VoR Newsletter - Issue 1 2018

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NEWSLETTER no.29

Photo by John R Jones

Issue 1 - 2018

www.rheidolrailway.co.uk

Telephone us: 01970 625 819 - Park Avenue, Aberystwyth SY23 1PG Regular steam train services running throughout the year

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www.rheid

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Upcoming Events

Jazz Night at the Hafod Hotel Sat 28 APRIL

Roll back the clock to the Roaring 1920s! Take a steam train trip from Aberystwyth to Devil’s Bridge. Buffet & entertainment at the Hafod Hotel.

Vintage costume a must!

Vale of Rheidol Newsletter Covering news and events from November & December

I

t’s the start of another exciting new year for the railway and we look forward with eager anticipation to the new events that will take place here. We hope all our customers had a great Christmas and New Year, and hope that 2018 is a successful one for you all. As always, our Santa trains were great fun for both visitors and staff alike.

Looking forward to the year ahead, we have many new events to advertise. We have the long awaited return of No.7 ‘Owain Glyndŵr’ to traffic, after an absence of nearly 20 years. We will also have the first of our carriages rebuilt to allow wheelchair access entering service.

Also planned are the return of our successful Jazz night and a Monster Ball. As a final taster to those who like to see what’s going on, we will

be offering organised Workshop Tours with a member of staff for a set donation. There’s even the chance of winning a 16mm scale live steam engine in our raffle!

In Devil’s Bridge, a new pine marten display will be viewable in our rebuilt weighbridge, showing the history of these animals, following their re-introduction into the valley.

We look forward to seeing many of our returning customers, as well as greeting new ones, who are discovering our railway for the first time. If you have any images of our line or memories of travelling on it, and would like to share them, please do get in touch via the editor.

Gareth Jones Newsletter Editor

Contents:

Page 21 - The VoR Photo Charter Experience

Page 3 - Vale of Rheidol News

Page 23 - Shop Products of the Month

Page 5 - Volunteers Update Page 7 - The Mines of the Rheidol Valley Page 9 - Things to do Page 11 - Photo Competition Page 13 - Workshop Updates Page 15 - Pictures from the Month Page 19 - A Photo from the Archives Page 20 - Permanent Way Update

Page 24 - Garden Railway Products of the Month Page 25 - About Our Staff Page 26 - Accucraft Engine Raffle Page 27 - Readers’ Mail & Classifieds Page 28 - Things to do Page 29 - Timetable Page 30 - Upcoming Events Page 2

Vale of Rheidol Railway News When Sion Corn (Santa) came to town

T

he Santa trains were once again well received, with most trains teeming with adults and kids - all eager to see Santa, Mrs Claus and their elves. With the schools not closing until late in the month, we were visited by a few groups as part of their Christmas celebrations. along with the families and visitors from all over the UK. Santa even met families from Holland and China.

From Tripadvisor - Santa Train ‘Visited Vale of Rheidol railway for a trip on the Santa train last weekend. Very well organised and Santa and his helpers were brilliant. The train was really nicely decorated and it felt lovely and Christmassy with the music playing in the background. The kids loved the storyteller and she engaged with every child on the carriage. I have been on a few Santa trains now and I can say this was one of the best. There was a good choice of refreshments included with the ticket which you could have either before or after the trip. You didn’t feel rushed or herded about. We all felt in the Christmas spirit after our trip and would highly recommend Vale of Rheidol’s Santa train.’

Vale of Rheidol Railway News When Sion Corn (Santa) came to town

Images Courtesy John R Jones

From Facebook Thankyou so very much for such a magical train ride today.

From Mrs clause reading us a fantastic story to actually meeting Santa AND a beautiful present, it was worth every penny to create something so wonderful for the children.

I can’t begin to think how much effort and preparation goes into organising all of this but we are very VERY grateful and this will be the first of many years to come xxx From Facebook 3 age ranges, 5 months, 5 years and a 10 years... all loved every second of it. Amazing staff, amazing atmosphere, pure brilliant Santa! Will definitely be back next year!!!

Vale of Rheidol Volunteers

By Clive Higgs, Railway Volunteer

The main project of restoring the platelayers’ hut near Nantyronen Halt has been slowed by rain, sleet, fog, gales, ice, snow and indoor Christmas distractions. Not one volunteer stood in the rain over Christmas to hold the hut walls upright in the gales.

