Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog) - Summer Newsletter

At the Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog) this summer……

** Visiting loco means it’s double Bagnalls……
** 44 days of steam on new extension……
** Special offer for steam on the Cambrian Coast……
** Auction for historic WHR loco……

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** VISITING LOCO - Bagnall 4-4-0T “Isibutu” will be visiting the Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog) this summer. The loco is based at the North Gloucestershire Railway, a 2’ gauge line which is based at Toddington station alongside the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

Isibutu is one of ten locos built for a South African sugar cane plantation from 1920 onwards. It shares a South African pedigree with the WHR(P) resident Bagnall 0-4-2T “Gelert”, which worked in a platinum mine there.

Isibutu arrives in Wales on 11th July and will be sharing duties through the summer with “Gelert”. “Isibutu” will make its Welsh Highland debut on Saturday 28th July when the two Bagnalls will be double heading for the day.

** SUMMER STEAM SPECTACULAR – The WHR(P) will be operating 44 days of steam from 21st July – 2nd September. Trains will be running on the newly extended line to Traeth Mawr Loop, a superb country stretch of railway with a backdrop of the old sea cliffs and the mountains of Snowdonia. On the return journey, trains continue to stop at the sheds, where there’s chance to see some other steam and diesel locomotives in the WHR(P) collection.

** CAMBRIAN COAST EXPRESS RETURNS – steam trains return to the Cambrian Coast Line in 2007, running from Machynlleth to Porthmadog on weekdays (Monday – Friday) from 30th July to 31st August.

The WHR(P) will be offering a discount on a narrow gauge train ride to anyone who arrives in Porthmadog on the Cambrian Coast Express. Simply show your ticket at our station and get a third off. The WHR(P) terminus is directly opposite the standard gauge station. For more information on the Cambrian Coast Express, visit http://www.steamtrain.info/

** RUSSELL UPDATE – work continues to restore the only surviving Welsh Highland Railway steam locomotive, Hunslet 2-6-2T “Russell”. Work on the frames is nearing completion, and the wheels and cylinders are currently being overhauled. The aim is to have Russell available for service by 2009 when the Welsh Highland Railway is due to open in full. More information at the Russell Restoration Website – http://www.russell2009.fr/

To raise money for the restoration fund, a rare and unusual item of railway memorabilia goes on sale on 8th July - an axlebox brass from one of the bogies of an original WHR coach. Hudson toastrack Number 42 was built in 1924 when the Welsh Highland Railway was short of coaching stock. Never a popular vehicle, it ended its days as a coal wagon before being restored by the WHR(P). This axlebox brass is one of a number which was replaced during the restoration.

Though the coach was built in the 1920s, the axlebox brass is marked as GWCO 1918 with the War Department logo: W!D. The auction will list from the 8th July – get to it via http://www.russell2009.fr/auctions