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Ffestiniog Railway Locomotives

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List of Ffestiniog Railway locomotives who have appeared in The Railway Series and Thomas & Friends media. For a comprehensive list on all locomotives - click here.

Princess

Princess, originally called "The Princess", is a 0-4-0ST+T on the Ffestiniog Railway built by George England for the Ffestiniog Railway in 1863. It is one of the earliest narrow gauge steam locomotives and is one of the three oldest surviving narrow gauge locomotives still on its original railway.

Technical Details

Real-life History

Believed to have been the second locomotive to arrive on the railway (after Mountaineer), The Princess was the first the locomotive to run on the railway on 4 August 1863. She was rebuilt in 1882 with a cast iron weight to improve adhesion and giving the appearance of a saddle tank. From 1892 to 1895 she was rebuilt with a saddle tank and cab, and her name was shortened to Princess. She was reboilered in 1923 and worked the first Welsh Highland Railway train from Portmadoc later that year. She also worked the last train under the old company on the 1st August 1946.

Princess has not run in preservation and has been variously displayed and stored in the subsequent years. She entered the museum at Harbour station in 1983 and remained there when the museum became Spooner's bar until being removed to go on tour in 2012. She was repainted and went on a tour to publicise the railway, including visits to Dublin and London.

Livery

Princess is painted in the FR Indian red with gold and black lining livery.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Trivia

Prince

Prince, originally named "The Prince", is a 0-4-0ST+T on the Ffestiniog Railway at Porthmadog, and the oldest working engine in the United Kingdom, being built by George England in 1863.

Duke and Bertram are based on him.

Technical Details

Real-life History

Prince is believed to have been the third locomotive to be delivered to the Ffestiniog Railway. It was one of the first narrow gauge steam locomotives and is the oldest operating narrow gauge steam locomotive.

In 1881 The Prince was rebuilt with a cast iron weight to improve adhesion which gave the appearance of a saddle tank. It received full cab and saddle tank in 1892, and its name was shortened to Prince. It was withdrawn in 1936 for substantial repairs, but despite a new boiler being delivered, the overhaul was not completed until the preservation society took ownership of the line.

Prince was the first steam locomotive in service following the restoration of passenger services on the railway on August 2 1955. In 1962 it was overhauled and given a new frame arrangement to try and take the drawbar load through the frames rather than the boiler. It worked until 1968 when it was withdrawn for being unable to meet the demands of the railway's increasing traffic. After a long rebuild between 1974 and 1980, Prince re-entered service with the boiler superheated and oil fired, new outer frames, a slightly taller cab and a larger smokebox. A greater focus on heritage in later years has seen the loco make a return to a slightly more traditional appearance.

The latest overhaul was funded by the Ffestiniog Railway Society and was completed in time for the 150th anniversary celebrations of steam on the railway in 2013. Prince also participated in the Talyllyn Railway's 150th celebration with Russell (Freddie's basis) from July 3rd to July 5th, 2015.

Livery

Prince is painted in the FR indian red with gold and black lining livery.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Miscellaneous

Prince is referred to as "a 0-4-0 saddle tank engine" on Duke's Engine Depot page on The Official Website[1].

Trivia

Palmerston

Palmerston is a 0-4-0ST+T on the Ffestiniog Railway built by George England for the Ffestiniog Railway in 1864.

Technical Details

Real-life History

Palmerston was the fourth locomotive to arrive on the railway in 1864. In 1880, Palmerston was the first of the Small Englands to receive a saddle tank-like cast iron weight. Between 1886 and 1888, this was replaced with a true saddle tank along with a new boiler and full cab. In 1891, the length of the cab was shortened by 8 inches to allow it to enter the slate wharves. In 1942 Palmerston was used as a stationary boiler at Boston Lodge until the end of the war.

In 1955 parts from Palmerston were used to restore Prince, and the rusted remains were sold to a group in Staffordshire in 1974. In 1987 the remains of the locomotive were repatriated to the Festiniog Railway and restored to working order in 1993.

Along with Princess, Palmerston retains the traditional look of the Small England locos and is a popular performer on vintage trains; occasionally double heading longer trains.

Livery

Palmerston is painted in the FR indian red with white and black lining livery.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Trivia

Merddin Emrys

Merddin Emrys is a Double Fairlie steam locomotive which is owned by the Ffestiniog Railway.

Technical Details

Real-life History

Merddin Emrys was the third Double Fairlie on the Ffestiniog Railway and the first locomotive constructed at Boston Lodge, completed in 1879.

It was the last Double Fairlie in service under the old company, and when the railway closed it remained in the shed with coal and water, in anticipation of its next turn of service. The resulting corrosion of the boiler and tanks left it in need of extensive repairs when the preservation society took over. In 1961 it re-entered service unfinished, with new smokeboxes, chimneys, and tanks, no cab, and painted in red primer. In 1963 the front sheets from the old cab were fitted and the locomotive was painted in the railway's green livery.

