FR & WHR & WHHR News

Good lord... If a certain big red hunslet were able to finally get to saunter up the pass, that would be truely something.

 

Heh, if only...! Call me impressed if somebody managed to build it in secret and no one knew about it till now!

 

Sorry to disappoint but "Wheldale" won't fit. It's standard gauge

 

The Guiness Brewery in Dublin got round that particular problem many moons ago ..... Just Sayin'!

 

I'm not sure I've seen any pictures of the standard gauge engines running on 1ft 10in gauge converter wagons. Must have been a bit precarious.

 

Just a few mods to Geoghegan's concept to sort out the slight Centre of Gravity issue and you're ready to rock'n'roll!

 

I took a journey up the Conwy Valley Line today and spent some time with the camera around Blaenau Ffestiniog, and whilst waiting on the station (trying to stop getting sunburn - in BF!!!) Vale of Ffestiniog appeared with a real delight in tow. The staff did suggest that it might not be appropriate to publish this yet, but as Glenn Williams has posted photos on Facebook I think it should be ok!

152 on test:


It looks a real treat, particularly the interior and the paint finish - congratulations to all those responsible.

Lyd was on one of the trains today, sounding and looking good.


Steve B

Edited to Change "Lew" to "Lyd" - senior moment!

 

Got to see inside 152 during tour of Boston Lodge you get when travelling on The Snowdonian. The standard of the finish is exquisite and the staff at Boston Lodge should be proud.

Riding up the Ffestiniog in it is certainly one of the things I would like to do at some point.

 

Excellent craftsmanship I'm sure, but given the choice I would still choose, for instance, no 15

 

Evening All,

As there won't be a gala over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend this year, I've added some more pictures from last year's Quirks & Curiosities II gala to my Flickr site.

I know that they're not exactly hot news, but if anyone would like to have a look, this is the first one in the Photostream:

RD15051. DAVID LLOYD GEORGE on The Cob. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

Alternatively, they can also be found in these albums:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsm43YCPe

https://flic.kr/s/aHskh4FRCQ

Hope they're still of interest.

 

Couple of items
New harbour station webcam now working, very nice.
Gowrie project announcs progress, on Facebook page

 

The web page has added Statfold and Jerry M.

The F&WHR Facebook video states that 20 Hunslets are confirmed, 19 of those will be in steam. Also Velinheli is listed. From the comments the 20th loco is announced tomorrow.

 

Probably Russell I suspect.

 

The latest video on the F&WHR facebook states that Margaret is visiting.

 

You've got to hope so!

 

I find myself already really missing the Earl, and not particularly excited about the new James Spooner... Can't get any enthusiasm for a third red Victorian-esque double Fairlie, nor for the name choice...

 

Know what you mean, its the surname, reminds me of a sex act.

 

Good job that Doug Fister never had an engine named after him.

 

If it was up to me I’d call it Pegler (just the surname - I’ve always thought full names on loco nameplates are a bit naff). FfR have already commemorated Spooner by naming a bar after him.

 

I think part of the issue here is that we have become all too blasé about new locos coming out of Boston Lodge. When I first encountered the Earl, she was only a few years old. She seemed such an incredible achievement - a new, modern-looking, Fairlie, something almost unbelievable, a new steam loco when even the big railway itself seemed to be fighting for survival. Later Taliesin 2 was again an audacious project, bringing back something noone even remembered, a refocus on heritage after the post-Blaenau consolidation. And DLG was a symbol of the revitalised and thriving FfR, and seemed a big achievement in those pre-Tornado days. Then Lyd, the culmination of a long project, and bringing back something which seemed irrevocably lost.
Somehow a new Fairlie now seems almost mundane. I suppose we have been spoiled! In the same way, while the rebirth of Palmerston seemed miraculous, the restoration of Welsh Pony doesn't quicken my pulse (although Is shall be pleased to see it).
I'd be far more excited about the restoration of Mountaineer or the Earl...!
Not meaning to belittle the project, just doesn't do anything much for me personally.