Rheilffordd Corris Railway

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Author: David Coleman

Photographs taken between 31st December & 27th January 2021

30th January 202130th January 2021 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Thursday, 31.12.2020. It has snowed overnight, and while on a security check, the sun starts to peer through the trees at Maespoeth …

… which certainly improves appearances …

… from whatever angle!

The way is clear to the end of the headshunt below Maespoeth Sheds …

… and down towards the work site at Pont y Goedwig …

… which looks completely different in the snow!

The site takes on an eerie atmosphere.

Sunday, 3.1.2021. Much of the snow may have gone, but the atmosphere remains (the main road almost opposite Maespoeth Yard).

Friday, 22.1.2021. The CAT carriage has been moved into the Engine Shed to dry out, and allow it to be refurbished (in due course) ...

… with two Heritage Waggons moving out into their shelter to make room.

Storm Christoph has visited the area and thoroughly cleaned the floor of the Engine Shed (without causing apparent damage) …

… where the inside of No. 7’s saddle tank has now been cleaned and painted.

Wednesday, 27.1.2021. Yesterday, the hedge cutting contractors called, vastly improving the vision from the access to the Pont y Goedwig Deviation work site …

… in both directions!

Inside the Engine Shed, No. 7 has now regained its trailing truck as progress is made towards a steam test.

Photographs taken between 12th & 18th December 2020

24th December 202024th December 2020 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Saturday, 12.12.2020. Two of the three Officers in Charge (the third one was taking the photo) sheltering from the rain while discussing options and actions for possible re-opening of services next year.

Sunday, 13.12.2020. Jack …

… and Ioan …

… head up the line …

… to clear leaves …

… to enable the track to be closely inspected. What a difference!

Lunch time, so to at least be in the dry, they head up to the Museum …

… to enjoy their sandwiches!

Monday, 14.12.2020. After a day of track work from the Sundae Gang yesterday, the waggon shelter receives its first permanent residents.

Friday, 18.12.2020. The straightened drop-side door was delivered from Brunswick’s yesterday, and was collected and trollied down to the Carriage Shed for re-uniting with the waggon body.

Nearby, Tony is painting …

… while Adrian cuts bar to form “L’s”, which when welded together and dressed off…

… means he has no “L’s” (boom, boom) but some hoops for buffer shanks for the Heritage Waggon underframe – which need persuasion to fit in place.

A new step is then fabricated …

… and welded to the P Way van frames …

… which soon receives a coat of primer.

Meanwhile, after giving the track jack components white undercoat …

… Tony moves on to paint the underside of the Drop Side waggon body with black bitumen ...

… while thick old paint is being removed from the Drop Side waggon door.

Photographs taken between 25th November & 14th December 2020

14th December 202014th December 2020 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Wednesday, 25.11.2020. Over the past few weeks, the Museum shop window has been repaired, re-puttied and fitted with a protective grill against errant footballs.

Thursday, 26.11.2020. Adrian casts his shadow as he works on the Drop-Side Heritage Waggon body restoration.

Monday, 30.11.2020. Dave arrives on “his” day to put a final gloss coat on two sides of carriage No. 23.

Thursday, 3.12.2020. Adrian resumes his normal stance …

… before grinding off excess weld …

… while making up brackets for a step.

Meanwhile, Tony has been cleaning up axleboxes and painting them in primer.

Saturday, 5.12.2020. A group of contortionists remove the saddle tank from loco No. 7 …

… which is left on edge for the next phase of work.

Meanwhile, up the line a gang are greasing fishplates and bolts …

… and drilling to replace spikes tighter to gauge.

Monday, 7.12.2020. Dave has cleaned up the ventilators for carriage No. 23 …

… ready for painting in undercoat.

The new garage in Corris has put up its Christmas decorations …

… which includes a train in the office window!

Tuesday, 8.12.2020. Dick is occasionally warming himself …

… with (amongst other things) the debris from the rotten floor of the P Way van …

… which is not easy to access once the floor has gone!

