FR & WHR & WHHR News

Blanche last worked an FR service train on it's own during the Alan Peglar weekend last October. It also replaced the failed Lyd double heading with Earl of Merioneth on the Monday of steam 150 event. It is in need of a valve re-bore as well as a coal conversion so is used even less than Linda.

Linda worked 2 FR service trains for it's 50th anniversary of FR service. That was in July. Everything since has been specials, guest drivers etc.

So basically the chances of seeing them pulling 8 car service trains at 2omph on the FR are slim to none. It's a disappointing situation for everyone. The odd lightly loaded double header up the WHR doesn't really give them much to do either.

 

I'm sorry my reply wasn't adequate for you Neil.

 

That's no problem.

 

No, they have found their niche pulling passenger trains on the Ffestiniog Railway day in-day out for much of the last 50 years.

 

Here, here, they never needed rebranding either, they've always been the 'Ladies of Penrhyn'.

 

You may or may not like this then..........

 

From memory they each ran about 800 miles each last year (I don't have my mag handy to check) average daily FR milage is 56

 

F&WHR loco mileages 2012:

143 - 14,980
87 - 14,256
Merddin Emrys - 11,108
Earl of Merioneth - 8,672
Lyd - 7,438
Taliesin 7,255
Criccieth Castle - 1,869
Vale of Ffestiniog - 1,527
Linda - 536
138 - 443
Blanche - 380
Palmerston - 262

 

Well quite. The implication that Blanche or Linda are locomotives suited to "niche" use doesn't really sit right with me. They have been mainstays of the fleet for 50 years. Both are better suited to FR summer traffic than Taliesin. I feel bad for everybody who worked on Linda so long only to have her do nothing but the occasional charter or guest driver, and from a selfish point of view I hate that all we're hearing about her is that the conversion to coal will happen one day in the future. Seems very counter-productive on the FR's part.

 

The current problem with both blanche and linda is that they are oil fired as we all know, now with linda she was last out 2 weeks ago and is now in the engine shed with all the oil gear removed from her firebox and has been cleaned there ready to receive the parts, the ash pan at least exists as i witnessed it being welded up the Friday before last and there is all the gas producer system gear still in existence so if there is someone to do it it will be done but at the moment i only saw one chap working on her and he was one of the volunteer restoration team. Linda is a simpler conversion than blanche as she went back to coal in the early 90's so have the job was done then where blanche has bot been changed since the 70's, i shouldn't worrie they will get done they just need to put dlg back together then there is some space. And on the carriages loading's price was out with 6 and managed fine so im sure the ladys will manage 8 or 9 on a good day.
thanks
Patrick

 

At least one of the "Ladies" was good for a loading of 12 Bogie coaches in the early 70's on oil. Allan Garraway pushed Linda to what must be the absolute limit, but it only happened on one occasion. The cruelty to engines league stepped in after that I fear.

 

(Deleted by author)

 

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This is Gelert’s last weekend in traffic before the expiry of her boiler ticket . To mark the occasion we will be running Gelert on Saturday with her twin, Bagnall No. 3023 ISAAC which has recently been overhauled at Boston Lodge. This will be the only time since leaving South Africa that we have had the two locomotives working on our railway, and the only time to see them together in steam until Gelert completes her forthcoming overhaul (duration as yet unknown) . ​

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We will also be running Gelert on Sunday but this time on her own. ​

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For all of you who have enjoyed this great little locomotive over the last ten years this will be goodbye for a while, so we would urge as many as can to come and say goodbye to Gelert over the weekend at some point​

 

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Garratt 87 heads for Caernarfon with the 0935 WHR service train for Caernarfon. Due to unprecedented demand, the train was strengthened to 11 carriages for the first time and left with 222 passengers on board.
Station pilot Vale of Ffestiniog sits behind the train on the Cob while work continues on the new signal box and in the distance at Boston Lodge, Double Fairlie Merddin Emrys is being prepared to take charge of the 1015 FR service to Blaenau Ffestiniog. This train departed with 12 carriages.

 

Isaac heads for Pont Croesor in the rain.

 

Isaac, Gelert and crews at Pen Y Mount Junction 29th June 2013

 

Driver Martyn Owen and Fireman Mark Herbert with Gelert on her last 'official' day in service before she bows out for major overhaul. ​

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Isaac and Gelert (at the rear) enter Porthmadog (WHHR) station​

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Isaac and FR train at Gelerts Farm Halt​

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