Rheilffordd Corris Railway

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Category: Photographs

Photographs taken between 19th & 23rd January 2022

24th January 202224th January 2022 Patrick Jolley 0 Comment Photographs

Wednesday 19.1.2022. Replacement rail is started to be checked and sorted ...

... Tony and Ifor are awaiting Ben to finish checking the rail

The loaded ballast waggons are shunted ready for use ...

... and the Lydd Waggon is loaded with prepared sleepers ready for the forthcoming weekend ...

... with a tidy finish to a good days preparation.

The initial selection of rail is loaded and will be shunted to the North Platform.

At the North Platform, the rails are numbered in pairs and identified for left and right placement ...

The rail has been dropped and Ben does some final checks as No. 6 heads back home

Saturday, 22/1/2022. The platform clearance and preparation at Corris Station is now well underway.

Clearance is now starting on the platform itself ...

... with the station throat now cleared.

The levelling and clearing progress continues ...

... with the track bed from the crossing progressing, ready for fresh ballast before track laying.

Birds-eye view over Corris Station redevelopment.

Traverser Construction at Statfold Engineering- The frames are now welded together and wheel carriers added.

Photographs taken between 4th & 17th January 2022

20th January 202220th January 2022 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Tuesday, 4.1.2022. Y Mochyn is dressed up for the cold - but bright - weather!

No. 7 has had its trailing truck removed for the annual boiler inspection ...

... while the whole loco is suspended in the air to better enable other works to be performed on it this winter.

The Tuesday Gang have the frames of the Slab Waggon back up on the bench ...

... to cut out mortises to take the trestle members ...

... while under the latest Covid restrictions!

By the end of the day, all four trestle members have been loose fitted, together with the top beam.

As light relief, the yard was shunted with No. 5 to place waggons in working positions.

Wednesday, 5.1.2022. The rotten door to the Gent's at Maespoeth is in the process of being replaced to musical accompaniment, with one prepared earlier ...

... and by evening, it is hung, complete with lock.

In the meantime, Phil has made a jig to hold loco slippers flat so that they can be ground ...

Thursday, 7.1.2022. ... with good results!

Sunday, 9.1.2022. Trefor is working on the gauge glass fittings in the cab of No. 7.

Tuesday, 11.1.2022. The metalwork has been prepared and later added to the Slab Waggon trestle ...

... enabling the sloping floor boards to be secured ...

... and treated.

Before the end of the day, some sheets are cut for the Engine Shed smoke hood ...

... and Andy arrives with copious quantities of pre-prepared roof boards for carriage No. 24 ...

... followed by Angela and Richard - on their first visit in over 2 years!

Wednesday, 12.1.2022. Phil is making a superb job of restoring our point fittings to good working order ...

... while outside, Bro Cader have arrived to excavate footings for support beams (amongst other things) for our lifting gantry ...

... and fill waggons ...

... with ballast.

Meanwhile, Andy has finished fixing roof boards on the east side of carriage No. 24 ...

... while Ian beds the first timbers on the clerestorey ...

... before joining Andy, who is making a start on the west side roof boards.

Friday, 14.1.2022. Yesterday, a good start was made on the west side roof of carriage No. 24. ...

... and a jig prepared for the assembly of the clerestorey roof window frames.

Adrian is welding the feet and handles to new threaded height adjusting bars on the gantry spreader beam ...

... before preparing more packing pieces for standardising buffing arrangements on the ex-Trecwn vans.

Photographs taken between 14th & 31st December 2021

3rd January 20223rd January 2022 David Coleman 1 Comment Photographs

Tuesday, 14.12.2021. Mark, Dick and Tony do not take long to dismantle and pack away ...

... the temporary arrangements for Santa and put the benches back ...

... plus shunt the rail vehicles around ...

... so that normal work can resume in the Carriage Shed.

Recently, Phil has been busy, cleaning out the heavily polluted base tray of the milling machine. (Photograph courtesy of Phil)

Saturday, 18.12.2021. Adrian has called by to do a bit of welding for Phil, to modify coolant arrangements on the refurbished milling machine.

Monday, 20.12.2021. Yesterday, Trefor washed out the boiler of No. 7 and commenced dismantling the boiler fittings, ready for its annual boiler inspection ...

... while outside, plates were bolted to the new plastic sleepers for Corris Station, and stacked on the North Platform at Maespoeth ready for collection in due course ...

