MAGNIFICENT ‘7’: OWAIN GLYNDWR COMPLETES VoR TANK TRIO
Vale of Rheidol Railway fields three operational 2-6-2Ts for the first time in 20 years.
Aberystwyth echoed to the sound of all three Vale of Rheidol Railway 2-6-2Ts for the first time in 20 years on October 23, following the return to steam of No. 7.
The locomotives, including Nos. 8 and 1213 (formerly Llywelyn and Prince of Wales respectively), were lined up outside the VoR’s 2012-built locomotive workshop exclusively for Steam Railway – coincidentally almost 20 years to the day since No. 7 (then turned out in its post-1956 BR guise as Owain Glyndwr) ^ was withdrawn from traffic in October 1998.
Outshopped in Great Western unlined green, it is also the first time all three ‘Rheidol’ tanks have been in the same livery since 1980, when they carried the infamous BR blue and ‘arrows of indecision’.
The achievement comes as the railway announced a £1.6 million investment from the Welsh Government’s Tourism Attractor Destination
programme, to redevelop its Aberystwyth terminus (see separate story).
By the time this issue hits the newsstands, No. 7 will have moved under its own steam and been fully run-in. At the time of going to press, it was expected to make its first public appearance for a photo-charter on November 3, then haul normal service trains the following day.
Although No. 7’s overhaul was started shortly after the locomotive was withdrawn – needing a new firebox and water tanks – it was soon placed on hold owing to a lack of space and facilities in the old locomotive shed. It was only restarted in earnest in January 2015, following a £288,000 grant from the Coastal Communities Fund which not only supported No. 7’s
return to steam, but also staff, apprentices and equipment for the workshop.
VoR General Manager Llyr ^ ap Iolo says: “The grant finished in January 2017 with No. 7 very near completion. After we had finished the overhaul of ‘Sir Haydn’ for the Talyllyn Railway in April this year, we concentrated on finishing No. 7, which not only cleared the way for the next engines to enter the workshop, but also gave us a long-awaited three locomotives to run the service, allowing a bit more flexibility for maintenance and enabling us to rotate the locomotives in service.”
It has taken a total of £370,000 to return No. 7 to steam, including a new firebox and new, redesigned water tanks built to the same pattern as those fitted to No. 8 to disguise the air-pump; a complete chassis overhaul, including new tyres on all wheels and a modified trailing truck – the same as those
fitted to Nos. 8 and 1213 in the
1990s; one new cylinder, and a new cab using some original parts, as well as many other sundry items.
The overhaul has also included returning No. 7 to coal-burning for the first time in 40 years; it was the first of the VoR’s locomotives to be converted to oil-firing in 1978, with No. 8 reverting to coal-burning in 2012 and No. 1213 following suit in 2013.
Llyr ap Iolo said: “I was one of two people to drive her during her last week in steam – I was only 25 then and I wouldn’t have dreamt that I would be doing the job I do today.
“It is amazing to see her rebuilt after stripping her in 1998, seeing the youngsters gain skills and the whole engineering team grow during the process. Finally, we have three locomotives again!”
VoR CEO Robert Gambrill added: “The hard work of the youngsters on the project to restore No. 7 is truly inspirational. It just goes to show what can be achieved if the right environment is provided for learning.
“Seeing No. 7 run again after 20 years is largely down to the very special help from the Coastal Communities Fund; without the support of the grant programme it would have taken us many years to see her steam again. Well done to railway team and all the kind people at CCF who made this happen.”
There are plans for a formal rededication ceremony for
No. 7 with all three 2-6-2Ts next September, although nothing is confirmed at this stage.