But progress had started well since the last newsletter. The permanent way team ferried up supplies of timbers, sleepers and sheets of new corrugated zinc. We jacked up the stump of the chimney and moved the base back into position and fixed it with mortar.

After a few days the mortar had hardened and the top of the chimney was rebuilt, complete with a new chimney pot. This was a 9-inch diameter clay pipe like the original chimney pot before it had shattered over the years. The chimney was thouroughly tested with twig fires brewing up mugs of tea.

tried to repeat the wall-pulling sequence with the southern wall nearest to the railway line, its vertical sleepers toppled. The top purlin crumbled and the three vertical sleepers at the south-east corner fragmented at ground level. Nearly all the sleepers fell, even the good ones.

The remains of the three corner sleepers were now too short and were replaced by new ones. It just needs a dry day to allow our generator to be used for a few hours outdoors. We need to use our electric diskcutter to slice through the old purlin spikes rusted into the sleepers and to remove some brickwork at the side of the chimney to allow room for the east purlin.

The rusty corrugated roof was removed immediately after the last 2017 train to Devil’s Bridge passed by, in early November:

At the same session the thin strips of wood covering the walls’ vertical sleepers were removed. No more engines would pass the hut in 2017 after work started on replacing the sleepers near Capel Bangor. This allowed us to pull the western wall upright using a winch attached to the rails. The rotten old horizontal roof pulin on top was replaced by new treated timber. The door frame is now perpendicular but we’ll wait until all the walls are repaired and the new roof is finished before John Alderslade builds the bespoke door. Things may move! When we

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Apart from the hut, volunteers have been busy as usual, keeping Aberystwyth car park tidy, trying in vain to to finish the final hour of painting Devil’s Bridge station in dry, nonfreezing conditions and removing the leaves from the intermediate station platforms. A ‘spook’ team wailed in the woods between Nantyronen and Aberffrwd and one magician volunteer entertained the children waiting for the Santa Special trains.

A few rainy sessions were spent at Devil’s Bridge building a terrace wall of old sleepers behind the garden plot near the entrance.

Hopefully this should reduce all the summer work removing the invasive buttercup plants and couch grass from the flowers and shrubs at the back of the plot.

At last the geranium flowers have died in the station gardens, barrels and troughs and new shoots are coming up between the dead plants.

To find out more about our volunteers and see more of what they do you can check out our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ rheidolrailway/ on our facebook page you can also find links to past newsletters.

This stunning photo captures No.8 on one of our sunday lunch specials during November bound for Devil’s Bridge, where visitors have two hours to enjoy a sunday lunch at the Hafod Hotel or enjoy a stroll in the beautiful scenery. Photo courtesy John R Jones.

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Mines of the Rheidol Valley: Cwm Rheidol Mine - The Rhiwfron Aerial Ropeway: A Revisit N.B. These mines are on Private property and entry is forbidden unless by prior arrangement.

Mines in the Valley are very dangerous owing to the vertical shafts and the potential for them to be hidden within woodland. Exploration should only be undertaken by experienced persons!

The aerial ropeway spanning the valley from Cwm Rheidol or Ystumtuen Mine to Rhiwfron Halt was a unique feat of engineering for its time. It was apparently the first singlespan double aerial ropeway of its kind to be constructed in Wales, and in its 1,081 feet of length reached a height of over 200 feet above the river. Cwm Rheidol Mine was purchased by a newly-formed company, the Rheidol Mining Company Limited, formed with a nominal £16,000 of capital in £10 shares, in December 1900. Under the management of F. De Bal, the company opened up new ore ground in both adits by accessing zincproductive areas which were overlooked by earlier companies. Over a thousand tons of zinc ore, or Black Jack, was produced each year between 1903 and 1906, and almost 10,000 tons in total was sold by this company between 1900 and 1913.

