 Mikados – nos
12 and 14 to 18. Supplied at roughly
two-year intervals, each one had the
design improved and enlarged when
compared with its predecessor. The
company also owned a pair of
standard-gauge tender 0-6-0s for
shunting the mixed-gauge yards at
Mount Union.
34 http://www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk
US LINES
The good times did not last with Above: No 15 at

iron traffic fading away at the same Orbisiona heading
time as the loss of timber transport. a typical tourist
An overhead electric crane used to train in September
transship lumber at Mount Union 2011 – the last
year of operations.
was ingeniously adapted to serve as a It was then the
bogie changing facility, enabling only serviceable
standard-gauge wagons to work locomotive, the
through onto the EBT thanks to its Kovalchicks
generous loading gauge. It was a having paid for a
move that virtually eliminated three-year rebuild
transshipment costs, which were the that extended its
downfall of so many 3ft lines during boiler certificate
this difficult period. until 2015. Note
the sagging
Equally enterprising was the stock... Photo:
approach to passenger traffic that was Wayne Laepple
proving increasingly uneconomic. In
1927 a unique gas-electric railcar, no Right: The unique
M-1, was built in the Rockhill gas-electric
workshops using plans and parts railcar, M-1, at
supplied by J G Brill, a leading McMullen’s
streetcar manufacturer. Westinghouse Summit midway
Electric was also involved and the along the line. It is
result was a gasoline-powered the last working
‘doodlebug’ of its
generator that supplied electricity to kind in the USA.
motors on all four axles. The railcar
had a 12-seat passenger compartment Below: Night time
plus additional space for packages at Orbisiona
and US mail. The following year saw station with the
the workshops scratch-build a smallest of the
four-wheel inspection saloon which Mikados no 12
became no M-3. (BLW 37325/1911)
alongside no 15.
Changing times
Coal and ganister rock traffic enabled
the railroad to survive as a common
carrier longer than most, but there »

US LINES
display one of the locomotives as a
major attraction. The response could
scarcely have been better, as he
offered instead to reopen a section of
the railroad. Former employees were
re-hired and set to work clearing five
miles of track from Orbisiona north
to Colgate Grove, where a picnic area
was provided and a wye was
constructed to turn whole trains.
Mikado no 12 was named ‘Millie’
after the president’s daughter and
brought back into service along with
no 15. Week-long festivities proved
such a success that trains continued
to operate at weekends well into the
autumn – and thence every
subsequent summer. On special
occasions they were spectacularly
quadruple-headed. The remainder of
were ominous signs when Jim Jarvis journey continued with a return trip the railroad gradually reverted to
experienced the last years of the real to Robertsdale, the back verandah “The coaches nature with hundreds of trees
American narrow gauge in an epic offering ample opportunities to enjoy may sag growing up through rusting steel cars
journey in 1952. Highlights recalled vistas of pleasant agricultural country and squeak abandoned at Mount Union and
in one of our first issues, NGW07, in followed by wooded rolling hills. sleepers bleached away to a pale grey.
2000 included the Denver & Rio Jim Jarvis was just in time. but have
Grande and he arranged to travel in a Passenger operations ended in 1953 delicious Gradual decline
caboose from Durango to Antonito. when the Post Office began moving interiors. In 1964 the EBT was designated a
The double-headed freight about half mail by truck. Services for coal miners National Historic Landmark – a form
a mile long finally got under way in continued for another year, but the The engines of protection in the US similar to
the early afternoon, reached Chama end came when the last of the mines are not listed building status in the UK. It
after midnight, occupied the whole of closed in 1956. It fell to Mikado no immaculate embraced the complete main line as
the next day by splitting into three 17 to haul the final coal train into and several well as the cluster of buildings at
portions for the climb up to the Mount Union on 6th April. Rockhill Furnace including the
10,000ft summit at Cumbres and The last rites seemed imminent tenders look eight-road roundhouse, turntable,
only reached its destination late in when the EBT was purchased by to be sagging boiler house, paint shop and
the third day after a journey time of Kovalchick Salvage Co of Indiana, Pa on their impressive sand house.
over 50 hours to cover 180 miles. – a company that was thriving springs...” Many of these buildings were of
It was narrow gauge railroading at through scrapping abandoned wood and certainly in need of tender
its most challenging, uncomfortable railroads. A small amount of rolling care, but just as in the UK a
and exhausting, but it did not deter stock was sold off and a couple of designation is not a total safeguard.
Jim Jarvis from including the East short branches lifted but that was all. In 1988 the US National Park
Broad Top on his travels. Arriving at The main line, the installations at Authority declared the railway to be a
Mount Union, he found Mikado no Rockhill Furnace and the six Mikados threatened landmark. The EBT could
16 assembling a long line of empty were left untouched in a state of still claim to be the last operating 3ft
hoppers with a single saloon car at suspended animation. Nothing more gauge railroad east of the Rockies but
the rear as an apology for a passenger happened and rumours abounded. it was undoubtedly in a work-weary
service. The ‘mixed’ paused at Then in 1960 it was the turn of time warp.
Orbisiona, where lack of investment Orbisiona to celebrate its bi- Following a visit in 1995, Peter
meant the workshops were still a centenary and an approach was made Jones penned a superbly evocative
marvel of overhead shafts and to Nick Kovalchick, now by default account in NGW13. On a dull
antiquated machine tools. The the EBT president, to see if he would humid Sunday he found Orbisiona to
be “real small town America barely
ticking over – a community stuck on
treacle with an utterly timeless air
about the place”.
The railroad produced mixed
emotions: “A lot of American
Above: All-steel preservation strikes this observer as
hoppers – a noted almost being in the Disney mould –
East Broad Top all a bit shiny and twee. But the EBT
feature – provide is slightly down at heel and running
a complement to with original equipment. The coaches
no 15 as it heads may sag and squeak but have
evocatively into delicious interiors. The engines are
the night. not immaculate and several tenders
Left: Four-wheel
look to be sagging on their springs.
inspection saloon “The decrepit nature of the
M-3, which like railroad is worrying. It is giving the
railcar M-1 was impression of a working railway that
built in the is in decline. The standards have
Rockhill works. slipped alarmingly. Certainly there is

