Welsh Highland Railway: African Garratts in the Land of Castles
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ส.ค. 2022
- In the summer of 2022, the Welsh Highland Railway of Dinas, Wales is operating a variety of excursions throughout the week. Sunday through Thursday, the “Glaslyn Venturer” and “Gelert Explorer” trains run to the picturesque village of Beddgelert from Porthmadog and Caernarfon respectively. On Friday and Saturday, the trains run the full length of line as “The Harbourmaster” and the “Snowdonia Star” from Porthmadog to Caernarfon and return or vice-versa. All of these excursions are pulled by one of their fleet of NG/G16 class 2-6-2+2-6-2 Garratt locomotives that once worked the narrow gauge railways of South Africa. After a brief visit to Caernarfon to see Garratt no. 87 arrive and depart in the shadow of Edward I’s mighty 13th-Century fortress, the video follows no. 130 out of Porthmadog and through the Aberglaslyn Pass before climbing deep into Snowdonia National Park to Rhyd Ddu, where it meets the train from Caernarfon. We then follow 87 back down through the Aberglaslyn and across the Traeth Mawr before arriving back at Porthmadog harbor, where the Welsh Highland train would share the station with two Ffestiniog Railway trains.
The Welsh Highland Railway has a long and complex history. It began as the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways in 1877, a 2ft gauge line connecting the slate quarries of Moel Tryfan to the standard gauge London & Northwestern Railway at Dinas, near Caernarfon. Inspired by the success of the Fairlie locomotives on the nearby Ffestiniog Railway, a fleet of 0-6-4T Single Fairlies were purchased to work the line. In 1881, a branch line was opened to South Snowdon (now Rhyd Ddu) with intentions to extend farther to the village of Beddgelert. Meanwhile, the Porthmadog, Beddgelert, and South Snowdon Railway was being proposed as an electric railway to bring slate from quarries near Beddgelert to the harbor at Porthmadog. Ten electric locomotives were purchased, but the idea was dropped when construction began in 1906 and the 2-6-2T steam engine "Russell" was ordered from Hunslet. After completing the tunnels through the Aberglaslyn Pass, construction of the PBSSR was halted and the line sat mostly abandoned for several years. After World War I, the NWNGR was struggling financially and on the verge of closure and in 1922 the two railways were combined into the Welsh Highland Railway. Work began on refurbishing the lines and finishing the construction to connect them, with the full line from Dinas to Porthmadog opening in June 1923. Unfortunately, the interwar years found the slate industry in terminal decline and the line could not compete with buses for passenger service. After only ten years of operation the line was closed in 1933. The Ffestiniog Railway leased the line in 1934, but had no better luck and ran the last train over the railway in 1937. The rails were torn up in 1941 and the WHR's story seemed to be over. However, in the 1960s a group of volunteers established Welsh Highland Light Railway (1964) Ltd. with the intention of rebuilding the line as a heritage railway. Their efforts were stymied by the complicated legal status of the technically-not-abandoned right of way, and I won't even try to cover the decades-long fight over who would eventually build the line here - it lead to one of the longest court battles in the history of Britain. Ultimately ownership of the WHR would be granted to the Ffestiniog Railway, and they built and opened the first segment of the line in 1997. To operate this new railway they would need larger locomotives than the Ffestiniog had, and so a number of recently retired NG/G16 class Garratt locomotives were imported from South Africa, along with two NG15 2-8-2s and Tasmanian Government Railways K1, the first Garratt locomotive ever built. Reconstruction of the railway was completed in 2011 and for the last ten years it has been busier than ever with long trainloads of tourists coming to see the majestic sights of Snowdonia. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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Interesting.
Rain, go away,
Come another washing day.
A little ditty to brighten your day.😂
What magnificent locomotives they are, and the work to keep them working is fully appreciated. The somewhat damp scenery is not unusual, and is, of course part of the nature of a hilly country. What IS unusual, however, is the sight of these wondrous locos wending their way through the beautiful landscape. Thanks, SMS, for yet another gem!
I really enjoyed this video. As well as the trains it shows off the incredible scenery of North Wales.
Thank you! Eryri is a magical place.
What an impressive set of videos to capture the Great Little Trains of Wales! Some wonderful filming, top locations - and great research and planning for a first visit to Wales! I like the addition of all the background or historical information and attention to detail with the places names - and titles that offer intrigue like "African Garratts in the Land of Castles". I'll recommend to others. Great viewing. Dave Benjamin, DBLM Steam
Thank you so much Dave! I had been planning a visit to the UK in general and Wales in particular for many years, and I'm glad to know that effort has paid off. Hopefully I'll get another chance to hop across the pond sooner rather than later.
Great video, most enjoyable and calming too! 🙏
Thank you very much!
These engine’s were built in the UK before going out to work in South Africa, they were built in Gorton in Manchester, the old Bayer Peacock factory (or what’s left of it) is just down the road from the area I live in.
Great write up. Great video. Thank for sharing this wonderful video. Beautiful locomotives and scenery!
Thank you very much!
Wasn't expecting you to expand out of the US. Definitely should check out some steam in Canada. Very nice content indeed
I've always been fascinated by foreign steam, the only reason I didn't do this sooner was because COVID struck as soon as I had the money. I'll definitely head North someday, I'd love to see CP 2816 or even the Royal Hudson if it ever steams again.
Nice👍
Thank you!
Lucky