Rheilffordd Corris Railway

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Author: David Coleman

Photographs taken between 3rd & 10th August 2019

12th August 201912th August 2019 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Saturday, 3.8.2019. No. 7 emerges from the Engine Shed into bright sunshine …

… where the Gard for the day (it’s Wizards and Dragons weekend) awaits his train. Gard He casts spells, not does spelling (he said)!

The driver and Controller are suitably attired for the Wizards and Dragons weekend …

… as is Derek, the storyteller …

… and assistant (complete with very shy, working dragon peeking over his shoulder)!

Monday, 5.8.2019. We have no complete and qualified steam crew today, so No. 11 shunts No. 7 out of the shed before No. 11 takes on the service train for the day.

In between trains, Tony runs No. 9 up the Upper Corris branch siding with old stored material recovered from the stable in Corris (being cleared to enable Corris United Football Club to re-enter the local league and use the stable area as changing rooms), for disposal.

A pair of splendid cast name plates have been delivered for No. 11.

Tuesday, 6.8.2019. Dyfed Steels deliver steel for handrails on carriage Nos. 23 & 24 …

… as Chris drills fixing holes in brake blocks for the carriages …

… and Bob turns down a bar to modify the track jacks.

The RAF then stage a fly-past, checking which loco is on the train today (it is No. 11 again).

The forecast for yesterday & today had been sunshine & showers. There was no rain on Monday, a couple of showers today – and by evening, bright (& hot!) sunshine.

Saturday, 10.8.2019. No. 7 is steaming slowly …

… so the first train went Up the line in the rain …

… hauled by No. 11, here stopped to enable the crew to lock gates …

… but returning to Maespoeth, No. 7 made a welcome sight, ready to swap with No. 11 …

… which went into the Engine Shed for some work to be performed – including the fitting of the new name plates.

Photographs taken between 27th July & 1st August 2019

7th August 20196th August 2019 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Saturday, 27.7.2019. Things are looking optimistic, with Ben producing a gleaming finish on loco No. 7 as it gently raises steam …

… while Trefor is coming up the hill with No. 6 and the passenger stock.

$Just a fraction late, the first (ecs) Up working departs Maespoeth. Taking no chances, No. 11 is stabled on the loop line to take over if No. 7 proves problematic.$

However, there are no problems, so No. 5 gets its steam bath at the end of the day.

Sunday, 28.7.2019. Andy makes an unscheduled appearance, complete with door for carriage No. 23 …

… and is soon joined by Ian ...

… and later, Charles and Scottie.

The forecast for today is not good – more passengers, perhaps

In between trains, Richard in Low-Viz trims back errant growth within station limits …

… passing the doorway to the rear access of the Shed, which is usually closed off by a sliding door (now deceased).

Nevertheless, Trefor looks happy …

… until a very happy Medical Alert dog in Corris, wipes his face!

Meanwhile, Andy has finished assembling another carriage bogie (well, as far as he can go for the moment) …

… and makes a start on the last one – for now.

The last Up train of the day departs Maespoeth past the Ash tree suffering from die-back (to be felled shortly) …

… with a (deliberately) rather empty bunker!

Tuesday, 30.7.2019. Our fire extinguishers at Maespoeth, are all lined up for their annual inspection …

… as Tony touches up the paintwork on recent welds on carriage No. 24 …

… Dick attends to paint on a fouling board missed earlier in the season ...

… and Bob marks out carriage brake hangers for drilling (all done by day’s end) …

… while later in the day, glass is fitted to one side of one saloon in carriage No. 23.

Thursday, 1.8.2019. Adrian cuts more steel off-cuts …

… and welds them into the frames of carriage No. 24 to stabilise the Guard’s compartment partition …

… before heating up bar …

… and bending it to form one end of a carriage handrail.

The rather hot bar is then cooled (and trimmed) …

… and brackets welded on to form a complete carriage handrail for one saloon – after painting. Three more to go!

Photographs taken between 20th & 25th July 2019

29th July 201926th July 2019 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Saturday, 20.7.2019. No. 6 pushes No. 7 into the far end of the Engine shed for work to be undertaken on the latter …

… while another diesel makes ready to haul passenger trains.

