THE Ffestiniog &Welsh Highland Railway’s (Ff&WHR) September 14/15 Superpower weekend presented an impressive array of big narrow gauge motive power, including four Garratts and Funkey-built Bo-Bo diesels Castell Caernarfon and Vale of Ffestiniog working trains on the Welsh Highland main line.
The star of the show was the first public appearance in steam of ex-South African Railways Société Anglo-Franco-Belge (works No. 2684) NG15 ‘Kalahari’ 2-8-2 No. 134. As reported last month, the ‘Kalahari’ moved for the first time in over 30 years, and the first time in Britain, under its own steam on September 11, following a long, and costly restoration by Cymdeithas Rheilffordd Eryri/ Welsh Highland Railway Society, led for the last three years by Adrian Strachan.
During the Superpower weekend the NG15 steamed gently back and forth along the bay platform road at Dinas, providing footplate rides for visitors.