List of Vale of Rheidol Railway rolling stock

This is a list of past and present rolling stock used on the Vale of Rheidol Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Cwm Rheidol), a 1 ft 11 3⁄4 in (603 mm) narrow gauge heritage railway, opened in 1902, that runs for 11 3⁄4 miles (19 km) between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge in the county of Ceredigion, Wales.[1]

The railway was later operated by the Cambrian Railways, Great Western Railway and British Rail before being 'privatised' in 1989 and run as a heritage railway operation (though arguably it had operated as a tourist railway operation since the mid-1930s, when the GWR withdrew freight services and winter passenger services, rendering the railway wholly reliant on the tourist trade).

When first opened, the railway owned two steam locomotives, No 1 Edward VII and No 2 Prince of Wales,[2] along with a third contractor's locomotive No 3 Rheidol.[3] In 1922 the Great Western Railway took over the running of the line and over the next two decades invested heavily in new locomotives and replacement rolling stock.[4]

Locomotives

Steam Locomotives
See also: GWR Rheidol Tank

The railway has three steam locomotives for use on passenger trains. All were built for the Vale of Rheidol line and have operated on the line ever since.

The standard livery is Great Western Railway green and all three locomotives currently carry this livery. The locomotives were named by British Railways in 1956 and currently do not carry their nameplates.

Image Number Name Builder Wheel
arr.		 Year built Notes In Traffic?
7 Owain Glyndŵr Great Western Railway 2-6-2T 1923 Hauled the last steam service under British Rail ownership of the line. Withdrawn from traffic in 1997 pending overhaul. Returned to service in October 2018. In Traffic
8 Llywelyn Great Western Railway 2-6-2T 1923 In Traffic
9 Prince of Wales Great Western Railway 2-6-2T 1924 Numbered 1213 from delivery until gaining the No 9 in 1948.[5] Put through Swindon works as an overhaul of the original No 2, but is in fact a complete new locomotive.[6] As of November 2016 the locomotive carries No 1213 once more. In Traffic

Diesel Locomotives

The steam locomotive fleet is today supplemented by a diesel locomotive, number 10, built by Baguley-Drewry and brought to the railway by the Brecon Mountain Railway during the time when the VoR was owned by the same company. Although it lacks the power of the steam locomotives, it is available for shunting duties, works trains, and also operating light passenger trains.[7] A second diesel locomotive has been obtained and is under restoration.

Image Number Name Works Number Builder Wheel
arr.		 Year built Notes In Traffic?
10 - BMR002 Baguley-Drewry / Brecon Mountain Railway 0-6-0DM 1987 Built out of parts from Baguley-Drewry engineering[7] In Traffic
- - 3124 W.G. Bagnall 0-6-0DM 1957 Worked at the Rustenburg Platinum Mines, South Africa until 1988 where it was numbered RPM 9, before moving to the Alfred Country Railway. Under Overhaul

Self propelled engineering plant

The railway has a number of vehicles for permanent way maintenance.

Image Works Number Name Builder Wheel
arr.		 Year built Notes In Traffic?
DX68804 Thunderbird 4 Permaquip 2w-2DMR 1985 This light vehicle conveys a team of staff in comfort along with all the tools and equipment required for maintenance work. The vehicle can also be rotated through 180 degrees by means of a hydraulic lift, allowing the P-Way team to turn it so that the cab is always at the front when in motion.[8] In Traffic
UGT1 - Plasser 4wDH 1986 Plasserail ballast tamper, built in South Africa and moved to the Vale of Rheidol Railway in 1991.[9] In Traffic
7495 - Hunslet / Aberystwyth Locomotive Works 4wDM 1977. Rebuilt 2007 Rail mounted self-propelled vehicle used to clear lineside vegetation. Designed by Llŷr ap Iolo and built from chassis components from ex MOD Hunslet 4w diesel locomotive No 7495, originally built 1977 2'6" gauge. The McConnel flail head has a purpose built turntable and has a reach of 15 feet and a maximum speed of 7.5 mph.[10] In Traffic

