April 2015 Update
The season has started, and what a start. David Jones, the BLR General Manager, writes:
The railway re-opened on the 31st of March, in time for the Easter holidays, after a hectic period getting everything – track, engines, carriages, shop, café – through their winter maintenance and ready for a new season.
The Easter bunny visited the railway for the first time, hiding ‘Easter eggs’ around the line for children to find as they went by on the train. Much fun was had by all, including the Easter bunny, with plenty of positive comments from happy passengers. The good weather also played its part, and the railway enjoyed its best Easter weekend since at least 1988 (this is as far back as the computerised records go), and possibly ever, with numbers up 20% on the previous year, which was itself a pretty good Easter for the railway
Just before Easter, the railway was approached by a lady who lives a couple of miles up the valley, on the slopes of the Aran mountain, and who makes home-made ice cream. We invited her over and she brought samples to taste. We were immediately won over by the rich creamy taste of her ice cream and stocked some to try. We sold out in two days! The second order didn’t even last the day. We’ve ordered several times since and the ice cream, which is available in several delicious flavours, has become a firm favourite with passengers and locals alike. So next time you visit the railway, try some of our locally produced home-made Rhyd y Bod Aran ice cream – we’re sure you’ll be back for more!
The board of the BLR stated that it was very pleased to hear about the Easter success, and wanted to extend grateful thanks to the General Manager as well as all the staff and volunteers.
Winifred Returns – April 13th 2015
This date has been in the diary for a considerable time, during which Rob Houghton, the BLR Chief Engineer, has methodically carried out, over a period of almost three years, a most comprehensive overhaul on Winifred, and it speaks volumes that she was not only ready for her big day, but also that she performed faultlessly too.
The day dawned cold, damp and overcast, not ideal in the eyes of some, but the resident weather fanatics had had their prayers answered, because it was dry, with almost no wind. It was a milestone day too, as the 13th marked 130 years to the day that Winifred was first delivered to Penrhyn Quarry in 1885. It was her birthday, and should be celebrated.
As Alice and Maid Marian were also on duty, there had been much activity down at the shed since the early hours. Julian Birley had been helping, since early in the morning, with the loco preparation, and it was a delight to see wisps of thick, white steam billowing in increasing volume over the shed roof. Tim Gregson, Russell Prince and Julian’s son, Thomas, were looking afterAlice, while Maid Marian was in the capable hands of Andy Best and Howard Bowling.
In advance of the 11.00 presentation, there had been a lot happening at Llanuwchllyn Station too. The Welsh flag bunting, which decorated the buildings and fences, had already been straightened out after the strong winds of the previous evening, and volunteers and staff were busy with last minute chores. Dr David Gwyn, chairman of the BLR, arrived, followed shortly by the celebrated harpist, Adele Burnett, who entertained us throughout the morning on the platform, in spite of the less than favourable temperatures which did nothing to impair her exquisite playing. (Please note her Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Adele-Burnett-Harpist/). The guest of honour, the famous steam enthusiast, owner and record producer, Pete Waterman, appeared on the platform like an express train, and tracked down Julian, who had just reappeared in suit and tie, looking diametrically smarter than he was a couple of hours earlier!
By now, the platform was getting distinctly busy and exuding a wonderful atmosphere of anticipation. Even the perennially chattering house sparrows seemed to sense that something momentous was afoot. Myriad people were arriving from far and wide, including journalists and television crews, plus dignitaries, such as Lord Dafydd Ellis Thomas and local councillor, Dilwyn Morgan, both keen supporters of the BLR extension project. Shortly, whistles were heard and all eyes then turned towards the shed, as, firstly, Maid Marian and then Alice, both sporting Welsh pennants above their smokeboxes, whistled again, moved slowly off shed to take up their positions in the station loop, and then reversed along the siding, parallel to the main line. Anticipation levels were now nearing safety valve limits.
