Rheidol Review - Vale of Rheidol Railway Newsletter Issue 1 - 2022

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R heidol R ev iew Newsletter

Photo by Tom Curtis

Is sue 1 - 2022 www.rheidolrailway.co.uk

Telephone us: 01970 625 819 - Park Avenue, Aberystwyth SY23 1PG

The first public booking of our new First Class Carriage featured this lovely couple with Adam booking out the carriage for a surprise proposal, and we’re pleased to say she said yes.

Congratulations both, and our best wishes for your future together.

Welcome

Building excitement...

Our 2022 season is now well under way and this year has, as always, seen a very busy build up to it.

Our permanant way team has made a massive effort on the trackwork during the winter closed period undertaking two big project, more on that further inside.

Our workshop crew has been busy too, with the completion of the first of two rebuilt First Class carriages and what an amazing job they have done, the carriage is a work of art with a wealth of unique hand crafted details, hopefully many of readers will take a trip in it this year when visiting as it is a bit special. They have also completed the 10 year project to overhaul and rebuild all the carriage bogies and No.8 has had a chassis overhaul. These are just a few of the jobs they have been up to.

Our Wales to the World project phases 3 & 4 have begun with the goal to have these complete by the end of this year, more on this in the news pages.

We’ve also expanded our team for 2022 with new members of staff joining us, find out more about them on page 26.

This year also sees the start of a period of significant anniversaries for our line, the first is on the 6th August which marks the 125th anniversary of the signing of the Act of Parliament for our line. Also in August, though we are unsure of the exact date, it will be 120 years since the first freight train C O N T E N T S

on our line back in 1902. The next two anniversaries fall closer together towards the end of the year with the final inspection of the line prior to opening having taken place on the 25th November 1902 and subsequently the first passenger train having run on the 22nd December 1902.

Next year also sees some exciting anniversaries, watch this space for more about them as the time gets closer.

As always I have a question to put our lovely readers, which engine from our collection are you most looking forward to seeing in our display space when it opens next year? For me personally there are several in our collection I look forward to seeing in the years to come but three immediately spring to mind, the Dick Kerr Diesel with First World War origins, the Gwalior Pacifics and the Lawleys which are featured in this edition on page 13.

Feel free to get in touch by email to newsletter@rheidolrailway.co.uk

Gareth D Jones Editor

Page 4

News

Page 24

Permanent Way Update

Page 10

Workshop Updates

Page 26

Engines from our Collection

Page 17

Then & Now

Page 29

Reviews

Page 18

Picture Gallery

Page 30

Meet the team

Page 22

Volunteer Update

Page 32

Shop Products Page 3

Vale of Rheidol Railway News New First Class Carriage Launched

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riday 20th May 2022 saw the official launch into service of our new first class carriage.

The carriage has cost £120,000 to rebuild.

The work has included the manufacture of custom designed and produced seating with a moquette chosen by our late chairman Mr. Peter Rampton.

The woodwork in the carriage has all been completed by our small team of highly talented carpenters. It has lots of unique features for instance the majority of the screws holding the interior together are hidden from view to give the carriage its clean appearance.

The roof panel has been painted by renowned wildlife artist Terence Lambert, the artwork has the theme of the River Rheidol and features wildlife native to the valley.

The entrances to the carriage feature custom mosaics, with this carriage featuring two types of bird that can be found in the valley, with a different bird featured on each of the two entrances.

Work to rebuild our second first class carriage has now begun, for more on this see page 9 of this edition.

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Vale of Rheidol Railway News Garratt’s First Public Trains Announced

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he first official train to be hauled by our NG/G13 Garratt will be the 10:30 departure on Tuesday 19th July 2022.

Our Garratt engine No. 60 carries the name Drakensberg. It was given this name during its time in Switzerland at the Schinznacher Baumschulbahn, where it was operating prior to the engine’s sale and transport to our line.

The Garratt has received an overhaul and modifications since joining our fleet. It has been altered from vacuum to air braking to match our rolling stock, and has received modifications to the ash pan as well as other improvements.