US LINES
a surreal atmosphere. The famous
wood shops lean drunkenly with the
subsidence and are painted red. There
is more than a hint of High Plains
Drifter about the site. Even the
working tracks are now very weed-
grown and the alignment is not of the
best, to put it mildly. But to lovers of
atmosphere, here is one of the world’s
great locations.”
A year later the EBT had the
dubious distinction of being placed
on the annual list of America’s Eleven
Most Endangered Historic Places.
Fortunately there was increasing
support from the Friends of the East
Broad Top, which maintained
buildings and leased part of the paint
shop to restore rolling stock.
Receiving careful attention was
‘Orbisiona’, the former private car of car and a caboose. The announcement team dedicated to ensuring a new
the EBT president and virtually “There of the EBT sale was fronted by Joseph future for the EBT. The initial plan is
unchanged since its purchase in 1907 is hope Kovalchick, who took the to resume operation between
from the Big Level & Kinzua Railroad eventually opportunity to make the family’s Orbisona and Colgate Grove, using
in northern Pa. It was often included position clear: “When my father the M-1 railcar while other
in seasonal tourist trains along with a to use bought the company, it was never his equipment is overhauled. There is
combine, a flat fitted with seats, a all six intention to scrap the railroad. At the hope eventually to use all six Mikados
cut-down boxcar and a caboose. Mikados...” time he was the only one to stand for and questions about reopening to
The EBT continued to grow old the EBT, and his role in the history Robertsdale or Mount Union have
gracefully until change loomed in books is assured. My generation has received the response: “We look
2009 when the Kovalchick family struggled to balance the need to forward with enthusiasm to
pulled out of operating the line and preserve this national treasure with discussing possibilities for expanding
granted a three-year lease to a running it as a business, and I take our operations, which would be
not-for-profit organisation. In fact pride in our role in its survival. But it tremendously exciting.”
little fundamental change occurred, is clear that a for-profit business Much has already happened in the
although a busy season in 2011 Above: No 17 model is not sustainable.” few months since the sale. A modern
culminated in the final train running (BLW 48075/1918) The purchase negotiations were loco servicing facility complete with
on 23rd December. The lease was not was hauled out of led by Brad Esposito of the Buffalo & such luxuries as underfloor heating
renewed when it expired in April the roundhouse Pittsburgh Railroad, who is now the has been provided at one end of the
onto the turntable
2012 and once again the EBT for the sale general manager. He is committed to roundhouse. A detailed assessment
resumed its slumbers with its six announcement on a three-part mission – “first, to has been made of all six locos,
Mikados languishing in the silent 14th February preserving and operating the EBT as resulting in an announcement that
surroundings of the roundhouse. 2020. Photo: a steam railroad; second, to educating the first to be returned to service will
Wayne Laepple visitors about the role of railroads in be nos 14 and 16. This last never ran
A new future local and national history; and, third, in preservation but was overhauled
The closure period was marked by all Below: No 12 is to promoting local and regional shortly before the 1956 closure and is
sorts of rumours and scaremongering, positioned tourism and economic growth.” in good condition. Despite these
but negotiations were patiently taking between the The chairman is Henry Posner III, difficult times, hopes run high that
president’s car
place and the long silence was finally ‘Orbisiona’ and a
a former Conrail manager who is also the 60th anniversary of the first
broken on 14th February 2020. In a caboose for the chairman of the Iowa Interstate reopening will be celebrated in style
special event appropriately held at much anticipated Railroad and a knowledgeable later this summer. NGW
Orbisiona, two of the Mikados were event on 14th enthusiast. Along with many ■ The author thanks Wayne Laepple
hauled out into the sunshine and February. Photo: rail-industry and preservation and James Waite for help in preparing
positioned with the president’s private Wayne Laepple heavyweights there is an impressive this feature.
37
FROM A DIFFERENT TIME
A Day at
the Seaside...
Editor Andrew Charman has
been delving into his photo archive again..
B rought up in the 1960s and ’70s

within walking distance of
Gatwick Airport, a day out by train
Top: Unchanging
scene as a Volk’s
train leaves one
to Brighton, just 25 miles south, of the several
became a familiar experience for me, passing loops
and of course the highlight was having paused loved shooting black and white and In fact the biggest changes have
for the opposite-
always going for a ride on the Volk’s direction service
spending hours playing with prints in taken place in much more recent
Electric Railway – in fact it was quite to pass. my shed darkroom. times, with the major investment
possibly a combination of regular resulting in refurbished stock and a
rides on this quirky survivor from Above: The line’s Familiar scene brand-new depot and museum
1885 and a early experience of the aquarium station The thing about the Volk’s Electric building, replacing the very rickety
Romney Hythe & Dymchurch testified to its Railway, over 40 years plus of visiting, affair pictured below – I often
Railway when I was just two that history but this it never seemed to change, always wondered how this depot survived as
was not really
likely sparked the passion for narrow celebrated much.
appearing slightly down-at-heel, long as it did. Time I think, once we
gauge that would bloom later on fulfilling its function without making are allowed to travel again, to make
caravanning holidays to Wales. Above right: Busy any headlines. another visit to the seaside... NGW
Even by 1984, when I had a summer’s day in
driving licence and new-found Brighton with a
freedom, I needed little excuse to train ready to
enjoy a nice trip on a sunny day to depart – note the
long-abandoned
Brighton, and these pictures were bay platform road.
taken in July of that year when the
resort was heaving with trippers. Right: The VER’s
As explained last month, at the depot always
time I was shooting mainly black and looked very basic
white, partly because I was freelancing and fragile but
for a local paper that would employ survived a very
long time.
me in the following year and partly
because I was really a photographer All photos by
who liked railways rather than a Andrew Charman,
railway enthusiast taking pictures – I July 1984

