New rail museum! Vale of Rheidol Railway, Aberystwyth

[@jacsmith1848]

Great video. Just to clarify…as you say in the video, Dukedog No.9017 is standard gauge which is 4ft 8 1/2 inches, as per the UK mainline network. ‘Fire Queen’ on the other hand is a narrow gauge locomotive built to 4ft gauge. Railways with a track gauge between 15 inches to 4ft 8 1/2 inches is known as a narrow gauge railway. This engine ran on the old Padarn Railway which ran along the shores of Llanberis Lake in North Wales from the Dinorwic Slate Quarries to the nearby Port. Nowadays, part of the former 4ft gauge trackbed is used by the 2ft gauge Llanberis Lake Railway which uses Hunslet built ‘Quarry Hunslets’ to haul its trains, almost identical to the VoR’s ‘Margaret’!

[@kaitlyn__L]

Narrow gauges are so cute. I love our Subway here in Glasgow for it. If I ever travel to Japan, I'm probably more excited to try some of those narrow gauge mountainous, forest, or coastal railways than I am about the Shinkansen!

[@lucifarian93]

remember when they were BR blue . Nice to see you appreciate steam, nothing like a loco to cheer the soul.

[@lucifarian93]

Hadn't realised that the original SERvheadquarters at London Bridge had been demolished as that looks like the entrance to it. My great great grandfather was an engine driver on the SER. His name was Charles and was a man of great character. Railways in my blood but love a good motor too of course!

[@caw25sha]

They're much nicer now. That shade of greyish blue was part of a conspiracy to make the 70s even more miserable than they were already.

[@Bicyclehub]

What a pleasure to see those wonderful engines and the investment that is being made at the railway. Nice to have some good news.

[@DehnusNorder]

Thank you for this one, I miss your non car related content so much :). The Hotels, the small cities, the interesting tidbits of Welsh places , I"m weird that way :) .

[@mike_ctid_taylor]

I remember going on the Vale of Rheidol back when I was of school age, the line was still under BR ownership and the locos were painted BR blue with the double arrows.

[@HowardLeVert]

Yes - I was quite surprised to see a picture of one painted as such in my first Ian Allan Locoshed book, from 1974. I was just ten...

[@nickb5391]

Yes they were Blue when i saw them in the 60's/70's

[@alansmith1770]

Thank you Ian & Carly great video

[@davidhinkson8856]

I always enjoy when you do these museum tours and this one looks particularly interesting given the history of some of these locomotives. It's great to see them not only being preserved but also the fact that they get to run every now and then. I wonder whether today's locomotives will get looked after in a similar way when they are retired from service.

[@douglasfleetney5031]

Thanks Ian, you're spoiling me with more steam! The South Eastern Railway ran (runs) through Northfleet ( less than 20 miles from London Bridge Station, still on the Thames) where Fire Queen was built down here in darkest Kent. The Dukedog was the first loco I ever rode on as a four year old in 1969 on the Bluebell. By riding on I really mean on the footplate as my Dad blagged a footplate pass, he being a former Southern Railway Driver. As a result I have a very deep seated affection for a loco that was obsolete before she was built... That's steam for you...

[@brianjthomson17]

My girlfriend and I travelled down to Wales from Scotland last year and went on the Vale of Rheidol Railway thanks to Hubnut loved it scotland has competition with the amazing scenery in Wales we miss Wales

[@justindake]

As an American, it’s really interesting to see such a massive locomotive on a narrow gauge track. Where I’m at, narrow gauge is only something you see at places like the zoo!

[@robingiles9444]

I remember travelling on the Vale of Rheidol train from Devils Bridge to Aberystwyth and back in the early 80's, loved it. Good to see it is still going strong. Thank you for the memories. I must try and go back there sometime. 🙂

[@visionsofhere3745]

When do we get Hubnut Drives a Steam Train? Trust me, it's like nothing else, and hugely enjoyable.

[@RWBHere]

Fascinating! Thanks Ian and Carly.

[@huwdavies6650]

I remember going on the Vale of Rheidol when it was still under BR ownership. The locos even came under the BR TOPS Classification, they were designated as Class 98's. They were numbered 98007 to 98009 although they never actually carried the numbers.

