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NEWSLETTER no.28

Photo by John R Jones

Issue 6 - 2017

www.rheidolrailway.co.uk

Telephone us: 01970 625 819 - Park Avenue, Aberystwyth SY23 1PG Regular steam train services running throughout the year

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Upcoming Events LOCALS

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THE VALE OF RHEIDOL RAILWAY IS OFFERING REDUCED FARES FOR LOCALS LIVING IN SA, SY AND LD POSTCODES FOR FEBRUARY HALF TERM 2018

Vale of Rheidol Newsletter Covering news and events from September & October

Contents:

Editorial

Page 3 - Vale of Rheidol News Page 5 - Volunteers Update Page 7 - The Mines of the Rheidol Valley Page 9 - Things to do Page 11 - Photo Competition Page 13 - Workshop Updates Page 15 - Pictures from the Month Page 19 - A Photo from the Archives Page 20 - Permanent Way Update Page 21 - Tales from the Lein Fach Page 23 - Shop Products of the Month Page 24 - Garden Railway Products of the Month Page 25 - About Our Staff Page 26 - Things to do Page 27 - Readers’ Mail & Classifieds Page 29 - Timetable Page 30 - Upcoming Events

We have finally reached the end of another busy season on the Vale of Rheidol railway. This year, we have carried more passengers than in 2016 and all of the team at Aberystwyth and Devil’s Bridge thank everyone who visited and made it another successful season.

The revellers on the 1920s/30s night have partied on well into the night, before the late bus took them back home to the present day.

The Halloween trains have departed amid the shouts and screams of the monsters and the passengers; all gathering for a hearty meal at the Two Hoots cafe afterwards.

Very soon it will be December and Santa will be visiting with Mrs Christmas. Presents will be given by Santa to those children who have been good all year, while Mrs Christmas will tell stories as the kids anticipate meeting the ‘big man’. Why not come along and have a great family day out?

The railway has embarked on new projects in the last few months, both for infrastructure and rolling stock. We are delighted to be able to provide an update on these in the newsletter, so you know exactly how busy we’ve been! These are exciting times at the ‘Lein Fach’, why not keep in touch by also liking our facebook page?

If you have any comments, feel free to contact by e-mail on newsletter@rheidolrailway. co.uk . Hope to see you visit us in 2018.

Gareth Jones Newsletter Editor

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Vale of Rheidol Railway News Weigh to Move a Building

The dilapidated original weigh bridge building at Devil’s Bridge, the only stone structure on the railway, is to be restored and reconstructed nearer the corrugated iron ticket office.

The weigh bridge was used in the early days of the railway when freight was an important part of the railway’s business.

The building would have been occupied by the clerk who weighed and assessed the load. The weigh bridge itself has long gone but we are looking for a suitable period item to complete the historic reconstruction at some point in the future.

The building has been used as storage for many years but British Railways had an ice cream kiosk there when they ran the line.

It needed to be moved to allow the track to be extended for additional carriages and engines such as our recently acquired Beyer Garrett.

We are very pleased to make the restored space available for an exhibition by the Vincent Wildlife Trust on their successful reintroduction of the Pine Marten to Wales based here in the surrounding wooded valleys. The joint project has been funded by the Cefn Croes Windfarm Community Trust whose remit is to support projects with economic benefit to the Devil’s Bridge area. An exhibition on the reintroduction of the Pine Marten to provide an additional Page 3

interest for our passengers and also as a focal point for locals and visitors to follow the Pine Marten program seemed an ideal use of the building.

The old building is being carefully demolished so that as much of the original brick, stone and roof tiling can be reused.

A particular concern was that the old building might be used as a bat roost. None were recorded in recent surveys but as an extra precaution, a bat expert attended the roof removal and one little pipistrelle bat was carefully removed to be released locally where there are many suitable alternative roosting sites.

To follow the development of this project look out for updates on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rheidolrailway/

COMING SOON

© James A Moore

THE PINE MARTEN DEN Devil’s Bridge Station will soon be home to ‘The Pine Marten Den’. Find out more about the pine martens of the Rheidol Valley and beyond, and how The Vincent Wildlife Trust’s Pine Marten Recovery Project has helped bring this native Welsh mammal back from the brink of extinction.

