The Great Forum Railway Inspection

[laalratty]

Why did the driver refuse to let you look in the cab? Is it a secret? Or was he just one of those guys you run into now and then who thinks that driving a model train makes him a person of some importance?

In my experience the lads on the Ratty get a little ratty when you call their locos models  ;)  

Damn right Pauly
In reality, the driver was the one R&ER driver who would just say "why the hell are you doing that, get out of my way" if you asked to take pics of a little figure on the loco, the others are much more cooperative, as the signalman was in this case. Also, the loco was on the head of the train and it was due to go in 5 mins. I am hoping to be able to take Victor on the train at some point, maybe even on the footplate for the journey

[Victor Isle]

Today I conducted an initial inspection of the Afonglas and Nant Llwyd Railway. The railway was not running due to a lack of passengers but the expectation of running a service on New Years Day meant that the line had to be inspected to check for damage following the recent storms. I was granted permission to travel on this train, travelling on the loco rather then the Directors Saloon (the director seemed to be a most boring fellow who looked uncannily similar to a man I encountered on the EHLR)

Firstly I looked in the workshops, where I found this baseplate that appeared to have been stolen from a considerably bigger railway. I do not like the morals of this....

The station facilities at Afonglas appeared to be adequate, although in poor external condition. It was good to find some H&S signage telling beggars, vagrants and itinerate musicians not to hang around the station, and signage advising passengers not to cross the tracks. The station also had toilets, a major relief to everyone I'm sure

Other facilities were pretty much none existent, making Afonglas station a bleak place to await a train. The track was also covered in weeds.

Watering facilities were provided here, but the fence appeared to have been vandalised, portraying a very poor image

No locos were to be found in the engine shed, which again appeared to be very basic. The condition was much better though, perhaps the company sees fit to look after its assets better then its passengers!

The standard gauge exchange siding looked to be in a very poor state

The goods shed had been loaned out to a local company

By far and away the most concerning problem was the signalling, or lack thereof. The points are held over by spring but can be changed by anyone! This arrangement I have seen far too often and is dangerous, leading to derailments and collisions.

I was also uneasy about the track at the station throat, so I got down to have a proper look at the top line, which did appear to show a worrying amount of cant for a basically straight piece of track.
I next ventured into the carriage sheds...

[Victor Isle]

There appeared to be something of a lack of space, coaches and wagons filling every siding

The manager did say matters were in hand to improve capacity, proudly showing off a new point procured only a few days beforehand. This appears to be of tighter radius to other pointwork on the line, I'm unsure whether everything will be able to get round it

I must say I was impressed with the quality of the carriage construction, and the standards of presentation, which contrasted hugely with that of the Afonglas Station building

Few Narrow Gauge railways think to put on a buffet service, yet this is apparently a very popular feature

The storage of wagons was quite frankly, unbelievable and I ordered them to immediately stop this highly dangerous practice. Also of note is that only a small proportion of the goods stock appears to be braked or even piped, yet I understand mixed trains are sometimes run. All of the passenger stock I saw did have working vacuum brakes though.

I then boarded the diesel loco "Criccieth Castle" for the inspection train, riding in the cab with the driver.
I am now rather tired and wanting to go to bed, so you will have to wait until tomorrow for the rest of my inspection. Should the New Years Day steam service be operating I hope to be on board.

[pauly]

Why did the driver refuse to let you look in the cab? Is it a secret? Or was he just one of those guys you run into now and then who thinks that driving a model train makes him a person of some importance?

In my experience the lads on the Ratty get a little ratty when you call their locos models  ;)  

Damn right Pauly  8)
In reality, the driver was the one R&ER driver who would just say "why the hell are you doing that, get out of my way" if you asked to take pics of a little figure on the loco, the others are much more cooperative, as the signalman was in this case. Also, the loco was on the head of the train and it was due to go in 5 mins. I am hoping to be able to take Victor on the train at some point, maybe even on the footplate for the journey

is this the same guy you warned me about when I visited the Ratty many years ago?
watch out for this guy hes a grouchy ass?

