FR & WHR & WHHR News

Three more short clips from the Welsh Highland Railway Centenary celebrations:







Hope that they're of interest.

TTFN,

Ron.

 

The FFWHR is looking for an SSJ ejector as used on several of their locos, but particularly on the NGG16s. If anyone knows of one going begging, could they let Paul Lewin know please.

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?...zV9fiF16hbhY3p63Tl&id=660429738&sfnsn=scwspmo

 

Evening All,

The final videos from the first day of the gala weekend are now on YouTube if anyone would like to have a look:





Hope you like 'em.

TTFN,

Ron.

 

Thanks Ron, great videos. The weather was really foul on the Friday!
CG

 

One of those persistently wet days in mid summer - when there's extra atmosphere from smoke and steam and slippery rails - featuring Merddyn Emrys, David Lloyd George, Blanche, Lyd and Garratt No 143

 

Some updates
- Today, James Spooner was steamed for the first time
- Last night, C2 Dahuichang No.4 was sent up the FR on a loading gauge test and managed to pass through Garnedd
- Russell is now out of traffic as a significant crack has been found on the driver's side connecting rod, pending a new one being manufactured.

 

The crack in question. Good thing it was spotted, rather than failing in service!

John

 

That is a better video than many (most) in my bookcase. Splendid stuff thank you.

 

Has James Spooner used the bogies from the Square- or have they ended up under one of the other locos?

Chris

 

Reusing the Squares, which have received a light overhaul.

 

Thankyou.

Following on then, will James Spooner carry on running the bogies from the Square, or will it end up with a new set- I have a vague recollection of seeing a post somewhere about interchangeability and the single being used to trial a different design?

Does this mean there is the ability to swap if necessary between all the fairlies in a similar way to the NGG16 power units?

It's quite fascinating!

Chris

 

Im happy to be corrected but I believe all the Double Fairlie's power bogies are interchangeable, apart from Livingston Thompson. Somewhere in the last 10 years there is a photo of the Square running on DLG's bogies, complete with soupy red cylinder cladding! I don't know for definite but I suspect Taliesin could also have it swapped should it be absolutely needed. Taliesin was trialled with a new Monobloc cylinder casting when it emerged from overhaul in 2011, and DLG received new power bogies, to the Monobloc spec in 2014.

Edit
https://www.ffestiniograilway.org.uk/full_article?a=musical-bogies-part-i
I hope you find the above article of interest!

A further edit
Recently some mail from the F&WHR came through the post, which stated inside that the FR was wanting to move to a Four Fairlie policy, hinting at the return of The Square.

 

Hopefully Festpedia’s accurate enough, listing all the surviving Ffestiniog Fairlie bogies. It says Jim Spooner’s on bogies built in the 1980s for Merddin Emrys but last used under the Earl until withdrawn in ‘18. The Earl’s currently stored on the much rebuilt 19th century bogies it had (ex-Livingston Thompson when withdrawn in ‘71) when it entered service in ‘79; and LT’s current bogies (at the NRM) were assembled from various life-expired parts on Merddin’s original bogie frames.

Merddin’s now on 2005 bogies and Dave L-G’s on ones built in 2014

https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Double_Fairlie#FR_Fairlie_Power_Bogies

 

God, let’s hope none of the “identity of a loco resides in its frames” fundamentalists get to hear about this …

Tom

 

I’m Fairlie(sic) certain in this context it’s considered to lie in the boiler-cradle.

 

Ah, well the identity of a Double Fairlie apparantly resides in its boiler carrier frame, that of a WHR Garratt likewise, as all of those locos have been playing musical bogies for years. I believe the status from Miff is accurate for the Fairlies - Taliesin still has the 1999 bogie it was built with. At least the bogies do tend to stay paired up, regardless of the loco they are under.

The WHR Garratts are equally fun, 87 is still on the bogies it arrived with - as a 1st batch NGG16 I don't believe they are interchangeable with the rest of the fleet, as is 130, though that is probably only down to it still being in its 1st stint of WHR service. 138, 140 and 143 have swapped bogies so often I'm not even sure there is a single one left on the loco it arrived as part of, nor paired up with the other bogie it worked with!

Saying this, this all falls over with K1, which has the bogies and superstructure from K1, but the boiler cradle from K2. I think the identity of that one resides in its numberplates...

John

 

Doesn't it carry a K2 plate as well now? I'm working on the pronunciation of K twone

 

It does, though that is a replica plate. I've see it written as K 1/2 so perhaps it should be "Kay half", though mathematically I suppose it should be "Kay oneandahalf"

John

 

I'm vigously campaigning for another single Fairlie built to the Square's D shaped smokebox/electric headlamp appearance with Wol. That way Taliesin's bogie will be part of a pair

The tentative name for it is the Oblong/J.G.F., although other naming suggestions are gratefully accepted.