Visit www.pine-marten-recovery-project.org.uk for more details.

OPENING FEBRUARY 2018

Vale of Rheidol Railway News

In with the old, Out with the new!

Photo John R Jones

Before In keeping with the work to return the railway to a 1920s/30s appearance our foundry have cast replacement heritage signs.

After These new signs, which have been painted in our workshop at Aberystwyth, replace the previous ‘modern’ signs.

Photo John R Jones

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Vale of Rheidol Volunteers

By Clive Higgs, Railway Volunteer

The volunteers painted the outside of Devil’s Bridge station in the first two weeks of September. (Apart from a few overlooked bits that the passengers pointed out). The station was first thoroughly washed in sunshine in late August and we waited until there were only two trains a day, from September 1st. There was a dash to paint the grey roof and the cream and brown walls before the Roaring 20s and 30s Weekend on September 16th and 17th.

cream spots on heads and shoulders and brown sleeves that had touched the walls.

The Roaring 20s and 30s Weekend went very well at Devil’s Bridge with a smart station and white-spirited John and Peter as the hopefully spotless stationmaster and porter.

(They didn’t touch the carriages just in case.)

Amid the jokes, they were popular with the passengers.

Most of the days were rainy and spent deadheading lots of geraniums and a few rainhappy flowers at the stations. The usual routine of weeding gardens and tidying car parks was maintained and fresh bedding plants were planted outside the Devil’s Bridge entrance.

As soon as a dry day or night was forecast, the team had a morning or evening painting session. It seemed best to avoid dropping brushes or paint pots from the roof onto passengers, so we tried to work on the roof between 9am and 11:30am after the dew had evaporated and before the first train arrived. Wall-painting was left to 4:16pm, immediately after the last train had left.

That was the evening master plan, but the lovely cups of tea and enticing Welsh cakes at the Two Hoots café delayed the evening starts a bit. Especially with one volunteer who was on a strict diet. Very sorry for us hanging around so much Shan!

The routine worked very well apart from one wrong weather forecast when the rain spotted large areas of wet paint. It was found that two roof nails were loose, so their corrugated iron sheets were fixed using rivets. As the station became a fresh grey, cream and brown, the volunteers developed fresh grey patches on knees and boots,

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During the Weekend, special volunteers stepped in as stationmaster and wife in period costume (John and Jessie Plowman), an operator of the miniature railway at Aberystwyth (Peter Bance), travellers in period costume including Heather Giles (a schoolmistress), Jacqui Kenton (a widow), Jessica Elder, Jenni and Jan Steer (a couple), Harry Hayfield and John the miner. Many thanks to all and sorry if I’ve not included everyone and the motor cars. Everyone looked tremendous in the costumes.

After the Weekend, we painted the outside of the Devil’s Bridge toilets but there were longer delays due to rain. The painting sessions became shorter to minimise the effect of rain spoiling the results but eventually the toilet block was finished.

Lastly the small unpainted patch of the station roof was painted and in the correct colour.

The volunteers returned to the fascinating job of restoring the platelayer’s hut just west of Nantyronen Halt. They had previously cleared the vegetation around the hut and Llyr had organised the lifting upright of the tilting chimney with a digger, before the train season. Weeds had re-grown over the summer so the first job was cutting them back.

Today the volunteers started working on the hut. The loose cement, bricks and shattered clay pipe “chimney pot” were removed from the top of the chimney. The base of the remaining chimney now needs to be carefully repaired before the top is rebuilt. The base is bulging to the left in this photograph.

After all the tea enjoyed at Devil’s Bridge, emergency measures are in hand to set up a twig-burning Kelly’s kettle near the hut - but not too close.

Fire Bush Flairs in Capel Bangor

By Philip Ellis Following the first flowering of the Smoke Bushes, Cotinus coggygria, in the Aberystwyth station car park, the first Chilean Fire Bush, Embothrium coccineum, has just produced its first bright orange flowers at Capel Bangor.