Rhiwfron Halt on the Vale of Rheidol Railway was opened in 1903, and the aerial ropeway was almost immediately under construction, designed

by Messrs John M. Henderson Page 7

and Co. of Aberdeen. The following article from the Aberystwith Observer on 10 September 1903 gives extensive details of the construction: ‘When going to the Devil’s Bridge by the Vale of Rheidol Light Railway the visitors are wondering what can be the huge scaffolding they see at Rhiwfron. It is the upper terminal of a “double fixed aerial incline cableway” across the river Rheidol, made by Messrs John Henderson and Co, who are specialists in the matter, for delivering the Rheidol Mining Co.’s ore direct into trucks of the Vale of Rheidol Railway. This aerial cableway is made to carry 5 cwt-loads on each cable. The two main cables (fixed), of special steel wire rope, are stretched between the terminals erected at the dressing floors (lower terminal) and the railway siding (upper terminal). On each cable travels a tipping skip. The load carriage for each skip is attached to the endless travelling rope, so that the loaded skip on the one cable travels in opposite direction and arrives at the upper

terminal at the same time that the empty skip, on the other cable, arrives at the lower terminal, where it has to be loaded. Small side-tipping trams come from the dressing floors alongside the skips and make the loading most easy. The travelling rope on the drum is driven at the lower terminal by an electric motor, which gets its current from a powerful dynamo itself driven by a water turbine, and a reversible friction mitre gear.

At the upper terminal the driving rope passes over two carrier pulleys on the rope wheel, which has been arranged with vertical adjustment for giving the required tension.

A few figures will be of some interest: Span, 1,081 feet; main cables, 1,100 feet each; bottom of upper terminal, 330 feet above level of the river; bottom of lower terminal, 54 feet above level of the river; bottom of upper terminal, 276 feet above lower terminal. Both ends are anchored in strong masonry walls.

The anchor rods - with screws permitting tension at any time if wanted - are 11 feet long. Load carriages to carry 5 cwt of lead, blende or sulphur pyrites, tipping both sides on release of catch. The height of the upper terminal is 22 feet, and is made of pitch pine wood. The speed of the travelling rope is 260 feet per minute, which makes about 4 ¼ minutes for the load to come up. In ten hours about twenty tons can be loaded in the Vale of Rheidol Railway’s trucks. The siding is made to contain five trucks of four tons each.

All was furnished and fixed by Messrs John M. Henderson and Co, of Aberdeen, with the exception of the terminals and walls, which were erected by the Rheidol Mining Co’s own men under the direction of Captain H. Nottingham, the popular manager. The above information was given [to] us by Mr R. Wilbaux, the Mine’s secretary, and with kind permission of Captain Nottingham.’

Cwm Rheidol Mine closed during the Duration of the First World War, during which time the aerial ropeway stood abandoned.

In 1918, the mine reopened, but no further ore production figures are known. However, the ropeway was adapted for the carriage of timber from the dressing mill at the mine up to Rhiwfron, which was loaded onto flat-bed trucks for transportation to Aberystwyth.

Larch was felled in the woods above Lefel Fawr – the highest and longest adit at the

mine – and carried down to the mill probably via the 1’6” gauge self-acting incline which also transported wagons of ore from Lefel Fawr to the mill. References to the mill’s main source of power – an 18HP Gunther Pelton Wheel – being attached to a circular saw in the 1940s suggests that the same set-up might have been installed in 1918, used prior to sending the larch poles across the valley on the ropeway to Rhiwfron. The timber was used for pit props in the collieries of South Wales, and at least 200 tons were exported on the railway. The siding at Rhiwfron had been lifted in 1914; this was reinstated at a cost of £21 in 1918 when timber traffic across the valley commenced.

The ropeway was finally abandoned in about 1926, and with the exception of boring contractors who prospected underground in 1970 and 1971, Cwm Rheidol Mine ceased all official underground operations at about the same date. The ropeway, however, was not actually dismantled until about 1950, and its remains including the buckets lay on the valley floor until taken for scrap in 1954. The siding up at Rhiwfron was lifted about a year later.

The only remains that can be seen today is the masonry-built anchor block situated directly above the track opposite the platform at Rhiwfron. This acted as an anchor for the ore-chute above the siding, supporting it by means of two cast-iron rods.

The only other aerial ropeway installed for mining purposes in the area was that at Frongoch, Trisant, 2 miles away in 1919. It was built to carry ore from Frongoch Mine to a dressing mill in the Ystwyth valley to the south – however, this was almost 2 miles long and was abandoned in the early 1920s.

