Winifred returned to steam earlier this year, 50 years after she last raised steam at the Penrhyn Quarry in Bethesda. Even more remarkable is that Winifred spent most of that time in exile in the USA.
Having been made redundant at Penrhyn Quarry, Winifred was one of six engines sold to an American in 1965 who shipped them off to the USA and quickly sold them on. Winifred was bought by Tony Hulman, the enterprising owner of the Indy 500 race track in Indianapolis. She was placed in a museum along with Mr Hulman’s car collection, but after this closed she spend the rest of the time in the back of a large climate controlled storage facility.
Several attempts were made over the years to purchase Winifred, but it wasn’t until 2012 that a supporter of the Bala Lake Railway succeeded and brought her back to Wales.
She was stripped down and overhauled in the railway’s workshops in Llanuwchllyn and launched back into service by Pete Waterman on her 130th birthday on April 13 this year. Because she was so well preserved it was decided at the time to keep her in her authentic original but slightly fading quarry coat of paint.
This weekend will be the last chance to ride behind her in this condition before she is given a fresh coat of paint this winter.
She will be joined by two of the railway’s other steam engines, Alice and Maid Marian and a late addition to the locomotive line-up Jack Lane courtesy of the Statfold Barn Railway who will be deputising for Holy War.
There will be a busy timetable of passenger and demonstration freight trains, with some engines double-heading on passenger trains and a chance to ride in the Dinorwic Quarry yellow carriage, once used by the royal family on a visit to the quarry.
The line’s various diesel engines get a look in too and the railway’s original diesel engine Meirionnydd has had a new coat of paint especially for the occasion.
At Llanuwchllyn, there are various exhibits including vintage tractors and stationary engines, vintage buses and a historic Bentley, plus model layouts and a chance to ride on the footplate and on a five inch gauge miniature railway.
A special evening train will run on Saturday evening, along with a hog roast and temporary bar serving local beers. There are special photo opportunities on both Sunday and Monday evenings featuring all the steam engines.
A free bus service will connect Bala Station with the council car parks in Bala, operated by a London Routemaster double decker and visitors will be encouraged to make use of this facility due to the limited parking availability at Bala and Llanuwchllyn over the weekend.
Further information and how to purchase advance tickets is available on the railway’s website: www.bala-lake-railway.co.uk
Jack Lane from the Statfold Barn Railway,
the latest addition to the Winifred Steam Gala.
Picture caption:
Top: Winifred with a demonstration slate train passing a vintage tractor.
Ends
Further information available from David Jones, General Manager, on Tel: 01678 540666 balalake@btconnect.com
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