Embothriums are notoriously difficult to get going but once established they can grow

very fast. It is not really a bush as it can grow to thirty feet or more and usually flowers in late spring so these autumn flowers are a real surprise.

Volunteers planted three specimens each at Capel Bangor, Aberffrwd and Devil’s Bridge in 2014 which we hope will put on a flaming display in the next few years.

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Mines of the Rheidol Valley: Cwm Rheidol Mine - The underground waterwheel. by Ioan R Lord

N.B. These mines are on Private property and entry is forbidden unless by prior arrangement.

Mines in the Valley are very dangerous owing to the vertical shafts and the potential for them to be hidden within woodland. Exploration should only be undertaken by experienced persons!

In February 1861, a 24-foot underground waterwheel was built half a mile inside Level Fawr, the main adit of Ystumtuen or Cwm Rheidol Mine, opposite Rhiwfron Halt. The waterwheel operated the pumps and winding rope in the Engine Shaft, which was sunk below the adit to another level but abandoned only a year after it had been started. The waterwheel stopped working one year and sixteen days after it had commenced, and nothing else was ever heard of it. It seemed likely that the wheel would have been abandoned and left in its pit 400 feet below the top of the mountain,

seeing as the effort in removing it would have been as great as that taken to carry each part half a mile down the adit and assembled by candlelight a year before.

A project to access and document the site of the underground waterwheel, and determine whether any remains of the wheel survive, was started by myself, Dave Seabourne, Hugh Ratzer and Paul Smyth in November 2016. The plan below shows a part of Cwm Rheidol Mine, including the waterwheel inside the red circle.

Plan of Cwm Rheidol Mine, drawn from old diagrams and reports

The only access point to the mine which remains open is Level Fawr, or Great Level, which is a mile long and its portal is positioned at the top of the bright-orange spoil heaps opposite Rhiwfron Halt. The level can be seen on the plan above, and continues eastwards into the next mine, Penrhiw. The shaded areas on the plan indicate where the ore has been stripped out and huge cavities have been left underground. It is a half-mile walk through waist-deep water at some points from the surface to get the point of our operations, which were at No. 2 Rise, shown on the plan above just west of the waterwheel chamber. Here there was a huge collapse which prevented us from continuing east to the waterwheel. The rise, or shaft, up to the next level here was also blocked. The only immediate possibility of a way to the Page 7

waterwheel was to climb a set of original wooden ladders which remain in situ in No. 1 Rise, shown further west on the plan.

We recorded all four wooden ladders still intact and were able to get to the next level, Reese’s. Hoping to work our way eastwards to No. 3 Rise, then abseil down and access the waterwheel chamber, we were met with another obstruction in that Reese’s Level was also blocked a few yards east of No. 1 Rise. However, we did discover a woodenbody wagon set to 1’6” gauge, overturned but still containing its end-tipper on iron hinges, in this part of the workings.

We decided that the best way on would be to try and unblock No. 2 Rise immediately west of the waterwheel chamber in Level Fawr, climb up to Reese’s Level using roping

equipment, then hopefully be able to reach the top of No. 3 Rise and abseil back down again to the wheel chamber. During winter 2016, we spent several days underground using iron bars and a maypole to remove large boulders which were choking No. 2 Rise above Level Fawr. We formed an exit route and a refuge area where two of us could stand while the other was working, and operate in shifts. Eventually, in July 2017, we managed to form a hole large enough to climb through and we could see an open space above the choke. We used the maypole with a rope attached to its top end to climb up through the choke, into the large No. 2 Rise. We were able to see all the way up to Reese’s Level as the plan shows, and we placed bolts at this point to belay a rope down to Level Fawr. We used this rope from then on to access this point, so that we could pull the maypole up through the choke and use it to climb further up towards the next level. One of us would climb to the top of the maypole attached to the rope with appropriate equipment, place bolts as high as he could reach, attach a rope, then pull the maypole up again and repeat the procedure.