Former Locomotives
Image Number Name Builder Wheel
arr.		 Year built Notes
1 Edward VII Davies & Metcalfe 2-6-2T 1902 Re-numbered 1212 in 1922. Overhauled by the GWR in 1925 and gained traditional Swindon fittings. Saw very little use following the arrival of the 3 new locomotives. In 1932 1212 moved to Swindon works The official withdrawal date is given as 9 March 1935. It was scrapped shortly afterwards.[11]
2 Prince of Wales Davies & Metcalfe 2-6-2T 1902 Renumbered 1213 in 1922. Sent to Swindon works in 1924 and scrapped. The number was immediately re-used for the new locomotive 1213 (now No 9) as part of the pretence of a heavy overhaul of the original locomotive.
3 Rheidol Bagnall 2-4-0T 1896 Renumbered 1198 by the GWR but withdrawn and scrapped the following year, having never carried its GWR number.[12]
4131 Wickham Trolley 1947 Withdrawn in 1985 with the arrival of the Permaquip personnel carrier. Now at the Moseley Railway Trust, Apedale Railway. Also carried the numbers B146, B146W, PWM2214, TR26 and DX68061

No 1, & No 2 (later 1212 & 1213)

The VoR commenced operations with two 2-6-2T locomotives constructed by Davies & Metcalfe of Manchester, Nos.1 and 2. These locomotives were given Nos.1212 and 1213 by the GWR when it took over the line on grouping. They were Davies and Metcalfe's first locomotives and a Great Central Railway boilersmith, Thomas Kay, provided expertise in their construction. The contract was given to a company previously inexperienced in locomotive building (although previously they were involved in the repair of locomotives and made injectors) because Mr. Metcalfe was an Aberystwyth man. The design draws inspiration from the Manning Wardle 2-6-2Ts on the then-newly opened Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, to which they bear some resemblance. This may be because the Szlumper family was heavily involved in both railways' design and construction.

No 3 (later 1198)
Main article: Rheidol (locomotive)

No. 3 was a small 2-4-0T locomotive, originally built by Bagnall of Stafford for a Brazilian sugar cane plantation in 1896 but never delivered as the order was cancelled, Bagnall regauging the locomotive from 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) to 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) when it was sold to the Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway and named Talybont. In 1903, after the failure of the Plynlimon and Hafan, it was purchased by the VoR, regauged to 1 ft 11 3⁄4 in (603 mm) and renamed Rheidol. The GWR numbered it 1198 in 1923, but it was withdrawn and scrapped the following year, having never carried its GWR number.

No 4

In 1902 the railway's Directors temporarily hired a locomotive from the Ffestiniog Railway. The locomotive sent was Ffestiniog No 4 Palmerston. The following year VoR locomotive No 3 Rheidol was acquired (see entry above), but a need for a fourth locomotive was still discerned. Palmerston No 4 was therefore hired again from Ffestiniog, and became the regular fourth locomotive for the next twenty years, being hired for several long periods, interspersed with brief home visits to Ffestiniog. The locomotive carried fleet number '4' in reference to its position on its home railway, although the number also matched its position on the Vale of Rheidol, as the fourth locomotive. When the line was acquired by the Great Western Railway, the leased locomotive was no longer required and was returned to Ffestiniog (from where it was immediately re-hired to the Welsh Highland Railway, to assist with construction). Palmerston (an 0-4-0ST) was built in 1864 by George England of New Cross, the fourth of the original four Ffestiniog Railway locomotives[13] and was named after the Prime Minister, Viscount Palmerston. Palmerston returned to the Vale of Rheidol in 2014, hauling a series of special trains during September to celebrate its association with the VoR, and to commemorate both a century of history since the first world war, and 25 years of VoR independent operation.[14][15]

Visiting Locomotives Under Overhaul

The following locomotives are currently resident at the Vale of Rheidol Railway, either undergoing overhaul in the workshop or stored.

Image Number Name Builder Wheel
arr.		 Year built Notes
60 Drakensberg Hanomag 2-6-2+2-6-2T 1927 NG G13 Garratt locomotive. Privately owned.
590 / 794 Baldwin 4-6-0T 1917 Under overhaul in VoR Workshops on behalf of the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway. Locomotive 794 is being restored in the guise of 590 (scrapped 1942) to recreate a long lost locomotive that once ran on the Welsh Highland Line.
822 The Earl Beyer Peacock 0-6-0T 1902 Under overhaul in VoR Workshops on behalf of the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway.


Coaching Stock

Current Coaching Stock

The Vale of Rheidol Railway has a total of 16 carriages and 1 brake van. All were built by the Great Western Railway at Swindon to replace much older rolling stock.

All the stock is third class only, unless otherwise stated. All currently carry both their GWR numbers (on carriage sides) and also their VoR numbers (on the carriages ends).

