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FRS East Anglian Group – Meeting

Posted on September 2, 2024 by Chris Parry

Event Details

Date: March 4, 2025 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall

To be announced

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Coming soon on our YouTube and Facebook channels.

Coming soon on our YouTube and Facebook channels. Lots to enjoy.

#ffestiniogandwelshhighlandrailways #bestrailwayintheworld #ffestiniograilway #festiniograilway #welshhighlandrailway #nlhf #heritage #volunteers #engineering #steam #scenery #snowdonia #whhr #gonorthwales #visitwales #wales #cymru #eryri #locomotives

So far this year we’ve welcomed 5,143 four legg

So far this year we’ve welcomed 5,143 four legged travelers to our Railways!

They are all of course special, but this week we couldn’t help but spot ‘Monty’ at Harbour Station sporting his very own ‘The Railway Dog’ hi vis jacket!

Owners the Hoy family were happy to tell us about their one year old Cavalier King Charles spaniel.

‘Monty’ loves his railway travels with Mum Caroline, Dad Peter, Grandma Jenny and brothers Toby, James and Thomas.

The family are on holiday from St Neots in Cambridgeshire and are members of the Fenland Light Railway as well as several model railway societies.

We are a dog-friendly railway, but also have dog-free carriages for passengers to use if they wish.

SUPER-POWER WEEKEND ON THE HORIZON : 14th-15th Sep

SUPER-POWER WEEKEND ON THE HORIZON :
14th-15th September...

'K1' has landed - delivered safely from our friends at the Statfold Barn Railway & Museum, where the loco is based on loan from the F&WHR.

It's great to have this pioneering loco - the world's first Garratt - back on Welsh Highland Railway metals. 'K1' will be working a variety of trains over 'Super-Power' weekend (as well as a private train for Cymdeithas Rheilffordd Eryri / Welsh Highland Railway Society members on Friday 13th September). Along with the appearance of newly-restored NG15 2-8-2 No.134, this will bring added variety to the home fleet of three ex-South African NG/G16 Garratts, two diesels from South Africa and a diesel from Australia..!

More information and tickets available from https://www.festrail.co.uk/september-14th-15th-whr-super.../

IMPORTANT NOTE:
'Super-Power' Rover tickets ARE valid on the WHR service trains that weekend - although, due to an oversight, some tickets say otherwise. 😞

Space has been reserved on service trains for 'Super-Power' visitors - please see the Guard to be directed to the appropriate seats...

Posted @withregram • @lovebymarykc a great way t

Posted @withregram • @lovebymarykc a great way to start the bank holiday weekend… the ffestinog railway trip from Porthmadog to Tan y Bwlch🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 what an amazing experience of the old trains that took us to Llyn Mair which was such a pretty lake in the valley. This train gave me Harry Potter vibes too!✨

@ffestiniogwelshhighland

#yourwales #walesadventure #northwales #visitwales #walesphotography #walesphotographer #walesphotos #beautifulwales #exploringwales #canonphotography #canonphotographers #canonphoto #canonphotos #lightroomedits #ffestinogandwelshhighlandrailway #highlandrailway #ffestinograilway #steamtrains #steamrailway #yourbritain #igersuk #bestofwales #amateurphotographer #travelphotography #travelphotographer #railwayadventures #bestrailwayintheworld

RIDE 'THE CWELLYN' TO RHYD DDU... This will be th

RIDE 'THE CWELLYN' TO RHYD DDU...

This will be the last week of the busy summer timetable - which means there are only three more chances to ride 'The Cwellyn' service this year.

It's ideal for a midweek afternoon trip out from Caernarfon. Leaving our station in St. Helen's Road at 12:00 on Tuesday and Thursday - or 12:30 on Wednesday - there's time to explore Caernarfon town in the morning, then enjoy a 2½ round trip to Rhyd Ddu, nestling on the slopes of Y Wyddfa (Snowdon).

It's a 12 mile train ride each way through the magnificent scenery of North Wales (taking around an hour in each direction) with a ½hr break at Rhyd Ddu to stretch your legs and admire the surrounding mountain peaks of Eryri - the Snowdonia National Park...

