July opening for Llangollen despite auction of assets?
DESPITE seeing many items of rolling stock, plant and machinery sold at auction on May 12 after the Llangollen Railway entered administration with £350,000 of debt, officials of the line's new regime are now looking towards a potential July reopening.
The line's operations director, Mike Williams, said: “Our railway is now ours again! Our stations, yards, infrastructure and sufficient rolling stock are ready to rise back like a phoenix.
“Setting up Llangollen station for the sale of assets took two full days of shunting, as the 10 coaches to be included had to be in asset Lot No. 1 as required by the auction catalogue.
“Unfortunately, the departure of the coaches purchased in the auction was dictated by the new owners and the availability of suitable transport, so it became very messy with the coaches having to be shunted time and time again to extract the one required.
“Our own (Llangollen Railway Trust) coaches are now being shunted into operational rakes ready for examination, maintenance and their fitness-to-run certificates, ready for our restarting of operations. Other privately-owned vehicles have also left the railway and, as a result, demand on sidings is less, making for more efficient operations.
“We are back and our volunteers can freely return to the railway subject to adhering to the current Covid restrictions while on site.”
Following the auction, the majority of sold items have now left the site.
Mike added: “The trust board and heads of departments are currently working on new safety management system documentation, which will be sent off to the Office of Rail and Road for approval. Plans are also in place to get the essential maintenance works completed, which will then allow for refresher training and competencies testing – all of which are vital to the railway recommencing revenue earning services.
"We are looking at middle/late July to be operational again.”
On May 27, Ian Hayward from the Ordnance Survey spent several hours traversing the new Corwen station with his GPS (Global Positioning System) mapping instrument and digital notebook, so it will appear on future digital maps – a boon for Satnav users, as these currently show the western terminus at the temporary Corwen East station.
Auction sales
The Llangollen Railway Trust bought accessible BR Mk.1 TSO No. 4858 (£32,250) plus equipment, including the Plasser & Theurer GPC general purpose rail crane (£24,000), Case/Rexquote Superailer No. 988 wheeled road rail 360° excavator (£30,250), and Lowmac DB904534 fitted with Atlas Terex hydraulic crane (£11,000).
Mk.1 TSO No. E4472 (£32,500) and function coach BSK M34584 (£8000) were sold to a private party and will remain on the railway. Mk.1 TSO No. W4702 (£38,250) was bought for the Mid-Norfolk Railway.
As reported last issue, the Epping Ongar has bought Mk.1 TSO No. M4947 (£30,250), while TSOs Nos. 4503 (£36,750) and 4643 (£32,750) have gone to the Dartmouth Steam Railway.
Three Mk.1 coaches – SK No. E18421 (£30,750), CK No. M15667 (£20,250) and BSK No. E34537 (£34,250) – have been bought for use at a camp site at Taff's Well north of Cardiff and will all be converted to camping accommodation, but will remain in store at Llangollen in the meantime.
The buyer of BR GUV van No. 95151 was unknown, but it is believed it was acquired for its Commonwealth bogies, with a lift-out charge of £4600.
English Electric 0-6-0DE No. 1901 of 1951, Davy, was bought by the Battlefield Line for £11,250.
There was dismay when it was reported that Cowans Sheldon 50-ton rail mounted crane No. ADRC96718 had been sold to scrap merchant Allister Boote for £26,000.
Built for the War Department in 1943, it was originally oil-fired and steam-powered. It was sold to BR in 1960 and numbered RS1085/45. Converted to diesel-hydraulic power in May 1986, it was used as the Laira breakdown crane before being preserved at Llangollen.
The buyer intended to transport the fully-operational crane to his Sandbach Commercial Dismantlers Company in Cheshire to break it up. However, when he travelled to Llangollen to discuss its dismantling and removal, he realised how much the crane – believed to be the last of its kind – meant to the railway.
Allister's father, who founded the family business 40 years ago, had been a fireman on steam locomotives. “He would not have wanted to see the railway lose such a valuable asset,” he said.
“I could see just how devastated the people at Llangollen were and how hard they were working to keep the railway going.”
He reached an agreement with trust members for the crane to stay intact at Llangollen, with the possibility of an appeal being launched to repay the cost of its purchase. In the meantime, the trust has made his family honorary members. “I am sure my father would be proud of what we are doing,” Allister added.
Crucial support
Trust chairman Pete Edwards said: “It was very important to secure the principal assets which will enable us to continue preparations for reopening without further interruption. The support we have received from so many donors, without which we may well not be able to look forward to running again this year, and the friendly bidders, has been crucial and is very much appreciated.”
Among items which have left the railway or will do so are: Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T No. 1731 of 1942 Jennifer, which has been sold back to the original owners and was understood to be going to the Aln Valley Railway; Hugh Shipton's GWR pannier No. 6430 and auto coach No. 163, which have moved to the South Devon Railway; and Mk.1 TSO No. 3950, which has been returned to the Cambrian Heritage Railways at Oswestry after the expiration of a long-term hire period.