Prior to the railway grouping in 1923, the Vale of Rheidol Railway was operated by Cambrian Railways. The fleet consisted of two locomotives built by Davies and Metcalfe, supplemented by a Bagnall locomotive.
Shortly after taking control of the line, the GWR realised that the original rolling stock was in a poor state of repair. They built three new locomotives (numbered 7, 8 and 1213) at the GWR's Swindon Works. Number 1213 was later renumbered 9.
Mistaken identityedit
It is still possible to find references (in print, and on-line) to the mistaken belief that No. 9 is one of the original Davies & Metcalfe Locomotives,[1] as some websites and books incorrectly perpetuate this myth,[2] having been successfully misled by Swindon Works.[3] The Works were very effective in their coverup, entitling the parts that made up the new No. 1213 as 'spares' in the accounts book, as the GWR Board had only given them leave to build two new locomotives (No. 7 & No. 8).[4] A simple test to prove that No. 9 is actually of the same vintage as No. 7 & No. 8 is to compare the working drawings between it and a Davies and Metcalfe locomotive — Rheidol historian C C Green, who carried out this comparison, stated of all three current locomotives that "mechanically they are identical", and having compared the current No. 9 (the 'new' 1213) with the plans of the original 1213 stated that "no single part" of the original locomotive could possibly have fitted the new one.[5]
In 1946, the GWR began a renumbering of the remaining locomotives inherited from pre-Grouping companies, but since it was only carried out as locomotives received heavy repairs, the process took several years.[6] Under this scheme, the 'new' 1213 was renumbered No. 9 in March 1949.[7][8]
British Rail ownershipedit
7 Owain Glyndwr in BR blue
Along with other ex-GWR locomotives, Nos. 7 and 8 retained their numbers under British Railways ownership, with no. 1213 also initially retaining its number until renumbered in 1949 under the 1946 plan.[8] In June 1956 the three were given the names which they still carry today, being unnamed up to that point; no, 9 received the name Prince of Wales that its predecessor had borne until repainted into Cambrian Railways livery after that company absorbed the locomotive in July 1913.[9] These three locos were the only steam engines to survive in BR's ownership after the end of main line steam traction in August 1968, excluding steam powered cranes which remained in service until 1995. Under the TOPS numbering arrangements introduced at this time they were allocated Class 98 and were nominally numbered 98007–98009, but these numbers were never actually carried on the locomotives. All three locomotives, and the rolling stock, carried standard British Rail 'rail blue' livery until the 1980s, when the locomotives were given more traditional liveries that they had carried in the past.
Conversion to oil firingedit
The locomotives were originally designed to burn coal, however there was a period spanning over thirty years during which the three locomotives were oil fired. Problems with sparks and unreliability of the coal supplied caused British Railways to look to alternative fuels for the locomotives. Locomotive No. 7 was the first to be converted in 1978, followed by No. 8 in 1979 and No. 9 in 1981.[10] This change was later reversed with Locomotive No. 8 returning to coal in 2012 and No. 9 in 2013.[11]
Preservationedit
All three Vale of Rheidol tanks are still in service and operating on their original route.
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.
Put through Swindon works during 1923–24 as an overhaul of the original No. 2, but is in fact a complete new locomotive.[13] Numbered 1213 from delivery until gaining the No. 9 in 1949.[7] As of November 2016 the locomotive carries No. 1213 once more.
^See, for example, Michael Rutherford, 'Railway Reflections No 129', photo caption of No. 8 and 'new' 1213, the latter referenced as 'formerly No 2': photo captions indexed at SteamIndex, here.
^See, for example, the incorrect locomotive data catalogued by the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum website.
^See 'Vale of Rheidol Light Railway', by W J K Davies, published 1964 by Ian Allan Limited, for a discussion of the accounting coverup.
^See British Heritage Railways website 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine, section headed 'locomotives'.
Johnson, Peter (2011). An Illustrated History of the Great Western Narrow Gauge. OPC. ISBN978-0-86093-636-7.
Johnson, Peter (2020). The Vale of Rheidol Railway: The Story of a Narrow Gauge Survivor. Pen and Sword. ISBN978-1-52671-805-1.