There's more information on 'The Cwellyn' service and a link to our online booking system @ www.festrail.co.uk/the-cwellyn

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For information on all our train services - visit www.festrail.co.uk/trains

FATHER AND SON... Loco Drivers Mark and Sam Mitch

FATHER AND SON...

Loco Drivers Mark and Sam Mitchell - a father and son combo - were both on the FR Crew Roster recently and are seen here posing with their respective engines, during their lunchtime turnaround.

There are probably a few ‘father and son’ teams volunteering together around the heritage world, but we wanted to mark the ‘Mitchells’ first turn as loco drivers, on the same day, with this wonderful photo.

Sam is currently the F&WHR’s youngest driver – he qualified for the Ffestiniog Railway route in 2023 and has recently added the WHR route as well.

Sam said: “This isn't the first time we've been on the roster together; I've fired for Dad a couple of times when I was a fireman – but this is the first time together as drivers.

“Oh - and it's certainly another first - the first photo of Dad and I at the railway since I got married to Lottie earlier this month!”

Sam added: “Dad is the reason I first got involved with the railway, he has been a volunteer since before I was born - and he brought the family up to Wales on holidays when my brother and I were young.

“I've made many lifelong friends at the railway since then and it still makes me proud to stand alongside him, doing something we both love..!”

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Want to learn more about volunteering or get involved yourself:
See https://www.festrail.co.uk/volunteering/
or email us at - volunteer@ffwhr.com

DOUBLE-HEADED LADIES: 14:20 Sunday 25th August...

DOUBLE-HEADED LADIES:
14:20 Sunday 25th August...

Have you bought your tickets yet..?

Over recent weeks LINDA and BLANCHE have been working from different ends of the Ffestiniog Railway, but this weekend presents an opportunity for the two locos to make a run along the FR together...

So, come along to the Ffestiniog Railway for a Bank Holiday Weekend treat, enjoying the sight and sound of DOUBLE-HEADED LADIES powering through the Vale of Ffestiniog.

Tickets available at https://www.festrail.co.uk/mountain-spirit/ - click the 'Book Now' button and select:
Date - 25th August
Time - 14:20

We look forward to sharing the experience with you..!

The ABC of Railways: 🖌 RAILWAY ALPHABET SKETCHE

The ABC of Railways: 🖌
RAILWAY ALPHABET SKETCHES...

▪️ Children’s author and illustrator Pauline Hazelwood’s new book started with a quick biro sketch to post on Facebook.

“People started saying nice things about the drawings so I thought I would set aside my usual water colours for a special ‘Railway Alphabet Sketches’ edition in pen.

▪️ Pauline, whose books are published under the Saddletank Books label, describes her series of books as: “The amazing real history of the engines you love with all the animals and funny bits too.”

Pauline said: “Biro sketches are not my regular thing, but they are fun to do.

“I create my usual illustrations from original sketches, using my sketchbook as reference which I have with me at all times, then add in some imagination!

“The pencil roughs are then traced onto water colour paper.

▪️ How did Pauline start her series?

“I have always been an illustrator, but I met someone who had steam engines and that is how it all began.

“Enthusiasts have so many fascinating facts to share, the stories write themselves.

▪️ Pauline’s water colour illustrated books, which include one about the F&WHR’s own ‘Welsh Pony’ loco, are all based on facts and full of maps and geography.

https://festrail.mybigcommerce.com/railway-alphabet-sketches/
https://festrail.mybigcommerce.com/saddletank-books/

🟢 NG15 No.134 UPDATE..! Exciting news… We’

🟢 NG15 No.134 UPDATE..!

Exciting news… We’re delighted to announce that NG15 No.134 has successfully passed its boiler test, giving it the green light to appear at Super-Power in steam..!

Whilst the loco won’t be hauling trains during the event, it will be on display during the event week, providing plenty of photo opportunities.