Bill buffs the buffers of the Heritage Waggon frames …

… while Bob distracts Chris, milling parts for track jacks.

Thursday, 10.12.2020. Tony undercoats the drawbar for the Heritage Waggon underframes …

… before moving on to prime the track jacks completed to date.

Meanwhile, Adrian has been providing a light source to work within the P Way van (cleaning the steelwork) …

… but then decides to clean up his act …

… before being joined by Tony to paint the completed underside of the Drop Side Waggon body in primer.

Monday, 14.12.2020. It looks like the elves have been working overtime! The Winter Corris-Pondents etc. have arrived with Alf! (No guessing what he will be doing later on).

Photographs taken between 19th & 24th November 2020

25th November 202025th November 2020 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Thursday, 19.11.2020. Dave has painted the final gloss on one side of carriage No. 23, so there is a grand shunt which sees the two latest products of Adrian’s work seeing the sunshine for the first time.

Thursday, 19.11.2020. Dave has painted the final gloss on one side of carriage No. 23, so there is a grand shunt which sees the two latest products of Adrian’s work seeing the sunshine for the first time …

… followed by carriage No. 24 …

… so that carriage No. 20 can be positioned ready for attention to paint work.

In between moves, advantage was taken to smooth lumpy welds in the track …

… which tend to get hearts stopping when stock is moved!

The two carriages (No’s 22 & 21) not in need of attention, are hooked up to return to the Carriage Shed …

… which is now arranged so that No’s 20 and 23 are convenient for attention to their paint work.

The two waggons to receive attention next (the Drop Side waggon and the two plank Private Owner waggon) are arranged next, followed by No. 24.

Adrian can then get on with drilling more holes in the Drop Side waggon end …

… before flipping the body over to drill holes in the floor.

Completing paperwork, all the files have been changed to give uniformity – one benefit of Lock-Down!

Saturday, 21.11.2020. Trefor is outside in the rain …

… giving No. 7’s boiler a wash out …

… before propelling it into the Engine Shed with No. 11.

Finishing off a job started on Thursday (abandoned due to failing light), the chocks have been fitted to the end of the track under the Waggon Shelter.

The Sundae Gang arrive with No. 6 …

… to have their lunch in the dry!

They have been working up the line, easing curves …

… and return towards evening, soaked through …

… to put everything away for the night.

By this time, the trailing truck from No. 7 had been removed …

… and the ashpan removed.

Sunday, 22.11.2020. Sam uses No. 9 …

… to collect the waggons to work up the line in rather drier conditions …

… greasing fishplates …

… in between easing the kinks in the curves …

… which became more apparent as everything was tightened up again by mid-afternoon.

With everything (and everyone) on board, it is back to Maespoeth …

… where a “Stop” board has been secured across the line until all the track work is complete.

Tuesday, 24.11.2020. Adrian entertains Bob and Chris in the Engine Shed …

Photographs taken between 10th & 14th November 2020

16th November 202016th November 2020 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Tuesday, 10.11.2020. Back to work after (the Welsh) Lock-Down, Chris & Bob continue the fabrication …

… of track jacks …

… with Chris drilling corner holes for the slot …

… the slots being machined hands free …

… while Bob bends rebar for the carrying handles.

Meanwhile, Bill has delivered clerestory window frames fabricated at home during Lock-Down, for carriage No. 24 …

… and sets to, chiselling out square, the mortises for a Heritage waggon underframe …

… under the watchful eye of Charles …

… who assists Dick in clearing axleboxes painted by Tony, to create space on a work bench.

By afternoon, the frames can be trial assembled …

… in a workshop full of activity!

By evening, everything is assembled, squared up and glued together.

Thursday, 12.11.2020. Adrian has fitted the new steel floor to the Drop Side Heritage waggon, and trial fitted the north end.

During the day, Bob from Brunswick Ironworks (Caernarfon) calls by to discuss rivets with Adrian …

… while Tony finishes painting the axleboxes to go with the frames of Heritage Waggon No. 5, created by the Tuesday Gang earlier in the week.