Sunday, 21.7.2019. Trefor is fresh back from his holidays, stripping No. 7 …

… of the trailing truck, brake shaft and ashpan …

… to gain access to the back plate of the boiler.

Sunday, 21.7.2019. A very full train of passengers has been split into 3 groups for “Shed Talk” purposes.

It is difficult to get sufficient light on the back plate to work inside the firebox, as Ifor tries the lights in a number of different locations …

… as Trefor comes out for a “breather”!

Lights set up, Trefor cleans around the backplate while Ifor cleans the tubes.

By evening, the relevant tubes have been cleaned and expanded …

… and it is time to refill the tanks and boiler …

… and Trefor is looking the worse for wear!

It is unusual these days, to see the Engine Shed so empty!

Thursday, 25.7.2019. The Tuesday Gang have fitted rubber seals to some of the window glass for carriage No. 23 …

… and Tony has finished painting a batch of brake spreader beams for both carriages Nos. 23 and 24.

Adrian is back to welding brackets for handrails on carriages 23 & 24 …

… while components are cut, drilled and finished to go towards the production line …

… of handrails for the two carriages – another one is laid out by No. 23 to show to our visitors.

Photographs taken between 13th & 18th July 2019

22nd July 201921st July 2019 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Saturday, 13.7.2019. Putting No. 7 away, a significant leak is discovered around a tube in the firebox of No. 7. …

… so after much discussion and ‘phone calls, a plan is developed for an early start on Sunday!

Sunday, 14.7.2019. Things are looking hopeful, as a number of tubes have been expanded and the fire has been lit …

… sufficient that Andrew can relax outside as steam pressure is slowly built up.

However, it means the first (ecs) train is propelled up to Corris by No. 6.

The next Up working is taken over by No. 7 – much to the relief of the passengers!

Unfortunately, while standing at the South Platform after the 14.00 train ex-Corris, another (much smaller) leak was detected, so No. 6 propelled the next service up to Corris, while No. 7 was side-lined as a precaution to see how things developed.

Dave hands over the train staff for the final working of the day – straight down to the Carriage Shed.

With everything safely put away, Tony catches up with a bit of weed-killing around the passenger circulation areas.

Wednesday, 17.7.2019. Dave (on his lunch break) is working on the vestibule partitions for carriage No. 23, completing the filling and rubbing down, ready for painting.

Thursday, 18.7.2019. Adrian gets the sparks flying, as he cuts components from pieces of scrap for carriage No. 23’s handrails …

… marks them out and centre punches them …

… so that they can be drilled and countersunk …

… then welded …

… to bar steel …

… and clamped temporarily to the frames of carriage No. 24. The end brackets need a bit more work – a job for another day!

Y Mochyn is ready for his dinner.

Southern Extension Project. Pont y Goedwig Deviation. In cutting down vegetation prior to further works, Tony has been carefully avoiding the wild raspberries!

Photographs taken between 7th & 11th July 2019

17th July 201917th July 2019 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Sunday, 7.7.2019. The first Sunday of the month, so Trefor brings the Heritage waggons up with No. 9 …

… before going back to fetch the passenger carriages, with No. 9 parked ready to (eventually) take the waggons back down to the shed.

For various reasons, all the locomotives are on display outside today, as No. 7 builds up air pressure before joining its train.

With Heritage waggons coupled up, the late running 10.30 empty coaching stock departs Maespoeth for Corris.

John is left behind, finishing off details around the covered-in fuel store …

… but the sun has come out and it is very close and tiring, so he lies down on the job!

In between trains, Nos. 6 & 9 are pictured basking in the sun …

… and before long, a knot of passengers wait on Maespoeth’s North Platform …

… for the Gravity Train to arrive.

After putting some furniture on the doors, John builds up a partition inside the fuel store …

… which now have helpful descriptions of the contents on the doors (fire wood) …

… and (coal).

It is then time for John to do a quick walk-over of the completed job …

… as the locomotives are put away (save for No. 5, which will later take the Heritage waggons up the line to retrieve hedge cuttings).

