Winifred returns steam to Bala town after over 56 years
MORE than 56 years after BR ended rail services to Bala, residents were once able to ride behind steam in the town.
It was on January 18, 1965, that Bala Junction station – where the line to Blaenau Ffestiniog left the Ruabon-Barmouth route – closed to passengers.
However, steam brought the town to life on June 12/13, when the Bala Lake Railway held a free open weekend at the planned terminus of its proposed extension into the town.
Organised by the Bala Lake Railway Society, with significant support from the company's permanent staff and the Bala Lake Railway Trust, and postponed last year because of the pandemic, a fairground atmosphere drew townsfolk and visitors to the site.
The event, named ReRailed, was possibly the most ambitious ever staged by the railway, and was the conclusion of two months of sheer hard graft by volunteers.
Four organised working days with both large and small teams of volunteers completing tasks big and small had begun on April 17.
The Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways loaned track materials to create a temporary 2ft gauge running line. The track had to be unloaded with a telehandler due to its weight.
Working parties then undertook the task of levelling the track on the very uneven ground. An entire lorry load of aggregate was used, while all 20 tons were hand-shovelled into place by volunteers.
Slate quarry star
The volunteer parties also built a water tower and platform out of sleepers, and the tower was filled by the fire brigade.
The star of ReRailed was Quarry Hunslet 0-4-0ST No. 364 of 1885 Winifred, which was supplied new for the Penrhyn Slate Quarry and spent most its working life at Port Penrhyn.
When the quarry switched to diesel locomotives, the steam locomotives were offered for sale. CB Arnette, an American antiques dealer, bought six including Barclay 0-4-0WT Cegin (see separate story, pages 20-21) in 1965, and exported them to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, for auction.
Winifred and another two were bought by Tony Hulman, owner of the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500 race. After displaying it a museum for a few years, it was moved into storage where it stayed for the next half a century. In 2012, Winifred was bought by BLR chairman Julian Birley and returned to Wales for restoration. It resteamed in spring 2015.
ReRailed featured Winifred hauling a Penrhyn workman's coach that had been temporarily modified for social distancing to give rides. The event also featured a 7¼in gauge miniature railway with steam and electric locomotives, a Winifred display by Llanuwchllyn School pupils, a display of classic cars (including legendary Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway photographer Ivo Peter's Bentley Mk. VI), sports cars and motorbikes, attendance by the fire brigade, and model railways.
The final plans for the new Bala station were on display for the first time alongside an earlier model of the original design concept, while Julian gave four well-attended guided tours of the extension route.
A vintage bus provided a regular service linking the ReRailed site to the existing Bala Pen-y-bont station three-quarters of a mile away.
Refreshments were provided by the local butchers' barbeque stall, an ice cream van and a fundraising cake, tea and coffee stand. Cakes were baked and donated by supporters, both local and distant. Railway volunteers were assisted by the local Rotary Club.
An advertising drive was undertaken, with leaflets and posters being distributed to shops, bed and breakfasts, and campsites, while online there was a social media
campaign to raise further awareness among both local people and the enthusiast community.
The weather for the event was hot and sunny, in great contrast to much of May, which had caused Bala to make the national news for having rainfall 300% above the norm.
At 10.30am on the first day, Winifred made its entrance steaming along the 200ft-long line into the platform, whistling continuously to ensure everybody knew it was coming.
At 3pm on the Saturday there were speeches from Julian and local councillor Dilwyn Morgan, who unveiled the new Bala running-in board, a replica of the GWR original.
Springboard
ReRailed exceeded all expectations. The event organiser, the society's vice-chairman Tim Williams, said: “The goodwill generated by ReRailed will now provide us with the springboard needed to secure the planning permission and grants needed to make the extension a reality.”
Julian said: “This symbolic occasion was to demonstrate that the project of the extension of the BLR has come through the pandemic, and it is to reassure the community of residents and businesses that the ultimate day of trains running through to Llanuwchllyn is drawing closer.
“This was an event purely for the community. After such a long time of us all in isolation, it brought together many hundreds of people (socially distanced and in the open).
“There was a tremendous sense of bonding between groups – from the Rotary Club, local traders and residents to car and motor cycle clubs, and, probably most significantly, the local school. They have adopted the principal steam locomotive as a project and produced the most wonderful display.
“The great success of the weekend just goes to reinforce that there continues to be outstanding public support and urgent need for this project to be delivered.”
For more information about how to get involved with the project, visit www.balalakerailwaytrust.org.uk/