Friday, 13.11.2020. Early in the morning, the drop side door of the waggon is trolleyed up to the car park for collection by Brunswick’s later in the day, for them to remove the twist in it.

Saturday, 14.11.2020. Trefor has started to remove items from No. 7, ready for its cold boiler exam, even though it has not been steamed since its hot test in June …

… and catches up with the paperwork to suit.

Photographs taken between 18th & 23rd October 2020

26th October 202026th October 2020 David Coleman 1 Comment Photographs

Sunday, 18.10.2020. Tony has been quietly working his way through the dumped vegetation at Maespoeth, consigning it to the incinerator …

… when he is not painting the newly re-hung gate at Maes y Llan, white. The gate is here as a “last resort” to stop sheep getting into Corris – where they enjoy the flowers!

Tuesday, 22.10.2020. Work on the track jacks is progressing …

… while in the Carriage Shed, internal panelling in carriage No. 23 is steadily being re-fitted after temporary removal to fit external items, like ventilator covers and air brake pipes.

Thursday, 22.10.2020. Dyfed Steels make a delivery …

… which requires a quick shunt to load and remove the steel to the Carriage Shed …

… after first removing the carriages.

While shunting moves are going on, it allows the Waggon Shelter to perform its designed task!

The new steel is quickly put in position to mock up the new end (with the new floor leaning against the side – it is heavy!).

Meanwhile, Adrian is fabricating brackets …

… to retain the end door of waggon No. 5 …

… and Richard is sorting wheelsets and axleboxes for the next underframe – with interesting results!

Friday, 23.10.2020. Dave arrives to rub down the outer panels of carriage No. 23, ready for their final coat of gloss paint.

Photographs taken between 24th September & 15th October 2020

19th October 202019th October 2020 David Coleman 1 Comment Photographs

Thursday, 24.9.2020. Before finishing last weekend, John completed repairs to the platform fencing at the far end of the North Platform, Maespoeth.

In the Carriage Shed, Adrian is welding up and dressing off holes in the one side of the Drop Side waggon body …

… before drilling holes elsewhere – when the cutter allows!

Tony has completed repairs to the body end of the Infrastructure waggon.

By the end of the day, work on two sides of the Heritage Drop Side waggon are largely complete, once the mis-shaped side is brought back into line.

Saturday, 26.9.2020. It is the annual “Railways on the Air” weekend, with a camper van set up on the car park at Maespoeth …

… and a fine aerial array erected to receive and send messages. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, only one operator was on duty all weekend.

Sunday, 27.9.2020. At the end of the day, it was all hands to dismantle the arrangements.

Thursday, 1.10.2020. Adrian has fabricated two brake lever hangers for use on the frames of Heritage Waggon No. 5 – with the pattern alongside.

He then makes adjustments to the second tip-up seat fabrication in the Guard’s compartment of carriage No. 24 ...

… so that the new steel can be finish painted.

Meanwhile, Tony has added a section of fence to abut the waggon shelter roof to guard against the drop below.

Tuesday, 6.10.2020. Bob and Chris have continued to manufacture track jacks, the basics of 6 new ones being added to the 4 existing ones to help align track in the future.

Meanwhile, in the Carriage Shed, Tony assists Charles drilling out the mortises on the new frames to go under the body of Heritage Waggon No. 5.

Thursday, 8.10.2020. Adrian continues to struggle to drill out holes for rivets on the Drop Side waggon body (the cutters don’t like the heritage steel!) …

… but is more successful fitting a new hinge (fabricated earlier by the Tuesday Gang).

Thursday, 15.10.2020. Adrian resorts to brute force to straighten the top of the waggon end …

… and the long side, before getting the end square – with a few tricks!

By the end of the day, the drop side can be (temporarily) clamped in position to try it for size.

Meanwhile, holes have been drilled in the brake hanger brackets …

… the Sundae Gang arrive to work up the line …

… and the stop blocks are all white.