was found, and some spectacular mineral formations including 6-foot-long stalactites and stalagmites. Luckily, the top of No. 3 Rise was easily found and remained open and accessible. The three of us who were present placed bolts at the top, attached the ropes and dropped them down the shaft to the waterwheel chamber which was apparently at the bottom. We made a descent of 100 feet following rickety wooden ladders until we broke through the roof of a large chamber. In the chamber was a 24-foot-long waterwheel pit, but shockingly and disappointingly the waterwheel itself had been removed. Other underground waterwheels in the area are known to survive, since the cost and effort of dismantling them and removing them was often greater than the value of the wheel, but evidently not at Cwm Rheidol Mine. Each component from the 12-foot-long arms to the huge axle bearings was carted for half a mile into the mine, and assembled by candlelight 156 years ago, only to be dismantled again and taken back out a year later.

Reconstruction of the underground waterwheel, drawn from the information obtained by the project Old wooden ladders survive in No. 3 Rise above the waterwheel chamber

Eventually, on 1 September 2017, we reached Reese’s Level at the top of No. 2 Rise. Unfortunately, the level east from here was collapsed as well, but by studying the plan, we could see that No. 3 Rise – our objective, so that we could abseil down to the wheel chamber – was less than 100 feet away from us. The final day of the project was on 20 September, when we managed to climb to the top of the collapse and discover a hole large which was safe enough to pass through. I scrambled through and made a preliminary exploration, to ascertain the safety of the workings beyond. Nobody had been in here for over 100 years, probably since the mine closed, and the hobnail boot prints of the last miners could still be seen on the floor. A complete wooden ladder leading to Raw’s Level, the next level higher up,

The site of the underground Engine Shaft, from which the wheel was installed to pump and draw buckets of ore, was found to be a few yards east of the wheelpit, but completely filled-in. A long iron bracket still hanging from the roof has been attributed to guide the winding rope, worked by a winding drum connected to the wheel axle, to the shaft headframe. The illustration below has been drawn from the information obtained by this long and exciting project at Cwm Rheidol Mine, although disappointing upon discovering the absence of the wheel itself. We will now remove the ropes and equipment we have been using for the last year from the mine, so that we can move on to another project elsewhere in Cwm Rheidol.

The discoveries of our Cwm Rheidol Mine project have been properly documented and surveyed.

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TWO HOOTS TEA ROOM

A family run Tea Room, set in Devil’s Bridge near Aberystwyth, with indoor and covered outdoor seating areas, good food and friendly staff. A 5 minute walk from the mythical set of the story with the devil, with waterfalls nearby.

Part of a good day out on the Vale of Rheidol Railway.

Tel: 07779 450 735 Email: shanjinks52@hotmail.com

Rheidol Visitor Centre Set in idyllic surroundings with beautiful walks and stunning views, come and see our exciting exhibition, interactive displays about Rheidol Hydro power station and other renewable energies. Visit the café for something nice to eat and drink.

Open 10:30 – 4:15 daily, Easter Bank holiday weekend and then May 1st until 30th September.

Group tours of the Hydro power station are available all year round by prior appointment only.

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Rheidol Visitor Centre, Cwm Rheidol, Aberystwyth, SY23 3NF

Tel: 01970 880667

To visit the 300ft Waterfalls, Punchbowl and 3 Bridges built one on top of the other, turn left from the train station and walk down the hill past the Hafod hotel (approx 5 minutes).

The Nature Trail circular walk includes views of the waterfalls, 3 Bridges, Robbers Cave and Jacobs Ladder (A steep flight of 100 continuous steps). It takes roughly 45 minutes and is a challenging walk with 675 steep steps. It is not suitable for pushchairs and those with walking difficulties. Adult £3.75 Child £2.00 20% discount on Nature trail walk by showing this advert to the attendant.

Not enough time for the long walk? Too many steps?

To view just the 3 Bridges and the Devil’s Punchbowl enter through the coin operated turnstile. Only £1.00 per person Recommended time 10 minutes.

