WORK to return the last surviving Welsh-built standard gauge steam loco to operation at the Gwili Railway is set to get underway imminently. It comes after the Gwili Vintage Carriage Group reached the first fundraising milestone to enable the overhaul of Taff Vale Railway 0-6-2T No. 28. The first £32,000 has been raised towards the National Collection-owned loco’s overhaul, aided by a grant for £18,250 from the Association for Industrial Archaeology.
The funding will enable the first sections of the frames and motion to receive essential repair work and will also enable the boiler to be lifted and inspected. The condition of the boiler will determine the remaining cost and timescale for the project, but the overall cost is expected to reach £160,000.