The sink inside the Engine Shed has been cleaned – is it a vain hope that it is kept clean

Tuesday, 9.7.2019. Tony paints brake components for the carriage bogies in the Carriage Shed …

… while in the Engine Shed, Stevie pilots holes in the carriage brake blocks using a jig …

… with a good box full completed by early afternoon.

By then, they are joined by others, who wonder how to complete drilling holes in the planks of the two-plank Private Owners’ waggon …

… as Tony cleans up the wheels and Bill seeks a suitable weapon …

… to complete the drilling job!

A small job has been to up-date the No. 10 displays in the Engine Shed, outside (here) …

… and on the North Platform.

Inside the Engine Shed, a completed job are small components for the air brakes on the new carriage bogies.

Thursday, 11.7.2019. Andy has broken his holiday “nearby” (well, it was raining) and borrowed a hearse to join Adrian in fitting components to the carriages …

… with Andy concentrating on the brakes on one of the bogies …

… while by lunch time, buffers had been fitted to one end of carriage No. 24.

After lunch, with buffers fitted to the other end of carriage No. 24, it is cautiously hauled out of the shed …

… and taken up to Corris without incident, where magic liquid is applied to the source of various squeaks …

… before the A-Team pose with their latest creation – in the rain!

Photographs taken between 15th & 28th June 2019

4th July 20194th July 2019 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Saturday, 15.6.2019. Battery electric loco No. 9 “Aberllefenni” stands on Maespoeth Bank with a Heritage waggon …

… as Ben, Tony, Gwion and Sam grease fishplates …

… after changing some and adding extra ballast after packing on the approach to the Carriage Shed.

Sunday, 16.6.2019. Ifor looks on as Simon replaces compressor and generator drive belts on loco. No. 6.

Tuesday, 18.6.2019. Chris takes over turning brake components on the lathe in the Engine Shed while Bob fits components elsewhere …

Thursday, 20.6.2019. … to leave a bench full of carriage brake spreader beams ready for fettling and painting.

Nearby, the correct components for a heritage 2 plank Private Owner waggon have been laid out for assembly in due course.

Sunday, 23.6.2019. Jack cautiously leaves Maespoeth South Platform with the 10.30 ecs to Corris, while undergoing his driver assessment.

Andy arrives in the Carriage Shed …

… bearing gifts like one of the sliding doors for carriage No. 23 (done as a homework project) …

… before fitting brake components to another carriage bogie (and preparing another one similar).

Tuesday, 25.6.2019. In an interesting exercise, holes are drilled through the vertical planks of the 2 plank waggon …

… some of them all the way through (the rest were completed the following week) …

… all in accordance with the drawings – as cautiously pointed out by Bill!

Thursday, 27.6.2019. After welding up components and cleaning up, Adrian assembles couplings to the frames of carriage No. 24.

Friday, 28.6.2019. Trefor and Richard gently bring No. 7 to steam ready for refinements to valve settings by Vale of Rheidol staff after last winter’s work …

… leaving it gently basking outside on a sweltering day …

… while Tony paints the body framework of carriage No. 24 in the relative cool of the Carriage Shed …

… and Bob re-positions No. 7 to free up No. 6 to collect the carriages …

… to head up to Corris.

The school pupils always “Race the Train” very much in heats in a one-sided contest!

Photographs taken between 4th & 14th June 2019

18th June 201918th June 2019 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Tuesday, 4.6.2019. An unusual face joins the Tuesday Gang, lapping in a leaking clack valve …

… while nearby, Bob drills carriage brake fittings to take oilite bushes …

… and Trefor sources spares for Simon, who is working on the fuel arrangements in No. 11.

Meanwhile, in the Carriage Shed, a good gang is sorting out components …

… to re-build a 2 plank Private Owner’s waggon.

The last seat in carriage No. 23 has been assembled.

Thursday, 6.6.2019. Adrian moves gingerly about the frames of carriage No. 24 …

… after the bogies had been placed under it.