... and a hand lever was again fixed to the south loop turnout to enable the cross-over to be readily used once more.

Wednesday, 22.12.2021. After loosening edge blocks yesterday, Jack lifts paviors at Corris and loads them up ...

... in the pouring rain, leaving just a few stubborn edge blocks to be removed (all loosened on Christmas Eve).

The paviors and edge blocks were neatly stacked on pallets at Maespoeth by Jack and others on Tuesday, 28.12.2021.

Saturday, 31.12.2021. Track on the the platform road at Corris was lifted on Wednesday, 29.12.2021 ...

... including as far as the turnout ...

... which now resides on a pair of trolleys at Maespoeth, ready for re-use there.

Recent Engineering Work at Maespoeth. Phil has added a cover to protect the interlocking ... (Photograph courtesy of Phil)

... bars for the refurbished ground frame destined for Corris ... (Photograph courtesy of Phil)

... and made a new key and weatherproof cover for the slot. (Photograph courtesy of Phil)

Photographs taken between 13th & 29th December 2021

31st December 202131st December 2021 Patrick Jolley 0 Comment Photographs

Monday, 13.12.2021. Traverser construction - main traverser frames (Photograph courtesy of Statfold Engineering)

Frame cross and end beams (Photograph courtesy of Statfold Engineering)

The same frame cross and end beams from a different angle (Photograph courtesy of Statfold Engineering)

Wheel carriers (into which will fit the sealed units) (Photograph courtesy of Statfold Engineering)

The same wheel carriers (Photograph courtesy of Statfold Engineering)

Sunday, 19.12.2021. Sleepers - Charles is pre-drilling the fixing location

Ben and Sam are fixing the base plates...

Spot the difference (1)

Spot the difference (2). All 100 plastic sleepers are complete and moved ready to be laid..

Wednesday, 29.12.2021. Corris Station - Starting to clear the track

Slowly the track is lifted back towards the point

Trefor is called in to undo some tight nuts...!

Sam and Richard start to remove the point mechanism

The original point is started to be lifted...

A few last checks before the point is brought back to Maespoeth .

Finally, whilst being lit by No. 11's headlamp, the point is lifted onto trollys.

Photographs taken between 5th & 12th December 2021

14th December 202114th December 2021 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Saturday, 11.12.2021. The Santa Train pauses for photographs on a very busy weekend for the Corris Railway with all trains fully booked.

Sunday, 5.12.2021. Trefor is on hand to help start No.6 ...

... to shunt stock around ...

... to place Santa's grotto in to its correct location ...

... and put the newly lined carriage No. 23 back into its correct location in the passenger train.

All this was done in bright sunshine, but the clouds were becoming rather threatening!

The two Heritage Waggons being worked on were temporarily mounted on Hudson waggon chassis, and were returned to the Carriage Shed behind the locomotives, to guard against any runaways!

Y Mochyn has been dressed for Christmas!

Tuesday, 7.12.2021. Ian has arrived bearing gifts, while Dick and Stevie are on hand to help set up remaining infrastructure for the coming weekend.

Meanwhile, a waggonload of scrap has been transferred for removal to help raise funds ...

... but not to waste movements, the empty waggon was used to move more timber destined for the P. Way van's floor.

By early afternoon, much of the basic arrangements for the weekend had been completed and lights tested ...

... while in Corris, the village Christmas tree had been erected, decorated and illuminated.

Saturday, 11.12.2021. Trefor and Jack experiment with wire ...

... to put a holly wreath on the smokebox of No. 7 ...

... while Laurie polishes the paintwork.

Outside the Signal Box, this photo is reminiscent of a similar photo taken of No. 4 (and train) at Machynlleth, in the 1920's!

The morning is gloomy, but very atmospheric ...

... as Santa checks his satnav and diary to make sure he is in the right place at the right time!

The first (empty) train heads north to pick up passengers ...

... and soon returns with a full train, who head off down to Santa's grotto just as it starts raining!

Later, the Guard gives the right away as Santa's elves wave the passengers off ...

... to head off back to Corris.

The elves and Santa pose for a quick photo ...

... before Santa pops up to the road to wave to passing traffic, who respond with hooting and waves (including from passengers in a passing coach!).

On the next train were Malcolm's children, partners and grandchildren ...

... who handed over a plaque ...

... in memory of Malcolm, who was our regular (steam) driver from 2005 to 2010.

For the next train, Santa poses with the loco crew ...

