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06:15.

I’m prepping for a day at the Llanelli & Mynydd Mawr Railway, where the PWI delegates are going to be learning practical skills trackside from experienced rail staff and volunteers, whilst I document the day, but first, it’s time for breakfast before we all climb aboard the minibus taking us to the railway from our hotel.

Fuelling…

I’ll blog sporadically through the day. At the end of it I’ll be heading back to Cardiff where I’ll be spending the night before heading back North on Friday, so expect more blogs and pictures.

08:12.

We’re at the railway (which has an interesting collection of old cabs), waiting for some of the trainers who’ve been delayed by the closure of the M4.

12:30.

We’ve had a busy morning where I’ve taken a huge number of trackside pics of people carrying out surveying, spot  sleepering and ballast packing, amongst other activities. I’ll add some pics. I’ve also found more old cabs.

15:50.

The event’s finished and it’s time for us all to scatter to the four winds, including a team from Germany, who’ve thoroughly enjoyed the event, as have people from Systra, the ORR, RSSB and others- including the professionals from main sponsor Colas. To put the icing on the cake, it’s stayed sunny!

Oh, and the railway has gained an extention to its running line.

I’ve enjoyed it too as there’s always something to learn from chatting to the guys who do this stuff every day – especially as the pressure is off (there’s no possession to hand back on time) so they’re happy to talk.

21:00.

I’ve made it as far as Cardiff where I’m kicking back in my hotel, charging up various devices and downloading a sh*t load of pictures. When I arrived in Cardiff the light was just right for a few pictures. Here’s a couple of samples from the day.

Tracklaying the old fashioned way with bullhead track. It wasn’t easy. It still isn’t – but it’s a great lesson in some techniques which are still applicable today. Admittedly, lifting and securing bullhead rail to old track chairs isn’t an everyday experience on the modern railway.
One of TfW’s new Stadler units catches the setting sun at Cardiff Central. The protruding section contains the diesel engines in these bi-mode units.

Whilst I let pictures upload and devices to recharge I nipped out for a drink along St Mary St, where I’m staying. How to describe it? Well, it’s lined with bars and pubs and seems to be a magnet for revelers, street drunks and Ne’er-do-wells, as well as ordinary people just trying to navigate the chaos. The giveaway is how many places have to have security on the door – including shops. It’s a far cry from where I’ve just been in Portugal -and the energy is very, very different. Portugal please.

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