Image GWR No. BR No. (1948) BR No. (1987) VoR No. (1989) Year Built Builder Type Livery Notes
4143[16] M4143W 4143 1 1938 Swindon Fully Enclosed Third Chocolate and Cream with GWR Garter Crest In Traffic
4144[17] M4144W 4144 2 1938 Swindon Fully Enclosed Third Chocolate and Cream with GWR Shirt Button In Traffic
4145[18] M4145W 4145 3 1938 Swindon Fully Enclosed Third Chocolate and Cream with GWR Garter Crest In Traffic
4146[19] M4146W 4146 4 1938 Swindon Fully Enclosed Third Chocolate and Cream with GWR Shirt Button In Traffic
4147[20] M4147W 4147 5 1938 Swindon Fully Enclosed Third Chocolate and Cream with GWR Garter Crest In Traffic
4148[21] M4148W 4148 6 1938 Swindon Fully Enclosed Third Chocolate and Cream with GWR Shirt Button In Traffic
4149[22] M4149W 4149 7 1938 Swindon Open Third "Summer Car" Chocolate and Cream with GWR Garter Crest In Traffic
4150[23] M4150W 4150 8 1938 Swindon Open Third "Summer Car" Chocolate and Cream with GWR Garter Crest In Traffic
4151[24] M4151W 4151 9 1938 Swindon Open Third "Summer Car" Chocolate and Cream with GWR Garter Crest In Traffic
4994[25] M4994W 4734 10 1938 Swindon Fully Enclosed Third Chocolate and Cream with GWR Shirt Button In Traffic
4995[26] M4995W 4735 11 1938 Swindon First / Third Brake Composite Chocolate and Cream with GWR Garter Crest Withdrawn 2018 for conversion to a wheelchair accessible vehicle
4996[27] M4996W 4736 12 1938 Swindon First / Third Brake Composite Chocolate and Cream with GWR Shirt Button In Traffic
4997[28] M4997W 4737 13 1923 Swindon Open Third "Summer Car" Chocolate and Cream with GWR Shirt Button In Traffic
4998[29] M4998W 4738 14 1923 Swindon Open Third "Summer Car" Chocolate and Cream with GWR Shirt Button In Traffic
4999[30] M4999W 4739 15 1923 Swindon Open Third "Summer Car" - Converted to "Vista Car" in 1985. Out of traffic since approx 1990. Returned to traffic in 2018 as a wheelchair accessible carriage. Chocolate and Cream with GWR Garter Crest In Traffic
5000[31] M5000W 4740 16 1923 Swindon Open Third "Summer Car" Bodywork removed. Out of traffic since approx 1990. Stored
137[32] 19 1938 Swindon Four-wheeled full brake. Constructed using parts of the previous 4 wheeled guards vans dating from 1902.[33] GWR Shirt Button In Traffic

Former Coaching Stock
Image GWR No. VoR No. Year Built Builder Type Notes
135 17 1938 Swindon Four-wheeled full brake Constructed reusing an underframe dating from 1902. Scrapped 1968[33]
136[34] 18 1938 Swindon Four-wheeled full brake Constructed reusing an underframe dating from 1902. Sold to Welsh Highland Heritage Railway 1968[33]

Museum Collection

The Vale of Rheidol Railway owns an extensive collection of historic narrow gauge locomotives and rolling stock which are and are destined for museum display at a future date.

Museum Collection Locomotives

At present none of these locomotives are available for public viewing with the exception of Wren 3114 and Quarry Hunslet Margaret.

