Apparent Time Warp As New Corris Steam Locomotive Is Prepared For Painting And Final Reassembly

Visitors to the workshops of Alan Keef Ltd at the end of June who have been following the construction of the new Corris Falcon steam locomotive could have been forgiven for thinking they had stepped back in time by twelve months. No. 10 had been partially dismantled and resembled its condition in early summer 2022.

However this does not mean that a problem has arisen, rather that the construction of Corris Railway No. 10 is nearing its completion as this stripping down is to prepare the locomotive for fitting of boiler cladding and painting. The livery that it will carry will be similar to that sported by Corris Railway Tattoo No. 7 which has been working on the revived section of the Mid Wales narrow gauge line since 2005.

With the final assembly and painting due to take place there will also be final invoices to be paid and any contributions towards these will be welcome. Online payments can be made via www.corris.co.uk or cheques, payable to Corris Railway can be sent to Peter Guest, 38 Underwood Close, Callow Hill, Redditch, B97 5YS.

Corris Railway Trains Will Operate On The 75th Anniversary Of The Closure Of The Original Line

Corris Railway Closure - August 1948

Sunday August 20th will see passenger trains operating on the revived section of the Corris Railway, leaving Corris station for Maespoeth Junction, seventy five years to the day from when the last service ran on the original line between Machynlleth and Aberllefenni. Unlike other lines’ finales there was no junketing, speeches, or special trains to mark the original closure in 1948. The final working was a short goods train headed by locomotive No. 3 as part of the thrice weekly freight service which the service had been reduced to during the Second World War. Passenger trains had ceased at the end of 1930.

One reason why the last train went unmarked was that no-one knew it would be the last although British Railways, which had acquired responsibility for the Corris eight months earlier at the start of 1948 when nearly all of Britain’s railways were nationalised, had become concerned about erosion of the trackbed where the line crossed the River Dovey/Dyfi. Further erosion occurred, although in fact the line was never severed, and the decision to close the route and transfer the traffic to road vehicles was taken. The line was taken up and that appeared to be that. The two remaining steam engines, some waggons and rail eventually went to the Talyllyn Railway.

However thanks to the efforts of the Corris Railway Society a works train headed by a small diesel locomotive worked into Corris station and passenger trains resumed in 2002. Steam hauled passenger trains began again on August 20th 2005 headed by a newly built locomotive.

With the passage of seventy five years it is inevitable that very few people can now remember the original line. Earlier this year Selwyn Humphreys died. He was the son of the last regular footplate man on the old line and took an interest in the revival including visiting the Open Day at the workshops of Alan Keef Ltd in 2022 where he stepped aboard the footplate of the next new steam loco being built for the Corris Railway. When visiting the line he would check that the slate wall by the engine shed doors at Maespoeth Junction still bore the name he had carved into it when a child. It does.

A more formal commemorative plaque has now been affixed to the wall of the carriage shed at the Junction marking the passing of Gwyn Briwnant Jones who wrote and compiled a number of books about the Corris amongst other works. His father was the Chief Clerk for the Corris and moved to a similar position at Machynlleth station after the GWR take over in 1930. This gave Gwyn opportunities to explore and get to thoroughly know the narrow gauge line and the people who worked and used it. This knowledge was put to particular use in his book Great Western Corris. He was hugely supportive of the revival, becoming Vice President of the Corris Railway Society, and many activists received his thoughtful letters of thanks and appreciation for their work.

A Carriage Leaves The Corris Railway For A New Home

CAT Carriage leaving Maespoeth - 120423

The second week in April saw a Land Rover and trailer arrive at Maespoeth Junction to collect a railway vehicle from the Corris Railway for onward movement to an eventual new home with the Ashton Packet Boat Company, Manchester – under the custodianship of Adam Rickett. They have preserved the oldest wooden narrow boat in the world, and host railway enthusiast days in aid of ‘Francis House Family Trust’ (Registered Charity no. 328659). The railway is a genuine industrial railway dating back to the early 1970’s. Enthusiast days there have grown in popularity over recent years with the collection of varying items of rolling stock. The site is a very close community and the coach will provide enjoyment to those individuals restoring it.

It was accompanied on its way by some surplus rail fixing spikes purchased by the Glyn Valley Tramway for its track laying at Chirk station.

