Wednesday 20 April 2016

Six steam locos haul special train to raise £60,000 for railways


The Snowdonian - an annual 80 mile round trip covering the entire length of the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways - raised more than £60,000 for the railways’ Diamond Jubilee Appeal ran on Saturday.

The journey started at Porthmadog, running to Blaenau Ffestiniog behind locomotives Palmerston, Prince and David Lloyd George. On the return, the train paused at Boston Lodge and the locos were changed for Darjeeling Himalaya 19B, Linda and Blanche for the trip to Caernarfon and back.

The 10 coach train included the Beeches Light Railway's Carrabasset Parlor Car and the F&WHR's new luxury Pullman observation carriage 150, making its first public appearance.

Guests included the chief executive and chairman of Network Rail, Mark Carne and Sir Peter Hendy, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, president of the Railway Heritage Trust, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas and local MP Liz Saville Roberts.

Such was the demand for places on the special train that a second, the Snowdonian Limited, is planned for June 11. Places are still available at www.festrail.co.uk/appeal.

Darjeeling 19B also ran a private charter, the Tea Train, taking the Carrabasset Parlor Car to Rhyd Ddu and back for the highest bidders in a blind raffle.


A Darjeeling train, far from its homeland and on a special
run from Caernarfon to Blaenau Ffestiniog, on the height
 gaining spiral at Dduallt typical of the DHR in India.
Pic: Eryl Crump.


Network Rail CEO Mark Carne on the footplate 
of Linda at Pont Croesor. 
Pic: Gordon Rushton.


Picture captions:

Top: Palmerston, Prince and David Lloyd George at Tan y Bwlch.
Pic: Chris Parry

ends

Further info: Andrew Thomas, Media Relations, Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, Phone: 01766 516072, Mobile: 07919 414871, Email: athomas@ffwhr.com

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