North Wales NarroW GauGe railWays huNslet siNGle Fairlie 0‑6‑4t
Gowrie
Group: The Gowrie Project
Project formed: 2018 Project cost: £550,000-600,000
Raised to date: Not stated Estimated completion date: Approx. 2024 Location: ‘Workshop X’, Derbyshire
Think of the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways – precursor to the Welsh Highland Railway – and what springs to mind? The now-preserved Hunslet 2-6-2T Russell perhaps? Or the line’s attractive Vulcan Foundry single Fairlie 0-6-4Ts Moel Tryfan and Snowdon Ranger?
Hunslet single Fairlie Gowrie was probably not at the top of the list.
Nonetheless, this unusual and unique locomotive is the subject of a new-build project which intends to resurrect the last Fairlie-type locomotive built for use in Britain prior to the construction of pioneering newbuild double Fairlie Earl of Merioneth in 1979.
On the face of it, Gowrie is not the natural choice for a new-build locomotive, in light of its very short career on the NWNGR and its reported poor steaming qualities. Named after the railway’s engineer and manager, Gowrie Aitcheson, it was built by Hunslet (the only Fairlie-type locomotive built by the firm) and delivered to Dinas in September 1908 to supplement Moel Tryfan, Snowdon Ranger and 1906-built Russell. With a smaller boiler, and less heating surface but larger cylinders than the Vulcan single Fairlies, Gowrie often struggled for steam, and it was sold to the Ministry of Munitions around 1917 to assist the war effort after less than a decade in service.
It subsequently ended up in the possession of J.F. Wake, a Darlington-based dealer of second-hand railway equipment, who unsuccessfully attempted to sell Gowrie to the Vale of Rheidol Railway in 1923. After failing to find a buyer, it was last put up for sale in January 1928, after which it was supposedly scrapped.
The project to build a replica of this ill-fated machine was unveiled in early 2018 (SR477), and is being led by Ffestiniog Railway volunteer Paul Stock, although it is not officially affiliated with the modern day Welsh Highland Railway. Instead, the 0-6-4T will be built at ‘Workshop X’ in Killamarsh, Derbyshire, alongside new-build Lynton & Barnstaple Railway Manning Wardle No. 759 Yeo
(see previous page), by the group of volunteers who restored ‘Quarry Hunslet’ 0-4-0ST Works No. 992 Edward Sholto, Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0WT Works No. 1238 and War Department Light Railways Hunslet 4-6-0T No. 303.
But why choose to resurrect such an unsuccessful design? Paul says: “A lot of people have asked me that, but it is just an engine I have always had personal affection for. My late father was a life member of the Ffestiniog Railway, and he took me to Caernarfon when trains started running from there in 1997.
“He bought me a couple of history books about the WHR, and I came across Gowrie in one of those and just fell in love. I spent a lot of my childhood drawing pictures of it and thinking about it.”
Aside from the manufacturing of some smaller components – such as the bogie pivot pin, regulator and reversing handles, and smokebox door dart – progress since the project’s launch has been limited as work continued behind the scenes to set it up as a charitable incorporated organisation. With the establishment of the CIO at an advanced stage, fundraising began in earnest in early June this year (SR494).
Gowrie is expected to cost between £550,000 and £600,000. The boiler, expected to be built by Israel Newton & Sons Ltd, is to be six inches longer than the original in an effort to improve its steaming qualities, and the engine will be dual-braked so it is compatible with both the FR and WHR’s vacuum-braked and air-braked stock respectively.
Speaking to Steam Railway in June, Paul said: “The first major expense will be the boiler redesign, which will be a few thousand itself. From there, we will know if we need to adjust the frames at all, then proceed with cutting.
“We’re planning on getting all items of the same thickness cut at the same time to reduce costs and we’ve shortlisted three suppliers we aim to visit in the near future.
“We’re hoping to be towards the lower end of the £550,000-600,000 figure, with a bit of breathing room for unexpected issues. Providing the cash continues to flow and we maintain momentum, five years is still the aim.”
Once complete in approximately five year’s time, Gowrie will run frequently at both the Welsh Highland railways, although it is likely to spend much of its time at the Statfold Barn Railway.