62-tonne steam train: 1 car: 0

ACAR was wrecked in a collision with a steam train in Snowdonia. The red Ford and the Welsh Highland service collided at a crossing near Beddgelert on Thursday.

No-one was hurt, but the car was badly damaged and around 100 passengers on the train had to be taken away by road while investigations were carried out.

A railway spokesman said the driver “was very lucky indeed to have got off so lightly” adding that “the 62-tonne steam locomotive appears to have suffered only cosmetic damage.”

“The two carriages immediately behind the engine were damaged by the car, causing thousands of pounds of damage. The car is a write off,” the spokesman added.

Rail Accident Investigation Branch took control of the site briefly and police were also at the scene.

The site was quickly released back to Welsh Highland Railway staff once the circumstances were understood and the recovery completed.

The company operates two services, one from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog and the other from Porthmadog to Caernarfon.

Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways general manager Paul Lewin praised railway staff for working quickly and efficiently in demanding hot weather to look after the passengers, resolve the problems and recover the trains.

Services on the WHR – the world’s oldest railway firm still operating trains – returned to normal on Friday.