Plan for Swiss loco on Snowdon stalls
PLANS to bring a vintage locomotive from Switzerland to Snowdonia to operate on Britain’s only mountain railway will not go ahead this year.
Rail enthusiasts had been looking forward to seeing the loco, built in 1891, from the Brienz Rothorn Bahn (BRB) near Interlaken, in action on the Snowdon Mountain Railway for a four-week stay.
No 2 was built at the same works as the Snowdon line’s steam locomotives.
A carriage from the railway would also travel from Switzerland. Organisers had hoped to run a special service from Llanberis at least part way up Snowdon.
The Snowdon Mountain Railway is the only compatible rack-and-pinion railway in Britain although they are common in Switzerland.
Work has been carried out at Waterfall station to allow the train to operate from the Llanberis terminus.
But a spokesperson for Snowdon Mountain Railway said: “This is a really ambitious project which, unfortunately, due to its complexity will not now be happening this year.
“However, discussions are continuing and we are still hopeful of bringing a vintage steam locomotive from Switzerland to North Wales.”
Earlier this year, Michael Ellis, an Englishman living in Switzerland and working part-time on the BRB, said the idea of bringing the loco to Snowdonia was first suggested three years ago.
He said the steam locos at the Snowdon Mountain Railway and BRB were built in Switzerland at the same works but have never met.
The Snowdon Mountain Railway took delivery of five Swiss-built locos in 1895-96 and three are still in operation while another is awaiting an extensive overhaul.
The other loco was destroyed in an accident on the railway’s opening day.
There are similarities between the Snowdon Mountain Railway and the BRB railway. Don Craig, narrow gauge historian, said both railways are about five miles long and both use steam locomotives. Although the Brienzer Rothorn mountain is twice as high as Snowdon at 7,710 feet the ascent is similar as it starts much higher above sea level than Llanberis.
There are cafes at the summit of both mountains and a network of footpaths which are popular with walkers.