Therefore, that at Cwm Rheidol was unique in being the first single-span double aerial ropeway of its kind apparently to be built in Wales, and powered by one of the earliest mine hydro-electric schemes in the area.

It carried 361 tons of lead-ore, 8,980 tons of zinc ore, 1,900 tons of pyrite and about 200 tons of timber across Cwm Rheidol for transportation to Aberystwyth on the Vale of Rheidol Railway, and was a remarkable feat of early twentieth century engineering. Page 8

TWO HOOTS TEA ROOM

A family run Tea Room, set in Devil’s Bridge near Aberystwyth, with indoor and covered outdoor seating areas, good food and friendly staff. A 5 minute walk from the mythical set of the story with the devil, with waterfalls nearby.

Part of a good day out on the Vale of Rheidol Railway.

Tel: 07779 450 735 Email: shanjinks52@hotmail.com

Rheidol Visitor Centre Set in idyllic surroundings with beautiful walks and stunning views, come and see our exciting exhibition, interactive displays about Rheidol Hydro power station and other renewable energies. Visit the café for something nice to eat and drink.

Open 10:30 – 4:15 daily, Easter Bank holiday weekend and then May 1st until 30th September.

Group tours of the Hydro power station are available all year round by prior appointment only.

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Rheidol Visitor Centre, Cwm Rheidol, Aberystwyth, SY23 3NF

Tel: 01970 880667

To visit the 300ft Waterfalls, Punchbowl and 3 Bridges built one on top of the other, turn left from the train station and walk down the hill past the Hafod hotel (approx 5 minutes).

The Nature Trail circular walk includes views of the waterfalls, 3 Bridges, Robbers Cave and Jacobs Ladder (A steep flight of 100 continuous steps). It takes roughly 45 minutes and is a challenging walk with 675 steep steps. It is not suitable for pushchairs and those with walking difficulties. Adult £3.75 Child £2.00 20% discount on Nature trail walk by showing this advert to the attendant.

Not enough time for the long walk? Too many steps?

To view just the 3 Bridges and the Devil’s Punchbowl enter through the coin operated turnstile. Only £1.00 per person Recommended time 10 minutes.

CARAVAN PARK 01970 890233

Looking for somewhere to stay near the train station at Devil’s Bridge? Call our friendly staff and enquire about our 2 bedroom self catering bungalow or Gypsy Pod. Alternatively pitch a tent or bring your touring van or motor home.

We are situated just 10 minutes walk from the train station and 5 minutes walk from the waterfalls and Hafod Hotel & Brasserie. enquiries@woodlandsdevilsbridge.co.uk

www.woodlandsdevilsbridge.co.uk

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Photo Competition Winners 1st place wins a family ticket

1st Taken by Andrew Simmonds

2nd

Taken by John Lucas 3rd

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Taken by Penelope Corbett

Photo Competition

P worrizte h

ÂŁ55

Would you like to have your photos featured in our newsletters?

Now you can, as we launch our newsletter photo competition.

If we choose your photo as our winner, you could win a family ticket for two adults and two children worth ÂŁ55 to travel on one of our regular service trains.

Your photo could be a recent one or one from your archives.

Submit your photos by email to newsletter@rheidolrailway.co.uk We will also share your photos on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/rheidolrailway/

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No.8, No.1213 & No.605

Workshop

Locomotive No.7 is undergoing a major overhaul. The locomotive was withdrawn from traffic in 1998 and dismantled. Over recent months, major progress has been made and a return to steam is forecast for 2018.

For updates on No.7’s progress here: Tallyllyn Railway No.3 https://www.facebook.com/ ourpastistheirfuture/ No.3 has been progressing well over the last few months and rapidly approaches Winter maintenance has been the focus completion. The boiler has passed its out of on our fleet since our last update. With the the frames hydraulic test and the cladding annual cold boiler inspections at the start of has been completed.

January on our fleet of engines they were all stripped ready for the boiler inspectors visit.

The engines have all passed their inspections and are ready for the first trains of our 2018 season.

The chassis is now sat on it’s wheels, and colour has been applied to the wheels and repaired buffer beams.

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Update

Other workshop projects

Within the workshop, the team work on repairing and maintaining the Vale of Rheidol Railway’s rolling stock as well as taking on other contract work.

