Cadno and the Llechfan

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dougrail
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Cadno and the Llechfan

Post by dougrail » Wed May 30, 2012 10:42 pm

So, last weekend I happened to be going to Wales. Saturday I was rostered volunteering in the Traffic Dept of the Talyllyn...but Sunday I hadn't been rostered. So early in the morning, I saved us all some time by removing all the grass bales that were floating round on and off the tracks and doing some weeding. By 12:30 all was done and the friendly 'residents' of the Llechfan Garden crew had come out to play...

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...Mamods! Mamods everywhere! It transpired that as I was visiting, it was going to be a 'Mamod Morning'.....shame I didn't take Swordbreaker with me to Wales....

As Swordbreaker had been on holiday at the Dinorwic Light, going in for an overhaul and remedial jobs doing, and afterwards working some contract trains for the good directorate of the DLR, it was felt that 'Cadno' should be steamed up. Also, I wanted to see how the much-maligned 'Caradoc' class would cope with the Llechfan Railway...

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Bobbing along quite nicely....is that the Wheldon wagon?! ;D

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So it is....awaiting it's "Llechfan GR 2012" tattoo...

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Knowing the rules, I couldn't add my Works to it. Still, I got to have it in a train! :D

Taking the gradual gradient of Llechfan with a very long rake of GVT stock [wagons and coaches] all in its stride, regulator at max, 20 degrees up...

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And steaming through Compton Down Yard on its merry way - must admit, I am somewhat proud of this stout little engine :)

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Ah, but there were many more engines...:lol: Firstly, one of my most favourite 'Mamods' ever was steamed up - and yes, under the body is original Mamod wheels and boiler and reverser - Sir Compton.

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Kes steamed up and prepared SC. In the meantime two very handsome engines were also waiting for their turn...a GVT Baldwin and a Peter Angus GVT Tram Loco, 'Glyn'!

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I didn't stay the whole day, deciding to angle for the 1530 dep Tywyn and so missed a lot of the action. However, I did get to see the GVT tram take over from Cadno....

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Believe it or not, it is a geared locomotive and so it ran, nay, purred along the line at a respectable scale 10mph!

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Sir Compton finally had a run...

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And a strange photo opportunity arose while Cadno was cooling down...

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And with that, it was time to say adios and thankyou - and see you next week at "The Point"!!

On reflection, I could have had two, perhaps even three gas and water-fulls worth of runs...however, knowing how 'Cadno' had kept on...and on....and on...and on....for at least 40 mins at Butterley when people had been winding down, I didn't want to risk a rush, the paintwork or worse, the train. Next time though, there'll be more. :)

Enjoy!
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Hancockshire

Post by Hancockshire » Wed May 30, 2012 10:57 pm

That looks like a cracking day. I particularly like "Sir Compton" & "Glyn". I'd love to have a Glyn Valley tram but I've still got "Agnus" to keep me happy. Another thing for the list of places for when I get a car. I've actually been to Llechfan before but it was a disaster. My Kerr Stuart I had, "Meldrew", was so slow that there was a queue, I went the wrong way on the upper circuit & I forgot to reset the points & a guy's brand new Bertie sort of... fell off & chipped the paint. The guy wasn't happy so I ran
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dougrail
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Post by dougrail » Wed May 30, 2012 10:59 pm

What colour was the Bertie...?
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Hancockshire

Post by Hancockshire » Wed May 30, 2012 11:04 pm

I think it was maroon or something. It was a while back, at least a couple of years. It was the first year I was on this forum
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dougrail
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Post by dougrail » Wed May 30, 2012 11:05 pm

Maroon? I do believe I know the chap who runs it then...:lol:
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Hancockshire

Post by Hancockshire » Wed May 30, 2012 11:07 pm

Don't say anything please!! Like Arthur Daley, I can't stand physical pain. He'll skin me :lol:
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DolwyddelanLightRail

Post by DolwyddelanLightRail » Thu May 31, 2012 7:58 am

I'd be rather worried Doug if at one point the reg was fully open hauling that GVT train, Cadno should be able to haul much more than that :?
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biggerdom

Post by biggerdom » Thu May 31, 2012 7:59 am

is there a website for this line ? Love it :)
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DolwyddelanLightRail

Post by DolwyddelanLightRail » Thu May 31, 2012 8:04 am

There you go!

www.llechfan-garden-railway.org/
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biggerdom

Post by biggerdom » Thu May 31, 2012 8:26 am

Thanks - its a lovely railway,,
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dougrail
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Post by dougrail » Thu May 31, 2012 8:51 am

DolwyddelanLightRail:71356 wrote:I'd be rather worried Doug if at one point the reg was fully open hauling that GVT train, Cadno should be able to haul much more than that :?
Eh? The reg was far from open - 20 degrees from closed was all. Had the reg been open it would have tore away, and high speed on the twisty route of the Llechfan is not a good idea :lol:
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Marquis DeCarabas

Post by Marquis DeCarabas » Thu May 31, 2012 4:27 pm

dougrail:71361 wrote: high speed on the twisty route of the Llechfan is not a good idea :lol:
..er... yes.  Gravity 'assisted' my NGG16 into my Taliesin and I had to tweak the rear headstock straight again...

I was doing some haulage tests from upper to lower circuit.
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