FR & WHR & WHHR News

The thaw in Gwynedd continues! From Barrie Hughes' 'Isengard' website today:

WHHG to sponsor Heritage Specials

The Welsh Highland Heritage Group is to sponsor the four Heritage special workings on Sundays in August (5/8, 12/8, 19/8, 26/8/18). The timings of the 'Journey into the Past' special trains are not shown yet on the WHR timetable. They will run from Dinas at about 10am and will run to Rhyd Ddu with an extended stop at Tryfan Junction for about 55 minutes. The WHHG is also offering to provide volunteers to support the trains and is appealing for help. In the future they hope to have Russell and the Heritage Gladstone/Buffet Car rake. [End]

Here's hoping the last sentence doesn't stay wishful thinking for too much longer!

 

The Welsh Highland Heritage Group (WHHG) is not the same as the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway (WHHR).
AIUI the heritage specials are to be made up of either Prince or Palmerston with FR-based WHR/FR heritage carriages, with no involvement from the WHHR.

 

Confirmed visiting locos for Hunslet 125:

• WD 1215
• Trangkil #4
• Cloister
• Chakas Kraal #6
• Gwynedd
• Irish Mail
  
• George B
  
• Winifred
  
• Maid Marian
  
• Holy War
• Alice

Info from http://www.festrail.co.uk/content/publish/specialevents/547.shtml

 

Looking good! I've just booked a flat on South Snowdon Wharf today so will have grandstand view.

 

Hell's donkeys ..... it's like trying to get yer head around things in the Ceiriog Valley! Cheers for the clarification (and I'd bet there's more than a few would still love to see Russell back on it's old stamping ground).

Sounds like it'll be a memorable event with more than a few good "then and now" photo opportunities.

 

I wonder what will be hauling Bala Lake services in the absence of all of the resident Hunslets?

 

Bala Lake Railway are having a Penrhyn Quarry themed gala the weekend before and the visiting locos are operating their services during the FR event. Info from: http://bala-lake-railway.co.uk/events/default.html

 

The removal of Russell's vacuum brake equipment by WHHR in 2014 seemed a particularly obtuse action.

 

Do come to the BLR weekend as well - I shall be firing on Saturday and Sunday, as well as the following Tuesday. There are proposals for a very special guest to run BLR services while the home fleet is away but that depends on loading facilities being sorted.

 

What a good idea...

 

Also, guest locos will be working the BLR services in the week before and the weekend of the FR Hunslet event, so it would be worth dropping in on your way to or from the FR to see what is running.

 

Lyn?.?!,!

 

Well, we're there for a fortnight...

 

One imagines they had their reasons, but colour me equally mystified.

 

Rather than take the thread off at a tangent I will add a new one for Bala matters.

 

There was a desire to return it to "as built" conditions. So air brakes only. Unfortunately it turned out some things had been modified from the original drawings for a reason.

Tim

 

Mmmmm..... Best confine myself to the one simple observation ..... Just as well it was built after the 1889 Act!

 

Info on what is happening during the Hunslet 125 event:
Friday

• Blanche ‘Breakfast Service’ to Tan y Bwlch.
• Prince & Linda double-heading with a sixties service.
• Parallel photo shoot at Minffordd with Linda & Blanche on a slate train.
• Gravity train.
• Linda & Blanche double-headed service.
• Hunslet hauled slate & freight trains.
• Visiting Hunslet trains to Tan y Bwlch and Beddgelert.

Saturday

• 'Ladies Day Out' with Linda and Blanche to Caernarfon in the morning and then to Blaenau in the afternoon - the full 40 Mile Railway (supplement payable).
• Intensive Ffestiniog Railway service from early morning until the evening.
• Hunslet hauled slate and freight trains.
• 'Special Guest' to Beddgelert.

Sunday

• Double-headed Ladies on three Ffestiniog Railway service trains.
• Parallel photo shoot with visiting Hunslets at Minffordd.
• Shuttles to Minffordd, Tan y Bwlch and Beddgelert.
• Hunslet hauled freights.

Minffordd Yard

• Many Hunslets in steam! Slate Shunts, Drive a Hunslet, Model Hunslets on display & giving rides.
• Stalls. Food options and 'Yard Arms' Bar.

Timetable

• Intensive Ffestiniog Railway service on all days.
• Regular shuttles from Porthmadog to Minffordd and Minffordd Yard.

Info from: http://www.festrail.co.uk/content/publish/specialevents/547.shtml

 

Before we get to that. This Saturday should see 8 locos in steam.

Lyd working service trains on the FR.

Blanche and Linda working the FR leg of "The Snowdonian"

On the WHR

DLG and Merddin Emrys will work the service trains out of Porthmadog.

143 is on the service train out of Caernarfon

87 And 138 are working the WHR leg of "The Snowdonian".

Then on Sunday there is a gravity train running as well.

12:20 off Porthmadog

Then 14:45 off Dduallt terminating in Minffordd yard.

Subject to the usual caveats.

Every day is a special event on the Ff&WHR

Tim

 

Special Guest' to Beddgelert? Hmm, that's going to cause some speculation.