ℹ️ To find out more and book your tickets for our Super-Power weekend, visit our website:
https://www.festrail.co.uk/september-14th-15th-whr-super-power/

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🟢 DIWEDDARIAD NG15 No. 134..!

Newyddion cyffrous… Rydym yn falch iawn o gyhoeddi bod NG15 No.134 wedi llwyddo yn ei brawf boeler, gan roi’r golau gwyrdd iddo ymddangos yn Super-Power mewn stêm..!

Er na fydd y loco yn cludo trenau yn ystod y digwyddiad, bydd yn cael ei arddangos yn ystod wythnos y digwyddiad, gan ddarparu digon o gyfleoedd i dynnu lluniau.

ℹ️ I ddarganfod mwy ac archebu eich tocynnau ar gyfer ein penwythnos Super-Power, ewch i’n gwefan:
https://www.festrail.co.uk/september-14th-15th-whr-super-power/

Some super power waiting for Super-Power. #ffest

Some super power waiting for Super-Power.

#ffestiniogandwelshhighlandrailways #bestrailwayintheworld #ffestiniograilway #festiniograilway #welshhighlandrailway #nlhf #heritage #volunteers #engineering #steam #scenery #snowdonia #whhr #gonorthwales #visitwales #wales #cymru #eryri #locomotives

BBC RADIO WALES INTERVIEW feat. VISITOR EXPERIENC

BBC RADIO WALES INTERVIEW
feat. VISITOR EXPERIENCE MANAGER, STEPHEN GREIG...

Great to hear Stephen chatting to Colette Hume on BBC Radio Wales earlier this morning as he and colleagues Oliver Bennett & Chris Harrison mark 25 years as volunteers and staff on the railway..!

Take a listen to the interview from 56:20 onwards here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0021vfq
Radio Wales Breakfast - With James Williams and Colette Hume - BBC Sounds

You can then read the full story about Stephen, Oliver and Chris on our website:
https://www.festrail.co.uk/news/

------------------------------------------

CYFWELIAD BBC RADIO WALES
hefo. RHEOLWR PROFIAD YMWELWYR, STEPHEN GREIG...

Braf clywed Stephen yn sgwrsio gyda Colette Hume ar BBC Radio Wales yn gynharach bore ma wrth iddo ef a'i gydweithwyr Oliver Bennett a Chris Harrison nodi 25 mlynedd fel gwirfoddolwyr a staff ar y rheilffordd..!

Gwrandewch ar y cyfweliad o 56:20 ymlaen yma:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0021vfq
Radio Wales Breakfast - With James Williams and Colette Hume - BBC Sounds

Yna gallwch ddarllen y stori lawn am Stephen, Oliver a Chris ar ein gwefan:
https://www.festrail.co.uk/news/

Posted @withregram • @hopps.about Squad goals. A

Posted @withregram • @hopps.about Squad goals. All three working Double Fairlies on shed at Boston Lodge. 06.08.24

#ffestiniograilway #ffestiniogandwelshhighlandrailways #narrowgauge #railway #steamlocomotives #greatlittletrainsofwales #bestrailwayintheworld

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Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

16 hours ago

'K(oo)1' AND THE GANG - 2024..!Following on from yesterday's post, here are a couple of photos to bring the story of 'K(oo)1' and the Gang up to date...UPPER - Members of the 'K1' gang stand in front of the loco at Dinas on 13th September 2024. The train behind them was the Cymdeithas Rheilffordd Eryri / Welsh Highland Railway Society special, running Dinas to Rhyd Ddu and return...LOWER: 'K1' simmers gently alongside the platform in Dinas Station, ahead of its appearance on the CRhE/WHRS Members' Special to Rhyd Ddu - 13th September 2024...BACKGROUND: A glimpse of the official General Arrangement drawing for 'K1'...-----------------------------------ℹ For more information on 'K1', visit www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/K1.. ... See MoreSee Less

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Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