... and for the last northbound train of the day, lamps are lit.

The return (empty) train approaches in the dark - an opportunity to practice giving (and receiving) hand signals at night!

Photographs taken between 27th November & 3rd December 2021

6th December 20216th December 2021 David Coleman 3 Comments Photographs

Saturday, 27.11.2021. No. 7 is gently steamed to test the work undertaken on it recently ...

... with Trefor ...

... and Jack cleaning it up prior to it's outing.

The weak winter sunshine adds to the atmosphere in the Engine Shed!

Meanwhile outside, waggons are shunted in anticipation of track lifting in Corris in a few weeks' time ...

... and in the Carriage Shed, Tony has just finished application of gloss black to parts of the Trestle Waggon.

Last night, Storm Arwen passed over, bringing down our road sign directing visitors down to Corris from the main road ...

... as well as electricity cables across our track, which limited the length of line that No. 7 could traverse on test ...

... caused by a tree being blown down on to the cables, and cutting off power to the Maespoeth site (as well as other properties).

As a result, work to fix plates to sleepers for Corris Station, had to be undertaken outside in freezing conditions, using a generator.

Meanwhile, Jack waters No. 7 as Trefor adjusts packing on the air pump ...

... before No. 7 is put away before it gets too dark!

Sunday, 28.11.2021. 8 sleepers were completed yesterday ...

... and the rail carrying waggons assembled together.

Scottish Power cut sufficient of the tree to enable power to be restored to the Sheds by late afternoon.

Monday, 29.11.2021. Heaters have been hired ...

... to enable Glenn to make a start on lining carriage No. 23 ...

... starting with masking templates for the corners.

By the time it is getting dark, masking for the lining has been added ...

... while in the Engine Shed, Phil has reassembled the vertical mill and got it working to his satisfaction (without spraying oil everywhere).

Tuesday, 30.11.2021. The next phase on carriage No. 23 is to mask clear of the proposed lining ...

... as the Tuesday Gang arrive ...

... moving furniture and equipment around and cleaning up ...

... so that the first gazebo can be erected, as directed by Bill.

The carriage is now completely masked up ...

... the gazebo is up ...

... and Bill can warm up by one of the heaters!

Glenn can then start spraying the first of three coats of paint on each line ...

...and after a short while, the completed work can be un-masked - carefully!

The next panel can then be sprayed, while carpets and trees are assembled in the reception area for Santa visitors.

Photographs taken between 16th & 25th November 2021

26th November 202126th November 2021 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Tuesday, 16.11.2021. Phil has trial re-assembled the ground frame destined for Corris ...

... while in the Carriage Shed, Adrian has placed all the components for the Slab Waggon together on the frames, and Tony has primed the buffer bands.

Nearby, Adrian has mocked up the arrangements for revised buffing gear on the P Way van.

Wednesday, 17.11.2021. Phil has disassembled the ground frame again, revealing the engineering effort that has gone into refurbishing it ...

... before moving on to machine out wafer thin phosphor bronze shell bearings from an axlebox destined for the Slab Waggon.

Thursday, 18.11.2021. The replacement spreader beam for the outside gantry is all white ...

... and the worn shell bearings in the other heritage axleboxes have also been machined out - one was only 1mm thick!

Saturday, 20.11.2021. Trefor and Jack are re-assembling the air pump, motion and fittings on No. 7 ...

... before lifting the pump onto the bench to give it a service ...

... before taking it outside to successfully test functionality on air.

Once complete, the pump is re-assembled on the loco using our new lifting bracket ...

... until the loco is (almost) ready to be trial steamed.

Meanwhile, Phil and Ifor have been dismantling the head of one of the vertical mills ...

... and working on its gearbox on the bench in an effort to rectify a persistent and prolific oil leak.

Sunday, 21.11.2021. Sam has put together a crew to work up the line ...

... having discovered a design defect in the supports of the landing outside the Signal Box door!

Tuesday, 23.11.2021. The landing supports on the Signal Box are soon beefed up.

Bill is cutting back the buffer on the Slab Waggon chassis ...

... and with one end done, Mark and Bill show off their common hair styles!

Ian calls by bearing gifts, and chats with Adrian ...

... before Adrian positions the buffer support assemblies for welding to the P Way van ...

... and trial assembling a buffer.

To finish off the day, Tony treats the newly secured buffer bands on the Trestle Waggon chassis, to undercoat.