[laalratty]

No, that one has retired, Martin isn't anything like as bad but he still wouldn't put up with a mad fool with a figure messing round on the loco

[jay1976]

I too would like to participate

and ACE
see first page and pm Mr. Bond of the DVLR
Think he might say something if inspecting barley pit on a steam day with mulitple trains and no signals but he might overlook that if given bacon sarnies

[invicta280]

That photo of Criccieth Castle had me fooled for a minute. The platform looks stunningly realistic

[jim@NAL]

that was quite wonderful well done on the report lots of pictures and it was funny too

[Soar Valley Light]

I echo jim@NAL's comments. This is very well written and an extremely imaginative way of reviewing your own railway for everyone. I'm finding it really interesting and remarkably realistic.

I had the pleasure(!?!) of being a participant on inspections by the late Major Peter Olver of the then HMRI. Some of the comments Mr Isle makes remind me very much of comments I heard on those occasions!

Keep up the good work!

Andrew

[Victor Isle]

After boarding the train, we departed for Nant Llwyd, stopping off at locations I wanted to investigate closely. First of all was the level crossing at Ty Gwydir

This had much of concern. There were three posts for gates, but no sign of any gates, or indeed of the fourth post! There was a crossing keeper, who it must be said did not really seem to have the build for someone working on a railway. She assured me that she could stop the traffic at a moments notice, personally I'm not sure at all and there was a complete lack of signage (again I've seen this before at the EHLR) I insisted that all efforts were made to re-instate the gates at the soonest possible moment

We then carried on up the line

My next port of call was the bridge over the lake, this had no handrails or any way of restraining a derailed train from falling over the edge. This needs sorting! The construction did seem to be very solid though

The following bridge was of a different design, which did at least does offer some protection to a derailed train

The station of Afallen was the next stop, a basic station with island platform and small station building. My main concern here was the lack of fence to stop people crossing straight from the car park to the platform, right over the down line. This is very dangerous

I spoke briefly with the station master, a most miserable man he seemed to be, although his knowledge of the rules and regulations was excellent

Yet more locally controlled pointwork, this makes the operation of more then one train extremely hazardous!

Above Afallen is this major viaduct, the construction seems very solid but the condition of the handrails is greatly worrying...

[Victor Isle]

We carried on up the line, it must be said the scenery above the viaduct is very impressive as the line clings to a ledge above the valley. The line appears to be well engineered

The small halt of Ty Pren was visited, the facilities were very minimal apart from a chocolate machine. Unfortunately it appeared to have been emptied for the Winter

This embankment appeared to be up to the same basically high standard of construction. There were a number of minor track faults in the area though, including some dropped joints and ballast had obviously been washed away

The main engineering feature of the line is the tunnel, which I chose to walk through, looking at the condition of the bore. Major work was last carried out in 2008, and it appears to have stood the test of time well


Finally we reached Nant Llwyd, another island platform

The station building here was a fine affair, quite the best building on the line, and fully appreciated by the passengers I'm told. Once again fencing appeared to be a major issue

The pointwork was as expected by now....

We then proceeded back down the line

Today, the steam service did run as advertised and I travelled in the first class coach known as "The Gladstone Coach", attached at my request. I shall present my findings from this tomorrow, whilst at some later point I hope to inspect the motive power and the workshop facilities.

[jim@NAL]

iv jest got in from work sat with a cup of tea reading it chuckling away to myself very well done and funny jest what you need to lift your sprits and make you smile on a cold and wet January well done

[Dannypenguin]

Loving these reports!

[Tom]

Excellent, lovely looking railway too!

[Victor Isle]

Today I have had a day off from my inspection, whilst the General Manager did some allegedly essential paperwork in his capacity of secretary of something called the "NWAG". I've noticed that this organisation has usually been mentioned in relation to "failing", "crashing" and "destroying railcars". It sounds like a very dangerous organisation indeed.
However, yesterday I rode on my first Afonglas and Nant Llwyd Railway service train

The locomotive used was the "Russell" class loco, built for the line by Roundhouse Engineering in Yorkshire. This is a 2-6-2T, of medium size, equipped with both air and vacuum brakes, although there are currently no pipes to allow the supply of air to the train. Chatting to the driver, I understand that it is a most willing performer, and well suited the line. Its performance did seem to be perfectly adequate. The official load limit is 5 bogie coaches, but it is understood that this is the limit of the loops and if required it is thought that it could take at least 8 bogie coaches.

