Palmerston back to VoR for overhaul and festival
Ffestiniog Railway England 0-4-0ST ‘Palmerston’ is to return to the Vale of Rheidol Railway for display, overhaul and then a starring role at the line’s August Steam Festival.
The agreement to send the 1864-built loco south is the result of an increasing collaboration between the two railways as they both develop new visitor experiences. The VoR will open its new visitor centre and museum in the former standard-gauge loco shed at Aberystwyth from 23rd March, while the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway is developing a behind-the-scenes tour at its Boston Lodge Works in Porthmadog – this will open later in 2024.
Palmerston was due to be transferred to the VoR in late February. The loco will be displayed in the Aberystwyth museum until July, when it will enter the line’s workshops for work to return it to traffic.
Palmerston will then be a star attraction at the Rheidol Steam Festival. This event, being held over the August bank holiday weekend of 24th-26th August, will feature a number of attractions including an intensive timetable.
Palmerston will be hauling trains to Devil’s Bridge during the Festival, and after the conclusion of the event will return to Porthmadog in time to play its part in the
Ffestiniog’s traditional Bygones Weekend on 4th-6th October.
This will be Palmerston’s fourth visit to the Rheidol. The loco worked on the mid-Wales line in 1914-15 and 1921-22, and returned in September 2014, the oldest surviving engine to run on the line.
VoR managing director Llˆyr ap Iolo said all at the line were looking forward to the loco running at the August event, adding; “It has been ten years since its last visit to Aberystwyth, so it will be great to have it here again for all to experience once more”.
FF&WHR general manager Paul Lewin highlighted the visitor experiences that both railways are developing. “We have invested heavily in interpretation and conservation of the historic loco works at Boston Lodge – rather than simply catching a fleeting glimpse of our locos and workshops, we will invite our visitors right in to the heart of the place.
“Similarly, the Rheidol team are making their impressive collection openly available for the first time – this is all great news for visitors, and it makes so much sense for us to work together.”