NG MODELLING
Wisteria Collop, Somershire
Originally created to learn more about 009 scale, this attractive layout built by Dave Simpson
incorporates a great deal of atmosphere into a compact space.
W isteria Collop, according to its

creator Dave Simpson, emerged as a
result of the explosion in new British
narrow gauge modellers, the sheer variety
of the subject matter from closely
researched prototypes to “fabulous
to learn more about the scale, making his
mistakes behind closed doors and becoming
accustomed to 009 and in particular how it
outline ready-to-run narrow gauge imagination or just a little sprinkle of could be incorporated into his existing
prototypes in 009 scale. magic”, and the fact one could build layout. From this emerged Wisteria Collop.
Dave’s main layout is OO standard something in a small space with tight
gauge, built since 2008 in a 22ft x 10ft curves without having to downsize to 2mm Multiple uses
shed, set in the fictitious county of N scale. By the time he left for home a 009 The layout was designed from the start to
Somershire and portraying the 1970s era. addition to Somershire was already in his fulfil a number of functions, firstly to both »
At the time he began building the layout head, plus perhaps a small exhibition
Dave was also the owner of Gas Cupboard layout, an idea suggested by show organiser
Models in Trowbridge, Wiltshire and so he Howard Martin.
soon became aware of the new 009 releases Before thinking about
on the way from the likes of Peco and exhibiting, however,
Bachmann. Knowing little about narrow Dave felt he needed
gauge, he took himself off to the Small and
Delightful show in Shepton Mallet in 2009
to find out what it was all about.
“I was instantly hooked,”
Dave admits, highlighting a
lack of snobbery among
39
NG MODELLING
admits to being a terrible hoarder!
While of the perfect length, the board
was slightly lacking in width, this soon
solved by a small extension added following
consultation with 2mm finescale modeller
Jerry Clifford, a friend of Dave’s since
schooldays. This addition was also built
using leftovers.
With plans to exhibit the layout in
mind, the board was also significantly
lightened, principally by removal of as
much of its heavy chipboard surface as Dave
reckoned he could get away with; “None of
the trackbed is on the original board level; it
is all raised above on polystyrene risers and
balsa wood supports.”
As can be seen from the track plan the
concept is a simple one – an oval with on
the viewing side a station boasting a passing
loop and siding, and on the hidden
operating side a fiddle yard with four loop
roads and a siding/test area.
Careful use of scenics helps to break up
the plan, principally a road which passes
promote and make use of the new 009 to take the layout to shows, so it needed to under the railway at one end and over it at
items that Dave would be selling over the be easily portable. the other. The station boasts a simple
counter at Gas Cupboard Models. He Wisteria Collop is very much an waiting room/ticket office and goods shed/
wanted to use the layout as a small display example of the compact modelling that our store while extra interest is added by three
unit in the shop, operating it single- editor loves, contained within a space of 5ft pairs of cottages at the back of the layout’s
handedly or even leaving it to run 7in by 2ft 10 in, and built on a baseboard viewing side. These evoke another of Dave’s
unsupervised. Finally he wanted to be able acquired several years previously – Dave interests, football – their names Memorial,
Twerton and Eastville Cottages recall the
home grounds over the years of Bristol
Rovers FC.
Trackwork
Once construction of the main board was
complete, Dave worked on a small board
which would contain all the track for the
station area and the goods siding. “This
was an 18-inch x 6-inch board where I
worked on the trackwork first and then
fitted the point motors.”
Peco 009 flexi track was used on the
visible side of the layout, laid on trackbed
roll produced by Woodland Scenics for N
gauge use. Three Peco small-radius points
are electrically operated by the same brand’s
point motors and polarity switches.
In the fiddle yard Peco N gauge track
and Setrack points are employed, the points
manually operated.
“Once I was happy that it was all
functioning as I expected, I attached the
trackboard to the main board raised up and
resting on a couple of balsa wood blocks. I
then ran Woodland Scenics Polystyrene
Incline Sections in a down direction from
both sides of the station area, including a
cut out where the rail over road bridge
would be sited.”
Top left: Scratchbuilt diesel uses a Graham
Farish N gauge chassis. Freight stock is a
mixture of ready-to-run and kit-built items.
Upper left: Trackplan shows simple premise

of layout – fiddle yard enables a wide variety
of operation.
Left: Peco tram engine kit was originally built

in 1970 but has been rebuilt since. Eggerbahn
carriages are of similar vintage.
40 http://www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk
NG MODELLING
Scenics and structures
As he began to create the landscape, Dave
remembered the words of highly respected
modellers that had hosted advice sessions in
his shop; “the landscape came first, the
railway was built into it...”
The first step was to lay large A1
cardboard sheets to create the roadway and
the flat areas for the buildings/station,
adjusting the levels of the flat areas with the
addition or subtraction of blocks of balsa
wood for the various heights. Once those
areas were decided on, they were glued to
the balsa wood underneath.
The roadway then naturally flowed up
and down so it was then painted firstly
with poster paint, topped with Greenscenes
textured paint (a mix of light & dark
tarmac and thinned) and then spray matt
varnished to seal and protect it.
Woodland Scenics Shaper was used to
create the grass areas. “This was the first
time I used this product as it had just been
released in the UK so I decided to do some
product testing for the shop. It certainly backscene and around the station area medium sizes mixed together, was applied
wasn’t as straightforward as the YouTube using Woodland Scenics fine leaf Ffoliage with a homemade static grass applicator
instructional video suggested; however, packs of various greens. and Noch/Gaugemaster Puffer Bottle.
with perseverance a decent rendering of Greenscenes summer and spring Dave has since used static grass applicators
your vision can be achieved.”
Dave has since used the sheet on other
colours static grass, selected in small and made by Peco, Greenscenes and Noch; “I »
projects and says he would be happy to use
it again; “It’s basically a thick sheet of silver
pliable foil with a cloth covering on one
side. You mould the product into the
desired shape with the silver side down and
then paint over the fluffy side with a thin
plaster mix.”
While Woodlands Scenics provides a
suitable plaster mix, Dave used a thinned
generic Plaster-of-Paris mix which had
previously proved effective on his non-
mobile layouts.
The track was ballasted with a mix of
mainly medium and some fine grade
Woodland Scenics ballast, five parts grey,
one part brown, one part black. “I hate the
job of ballasting,” Dave admits, “but luckily
I had a willing volunteer in my shop,
Rachael Field, who happily spent her time
painting the rails and sleepers with
Railmatch Sleeper Grime acrylic and then
ballasting the front of the layout for me.”
Trees are a mix of Woodland Scenics,
JTT and scratch built, with Rachael
producing the purple Wisteria tree. The
plastic tree trunks and branches of the
Woodland Scenics & JTT trees were
painted with matt grey paint and while it
was still wet ‘moss’ thrown at the tree.
Some extra foliage was also added while
Dave created trees and bushes on the
Top right: The bridge started life as a tunnel

mouth – a suitably weathered Mini tackles the
climb into the station.
Upper right: Attention to detail, here around

the goods depot which used parts from three
Wills kits, raises this layout above the norm.
Right: The Royal Navy bus certainly looks as

if it has seen better days.
NG MODELLING
can highly recommend the first two.”