Talyllyn Railway No.3 The chassis has had new eccentrics manufactured, new drain cocks manufactured. Repairs to the saddle tank and bunker have been completed with these components ready for fitting. The large components have been test assembled to check for fitment prior to painting and new pipework.

Carriage No.15

This carriage will be the first wheelchair accessible carriage within our fleet when it enters service later this year. Carriage No.15 hasn’t been in service since around 1990.

The modifications have been designed in house and has been made possible through a grant from the Coastal Communities Fund.

Since the last edition the chassis has been completed and the wooden flooring has been installed. Brand new ends for the carriage has been built in house and are now fitted.

The seats are finished and ready for installation, while work continues on the new side panels and roof.

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Pictures from the Month

By John R Jones, International Travel Photographer

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Pictures from the Month

By John R Jones, International Travel Photographer

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Vale of Rheidol Photo Archive

By Rob Bance,VoR Archivist

Before the ever popular Permaquip the railway used to have a Wickham trolley to aid the permanent way staff. It arrived at the railway in 1963, after being regauged from standard gauge at Wolverhampton Works. Originally it was fitted with an air cooled JAP engine, which ran well until it was no longer repairable, due to lack of available spare parts, and ceased being used in 1984.

It was replaced by a single cylindered moto lombardini engine, which was never deemed popular. Originally painted in Lake and Cream livery on arrival at the railway the livery changed several times and ended up bright yellow as can be seen in this photo dated 1983. The photograph is taken at Aberystwyth outside the old locomotive shed; the trolley is accompanied by two old platelayers’ wagons.

VoR Newsletter Advertising Price Guide

Your advertisement could be here. There are six newsletters produced per year. The newsletters are made available in printed form and are also emailed out to our subscribers. Currently the printed version is available in our railway gift shop to all our customers. The emailed version currently has a subscription of 4,178 people globally and this number grows throughout the year with new subscribers.

email adverts and wording for classifieds to marketing@rheidolrailway.co.uk

Artwork for adverts is to be provided by the purchaser. Wording for classifieds is to be provided by the purchaser. Adverts can be sent as either PDF or JPEG documents. Please

For further information or any queries please contact the above email address or phone us on 01970 625819 option 3.

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Price List for Adverts (inclusive of 20% VAT) Full Page Advert £36 Single £168 Annual Half Page Advert £24 Single £120 Annual Quarter Page Advert £18 Single £96 Annual Eighth Page Advert £12 Single £60 Annual Small Classified £6 Single £30 Annual

Permanent Way

The Track Maintenance Team

After the line above Capel Bangor saw its last passenger train of the season that part of the line was handed over into engineering posession. One of three re-sleepering jobs this winter has seen our team laying a new section of line just over a quarter of a mile long, involving the renewal of around 670 sleepers.

Look out for more on this work in the next newsletters and on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rheidolrailway/ Page 20

The VoR Photo Charter Experience

A

By Steve Sedgwick

ny visitor the VoR will notice how much people like to photograph the trains they have come to see and ride on.

There will be photos by the engine as it waits to leave Aberystwyth, photos inside the carriages, photos of the magnificent views and yet more photos when the train arrives at Devil’s Bridge. Yet for some dyedin-the-wool railway buffs, this is still not enough. For them the prize is a picture of a locomotive in full steam in spectacular scenery and perfect light.

This would be even more appealing if the train were to have a special locomotive hauling vintage carriages and freight wagons harking back to the earlier days of the line. Lots of nice photogenic smoke and steam would be a bonus to show just how hard the engine was working.

In reality, this ideal is difficult to achieve.

For instance, once out of town the line crosses private farmland making access limited. Then further up the line the steep rocky and wooded sides of the Vale pose a real physical challenge to even the most dedicated photographer. Remember there would only be one chance as the train passed and then a very long wait for the next one.

At the same time the photographer would be hoping that the sun would be in the right place and was out from behind a cloud at exactly right moment. Given the weather in Wales, this is somewhat optimistic.

So what to do?

The answer is join a railway photo charter designed to capture just those elusive and Page 21

difficult images. It is just this sort of event the Vale of Rheidol Railway hosted on November 10th for Martin Creese of 30742 Charters.

Lots of care and planning had gone into organising this charter. Firstly, the choice of engine No. 8 was special. The photographers were greeted with No. 8 resplendent in the historically correct shade of green in which it was delivered new to the line in 1923.

