‘NEW’ DUO SET FOR FFESTINIOG DEBUTS
New-build James Spooner and rebuilt Welsh Pony will enter traffic in 2020.
Two ‘new’ locomotives – double Fairlie James Spooner and ‘Large England’ Welsh Pony – are set to enter traffic on the Ffestiniog Railway in 2020
The former – based on the 1872 Avonside-built original but designed to closely resemble its successor, Merddin Emrys, as outshopped in 1879 – is ready to accept its boiler, which has been under construction at Powys Steel Fabrications for the past two years. A hydraulic test is expected early in the new year.
The boiler cradle, which was placed upon double Fairlie Earl of Merioneth’s 1986-built power bogies earlier this year, is at the FR’s Boston Lodge workshops, where the reversing gear and brake rigging have recently been completed, while 3½ tons of steel for the cab and water tanks, designed by FR volunteer Dominic Wells, was delivered at the end of November. “The space has been cleared ready for the major fabrication exercise in which the new locomotive will take shape quite quickly,” said Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways press officer Chris Parry.
It is intended to launch James Spooner into traffic in 2020 to mark the 150th anniversary of the trials of the FR’s first double Fairlie, Little Wonder, but this “depends on the ability of the team to keep attention on the new locomotive while at the same time keeping the extensive operating fleet in working order,” added Mr Parry.
The second ‘new’ locomotive hoped to steam on the FR during 2020 is ‘Large England’ 0-4-0STT Welsh Pony. Work on restoring the 1867-built locomotive, which has received new frames, boiler, cylinders and tender as part of its restoration, has restarted in earnest at Boston Lodge, following a pause last year owing to other priorities.
The locomotive is a four-coupled engine once more, following the completion and fitting of its coupling rods, while work on the dragboxes and footplate framing is well advanced. A new stainless steel smokebox has been fitted and the new smokebox door and chimney are in hand, while work has begun on fitting the boiler cladding. Mr Parry said: “The previously restored saddle tank, dating back over a hundred years, will be given some extra fettling shortly, ahead of test-fitting in December.”
He added: “While the FR can
never be fully certain of what other higher priority demands will be