No. 60 is planned to operate the 10:30 & 14:00 trains every Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday between 19th July & 1st September this year. It is also the only engine that will routinely haul an 8 carriage train, the longest our line can currently accommodate.

Book your tickets to avoid disappointment by visiting: https://ticketisland.co.uk/ticketi_slevent_cal3Full?bi=valeofr

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Vale of Rheidol Railway News

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VoR’s New Fencing

uring the winter closed period a major project has begun to renew our lineside fencing.

This work was subcontracted as our permanent way team was very busy renewing track and altering the track layout at Devil’s Bridge.

The renewed fencing adds to the lovely clean look of our lineside and not only improves the visual appearance but also removes the possibility of livestock accessing our line where they are not supposed to be.

The renewal of lineside fencing is planned to continue during this winter with the aim to renew a large amount of our lineside over the next couple of years.

Our thanks to Terry and the team from Ystwyth Groundworks Ltd for their excellent workmanship.

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Vale of Rheidol Railway News Queens Jubilee Baton Visit

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hursday 30th June saw the Queens Jubilee Baton Relay visit Aberystwyth and we had the honour of carrying it for part of it’s journey.

Our nominated baton carrier was Hawys Richards, daughter of one of our engineers.

She was selected for her achievements in the sport of cycling, finishing 2nd in her group at Aberystwyth’s Cycle Fest only 12 months after major transplant surgery.

This feat is testimony to her character and will power i’m sure you would agree.

The baton was carried on the train between Aberystwyth and Capel Bangor before continuing its journey to Llangrannog the next stop on its tour of Mid-Wales.

Catrin M.S. Davies, Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Customer Services, said: “It’s great to see so many residents of the county being part of welcoming the baton to Ceredigion. Each is a great ambassador, whether it is a champion in sport, athletics or cycling; or has shown courage in receiving medical treatment. They are an inspiration to us all.”

For more see: https://www.facebook.com/teamwales.cymru/

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New Lighting at Capel Bangor & Aberffrwd

oth Capel Bangor and Aberffrwd stations now boast full length platform lighting after extra lamp posts have been installed this year.

The lamp posts used originally stood on our old platform at Aberystwyth, as our new Aberystwyth platform received a different type of lantern top, which are replicas of GWR lanterns.

They are wired into a sensor and timer system so that they come on automatically when trains approach and go off shortly after the train has departed.

The extra lighting looks the part giving the stations a lovely glow in the evenings adding to the ambience.

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Vale of Rheidol Railway News

Project Phase 3 - Multi Function Display Space

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hase 3 of our Wales to the World project has begun. It is the overhaul of the former standard gauge engine shed to turn it into a display space suitable for display of engines from our collection.

After emptying the building and removing the track, the interior was sandblasted to clean it and remove the years of dirt and soot from the walls and metalwork. The steelwork was then painted to protect it from the elements.

Both gable ends have had the brickwork removed to assess the condition of the steelwork after aroud 90 years of exposure to the coastal elements. In addition to the gable ends four bays of bricks have been removed for further works.

The top of the ridge has been removed ready for glass windows to be installed, restoring them to their original purpose allowing natural light into the building.

The windows in the walls have all been removed ready for new ones to be installed. Once all the windows have been installed the building will once again be water tight.

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Vale of Rheidol Railway News

Project Phase 4 - New Booking Office

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hase 4 of our project, the building of a brand new booking office, has also started simultaneously as phase 3.

The overall look of the building is designed to match the style of our workshop built in 2012 with various features from our history as well as that of the Great Western Railway, including original cast iron brackets from Gloucester railway station.

Once the footings were excavated a steel reinforcement was installed prior to the pouring of the concrete to form the foundations.

Following the curing of the concrete, Steel posts have been installed to support the cast iron entrance awnings. The construction of the blockwork walls has begun and the building has started to take shape.

