Saint Collen's coracle would have come in handy over the weekend when the Chetter & Bishop 'dream team' paid a two-day recording visit to the Llangollen Railway at the kind invitation of the Llangollen Railcars Group. The weather was not kind, the wettest since Temple Mills in my case, but didn't hinder proceedings unduly. Four mics were pointed at the 108, Wickham (109) and 141 on several runs each up and down the full length of the line, producing some excellent under-load engine sounds. Also laid down in each case were cold and warm starts, horns from both ends plus a full set of all the distinctive 'auxiliary' sounds like the guard's buzzer, vacuum brake applications, saloon heater and so on. All 3 units were in really great shape and a credit to the group, so there were none of the issues of 'dodgy' sounds you sometimes get with preserved stock. The Wickham in particular is like new inside and a treat to ride in.

If you haven't visited Llangollen yet then next weekend is your ideal opportunity as it's the Railcar Gala. The line itself winds for 7.5 miles along the banks of the river Dee, in full spate at the moment with the recent rain, so the waterfalls and rapids along the route are visually and audibly stunning. The line is flanked on both sides by the spectacular foothills of the Snowdonia National Park, and of course hills means gradients and engines working hard.

Public thanks go to the group for hosting the visit, and to Evan and the drivers Rod, Jim, Graham and Mike. Paul and I will be making a donation to the group in return for their hospitality.