  • Wren 3114 seen at Rheidol Falls halt.
  • Margaret was restored in the Vale of Rheidol workshops
  • Ruston Proctor ZLH Paraffin Mechanical Locomotive in the workshop in Aberystwyth.
  • Jubilee 1897 on display in the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, Tywyn.
  • Decauville Progress 5t, De Winton and Fowler locomotives at Vale of Rheidol Railway
Builder Works number Name Year Built Wheel arrangement Gauge Number Notes
A Borsig 5913 1908 0-4-0WT 1 ft 11 5⁄8 in (600 mm) ex Sobemai N.V.Maldegem, Belgium[35]
Société Anglo-Franco-Belge 2668 1951 2-8-2+T 2 ft (610 mm) 121 SAR NG15 Class, South Africa[35]
De Winton 106 Kathleen 1877 0-4-0VBT 1 ft 10 3⁄4 in (578 mm) 1877 Vertical boiler locomotive ex Penrhyn Quarry Railway[35]
Decauville 1027 1926 0-4-0T 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) 7 'Progress 5T' type, ex Belgian Industries, Pas-De-Calais, France.[35]
Falcon 265 1897 4-4-0+T 2 ft (610 mm) 27 SAR NG6 Class "Lawley" F4 Type ex Beira Railway, South Africa, later at Buzi sugar refinery, Mozambique[35]
Falcon 266 Lisboa 1897 4-4-0+T 2 ft (610 mm) 28 SAR NG6 Class "Lawley" F4 Type ex Beira Railway, South Africa, later at Buzi sugar refinery, Mozambique[35]
Fowler 10249 1905 0-6-0+T 1 ft 11 3⁄4 in (603 mm) 6 Ex Colonial Sugar Refining, Lautoka Mill, Fiji.[35]
Fowler 11938 1909 0-4-2T 1 ft 11 5⁄8 in (600 mm) S.S.E 21 Ex Sena sugar, Mozambique.[35]
Fowler 15515 1920 0-6-2T 1 ft 11 5⁄8 in (600 mm) S.S.E 23 Ex Sena sugar, Mozambique.[35]
Henschel & Sohn 11854 1925 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) 1917 Bogie Tender designed to run with Feldbahn locomotives.[35]
Hudswell Clarke D564 1930 4wDM 2 ft (610 mm) ex Beswicks Lime works Hindlow quarries. Was once part of the Gloddfa Ganol collection.[35]
Hunslet 605 Margaret 1894 0-4-0T 1 ft 11 3⁄4 in (603 mm) Small Quarry Class. ex Penrhyn Quarrry Railway.[35]
Kerr Stuart 3114 1918 0-4-0T 1 ft 11 5⁄8 in (600 mm) Wren Class. Former contractor's locomotive. Worked at various locations engaged in reservoir construction. Worked briefly at a quarry connected to the Ashover Light Railway.[35]
Kerr Stuart 4408 1928 0-6-4T 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) 695 PL Class ex Parlakimidi Light Railway, India.[35]
Maffei 4766 1916 0-8-0+T 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) DFB 968 / 31 Brigadelok. Built for Deutsche Heeresfeldbahn.[35]
Manning Wardle 1382 Jubilee 1897 1897 0-4-0ST 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) Formerly at Cilgwyn Slate Quarry, later at Penrhyn Slate Quarry. Previously owned by Welsh Slate and on long term display at the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, Tywyn, the locomotive was purchased by the Vale of Rheidol in 2020. [35]
North British 17111 1906 4-6-2T 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) 666 ex South Eastern Railway of India CC class Parlakimidi Light Railway, India.[35]
Orenstein & Koppel 3770 1909 0-4-4-0 2 ft 3 9⁄16 in (700 mm) Krebet Baru Mill No.3 Mallet locomotive, formerly operated in Java.[35]
Ruston Proctor Either 50823 or 51168 1915 or 1916 4wPM 3 ft 3 3⁄8 in (1,000 mm) ZLH Paraffin Mechanical. Believed to be the oldest narrow gauge internal combustion loco in the British Isles. Ex-Cotton Powder Company.[35]
Sabero 6 La Herrera 1937 0-6-0T 1 ft 11 5⁄8 in (600 mm) 6 ex Hulleras de sabero y Anexas S.A., Spain.[35]
W. G. Bagnall 2228 1924 0-4-4T 2 ft (610 mm) 18BG ex Kowloon-Canton Railway / Sha Tau Kok Railway, Hong Kong. In 1928 moved to Victorias Milling Co., Negros Occidental, The Philippines.[35]
W. G. Bagnall 2192 Conqueror 1922 0-6-2T 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) 3 ex Bowaters Paper Railway and Great Whipsnade Railway.[35]
W. G. Bagnall 2029 1916 2-6-2T 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) AK16 Originally ordered for the Egyptian Delta Light Railways, but worked at the Kalighat Falta Railway, Calcutta, India until 1997.[35]
W. G. Bagnall 2457 1932 4-6-2+T 2 ft (610 mm) 38 ex Western Railway (India), Dabhoi Gwalior Railway, India. The railway owns a pair of these locomotives.[35]
W. G. Bagnall 2460 1932 4-6-2+T 2 ft (610 mm) 41 ex Western Railway (India), Dabhoi Gwalior Railway, India.[35]

Museum Collection Coaching Stock

The railway owns a number of historic carriages from other railways. This is destined for museum display in future.