For more on our Wales to the World project see; https://www.facebook.com/ VoRWalestotheWorld

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WORKSHOP Baldwin No.46699

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ork on the Baldwin has been continuing steadily. The tanks were temporarily refitted to the frames prior to removal for painting to begin, and vacuum brake pipes have been made and fitted.

The iconic ‘water lifter’ pipe work has been manufactured and fitted. A lot of work has taken place on the motion and valve gear which included replacement of a number of the rods and heavy reworking of other parts.

New cylinder cladding has been manufactured and fitted and painting has now begun on several component parts of the engine including the steam dome, sand dome and tanks.

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UPDATE

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WORKSHOP Carriage Project

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ith the completion of Carriage 11 (See page 4) work has begun in earnest on Carriage 12. So far the carriage has been stripped, the framework modifications are complete, the roof has been completed, the ceiling has been formed and the centre panels have been sent away to artist Terence Lambert for painting in the theme of flight, and will feature birds native to the Rheidol Valley in the design.

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UPDATE Loco No.8

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uring the winter No.8 has had a routine chassis overhaul which included the wheels, motion & running gear. This was completed in time for the start of our 2022 season.

The work included new bearings, new pistons and piston rings, along with the turning of the engine’s wheelsets. Whilst in the works the opportunity was also taken to repaint No.8’s buffer beam.

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WORKSHOP O

Other Projects

ur engineers have had a wheely good time lately, working on wheel sets for us and others.

For ourselves there was the culmination of a 10 year project to overhaul and modify the bogies from our carriages to improve the ride for our visitors. All 32 carriage bogies are now rebuilt and 30 are in use under our carriages.

For the Isle of Mann we have been completing work both directly and indirectly. Directly we have been working on tram wheels for the Manx Electric Railway, including turning and re-profiling. Indirectly we have been subcontracted by Alan Keefe’s works for the re-tiring of pony truck wheels for the Isle of Mann Steam Railway.

We will also be overhauling & rebuilding some of the unique bogies that are in use on the Isle of Mann Steam Railway.

For the Talyllyn Railway we completed works on the wheelsets from Loco No.2 which included work on the driving axles, profiling the wheels, work on the journals, the fitting of new crank pins, and resetting the eccentrics.

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UPDATE

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Driver Experience at Devil’s Bridge Station Live those dreams of driving a steam engine, sound the whistle and you’re off, on the footplate of our Quarry Hunslet, Margaret.

18 July - 1 September 22 on Yellow Timetable Days Purchase your experience ticket from our Devil’s Bridge Booking Office

Then & Now

The same location approaching Rhiwfron 42 years apart.

The above photo was taken during August 1978 by John Reeves, the below photo was taken February 2020 by Simon Reeves, John’s son.

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Photo courtesy John R Jones

Picture

Photo: Tom Curtis

Photo: Aled Richards

Gallery

Photo: Andrew Simmonds

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Photo: Simon Reeves

Vale of Rheidol Volunteers

By Clive Higgs, Railway Volunteer

There was little activity in January besides clearing fallen branches and twigs from the platforms of the intermediate stations.

February saw some muddy weeding and Aberffrwd fence ‘pseudo-creosoting’. Then we started to re-roof the Aberffrwd water tower and re-paint its tank in the light and dark green Cambrian Railways colours. The scaffolding was erected in late February and we had four weeks to do the job as it had to be removed by March 26th, when the first passenger trains were due to run.

The scaffolding had to extend to the edge of the platform and would endanger any passenger’s head looking out of a carriage window! Rust and loose paint were removed from the outside of the cast iron tank and the bare metal was covered in iron oxide primer.

It was interesting painting the cast iron panels. The expensive green paints were designed to expand and contract with the warming and cooling panels but they had to be applied when the relative humidity was below 80% and the temperature was above 5 degrees Celcius.

Initially it was either frosty or wet. But there were warmer, drier spells and John Alderslade and I finished in good time. It was so warm someone was tempted to paddle in Page 22

the water tank. All safety precautions were taken!

