THE HENDY & PENDLE TRUST VOLUNTEERS AWARD: AMERTON & ABERGYNOLWYN
On the heritage front, there were three winning entries: a signal box, a unique water tower, and a royal station.
Another signal box at Bere Alston and the restored station houses at Hassendean (in the Borders), Allerston (North Yorkshire) and Cashelnagor (Co. Donegal) were runners-up.
This award was split between the relocated signal box from Waterhouses station and the reconstructed water supply near Abergynolwyn on the Talyllyn Railway.
The former North Staffordshire Railway signal box, which dates from 1904-05, controlled access to the exchange yard with the narrow-gauge Leek & Manifold Railway at Waterhouses.
After both lines had been closed, the box was removed to a local farm - becoming (variously) a store, hen house and pigeon cote.
Fifty years on, it was taken to Amerton for restoration, and with part of a frame from Longbridge East signal box installed, it has been commissioned to control signals and points at Amerton station.
Staffordshire Narrow Gauge Railway Ltd, as the entrant, shared the award with the Talyllyn Railway.
Frugality was the watchword of the old Talyllyn Railway, something which the late L.T.C. Rolt described as continuing into the preservation era.
This is well illustrated way up the line near
Abergynolwyn, with the rudimentary method of watering locomotives.
A convenient stream was tapped into, with an overhead water trough supported on pillars. A removeable extension trough would then be attached to link up with the locomotive’s tank filler.
As such, this ‘Ty Dwr’ lasted in use into the 1890s, but then became increasingly derelict until the remains were finally demolished by the preserved railway administration in the 1950s.
Ty Dwr has now been rebuilt as a demonstration piece and photographic location, with appropriate safety and water screening measures incorporated. A demonstration is in progress filling locomotive No. 4!