The two station buildings were created
from three kits produced by Wills, the
Station Country Halt Building, Goods
Yard Store and Wayside Station Ticket
Office. Combining these has produced
bespoke-looking buildings without the
need to scratchbuild.
Dave describes himself as a big fan of
the Hornby Skaledale and Bachmann
Scenecraft ranges of resin building models.
Memorial Cottages are the Bachmann
Scenecraft Rural Workers Cottages with
additional weathering and enhancement,
while Hornby’s Skaledale Miner’s Cottages
form the basis of Twerton & Eastville
Cottages again with further weathering and
enhancements, such as the window boxes
Above: More excellent detail –
made by Rachael.
note the replaced door on the The other major structures are the
Morris van. bridges, the one under the line is a
Modelscene Single Tunnel Mouth and the
Above right: This rail van started right-hand one over the line built from
off as an Oxford Diecast Commer Peco’s N gauge Single Road Bridge Sides.
van, its body mounted on a Farish The essential extra detail is added using
switcher chassis. figures from Dart Castings/Montys Models,
these painted with various acrylic paints
Left: Cottages are a mixture of and washes by Humbrol, Railmatch and
Hornby and Bachmann – in this
case the detail extends to a Games Workshop, and animals and wildlife
clearly leaking water pipe... from Noch, Prieser & Springside. Vehicles
are from the extensive Oxford Diecast
Below: Awaiting the train at range, again weathered and enhanced,
Wisteria Collop – note the careful while road signs from Ancorton/Miniscene
ballasting and realistic tree cover. Models complete the effect.
All photos by Andy York Rolling stock
While the layout was originally built
primarily to showcase new releases in 009,
the resident stock is rather more vintage,
consisting of Peco and EggerBahn ready-to-
run items plus some scratch built and
kit-built models.
The two resident steam locos are a Peco
Tram Engine, originally kit built in the
1970s, rebuilt by Jerry Clifford and
running on an old Graham Farish Class 08
chassis, and a Baldwin War Department
loco which is a Gem kit mounted on an
Arnold chassis.
Additional motive power is provided by
a diesel scratchbuilt by Jerry on a Graham
Farish N-gauge switcher chassis, a railcar
built by Dave from a 3D printed kit on a
Kato 11-103 chassis, a railcar scratchbuilt
by Eddie Field again on the Kato 11-103
chassis, and a Rail Van which Jerry built by
mounting an Oxford Diecast Commer Van
body on the Farish Switcher chassis.
Various visiting locos and guests have
also appeared on the layout over the years.

NG MODELLING
And the name? Dave is a fan of This page, main: The
anagrams and acronyms; “The layout’s diesel reverses its
working title was ‘Pasteboard Chug’ an train into the goods
anagram of ‘The Gas Cupboard’ but that siding. We wonder if
didn’t feel right. I eventually settled on a Dave might be a fan
of Minis...
different anagram for the layout name.
‘Wisteria Collop’, which is a combination Right: Freight
of three model railway manufacturing clearly outnumbers
companies – can you work it out? NGW passengers as the
Alco pulls its train
More Information/apperances into the platform.
Wisteria Collop is currently scheduled to
appear at model railway exhibitions at High
Wycombe on 7th November and Andover
on 5th-6th December. Let’s hope by then
they can go ahead. Meanwhile you can see
more of Dave’s Somershire shed layout at
www.somershire.co.uk
43
Narrow Gauge product that should be on these pages? Send details to
ON THE MODEL SHELF
NG MODELLING [email protected] or post to the editorial address on page 3.
Tiny WD loco from

Narrow Planet
N ew from Narrow Planet in 4mm/ft 009 scale is this tiny
Baguley McEwan Pratt ‘677’ 10hp 0-4-0PM locomotive.
The 677 class was the result of an order
from the War Department for use on First Online-only sale of
World War trench lines, requiring a
lightweight loco capable of running on the model collection to
lightest 9lb rail used in the portable track
employed on the front line. benefit Llanfair line
While not a great success in this role
more than 50 locos were used by the British
military, mainly in rearward operations, and
T he Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway
will be the beneficiary from a major
auction of the collection of a prominent
many found their way onto other lines Leicestershire model railway enthusiast.
after the conflict so will be suitable for Gildings Auctioneers are offering the
many a model line. extensive collection of more than 70
Designed by Stuart Brewer, the Narrow Planet kit uses whitemetal and etched parts to locomotives in the firm’s Live Steam
give it some useful weight. The whitemetal driver figure is sold as an extra, and highly Auction, which due to Covid-19
recommended, while a Tsugawa TU-DB 158 chassis is required to power the loco. restrictions will take place as an online-
The body kit only is £30 including UK postage while Narrow Planet is also planning a only event on Tuesday 18th August.
limited quantity of kits complete with the chassis and remotored with the more effective The collection forms part of the estate
Tramfabriek 12-volt 0615 coreless motor. of Kenneth Abbott and includes several
Produced by Narrow Planet Ltd. Web: https://shop.narrowplanet.co.uk live-steam locos from many leading
E-mail: [email protected] manufacturers such as Accucraft.
“The collection dates back to the
1990s and includes passenger carriages,
wagons and accessories of mostly gauge 1/
garden scale, – both pre-built and kit-built
models,” commented Gildings’ model
railway specialist, Andrew Smith.
Part 1 of the auction will be devoted to
gauge 1 and G scale locomotives
including many LBG products, including
electric, diesel and steam locomotives.
In part 2 the focus will be on OO scale
gauge locomotives, many DCC fitted and
mainly unused and in their original boxes.
Lyn revealed in six liveries “If restrictions are eased further, we
hope to hold private viewings safely and
responsibly,” Andrew added. “However, if
this is not feasible, condition reports will
be available, and I will be very happy to
speak to interested parties who wish to
discuss the condition of any item in the
sale. The catalogue will also be available at
www.gildings.co.uk in due course and
clients can register their interest now via
the website.”
■ Pre-production versions of Heljan’s much-anticipated 009 model of the Lynton & Barnstaple
Railway’s Baldwin 2-4-2T ‘Lyn’ have been revealed in livery, ahead of the model’s anticipated
launch in late 2020. On the production versions Heljan promises working LED headlamps, a 6-pin
DCC decoder interface, detachable couplers, etched metal cowcatchers, and numerous parts
specific to period and livery, including coal rails, chimneys, smokebox doors, water tank filler
hatches, whistles and safety valves. The model will be available in six variants – undecorated
black, L&BR dark green in pre-1906 and 1906-22 versions, Southern Railway dark green (1923-
29) and two versions of the Southern Railway Maunsell green between 1929-32 and 1932-35.
■ Lifecolor, which produces just about every

