NEWS 2008 – page 3

2008 has been a phenomenal year for the railway, with news coming in buckets, aided and abetted by our keen member-photographers. In order to limit the size of these archive pages we have divided 2008’s news into three smaller (but still large) pages – use the links below.

2008 - page 1 | 2008 - page 2 | 2008 - page 3

SANTA SPECIALS – BIGGER, BETTER - AND WARMER! (added 31 December 2008) Christmas was always going to be difficult in 2008, with only three weekends in December before Christmas rather than the usual four. So we took the decision to run on the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas, crossed our fingers and held our breath. We needn’t have worried. Passengers continued to arrive in substantial number, not as many as in the immediately preceding weekend, but at least twice as many as in the first weekend in earlier years. We have managed to employ steam for our Santa Specials for several years now, and this is useful since it allows us to steam heat our coaches. The problem has been that we have had so many leaks under our coaches that many passengers must have thought they were in a Turkish bath. However a concerted effort by one or two of our volunteers has seen the complex of pipes and valves fitted under our coaches completely overhauled and our coaches were very much more comfortable this year. We know that passenger numbers were close to record levels, but it will be a few days before the official figures will be released. We present here a few pictorial samples of our Santa Specials from our resident photographer, Alistair Grieve Right: Mary has done the lion’s share of the ticket clerk’s duties this year, but even ticket clerks have to do their Christmas shopping sometime, so the ever-cheerful Phil took over for the last few days – masquerading as a technicolour Pearly King in a waistcoat. Christmassy it may have been – but heritage? We doubt it!

What carbon footprint? ‘Thumper’ 1118 trundles in to platform two, where it was to serve as a backup in case of steam engine failure. In the background engine No.19 looks just about ready for ‘take off’ up the bank, with fire being made up and safety valves blowing off. In fact 1118 was denied any opportunity to ‘get out and play’ since No.19 worked faultlessly	In cold clear air, No.19’s exhaust shows up well against this winter scene. In the foreground some rather chilly sheep seem more concerned with grazing than seeing a steam engine working hard up the bank	Arrival at Whistle Inn. In this early morning shot, frost still lies in the shadows as engine No.19 rest from her short but strenuous climb up from Furnace Sidings. It may only be ¾ mile but it is sufficient to tax the boiler, even on a comparatively new engine such as No.19. Steam heating in the coaches soon made them nice and snug.

The train approaches the isolated, but far from lonely Whistle Inn, nesting at over 1300 ft in the upland moorland. The leading coach hides in shadow cast by the volumes of steam, whilst in the far distance the near conical Sugar Loaf or Pen-y-Fal rises to almost 600 metres.	Ahah – this is who we’ve come to see! Santa sits outside his grotto whilst mum, dad, and three apparently happy children savour the moment, before returning to the station for the journey back.

PBR GETS IN ON THE ‘COALHOUSE’ ACT (added 21 October 2008)

Local readers will be aware of last year’s successful ‘Coalhouse’ programme, produced by BBC Wales, which followed the life and times of families from today ‘transported’ to 1927 Blaenavon. .A new series is already being shown, with different families, but this time transported to 1944. Amongst other things, PBR was involved in providing a short train to run up and down to the Whistle Inn. There have also been some shenanigans involving a pillbox in the yard but we’ll not spoil things by saying any more.

A typical war-time train? We couldn’t possibly comment, but the film crew appeared delighted. There’s no question though that No.19 coupled to the ‘Newport’ engineer’s saloon is a picture, despite a typically autumnal day with overcast skies.	Viewed from the other platform, Inspector Morton, he of the long coat and lagubrious countenance, can be seen dimly through the carrriage windows onthe opposite platform, undertaking a close scrutiny of the train’s running gear

DEVELOPMENT – EXTENSION WORKS GETS UNDER WAY WITH A VENGEANCE (added 14 October 2008)

Quite apart from planning work, preparation work spanning several years has been quietly preparing the line of the extension for action. Work has been subdued during the Summer due to the heavy demands made by a succession of special events, but finally, with the running season complete, and after a week in which final preparations were made, the weekend 11/12 October saw PBR volunteers finally starting on the extension in large numbers.

The Weltrol wagon is loaded with concrete sleepers at Furnace Sidings ready to go down the line. There are many wooden sleepers along the route, many are life expired and a large fraction are completely rotten. These will be replaced by concrete sleepers.

Evening shadows lengthen as concrete sleepers are placed alongside the track ready for wooden sleepers to be pulled out, however, in many areas, clearance work must be undertaken beforehand, in order to improve local drainage.

On the evening of Saturday 11October, our new, but decidedly second-hand minidigger, sits atop the well of the Weltrol, and unloads pallets of blocks in readiness for the platform team the following morning. The minidigger has many different tasks to perform over the next 18 months or so, and will be a key player in the extension work – both on and off the Weltrol.