CARAVAN PARK 01970 890233

Looking for somewhere to stay near the train station at Devil’s Bridge? Call our friendly staff and enquire about our 2 bedroom self catering bungalow or Gypsy Pod. Alternatively pitch a tent or bring your touring van or motor home.

We are situated just 10 minutes walk from the train station and 5 minutes walk from the waterfalls and Hafod Hotel & Brasserie. enquiries@woodlandsdevilsbridge.co.uk

www.woodlandsdevilsbridge.co.uk

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Photo Competition Winners 1st place wins the family ticket

1st

2nd

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3rd

Photo Competition

Would you like to have your photos featured in our newsletters?

Now you can, as we launch our newsletter photo competition.

If we choose your photo as our winner, you could win a family ticket for two adults and two children to travel on one of our regular service trains.

Your photo could be a recent one or one from your archives.

Submit your photos by email to newsletter@rheidolrailway.co.uk We will also share your photos on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/rheidolrailway/

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No.7

Workshop

Locomotive No.7 is undergoing a major overhaul. The locomotive was withdrawn from traffic in 1998 and dismantled. Over recent months, major progress has been made and a return to steam is forecast for 2017.

Follow No.7’s progress here:

https://www.facebook.com/ourpastistheirfuture/

The workshop team have been busy since the last newsletter. Work has included the manufacture and assembly of a new chimney, the side tanks have been fitted and the sandboxes have been secured in position.

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A new blast pipe has been cast, machined & fitted and manufacture of the coal bunkers is underway.

The next step is to begin the manufacture and fitting of the top cladding.

Update

Other workshop projects

Within the workshop, the team work on repairing and maintaining the Vale of Rheidol Railway’s rolling stock as well as taking on other contract work.

Talyllyn Railway No.3

Carriage No.15

A lot of work has taken place since the last issue. The boiler and Chassis have both seen attention.

This carriage has been out of service for many years. Thanks to a grant from the Coastal Communities Fund, the carriage is being restored as a summer car with wheelchair accessibility. So far work has included stripping and sand blasting of the frames.

The Boiler has been off site to receive coded welding work, and since its return the fitting of the new inner firebox has commenced.

Cattle Van The Van is now complete and ready for its public debut during a photo charter in the first half of November.

The re-machined cylinders have been fitted to the frames, along with the repaired buffer beam. The hand brake and brake weigh shaft have also been fitted to the frames.

The Horn Faces have been machined as well using the railways shaper machine

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Image courtesy John R Jones

Photo courtesy John RPage Jones 16 Taken February 2017

Pictures from the Month

By John R Jones, International Travel Photographer

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Pictures from the Month

By John R Jones, International Travel Photographer

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Vale of Rheidol Photo Archive

By Rob Bance,VoR Archivist

Since the railways opening, many postcards have been produced of the line, officially and many more unofficially. This example is one of the more seasonal ones wishing a Happy Christmas.

It has been heavily altered and colour tinted

to illustrate the train in a wintery snow scene at Cwm-yr-ogos, Horsehoe Bend, dating from the 1900’s.

The train is made up from an original Davies and Metcalfe tank with two carriages and brake van.

VoR Newsletter Advertising Price Guide

Your advertisement could be here. There are six newsletters produced per year. The newsletters are made available in printed form and are also emailed out to our subscribers. Currently the printed version is available in our railway gift shop to all our customers. The emailed version currently has a subscription of 4,178 people globally and this number grows throughout the year with new subscribers.

email adverts and wording for classifieds to marketing@rheidolrailway.co.uk

Artwork for adverts is to be provided by the purchaser. Wording for classifieds is to be provided by the purchaser. Adverts can be sent as either PDF or JPEG documents. Please

For further information or any queries please contact the above email address or phone us on 01970 625819 option 3.

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Price List for Adverts (inclusive of 20% VAT) Full Page Advert £36 Single £168 Annual Half Page Advert £24 Single £120 Annual Quarter Page Advert £18 Single £96 Annual Eighth Page Advert £12 Single £60 Annual Small Classified £6 Single £30 Annual

Permanent Way

The Track Maintenance Team

Our Pway team has been continuing to keep the railway in good order since our last edition. This has involved the regular track inspections and lineside maintenance.