2 days ago

'K(oo)1' AND THE GANG..!‘Lifelong friends’ .... that’s how the former ‘K1’ restoration gang refer to themselves. This weekend they’ve travelled to North Wales from across the UK, to mark the return to the Welsh Highland Railway of a loco they spent 30 years working on. ‘K1’ - the world’s first Garratt locomotive - is now owned by the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways Trust, having been purchased in 1966 by the Festiniog Railway Company. The friends met in the 1990s, when the loco was taken from the National Railway Museum in York to Tyseley Locomotive Works in Birmingham so it could be returned to steam. The group spent every other weekend on restoration work for 6 years, before ‘K1’ was brought to Boston Lodge for the work to be completed at the F&WHR. They are full of stories, including Cedric’s tale of the logistics of extracting ‘K1’ from York, in which he remembers getting the loco stuck under a bridge late at night. Group member, Andy Rutter also explained that ‘K1’, as it is seen today, is actually made up from parts of ‘K1’ and ‘K2’, having been reconstructed in Tasmania from the best bits of those two locomotives. If you look carefully, you will see the loco has the numberplates from ‘K1’ on one side and ‘K2’ on the other. The group still speak regularly and, since Covid, have been holding weekly Zoom meetings to stay in touch...-----------------------------------Photographs:UPPER - The 'K1' gang in front of the loco at Rhyd Ddu on 8th September 2006. The train behind them was a Supporters' Special running Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu and return...LOWER: 'K1' simmers gently in the yard at Boston Lodge, on the occasion of its first moves under steam following restoration - 12th September 2004...BACKGROUND: A glimpse of the official General Arrangement drawing for 'K1'...-----------------------------------ℹ For more information on 'K1', visit www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/K1.. ... See MoreSee Less

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Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

3 days ago

MEET ADRIAN STRACHAN- the volunteer leader of the NG15 No.134 Restoration Project...It’s a big weekend for the ‘Kalahari’ team at Dinas as newly restored NG15 No.134 joins in the Welsh Highland Railway’s ‘Super-Power’ event for the first time. While ‘K1’ - the world's first Garratt locomotive - travels the line, NG15 No.134 is scheduled to make her debut in steam at Dinas following restoration work that has spanned 25 years. ▪️ Adrian Strachan spoke to us ahead of the event:“It was a momentous day on Wednesday this week when ‘134’ moved under its own steam at Dinas for the first time in over 30 years. All the volunteers and staff involved in the rebuild can be very proud that the loco looks so good and performed very well during the first test moves. We are looking forward to showing off the fruits of our efforts at the ‘Super-Power’ weekend before further trials and running-in will take place on the railway” ▪️ Tell us about the origins of the loco... “The class of NG15 locos were built in several batches, designed by Henschel in Germany to requirements from German South-West Africa (now Namibia) at the time, where there was a very long line that ran from the coast up to the mines. It was called the Otavi Railway and this loco worked there with the rest of the class. The locos were then all moved to South Africa in the 1960s, when the Otavi line was regauged to the wider Cape gauge. The locos were almost as powerful as the NG/G16 Garratts working there and capable of working at higher speeds, achieving higher mileages per day and moving more goods” ▪️ How did you get involved..? “When I first used to drive on the railway I would pass by this engine twice an hour, more or less, while driving the Garratt locos..! I was always a fan of the NG15 as were many of the volunteers at the time. We would see it rusting in the siding and hoped it would run one day. “Different groups had tried to progress the renovation, but it was often in the shadow of rebuilding the Welsh Highland Railway through to Porthmadog and the FRCo’s NG/G16 loco policy for the WHR. “Around three years ago I was approached to take over the renovations, as the previous project leader had sadly passed away. I said that I was interested but - as someone who likes to get things done - I didn’t want this to be a long-term project for me, so I am really pleased at where we are now just three years later. “This period has seen enormous commitment and effort from the volunteers and there has been good support from staff at the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways who also do skilled work on the project for us. This is paid for by the Cymdeithas Rheilffordd Eryri / Welsh Highland Railway Society. “For myself, this is the interesting phase as we have made a number of modifications and tried to overhaul the loco to the highest standard we can. Now we are going to see if it can perform on the Welsh Highland just as well as the Garratts and haul the regular trains alongside them” ▪️ Have there been any alterations needed to make it suitable for the WHR..?“Strictly speaking the loco could run as it was in South Africa, as we don’t have any curves less than 50 metres on the WHR main line. The loco has three fixed driving axles in the frame as does the Garratt. There are some sharper curves in the Boston Lodge Carriage Shed, so we have made some modifications to meet those requirements. “There are some other changes we have made to improve the locos performance, particularly as on the WHR it will run much of its time backwards uphill, differently to Africa where the class mainly ran in the forward direction, so we have centred the dome on the boiler whereas it was historically at the front of the boiler. Moving the dome gives us an inch and half of additional water margin for the fireman to mortgage on a return journey up the steep hill in Beddgelert Forest” “We have also improved the safety of the cab design by extending the floor to remove the fallplate in the original design, enclosing the space with doors, and also modified certain key controls so they operate in the same manner as our NG/G16 Garratts. “After such a long project we hope that NG15 No.134 delights everyone who gets to travel behind her on the railway in the future.”-------------------------------------------------ℹ www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/134You can catch up with the restoration story on the project website @ www.ng15-134.co.uk/.. ... See MoreSee Less