Late on Sunday 12 October the platform team is in full swing, with the supporting cast struggling to keep up with blocks and mortar as our two ace block layers did their stuff. Knocking off time seemed only to spur them on, and at the finish five courses totalling 224 blocks had been laid. In the background are a pair of ex-BR ex-British Steel plate wagons, each of which, with only slight modification, provides a rolling chassis for a 20ft container, one of which contains materials, whilst the other provides a store for tools and shelter from the weather (and the all-important tea-making facilities) for the workforce. Since these are, by any standards, ‘departmental’ wagons, they follow the BR tradition of being named after ‘fishkind’ and have been christened as ‘Flounders’.

A LOCO FOR ALL SEASONS (added 30 September 2008, updated 14 October 2008)

It now looks as if the railway is going to be able to field a steam loco not only for its forthcoming Santa Specials, but also for many of the 2009 services. This has been made possible by means of a deal agreed with the Bodmin and Wenford Railway for a long-term hire of one of their locomotives. The loco in question is Bagnall-built 0-4-0ST, ex HM Devonport Dockyard loco named simply ‘No.9’ (works number 2962). Reminiscent of ‘Brookfield’, a loco also built by Bagnall that worked on the PBR in its earliest days, images appear below.

Upon arrival on Friday 4 October, No.19 was whisked into the bottom shed few a few days of serious spit and polish. Here she is, gleaming, whilst posing at Furnace Sidings, platform 1. The odd structure in the background is not a water tower, but the first tower of the rebuilt LNWR ‘Hinckley’ footbridge, completion of which is planned for September 2009. photo: Alistair Grieve

Viewed over the new, but unfurnished, platform 2, loco No.19 is seen on a ‘test train’. Whether or not we think it was more about playing trains, the fact is, is that reports have been received that the diminutive but relatively modern steam locomotive romped up the bank with seemingly no effort at all. photo: Alistair Grieve

SILVER ANNIVERSARY GALA 13-14 SEPTEMBER (added 18 September 2008)

For a change Furnace Sidings was blessed with glorious early autumn weather, and, if that wasn’t enough, BBC and S4C featured the arrival of 5619 during the previous evening. The result was passengers in numbers not seen for several years, with well over 1300 passengers travelling on the two days. For a change, trains were headed (not banked) by visitor 5619, which worked three coaches up the steep bank during the weekend. To satisfy safety requirements electro-diesel 73 126 Silver Jubillee / Jiwbili Arian banked – and of course, led - on the return journey. It’s a moot question whether 5519 was pulling 73 126 on the up journey or vice versa, but the dramatic towers of exhaust steam on the up journey suggested that it was 5619 that was doing the lion’s share. The new platform 2 paid host to Brush Type 2, D5627 Steve Organ GM and a short train of newly painted and lettered vans. At the front of the train a Lowmac wagon, carrying a vintage tractor invited considerable interest.

First train of the day, and the classic Welsh valley scene. As 5619 throws its exhaust skywards, it condenses easily in the coolness of a September morning.

Later in the day it looks as if things have warmed up a bit, but its only 5619 making a typically explosive start from platform 1, whilst Brush Type 2 D5627 displays its train of freshly painted wagons on the new platform 2 photo: Alistair Grieve

Saturday was enlivened by volunteer ‘Swansea John’ receiving a sponsored haircut from which he earned over £300 for the new platform building on platform 2 (well done, John!), whilst the evening was marked by a ‘members only’ dining train, pulled by 5619 up and down the line whilst members ‘dined’ (ie ate little, drunk much!) Sunday dawned bright and clear when once again passenger numbers went up and up. Later, in a short and slightly sombre ceremony a fine wooden station seat was unveiled to commemorate the life of much-loved member Gwynfa Tudor who passed away early last year. But that wasn’t the end of the matter, the Silver Jubilee proceedings continued into Monday and Tuesday with a second grand photocharter. Trains were duly run by, stopped, posed, run by again, and a large number of photographers went away, apparently happy. By the end of the day, sadly, 5619 was back on the lorry to be expatriated, sadly, once again from its native home. We’ve not seen many of the results yet, but if they are a patch on January’s results, they’re going to be good!

A JUMBO ARRIVAL (added 9th September 2008)

Undoubtedly to be the star of the forthcoming 25^th Anniversary Gala, GWR Class 56xx No.5619 arrived yesterday. At last the PBR has a loco that really belong in valleys. Indeed they were introduced in 1924 by the GWR’s CME CB Collett specifically to replace a whole raft of basically similar designs. from the pre-grouping Welsh railways, and that had been around since Victorian times. These were powerful engines and to see them on the PBR’s notorious bank with three-car passenger trains will be a fitting climax to twenty-five years operation to the PBR. A visit this weekend is highly recommended, as we are unlikely to see its like again in 2009, as it’s going to be heads down as we extend the line southwards ready for trains to Blaenavon in 2010. It is planned that Brush D5627 will be put in an appearance, and you may even see our freshly array of newly painted vans parked alongside the new Platform 2.