The tank looked much smarter when finished. The photograph below was taken on a bright day when the sky was reflected by the gleaming paint. On duller days the panels appear deep green.

Then it was intensive weeding at all stations. In April the later display of daffodils and starburst tulips at the stations needed more dead-heading. The gardens, tubs and troughs at Aberystwyth and Devil’s Bridge were weeded first. At the main bed by the Aberystwyth toilet block we planted violas and primulas but these were soon pulled up by Herring Gulls nesting nearby. The surviving plants were re-planted and were soon pulled up again, despite the new highpitched bird scarer. The Lesser Black-Backed Gulls returned to nest in the nearby car park garden. The railway staff helpfully cut up snake-length sections of old yellow hosepipe and these did seem to scare the gulls away without scaring any children. No faces or fangs were drawn onto the hosepipes!

When the frosts ended, the bulbs in the platform half-barrels were replaced by

geraniums. The main bed now has geraniums, primulas, violas, and Osteospermum ‘Purple Glow’ plants to match the new buildings.

At Devil’s Bridge, the area around the azaleas was weeded just before they came into flower.

The 25 bulb boxes in the troughs were replaced by the 25 boxes of last year’s geraniums, which spent the winter in a bed inside the waiting room. Very cosy, with no frost damage and helpfully fed by swallow droppings!

Seven oak half-barrels were bought, prepared and placed beside the access track around the new end of the railway line. Each was filled with soil and a central Potentilla ‘Elizabeth’ was planted before the Jubilee.

Around each potentilla we planted orange bidens and red/yellow bidens. The yellow bidens besides the gates were renewed and we planted primulas, erysimums and gazanias in the main beds.

The bulbs at Capel Bangor Station were removed and stored except at one scruffy trough where a family of wrens was nesting.

The bulbs were replaced by geraniums. The mature planting at the beds by the entrance from the road and adjoining the water trough were weeded and cut back as necessary.

At Nantyronen, the garden plot by the road was weeded so all of the ceanothus could be seen.

At Aberffrwd the main bed’s sweet williams overwintered well. Osteospermums, hardy geraniums, red geraniums, marigolds, lobelias and gaillardias were planted there.

Slugs mauled the marigolds but did not gnaw the gaillardias, as they did last year.

Rhiwfron is the most isolated halt, with no road access. At the end of May, some volunteers boarded the first train, clutching all our clearing gear. We spent a hectic hour pulling up brambles and bracken. We finished just in time for a quick coffee before the down train arrived. No time to savour the spectacular view of the valley. Only the Rheidol Falls Halt to weed. Hooray! Another train ride.

A very busy period for the volunteers: Edwina, Philip, Penny, John, Mark, Maurice, me and Maureen, who looks after the Aberffrwd gardens alone. Annie is at home, unwell and Jenny is looking after her very well. We hope you get well soon Annie.

Our volunteers meet once a week, and through their efforts our stations always look at their best no matter what the weather. If you wish to join our amazing band of volunteers helping to maintain our stations then please get in touch via email: info@rheidolrailway.co.uk Page 23

Permanent Way Update

by Ben Brotherwood

Tea/coffee breaks have propelled the permanent way team through a busy schedule of tasks this winter. The biggest, renewing 3/4 Mile of track along the eastern end of Capel Bangor straight and Lovesgrove, equating to: 94 Panels of track 1435 sleepers 5740 Screws/clips 380 Fishplates greased 760 Fishplate Bolts tightened Every year requires an extensive effort to be made to keep on top of the condition of track to ensure safety and where possible improve ride quality. Similar lengths of work are planned for the coming years and so the general approach to relaying track has been modified. For the first time very few sleepers were lifted by staff as a fork attachment was designed and built by our workshop for our contractor’s digger (E. Jones Plant Hire).

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The extra spare energy for the staff could then be channelled into laying track, or eating more biscuits. A different method of working has also largely removed the need to shovel pack the track to achieve the correct level as now the digs are guided by a laser level, which can then be set up to guide our tamping machine’s operator to lift the track to its correct height and cant.

