The residents and businesses at Sling Uchaf have been waiting patiently for several years for the Tramway Company to build a decent goods shed and yard at the station. Last year a new yard area was planned to be built with a loco servicing area and a siding by the station building for a proposed goods shed. The associated landscaping got a bit carried away and an old quarry tunnel was incorporated without any prior planning. And then the Tramway Management had the bright idea to use this section of quarry tramway as a head-shunt for gaining access to the new goods shed siding.
After a while it was realised this was a mistake as the only engines that could safely use the head-shunt would have to be small radio controlled quarry diesels – but the Tramway doesn’t have any suitable ones to use!!!
And so, the goods shed siding and the point from the head-shunt have been taken up and a new siding has now been installed for the goods shed. It actually gives a longer siding and a lot more space for the shed to sit comfortably within the yard area – and the quarry track can be limited to quarry rolling stock only.
The photos show the “before and after”. The track to the left in the photos is the through line to the return loop, but which is presently out of use whilst bridge construction works are in progress, and so engines have to run round their trains at the station for the time being.
The next step will be to try out the new arrangement for shunting and running round a train for a return journey back down the valley …
Looks good! Looking forward to seeing it in use…