Oldest line gets newest traction!
THE‘newest'traction item to enter the heritage sector has found a home on the successor to the oldest public railway in the UK.
The modern-day Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway (LMMR) company, based at Cynheidre, Carmarthenshire, aims to restore part of the original Llanelly & Mynydd Mawr Railway, initially known as the Carmarthenshire Tramroad, a horse-drawn 4ft gauge plateway that ran its first trains in May 1803 after being established by an Act of Parliament the previous year.
The current heritage line at Cynheidre is based on the colliery reception road, on or near the line of the original tram-road. This fact is reflected in a blue plaque on the overbridge at the railway.
Now the LMMR is home to the final Welsh Class 142 ‘Pacer' – No. 142006 being the sole example to be preserved with an Arriva Trains Wales interior.
The Class 142s were withdrawn from service in the South Wales valleys in December 2020 and during early January, the units were driven to Landore depot in Swansea for storage. No. 142006 made its final journey on the main line from Cardiff Canton depot to Landore on January 6.
Following a decision to send most units for scrap at Sims Metals, Newport, No. 142006 was moved by road to Cynheidre in fully operational condition on February 15.
After both cars were coupled together, a test run was successfully carried out on February 20. A list of small jobs is now being worked through to prepare the set for public service.
Survivor
“No. 142006 was considered one of the best of those stored at Landore and will now become a long term member of our operational fleet,”LMMR spokesman David Mee told Heritage Railway.
“In the short term, it will hopefully allow the railway to offer socially distanced train rides in a safe environment.
“No. 142006 is now unique. It's the sole surviving example equipped with the lower density Arriva Trains Wales 2+2 configuration interior. We are going to launch an appeal for the ‘Pacer' to be professionally repainted into the green, red and white Valley Lines livery – the first variant to be applied to the Class 142s in pre-Arriva days.
“Along with the newer Class 143 ‘Pacers' and Class 150 ‘Sprinters', the Class 142s have been the mainstay of services in South Wales for more than 30 years. The preservation of this unit at Cynheidre ensures that their legacy is celebrated and continues into the future.
“We would like to thank operator Transport for Wales (TfW) and leasing company Angel Trains for their help in the donation of this set. We are also grateful to rolling stock service supplier Chrysalis Rail at Landore for all its assistance and the staff from haulier Alleys, which were excellent, as they always are in our experience.”
In due course, the LMMR hopes to run a ‘Pacer' gala day, along with driver experience courses.
A further boost for the LMMR has come from Alliance Transport Technologies, which has donated one of its own-brand battery jump packs.
It is expected the device will prove invaluable in starting the line's diesel rolling stock.
David continued: “We wish to offer massive gratitude to Alliance Transport Technologies for its kind donation. The support of businesses to our charity during the pandemic has been a huge motivation for us to push our project forward.”
A new group has been established at the LMMR to promote and support the DMUs based on the line. A subgroup of the LMMR, the South Wales Railcar Group, aims to raise funds and also to aid the acquisition of the expertise, volunteers and spares necessary to safeguard their future.
Made up of passionate and enthusiastic individuals, the group is seeking similarly motivated people to assist in returning the DMUs to their former glory and keep them running for many years to come.
All support is welcomed, including financial donations, skilled or unskilled volunteers, and applications for membership.
A start has been made on renovating the interior of the
LMMR's Class 122 ‘Bubblecar'
No. 55019/122019. The single-car heritage DMU lost its interior after it was converted for Departmental use. Replacement seats are to hand, and work is underway on repanelling inside.
Restoration
“The unit's external condition is excellent,” said David.
“It's had the benefit of undercover storage for many years. We expect to paint it in BR green with speed whiskers. The engines are operational – some work remains outstanding on the cabs.”
On the steam front, the line's Avonside 0-4-0ST Desmond remains at the Flour Mill workshop at Bream, in the Forest of Dean.
The 1906-built locomotive has been partially dismantled as part of an assessment to determine the work required to complete its ongoing restoration.
It is hoped that reassembly can begin shortly. The main tasks include the retubing of the boiler and the fitting of the cab and pipe runs.
An £18000 grant was secured in 2020 from the Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA), which promotes the study and appreciation of industrial archaeology. The grant is to complete the final tasks of painting, as well as the fitting of vacuum brake equipment to haul passenger trains, boiler tube replacement and final testing.
It is intended that the overhaul will be completed at the Flour Mill.
Work has also been progressing on exploring opportunities to extend the line northwards towards Tumble.
Such a move would offer a journey of just over a mile – and in the longer term, it is hoped to head south towards Llanelli.
➜ For more details, including membership applications and donations for both the LMMR and the railcar sub-group group, visit the railway’s website, www. llanellirailway.co.uk, or telephone 07956 082305.