Photos from Llanmynach

[berryr99]

Mick,

One of my interests is photography (but I do it badly !) and as such I am a member of a small local photography group.

What we have found over the last year is that everyone brings something to the party and "a few tips" for some people can be really helpful and change what they are doing to the good.

Just thought I'd be supportive !

Bob

[Tigger]

So Mick, sepia isn't a colour? ;D

While my pc is trying to ruin another photo (which I've now twice tried unsuccessfully to prepare for posting) I thought I'd share this little gem which I read this morning in 'The Countryman' magazine:

"In the Bible, God made it rain for forty days and forty nights.  That's a pretty good summer for Wales.  That's a hosepipe ban waiting to happen."  (Rhod Gilbert)

[Tigger]

Ok, so here's the photo which my pc was trying to destroy yesterday!

A sunny afternoon at Rhyffedd Coed finds slate trains passing.  Sir Theodore is passing through with a loaded train bound for Llanymach whilst Cackler, having arrived a little earlier with an empty train for the mines is content to sizzle and hiss gently, and bask in the sun until such time as the road is set.  It's a warm day and all four of her spectacle glasses are wide open.

Those slate loads are almost convincing - one day I'll get around to inserting the individual slates which were sometimes wedged in to hold things tight.  Long ago the Railway discovered that a brake van equalled a few slate wagons which is why there are no brake vans on these trains.  However, I have yet to produce the red discs which the 'last vehicle' should have hanging on the back!

The railway's only van which hasn't yet been through the shops for repair and repaint sits in the siding.  Until I took this photo I'd forgotten that I'd fitted that repair patch on the corner when I built it!

[berryr99]

David,

Nice pic - can I ask about the source of the slate wagons - they look good

Bob

[Tigger]

Bob, the slate wagons are the Meridian Penrhyn Railway kits.

I have a fleet of 45 on the railway.  40 of them are in 4 fixed rakes of 10 wagons each, two loaded and two empty; predictably they run round the layout in opposing directions.  Of the other five, two are loaded and two are unloaded and they are used as match-wagons to run between the fixed rakes and any loco not fitted with the special coupling which I use for the slate trains.  (As they both appear in the photo, I'll mention that both Cackler and Sir T are locos dedicated to the slate trains and are therefore fitted with the special couplings; and as an aside to that I'll add that Sir T always runs down the valley because the skirt fouls the platform at Rhyffedd Coed and running her through the loops neatly keeps her away from the platforms.  As an aside to that aside (!!), this also means that Sir T is able to keep her chimney towards Tawel-Llety and therefore the firebox crown more effectively covered in line with all the other locos but also runs cab forwards, which was the preferred method for the Glyn Valley Tramway.  It's all carefully worked out you know, these things don't happen by accident!) ;D (That's the closest I could find to a 'smug git' expression...)

Where was I?

Oh yes, the one other slate wagon is in pristine condition and is the one I built when I was comparing various slate wagons so I could sort out which would be best for the line.  It usually lives in one of my showcases.

[Tigger]

Something a little different this time!  A visitor to the L&TR in the form of one of Bernard Pearce's beautiful continental articulates at Rhyffedd Coed with a down goods.  Most of Bernard's locos are too big for my loading gauge but this one fitted!  This was taken during a Buccabury Branch visit to the L&TR.

[Tigger]

One of the last operating days of 2012 sees 'Argyll' running into Mynydd-yn-Bwlch with a four coach Christmas special on December 27th.

[Isle of Stoner]

Love the sense of space on your layout. More pics please.

John W

[berryr99]

Just to echo what John said.

How far is it from the loco to the foreground ?

Good pic

Bob

[Tigger]

Thanks guys!  The sense of space is something I always wanted to have when I designed the layout - I could have fitted in miles of track otherwise!  'The Railway in the Landscape' was something I always felt defined narrow gauge.

At Llanmynach everything is more intimate; as you would view the railway in real life, it's all that much closer and more detailed and of course as we wait for the train we have more time to notice the details.  As in the prototype, as we go further out into the country details tend to fade and we take more notice of the general scenery.

From the loco to the camera is something over 3 feet.

More pics will be arriving!  Watch this space!

[Tigger]

Well it's been a while but I thought it was about time I posted another photo from the L&TR. A couple of weeks ago I turned Owain Glyndwr for operational purposes, the first time that a L&TR loco has worked nose down the valley (Owain is 33 years old!!). As I expected, it's given a whole new load of photo opportunities but even better, she just happened to be down at Llanmynach and on her way to shed when I set up the railway's Christmas tree yesterday afternoon.

So may I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

[MickT]

A splendid photo David and a very Happy Christmas to you as well!

I see somebody in the valley is rich enough to enjoy the luxury of a big Wolseley for transportation!

Mick