I took my place in the Gladstone Car, behind the loco. Departure was punctual

The journey was uneventful, the main point of note was that riding on the train it was apparent that clearances were extremely close in some locations, with no warning signs.

Russell pounds up the grade (I hate to admit it, but I was enjoying myself somewhat)

Arrival at Nant Llwyd was also punctual, where I disembarked for a moderate cup of tea in the tea room

Riding back down the line the views were excellent from the Gladstone Car

Arrival back at Afonglas. I returned to the hotel at this point, but the train completed another two round trips.
In the next few days I shall examine the rest of the loco fleet in more detail. It is understood that a loco newly returned from significant work may be tested at the weekend.

[Victor Isle]

Unfortunately poor weather has meant that the loco testing has been postponed, so I am hoping to inspect the locos and workshops tomorrow. At the current time I am living on the lounge table of the General Manager, with that bunny that tried to kill me on day one for company. He keeps looking at me.....

[laurence703]

Just tell him you'll set the Dragon on him and he'll behave himself

[Victor Isle]

Just tell him you'll set the Dragon on him and he'll behave himself

This I have done. Bunny looked slightly nervous then hopped it.
This allowed me to have a look over the locos and facilities

First up was yet another of these 0-4-0T's that I have encountered on the DVLR and the EHLR. This one was concerning in a number of ways. First, there was obviously no vacuum or air brakes fitted, not even safety chains. Secondly, there seemed to be no safe way of accessing the tank tops. The amount of shiny brass did make it look like it is something of a pet engine

The driver talked very enthusiastically about his steed, how it was the oldest, yet the best, how he preferred an open cab and a stout mackintosh was cheaper and far better etc etc. Frankly thought he was a bit mad myself. If this loco is to see any more use I want to see vacuum brakes fitted, the stock has it so why not the locos!

Found this mode of transport in the lounge (put in soon after my arrival after Christmas), seems to be a smaller scale, fast, annoying and highly dangerous

The workshop can only be described as a tip, and there was a certain lack of machine tools, whilst looking suspiciously like a bedroom rather then a workshop. There was a variety of hand tools, of variable quality. There were 3 projects on the go it seemed

There were two 3 ton slate waggons under construction, these were apparently "3D printed" (I don't believe it myself, what's wrong with getting some metal and solder?) I'm very unsure of this process. Also visible were the air pipes and fittings due to be fitted to the Russell class loco

Also in the works was this single fairlie type 0-4-4T "Taliesin". Work appeared to be concentrated on the front end, with the smokebox off for attention. This loco did have vacuum brakes fitted, and proper protection for the crew. It would seem to me to be much better suited to the line, although apparently it is not so sure footed and has a lower haulage capacity then the others

Next up was "Owain", an 0-6-2T, intended to be the freight loco. This is the lines powerhouse but I understand control can be difficult. It also lacks vacuum brakes!

Finally among the steam locos was "Urien", an 0-6-0T, which appears to be a good loco. It does have vacuum brakes, an appears to be well suited to the line, or indeed most of the lines I've visited. The CVLR had a similar loco.

The diesels were both variants of Baguley Drewery's 0-6-0 diesel mechanical loco, one Criccieth Castle is used mostly of passenger trains, whilst Caeronwy Castle is now more for shunting and goods trains. Both seem to be perfectly adequate at doing the job required.

This loco (named Hazel) appeared not to have moved in quite a while. I recommend that its vacuum pipes are fitted to something that sees more use....

Apparently this box contains another steam loco. However, I was told I'll have to wait for another day to see what is inside.

[jim@NAL]

what a wonderful report yet again im very much enjoying this well done

[rebelego]

Good to see Mr Isle back at work. Well done!