paint shade and finish a modeller could require,
has launched two new sets containing popular
basic and primary colours. Allowing blending
of limitless colours with ease, the sets will suit
a wide range of applications and cost £14.99
each. Details of the new sets are are at
https://airbrushes.com

Narrow Gauge product that should be on these pages? Send details to
[email protected] or post to the editorial address on page 3. ON THE SHELF
NG MODELLING
Through the Years
Oliver Edwards
■ As mentioned last month publisher Mainline &
Maritime has kicked off a laudable project to help
various railways affected by the coronavirus pendemic,
by publishing a series of photo albums and making
donations from each sale to aid any fundraising the
railway concerned is undertaking.
First in the series is this hardback album put together
by Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway trustee Oliver
Edwards and drawing heavily on the railway’s own
archives. Having said that your editor has good access to
much of this railway’s archive material and there are
pictures in this book he hasn’t seen before!
The complete history of the railway is covered, from its earliest ISBN 978-1-90034-063-2
days, through closure by British Railways and the 60-plus years of Published by Mainline &
preservation. While the tale is brought right up to date with Maritime
pictures of Barclay 0-4-0ST Dougal on its 2018 visit to Taiwan and Tel: 01275 845012
the arrival of Austrian loco ‘Zillertal’ on hire in 2019, particularly Email: iain@
enjoyable are the rich selection of period photos, especially as they mainlineandmaritime.co.uk
are reproduced to high quality over a nice large full-page format. Web: www.
Mainline & Maritime is donating £5 from each copy sold to the mainlineandmaritime.co.uk
W&LLR’s Tracks to Recovery appeal (see news pages). AC Price £16.95
Railways of Mann Seen & Unseen

Phil Barnes
■ The second two offerings from the Mainline &
Maritime fundraising appeal are both landscape format
softbacks, with this one by Phil Barnes helping initially
to support the Groudle Glen Railway with £2 donations
from each sale – after the crisis donations from further
sales will go to other Manx narrow gauge projects.
While all the photos are up-to-date, all taken in
September 2019, they include a lot of ‘behind the scenes’
shots, featuring for example works trains and going inside the their usual trip to the
workshops of each line – even meeting the horses of the Douglas island this album
Bay Horse Tramway in their stables! will provide a
All the lines on the island – the Isle of Man Steam Railway, pick-me up... AC
Manx Electric and Snaefell Mountain Railways, the Groudle Glen
and Great Laxey Mine railways - are covered, while Phil also sneaks ISBN 978-1-90034-064-9
in a visit to the Manx Model Engineers’ Orchid Line at Curragh Published by Mainline
Wildlife Park and the Jurby Transport Museum. & Maritime, contact
Again the pictures are of good quality with excellent saturation details as above
and used across full pages – for those who are currently missing Price £9.95
Welsh Highland Railway – 25 Years

of Memorable Milestones
East Anglian Group supporting the WHR
■ Finally we have another historical album, compiled by
members of the Welsh Highland Railway’s East Anglian
Support Group – a very active group despite its location
on the opposite side of the UK from the line and one
which can trace its history right back to the start of the
WHR project in 1998.
Starting evocatively with views of the former standard
gauge trackbed at Caernarfon, and Dinas junction as a
council depot with lots of ugly extra buildings, the pictures are WHR projects,
clearly gathered from the personal collections of the members, and initially helping the
as such give a rather different slant of the WHR revival project than line through the virus
the various official histories we have seen. pandemic. AC
The complete 12-year rebuild is documented chronologically,
the photos highlighting the manys challenges faced both physical ISBN 978-1-90034-065-6
and personal by the revivalists. Published by Mainline
There are several highly interesting photos in these pages, not & Maritime, contact
least of several works wagons created to help the rebuild. As with details as above
the Manx book, £2 from each sale will be donated, in this case to Price £9.95
■ NGW understands that more fundraising albums are in preparation including one on the Talyllyn Railway which we will review next month.