Merddin Emrys was substantially rebuilt in 1970 with a new superheated boiler and was substantially longer, larger, and more angular than before. In 1973 it was converted to burn oil. From 1985 to 1987 it was rebuilt to a more traditional appearance, and it was repainted into a traditional Ffestiniog Railway livery in 1988. A subsequent overhaul between 1996 and 2005 saw boiler repairs, new power bogies, and a reversion to coal firing. This marked the first time since the 1920's that the Ffestiniog Railway had three Double Fairlie locomotives in service. Merddin Emrys was withdrawn in September 2015 for an overhaul which saw it return to traffic in October 2016 with new chimneys and smokeboxes.

Livery

Merddin Emrys is painted in the FR indian red with gold and black lining. It was previously painted green with red lining and had brass domes.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Miscellaneous

Double-Fairlies are mentioned Mighty Mac's Engine Depot page on The Official Website[2].

Trivia

David Lloyd George

David Lloyd George is a double-Fairlie steam locomotive owned by the Ffestiniog Railway.

Technical Details

Real-life History

David Lloyd George was the fourth locomotive to be built by the Festiniog Railway Company in its own workshops at Boston Lodge and the sixth FR Double Fairlie. It was completed in 1992 as a modern locomotive but with a traditional outline.

David Lloyd George was constructed as part of a grant-funded initiative to provide extra capacity. The loco has a higher pressure and superheat than the other Double Fairlies.

During a major overhaul completed in 2014 David Lloyd George was converted to coal firing and received new power bogies paid for by the Ffestiniog Railway Society. It ran in 2014 in a temporary grey livery before being repainted in 2015 in its original livery.

Livery

David Lloyd George is painted red with gold and black lining.

Appearances

Miscellaneous

Double-Fairlies are mentioned on Mighty Mac's Engine Depot page on The Official Website[3].

Trivia


Blanche

Blanche is a 2-4-0ST+T working on the Ffestiniog Railway. Originally built for the Penrhyn Quarry Railway, it arrived on the FR in the 1960s.

Technical Details

Real-life History

Arriving at the Ffestiniog in 1963, Blanche was distinguished from her sister (Linda) by receiving a tender cab and slightly reprofiled cab sheets. She received similar modifications over time to Linda but also received new piston valve cylinders in 1972, which further altered her appearance from Linda.

Her latest return to traffic was in 2005 with a new boiler funded by the Ffestiniog Railway Society.

Blanche was reconverted to coal in 2014 and is expected to see more mileage in 2015 following attention to valves and cylinders.

Livery

Blanche is painted FR green with red and black lining and has a brass dome.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Linda

Linda is a 2-4-0ST+T working on the Ffestiniog Railway. Originally built for the Penrhyn Quarry Railway, it arrived on the FR in the 1960s.

Technical Details

Real-life History

Linda was hired from Penrhyn Quarries during a motive power crisis in 1962 and was purchased the following year along with sister Blanche.

Rebuilt with a tender, pony truck, superheating and oil firing, Linda covered many miles as the mainstay of services.

The latest rebuild completed in 2011 saw Linda return to traffic in lined Ffestiniog green livery and was reconverted to coal firing in 2013.

Livery

Linda has carried a number of liveries over the years, with variations of FR green, lined midnight blue and Penrhyn Railway livery.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Trivia

  • Linda has been featured at Days Out with Thomas, as a Friend of Thomas the Tank Engine. On these occasions she wears Duke's face (which was made for Palmerston).
  • The story Bulldog is based on what happened on the Ffestiniog Railway when Duke's counterpart Prince double-headed a train with Linda who derailed at what is now known as Linda's Leap.
  • The fifth illustration of Sleeping Beauty is based on a photograph of Ffestiniog Railway's newly-purchased Linda being loaded onto a well-wagon at Port Penrhyn in July 1962.


Spooner's Boat

Spooner's Boat is a unique gravity and sail powered inspection vehicle on the Ffestiniog Railway.

Technical Details

Real-life History

The original was the private vehicle of the Spooner Family until it was destroyed in a collision.

A modern replica has been constructed by the Festiniog Railway Heritage Group using money left to them by the late Michael Seymour. Completed in 2005, it can often be seen operating on the line during special events.

Livery

Appearances

Documentaries

Trivia

  • According to Andrew Brenner, Spooner's Boat served as the inspiration for the character, Skiff.

See also

  • Harrogate, an 0-6-0ST Peckett locomotive, formerly owned by the Ffestiniog Railway.

References

  1. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20100123030824/http://www.thomasandfriends.com/uk/Thomas.mvc/EngineDetail/Duke Duke's Engine Depot page on The Official Website
  2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20210509170141/https://play.mattel.com/thomas-and-friends/en-us/engines/mighty-mac Mighty Mac's Engine Depot page on The Official Website
  3. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20210509170141/https://play.mattel.com/thomas-and-friends/en-us/engines/mighty-mac Mighty Mac's Engine Depot page on The Official Website


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