MOUNTAINEER PROJECT LAUNCHED AT WARLEY

The project to resurrect one of the Ffestiniog Railway’s first locomotives – ‘Small England’ 0-4-0TT Mountaineer – has been officially launched.

Exclusively revealed by Steam Railway in August (SR496), the £250,000 project to build a replica of one of the first two locomotives delivered to the FR in July 1863 was officially inaugurated at the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition in Birmingham on November 23/24. Project founder David Wood said that public reaction had been “really positive; we had a lot of interest from younger trainee Ffestiniog drivers and firemen in particular.”

Construction of Mountaineer’s boiler is already well under way at the project’s engineering base at North Bay Railway Engineering Services in Darlington and it is hoped it will be finished by Christmas “at the earliest, though probably more likely early in the new year,” said Mr Wood. The barrel is all but complete and has passed its x-ray exam, while the inner firebox and wrapper are both making considerable progress. Once complete and tested, they will be trial-assembled to facilitate the fitting of the foundation ring.

The next stage will be to cut the frames, which are estimated to cost £1,500, then cast the cylinders, wheels and axles – although there is the possibility of incorporating original material. Mr Wood said: “Depending on the Ffestiniog Railway, there are some original bits we could potentially use. There’s Palmerston’s old axles in the yard at Minffordd as well as a pair of driving wheels, which are either Mountaineer’s originals, or from Palmerston.”

Although construction of the boiler has been largely self-funded, Mr Wood is seeking external contributions to help progress the project and is exploring a number of fundraising options, including part sponsorship and offering shares. For more information and to support the project, visit https://1863mountaineerloco.co.uk