External linksedit
Vale of Rheidol Railway website
January 01, 1970
rheidol, tanks, fleet, steam, locomotives, great, western, railway, design, built, between, 1923, 1924, they, were, designed, railway, chief, mechanical, engineer, charles, collett, working, services, vale, rheidol, railway, between, aberystwyth, devil, bridge. The GWR Rheidol Tanks are a fleet of 2 6 2T steam locomotives of the Great Western Railway design built between 1923 and 1924 They were designed by the railway s Chief Mechanical Engineer Charles Collett for working services on the Vale of Rheidol Railway between Aberystwyth and Devil s Bridge Pontarfynach GWR Rheidol TankLlywelyn outside the locomotive works in Aberystwyth in 2015Type and originPower typeSteamDesignerCharles CollettBuilderGWR Swindon WorksOrder numberNos 7 amp 8 Lot 227No 9 noneBuild date1923 24Total produced3SpecificationsConfiguration Whyte2 6 2T UIC1 C1 Gauge1 ft 11 3 4 in 603 mm Leading dia 2 ft 0 in 610 mm Coupled dia 2 ft 6 in 762 mm Trailing dia 2 ft 0 in 610 mm Fuel typeCoalBoiler pressure165 lbf in2 1 14 MPa CylindersTwo outsideCylinder size11 1 2 in 17 in 292 mm 432 mm Valve gearWalschaertsLoco brakeAir brakesTrain brakesAir brakesCouplersChopperPerformance figuresMaximum speed20 mph 32 km h Tractive effort10 510 lbf 46 75 kN CareerOperatorsGreat Western RailwayBritish RailwaysVale of Rheidol RailwayNumber in class3Numbers7 8 9 1213 LocaleAberystwythDeliveredOctober 1923Current ownerVale of Rheidol Railway LtdDispositionAll preserved Contents 1 Background 2 Mistaken identity 3 British Rail ownership 4 Conversion to oil firing 5 Preservation 6 See also 7 References 8 Bibliography 9 External linksBackground editPrior to the railway grouping in 1923 the Vale of Rheidol Railway was operated by Cambrian Railways The fleet consisted of two locomotives built by Davies and Metcalfe supplemented by a Bagnall locomotive Shortly after taking control of the line the GWR realised that the original rolling stock was in a poor state of repair They built three new locomotives numbered 7 8 and 1213 at the GWR s Swindon Works Number 1213 was later renumbered 9 Mistaken identity editIt is still possible to find references in print and on line to the mistaken belief that No 9 is one of the original Davies amp Metcalfe Locomotives 1 as some websites and books incorrectly perpetuate this myth 2 having been successfully misled by Swindon Works 3 The Works were very effective in their coverup entitling the parts that made up the new No 1213 as spares in the accounts book as the GWR Board had only given them leave to build two new locomotives No 7 amp No 8 4 A simple test to prove that No 9 is actually of the same vintage as No 7 amp No 8 is to compare the working drawings between it and a Davies and Metcalfe locomotive Rheidol historian C C Green who carried out this comparison stated of all three current locomotives that mechanically they are identical and having compared the current No 9 the new 1213 with the plans of the original 1213 stated that no single part of the original locomotive could possibly have fitted the new one 5 In 1946 the GWR began a renumbering of the remaining locomotives inherited from pre Grouping companies but since it was only carried out as locomotives received heavy repairs the process took several years 6 Under this scheme the new 1213 was renumbered No 9 in March 1949 7 8 British Rail ownership edit nbsp 7 Owain Glyndwr in BR blue Along with other ex GWR locomotives Nos 7 and 8 retained their numbers under British Railways ownership with no 1213 also initially retaining its number until renumbered in 1949 under the 1946 plan 8 In June 1956 the three were given the names which they still carry today being unnamed up to that point no 9 received the name Prince of Wales that its predecessor had borne until repainted into Cambrian Railways livery after that company absorbed the locomotive in July 1913 9 These three locos were the only steam engines to survive in BR s ownership after the end of main line steam traction in August 1968 excluding steam powered cranes which remained in service until 1995 Under the TOPS numbering arrangements introduced at this time they were allocated Class 98 and were nominally numbered 98007 98009 but these numbers were never actually carried on the locomotives All three locomotives and the rolling stock carried standard British Rail rail blue livery until the 1980s when the locomotives were given more traditional liveries that they had carried in the past Conversion to oil firing editThe locomotives were originally designed to burn coal however there was a period spanning over thirty years during which the three locomotives were oil fired Problems with sparks and unreliability of the coal supplied caused British Railways to look to alternative fuels for the locomotives Locomotive No 7 was the first to be converted in 1978 followed by No 8 in 1979 and No 9 in 1981 10 This change was later reversed with Locomotive No 8 returning to coal in 2012 and No 9 in 2013 11 Preservation editAll three Vale of Rheidol tanks are still in service and operating on their original route 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 Year built Notes In Traffic nbsp 7 Owain Glyndŵr 1923 Hauled the last steam service under British Rail ownership of the line In Traffic nbsp 8 Llywelyn 12 1923 In Traffic nbsp 9 1213 Prince of Wales 1924 Put through Swindon works during 1923 24 as an overhaul of the original No 2 but is in fact a complete new locomotive 13 Numbered 1213 from delivery until gaining the No 9 in 1949 7 As of November 2016 the locomotive carries No 1213 once more Awaiting OverhaulSee also editList of Vale of Rheidol Railway rolling stockReferences edit See for example Michael Rutherford Railway Reflections No 129 photo caption of No 8 and new 1213 the latter referenced as formerly No 2 photo captions indexed at SteamIndex here See for example the incorrect locomotive data catalogued archived here by the Narrow Gauge Railway Museum website See Vale of Rheidol Light Railway by W J K Davies published 1964 by Ian Allan Limited for a discussion of the accounting coverup See British Heritage Railways website Archived 2015 09 23 at the Wayback Machine section headed locomotives Green 1986 Page 189 Davies et al 1966 p K4 a b Green 1986 p 192 a b Davies et al 1966 p K78 Davies et al 1966 pp K53 K77 Green 1986 pages 201 203 Johnson 2020 pages 171 173 Locomotives Vale of Rheidol Railway Retrieved 4 October 2021 Green 1986 p 189 Bibliography editBoyd James I C 1965 Narrow Gauge Railways in Mid Wales Oakwood Press ISBN 0 85361 024 X Davies F K Firth J M Lucking J H Thomas R E Allcock N J Sterndale A C Barrie D S M Reed P J T Mountford E R April 1966 White D E ed The Locomotives of the Great Western Railway part ten Absorbed Engines 1922 1947 RCTS ISBN 0 901115 20 7 Green CC 1986 The Vale of Rheidol Light Railway Wild Swan ISBN 0 906867 43 6 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 Johnson Peter 2020 The Vale of Rheidol Railway The Story of a Narrow Gauge Survivor Pen and Sword ISBN 978 1 52671 805 1 External links editVale of Rheidol Railway website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title GWR Rheidol Tanks amp oldid 1215501770, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