Changing sleepers has not been limited to the two relays either, approximately 200 more sleepers were changed at 3 different locations in situ.

The Garratt has drawn an incredible amount of interest but before it can achieve its potential of pulling 8 carriages to Devils Bridge, the run round loop needed to be extended to provide sufficient clearance to pass the train. This work took place in December in what felt like a perennial storm. Only once did

the team go home dry over a two week period! Since the relay, the opportunity was taken to fence off one side of the headshunt to improve the appearance of the station and demark the coach parking area. The fencing work was carried out by the same contractors responsible for the replacement of fence line along Lovesgrove straight; work that has made a massive improvement in the appearance of the line and a noticeable decrease in woolly train spotters on the track.

Not all tasks involved track work.

The railway is boarded by many miles of woodlands that houses much life.

Unfortunately, if left unattended the branches grow over the track, posing a risk of falling limbs, damaging paintwork and creating a green tunnel effect. Over the best part of a month we methodically worked our way up the track, using a pole saw and tower mounted on our flat wagon to cut all the branches reachable. The end result has made a massive difference in light levels and should reduce the amount of branches falling onto the track after bad weather.

With the much anticipated start on remodelling the old engine shed, the P-Way team can expect an equally busy summer of work to keep them out of trouble.

Miner’s shovel and ammonal tin

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Engines from our Collection Compiled by Gareth Jones

No.60

No.82

NG/G13 Garratt’s No. 60 & No.82 he NG/G13 Garratt is a class of only 12 engines built by Hanomag in Germany T upon the expiration of the patent for the Garratt that had been held by Beyer Peacock. The first three engines Nos. 58 - 60, were built in 1927, these three were

followed in 1928 by an extension of the original order under which Nos 49 & 50 were delivered. Later in 1928 a further order added another 7 locomotives to the class, all being delivered to Port Elizabeth for use on the Avontuur Branch.

One of the successes of the class was also one of its problems, the engines were designed so the trailing trucks aided the weight distribution of the engine meaning that it could safely traverse lighter laid track, however, this weight distribution also meant that when rail conditions were adverse the engines were prone to slipping and the unreliable sanding system didn’t help much with the issue either.

The NG/G13 locomotive’s cab layout was also less than ideal for the hot South African conditions the engine was built to run in, this was due to several of the steam fittings being close to or inside the cab, providing a constant source of heat which was less than ideal. This is why most photos of the engines in service show the crews sitting on their ‘swing out seats’ outside of the cab to escape the heat..

This being said though, the engines lasted well in service. Different sources have differing ideas on the end of their working life, some sources say the NG/G13s were all retired upon dieselisation of the Avontuur Branch in 1973, and other sources say upon dieselisation the class was transferred to the Alfred County Railway in Natal, which was closed in 1986 by South African Railways.

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Engines from our Collection Compiled by Gareth Jones

Falcon F4 Type No.265/1897 & No.266/1897 he South African Railways (SAR) NG6 began life on the Beira Railway which, T when it operated between 1890 & 1900, was the longest 2ft gauge railway in the world even though it was only 2ft gauge for a short period before being regauged to

3ft 6. The class of engines were often known by their nickname of ‘Lawleys’ which was adopted from the engineering manager appointed during the Beira Railway’s construction, Mr A L Lawley.

The 4-4-0 Lawleys were built to two differing designs, the earlier design was the F2, the main visual difference being these engines had straight frames where the later F4 design featured a step in the running board from the cab front. The F4 type also featured a number of more subtle changes such as a larger cylinder diameter, bigger driving wheels by 4 inches and other changes which made them more powerful than their F2 classmates.

Both classes of Lawleys were built by the Falcon Engine & Car Works in Loughborough.

(The Falcon company later went on to become Brush Electrical Engineering Company in 1898.) Orders were placed in six batches for a total of 42 of both types of the class of engine.

