NWAG at WH&FR Superpower Event

A brief (?) report on our weekend.

We had a very good time, with a stand in Dinas Goods shed, which contained a refreshment room facility, as well as Jonathan Clay prints, Nigel Bird Books, WHR(P) 590 Fund, and FR/WHR book/video stand.

For some reason, unexplained, there was a continuous showing of The Titfield Thunderbolt, and a small model of a scene from the film. No one ever seemed to man the stand, and hardly anyone looked at it for any length of time.

Outside, Lilla and Britomart were giving (free/donation) cab rides up and down the yard. The driver who is bringing Lilla down to Woody Bay at the end of the month  was there, and is really looking forward to the trip.

NWAG members Peter Ainley and Gerry Crocombe helped out on the L&B stand on Saturday, and John Berry on Sunday.  My wife Sue held the fort each hour or so, when trains came through and the chaps went to watch although Sue did manage to see Lyd!

We had a visit from John Prideaux on Saturday, who stopped for quite a long chat. We were also visited by various other FR/WHR notables over the weekend.

We figured that only a relatively small proportion of the (large number of) people stopped at Dinas as there was a beer festival at Waunfawr, so lunch breaks may have happened there. But mainly, as the WHR is such a long trip, anyone wanting to do the lot has to stay on the train.

Having said that, the shed had a steady stream of visitors, but it was quite possible for a visitor to Dinas who did not want a snack or a drink to not realise there were stands inside. The plan had been to open the doors at the "yard" end of the shed, with Lilla etc. right outside, which would have increased our visibility, but it was too wet/windy.

First thing on Sunday morning, I drove down to Boston Lodge, and saw Coach 17 underframe. It is seriously big!  The air cylinders and one vacuum cylinder were fitted, but not linked to the cross-shafts yet - a pity as I wanted to see how the slotted links work. The airpipes are fitted, but not the vacuum pipe.  There were two magnificent polished (angle ground) coupler hooks on the bench, and apparently they are puzzling over how to drill them in just the right place, to ensure that the tensioning device works correctly.

I stopped at Porthmadog  to get a first look at Lyd and take a few photos.  It then set off with its train just as I was going back to the car so I watched it cross Britannia Bridge.

The timetable went to pot both days (historically accurate, you might say, as that was exactly what the pre-war WHR suffered from!). They were doing a "King of the Hill" competition, with timings for various locos being recorded. But, a loco that is not performing at its peak cannot manage to keep to time with a decent load over the route. The Statfold Mallet messed everything up on Sat morning, but seemed to be running OK later in the day, but by then everything was a good 20min late. Something messed it up on Sun morning as well (the Mallet again? I am not sure), and Lyd added to the difficulties in the afternoon when she was withdrawn

Some trains, including Lyd's train (3 coaches + toastrack) were very lightly loaded. I suppose you could say everyone wanted to SEE Lyd, but not necessarily to travel for 2 or 4 hours in vintage coaches behind it.  L&B Member Dave Horsfall from Peterborough (he often guards at WB) rode on the train (1st Class) and enjoyed it.   Lyd had problems with contaminated fuel clogging the filter at Caernarfon.  After cleaning the filter, it became clogged again at Dinas and Paul Lewin - who was driving - failed the loco which was then taken out of service and the return working cancelled.  Which was fine for John and I, as we could photograph Lyd shunting its train into the carriage shed at Dinas.

John Harvey from the HMRS Livery Register was there to see Lyd  and also to haunt me about my overdue L&B section for the Livery Register. He approved of Lyd's colour, saying it is a good match to the later LSWR loco green, which was the current standard SR colour in 1924/5.  He says, Lew was not an "experimental" green, but the standard at the time.  But Sir Herbert Walker (or someone) asked Maunsell if the engines could be made a bit less insipid, so the colour was darkened.   It is possible that the LSWR colour faded in an unattractive manner.

Against the light, or in poor light, the green appears quite dull/dark. But then, when the light hits it just right, the whole engine looks more of a grass or apple green and very attractive.

The tank front steps are a masterpiece of painting - they have curved lining so that they "disappear" when fitted.

Regards

Bob Barnard