The crew had been hard at work from before 6am lovingly firing, oiling and polishing, and then polishing again.

Moreover, a recent overhaul had moved a large and prominent air pump from the front of the loco and hidden it in a cunningly designed chamber inside one of the engine’s water tanks. These air pumps power the brakes and were added to all three VoR engines after privatisation. For the purist railway buff they have always been a bit of a bugbear and a detraction from the historic appearance of the engines.

No. 8 was teamed with a train of rolling stock that was also specially chosen. Instead of the standard VoR passenger train, this was a ‘mixed’ train of passenger carriages and goods wagons. This again echoed the early days of the VoR. A wagon that once carried livestock was a particularly interesting addition. It had a distinct smell of new paint about it as it had only come out of the VoR workshops on the afternoon before the charter. So on the charter day itself this vintage VoR cattle wagon was travelling up the line for the first time in 80 years.

The VoR Photo Charter Experience

By Steve Sedgwick

At the appointed hour of 8.30am the train was ready to depart. Extra buckets of coal had been loaded in the brake van, the crew had had their breakfast while the photographers were welcomed by VoR charter coordinator, Will Smith.

As there were no public trains, the charter train could stop at choice photo locations along the line without any worries about disrupting the normal timetable.

At these locations the train set down the photographers and reversed back. With the help of two-way radios, the train waited for the right moment for the sun to come out from behind a cloud and then stormed past the photographers. With an eye to the limited daylight in November, this plan also made sure the charter train was at the right place at the right time for optimum lighting conditions.

The first photographic stop was at the Rheidol River Bridge on the outskirts of Aberystwyth where bright morning light from the east shone against dark clouds over the sea. Bemused local dog walkers and joggers looked on as the train shuttled back and forth across the bridge to allow repeated

shots from both sides of the river and from the river bed.

The next stop at Glascrug was in farmland. Access to this field was by special arrangement between the landowner and the Railway underlining again just what benefits a photocharter can provide. Similarly, the two-way radios were invaluable here to call the engine crew just when a break in the clouds appeared.

There were no such worries in bright sunshine at Capel Bangor before moving on to the next photostop amongst the trees and field at Troedrhiwfelin. This was a lovely location with golden autumn tree colours.

However, our profligate use of steam for photoeffects had guzzled up the engine’s water reserves.

Leaving the train behind, No8 made a quick dash to Nantyronen for a top up. Time was also tight for our photography further up the line. So ignoring further temptations, we made a dash for Faengrach (affectionately known by photographers as ‘Heart Attack Hill’) between Rhiwfron and Devils Bridge.

This steep field amongst the woodland overlooks the S bends of the high line above the upper reaches of the valley. It was a tough climb to the viewpoint but we just made it in time for two superb panoramic runpasts in sunshine before the early afternoon shadows crept up the hillside. Sadly these shadows and gloominess prevailed from thereon but it was November and it was Wales.

It had been a great day but it had also left plenty of scope for return visits for those shots that got away.

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The Vale of Rheidol’s Railway Shop featured products: The Mid Wales Line -

Moat Lane To Brecon, Rhayader and Talyllyn Junction

By Derek Lowe Softback Priced £23.99 This is the authors third book on the railways of the Cambrian network, covering a significant area not featured in his previous two volumes. This new book takes readers on a journey through the Severn & Wye Valleys down the spine of Wales. Focusing mainly on the latter years of the line’s operation, this book fits well with the previous books.

T.E. WILLIAMS: The Lost Colour Collection Vol.2 Hardback Priced £24.95 Seen in print for the first time in the book T.E.Williams: The Lost Colour Collection Volume 1 published in March 2017, this second volume dips again into Tom’s unique slide archive to concentrate on the decade 1954 to 1964. It unashamedly centres around the Western Region of British Railways, as this was the photographer’s primary interest, but we are also given a taste of the fruits of Tom’s eclectic travels up and down the country.

The Taunton to Barnstaple Line Volume 2

By Freddie Huxtable Hardback Priced £25 Volume 1, published in 2016, covered the history of the Devon & Somerset Railway from its inception to its demise. This second volume brings the line back to life, with a detailed descriptive journey along its 44-mile length from Taunton to Barnstaple.