Our team has also been busy at Capel Bangor, they have relaid the headshunt and shed approaches. The reason for relaying the track work has been to recover a right hand point for planned work to tidy the trackwork at Aberystwyth during the winter, as well as to improve the layout at Capel Bangor. Look out for more on this work in the next newsletters and on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rheidolrailway/ Page 20

Tales from the Lein Fach (Small Line) A Drivers Challenge One of the earliest footplatemen on the line was Jack Davies.

He was the first ‘Jac Bach’ on the railway (we now have two more!) and he progressed his way up through to firing the Rheidol engine. In time, he became one of the Rheidol drivers also, but there was a slight issue.

As his nickname suggests, Jack was not a tall man and the round ‘spectacle’ windows that allowed the crew to look forwards or backwards were not too low down. Jack therefore developed a fairly unique driving technique of standing on a box.

Jack’s grandson has visited us recently and we had time to swap some stories.

Both himself and his father had followed Jac bach in the railway tradition and had worked in the Bristol area, a fine railway tradition that began on the ‘Lein fach’.

Jack is seen on the Left of this image

A Special Excursion A story was once related to us by the late Bryn Ebenezer, one of Aberystwyth’s signalmen.

In the 1970s, BR organised many excursion trains and the Stoke division (which naturally, Aberystwyth was part of) organised an excursion train to take people to Devil’s Bridge.

The signal box received this order for a large train (at least 10 coaches, I believe) and headed by 2 class ‘25’ Sulzer diesels. He was immediately on the phone, the following conversation is based on his reminiscences.

‘So you want us to take an excursion to Devil’s Bridge?’

‘Yes’ ‘How you going to do that then?

‘Well the diesels will take the train to Aberystwyth’ ‘Sure, but then what?’

‘Oh, they’ll run around and take the train up to Devil’s Bridge’ (*pause*) ‘How you going to do that then?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well the track is less than 2 foot wide and the bogies won’t fit on it.’ (*Long pause*) ‘Oh...’

Somebody had expected the excursion train to run the full journey!

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Tales from the Lein Fach (Small Line) A Visitor to the Line On occasions, during the Cambrian Railways era, the railway was short of motive power.

The two Davies & Metcalfe tank engines and the smaller Rheidol engine did not provide sufficient cover, especially as Rheidol suffered issues requiring heavy maintenance. This was proven especially relevant in the run-up to and during the First World War. The railway looked around for an engine to hire and managed to gain the hire of ‘Palmerston’, a George England 0-4-0 engine from the Ffestiniog Railway. In the summer months of 1912 - 1914, and 1920 - 1922.

For a long time in the steam age, crew were allocated their own locomotive. So it was that ‘Palmerston’ arrived with its own driver. Dafydd Davies, otherwise known as ‘Hen Dafydd’ (meaning ‘Old Dafydd’, the e has a long vowel sound, like the ‘a’ in ‘any’) Dafydd was apparently a connoisseur of beer and his first words on arrival was ‘Ble mae’r dafarn, boys? (Where’s the pub, boys?). He was also extremely devoted to Palmerston.

To this end, he would not let a Rheidol driver touch it, to the extent that every night, he would sweep the tender clean of coal and sleep in it!

Perhaps he may have been prescient, for the one occasion that the locals managed to get hold of the engine, they derailed it!

Palmerston has always been remembered fondly by the Vale of Rheidol railway staff and returned for 2 weeks in 2014, running special trains up the valley. It was a great opportunity for the railway to celebrate the return of an old friend and a fitting commemoration of the outbreak of the Great War.

Photo John R Jones

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The Vale of Rheidol’s Railway Shop featured products: Large Wheeled Outside Framed 4-4-0 Tender Locomotives Published by Pen & Sword, Priced £25 This volume covers all the large wheeled outside frame classes, of 4-4-0 tender Locomotives, that once ran on the Great Western Railway.

