Railway General Knowledge.

[SteveM70]

Those red ones look just like the dinner tickets we had at high school

 

[xotGD]

Can't think of anything so Open Floor please.

 

[DerekC]

A lighthearted one to keep the show on the road. Who were the railway staff immortalised in Ivor the Engine? And for a bonus point, what was the name of the diesel that appeared briefly in the series?

 

[Ashley Hill]

I can only remember Jones the Steam.

 

[SteveM70]

Dai Station was one of them

 

[DerekC]

The Merioneth and Llantisilly Rail Traction Company Limited certainly employed Jones the Steam (Ivor's driver, although Ivor had fullt autonomous capabilities too) and Dai Station (stationmaster at Llaniog and keeper of The Rulebook).

There is one other essential function on railway operational staff lists, which seems to have been needed in the top left hand corner of Wales as much as anywhere else.

 

[SteveM70]

There was a signalman but I’ve no idea what his name was. Presumably something from the big book of Welsh stereotypes. Trevor?

 

[DerekC]

There was a signalman but I’ve no idea what his name was. Presumably something from the big book of Welsh stereotypes. Trevor?

Right function but wrong name.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Right function but wrong name.

Owen?

 

[DerekC]

Owen?

It was indeed Owen the Signal who performed this important function. The M&LRTCo must have been an early investor in Centralised Train Control, because it had only one signabox despite having four triangular junctions distributed at different points on the system. (This according to Quail - the map in my 1978 "Ivor the Engine Annual")

Now we have a tie - so to have the points set back to the main line at Tewyn or Llangubbin so that you can return to the world of reality, please name the other self-propelled rail mounted vehicle which featured briefly in the series. I did find a picture of it to help you along.

 

[Ashley Hill]

It was indeed Owen the Signal who performed this important function. The M&LRTCo must have been an early investor in Centralised Train Control, because it had only one signabox despite having four triangular junctions distributed at different points on the system. (This according to Quail - the map in my 1978 "Ivor the Engine Annual")

Now we have a tie - so to have the points set back to the main line at Tewyn or Llangubbin so that you can return to the world of reality, please name the other self-propelled rail mounted vehicle which featured briefly in the series. I did find a picture of it to help you along.

View attachment 139129

That pictures worth a caption competition all of its own .
“And this is Ivor’s replacement boyo. It’s government funded and built by Hitatchi so it must be good!.”

 

[DerekC]

The diesel was a replacement for Ivor when he ran away to join the circus - but it wasn't a success as it broke down on its first trip and had to be recovered under donkey power - so I suppose you could call it a bi-mode. Its name came, I think, from the fact that Bynon Smith, who made it, forgot to include any brakes.

 

[Ashley Hill]

The diesel was a replacement for Ivor when he ran away to join the circus - but it wasn't a success as it broke down on its first trip

Just like the IET,water everywhere .

 

[DerekC]

To guess the name - think of an unstoppable vehicle.

 

[Whistler40145]

Land Rover

 

[DerekC]

Land Rover

The name has its origins in the means of conveyance of one of the Hindu gods.

 

[Gloster]

I presume it is Jagannath, rendered as juggernaut.

 

[DerekC]

I presume it is Jagannath, rendered as juggernaut.

That's the one - Owen the signal has woken up and the route is set for you back to the main line.

 

[Gloster]

How many years did the Listowel & Ballybunion operate for?

 

[Calthrop]

36 (give or take the number-of-months factor) -- 1888 to 1924.

 

[Gloster]

36 (give or take the number-of-months factor) -- 1888 to 1924.

Correct. To you to balance on the centre rail.

 

[Calthrop]

I sometimes get taken to task on this particular quiz, for a perceived obsession with Irish railways, especially narrow-gauge ones. However -- emboldened by the just-above question from you, @Gloster -- here's mine.

There have been, running outward from termini in the city of Dublin -- in different respective directions -- two different-and-distinct roadside steam tramways with identities as such (both ceased to be, in different ways, a very long time ago vis-a-vis now). Please identify both -- any additional info, "welcome but not obligatory".

 

[martinsh]

Dublin & Blessington
Deblin & Lucan

 

[Calthrop]

Dublin & Blessington
Deblin & Lucan

Spot-on ! Your turn.

 

[martinsh]

THe official railway mileage for Pwllheli is 132miles 70chains. Where is this particular mileage measured from ?

 

[Gloster]

Whitchurch?

 

[Snow1964]

I will take a punt on the HQ of Cambrian at Oswestry

 

[martinsh]

Whitchurch?

Whitchurch is correct - via Oswestry

Your turn to get the tape measure out

 

[Gloster]

Sticking to Wales. For much of its existence the Neath & Brecon did not operate trains over the northern part of its line. Which company did?

 

[martinsh]

Midland - ran a Hereford to Swansea service I think.

Open floor if correct