RUSSELL’S FIRST PUBLIC RUNS TO BEDDGELERT IN 82 YEARS
Historic Welsh Highland Railway Hunslet hauls first public trains to Beddgelert since 1937.
Former North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Hunslet 2-6-2T Russell hauled public passenger trains over the original route of the Welsh Highland Railway for the first time in over 80 years during the line’s ‘Past, Present & Future’.
The June 21-23 gala was the first time the 1906-built locomotive – the sole surviving original WHR engine and which usually resides on the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway – had hauled revenueearning trains over the southern part of the Dinas-Porthmadog route since it was withdrawn in 1937. It followed a secret trial run between Pen-y-Mount and Beddgelert on November 25 last year ahead of the event (SR487).
Russell was similarly confined
to the Porthmadog-Beddgelert section of the WHR for the gala, working either double-headed or topping-and-tailing with the Ffestiniog Railway’s ‘Small England’ 0-4-0STT No. 2 Prince so the air-braked engine could haul the WHR’s vacuum-braked stock.
Russell was not the only historic Hunslet starring at the event, as it shared the spotlight with Railway Operating Division Hunslet 4-6-0T No. 303. The 1916-built locomotive was making its delayed debut on the F&WHR, having been originally scheduled to appear at the railway’s ‘Hunslet 125’ event in June last year (SR482) but unable to attend as its restoration was not quite complete.
Echoing that scenario at this year’s gala, Baldwin ‘10-12-D’ 4-6-0PT Works No. 45190 (WDLR No. 608) had been booked to make its preservation debut as the third visiting engine (see SR490), but fell through at the eleventh hour owing to its own restoration overrunning.
A loose piston prevented ‘Small England’ Palmerston from participating on both the Saturday and Sunday, with replica L&B Manning Wardle 2-6-2T No. E190 Lyd taking over its duties on Saturday, and single Fairlie Taliesin on Sunday, with Lyd taking over Taliesin’s diagrammed duties.
The action was not confined to the Welsh Highland Railway however, as F&WHR-based ‘Quarry Hunslet’ 0-4-0STs Britomart and Hugh Napier worked on the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway alongside the line’s own Bagnall 0-4-2T Works No. 3050 ‘Gelert’ with the FR’s ‘Bug Box’ carriages.
F&WHR marketing officer Chris Parry commented: “We would like to thank everyone – staff, volunteers and visitors – who made the weekend a great success. The sun shone and we welcomed large crowds to the railway. The event wouldn’t have been possible without the cooperation of the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway, and we’re truly grateful for their help and hope that there will be much more of the same in the future.”
●● A “generous sponsor” has agreed to fund a replica Pickering brake composite carriage for the WHHR. Two such vehicles were supplied by R.Y. Pickering of Wishaw, Scotland, to the original WHR in 1907. A contractor is expected to be appointed this summer and completion is anticipated in 2020.