These engines operated on the Beira Railway until its regauging in 1900, at which time they were put into storage at Bamboo Creek, with the exception of six engines selected for use in the construction of the Ayrshire Railway. Two engines were transferred to Rhodesia and worked on the Lupani Forest Estates Railway, and later found themselves working at Igusi Sawmills. Parts from these two engines were used Page 27

to restore engine number 19 which was then placed on display in the Bulawayo Railway Museum.

In 1916 due to a shortage of motive power South African Railways bought 13 Lawleys from storage at Bamboo Creek; these engines were overhauled and and nine entered service as Class NG6. These engines were assigned numbers 96 to 98 and 101 to 106 and found employment on branch lines across South Africa, being used to replace engines that had been seconded for war use. By the end 1918 the engines had once again been placed into storage.

In 1921, two engines (NG101 & 102) gained a reprieve as they were reinstated for use on a branchline that ran between Pienaarsrivier to Pankopf. During 1924 building of a branchline between between Upington and Kakamas began, followed by the building of another branch in 1925 between Seymour and Fort Beaufort. In response to this the remaining Lawleys were recovered from storage and pressed into service on these lines until the growth in traffic outgrew the pulling power of the engines and they were replaced, with the last engine being withdrawn from service during 1935.

The two in our collection are both of the F4 type engine their Beira Railway numbers being 27 & 28 with works numbers of 265 of 1897 and 266 of 1987 respectively. The specific history of these engines has been hard to trace with only generalisations of the class histories and at the time of writing this the specific information of where our pair ran I have sadly been unable to trace. However if any of our readers have any information that helps with this please do let us know.to restore engine number 19 which was then placed on display in the Bulawayo Railway Museum.

Research for these articles on the collection have been compiled from the following sources; Garratts & Kalaharis of the Welsh Highland Railway, ISBN 978-0901848260 The Two Foot Gauge Enigma, Beira Railway 1890 - 1900, ISBN 1871980348 Wikepedia - South African Class NG6 4-4-0 Page 28

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About our staffAbout Our Staff Beth Sherratt Booking Clerk

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eth has joined our team this year and has a wealth of experience working in customer service roles, which shows in her friendly chatty manner.

She enjoys travel and adventure having visited several different countries, working and taking in the wealth of new experiences they offer during her visits.

Beth has recently completed a personal trainer course, persuing her interests to gain a recognised qualification in the field.

She is heading off on her travels again this year and we wish her all the best while she explores another continent and we hope when she returns to the area she will once again come and join us as part of our team.

Sam Roberts

Clerical Technician

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am has joined our team this year to take over the demanding role of maintaining the high standards of our Public Conveniences as well as some of the behind the scenes cleaning that keeps our railway looking at its best.

Sam is a mother of two, but Mum to four children, and when not at work enjoys getting out and about walking her two dogs and spending time with her family.

She is also a singer in the local band Stix, of which she has been a member for a number of years and they frequently perform at Aberystwyth’s Big Tribute Festival and New Quay’s Bank Holiday Music Festival, amongst other large and small events.

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About our staffAbout Our Staff Simon Reeves

Fireman, Guard & Trainee Signwriter

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imon is a father of two and spends as much time as possible with them.

He has a lifelong love of the Vale of Rheidol Railway, first visiting when just 6 months old. Simon’s late father John was a great supporter of the Vale of Rheidol and a prominent figure in the road steam heritage world. John was also the deputy editor of Vintage Spirit magazine and a commentator at the renowned Dorset Steam Fair. John’s extensive collection of VoR photos has been donated to our archive too.

In his spare time Simon likes modelling in 16mm scale and has plans to create a Vale of Rheidol Railway in miniature in his garden in the not too distant future.

Simon considers himself lucky as he gets to live his dream of working on the railway.

Clare Wanmer Booking Clerk

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lare has also joined our team this year and has recently moved into the area.

She is from South Wales and has a large family that she enjoys visiting when not at work.

Clare enjoys getting out and about in the countryside exploring the natural beauty of our local area. She is a former Army Cadet and the experience gained from her time with them gives her a friendly and approachable personality and she is always happy to help our fantastic visitors where she can.