He then moves on to weld up brake spreader bar brackets for the bogies of carriage Nos. 23 & 24 …

… with two completed before …

… the operation of a “Special” for an educational school visit in association with Corris Mine Tours.

Tuesday, 11.6.2019. The passenger stock is hauled out for another school visit.

Thursday, 13.6.2019. Adrian makes adjustments to floor supports in the frames of carriage No. 24 …

… and various brake components are cleaned up ready for painting.

Nearby, the “kit of parts” for the two plank Private Owner open waggon are now almost complete.

Friday, 14.6.2019. It is “Railway for the Day” today, with a group from Bridgend & District Model Engineer’s Society making an early start …

… with smiles (grins) all round as Nick tries out No. 6 in Maespoeth Yard …

… while the others travel in the passenger accommodation, and Bob brings No. 7 out of the Engine Shed.

Ian gets his hand on the regulator of No. 7!

Tony starts from Maespoeth …

… before the rain starts, just in time to run the Gravity Train!

It is back to driving experience on No. 7 for Nick …

… and Huw …

The “Railway for the Day” is capped off with the “Hill Start Challenge” as Ian successfully pulls away on the 1 in 30 gradient below Maespoeth.

We think they all enjoyed themselves!

Photographs taken between 16th May & 2nd June 2019

6th June 20196th June 2019 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Thursday, 16th May 2019. Seat laths have been treated ready for installation in the last seat of carriage No. 23 …

… while nearby, Adrian welds up brake connecting rods …

… which, together with plates, are marked up and centre punched ready for drilling.

Also nearby, are newly fabricated brake spreader beams, awaiting completion of the plates before final welding (and painting).

Sunday, 26.5.2019 – Gala Day. A couple of hours spent observing passing trains included No. 6 on a Down train amongst the bluebells …

… No. 7 on an Up train ….

… No. 11 on a Down train …

… No. 6 on an Up train …

… and finally, No. 7 on a Down train, once more amongst the bluebells.

However, the day does not appear to have passed without incident!

Thursday, 30.5.2019. During the day, more brake connecting rods for the bogies of carriages 23 & 24 have been fabricated and are in various stages of completion …

… and items of point rodding have been modified ready for installation.

Saturday, 1.6.2019. The TR Tracksiders make their annual appearance, this year (almost) completing the re-painting of the Signal Box …

… re-staining the timber cladding on the Carriage Shed …

… hanging doors on the fuel store …

… and enlarging and improving the tools shadow board in the Engine Shed.

Sunday, 2.6.2019. A parcels delivery is made by Guard Tony, to the Museum …

… the three waggon gravity train arrives in Maespoeth yard …

... after a replacement brake hanger had been fabricated for one waggon after the original cast one broke.

… and it appears that the weedkiller has worked!

Passengers from a Holiday Fellowship group re-join the train, or check out the cab of No. 7 before departing Maespoeth.

Photographs taken between 25th April & 12th May 2019

15th May 201915th May 2019 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Thursday, 25.4.2019. Adrian stretches to do a bit of priming to the last finished welded joints on the body frames of carriage No. 24 …

… and is amazed at how good it looks after everything has been cleaned up and wiped down, ready for painting.

Monday, 29.4.2019. The P Way van has been stabled outside to provide more room in the Carriage Shed ...

… and after a very wet weekend, rail movement in the yard is very clear!

Inside jobs done include a first coat of gloss paint on the new buffers …

… and another carriage bogie and wheelsets …

… while outside, a start has been made on painting rail joint numbers in a much more legible manner than hitherto!

Tuesday, 30.4.2019. Scottie stands guard over Sue, completing paperwork in the S and T Shed …

… while Bill and Charles have been adding length to No. 9’s buffers to overcome coupling problems to the Heritage waggons …

… and Graham holds his end up to allow Charles to fix a protective plate to the newly restored End Door Heritage waggon.

Thursday, 2.5.2019. Adrian is interrupted while preparing to weld carriage bogie brake hangers …

… while nearby, Tony starts undercoating the centre of another carriage bogie ...

… with the first coat finished by the end of the day – and missing welds and some bits of missing primer completed on the body frames of carriage No. 24 behind.

