Dates Announced for Steel, Steam and Stars III
Published 12 February 2011 | 
The 6880 Betton Grange Society, pioneers of the ‘super gala’, have announced the dates for their next nine day extravaganza as being set for 21st to 29th April 2012.
Plans include a sumptuous line up of guest engines to supplement the Llangollen Railway’s growing fleet of residents, the first opportunity to travel along the extension towards Corwen, a beer festival at Llangollen, steam and vintage rally at Glyndyfrdwy and narrow gauge and miniature railway rides at Carrog.
An intensive timetable will operate on the weekend days, including Friday 27th, with special themed events on the four days in between.
The events are held to raise funds to help build 6880 Betton Grange. Last time enough money was raised to have the extension frames made, this time the target is to raise enough money to get the brand new cylinders cast and machined, which it is estimated will be around £60,000.
The last Steel, Steam & Stars event was in 2009 and was an outstanding success, receiving rave reviews in all quarters. This was one of the first nine day events to be staged anywhere, following on from the first event in 2007 which operated over two consecutive weekends.
Full details will be available here on the society’s website, and on the Gala web site with regular updates as guest locomotives and attractions are confirmed.
Progress Update January 2011
Published 30 January 2011 |
On Sunday 9th January the AGM was held at Llangollen. Fourteen members were present. The formalities completed, three new Board members were voted in. We now have the following people in position on the Board and a group of people designed to carry the project forward at an increased pace.
Quentin McGuinness – Chairman and a founding member. Also the Treasurer
Richard Cadge – Membership Secretary
David Huntbatch – Sales and Marketing
Paul Appleton – Publicity.
Pete Thomas – Engineering.
Alan Naylor – Company Secretary
Meanwhile at Llangollen, the cab is being erected onto the rear of the locomotive, with the detailing of the running plate curvature now apparent. The hornguides are being fitted and the front four are nearly fixed. The Extension Frames are now on order and below is a photo of the two profiles as delivered to our supplier, Stones of Street. They will shortly be machined to our drawings and are expected at Llangollen in March.
Finally, we are planning a General Members Day this Spring. There are over 150 people to invite to what should be a lively day with the extension frames fitted, progress on the construction of the locomotive will be there for your inspection. The date is to be announced.
7th Annual General Meeting
Published 19 December 2010 | Tying up with the first working weekend of 2011 is the 7th Annual General Meeting of the 6880 Betton Grange (Society) Limited, this will be held at 11 am on Sunday 9th January in the Henry Robertson Suite at Llangollen station (directions).
We look forwards to seeing our members on this date.
Further details of working weekends for 2011 can be found here. Additional events will be added as the year progresses.
August 2010 Working Weekend
Published 28 August 2010 | Whilst Llangollen Railway was hosted the Thomas the Tank Engine specials, a number of 6880 members were busy working away in the C&W sheds. The aim of this working weekend was to prepare our recently purchased box van for outside storage, as at present it is not in the best of condition. The Van was moved down from the loco shed to Pentrefelin Shed by Quentin and Graham Hoyland during the previous week.
On Saturday Mick, Jeff and Q started by removing all the remains of the old roof canvas. There were numerous old nails to be removed before the roof boards were ready to be sanded down. Two boards had sprung and required coach bolts to pull them back down. Once the roof had been sanded, a sealant was applied.
The two sliding doors required repairs. A new set of T&G boards were cut and fitted to replace a poor set on one door. The frame on the other door required two new main timbers. The same gang, now assisted by Richy P and myself fresh from Thomas duties, and Hank, did this on Sunday. Due to the joints this proved a lengthy job but was completed by the end of Sunday. Further vertical planks were replaced and a start on sanding the remaining planks down prior to painting was made.
Next working weekend we plan to fit a new roof canvas and make a start on painting the exterior and fitting of shelves inside.
Below is a brief history of this van, courtesy of Steve Best from Preserved Railway Stocklist.
Box Van 30454 was purpose built for the MOD by Chas Roberts in 1940, and is loosely based on a LNER diagram 094 box van. 30454 is its ROF Glascoed ID number, & wouldn’t have had a ‘M’ pref. They were also 10t not 13t as in your photo. It was registered by the GWR in the 85xxx range as all privately owned wagons, MOD included, were registered by one of the main operators in pre nat days and later by BR. The registration would have been plated on the frame. These were not the running number the owners applied. In 1994 the Van was purchased by a Mr Mimms and it moved to the Dean Forest Railway, where it was used as a stores van. The 6880 Society recently bought the wagon from Mr Mimms and intend to use it for storing all the parts for 6880 that they have acquired over the last few years.
Jon
Newsletter Summer 2010
Published 7 August 2010 | Now available for download, Newsletter 14. (3mb PDF file).
All the latest progress on 6880, membership news and the purchase of 5952 Cogan Hall.
Cogan Hall at Llangollen
Published 4 May 2010 | 5952 Cogan Hall is now at Llangollen, and we have added a page for the Hall on the site.
Progress Update, April 2010
Published 25 April 2010 | We have now had all the riveting completed to attach the cab steps to the main frame, and the completed the fitting of the rear dragbox, rear bufferbeam and buffer plates including the riveting. 6880 volunteers have marked up and drilled out all the holes over the last 12 months.
The saddle plate has also been successfully riveted into place after being built and marked out by Ian Massey last summer. 6880 now awaits the arrival of the extension frames which will be riveted in front of the saddle. It is hoped for these will arrive later this year.
Jonathan Kerr, 25th April 2010.
5952 Cogan Hall
Published 3 February 2010 | The Board of 6880 Betton Grange (Society) Ltd are pleased to announce that they have been successful in purchasing 5952 Cogan Hall together with a substantial amount of spare parts. This is a strategic decision which will substantially reduce the time and cost of constructing Betton Grange.
In the medium term we propose to refurbish the bogie and later tender from Cogan Hall for use with 6880. The cost of a new bogie alone would be in excess of the purchase price for 5952. In addition the time required to refurbish the existing bogie will be substantially less than manufacturing and assembling from new. Refurbishing the existing bogie will also assist in providing information and experience necessary to construct a new bogie for Cogan Hall in the longer term.
We must stress that we do not propose to dismantle Cogan Hall to provide parts for 6880 or any other projects. The longer term desire is to restore Cogan Hall in its own right. This will be subject to separate fund raising. There has already been significant interest expressed by several of Betton Granges supporters in restoring 5952 by once 6880 is completed.
We must record our thanks to the Board of the Llangollen Railway for their agreement in allowing Cogan Hall to be moved to the railway. It is expected that 5952 will be moved to the Llangollen Railway before the Spring Gala 23rd to 25th April.
With regard to 6880 significant progress is being by Dave Owen’s team in completing the riveting of the dragbox and progressing with the horn guides. In addition the patterns for spring hanger brackets have been made and the brackets cast. The curved foot framing which will be fitted below the cab has been manufactured.
The Society is indebted to Pete Simpson from the Severn Valley Railway, for producing drawings for the new extension frames. Costs are currently being obtained for their manufacture. It is anticipated that an order will be placed for the extension frames before the summer.
Membership Options
Published 10 January 2010 | Newsletter 13 (Autumn 2009)
Published 19 December 2009 | Now available for download, Newsletter 13.
All the latest progress on 6880, and future plans.