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The Vale of Rheidol Railway
The Vale of Rheidol is a 1'11.5" gauge line (usually rounded
up to 2'!!), and was built in 1901, opening for passenger traffic
in December 1902. Unlike most of the other Welsh preserved narrow
gauge railways, the Vale of Rheidol was always primarily a
passenger line, drawing its custom from tourists in the summer
months, and miners travelling to the lead mines along the railway
at other times. In 1910, an army camp at Lovesgrove further
swelled the passenger traffic.
The line is notable too for the fact that it was operated up
until 1989 by British Railways, including the use of steam
locomotives. Notice in the pictures the BR logo on the side of the
tanks. The three 2-6-2T locos, no.7
Owain Glyndwr
, no.8
Llewelyn
and no.9
Prince of Wales
provide the motive
power, all being built in 1923 at Swindon (note the standard GWR
safety valve covers). It was suggested that the third was
originally built by Davies and Metcalfe in 1902, but heavily
overhauled and rebuilt in 1924 to match the other two: however
this was a ruse used for accountancy reasons!