No. Year Built Builder Notes Status
F68 1909 Metropolitan Carriage & Wagon Co. Former Isle of Man Railway[35] Not currently on display
14 1879 Swansea Carriage & Wagon Former Manx Northern Railway - Third Class. IoM No N51[35] Not currently on display

Visiting Locomotives

The following locomotives have visited the railway in the past.

Image Number Name Builder Wheel
arr.		 Year built Notes
4 Palmerston George England 0-4-0ST+T 1864 Hired from the Ffestiniog Railway on various occasions between 1912 and 1923. Returned to the Vale of Rheidol in 2014 and operated a number of special trains to Devil's Bridge.
Mountaineer ALCO 2-6-2T 1917 Hired from the Ffestiniog Railway during September 1986.[36]
1158 Diana Kerr Stuart 0-4-0T 1917 Restored in Vale of Rheidol Workshops. Steamed in 2015 for first time since 1950. Operated passenger services between Aberystwyth and Capel Bangor during "The Forgotten Engines" gala.
364 Winifred Hunslet 0-4-0ST 1885 Visited Vale of Rheidol Railway in 2015 for "The Forgotten Engines" gala. Operated passenger services between Aberystwyth and Capel Bangor. Normally resident at Bala Lake Railway.
921 Sybil Mary Hunslet 0-4-0ST 1906 Visited Vale of Rheidol Railway in 2015 for "The Forgotten Engines" gala. Operated passenger services between Aberystwyth and Capel Bangor. Normally resident at Statfold Barn Railway.
2066 Ogwen Avonside 0-4-0T 1933 Visited Vale of Rheidol Railway in 2015 for "The Forgotten Engines" gala. Static display only.
2067 Marchlyn Avonside 0-4-0T 1933 Visited Vale of Rheidol Railway in 2015 for "The Forgotten Engines" gala. Operated on demonstration line at Aberystwyth. Normally resident at Statfold Barn Railway.
707 Britomart Hunslet 0-4-0ST 1899 Visited Vale of Rheidol Railway in 2017 for the Roaring 1920s and 30s event.
3 Sir Haydn Hughes,
Falcon Works,
Loughborough[37]		 0-4-2ST[37] 1878[37] Owned by the Talyllyn Railway. Major overhaul completed in the Vale of Rheidol workshops in 2018. This is a 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) gauge locomotive, and therefore was unable to operate on the line.

References
  1. Johnson 1999, page 15
  2. Green 1986, pages 177 - 187
  3. Green 1986, page 204
  4. Green 1986, page 188
  5. Green 1986, page 192
  6. Green 1986, page 189
  7. Vale of Rheidol Railway Guidebook, 2016, page 13
  8. Vale of Rheidol Guidebook 2016, page 24
  9. Vale of Rheidol Guidebook, 2016, page 24
  10. Vale of Rheidol Railway Guidebook, 2016, page 17
  11. Green, 1986, page 187
  12. Green, 1986, pages 204-205
  13. See entry at this location Archived 20 September 2008 at Archive.today for details.
  14. See BBC report.
  15. Details at Rail.co.uk website.
  16. "Carriage 4143 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  17. "Carriage 4144 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  18. "Carriage 4145 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  19. "Carriage 4146 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  20. "Carriage 4147 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  21. "Carriage 4148 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  22. "Carriage 4149 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  23. "Carriage 4150 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  24. "Carriage 4151 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  25. "Carriage 4994 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  26. "Carriage 4995 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  27. "Carriage 4996 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  28. "Carriage 4997 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  29. "Carriage 4998 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  30. "Carriage 4999 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  31. "Carriage 5000 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  32. "Van 137 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  33. Green, 1986, page 219
  34. "Van 137 on Vintage Carriages Trust database". Vintage Carriages Trust. 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  35. "Vale of Rheidol Railway Museum Collection". Vale of Rheidol Railway. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  36. Green, 1986, page 258
  37. "No. 3 ". Talyllyn Railway. Archived from the original on 14 September 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2010.

Bibliography
  • Boyd, James I.C. (1965). Narrow Gauge Railways in Mid Wales. Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-024-X.
  • Green, CC (1986). The Vale of Rheidol Light Railway. Wild Swan. ISBN 0-906867-43-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Johnson, Peter (1999). Welsh Narrow Gauge: a view from the past. Ian Allan Publishing. ISBN 0-7110-2654-8.
  • Johnson, Peter (2011). An Illustrated History of the Great Western Narrow Gauge. OPC. ISBN 978-0-86093-636-7.
  • Wade, E.A. (1997). The Plynlimon & Hafan Tramway. Twelveheads Press. ISBN 0-90629438-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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