Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Hi,

As some will know the Festiniog Railway in Wales before it used steam traction used gravity to get the slate from the quarries to Porth Madoc harbour. The railway which is twelve miles long drops some 700 feet at a fairly constant grade.  The two ton slate wagons had a number of brakeman controller by whistles.  The last wagon was a 'Dandy' wagon to transport a horse to take the wagons across the 'Cob' which was flat  on the last part of the journey the horse was then used to return the empty wagons to the quarries.  Some years ago I made a model of a gravity train.



A sort video of a real gravity train in action.  They have to go slowly through the station.



There are longer videos of them going a lot faster between stations.

Take care stay safe.

Tony.