Talk:Vale of Rheidol Railway

Decline of the lead mining industry

Source for the "by the time it was built, there was little lead mining to serve" bit: BBC Wales History Hunters programme; its website doesn't actually go into as much detail as the programme did, but there is a mention of it on http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/historyhunters/locations/pages/2_2_rheidol.shtml

Telsa 13:37, 14 July 2005 (UTC)

Infobox Station

For each of the stations it would be be good to add an Infobox station. I thought about infobox uk station but these are not part of the main system in the UK and there for do not relate. Thoughts? Cosnahang (talk) 14:00, 9 January 2008 (UTC)

"Privatised"?

'Privatised' seems an odd description for a railway that was closed for 32 years before re-opening under private ownership. The term 'privatised' normally refers to actively operating facilities which are sold by a government, not those disused and dismantled for 30 years. 87.194.80.255 (talk) 21:07, 3 February 2009 (UTC)

It was active, with steam, under BR. Then it was sold into private hands. Andy Dingley (talk) 22:33, 3 February 2009 (UTC)

I think you've mis-read the article if you think it was closed. As Andy states above, it was owned and operated by British Rail (a public company) from nationalisation in 1948 until 1989, when it was sold. During that time it was operated by steam - it was steam on the rest of the BR network that finished in 1968. The only part of the line to have closed was the branch to the harbour, though the route into Aberystwyth was diverted in the late 60's/early 70's. —  Tivedshambo  (t/c) 22:47, 3 February 2009 (UTC)

Article Update

This article could do with attention to improve it perhaps with a view of getting it to Good Article status. It needs expanding and proper formatting etc and removal of speculation and casual irrelevant details that cannot be backed up by references.

I work for the company so would rather not make the edits myself but would will gladly review.  Willsmith3  _(Talk) 23:22, 5 May 2011 (UTC)

Glanrafon / Glanyrafon

The original name of this station was Glanrafon however we now know it as Glanyrafon (this is what is on the station running in board) I don't know when the change was made. I'll ask!

 Willsmith3  _(Talk) 17:22, 8 January 2012 (UTC) VoR

Looking at the latest Quail map, it seems you're right. I'll revert my change and move the station article.  An optimist on the run! 17:41, 8 January 2012 (UTC)

Intermediate staions

On a similar subject, I see the intermediate station articles all categorise them in Category:Railway stations closed in 1988. Is this correct? I thought they were still in use.  An optimist on the run! 17:53, 8 January 2012 (UTC)

Yes all stations on the line are indeed open to passengers and tickets can be bought from and to each. They certainly did not close in 1988. I hadn't noticed the category but I suggest it is removed.

 Willsmith3  _(Talk) 23:14, 9 January 2012 (UTC)

Llanbadarn

Llanbadarn request stop is listed in the list of stations but is not marked on the schematic. There is an unnamed red spot on the route map which I assume is Llanbadarn. --Roly (talk) 15:19, 4 June 2013 (UTC)

I have added Llanbadarn to the schematic where I think it should be. I hope someone will correct it if I'm wrong. --Roly (talk) 16:13, 6 December 2013 (UTC)

Light railway?

The Light Railways Act 1896 page lists the Vale of Rheidol railway as a "light railway", but the article here makes no mention of the fact. Is it? As a narrow-gauge railway is it automatically included, or does it fall outside the definition of the act? Moonraker12 (talk) 13:59, 15 July 2015 (UTC)

C C Green's history of the line is entitled The Vale of Rheidol Light Railway, so presumably this is correct.  — An optimist on the run! (logged on as Pek the Penguin) 14:14, 15 July 2015 (UTC)

One could in theory build a narrow gauge railway as a heavy railway (i.e. not light, and without the limitations of being a light railway), but I can't think of any and I can't imagine why anyone would. It's significantly cheaper, even then, to build and operate as a light railway. For a railway that's not interested in high speeds or high traffic density, there's little disadvantage to it. Andy Dingley (talk) 19:33, 15 July 2015 (UTC)

Thank you for those thoughts. It'd seem the VoR is “in”; though I'm still unsure whether "Light Railway" is just a general description of all lines that aren't standard, or whether it only covers those that specifically conform to the 1896 Act. I take your point (Andy) about the purpose of using narrow gauge in the first place (though I'd wonder whether some of these beasts would qualify as “light”: And (though it wasn't a requirement) it seems a number of light railways under the Act were of standard gauge. Anyway, I'm sure the answer will pop up sometime: Regards, Moonraker12 (talk) 12:46, 16 July 2015 (UTC)

It varies internationally. If you think the Welsh Garratts are big, look at the really huge ones they left behind in Africa. Although the rail spacing is smaller, there's less difference between their loading gauge and the Stephenson loading gauge throughout the UK than there is between that and the extremities of standard gauge loading gauges in the US.

In the UK, it's simple. Railways need an act of parliament. Light railways need a light railway order, which is simpler. A light railway is then constrained by speed limits. A heavy railway must operate to higher standards for signalling and these days for advanced on-board train protection and automatic warning systems (why so few steam locos are currently main line rated). There are even higher standards if it's for passenger use; a real limitation for a much-needed potential commuter railway to Portishead, over a line that was refurbished within the last twenty years, but only to freight standards.

It's hard to operate multiple trains on a light railway, as the control systems are usually quite simple with "one engine in steam" being typical. It can be done though, the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway were running a radio-controlled block system forty years ago, one of the very first.