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]
The railway has four steam locomotives for use on passenger trains, three of which were built for the Vale of Rheidol line and have operated on the line ever since.
A Garratt locomotive locomotive arrived in 2017 for use on passenger trains and is not prototypical for the line historically.
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 Withdrawn from traffic in 1997 pending overhaul.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. Carries GWR Green Livery.
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 and GWR Green livery.
NG G13 Garratt locomotive. Arrived at the railway from Schinznacher Baumschulbahn, Switzerland in 2017, and has since undergone overhaul, including the fitment of air brakes. Entered passenger service in 2022.
In Traffic
Diesel locomotives
The steam locomotive fleet is today supplemented by two diesel locomotives. Although they lack the power of the steam locomotives, they are available for shunting duties, works trains, and also operating light passenger trains.[7]
Built for National Coal Board. Rebuilt at Bredgar and Wormshill Railway in 2012 and named Wormshill. Acquired by Vale of Rheidol in 2021
In Traffic
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]
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]
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]
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.
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 Railwayboilersmith, 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 Wardle2-6-2Ts 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 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]
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 built by the Midland Railway Carriage and Wagon Company for the opening of the line. Twelve bogie carriages were built for the opening.
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).
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.
Built Swindon (Lot No. 914) Moved to Welshpool & Llanfair 1937. To Ffestiniog in 1960. Returned to Vale of Rheidol in 2014 and re-entered traffic in 2017. [36]
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
Only some these locomotives are available for public viewing.
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
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.[37]
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. [37]
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.
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.
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.
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.
Visited Vale of Rheidol Railway in 2015 for "The Forgotten Engines" gala. Operated on demonstration line at Aberystwyth. Normally resident at Statfold Barn Railway.
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.
£350,000 overhaul completed by the Vale of Rheidol railway in 2021. The locomotive has now returned to operating trains on the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway.
Phillips, Stephen; ap Iolo, Llyr; Gambrill, Robert; Bance, Robert (2021). The Vale of Rheidol Railway In Detail. Vale of Rheidol Railway. ISBN978-0-95445-464-7.