The book has full details on each of the classes, with good quality pictures, diagrams name and number lists.

This work is also very useful to model makers, giving full details of mechanical and livery changes, that took place from the 1900s through to the early 1930s, when all except the preserved 3440, City of Truro, were withdrawn and scrapped.

The Lynton & Barnstaple Railway - A Celebration Published by Crecy, Priced £45 Based on the historical photographs of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, this large-format book features photographs from a variety of sources, many of them not seen before.

The attractive photographs with detailed captions create a high-quality publication on the L&BR. The author is a lifelong historian of the railway and Company Secretary of the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Trust.

Cambridge Station - Its development & Operation as a Rail Centre Published by Pen & Sword, Priced £25 This is the first substantive illustrated book about Cambridge Station which explores the opening of the station in 1845; the four principal railway companies which all worked to and from the station; the extensive goods traffic which was handled in the several goods yard; and the way the Station operated from early beginnings, to what Abellio East Anglia and Network Rail offer today. Cambridge Station is renowned for having one of the longest single platforms in the UK, served by Up and Down trains. Ingenious trackwork and extensive signalling could satisfy passengers who were told at the central booking hall entrance: ‘Turn left for Kings Lynn or right for London.’ The book contains several pictures never before published, showing how the Eastern Counties and then the Great Eastern Railway Companies contrived Cambridge Station and the Engine Sheds, Goods Yards, Signal Boxes and extensive sidings to serve East Anglia. And it tells people stories too, because the author worked on the station. He is a geographer and writes with knowledge, wisdom and humour.

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Call our shop on 01970 625819 www.ebay.co.uk/usr/valeofrheidolrailway

Garden Railway Shop Bachmann G Scale Emily & Coaches A great model for Thomas the tank lovers and a great starting point for conversion to a sterling single using the kit available here: http://www.smallbrookstudio.co.uk/ products-new/4569521214/%27g%27scale-%27emily%27-conversionparts/6971799 Emily is priced at: £286 Emily’s coaches are priced at: £70 each

Derek Broom Bridges

We stock a range of custom made bridges and bridge sides, available to cater for both 32mm & 45mm gauge track.

The sides come in either truss or post styles and are constructed from stainless steel. If we don’t have what you want in stock then we can get it custom made. Get in touch to find out more and enquire about pricing.

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About Our Staff Geraint Roberts Geraint is the Railway Shop Manager. He started with the company in March 2014. and is one of the small team that deliver workshop tours at the railway. He has also been involved in history talks to local groups and schools.

Geraint is an Aberystwyth boy and grew up with the VoR running past his primary school. He is also an author. His first published novel ‘Forest Brothers’ was published in 2012 and his second novel ‘By the Banks of the Rheidol‘ is close to publishing, which features a plot involving the construction of the local narrow gauge railways (including the VoR).

If you see him during your visit then ask him about the line, he is a knowledgeable guy.

Daniel Williams Dan is one of the mainstays of our permanent way team having been with the railway since December 2012. Dan is also a qualified Fireman on the line. As part of his role in permanent way, Dan has gained qualifications as a tree surgeon and weed control specialist.

The invaluable job as part of our permanent way team is often out of the public eye, however, this work is vital to keep the railway in such good condition for our visitors. The job of permanent way also involves looking after our station grounds and lineside too. If you see him during your visit then say hello.

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Where history, myth & legend collide...

Tours & Experiences A choice of tours and actor-led experiences.

A Miner’s Life This guided tour immerses you in the original and rare setting of a historic silver-lead mine, both above and below ground and helps you to discover the fascinating facts of mining life in bygone times as it would have been seen through the eyes of a miner.

The Black Chasm Orcs, Goblins, Wraiths & other Myths.

Wales’ scariest underground adventure.

This experience is not for the faint hearted! Not recommended for under 10’s.

A Dragon’s Tale Why risk the nightmare of The Black Chasm when you can join the search for Grotty, Silver Mountain’s mystical, secretive and shy dragon. Our actorled adventure for families. Suitable for children from the age of 4yrs.