Southern Extension. Pont y Goedwig. Deviation Project. Sunday, 27.9.2020. Two more (very wet!) loads of material have been delivered …

… but given persistent wet weather and no let-up in sight, the machinery is gradually collected together and moved to another contract …

Thursday, 8.10.2020. … which is checked out by a (very) low flying Chinook!

Photographs taken between 18th & 22nd September 2020

28th September 202028th September 2020 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Friday, 18.9.2020. With a few dry days forecast, yesterday lorries have tentatively reached the southern end of the current embankment works without mishap.

Friday, 18.9.2020. Tony has painted a manrider, all ready for re-purposing in the near(-ish) future …

… while nearer the Sheds, John is partially enclosing the south end of the Waggon Shelter …

… having already partially enclosed the north end.

Saturday, 19.9.2020. Having already put a shift in elsewhere, Jack attacks undergrowth alongside the Upper Corris Tramway Siding …

… and John has stained the new timber on the Waggon Shelter to match the rest.

Sunday, 20.9.2020. A view not possible for quite some years! The Sundae Gang clear up after the chainsaw lopping of undergrowth south of the Signal Box, Maespoeth.

The tar planings have been removed from the car park, although some were spread to make good steps in the surface arising from heavy use of the right foot!

Tuesday, 22.9.2020. Tony is measuring up a plank to replace one missing from the end of drop side waggon No.213 …

… while in the Engine Shed, Bob is milling out sections of channel to make up more track jacks …

… while nearby, Chris drills them …

… so that a start can be made on assembly.

Before going home, John has replaced a post to restore the north end of the fencing on Maespoeth North platform.

Adrian is continuing to restore the Drop Side Heritage waggon body …

… preparing for a bit of riveting …

… and undertaking a bit of straightening! Tony has already given the finished surfaces a coat of primer.

Tony has finished replacing waggon No. 213’s end top plank.

Southern Extension. Pont y Goedwig Deviation Project. Friday, 18.9.2020. With a few dry days forecast, yesterday lorries have tentatively reached the southern end of the current embankment works without mishap …

Saturday, 19.9.2020. … and a further load arrives early in the morning … (Jack Evans)

… and with two lorries working for as long as driver’s hours allow …

… the activity attracts interest from videographers, here with Richard in the foreground and Andrew on the hillside …

… who changes position to get a different take on the works.

Jack loads lorries in Dolgellau … (Jack Evans)

… which, after encountering copious holiday traffic, reverses down to the embankment site (past the old railway fence) …

… to the embankment site – now about a metre higher than it was – where Dai spreads …

… and rolls it.

Sunday, 20.9.2020. Tar planings have been spread and tracked in at the road access to reduce the “footprint” of lorries departing our site …

… with Bro Cader personnel not taking a day off this week, Dai trimming back spilled material so that we have an overlap of geotextile for the next step up …

Monday, 21.9.2020. … with two more loads arriving …

Tuesday, 22.9.2020. … which are spread, tracked and rolled before the rain returns.

Photographs taken between 7th & 20th September 2020

22nd September 202022nd September 2020 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Southern Extension. Pont y Goedwig Deviation Project. Monday, 7.9.2020. Quarry rejects from Aberllefenni have been fetched and spread …

… to blind the coarse stone foundation drainage layer – in the rain.

Thursday, 10.9.2020. Fill from Dolgellau is spread on geotextile …

… and rolled to seal against water penetration.

Monday, 14.9.2020. It is dry at last, and more material has been delivered …

Tuesday, 15.9.2020. … and spread – but roadworks en route with convoy working, slow deliveries.

At last, lorries can back further down the site – double handling should be much reduced from now on!

After a good section has been spread, trimmed and tracked in, Jack rolls it …

Wednesday, 16.9.2020. … ready for more deliveries, but roadworks are still holding things up.