Thursday, 25.11.2021. It's a grand shunt today, starting by lifting the Trestle Waggon frames off the work bench.

The mellow yellow gantry spreader bar balances on the heritage Drop-side Waggon as they meet the bright sunlight ...

... soon followed by carriage No. 24.

The passenger stock is split and runs-round other items temporarily stored outside ...

... with other stock awaiting re-positioning ...

... to place carriage No. 23 ready for attention to its livery ...

... and the waggons for the Santa trains assembled together.

Photographs taken between 3rd & 13th November 2021

16th November 202115th November 2021 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Wednesday, 3.11.2021. A pot of gold near the station in Corris?

Friday, 5.11.2021. New treated softwood sleepers are transferred from road to rail at Maespoeth, destined for use at Corris Station ...

... while Adrian is fabricating buffer bands for the new Trestle Waggon ...

... patching up welds as necessary to ensure a consistent finish.

Sunday, 7.11.2021. Yesterday, in the pouring rain, the new sleepers were off-loaded and stacked at Maespoeth ...

... a (plastic) sleeper was fitted with rail clips to prove the modified drilling jigs ...

... and the siding was lifted in Corris preparatory to further works over the winter.

During the previous week, the Housing Association at last replaced the rotten fence panel above the station site.

Again during the previous week, the small 'bus shelter opposite the Braichgoch Hotel was removed and a even smaller one left in its place!

In the Engine Shed, Phil has improved on the shadow board for commonly used tools - to be kept tidy!

Tuesday, 9.11.2021. A steel order has been delivered ...

... while in carriage No. 22, Charles (and others) have dismantled parts of the panelling and are re-sealing around the clerestory following water ingress during the intense driving rain experienced on the last regular day of passenger services in 2021.

By the end of the day, the holes (and countersinks) for the trestle have been drilled and the metalwork loose mounted in the frames of the Trestle Waggon ...

... while nearby, the end board for waggon No. 218's deck, has been repaired and a re-paint started.

Friday, 12.11.2021. Phil is cutting (many) spacers in the Engine Shed ...

... which (amongst other things) Adrian welds to base plates prior to fixing spring buffers to our ex-Trecwn vans.

Saturday, 13.11.2021. Jack looks at the dismantled Fireman's side valve chest on loco No. 7 in a new light ...

... after the failure of a gasket caused steam to partially by-pass the cylinder, leading to strange noises over the summer!

There is much discussion on locomotive brakes with the TR staff who had earlier assisted in analysing No. 7's travails ...

... before new gaskets are cut and faces cleaned up ...

... and the whole lot is re-assembled.

Southern Extension. New Dyfi Bridge (road) Scheme. Saturday, 13.11.2021. More tall machines have arrived ...

... the latest one to lift test weights on to steel pile testing arrangements. Quite some fabrications!

Photographs taken between 24th October & 2nd November 2021

8th November 20216th November 2021 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Sunday 31.10.2021. The air is cold, and flags have been added to the train for future use of photos on appropriate dates in calendars.

Sunday, 24.10.2021. That is another point rodding crank freed up, and a waterproof dome added to keep the rotating surfaces dry!

Tuesday, 26.10.2021. Yesterday, signs appeared to advise of the closure of Minffordd Street, Corris for filming purposes ...

... while down in the Carriage Shed, Adrian is preparing washer plates in anticipation of the construction of a set of frames for another Heritage Waggon in due course ...

... which Tony primes before tackling the (freed up and cleaned) castors for the gantry spreader beam ...

... and then waterproofs the frames of the new Trestle Waggon ...

... before finishing off the day with painting parts of the transfer ramp (which could be trip hazards in due course).

Wednesday, 27.10.2021. Simon delivers cement and gravel for base pads for the gantry - to be formed in due course ...

... while comprehensive signs have appeared on the main road ...

... and around Corris, directing relevant people to the filming taking place on Thursday and Friday.

Thursday, 28.10.2021. Minffordd Street is now closed - sort of!

Friday, 29.10.2021. The closure is enforced with traffic control, while film company and support vehicles are parked everywhere! The film is to go out on Netflix at some future date, and is stated to be set in a coal mining (!) village c.1918. There are plenty of rumours about the subject, M'Lady!

Sunday, 31.10.2021. Trefor cannot resist working on No. 7 ...

... although Sam and Jack are the allotted crew for the day.

The air is cold, and flags have been added to the train for future use of photos on appropriate dates in calendars.