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THE WELLINGTON, MUCH WENLOCK AND CRAVEN ARMS RAILWAY

A new illustrated history of this charismatic GWR cross-country branch line that served the ironmasters of Coalbrookdale and the quarries and farmlands of Wenlock Edge. The result of 40 years research and compilation, this book features many highly detailed architectural drawings and is produced in a stunning large format, setting new standards in design and reproduction.

Adrian Knowles 308 pages. 275x275mm. Printed on silk art paper with colour laminated board covers.

ISBN13 : 9781911038993

£50.00 WESTERN TIMES ISSUE 3 The new history periodical from Transport Treasury for students of the GWR and BR(W) Packed with the historic, the informative, the unusual and even the bizarre, here are 80 pages of historic facts accompanied by many more previously unseen images. Since its launch, ‘Western Times’ has been gratefully received by an audience looking for detail on the GWR and BR(W). It is now available at numerous outlets – although you may still have to ask at others. In this latest Issue don’t miss part 1 of the Dean Singles, Fairfield Crossing, the GWR photographic collection, weed killing, bridge loadings, Warships in colour, the signalman’s strange pet and much, much more. We are certain you will not be disappointed. Copies of issues 1 and 2 are still available. In preparation is Issue 4; for release in August 2022.

Softback, 80 pages, over 90 black & white and colour illustrations ISBN: 9781913251260

£12.50 Page 32

Call in or phone our shop on 01970 625819

THE WHISKY LINE: KEITH TO DUFFTOWN This book is a “tale of two halves”. It explains how the eleven mile railway line between Keith Junction and Dufftown in Banffshire avoided complete closure in the British Rail era of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s; and, when it did finally succumb in 1991, how it transformed itself into the United Kingdom’s most northerly heritage railway. The common thread over 50 years has been the constant struggle for survival. That the railway flourishes in 2022 is due largely to the determination of local people working together to keep their railway alive. This book is dedicated to all those who have contributed to the ultimate success story of The Whisky Line.

Softback, 96 pages, black & white and colour photographss ISBN: 9780902343337 Great North of Scotland Railway Association

£9.00 TRANSPORT RECALLED: NORTH AND MID-WALES This book takes readers on a spectacular journey across North and Mid-Wales in the thirty-year period from the mid-1950s onwards. In full colour, it features scenic railway main lines and branches; ports, canals and shipping including the Liverpool & North Wales Steamship Company; cable and electric tramways; all manner of connecting bus and coach services in urban and rural settings; and a few surprises along the way. Highlights include superb views of the trams owned by Llandudno & Colwyn Bay Electric Railway; long-gone branch lines; much-loved locomotive types; very rare colour views of some Crosville bus types; and a remarkable assembly of horse drawn, steam-powered and electrically-operated narrow gauge railways which survived in industrial locations barely changed in well over a century.

Hardback, 192 pages, 160 Colour Illustrations, ISBN: 9781526787071

£27.00

visit our webshop: shop.rheidolrailway.co.uk

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Model Railway Shop Reduced to Clear Bargains A selection of end of line kits that are reduced to clear.

Multi Buy Discount on North Ings Kits, Buy 2 save 5%, buy 3 or more save 10%.

Mary Kit £70.00

North Ings 3rd Class £25.00

North Ings Guards Van £25.00

North Ings Coal Tub £25.00 Page 34

North Ings 2nd Class £25.00

Call in or phone our shop on 01970 625819

The Vale of Rheidol Railway in Detail

Published March 2022, after five years in the making, this fantastic book brings the technical history of the Rheidol up to date.

It features drawings of all our rolling stock and buildings along with livery diagrams, an ideal resource for modellers and VoR fans alike.

Available for purchase from our website below or come and visit our shop & see what else we have on offer. https://shop.rheidolrailway.co.uk

Photo by Simon Reeves

www.rheidolrailway.co.uk Telephone us: 01970 625 819 - Park Avenue, Aberystwyth SY23 1PG