A bit of vegetation clearance reveals long forgotten pegs, indicating the approximate line and level of the proposed new track in relation to the embankment works …

… but with the ability to reverse lorries back almost all the way (of this stage), things should speed up – if the weather holds!

Tuesday, 8.9.2020. Andy pays a visit to work on carriage No. 23, here joining the others for lunch …

… before resuming work underneath to fit brake pipes – with light …

… while Richard manages without!

Nearby, Tony shows a leg while Charles cuts a waggon transom timber …

… which Bill finishes off …

… until three are completed.

It is then the turn of the longitudinals to have their mortises (roughly) cut out.

Meanwhile, in the Engine Shed Bob is preparing steel for another track jack …

… with the basics of another three prepared.

Wednesday, 9.9.2020. Ooops! This load of tar planings was supposed to have been delivered to Y Felin, Llwyngwern. A good job we have Bro Cader handy to shift them (on a wet day)!

Thursday, 10.9.2020. Tony gives the transoms for the next Heritage Waggon underframes, a coat of preservative …

… while Adrian continues work on the Drop Side Waggon body …

… in many …

… different positions, here (temporarily) on a separate waggon chassis.

Meanwhile, Richard is refining carriage No. 23’s brakes …

… which has by now had its brake pipes fitted, and the underframe painted black.

Sunday, 12.9.2020. Phil and Sam examine the ground frame from Corris, with a view to giving it a thorough overhaul …

… much to Sam’s delight!

Thursday, 17.9.2020. Adrian has continued work on the Drop Side Waggon body, here filling in holes and building up around them as appropriate …

Photographs taken between 1st & 6th September 2020

8th September 20208th September 2020 David Coleman 1 Comment Photographs

Saturday, 5.9.2020. Southern Extension. A mixture of material from the base of the access track is carefully placed in the skip of the dumper while Dai spreads stone further away.

Tuesday, 1.9.2020. The Waggon Shelter is coming on …

… with Richard, Dick, John and Charlie all lending a hand.

By evening, the roof sheets are on.

Meanwhile, Tony has been extracting a rotten wicket gate post leading down to the Carriage Shed …

… and excavating down to secure a replacement.

Wednesday, 2.9.2020. Ben, Sam & Richard take a walk past the Waggon Shelter to view stored waggons further down the line, with a tarpaulin over the Waggon Shelter roof to give protection from showers.

Thursday, 3.9.2020. It is dry-ish today, so a chance to get the underfelt on the roof – when the wind is not blowing too hard!

Steel has arrived for No. 10’s brake gear (to be manufactured in the Engine Shed) – but raising the bar is challenging …

… but eventually, it makes it to safety in the Shed!

The stock has been swopped around in the Carriage Shed as Adrian welds more steel to the drop-side waggon body …

… which is now looking somewhat tidier – at least, underneath!

The Carriage Shed looks quite full, with carriage No. 23 on the East road …

… which allows carriage 23 to receive its last (hopefully!) coat of undercoat on the frames.

By evening, despite the wind, the Waggon Shelter roof has been under-felted …

… and the Sunday Gang have arrived (after work) to set …

… access covers over manholes in Corris.

Friday, 4.9.2020. The new wicket gate post at Maespoeth has been set in concrete …

… and the Waggon Shelter now has a full complement of dagger boards on the East side.

Saturday, 5.9.2020. The Waggon Shelter roof has had temporary battens added to prevent the wind getting under the felt, and the rest of the dagger boards secured on the side …

… which leaves it a little dark inside – anybody got a light

In the Engine Shed, Phil is giving the radial drill some tlc …

… including changing the oil, and the oil level sight glass – which previously, was unreadable.

The locos have been swopped around …

… so that No. 7 is ready for its winter maintenance.

Sunday, 6.9.2020. Phil shows the new lid he made at home for the radial drill …

… and a cardboard gasket he made before opting for one from thicker card.

Up the line, the Sunday Gang are changing a sleeper, Sam drilling …

… Ben spiking …

… and Sam packing.

It is then back to Maespoeth …

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