VIEWPOINT
Monarch – opportunities?
I read with interest Donald Brooks’s
article about the Bagnall 0-4-4-0T
‘Monarch’ in NGW147 and would
like to add a few observations.
At the time Monarch was
acquired for the Welshpool &
Llanfair Light Railway, there were
few opportunities to obtain a
substantial 2ft 6in gauge locomotive
in the UK and the purchase of
Monarch in 1966 took advantage of
such a rare opportunity.
At the time, W&LLR member
R T Russell was an expert on
industrial locomotives built in the
UK and would have been familiar
with the sister locomotives built for
use in Africa. Incidentally, after
seven years’ experience in South
Africa with two earlier locos built in
1946, their owner ordered two more
of the type in 1953. in Spanish scrapyards in NGW147 Above: There Greece’ in NGW148. John Organ
At the W&LLR, due to the (‘Further thoughts on the NG Barry’, was a whole has kindly pointed out to me that I
sparse facilities and shortage of cash page 29), I attach a photo of the New season, in 1976, was wrong in identifying Kalamata as
at the time, the overhaul undertaken Zealand Railways 4-4-0ST also built when ‘Monarch’ the most southerly railway station in
was the regular
prior to Monarch entering service by Black Hawthorne in 1883-84 and motive power on Europe – that honour goes to
concentrated on the essential work classified ‘G class’. the W&LLR – see Fuengirola, south-western terminus
to get her running again. Today, The four engines were effectively Tom White’s of the Malaga suburban system.
simple improvements at modest cost a 4-4-0 version of the NZR F class letter. Photo: Secondly, the start of the third
would include fitting a full set of 0-6-0ST but never matched the F of W&LLR archives paragraph should read ‘August Borsig
eight superheater elements (on the which 88 were built with some still of Berlin’, and not ‘The august Borsig
W&LLR she ran with only four) running in preservation. Below left: of Berlin’, though no doubt August
and a Lempor exhaust. The NZR engines were of course Ron Alexander Borsig was a very august person!
As Donald Brooks mentions, 3ft 6in gauge and were sold off to saw this Black Keith Chester
Horthorne loco
currently Monarch is a static exhibit other owners by 1920. G56 in the in action in New
for visitors to the W&LLR. photo was bought by the four-mile Zealand in 1955. Penrhyn, the used locos
Although there are no active plans
for returning the loco to steam, in
my view she would attract many
long, Castlecliff Railway Co. at
Wanganui NZ in 1917 and ran there
until 1956. I was fortunate to see the
Below: ‘Ogwen’ is
one of the several
M any thanks for the fascinating
feature in NGW148 on the
travels of the Penrhyn Hunslets after
admirers if she did. Tom White loco on a train in 1955. used locomotives they left the quarry. It makes a good
Ron Alexander Penrhyn bought counterpoint to the Dinorwic feature
Andrew C replies: Certain narrow Christchurch, New Zealand that we will be you produced back in 2012.
gauge discussions never go away, documenting The question I pose is are we
and whether Monarch could be Andrew C replies: It’s remarkable how soon. Photo: going to have to wait another eight
Andrew Charman
made into a useful loco on the much correspondence from readers years for the completion of the story
W&LLR is one of them! We suspect and contributors one feature in with Penrhyn’s non-Hunslets, the
such a scheme would likely require a NGW146 on a Spanish scrapyard has various secondhand engines, the
sugar daddy with deep pockets... generated –keep it coming! Narrow gauge Barlcays, the Avonsides, and of course
point to make, the oft-forgotten Baldwins of the
Black Hawthorne locos How far south? question to main line? Stewart James
W ith reference to the Mark

Smithers item on locomotives I’m afraid the gremlins crept into
my Encounters piece ‘Times past in
be answered,
memory to
share? Drop a
Andrew C replies: Cheeky! Hopefully
not, I’m working on just such a
line to Viewpoint feature right now and with a
at the address following wind it will appear in these
on page 3... pages soon – so keep reading!

NG EXTRA
Who what where... That was the year that...
In conjunction with the Narrow Gauge Railway Society, news
stories from the archives and the legacies they left behind...
From 20 years ago
(2ft 6in gauge)
No 5 ‘Orion’ 2-6-2T worked its first
official train on Friday 2nd June 2000.
This marked a milestone in the history
of the Welshpool & Llanfair Light
Railway as it’s the line’s largest
locomotive, which has been at the
n So did you figure out the two locos, a very small portion of W&LLR since 1983. It weighs 33 tons
which you could see in last month’s picture? They are Peckett and is 31 feet long, easily taking over
0-6-0ST ‘Scaldwell’ and Baldwin 4-6-0T ‘Lion’, and both were from the line’s previous heavyweight
caught by NGW editor Andrew ‘Sir Drefaldwyn’, at 27 tons and 23 feet.
Charman at Amberley Museum
in the mid 1980s. Neither is there Use of number five on trains awaited
today – Scaldwell has gone to the approval of Her Majesty’s Railway
Southwold while Lion has been Inspectorate, which arrived in time for ‘Orion’ was certainly an imposing
returned to working order by the the 4.15pm departure on Friday 2nd sight when on the W&LLR...
Greensand Museum Trust at the June. This proved a pleasant surprise to Photo: Andrew Charman
Leighton Buzzard Railway. rostered driver, W&LLR Centenary
Okay a new challenge – at Appeal director Iain McLean, who along with fireman Kate Billmore and
what station will you find the No 5 project director Pasco Rowe, drove the engine on the 16-mile return
clock at right? A clue, the photo trip to Welshpool, on what he described as “a miserably wet day – ideal
was taken much more recently
than the one above... slipping and sliding weather on the W&LLR’s steep banks...”
Answers as usual next month... (NGN, July 2000)
YouTube Watch: online NG films High optimism at the time but not to be fulfilled. Orion’s weight proved a
problem for the W&LLR and when its now-restored home railway, the
T he online video site YouTube, which encourages

users to upload their own clips, is a great source of
narrow gauge items. If you’ve seen a clip that our readers
Jokioisten, enquired about buying it back a deal was reached, the loco going
home to Finland just six years later.
would enjoy, why not send in the link? Kirklees Light Railway, (15in gauge)
On 10th June new loco ‘Owl’
4W-4WT was rolled out. She is
based on the Avonside ‘Twin’ design
of 2-cylinder ‘Heisler’ with 5in x 9in
cylinders and 14-inch drivers.
Painted yellow, edged back, she
weighs seven tons in working order.
Following trials she should enter
service in July. In use was ‘Hawk’,
the blue Kitson-Meyer, whilst ‘Fox’ Now wearing a black livery, ‘Owl’ is
and ‘Badger’ were on display outside still a member of the Kirklees fleet.
the shed. (NGN, July 2000) Photo: Andrew Charman
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ49SGOcIz0&t=14s Owl has since proven a core member of the Kirklees fleet and is still running on
Something a little different and perhaps suited to younger the West Yorkshire line today, though as our picture shows in a rather different
narrow gauge enthusiasts in your household! This short livery to that the loco was launched with...
film shows how to draw a convincing representation of a
Hunslet Wagonmaster Bord Na Mona diesel loco... Dick Whittington Family Leisure Park (proposed)
This proposed £2m attraction at Blakemore Farm is slated to include a
“½-mile narrow gauge railway”. Subject to planning permission construction
could start this summer with opening at Easter 2001. (NGN, July 2000)
Another entry in the long and still growing list of narrow gauge might-have beens.
The theme park attraction was built and still exists today, but there has been no
railway constructed for it.
Extracts from Narrow Gauge

News, the news journal of the
Narrow Gauge Railway
Society, with kind permission
of the Society – for more
details and how to join up,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GsnMVgo2b8 go to www.ngrs.org.uk
A period gem, from 1976-77, on the Welshpool &
Llanfair. Featuring Monarch and diesels in action, the
period fascination makes up for not great film quality......

