WHHR’s Hunslet 2-6-2T Russell hauls a train of WHHR heritage carriages towards Pont Croesor in the late afternoon of June 24. After pretty dire weather all day, the sun broke out over this last train back to Harbour station!
CLIFF THOMAS
THE June 23-25 Welsh Highland Centenary event celebrating the opening of the Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) from Rhyd Ddu through to Porthmadog had all the ingredients for a memorable weekend.
Organised jointly by the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway (Ff&WHR) and Welsh Highland Heritage Railway (WHHR), it is unfortunate that a primary locomotive attraction failed and the weather ranged from heavy cloud to rain during most of time.
Following the launch of WHHR’s ex-WDLR Baldwin 1012-D No. 794 (BLW44699/1917), restored ‘as’WHR No. 590 by Vale of Rheidol Railway, on the WHHR on May 27 (RM, July) testing of the loco on the WHR to Beddgelert in the run-up to the WHR100 event revealed various issues, the most serious being a centre driving wheel bearing running very hot.