Thursday Proto Photo, May 29/14

[Lenny53]

[VonRyan]

I know I'm quite late, but I'll make a contribution.

On May 23rd, I visited the Talyllyn Railway in northern Wales. My reason for going there was to not only see the valley of the Afon Fathew, but to drive Dolgoch "The Old Lady".
She's a Fletcher Jennings 0-4-0 built in 1865, and although not much on her is still original from 1865, she still has the same charm.
The instructing driver actually said that I had picked the most difficult engine to drive, because the regulator (throttle) is unlike what is on their other engines and because it is also more 'delicate'.

None the less, I was told that I did quite well and that I seemed to get a good feel for her, the only real obstacle is knowing when to adjust for variations is grade.

The Guard's assistant offered to take photos of me with my camera, so any photo where there is a chap in a green sweatshirt, that's me.


This is me starting 'work' running around my train (which was unusually long) at Wharf station.
The TR uses the same 2'3" gauge that it was built with.


A perfect photo-op was the wait at Brynglas for the last public train to take the siding and allow us to start the climb. This was right before the Driver and I went into the signal box to talk with the signalman. I had the opportunity to work with the block-token apparatus and was even able to work the lever frame to "set the road" for my train.


This is a picture I took before my Driver's Experience from the saloon car, trying to frame part of the interior, plus Dolgoch, and the beautiful Welsh scenery.



A couple more photos I took from the Saloon car of the breathtaking scenery.


I was even given a cab-ride between Nant Gwernol and Abergynolwyn during the last public working that Dolgoch was pulling so that I could watch the goings on to better acquaint me with Dolgoch. So I took advan snapped a quick shot of part of the interior of the cab.
The metal loop is the valve for the main whistle. The second whistle is on a chain on the ceiling, but hardly ever gets used because it is so high-pitched.



Two of the original TR coahces. All TR coaches only have doors on one side.



A light Welsh rain set in on the way down on the public run (and continued until the end of my driver's experience) and it really brought out Dolgoch's "Crimson Lake" livery.




A quick shot through the window of the Guard's Van.


Back at Brynglas, we had to wait for the last public "Up" train with No.6 "Douglas" (an RAF veteran) So I took the opportunity to get a few shots.




So after my short cab ride, I rode the rest of the way down in the Guard's van.
And of course, I snapped a few photos of the Guard (Geoff) and his assistant (Simon).

Simon, quite possibly dozing off slightly.

And the always attentive Geoff. Quite possibly the best Guard on the whole railway.


Now for the shots of me hard at work.

Running around the train at Wharf.







Taking on water at Dolgoch station






Up at Nant Gwernol




On the way back to Wharf



And a few shots of Gareth, the Driver who supervised my experience and did an excellent job of teaching me. This is just after the carriages were put into the shed and now he is going to put the Old Lady to bed for the night.



And lastly, an excellent shot Simon took of what the TR calls "Heritage Trackage" since the weeds quickly take over and the track starts to look similar to the way it did in the early preservation era.



Thanks for putting up with so many photos.
-Cody F.

[delamaize]

Very cool Cody!

[VonRyan]

Thank you!

It's funny seeing myself in some of those pictures because it's like I'm looking at someone else.
I just can't believe that I actually got to fulfill one of my biggest dreams, and at such a young age no less.

Dolgoch's regulator is vaguely similar to what I encountered on PRR 643, so it was just a matter of getting a feel for when the cylinders wanted to engage and how the Old Lady likes to handle the various grades and curves of the 7 and 1/4 miles of track.

Needless to say, I can't wait till I can afford to go back and do it again.

-Cody F.

[Chris333]

Does the railway still go to the quarry and are there any quarry cars still around?

[Baronjutter]

God damn look at that tiny train!!

[VonRyan]

Does the railway still go to the quarry and are there any quarry cars still around?

They go as far as Nant Gwernol. They have a few preserved slate wagons as well as one preserved waste wagon, an one not so preserved. But from what I saw, they don't have hardly as many as they used to. The quarry of Bryn Eglwys (also called Bryneglwys) is still up in the mountains, and there is a trail ("The Quarryman Trail") that you can hike to take you to Bryn Eglwys. I'm not certain if any of the quarry buildings are still standing up there, but I imagine that those that have fallen may be impossible to properly located since the ground up there is littered with hunks of slate.

-Cody F.

[VonRyan]

God damn look at that tiny train!!

It is indeed small. I could only stand up completely when I was standing in the middle of the cab. Which, by the way, was not made for three people, but the crews make it work.

Dolgoch is basically their smallest steam locomotive, but of the six steam locos she's my personal favourite.

The film "Railway with a Heart of Gold" is what really got me interested in the TR, but I was interested before then. The film just turned it into a borderline obsession.

[VonRyan]

Chris,

Here are some shots I got of some tip wagons and such. I don't think the tips are original to the TR, but they have them around.







In one of my photos, you can see one of the not-yet-preserved waste wagons, with what appears to be parts of another one inside it.


There is also some remnants of the winding drum from the Abergynolwyn incline.




The diminutive size and unavailability of suitable wheels is what has gotten me away from modelling the TR in 2mm finescale.

[Chris333]

You need a model of that water tower at Dolgoch on the mini layout 

[Rich_S]

Cody, It looks like you had a great time on a great little railway, thanks for posting the photos. Even though I model standard gauge railroads, I've always been fascinated by slim gauge railroads, from the three foot gauge roads of Colorado to the East Broad Top here in Pennsylvania and the Maine Two footers. Many European countries also have some very unique narrow gauge operations, unfortunately most are fading into history. Two years ago the EBT announced they were closed until further notice and their website has not been updated since. It's good to see the TR is still up and running. On a side note, I believe the inspiration for the Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes Railroad came from the Talyllyn Railway. I believe the SR&RL has a small section of the line up and running on a limited schedule along with The Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington Railway.

[packers#1]

Cody, very nice pictures, I'm quite envious; I discovered the TR when you started posting about it and I've become a fan; glad you were able to have a great experience there man! Narrow gauge is fun, I was invited to go on a cab ride the last time I was at the Tweetsie Railroad

[Chris333]

Here is a cool video of the railway:

/>
I imagine there are scale drawings of the locos?

[packers#1]

Here is a cool video of the railway:

/>
I imagine there are scale drawings of the locos?

Yeah, I have that bookmarked; it was what caused me to become really interested in the railway

[VonRyan]

Here is a cool video of the railway:

/>
I imagine there are scale drawings of the locos?

Someone at the TR was supposed to email me scans of the drawings, but never did. I believe the TR also sells a book that has them in it.
I'd kill for any wheel/axle sets that are the correct size for TR slate wagons. They don't even have to be spoked.