Friday, 3.5.2019. Tony helps Andy carry down sheets of ply for the body sides of carriage No. 24 …

… to clear space in Andy’s van to bring down chairs from Corris Institute.

There is then time to prime the backing plates to the new buffers …

… give a second coat of primer (and prime bits missed before) on carriage No. 24 …

… before Andy demonstrates how to light up the Engine Shed by trimming the completed brake hangers.

By evening, the brake hangers have been trimmed, drilled, cleaned and lined up on carriage No. 24’s (temporary) footboard, ready for primer …

… while the chairs have been set out and benches cleared to give comedians …

… a focal point from which to address their audience!

Saturday, 4.5.2019. No caption required!

Just after midday, all the chairs have been returned to the Institute …

… and Andy has mocked up a bogie brake linkage ready for welding (and collected together the components to fabricate the rest) …

… while outside, Chris, John and Dick have made a start on fixing a roof over the unsightly fuel store.

Meanwhile, Kathy has resumed the re-painting of the Signal Box ….

… and Dick has re-painted the fouling boards and point ends about Maespoeth Yard …

… while Jack makes a gentle start with a returning load of passengers to Corris.

Thursday, 9.5.2019. Tony shunts the Heritage waggons to collect posts from Corris …

… while the carriage bogie brake hangers have been strung out for priming …

Photographs taken between 12th & 24th April 2019

26th April 201926th April 2019 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Corris Station Project. Friday, 12.4.2019. The contractors have returned, and taken delivery of bitumen macadam which they spread …

… and roll to produce …

… an even finish by evening.

Friday, 12.4.2019. Adrian cuts sections of steel …

… before welding them to the body frames of carriage No. 24 …

… to form part of the Guard’s compartment partition in carriage No. 24.

Meanwhile, the remaining welds in the clerestory roof frame south compartment have been completed, dressed and a first coat of primer applied.

During the week, the new sets of buffers have been cleaned up, and given a coat of primer.

Wednesday, 17.4.2019. The work bench in the Carriage Shed groans under the weight of the new buffers, all painted in grey undercoat.

Nearby, the wheelsets, axleboxes and bogie frames for the last production bogies have been similarly treated.

With all this new stock coming on line, new screw couplings are being finished off.

A hole has appeared where a steel tank used to keep timber dry for morning sticks.

Thursday, 18.4.2019. Adrian welds joints he missed previously on the roof framework of carriage No. 24, while Tony gives the primed steelwork a second coat …

… before Tony moves on to give freshly fettled steelwork a first coat of primer (new steel for the Guard’s compartment partition in the foreground) …

… and moving on to the cleaned areas of the partition (and seat support brackets) towards evening.

Southern Extension. Pont y Goedwig Deviation Project. Thursday, 18.4.2019. An early morning call reveals contractors on site, making ready to re-site an electricity pole to remove a stay from part of our proposed exc

Within a couple of hours, the new pole and stay are up and the contractors …

… are reinstating our roadside fence (destroyed during an earlier, botched attempt to change the pole) while clearing away the traffic control measures.

Good Friday, 19.4.2019. Simon is happy-ish with adjustments made to the control arrangements of No. 6 so it is moved …

… out of the Engine Shed …

… to swop places with No. 11 and remove the carriages at the end of the day to the Carriage Shed.

New posters have been put on display including for the forthcoming Gala Day on May 26th ...

... and volunteering on the Railway.

Saturday, 20.4.2019. The magnificent weather over Easter gave ample opportunity to take photos of passing trains …

Easter Day, Sunday, 21.4.2019. A number of signs have been put out at Corris, along the line and here at Maespoeth, as part of an Easter Egg Hunt for our smaller visitors over the Bank Holiday weekend.

On Easter Sunday we again had brilliant sunshine and crowded platforms …

… and special headboards for our honoured guests!

Janice and Charles were staffing the museum in appropriate fashion today!

Wednesday, 24.4.2019. Bob finished fabrication of 4 new screw couplings yesterday (one is at the other end of carriage No. 23) …

… and components to fabricate carriage brake hangers and rods have been delivered.

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