Sunday 19 August 2012

Steam Sundays up the Llynfi valley?

Gary Lewis writes from Maesteg:

 I noticed that there are no trains to Maesteg on a Sunday.
 
While some may see this as a failure, on the part of the rail operating companies, I see an opportunity.
 
At the beginning of the month I went along to the Dean Forest Railway, photos of which are on my facebook page. This track run by volunteers, contains some 2.5 miles of track, a number of coaches, a 0-6-0 BR Pannier, a 0-6-0 Saddle Loco, an old Diesel Multiple Unit, and other rolling stock.
 
Would anyone fancy the idea of having a "Steam Day" in the Llynfi Valley?? Huge amount of track, running from Platform 3, Bridgend Train Station through Tondu, all the way up to Maesteg... In addition, at Tondu, by the Signal Box is some more track, going down past Parc Slip all the way to Pyle.
 
What an opportunity to bring steam back into the valley for a few Sundays in the summer months.


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I find it rather unfortunate, that practically all branch lines like the one highlighted are underused on a Sunday.

We've got a number of Steam railways in Wales, and not just in North Wales, there's the Gwili Railway in Carmarthen (also went on this month) in addition to the Brecon Railway (narrow gauge) and Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway. Some Sundays there's the Bridgend & District Model Engineering Society run and display model trains in Parc Slip.

The big question is: "Why isn't this being properly promoted?" like the steam railways in Devon & Cornwall? Flyers everywhere for these attractions when you go down to Devon.