NG EXTRA
Unexpected Narrow Gauge... Diary dates...

For a third successive issue we are not running our Diary
and Special Events information this month – at press
time every railway remained closed but as our news
pages report, some were planning their reopening dates.
We have growing confidence that more lines will
announce their reopening and projected remainder of
the 2020 season between now and the appearance of
NGW150 in a month’s time, so it has never been more
important to keep an eye on the railways’ websites, the
addresses of which are again printed below.
We are sure NGW readers will not need telling but if
you feel able to and subject to any social distancing
requirements, we urge you to visit the lines once they
are open – they will be very keen for your custom...
We are also very hopeful that come next month, some
form of return to normal service will be much closer, at
least allowing us to publish a diary. Watch this space...
Almond Valley Railway: www.almondvalley.co.uk/Railway.htm
Amberley Museum: www.amberleymuseum.co.uk
Amerton Railway: www.amertonrailway.co.uk
Apedale Valley Railway: www.avlr.org.uk
A little Greek mystery... Bala Lake Railway: www.bala-lake-railway.co.uk

Brecon Mountain Railway: www.bmr.wales
H aving been a lifelong enthusiast of railways and steam locomotives and

over the years developed an interest in particular in narrow gauge (writes
Martyn G Davies) I have been an avid reader of NGW since its inception.
Bressingham Steam Museum: www.bressingham.co.uk
Bure Valley Railway: www.bvrw.co.uk
Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway www.cclr.co.uk
There is a fascination in narrow gauge which to me is unique and has Corris Railway: www.corris.co.uk
developed over the best part of 70 years. I travelled on the Ffestiniog in 1956, I
Evesham Vale Light Railway: www.evlr.co.uk
can remember steam on those funny terraced mountainsides on the other side
Exbury Gardens Railway: www.exbury.co.uk
of Llyn Peris and Llyn Padarn and I visited the Isle of Man in 1966 and again
in 1967 – fantastic but 1967 was better! Fairbourne Railway: www.fairbournerailway.com
My first love, however, are Lepidoptera, butterflies and moths, and I have Ffestiniog Railway: www.festrail.co.uk
visited many European countries looking at and helping with studies on Golden Valley Light Railway: www.gvlr.org.uk
certain butterflies endangered by changes and contractions of their habitat by Great Whipsnade Railway: www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo
agriculture, silviculture or urban encroachment. Groudle Glen Railway: www.ggr.org.uk
What has all of this to do with the title and pictures on this page? In 2015 a Hampton Kemptn Railway: www.hamptonkemptonrailway.org.uk
small group of us went on a guided butterfly tour of the area around the Gulf Hayling Seaside Railway: www.haylingrailway.com
of Corinth; our second hotel was above Kalavryta, the terminus of the rack Heatherslaw Light Railway: www.heatherslawlightrailway.co.uk
railway which runs north to Diakofto on the Gulf. Any trip out of Kalavryta Isle of Man Steam Railway: www.gov.im/publictransport
meant a drive past the station but there was hardly anything to see then, three Kirklees Light Railway: www.kirkleeslightrailway.co.uk
trains a day and we only ever saw one. Launceston Stm Railway: www.launcestonsr.co.uk
A road goes from the coast up to Kalavryta and in places looks down into Leadhills & Wanlockhead Railway www.leadhillsrailway.co.uk
the gorge where the railway runs, but it is hard to see any of it, however, you
Leek & Rudyard Railway: www.rlsr.org
don’t need to see the railway to realise that a ride on it would be spectacular.
Leighton Buzzard Railway www.buzzrail.co.uk
One of the original steam locos has been restored and put back into service for
specials and such and in 2017 an article by James Waite on the railway, history Llanberis Lake Railway: www.lake-railway.co.uk
and stock was published in NGW118. Lynton & Barnstaple Railway: www.lynton-rail.co.uk
If you travel by road you climb high and pass North Gloucestershire Rlwy: www.toddington-narrow-gauge.co.uk
several taverna and shops selling fruit and veg grown Old Kiln Light Railway: www.oldkilnlightrailway.co.uk
locally. At one such roadside stopping place the Perrygrove Railway: www.perrygrove.co.uk
locomotive pictured here is plinthed. I have been Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway: www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk
unable to find out much about so if anyone out there Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway: www.rhdr.org.uk
knows more, it would be good to hear. Ruislip Lido Railway: www.ruisliplidorailway.org
Some information which can be gleaned from the Sittingbourne & Kemsley Railway: www.sklr.net
photos include the ‘Systeme ABT’ on the tankside Snowdon Mountain Railway: www.snowdonrailway.co.uk
plate and the fact that the driving wheels are double South Tynedale Railway: www.south-tynedale-railway.org.uk
flanged. Because of the closeness to the Kalavryta – Statfold Barn Railway: www.statfoldbarnrailway.co.uk
Diakofto railway, I have always assumed it originated
Steeple Grange Light Railway: www.steeplegrange.co.uk
on that line but I have so far found no
trace of it on the internet. Wikipedia Talyllyn Railway: www.talyllyn.co.uk
does not say what happened to two of Threlkeld Museum: www.threlkeldquarryandminingmuseum.co.uk
the steam locos so is it one of these? Vale of Rheidol Railway: www.rheidolrailway.co.uk
There are differences – the smokebox Waterworks Railway: www.waterandsteam.org.uk
door and shape of the tanks but there Wells Walsingham Railway: www.wellswalsinghamrailway.co.uk
are also some similarities such as the Welsh Highland Railway: www.festrail.co.uk
shape of the cab side arrangement of Welsh Highland Heritage Railway: www.whr.co.uk
boiler mountings and also lights on Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway: www.wllr.org.uk
the front. If it isn’t from the Kalavryta West Lancashire Light Railway: www.westlancs.org
Railway it is hard to imagine where it
did come from.

