Ffestiniog steam locomotives - (click details for more images)
1 The Princess - George England 0-4-0STT 1872 . The Princess was the first locomotive to run on the FR. She is modeled in her 1882 condition with small spectacle plate. Built by Brian Love from the Port Wynnstay/Mercian Kit. Now. as 'Princess', she still exists, in a very different form but beautifully restored.The Princess
Prince - original - another George England loco; the prototype was built in 1862, this model shows her as running in the 1950's - it was scratch built by New Zealand modeller Paul Berntsen and represents the loco as Paul first saw her.
Prince - rebuild - – again (and, currently my final, England loco – although I can hear Welsh Pony calling!) The model is, more or less, in current condition. (That is the trouble with modelling a real-life working railway, they keep changing things - Ffestiniog members reckon she was rebuilt to the scale of 13" to the foot! - she is noticeably bigger than the version above) but she is the oldest surviving Ffestiniog loco. The model was built from the Mercian kit and regauged by Brian Love.
4. Palmerston - this model represents the loco as she was first delivered to the railway. She was scratch-built by Steve Bell, originally to 016.5 gauge, and she came to Rhyd in 2015 following a loco exchange agreed some 30 years earlier! She has been regauged and pick-ups added to the tender, with an immeasurable improvement in running quality. The bearded driver is my impression of a certain model manufacturer and one time FR regular.
Welsh Pony - was builtin in 1867. She ran until aroundc1940, after that she was stored and for some time displayed on a plinth outside Harbour Station. it was decided to return it to steam in 2014 and following a comprehensive overhaul, returned to steam in 2020.
In reality the model was built and painted by Paul Holmes from the Mercian kit to O14 standards. Fitted with a High-Level gearbox and motor. The model represents the locomotive as running in 2020/21, in the the Victorian Ffestiniog carriage livery of purple/brown.
In reality the model was built and painted by Paul Holmes from the Mercian kit to O14 standards. Fitted with a High-Level gearbox and motor. The model represents the locomotive as running in 2020/21, in the the Victorian Ffestiniog carriage livery of purple/brown.
7 Little Wonder - This was the first Double Fairlie locomotive built for the FR in 1872, Little Wonder was designed by Robert Francis Fairlie and built by George England & Co. at Hatcham Iron Works. She is modeled in her later condition. Scratch built by New Zealand modeller Paul Berntsen. A lovely smooth runner, generally works the Quarryman's train.
9 Taliesin - built in 1876, she was a very successful locomotive and was heavily used, in turn this resulted in heavy maintenance and rebuilding until she went into Boston Lodge for a new boiler which never materialised. She was finally scrapped in 1937, a replica locomotive was completed in 1999.
This is the ’first edition’ EDM kit built by Brian Love to represent the loco in her final condition; rather than the current “replica”. It is a lovely model and there is something 'stately' in the way she runs; her haulage powers are prodigious.
This is the ’first edition’ EDM kit built by Brian Love to represent the loco in her final condition; rather than the current “replica”. It is a lovely model and there is something 'stately' in the way she runs; her haulage powers are prodigious.
10 Merddin Emrys -This is the Wrightlines Kit built by Frank Martin and painted by Chris Clark, running on 14mm gauge EDM bogies built by Brian Love. The loco was owned by friend and neighbour Frank and it also had the original kit bogies built to 16.5mm gauge for when he needed to run it on his own railway (but we don't talk about them!). It was given to me as a parting gift when we moved from Scotland: a very touching and generous gift.
12 David Lloyd George - - a model of the FR's 'new' 13":1foot Double Fairlie. This is the Wrightlines kit bought for me as a Christmas present by Michelle very many years ago. I scratch-built the cab and various kit bits altered as necessary and the late Colin Binnie turned new doDavid Lloyd Georgemes for me. The model originally ran on scratch-built bogies but these have now been replaced by the newer EDM ones. It languished on, in a part finished state, until Brian Love took pity on me and agreed to finish it. And a marvellous job he made!
Blanche - (Hunslet 589 of 1893) also a Penrhyn engine, was purchased by the FR for £2000[2] in 1963 and had a similar set of modifications and rebuilds to Linda, who generally acted as the guinea pig of the two but Blanche has retained her distinctive tender-cab. She was given an overhaul and repaint in 2011. I could not decide which model I preferred so, after talking it over with Brian, I bit the bullet and went for the two! They are, of course, built from the excellent EDM kit. Lovingly built and finished by Brian to represent them as running in 2011. An article by Brian on building these locos appeared in Narrow Lines 197. . .
Linda- was built as 0-4-0STs by Hunslet (590 of 1893) for use on the Penrhyn Quarry Railway. She left Penrhyn in 962 when she was hired to the FR at £50 per week and she was purchased the following year. She was re-gauged and given a tender for the 1963 season. Te pony truck added in 1970 and, later that year, she was converted to oil firing. After numerous escapades and rebuilds she was converted back to coal firing in August 2013 and she was repainted green the following year.