[@DavidJones-dq7iu]

I am looking forward to going to see it in the summer. We are taking the trailer tent to stay in Devils Bridge. Really looking forward to it.

[@runoflife87]

A narrow-gauge musem? That's nice for sure. Unfortunately not many people actually know about such a type of railways. Back in the days we had a lot of narrow-gauge lines here, in Russia, which mostly served for coal, sand and peat transportation. But some of them carried passenger trains too. Nowadays almost all of'em are gone.

[@01jvb]

According to other information on the net, Fire Queen is the oldest narrow gauge locomotive in the world.

[@HubNut]

There is some debate about this.

[@georgeworkshop]

Was there last year . Amazing train ride to devils bridge. Parking is very good next to the museum. Nice video Ian

[@I-T-S-M-E]

Us too, museum was still under construction.

[@arieplomp8906]

Thanks Ian and Carly for taking us to this lovely museum! What beautiful trains and location! Perhaps you can visit the “Spoorwegmuseum “ in Utrecht when you’re back in the Netherlands and you’ll have Some spare time! And I know time is allways the issue! But also a very nice railway museum! 👍🏻👍🏻🆙 like allways! 🫶

[@peterfinucane8122]

I did this trip back in 2007 on a visit from NZ. Great narrow gauge railway. Do they still have the cliff railway?

[@HubNut]

Yup!

[@anthonystevens8683]

Another top video Ian. Seeing those old locomotives from yester century is fascinating. 20 odd years ago I was fortunate to be offered a chance to drive an old GWR 0-6-2 steam loco but gave it to my late dad who was like a kid with two jellies after the event. I did get to drive it after thanks to the crew and that experience will stay with me for as long as I can still remember things, just a slight movement of the regulator made a huge difference as did the application of the water injectors. I'll have to add a visit to the Rheidol Railway to my list of places to visit.

[@Hairnicks]

Well that was outside the usual box and lovely to see, a must go to next time we're down your end of Wales. We live right at the top.

[@tonysargent7787]

Looks like a good day out another great video has always Ian and Carly miss/mrs hubnut and hublets and hubmutt 👍

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

An excellent video Ian and Carly. My wee lad who is into his trains , picked up his iPad and googled the railway and museum, can see us coming down for a holiday maybe next year.

[@nickb5391]

I spent a lot of my childhood on holidays near Devils Bridge in the 60's & have been on the Rheidol railway many times to Aber, they had Blue carriages in the 60's/70's

[@pdsnpsnldlqnop3330]

I want to see an Invacar adapted for pulling a trailer tent along the Vale of Rheidol.

[@bleachyberserko4191]

My 3yr old just skipped an advert for a globally reputed animation company in favour of this. Start them young I say 👌

[@Scuba72Chris]

What a very cool place! We're down in Aberystwyth next Saturday so we'll definitely be checking it out. Cheers Ian!

[@huwdavies6650]

Will need to find the time to get up to Aberystwyth again.

[@chrisdowns1987]

Just seeing a decent museum thats clearly being looked after & loved is great, especially a steam railway. Fantastic, can't wait to see it in person! As soon as I saw the railcar, it got me remembering the one in New Zealand 👌

[@waynetetley584]

Awesome. Loved visiting that railway and trip to Devils Bridge 😊

[@fhwolthuis]

That looks very nice! Have taken a ride on the Bluebell years ago, that was good fun.

[@allanmollison6971]

Thanks again for sharing with us Ian. Looks like an awesome place to visit. 😊👍

[@gmpltd114]

Really interesting video, thanks Ian. Greg Moore, New Zealand.

[@CambrianClassicsLtd]

I too did a recent visit with my daughter and really enjoyed it. They had an orchestra playing at the end too! A good day out.

[@richardhowlett7398]

I was at your social there , just before the trip down under .

[@SSchade-t3v]

Thank you for not only showing us the engines but also explaining their features.

[@paulwatts2192]

There is something about steam simple power,boil water. Wonderful 😊

[@smet145]

What a lovely collection of engines 🤩 Great video 👍❤

[@johnarmstrong3782]

Llewelyn is incredibly beautiful.