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ENCOUNTERS WITH THE NARROW GAUGE
Riding the Wee

Georgie Wood
Clive Hawley encountered a delightful Australian
2ft gauge line purely by chance in January.
J ust outside the town of Tullah in

Tasmania is the totally unimposing
2ft gauge Wee Georgie Wood
miles long, reaching the main line
near Boco.
The tramway’s first two steam
Railway. My wife and I came upon locos were supplied by Krauss in
this gem of a line quite by accident, 1892 and Orenstein & Koppel in
observing signs by the roadside. It 1901. Wee Georgie Wood was a
operates only on selected Saturdays replacement for the aging Krauss
and Sundays during their summer engine and ‘Wee Mary’, another new
months (December to February). six-ton Fowler, replaced the O&K in
As we rolled into an over- 1928. The origins of both names are
generous car park the loco was obscure, although Wee Georgie
steaming nicely, ready to greet us. Wood was then popular Australian
Initially we were to be the only rhyming slang for ‘good’.
potential passengers. No timetable The two Fowlers shared the
was necessary as it ran as required. workload until 1946 when Wee Mary
‘Wee Georgie Wood’ is the line’s was withdrawn from service and its
one and only locomotive – an 0-4-0 parts were then used to rebuild Wee
built in 1924 by John Fowler of Georgie Wood.
Leeds. It has been lovingly restored To maintain services a ten-ton
and fitted with an American-style Krauss locomotive built for the
spark-arrestor chimney. Steam is Mount Lyell 2ft gauge system in
raised using wood – it is in plentiful 1908 was acquired in 1949 and
supply and coal is expensive. continued in service until roads
linked the mine with the outside
Mining line world in 1961 and the line closed
Top: ‘Wee Georgie Wood’ (18203/1924), the Fowler 0-4-0WT. The slightly over a mile-long line three years later. The loco carried its
with a return loop at each end is original no 9 and can be found in a
Above: Romeo diesel under restoration inside the loco shed based on part of the former North partly restored state in the loco sheds.
and workshop. Behind it is one of the original carriages. Mount Farrell Mine Tramway, which The heritage steam railway
Below: On the home loop returning to Tullah station. was built as the only means of volunteers started restoration in
transporting high grade lead and 1977, taking ten years to construct
Photos by Clive Hawley, January 2020. silver ore out of the area. It was 8½ the permanent way and reopen the
line with Wee Georgie Wood and an
original carriage providing the
services. The tramway points used are
of particular interest.
Exciting ride
My detailed interest in the Fowler
was rewarded with the offer of a
footplate ride for the return ten-
minute journey. Thsi proved to be an
exciting experience as the loco
swayed and bucked along the track,
pulling with ease the carriage and a
full water tank.
The friendliness and helpfulness of
the volunteers cannot be overstated.
During our visit I was given a tour of
the work sheds where a vintage
Romeo diesel was being restored. The
diesel is reported to have spent its
final years of service life at Lake
Margaret Tramway and arrived at the
museum without any engine. The
volunteers were very proud that they
had rebuilt and installed a Dodge
6-cylinder side-valve engine. NGW
More Information
www.weegeorgiewood.com.au
50 No 149 – Subscribe at www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk

Come to Amerton Railway in 2020
Our 30th Anniversary Year! Jones Springs have been supplying UK heritage rail
operators for over 50 years giving us a reputation for being
reliable and trustworthy as well as allowing us to develop a
range of skills and techniques which we have been able to
apply to our work in the manufacturing of springs.
All our work on railways and locomotives is produced to

British Rail standard 166 and British Rail standard 148a
ensuring that all products we manufacture are created
We are closed currently but hope we will be able to and tested to the levels of quality and precision required
recreate this happy scene at our Picnic Area during by British Rail.
2020 with Isabel drawing in to stop at Chartley Halt
With a general engineering shop based locally in the
Amerton Board Game & Colouring Sheets Midlands we can offer a range of services such as the
Whilst you are at home why not download the free manufacturing and repair of springs, our facilities also
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T: 0121 568 7575 F: 0121 568 7692
E: [email protected]
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Keep up to date while we are closed via our website and Facebook page
www.amertonrailway.co.uk Facebook@Amerton Railway Reg. in England - Company No. 00520744
Modelling the Narrow Gauge?

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What locomotive is featured on the cover?

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What model is now available from Accucraft?

What model is now available from Accucraft?

■ PADARN & PENRHYN IN 1961 ■ STEAM SPECIAL IN PORTUGAL

JULY 2020 | £4.75

➧ SURPRISING NARROW GAUGE IN VIETNAM

I.O.M. 4 Wheel Coaches L&B Howard Van

1:13.7 KS Wren 0-4-0ST 1:19 ‘Dolgoch’ 0-4-0T

TEL: 01981 241380

SUBSCRIPTIONS World News

UK: £40.50; Rest of Europe: £52.00;

Photo Paul Jarman

NEXT ISSUE – AUGUST 2020

www.warnersgroup.co.uk On Sale 31st July

Return to a new normal...

W elcome to NGW149, and

No 149 – Subscribe at www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk 05

Groudle set to lead way as

O ne of the shortest narrow gauge lines

Half could mean double

Above: On 7th June Groudle Glen Railway

Left: Trains have been running on our heritage

06 Visit our forum: www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk

No 149 – Subscribe at www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk 07

08 Visit our forum: www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk

Welshpool seeks funding to finish

No 149 – Subscribe at www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk 09

B ressingham Steam Museum trustees

n The new depot for the Douglas Bay

10 Visit our forum: www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk

...and no Llanfair Gala

T he Talyllyn and Corris Railways will join

Statfold plans for 2021

No 149 – Subscribe at www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk 11

12 Visit our forum: www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk

No 149 – Subscribe at www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk 13

14 Visit our forum: http://www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk

Maine plans new-build BRIEF LINES

West Coast goes plastic

P ete’s Hobby Railway, a 2ft gauge line

No 149 – Subscribe at www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk 15

T he 60th anniversary of the 60cm

16 Visit our forum: http://www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk

No 149 – Subscribe at www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk 17

Back in NGW82, Paul Jarman described the beginnings of an industrial

T he narrow gauge railway at

Metre Gauge Steam

I t was 4am on the damp morning of

Penrhyn and Padarn – 1961

I n August 1961, I persuaded my

28 Visit our forum: http://www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk

No 149 – Subscribe at www.narrow-gauge-world.co.uk 29

Previous spread: ‘Blanche’ prepares to

Top left: ‘Amalthea’, the second of the

Left: ‘Sybil’, a Bagnall tank of 1906 and

Below: Penscoins in 1959. The dock and

30 Visit our forum: http://www.narrow-gauge-forum.co.uk

V ietnam is not known for its