New, higher specification machines are allowing more precision jobs to be done in-house by a team of highly skilled, volunteer engineers at Corris Railway.
Investment in upgraded machine tools includes a Huron Mill and accessories while a crane, the specification of which was prepared by volunteer engineers Ian Cross and Phil Scott, has been developed with manufacturers Yaplex in Derbyshire.
The crane moves through an arc that encompasses all the machines within the workshop, enabling the safe lifting and transfer of work pieces and attachments.
In addition, the locomotive shed at Maespoeth Junction has been improved to welcome the railway’s expanded locomotive fleet. The inspection pit was extended and the drainage improved before the arrival of No.10 locomotive.
The machine shop and adjacent pit road within the loco shed are fully enclosed with insulated walls and large doors to enable the movement of large machines and work pieces.
Maespoeth shed was built in 1878, when steam locomotives were introduced to the railway, after its early years as a horse and gravity worked line. The original workshop facilities were reduced after the GWR took over the Corris in 1930.
Thereafter heavy overhauls were carried out at Swindon, with other jobs being carried out in the mainline shed at Machynlleth. Following British Railway’s closure of the line in August 1948, it was used as a depot by the Forestry Commission before its acquisition by the Corris Railway in 1981.
This was a vital step towards the restoration of services between Corris and the Junction.
The Corris Railway Society will host its annual Model Railway Exhibition on August 29 and 30 at Y Plas, Machynlleth, where will be 13 different layouts and a variety of traders across the weekend.
The railway will be running trains throughout the Bank Holiday weekend.
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