Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways

Hello Readers,

I’m Oliver Dove, a young volunteer for Penistone Line Partnership, I’m sharing my week volunteering with Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways which was a fantastic opportunity.

Sunday

My first day began with an induction at Boston Lodge, where I explored the historic site, much of which dates back to the 1830s, with later additions to support railway operations. After the tour, I got straight to work, polishing the brass on Number 12, David Lloyd George, a Double Fairlie built in 1992, and learning how to clean its bodywork.

Later, after working on a few more locomotives, I took the service train from Boston Lodge Halt to Porthmadog Harbour Station to coal up the Double Fairlies, Merddin Emrys (built in the 1870s) and David Lloyd George, for their afternoon journeys. Returning to Boston Lodge, I rode the footplate on Merddin Emrys before helping to ash-out the locomotive and degrease its rods. The day ended with assisting in the disposal of Garratt NG 143, a Manchester-built engine once used in South Africa. The driver even let me ride on the footplate as I helped guide them.

 

Monday

The morning was spent cleaning the Fairlies David Lloyd George and Merddin Emrys again, followed by working on Blanche, a Leeds-built locomotive from 1893. We also tackled NG 143, as it was not running that day. I dedicated several hours to cleaning the dome, boiler barrel, and bodywork. Later, I returned to Porthmadog to coal up Merddin Emrys, David Lloyd George, and Linda. That evening, I helped prepare the locomotives for the next day’s duties and assisted in disposing of David Lloyd George and Merddin Emrys at Boston Lodge.

 

Tuesday

I started the day polishing the brass on NG 143 and assisting with its preparation for service. With James Spooner re-entering traffic after some downtime, I helped clean it along with David Lloyd George. Finishing around midday, I caught a service train to Porthmadog and boarded the return Snowdonia Star to Caernarfon, hauled by Garratt 87. The scenic journey was made even better by an unexpected meeting with a friend.

Wednesday

The day began with preparing NG 143 and James Spooner, followed by work on Merddin Emrys. We then moved David Lloyd George out of the shed and pressure-washed the floor to remove weeks of accumulated dirt. I also cleaned Blanche and helped load coal onto the small Hunslet Lilla. In the evening, I assisted in disposing of Garratt 87. Its fireman, Meg, invited me to light its fire the next morning. The day ended with disposing of the remaining engines.

Thursday

Arriving early at Boston Lodge, I lit the fire in Garratt 87, beginning by igniting oily rags and gradually adding wood and coal. After cleaning the locomotive, I received the exciting news that I would spend the day on its footplate, assisting Meg and driver Keith. We prepared the WHR F-Set carriages, coupled the train, and headed across the Cob to Harbour Station. Along the way, I discovered that a friend was travelling with us. The journey to Beddgelert included filling the water tank, albeit slightly overfilled, and I had my first experience firing on the stretch to Rhyd Ddu. At Dinas, we took on coal and eventually reached Caernarfon, where we had lunch and performed an ash-out before coupling to the other end of the carriages for the return trip.

The return journey involved more firing duties and another water refill at Rhyd Ddu in preparation for the steep incline ahead. A delay caused by a late service added some pressure, but we continued to Porthmadog, arriving late and completing a tricky shunt to collect a carriage. Despite challenges with vacuum pipes during coupling, the task was completed. Back at Boston Lodge, we disposed of 87 and ended the day with some much-needed cleaning.

Friday

My final day began with a workshop at Boston Lodge, where I had the opportunity to drive a small steam locomotive. Off duty, I watched David Lloyd George arrive at Porthmadog Harbour Station and joined the crew as they prepped James Spooner for a run. We took turns driving the locomotive, performing stopping tests, and exploring areas of the works. A failure on David Lloyd George delayed services, giving us extra time with the engine. James Spooner eventually brought us back to Porthmadog, where I spoke with Keith before heading to Waunfawr to greet Meg on NG130. As the locomotives departed for Caernarfon, I prepared to return home, reflecting on an unforgettable week of volunteering.

Matt’s Closing Notes

In conclusion, I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Oliver Dove for sharing his photography and detailed account of his week volunteering with the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways. His passion for steam locomotives and the heritage railway industry shines through in his writing. I also give thanks to the community rail officer for Penistone Line Partnership, Sarah, for organising this edition of the blog and making this post possible, her work is greatly appreciated.