£95K TO KEEP THE EARL’S OVERHAUL ON COURSE

The Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway has launched a £95,000 appeal to ensure it has at least one of its original locomotives in steam next year.

1902-built Beyer Peacock 0-6-0T No. 822 The Earl was undergoing a contract ‘ten-year’ overhaul at the Vale of Rheidol Railway (SR493) when the Covid-19 outbreak and resulting lockdown forced all work to cease. It had been hoped to have The Earl in traffic for the current summer season so it was available to take over from classmate No. 823 The Countess when the latter bows out for overhaul next February.

With no trading income since this February owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the WLLR needs supporters’ help to ensure The Earl returns to steam in time and prevent the railway from having neither of its original locomotives in steam for the first time in over 30 years.

A spokesman said: “If we can raise £30,000, we can ask our contractors to complete the work as far as reassembling The Earl as a ‘rolling chassis’, essentially the bottom half of the locomotive, pending further restoration.

“If we can raise £95,000, we can ask our contractors to finish the job off, so that The Earl can be back in service to take part in our annual gala in 2021 as the ‘star turn’, and we would continue to have one of our original locomotives available with only a short gap between their availability.”

The appeal had raised over £34,000 at the time of going to press. To donate, visit https://bit. ly/2MSm924. Cheques payable to Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway Preservation Co Ltd can be sent to Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway, The Station, Llanfair Caereinion SY21 0SF.