Plus many more features to keep the whole family entertained:

Coffee Shop – Our cosy coffee shop offers fresh from-the-bean coffees, teas, delicious hot chocolate, cold drinks and ices, hot soup, paninis, toasties, sandwiches, cold snacks and tempting cakes & muffins.

Gift Shop – Provides the chance to browse a fascinating and colourful display of gemstone & mineral gifts plus plenty of fun items for the kids to choose from too.

Indoor / Undercover Time Lab live show Mining Exhibition Drawing Den Fossil Dig Gem / ”gold” Panning Outdoor Miners Trail Woo Hoo Wood Tangle-foot Maze Den-building Wobbly Log & Giant’s Pan Pipes Silver River Water Play Shroomy Games Giant’s Button Puzzle Shroomy Circle Quiz Trails Miners Trail Quiz Kindling’s Quest Nature Trail Events Events throughout the season.

Check out our website for details

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Readers’ Mail This section of our newsletter gives you our readers the chance to offer feedback on both the railway in general and our newsletter.

A Prize of a Family ticket for two adults and two children will be offered each edition for the best letter or email we receive.

You can write us a letter and post it to the address on this card.

Or alternatively write us an email newsletter@rheidolrailway.co.uk please put Newsletter Editor in the subject line.

Newsletter Editor Vale of Rheidol Railway Park Avenue Aberystwyth Ceredigion SY23 1PG

Classifieds

Your Ad Here Email marketing@rheidolrailway.co.uk for details

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Don’t forget to help Vale of Rheidol Railway Limited raise free donations. Remember easyfundraising.org.uk every time you shop online.

It doesn’t cost you a penny extra!

Find out more and join here: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/valeofrheidolrailwaylimited

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2017 Timetable 1. Pick your day of travel from the calendar.

2. Match the colour to the relevant timetable below.

Please note there are no services on white days.

NOVEMBER 2017 M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25

DECEMBER 2017 M T W T F S 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23

S 5 12 19 26

27 28 29 30

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

JANUARY 2018 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

FEBRUARY 2018 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Aberystwyth Capel Bangor Aberffrwd Devil’s Bridge Devil’s Bridge Aberffrwd Capel Bangor Aberystwyth

dep: dep: dep: arr: dep: dep: dep: arr:

ORANGE 10:30 2:00 10:50 2:20 11:10 2:40 11:30 3:00 12:30 4:15 12:50 4:35 1:10 4:55 1:30 5:15

Aberystwyth Capel Bangor Aberffrwd Devil’s Bridge Devil’s Bridge Aberffrwd Capel Bangor Aberystwyth

dep: dep: dep: arr: dep: dep: dep: arr:

10:30 10:50 11:10 11:30 12:30 12:50 1:10 1:30

12:15 12:35 12:55 1:15 2:15 2:35 2:55 3:15

10:30 10:50 11:10 11:30 12:30 12:50 1:10 1:30 GREEN 2:00 2:20 2:40 3:00 4:00 4:20 4:40 5:00

YELLOW 12:15 2:00 12:35 2:20 12:55 2:40 1:15 3:00 2:15 4:00 2:35 4:20 2:55 4:40 3:15 5:00 3:45 4:05 4:25 4:45 5:45 6:05 6:25 6:45

6:00 6:20 6:40 7:00 8:00 8:20 8:40 9:00

Santa Trains

16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23 December Page 17

S 3 10 17 24

1030, 1230 and 1430 from Aberystwyth

3:45 4:05 4:25 4:45 5:45 6:05 6:25 6:45 GOLD 11:00 11:20 11:40 12:00 2:00 2:20 2:40 3:00

GOLD DAYS Enjoy the stunning Autumn Colours You can combine your visit with a Sunday Lunch at the Hafod Hotel, Devil’s Bridge

Upcoming Events

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Photo by John R Jones

www.rheidolrailway.co.uk

Telephone us: 01970 625 819 - Park Avenue, Aberystwyth SY23 1PG Regular steam train services running throughout the year