Tarren Hendre

"The THR is a two-foot narrow gauge line set somewhere in a minor slate producing area in mid-Wales around 1946. It would probably have its origins in an early horse drawn tramway having been rebuilt for locomotive haulage sometime in the early 1870’s, around the time that our house was built. Though primarily a slate carrier, the introduction of locomotives to the line would have provided the opportunity to introduce a passenger and general freight service. The railway runs from quarries inland in the Tarren Hendre district down to wharves at Pritchard’s Quay where both narrowboats and smaller coastal vessels would provide longer distance transport to the outside world.

The industrial era for slate railways was all but over by 1946, though the ‘preservation movement’ had yet to begin. Many lines would already have closed but a few were just about managing to survive. We hope to reproduce a little of that ‘near derelict but just about still working’ atmosphere.

Quarry products – mainly roofing slate but with some larger slabs too – would have been brought down the steeply graded mineral branch to the main station at Tarren Hendre. Here they would be marshalled into trains and sent down the main line to the wharves at Pritchard’s Quay. Coal and other supplies for the quarries and villages would be taken back up the line. In addition, there is a water-powered sawmill at the head of the mineral branch. Locally felled timber would be delivered there and finished products taken away either for local use or again delivered to the quayside for transhipment.

In times of poor trade, a few wagons attached to the back of infrequent passenger services would easily suffice. One locomotive would work the entire line including shunting the yards, collecting loaded wagons from the quarries and delivering the empties back again. Today however, we are assuming a minor post-War boom for housing repairs so the railway is unusually busy!

The (16mm) quarry site will eventually become quite complex with the mineral branch connected to the bottom level loop line by a water balance incline (the drainage channel provided for the incline leading back to the pond is already in place). We have many more buildings to construct including a canalside pub., stables, a locomotive shed, various quarry buildings, a few cottages and a chapel to name but a few. We would also like to add a couple of radio controlled cars or lorries to provide another dimension to the transport scene. On top of this an extension, which will increase the length of the line by more than half and include another longer length of canal and a lock."

Jerry & Sue

Images prefixed 000Tv were taken on 16th September 2007.
Images prefixed THe were taken on a very wet 24th June 2007 (according to the BBC News many parts of the UK had one month of rain in 24hrs).
Images prefixed 00TH were taken in July 2006.
Images prefixed TH were taken in July 2005.

See movie in my 'Links' section > YouTube.com

Mark Found filming for 'The Railway Channel' 16/9 000Tv0001.jpg	Mark Found filming for 'The Railway Channel' 16/9 000Tv0002.jpg	Mark Found filming for 'The Railway Channel' 16/9 000Tv0003.jpg	Eyeing up the possible shots 000Tv0004.jpg
..."okay just run that past again"... 000Tv0005.jpg	Mark Found filming for 'The Railway Channel' 16/9 000Tv0006.jpg	New branch line & canal section 000Tv0012.jpg	Pritchard's Quay warmed by the afternoon sun 000Tv0013.jpg
Pritchard's Quay warmed by the afternoon sun 000Tv0014.jpg	Slate wagons on Pritchard's Quay, warmed by the afternoon sun 000Tv0015.jpg	Mark Found filming for 'The Railway Channel' 16/9 000Tv0020.jpg	000Tv0021.jpg
000Tv0022.jpg	L~R: Mark Found, Ian Stock & Jeremy 000Tv0023.jpg	Pritchard's Quay featuring authentic slate train and including dull industrial weather, some might say 000Tv0024.jpg	Pritchard's Quay 000Tv0025.jpg
Pritchard's Quay 000Tv0026.jpg	Final adjustments by Jeremy 000Tv0027.jpg	Mark Found filming the intro' with Ian Stock for 'The Railway Channel' 16/9 000Tv0029.jpg	Pritchard's Quay 000Tv0030.jpg
Gas fired Darjeeling 'A' class 00TH002.jpg	Darjeeling in the cutting 00TH004.jpg	Darj on the viaduct 00TH005.jpg	Darj at the harbour 00TH006.jpg
Fettling the Darj 00TH007.jpg	00TH008.jpg	Darj train by the river 00TH009.jpg	Peaceful canal scene... 00TH010.jpg
...and a busy scene 00TH011.jpg	A seriously big garden railway! TH001.jpg	The bridge is 2ft above the water and the water is 3ft deep! TH002.jpg	Working water mill in miniature TH003.jpg
Accidents will happen TH004.jpg	A peaceful runpast TH004a.jpg	...though a closer look reveals a jumping wagon! TH004b.jpg	2nd July 2005 TH004c.jpg