With the first train gone, a Red Kite (once an endangered breed) makes an appearance over Maespoeth - still a rare sight in the Corris area.

While the train is away, Trefor retrieves the loaded waggon from the car park ...

... before changing No. 6's oil, and giving it some general tlc.

Sam gets a chance of some driving practice on empty stock workings between cleaning runs ...

... which coincides with a torrential downpour!

For the last trip, not a passenger ventured out (although offered umbrellas) but Trefor could not resist!

The weather then improved just in time to re-organise the Engine Shed to put No. 7 at the far end, as the returning (empty) passenger train is guided down on to No. 6.

In the gathering gloom, No. 7 has its ashpan raked out as No. 6 returns from having put the carriages away ...

... and is silhouetted in the North Platform from No. 11's lights as the latter follows No. 7 into the Engine Shed.

Meanwhile, a pump lifting bracket has been borrowed from the T.R. (in the foreground) and Phil starts to machine a copy ...

... and duly completes the finished job.

With the site barely locked up, Trefor and Jack hold up No. 7's footplate as Tony undoes the bolts on the centre support ...

... and in minutes, the air pump is lifted clear, ready for investigation work to take place on the fireman's side cylinder and valve chest.

It is Halloween, and the local hostelry has been suitably decorated!

Tuesday, 2.11.2021. Bill points out ... a point ...

... as he and Mark notch out the frames of the Trestle Waggon to take the drawbar (after first cutting and fixing the buffer thickenings).

Photographs taken between 17th & 23rd October 2021

25th October 202125th October 2021 David Coleman 0 Comment Photographs

Sunday, 17.10.2021. It is a dull, wet day, so the open firebox doors show up No. 7's fire as it is attended to ...

... while No. 7 is almost lost in steam as it heads off to Corris on the first train of the day.

The wedges machined by Phil are finished, so are placed on Adrian's bench for welding to the ramp in due course.

It must be autumn, judging by the leaves collecting on carriage No. 21's roof!

At the end of the day, Jack and Trefor remove part of No. 7's footplate ...

... in response to a question from Keef's regarding side movement of No. 7's trailing truck on extreme curves for design purposes with new loco No. 10. Measurements and photos duly supplied!

Tuesday, 19.10.2021. The Tuesday gang have cut the mortise and tenon joints and trial assembled the frames for the Trestle Waggon ...

... before breaking for lunch.

Having then glued them up and clamped the assembly, the diagonals are checked to ensure all is square!

Wednesday, 20.10.2021. Having welded the machined wedges to the loading ramp, Adrian tidies up his work ...

... and ensures there is no mix-up over ownership of the ramp!

The finished job is then tried for size on an adjacent piece of track - all is well.

Another fabrication job finished today - the other end of the gantry spreader beam being replaced has been welded in place, the steel cleaned up and given a coat of primer.

Friday, 22.10.2021. No. 7 is steamed for a Special ...

... but the saddle tank needs some powdery rust (discharged from the chimney) blowing off it first!

The train was very well loaded, and after a tour, Shed Talk and run-past, the passengers were well supplied with bubbly ...

... for the return journey!

Saturday, 23.10.2021. A brighter day today, running trains for members (and others) on AGM day ...

... while Sam (and others) worked on various tasks in and around the Sheds, here Sam tidying up a point lever (destined for Corris in due course) ...

... while also preparing the other lever frame components for painting ...

... as well as Phil machining a new pivot to replace the original, very worn one!

Meanwhile, in the Carriage Shed, Andy has started fixing roof boards to carriage No. 24 ...

... alongside Tony, who is sealing the timber frames for the Trestle Waggon.

Alf & Jill proudly show of their plate that was presented to them both by Richard Foyn. Alf, of course, has recently stepped down as editor of our quarterly newsletter "The Corris-Pondent" after being at the helm for 25 years.

Southern Extension. Pont y Goedwig Deviation Project. Saturday, 16.10.2021. The Treasurer has been taking his frustrations out on the undergrowth at the top end of the project, adjacent to the south end of Maespoeth Yard.

More material has been delivered, spread and rolled on the embankment, but it looks little different to previous photos - the weather now dictates what (if anything) can be done on site.

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Photographs taken between 19th & 23rd January 2022
Photographs taken between 4th & 17th January 2022
Work Is Paused On New Build Corris Railway Steam Locomotive
Photographs taken between 14th & 31st December 2021

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