European Railroad Discussion > Vale of Rheidol Steam Festival

This weekend sees the Vale of Rheidol Railway's (VoR) steam festival, during which all three of their 1923/24 2-6-2Ts and the South African NGG13 Garratt Drakensburg were in action. There was also a display of some of the stored locomotives from the railway's one time owner Peter Rampton's collection. He died in 2019, having amassed a large collection of narrow gauge equipment, which was stored on the family farm in Surrey. Today much of that is now with the VoR and some was on display to the public for the first time since Peter Rampton squirreled them away in his barns 50 odd years ago.

For the steam festival the railway ran an augmented train service between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge (a distance of 12 miles, taking an hour), and making use of the two crossing points, Capel Bangor and Aberffrwd. the weather was as you might expect for late October in Wales - sunshine and showers, some of the latter were pretty torrential.

In terms of the three Rheidol tanks they now all wear liveries of the days of British Rail (1948 - 1988) and they've had the names given to them by BR restored. No.7 Owain Glendŵr is in fully lined out Brunswick Green (late 1950s to late 1960s), no.8 Llewelyn is in 1950s unlined BR Blackberry Black and no.9 Prince of Wales has just been turned out in mid-1970s lined Rail Blue, with a cast double arrow totem on the cab side. One of the sets of coaches in now in early BR carmine & cream (blood & custard) whilst the other remains in late 1930s GWR chocolate & cream.

After this weekend the railway runs two trains a day through to next Sunday, November 2nd, when it closes down for the winter, reopening in March 2026. There's no Christmas services this year due to track replacement work.

I think I may have said before that the VoR is not a volunteer run railway, it's owned and operated by the Phyllis Rampton Narrow Gauge Railway Trust, a charity founded by Peter Rampton in 1985, with a small number of full time and part time staff. It is very professionally presented and managed, the locomotives and stock are immaculate as are the intermediate stations. It is a splendid little railway which, if you find yourself in Mid Wales, is well worth a visit.

Here are a few pictures

1: NGG13 Garratt no.60 Drakensburg (Hanomag 1927) arriving at Devil's Bridge (Pontyfarnach in Welsh) on the day's first train, 10:00 ex-Aberystwyth, with the blood & custard set.
2: In the head-shunt prior to running round the coaching stock
3: Drakensburg's driver Jac Smith is walking around with his oil can whilst his fireman is raking out some ashes (on the right).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/25 13:52 by 86235.

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4: The 11:00 from Aberystwyth featured newly restored and repainted no.9 Prince of Wales. I climbed to the top of Faen Grach (aka Cardiac Hill) for this shot of no.9 on the approach to Devil's Bridge from Rhiwfron. I visited the railway a couple of times in the early 1970s when the three locos were in plain unlined BR Rail Blue with a white transfer double arrow totem on the tank below the name. By the mid 1970s they wore this more elaborate lined livery which I think makes the blue seem lighter.
5: Here is no.9 returning to Aberystwyth approaching Troed-rhiw-felen
6: No.9 passed nos 7 & 8 double heading the third train at Capel Bangor, which is just below Troed-rhiw-felen. Here's no.7 leading 8 on a short level stretch before the next stretch of 2.5% to Nantyronen

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7: The sound of 7 & 8 in unison was quite spine tingling
8: The final round trip of the day was the 15:20 from Aberystwyth (16:40 return from Devil's Bridge) with no.9 again, here passing Padarn United's football ground and a match in the Cambrian Tyres First Division
9: No.7 and 8 at Aberystwyth before we set off home

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Thanks, Nick, for another good show.  Gerry

Cool set of photos!   

WOW beautiful scenery to travel through, and the trains fit right in