The vehicle which left was a small carriage that was originally used at the Centre For Alternative Technology, which is a neighbour of the Corris Railway in the Dulas Valley in Mid Wales. When it became surplus to requirement there it was presented to the Corris Railway. As the Corris Railway has developed it has become surplus to requirements there in turn and has been out of use for a number of years. Even with the 2009 built carriage shed and the recently completed waggon shelter at Maespoeth Junction undercover space is at a premium and it was felt that the CAT Carriage, as it was known, should have a new home. It will be renovated by the Ashton Packet Boat Company by its small group of dedicated volunteers, with the aim of it operating on future charity open days. In 1974 it conveyed the late Duke of Edinburgh, whose Welsh title was Earl of Merioneth, during his visit to the then newly established CAT which at the time had an internal narrow gauge railway.

As for the future passenger carriage stock on the Corris Railway, work on the new build number 24 has seen some internal seating fitted, the roofing fitted to the clerestory roof, external handrails put in place and glazing carried out.

The next arrival that will require accommodation at the Corris Railway will be the new build Falcon locomotive, No. 10, due to arrive later in the operating season. Ahead of this landmark, the first time two steam engines will be permanently resident in the shed since 1948, work has been carried out in the 1883 built loco shed at Maespoeth Junction to improve inspection pit provision and a new flooring area. Debris from this work has been stored for use in the new Southern Extension embankment as and when drier weather allows resumption of work there. The machinery layout in the shed has also been changed and rationalised.

For more Corris Railway information including timetables and advance ticket booking please see www.corris.co.uk

Easter Sees The Start Of A New Season For The Corris Railway

With its winter programme of maintenance completed the Corris Railway will be running its train services over the Easter weekend.

Visitors can enjoy an outing lasting just under an hour with a train ride in each direction between Corris Station and Maespoeth Junction with an opportunity to see behind the scenes at the Junction. Travel is in 21st Century recreations of the original Victorian carriages headed by a steam locomotive. At Corris our Museum and Shop will be open and we can offer drinks, crisps and sweets for a snack. We take payment by card or cash.

Please note your journey must start and end at Corris Station. There is no public access to Maespoeth Junction. The station is in the village reached by turning off the A487 Dolgellau-Machynlleth road at the Braich Goch Inn. Our postcode is SY20 9SH. Tickets can be purchased online in advance and trains will leave Corris at 11.00, 12.00, 1.30, 2.30 and 3.30.

Other things to visit in Corris include the Craft Centre and the family attraction King Arthur’s Labyrinth. The Centre For Alternative Technology is also nearby.

Tickets Now On Sale For The Corris In 2023

Ticket Office

If you are planning to visit the Corris in 2023 you can now book your tickets in advance. Including, if you really like to plan ahead, our Santa Trains in December or our Model Railway Exhibition over the August Bank Holiday.

Unless otherwise indicated our trains should be headed by a steam locomotive. At the start of the season this will be our Tattoo Class No. 7 but later in the year our new steam engine Falcon No. 10 is due to be completed and taking its share of the duties. However on occasion we may have to substitute a diesel locomotive. Things can go awry on the Corris just as they do elsewhere.

As well as the train ride along part of the beautiful Dulas Valley our museum and sales area will be open at Corris on operating days. We offer light refreshments and it is a short walk to the village café/shop or the Slaters Arms.

Sanding Gear To Feature On New Corris Steam Locomotive

Falcon - 080223

The new Falcon steam locomotive, No. 10, being constructed for the Corris Railway by Alan Keef Ltd, will have a feature absent from the original Loughborough built trio.

As delivered in 1878 the locomotives arrived at Maespoeth Junction without sanding gear. More remarkably none was ever fitted, not even when the best components of each were cannibilised and reassembled to become No. 3 at the end of the 1920’s or when the Great Western took the merged engine to Swindon for workshop attention. Given the curves and gradients of the route of the Corris Railway wet weather could cause slipping which was combatted by the fireman or guard perching above the front buffer beam and transferring sand from a box placed in front of the smokebox to the railhead by means of a watering can.

Even if the modern day Corris Railway wished to maintain this approach it would, quite rightly, not meet current safety requirements and air sanding gear will be fitted to No. 10 before it enters traffic.

The cab for the new loco which was bolted together for the first public steaming last September has now been riveted. However one section which will continue to have removable bolts is the upper part of the rear of the cab. This will be removable to make conditions more comfortable on the footplate on hot days and will give passengers in the front coach a view of the crew at work on the journey from Maespoeth Junction to Corris Station. It will also recreate the look of the Falcons’ cabs in the early 1900’s.