This written account of the railway is lavishly illustrated with a superb range of photographs, mainly taken in the 1950s and early 1960s, most of which have not been published before and that serve to emphasise the beautiful countryside through which the line passed. Included are numerous detailed track plans covering each location and there are plans too of some of the key civil engineering structures on the route. This volume will certainly appeal to locals who remember the line and particularly to modellers but also to many others who may wish to delve in more detail in to the previously neglected Devon & Somerset Railway.

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Call our shop on 01970 625819 https://stores.ebay.co.uk/valeofrheidolrailway

Garden Railway Shop

Bachmann G Scale Wagons Available in store and an ideal starting point for large scale railways in the garden, come these robust G scale wagons. They can be easily converted into more authentic outline stock too. Priced at £66 per wagon.

Timpdon Freelance Carriages Made from wood with real glass windows, this freelance coach is a sturdy design which looks perfect behind a 16mm loco. Available as a finished model built with 32mm wheels, in maroon with cream panels. The colours of every coach exactly matches the other coaches in the range.

Prices are £100 - 4 compartment bogie carriage, £90 - 3 compartment carriage, £85 - 2 compartment carriage.

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About Our Staff Wendy Thomas Wendy has been with the railway since 2015. She was a key part in the organising of the Jazz Night as part of our Roaring 20s & 30s weekend.

She has since taken over the role of events planner with the railway. With Wendy’s hard work this year we’ll be providing two Jazz Nights for you to enjoy and the new event of a Monsters Ball at Halloween. The events planner role also means that Wendy is our point of contact for those planning a special train for their wedding day, and a good job she does of decorating the trains for them too.

If you see her about then say hello, she’s always happy to greet our visitors.

Ioan Lord Ioan has been with the railway since 2013. He is one of our guards on the line and can often be seen caring for our passengers needs. In November 2017 Ioan achieved a dream of his to qualify as a fireman on our line.

He is an expert on the mines of the Rheidol Valley, being the author of our regular feature on the mines and also being a published author on the subject too. Ioan is a director of the Welsh Mines Preservation Trust in his spare time, where he works to restore and preserve the mining heritage of the area for generations to come.

If you see him during your visit ask him about the mines, he’s always happy to pass on his knowledge.

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Readers’ Mail This section of our newsletter gives you our readers the chance to offer feedback on both the railway in general and our newsletter.

A Prize of a Family ticket for two adults and two children will be offered each edition for the best letter or email we receive.

You can write us a letter and post it to the address on this card.

Or alternatively write us an email newsletter@rheidolrailway.co.uk please put Newsletter Editor in the subject line.

Newsletter Editor Vale of Rheidol Railway Park Avenue Aberystwyth Ceredigion SY23 1PG

Classifieds

Your Ad Here Email marketing@rheidolrailway.co.uk for details

Your Ad Here Email marketing@rheidolrailway.co.uk for details

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Your Ad Here Email marketing@rheidolrailway.co.uk for details

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Where history, myth & legend collide...

Tours & Experiences A choice of tours and actor-led experiences.

A Miner’s Life This guided tour immerses you in the original and rare setting of a historic silver-lead mine, both above and below ground and helps you to discover the fascinating facts of mining life in bygone times as it would have been seen through the eyes of a miner.

The Black Chasm Orcs, Goblins, Wraiths & other Myths.

Wales’ scariest underground adventure.

This experience is not for the faint hearted! Not recommended for under 10’s.

A Dragon’s Tale Why risk the nightmare of The Black Chasm when you can join the search for Grotty, Silver Mountain’s mystical, secretive and shy dragon. Our actorled adventure for families. Suitable for children from the age of 4yrs.

Plus many more features to keep the whole family entertained:

Coffee Shop – Our cosy coffee shop offers fresh from-the-bean coffees, teas, delicious hot chocolate, cold drinks and ices, hot soup, paninis, toasties, sandwiches, cold snacks and tempting cakes & muffins.

Gift Shop – Provides the chance to browse a fascinating and colourful display of gemstone & mineral gifts plus plenty of fun items for the kids to choose from too.

Indoor / Undercover Time Lab live show Mining Exhibition Drawing Den Fossil Dig Gem / ”gold” Panning Outdoor Miners Trail Woo Hoo Wood Tangle-foot Maze Den-building Wobbly Log & Giant’s Pan Pipes Silver River Water Play Shroomy Games Giant’s Button Puzzle Shroomy Circle Quiz Trails Miners Trail Quiz Kindling’s Quest Nature Trail Events Events throughout the season.

