Praise for WHR crew’s rapid response to collision

FFESTINIOG & Welsh Highland Railway general manager Paul Lewin praised the “quick and professional response” of the locomotive and on-board crew of a WHR service train after the locomotive was involved in collision with a car at an ungated level crossing at Cwm Gloch Isaf near Beddgelert on Friday, October 28.

On just its second revenueearning trip after completion of overhaul, NGG16 Garratt No. 143 was hauling the return journey of one of the line’s Snowdonian Star trips, which operate the full line between Caernarfon and Porthmadog stations, when it was in collision with a car at an ungated crossing. The vehicle was pushed onto the adjacent bank and came to rest against the coaching stock as the train came to a stop.

The incident was attended by police, fire crews, and both road and air ambulances after initial reports suggested that the driver was trapped inside.

“Thankfully it wasn’t as serious as it sounded,” Paul said. “The driver’s side door was the one resting against the train, and the driver was of an age where they were unable to climb across and out the other side. Once freed, they walked to the waiting ambulance by themselves. I must express my relief that nobody was injured in the incident and say that

I am extremely proud of the professionalism of the staff and volunteers who kept everyone safe and looked after the passengers, and were involved in the extensive recovery operation to get them all back to their starting points.”

No. 143 was travelling at 10mph when the car was spotted by the fireman on the approach to the crossing. The quick reactions meant that the train stopped within a distance of just two carriage lengths. Trains were cancelled for the rest of the day as a recovery operation got underway. The Garratt sustained damage mainly to its front left side, which an initial assessment found was limited to a bent bufferbeam, damaged lubrication pipework and scratched paint; the carriages were unaffected.