Other outstanding work at the end of February included the fitting of the air braking equipment and the electronics for the train communications system. The boiler and the cylinders need to have their cladding made and fitted.

Although No. 10 is making good progress towards its final testing and entrance into Corris Railway traffic later in 2023 it remains true that every completed part of the construction means a bill to be paid and fund raising continues.

Donations can be made online at www.corris.co.uk or cheques, payable to Corris Railway, can be sent to Peter Guest, 38 Underwood Close, Callow Hill, Redditch, B97 5YS. Peter is also able to provide standing order payment forms.

New Corris Steam Locomotive On Target For Late Spring / Early Summer Entry Into Traffic

Trefor and Patrick with Patrick Keef

After a meeting between representatives of the Corris Railway and Alan Keef Ltd at Lea near Ross-on-Wye on January 23rd, progress with the new Falcon steam locomotive should see it entering public service on the Corris Railway metals later this year.

Following the first steaming in September last year much more fitting out has continued including work on mechanisms for the braking system, injectors, and drain cocks. Corris volunteers with appropriate skills and workshop facilities have produced the hand rails for the saddle tank top and refurbished a brake valve, the latter reducing the cost of that particular component by ninety percent.

At the time of the meeting one item being constructed was the coal bunker which will be inside the cab, which is adapted from the design carried by the original trio of Falcons on the Corris Railway, and loaded via a hinged section of the upper left cabside sheeting. A weakness of the originals was that coal dust could accumulate at the bottom of the bunker and cause rusting but this will be obviated by a removable section for access and cleaning.

Although components are being added to the locomotive a remaining major stage will see it being stripped down to allow painting and then being reassembled. This, together with the move by road from Keef’s to Maespoeth Junction, will cost a five figure sum and fund raising continues. Donations can be made online via www.corris.co.uk or cheques, payable to Corris Railway, can be sent to Peter Guest, 38 Underwood Close, Callow Hill, Redditch, B97 5YS.

The fund raising sales stand for the new Falcon Locomotive visits Derby

The fund raising sales stand for the new Falcon Locomotive will have its first outing of 2023 on Saturday 28th January at the gathering of the Trent Valley Group of the Association of 7mm Narrow Gauge Modellers held in the Our Lady of Lourdes Church Hall, 36 Uttoxeter Road, Mickleover, Derby, DE3 9GE.

The opening times are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with admission costing five pounds. Refreshments will be available at the venue and the event is billed as a chance to meet like-minded modellers. There is a varied array of goods for sale on the stand including model railway items in various scales and money raised takes us closer to having a new steam loco at work on the Corris Railway.

Two Corris Railway Projects Are Jointly Up For An Award

Falcon at Keefs

The work done on constructing the new Corris steam locomotive, No. 10, culminating in a first public steaming during 2022, together with the re-modelling at Corris station with the new platform, track layout and traverser is being put forward for an award.

Each year Steam Railway magazine and the Heritage Railways Association combine to produce an award. This is decided by a vote cast by the magazine’s readers and the information about all the nominees, is in the January 6th – February 3rd issue now on sale.

In total ten projects are nominated for consideration on railways large and small and the Corris is delighted to be listed alongside the other nine with the public recognition of progress being made with the revival of the line.

Voting is online only via https://www.steamrailway.co.uk/read/hra-awards

This will take you to the Steam Railway awards page and a click on “Vote Now” should in turn take you through to a list of the contestants and the chance to vote.

Winter Work Is Underway On The Corris

Queue outside the engine shed at maepsoeth

Although there will now be no public service trains on the Corris until Easter the volunteers have continued to tackle construction, maintenance and renovation. One of the annual tasks is the maintenance of our Tattoo 0-4-2ST No. 7 which began with a boiler washout. This time next year it should be joined for fettling up by Falcon No. 10 if fund raising and construction continues to go to plan.

There was also an impressive line-up of motive power outside the engine shed at Maespoeth Junction. The contrast between our latest diesel loco, No. 11, at the rear of the line and our first, No. 5, standing in front of it is very marked.

If you would like to burn off some Christmas calories with physical exercise in the open air we would welcome more volunteers to join our track maintenance and vegetation control gangs. If you are interested please contact Patrick Jolley at volunteering@corris.co.uk

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