Roundhouse "Vale of Ffestiniog"

Keith S · Post by **Keith S** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 2:55 pm

I was bumbling around on the internet and found an old newsletter from 2001 from a 16mm association group.

I was surprised that one of the main articles in the newsletter had to do with some new models unveiled by roundhouse at a show... one of which was a fuel-cell powered model of the Ffestiniog railway's Funkey diesel.

Did a prototype ever see the light of day? It's not even mentioned in Roundhouse's online "museum" or anything.

Very mysterious and interesting.

DolwyddelanLightRail · Post by **DolwyddelanLightRail** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 3:54 pm

I wouldn't mind seeing one being made, I recon it'll be more powerful than the cric they make! Especially if a lot of weight is added for traction!

Interesting pointless fact of the day from me is that the Vale of Ffestiniog is the most powerful 2ft gauge diesel in the UK!

TonyW · Post by **TonyW** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 4:37 pm

DolwyddelanLightRail:75193 wrote:Interesting pointless fact of the day from me is that the Vale of Ffestiniog is the most powerful 2ft gauge diesel in the UK!

You might want to double-check that!

DVT Dweller · Post by **DVT Dweller** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 7:30 pm

TonyW:75194 wrote:
DolwyddelanLightRail:75193 wrote:Interesting pointless fact of the day from me is that the Vale of Ffestiniog is the most powerful 2ft gauge diesel in the UK!
You might want to double-check that!

Its those Polish beast's at the WHHR isnt it Tony? As for a thought on the mag, what is the date of the issue you are reading?

Keith S · Post by **Keith S** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 7:43 pm

It's the L.A.D.S. newsletter from 2001...here's the link.

http://www.narrow.gauge.btinternet.co.uk/11.pdf

Clearly they never actually offered this model, but I wonder if they ever manufactured a prototype model. Judging by the wording in the newsletter, the author actually SAW the model at this show. I wonder if it's hidden away at Roundhouse. We'll probably never know.

Someone should ask them about it, just out of curiosity.

WVLR · Post by **WVLR** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:09 pm

Note the month it was published

laalratty · Post by **laalratty** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:39 pm

Oh deary me, another person caught out by the L.A.D's practical jokery!

Chris Mackenze who edited the Lancashire and District Newsletter was very well known for his April fools jokes. His greatest one is surely the one about the camera track for the 2002 Commenwelth Games atletics events being 45mm gauge and asking for runners to run trains on it for a supposed model event. This caught out 3 members, one of which is now a member of this forum I believe.....

So sorry, no Roundhouse Vale of Ffestiniog, although funny how events have turned out in the last 11 years to make it seem quite believeable!

Sir haydn · Post by **Sir haydn** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 8:44 pm

I believe one year it was also posted that a thomas the tank version of the lady anne was to become avaliable.

DVT Dweller · Post by **DVT Dweller** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:56 pm

WVLR:75205 wrote:Note the month it was published

Thats what I was getting at

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 10:56 pm

was he also responsible for that article in Garden Rail once about a link line which ran under a motorway between two gardens?

TonyW · Post by **TonyW** » Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:29 pm

DVT Dweller:75199 wrote:Its those Polish beast's at the WHHR isnt it Tony?

Sure is. They are 345 bhp compared to the Funkey's 335 bhp.

Keith S · Post by **Keith S** » Wed Sep 26, 2012 3:00 am

Damn it!!

Well, it seems believable, after all they went on to do the Crecceith Castle engine...

DolwyddelanLightRail · Post by **DolwyddelanLightRail** » Wed Sep 26, 2012 8:32 am

TonyW:75220 wrote:
DVT Dweller:75199 wrote:Its those Polish beast's at the WHHR isnt it Tony?
Sure is. They are 345 bhp compared to the Funkey's 335 bhp.

Oops! I was assured it was the other way round! Unless the Polish ones aren't operational at the moment so I may have been told that the Vale is the most powerful operational at the time?

(I say at the time, as well, VofFf isn't exactly that powerful at the moment

)

DVT Dweller · Post by **DVT Dweller** » Wed Sep 26, 2012 9:20 am

DolwyddelanLightRail:75228 wrote:
TonyW:75220 wrote:
DVT Dweller:75199 wrote:Its those Polish beast's at the WHHR isnt it Tony?
Sure is. They are 345 bhp compared to the Funkey's 335 bhp.
Oops! I was assured it was the other way round! Unless the Polish ones aren't operational at the moment so I may have been told that the Vale is the most powerful operational at the time?

(I say at the time, as well, VofFf isn't exactly that powerful at the moment )

Theyve got 3 of them IIRC so I would have thought they would have been able to keep one in service at anyone time.

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