[@HowardLeVert]

I remember the VoR puffing past your previous domicile... nice to see the early BR crimson and cream on the carriages and No. 8 in BR Black - it looks very smart indeed. A friend of mine visited here a little while ago and sent me lots of photos to make me envious! Do you plan to head to Statfold this summer?

[@happyhermit2022]

How interesting...amazing place...very smart... excellent thank you

[@lesklower7281]

Terrific Museum full of steam trains and most of them have been lovingly restored housed in a lovingly restored building

[@bentullett6068]

You and Carly need to visit Statfold Barn Railway at some point as that is an amazing narrow gauge railway collection with the addition of classic trucks and some steam traction engines and old construction equipment. They also run trains around the fairly substantial length line they have. They also host some great special events, including a car show called Cars At Strawberry Park.

[@defender1006]

Thank you for a great tour of the railway museum, a nice alternative/change to the usual HubNut motoring content, but in the same style!

[@wanderingorganist]

Lovely reminder of my trip to Wales. Thank you so much. Ffestiniog next?

[@daniellee9015]

absolutely brilliant video Ian miss hubnut ❤👍looks like a brilliant day out in summer holidays brilliant

[@twocvbloke]

A few weeks ago, youtube recommended a video of a train steaming its' way to the old Consett Steelworks, along the railway line that once went along the top of my street, and it made me feel quite sad to see what once was that we've since lost due to politics, it could have been a very useful (and of course greener!) passenger line today had it not all been stripped out in the year I was born... :(

[@LindseyTate13]

Going here this summer and it looks really fun

[@bingbong7316]

We did the Festiniog, the Tallylyn and the VoR in 1970 at my behest on a family holiday, with their generous forbearance. Seen the Dukedog many times at the Bluebell. Thanks you for the update, looks proper spiffy.

[@nelson408.]

Would love to travel on that line one day having done the Ffestiniog railway back in 1993.

[@caw25sha]

There are or have been a large number of different narrow gauges. Considering they were generally very short lines and with small numbers of locomotives more standardisation would have made things a lot more economical.

[@2tone209]

AY UP MR HUBNUT

[@caw25sha]

If you click translate to English it says "AY UP MR LOSE WEIGHT". Seriously, I'm not making this up. Try it.

[@tonys1636]

@@caw25sha Not for the first time when HubNut typed.

[@WHATSUPWATSON]

Beautiful building

[@fsodn]

This is a wonderful video, thank you so much! This is a great museum. And a location that I could potentially drive a steam locomotive myself (for a bit)? Wow! Definitely going on my list of places to go the next time I'm in the UK.

[@rogerfenton5210]

Was fortunate to work at Hunslet engine for 15 plus years ,even when it became HTPL making 3 car electric train's , reminiscent of sayings like leaves on the line would shut system down , great videos

[@thatcheapguy525]

to be a real petrol-head you must have owned an Alfa, to be a true anorak you have to hang around in train museums 😂 excellent presentation HubNuts, that place looks superb. good to hear you sounding a bit better now Ian.

[@micheltebraake7915]

Nice museum. Ian, I can't remember if you ever visited the Railway Museum in Utrecht on one of your trips to the Netherlands, which is more than worth a visit.

[@tsl56]

I believe that the VOR has also recently taken over the Brecon Mountain Railway. Somewhat ironic, since the BMR ran the VOR for a few years after BR sold it off. The Rampton Trust then took it over from the BMR.

[@robshorts]

Looks a fantastic place with some really nice exhibits. But why those lights are even on when it's a bright day and there is plenty of daylight from the windows and skylights?

[@HubNut]

There are still some dark corners. The railway does boast a fine array of PV panels.

[@sebastiancasco3568]

Stunning machines! Ian, im from argentina and i'll visit london next month. Is it any place to buy some hub nut merch there?? And and anyone knows if is going to take place any car/petrolhead gathering between 27 to 30th of july in london or next to it? Cheers to all of you and see you soon!

[@HubNut]

Alas the only place to buy HubNut merch is direct from us. We may be able to deliver to where you're staying with sufficient notice. Email [e-mail]

[@sebastiancasco3568]

@@HubNut thanks i'll try to manage it!

