It’s been a little while since I’ve been
to the Welshpool & Llanfair on a gala
day - and the sun was shining. A visit
to the nearby Rhiw Valley Railway
might be fun too - my previous visits
had been on days of less-than-perfect
weather.
I started at Sylfaen, where there is a passing loop beside the
(noisy) A458, then moved on to Cyfronydd, where there is
another passing loop. There, I’d be able to see two pairs of
trains crossing, and in between, the delightful little Barclay
“Dougal” would arrive with the freight. All very pleasant in the
warm(ish) sunshine, though for
photography, cooler air would have
helped.
Both original locos - “The Earl” and
“Countess” were in action on the main
line, along with rejuvenated “Joan”
and the refettled Resita - which looked
surprisingly well with the set of three
replica Pickering coaches.
Having seen everything at least once, it
was over to Manafon and the 15” gauge
Rhiw Valley Railway. This little line has plans for
expansion - including a new loco, a 15” gauge
version of an L&B 2-6-2T, to be named (appropriately) “Rhiw”.
Visit the line’s website for more information.
After an enjoyable wander around the fields, recording “Jack”
and “Powys” in action, a drink and a piece of fruit cake rounded
off the day very nicely...
Links:
•
Welshpool and Llanfair Light
Railway
•
Rhiw Valley Railway
