Evening all. After a very wet morning drive across the Welsh hills from Bala, I arrived at the headquarters of the 2ft 6" gauge Welshpool & Llanfair Light railway at around 9:30am. The first train was not due to depart until 10am, so I bought my ticket and headed along the damp platform towards the Signalbox and the Engine Sheds. I must admit, first impressions were very good. The station was tidy, the stock neatly shunted and the sight of the locomotives being prepared on shed was quite impressive. Opened in 1903, the WLLR was built to connect bustling Welshpool with Llanfair Caereinion. The railway was built as an aid to economic development in this rural area of Wales. However, it never made a profit and the 8.5-mile long route was closed in the 1950s. But, all was not lost. The route was saved by a hard-working band of enthusiasts. The two original steam locomotives, "Countess" & "The Earl"; like the railway; survived into preservation and were both in steam today. The route is now fully restored, though trains no longer run into the town centre of Welshpool, as they once did; they now terminate just on the edge of the centre. As I admired the engine sheds, I was given permission to cross the track and go to the prep area; very friendly people! "The Earl" was outside, with sister "Countess" still in the dry of the cosy running shed...
As I chatted to the crew, it became obvious just how big "The Earl" and "Countess" both are. For 2ft 6" gauge, I found them strikingly large. The 1903-built 0-6-0 sisters were constructed by Beyer Peacock, and provided ample service back in the day; and they still do now! Both loco's have very large cylinders and outside frames. The Beyer pair were very 'Western', with "Countess" in fact wearing GWR Green. Other Western features include Swindon-style numberplates, safety valve bonnets and copper-cap chimneys. At Llanfair, the station is fully signalled and the signalbox can be seen below...
"The Earl", No822, is ready to leave shed and cross-over onto the stock in the platform at Llanfair. The loco will haul the 10am departure...
With "The Earl" off shed, I was pointed in the direction of the Engineering Shed. Inside this sizeable workshop, the floor stands lower than the track, providing an Inspection Pit-style working layout. In the workshop, safe from the pouring rain, stood 1927-built Kerr Stuart 0-6-2T "Joan", freshly-restored and awaiting a return to service as soon as possible. The engine has been under restoration at Llanfair for 5 years or so, with repairs including an expensive new boiler. Funds for the repairs have been provided by the railway and its supporters, who managed to get their hands on £135, 000 to aid the return of "Joan"...
Alongside "Joan" stood a sizeable 0-8-0T, known as "Resita". She is under repair but; from what I heard around the site; she isn't a very popular machine. She was brought in from Romania to provide the WLLR with another steam locomotive for heavier services. However, reviews are mixed. The two engines stand together in the useful works at Llanfair...
Looking along the platform at Llanfair, the two sets of coaching stock stand ready. All but the replica GWR coaches are of non-British decent, with Hungarian examples being particularly popular here...
By now, "The Earl" was coupled up and awaiting departure. As I stood alongside the engine, I was invited up onto the footplate by the crew. It is a sizeable footplate. However, a bit of an oddity is the Reverser, which is on the Fireman's side! Below, the fire in the box burns brightly, the lower boiler tubes being visible due to the lack of a brick-arch...
From the Hungarian coaches; which all have a Veranda at each end; passengers can get some very detailed views of the locomotives. Below, "Earl" buffers up...
Back in the cab, "The Earl" is seen sporting a GWR-style Gauge Glass protector and a combined Steam and Vacuum brake device. Another footplate done!...
At 10am, the train chugged out of Llanfair, engulfed in steam from the drain cocks of "The Earl". The run was very scenic, steaming through unspoilt Welsh countryside past farms, tiny hamlets and countless wooded sanctuaries. The track winds its way up and down steep gradients and around tight curves and across many ungated level crossings; crossing of the latter being aided by the Trainee on the loco jumping down and stopping any traffic using a Red Flag! When I say the gradients were steep; they really were! Its rare to hear engines working this hard, and very rare to ride on a railway that goes up and down so much. The builders of this line obviously had little cash with which to change earthworks, so they just left it as it was, laying the track to suit the contours of the countryside. Below, the track rushes through the wet landscape with the unusual WLLR style of coupling visible between the coaches...
An unspoilt Welsh landscape, as "The Earl" rushes towards Welshpool...
At Welshpool, passengers have around 25-minutes for a leg-stretch after the 50-minute journey from Llanfair. Of course, you can break the journey here if the train permits. Below, No822 runs round at Welshpool, and is just about to head into the sidings to collect an extra coach from the storage shed...
There is also a small Display Shed here, housing two or three locomotives. Though a small display, it is very interesting. With the extra coach attached, "The Earl" runs around again at Welshpool...
For the return run, I stood on the Veranda of the leading coach. You really do get a Driver's eye-view!...
From Welshpool, "The Earl" attacked Golfa Bank (see later video) with much roaring, hissing and wheezing around the tight curves. At the top of the climb, the train halted to make up the water level before another steep hill, this time downgrade. "The Earl" worked at full regulator for much of the climb up Golfa with her strengthened train, giving the Fireman some work to do! As I said earlier, the line is very, very varied. It must be one of the most challenging lines for a Fireman in this country; minus the NYMR of course! Half way down the line, we passed sister Beyer "Countess"...
Back at Llanfair, "The Earl" rests after her taxing run. All the way back, I had been chatting to Trav and Dan; a loco crew on the railway. They managed to answer all of my questions with ease, giving me some interesting facts to think about. Cheers lads...
A final shot of "The Earl"...
After a look in the Gift Shop, I jumped back into the Saxo and headed for home, via Shrewsbury and the M6. Thats another railway done. The WLLR is very impressive. It has character, charm, history and organisation under its belt. You never know, they may even get back into Welshpool town one day! I wish them well, I really do. It was a very friendly place. Below, you will see a 4-minute or so video taken from my still-image camera. It documents "The Earl"s attack on Golfa Bank earlier today. Have a look and have a listen; she sounds fab...
Thanks very much for reading folks...thats another one done...
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