Faithful old English Electric shunter Llanwern eases 5619 off John Antell’s trailer, using a GWR China Clay wagon as a barrier wagon.

The characteristic pugnacious front end of the valley’s 56xx is well demonstrated in this shot.

A NEW BRUSH (added 9th September 2008)

We waited and waited – and then we waited some more. Finally at 10.10pm in darkness and pouring rain of Friday 5 September, Brush A1A-A1A Type 2, No. D5627, immaculately finished in BR loco green hove into view, after an extended journey from the Chasewater Railway. It is planned that the loco will make its home here at Blaenavon for several years, and has arrived just in time to serve as an important player in next week’s 25th Anniversary celebrations. Andy Knock was the very brave, and very wet, volunteer who managed to take some photos - despite the weather.

In main line service it sported the number 31 203 under the TOPS Scheme, but has now reverted to its pre-TOPS number D5627 and now carries nameplates ‘Steve Organ, GM’ to commemorate the services of the General Manager at Chasewater.

About 10.00 on a wet and windy night at Furnace Sidings is not recommended. (photo: Andy Knock)

We’re happy to feature the Company which employs the gallant souls pictured alongside (photo: Andy Knock)

The following day was damp and overcast, but at least it wasn’t raining, even this image was tweaked to brighten it up a bit. The photo does nothing to illustrate the exceptional mirror-like finish on this loco.

FURNACE SIDINGS PLATFORM 2 COMPLETE (added 9 September 2008)

It’s been a while since PBR identified a need for a second platform to deal with our growing traffic needs at Furnace Sidings. We always knew it would be a mammoth task – bigger than anything we had tackled hitherto. Nevertheless, following a successful appeal for funds to both our members and to the public, work began. The work was completed on the evening of Tuesday 26 August and completion was reported to the Railway Inspectorate the following day. Physical work started on the evening of 24 July 2007 when the first sod was turned. Now 398 days or thirteen months later, with virtually every weekend spent in unremitting toil and unremitting cups of tea, the task has been completed.

Meanwhile, in our yard the ‘Hinckley’ footbridge is in the process of being rebuilt from the wreck it once was. We have not reported on this since late 2006 – see our News Archive for that year. To re-iterate, briefly, this genuine London North Western Railway (LNWR) footbridge (PBR is an ex-LNWR line) was recovered from Hinckley in Leicestershire in about 1991 by a preservation society who were unable to restore it, and where it decayed alarmingly. We rescued it late in 2006. The first tower is now completed and it was placed in position on platform 1 on Wednesday 27 August and finally inched (or, rather, millimetred!) to its final position, and bolted down on Sunday 7 September. The second tower is expected to be placed in position before Christmas. Lifting of the11.69m long main deck into position is planned for the summer of 2009.

Platform 2 stretches away, 65m to the north. Excluding the ramps the platform is 50m long. The length is constrained by the crossing in the south, shown in the foreground, and a water course further north. It may be in the future that we will need to extend the platform over the stream, but the engineering problems are considerable with consequent impact on costs

Tower 1 of the new ‘Hinckley’ footbridge on platform 1. If there is a suggestion that a tower in Piza has certain similarities, its because the platform slopes downwards at 1 in 40, giving the rather unexpected illusion. There is some outstanding detail work before it is painted.

SIXTH GRAND TRANSPORT RALLY 2008 (added 9 September 2008)

Cars were up, commercials were up...everything was up. Without a doubt this was the most comprehensive transport rally we have held to date, with a splendid range of exhibits. Despite the rally being held only on the two days – Sunday 24^th August and Bank Holiday Monday 25^th August, exhibitors started arriving at Thursday lunchtime, eager to participate in the social life for which our rallies are getting a reputation. Despite our prayers – or perhaps because of - the weather was only modest, with a few light showers, and passenger numbers were only a little up on last year. Our splendid array of buses – including several newcomers largely evaporated on Monday to another nearby rally, but at least they put on a good display on the Sunday. Our ‘mini-park and ride’ scheme worked very well this year, allowing more room for our exhibitors, and a ride on an open top vintage bus for visiting car drivers. Without doubt we shall be doing the same next year.

With more space, the cars really stretched out – two rows as far as the platelayers hut even. cars whose names we thought were long forgotten, cars from France, Germany, USA... – and MGs by the zillion. (photo:Alistair Grieve)

The buses did us proud again this year, with a number of new exhibitors – we hope they enjoyed themselves sufficiently to come next year (photo:Alistair Grieve)

And the oddities, very interesting – and very economical on space. In the background the open-top shuttle bus made reular journeys up to the relief car park on the main road. Even this bus, modern to us railway folk, is a classic according to the bus enthusiasts (photo:Alistair Grieve)

Left: It was bad enough exhibitors turning up on Thursday afternoon, but we couldn’t get rid of them even after the event was over! Here a group of car exhibitors relax in the post-show rosy glow during Monday evening when, finally, a bit of warm evening sun deigned to shine (photo:Alistair Grieve)