Check out our website for details

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2018 Timetable 1. Pick your day of travel from the calendar.

2. Match the colour to the relevant timetable below.

Please note there are no services on white days.

FEBRUARY 2018 M T W T F S 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 28

S 4 11 18 25

MARCH 2018 M T W T F S 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 31

S 4 11 18 25

S 5 12 19 26

S 6 13 20 27

JUNE 2018 M T W T F S 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 26 27 28 29 30

S 3 10 17 24

AUGUST 2018 M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 29 30 31

S 5 12 19 26

SEPTEMBER 2018 M T W T F S S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

M T 1 7 8 14 15 21 22 28 29

MAY 2018 W T F 2 3 4 9 10 11 16 17 18 23 24 25 30 31

Aberystwyth Capel Bangor Aberffrwd Devil’s Bridge Devil’s Bridge Aberffrwd Capel Bangor Aberystwyth

dep: dep: dep: arr: dep: dep: dep: arr:

ORANGE 10:30 2:00 10:50 2:20 11:10 2:40 11:30 3:00 12:30 4:15 12:50 4:35 1:10 4:55 1:30 5:15

Aberystwyth Capel Bangor Aberffrwd Devil’s Bridge Devil’s Bridge Aberffrwd Capel Bangor Aberystwyth

dep: dep: dep: arr: dep: dep: dep: arr:

10:30 10:50 11:10 11:30 12:30 12:50 1:10 1:30

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12:15 12:35 12:55 1:15 2:15 2:35 2:55 3:15

10:30 10:50 11:10 11:30 12:30 12:50 1:10 1:30 GREEN 2:00 2:20 2:40 3:00 4:00 4:20 4:40 5:00

YELLOW 12:15 2:00 12:35 2:20 12:55 2:40 1:15 3:00 2:15 4:00 2:35 4:20 2:55 4:40 3:15 5:00 3:45 4:05 4:25 4:45 5:45 6:05 6:25 6:45

6:00 6:20 6:40 7:00 8:00 8:20 8:40 9:00

APRIL 2018 M T W T F S 2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

JULY 2018 M T W T F S 2 9 16 23 30

3 10 17 24 31

4 11 18 25

5 12 19 26

6 13 20 27

7 14 21 28

M 1 8 15 22 29

OCTOBER 2018 T W T F S 2 3 4 5 6 9 10 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 25 26 27 30 31

S 1 8 15 22 29

S 1 8 15 22 29

S 7 14 21 28

3:45 4:05 4:25 4:45 5:45 6:05 6:25 6:45 GOLD 11:00 11:20 11:40 12:00 2:00 2:20 2:40 3:00

GOLD DAYS Enjoy the stunning Autumn Colours You can combine your visit with a Sunday Lunch at the Hafod Hotel, Devil’s Bridge

Upcoming Events

FISH & CHIP TRAINS On green timetable days

Chip to Fish & Upgrade Devil’s Bridge supper at

Make the most of the long Summer evenings with steam hauled excursions along the Rheidol Valley.

Departs at 6 pm.

Jazz Night at the & Hafod Hotel SatSat284APRIL AUGUST

Roll back the clock to the Roaring 1920s! Take a steam train trip from Aberystwyth to Devil’s Bridge. Buffet & entertainment at the Hafod Hotel. Vintage costume a must!

NEW FOR 2018 27 OCTOBER 2018

MONSTER BALL

A Halloween event just for the adults... a spooky train ride and a Halloween ball at the Hafod Hotel, Devil’s Bridge.

Halloween EVENTS

Ghost Train 29, 30, 31 OCTOBER 2018 Join us for a frightfully good trip up the Rheidol Valley.

Watch out for things that go bump in the night!

This event is perfect for children. A Halloween feast will be served at Devil’s Bridge station. Free treat bags for every child. Advance booking Train departs Aberystwyth 6pm. essential!

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Photo by John R Jones

www.rheidolrailway.co.uk

Telephone us: 01970 625 819 - Park Avenue, Aberystwyth SY23 1PG Regular steam train services running throughout the year