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Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways is with James Bradley.

3 days ago

WHAT'S IN SERVICE THIS WEEK..?( 14th - 20th September )This coming week there will be ELEVEN steam locos and THREE diesels working on and around the F&WHR - excluding Shunters and Works Trains..!On the Ffestiniog Railway: Double Fairlies MERDDIN EMRYS, DAVID LLOYD GEORGE and JAMES SPOONER will be sharing duties on the 'Mountain Spirit' and 'Woodland Wanderer' services. 'The Quarryman' services from Blaenau Ffestiniog will be worked by Hunslet 2-4-0TT LINDA.Sister loco BLANCHE will make an appearance on a 'Woodland Wanderer' service on Friday.LILLA will be working Boston Lodge Tour specials on Monday and Wednesday...Things are not quite as easy to explain over on the Welsh Highland Railway, due to the intensive 'Super-Power' weekend timetable and the allocation of NG/G16 locos to services later in the week not yet being specified.However, all three NG/G16s (Nos.87, 130 and 143) will be in action on passenger trains over the 'Super-Power' weekend - along with Pioneer Garratt 'K1' and diesels 'Castell Caernarfon', 'Vale of Ffestiniog' and No.9...Latest addition to the loco fleet - NG15 No.134 - will be in steam over the weekend, on display and offering footplate rides in Dinas Yard.Check the captions on each loco portrait for further details of their individual workings...Listing specific details for all locos over 'Super-Power' weekend would be overly complicated, but more information is available on the event timetable @ bit.ly/WHR-SP24-TT--------------------------------------------------NOTE: This information is provided in good faith, solely as a guide, but could be subject to change at any time. .. ... See MoreSee Less

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Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

3 days ago

ℹ️ TRAIN SERVICES : 14th-20th September and 21st-27th September...These weekly guides give an 'at a glance' view of what trains are running on the F&WHR during the dates shown above.An online version, with a direct booking link to each train, is available @ www.festrail.co.uk/calendar/------------------------------NOTE: Additional trains are running on the Welsh Highland Railway over 'Super-Power Weekend' 14th-15th September. A timetable for the WHR trains during the event can be downloaded from bit.ly/WHR-SP24-TTThese additional trains are only available to holders of 'Super-Power' Rover tickets. Further details of the event available @ www.festrail.co.uk/september-14th-15th-whr-super-power/ ------------------------------Full details of our 2024 services and online booking information can be found on our ‘Train Services’ page @ www.festrail.co.uk/trains/---------------------------An outline timetable for all our train services is available @ festrail.co.uk/pdf/fwhr-base-timetable-2024.pdfIMPORTANT NOTE: This timetable shows our base level service - however, additional trains may run according to demand. Always check the online calendar, mentioned above, for confirmed train services on a specific date... ... See MoreSee Less

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