[@CauliflowerMcPugg]

What a great place, the Fire Queen is a real beauty. Love it

[@allanfoster6965]

I was looking for the little dragon😍

[@robertngreen6]

Fantastic! Looking forward to hopefully seeing you drive some of these. Now off to rewatch the Model T Railbus video!

[@Matthew-Fletcher]

Ah i didnt know Fire Queen was the inspiration for Duke The Lost Engine.

[@caw25sha]

Are you thinking of making videos at the Ffestiniog, WHR and Snowden Mountain Railway? I'd be chuffed if you do. (Sorry 🥴)

[@HubNut]

I really need to.

[@peterfinucane8122]

Snowden railway has an interesting addition to help it climb

[@ferrocarrilesespanoles]

5:26 Ferrocarril Minero De Hulleras De Sabero y Anexas S.A., la N° 1 Sabero construida por Couillet de Bélgica en 1895 con el número de fábrica 1140

[@grrfy]

OOH A Beyer-Garratt , I'm IN!

[@ferrocarrilesespanoles]

12:57 de Sabero, León

[@persevere777]

In this video ,we take a canal boat ride.......oh wait🤔

[@martinneumann7783]

I have a certain smell in my nose: grease, metal, oil, combusted coal… Thanks for pictures, dear Carly and Ian. See you soon »•»•» Martin 🚂💨🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@simonbennett9687]

As classy as the GWR livery is, I think they should have one loco in BR blue with the white double-arrowhead on the tanks, that's how they were when I first visited in the 70s and I think it's an interesting bit of history that BR used to run the line.

[@davidschauster1806]

Corduroy pants are underrated

[@teraris]

It's a shame that the South Eastern Railway offices were demolished.

[@jamesonpace726]

You UK folks get a lot of very cool stuff fer yer kings 'n queens 'n stuff & I wish US did....

[@HubNut]

There's lots of heritage steam in the US. Your locos are enormous!

[@KirksAudioSanctum]

5:30 I take it the front comes off for cleaning purposes?

[@tonys1636]

You looked quite chuffed with yourself by the end. I'll just crawl into the corner to die.

[@paulrobinson3528]

I want to send a email to Ian Hubnut, what is the email address as i cant find it on the channel info? Got something he might like to see!!!

[@HubNut]

[e-mail] - thank you.

[@stefantrnacek1394]

Great video. I can watch anything with Steam. What was the railway that ran past your old house? I seem to recall seeing a old engine go past in one of Foxanne videos.

[@HubNut]

Thanks. It was this very railway.

[@stefantrnacek1394]

@@HubNut Cheers.

[@AussiePom]

Saw a video on the history of the VoR and the main reason it survived was in the BR era the man in charge "cooked the books" so it showed that the railway was making money when actually it was running at a loss. BR and the government of the day actually forgot all about the VoR until somebody mention it and the government didn't think that BR had any real right to be running a preserved railway so they sold it firstly to the Brecon Mountain Railway. The railway at the end of BR ownership was very run down and the BR employees were forbidden to bid for the railway when the government auctioned it off. One of the VoR staff members Ioan who's a loco fireman has a YT channel Lost Mines

[@HubNut]

Yes, I've met Ioan. Interesting chap!

[@AussiePom]

@@HubNut I think the locomotive Fire Queen may have been locked away for years in the Penryhn Castle estate museum. If you think the NGG16 Garratt is big then check out an Aussie 60 class 4-8-4+4-8-4 on YT of operational 6029 in a "race" in 2018 with 3526 during the Sydney Heritage festival.

[@COLLSWORK]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@kaitlyn__L]

I can see it now, ready for inflation: "have a drive, for twenty-five" 😁 (Oh, £7.50 isn't that much of an increase! Honestly, especially since they do pay everybody rather than being 100% "volunteer-run", they could get away with doing it for £10 I think... but I appreciate that they want to keep it affordable for everybody. I always knew they were good eggs anyway, as demonstrated by paying their staff, but it's nice to see that being kept-up against rising economic pressures.)