Then, exactly at the prescribed time, there was a loud whistle from the shed area, the crowds were hushed and the school children on the far platform broke into delightful song. Winifred emerged dramatically through a cloud of all-enveloping steam and then slowly, very slowly, joined the main line for the station, accompanied along the parallel loop by Alice and Maid Marian, the bridesmaids following the bride, so to speak. As ‘entrances’ go, it was timed to perfection. On the footplate of Winifred were Rob Houghton, who had put so much time and effort into the re-awakening of this venerable loco, plus Roger Hine, Director and former General Manager, who had contributed so much to the overhaul, a most deserving crew for the big day. BUT, there was a third person on the footplate, one Emrys Owen, who had piloted Winifred off shed, and who, as a young lad, had been her driver at Penrhyn Quarry in the 1950s. It could not have been a more appropriate rostering.
Dr David Gwyn addressed all assembled, fittingly first in Welsh and then in English, and then introduced the celebrated guest of honour, Pete Waterman, who spoke from the heart about the dedication of steam ownership. He then handed over to Winifred’s owner, Julian Birley, who spoke briefly, and who then asked Pete Waterman to remove the Welsh flag draped over Winifred’s water tank, thus ceremoniously welcoming her into her new career. Julian then presented Pete Waterman with a shining brass Winifred nameplate as a commemorative gift.
The Eagles Inn pub in Llanuwchllyn had generously baked and donated two beautiful cakes in honour of the occasion, which were duly cut with great ceremony. Julian then placed one piece of cake in Winifred’s firebox, so she was now completely and very suitably christened! It was a most moving ceremony, and specially printed mini-packs of tissues were distributed, primarily in one direction, in case of emotion!
Then it was time for the first train, a special for invited guests, and what a landmark train it was, as this was the very first passenger train that Winifred had ever pulled.
Incidentally, she has a most healthy and distinctive ‘bark’ when she is working hard, but such was the animated conversation in each carriage throughout the first journey along the lake that this alluring aspect went largely unheard.
The lake was calm, the scenery perfect and the atmosphere tranquil. It seemed almost as if we had the monopoly on time itself. At one point, almost as if rehearsed, an RAF Hercules ambled past on a very low level training flight along the lake. Some asserted that the aircraft seemed to waggle her wings slightly in salute. Later on, during the return trip, a Chinook helicopter flapped past noisily at a similar height. It was clearly to be seen that the load door at the rear was down, and that crew members were leaning out taking photographs! What a way for Winifred to return to service.
Many ears were listening intently on the last part of the return trip, where the ‘bank’ makes a loco work hard, and, as Rob opened the regulator wide, Winifred did not disappoint. Her ‘bark’ is unique. After her triumphant first passenger service, the assembled visitors disembarked and then set about a delicious hog-roast which had been set up on the grassy knoll next to the platform.
After such a convivial lunch-time gathering, Winifred then busied herself throughout the afternoon with hauling three more return services for the public, each time with a different crew, made up of those who had put such great effort and long hours into her ‘rebirth’, including Rob Houghton, Roger Hine, Dan Laidlaw and Liz Partridge.
All in all, it was a spectacularly successful day. Everything went precisely to plan, the weather remained dry and the ‘old girl’ never missed a beat, a fitting testimony to Rob and all the BLR team. What a comeback, the type that would make Pete Waterman proud!
The Red Dragon Project
Work on preparations for the extension of the line into Bala itself progresses well, and at the moment, there are a large number of aspects ‘in the mix’, thus it would be inappropriate to make any premature announcements. In the meantime, herewith the latest situation from Julian Birley, chairman of the Bala Lake Railway Trust:
“The Winifred day was a wonderful opportunity for new people to become aware of The Red Dragon Project, and to shed light on the main facet of extending the railway into the town of Bala. Local businesses have been kind enough to donate towards the cause, recognising the true benefits that the railway will have on the local community. The absolute focus of the project at this present time is to continue to raise the funds in order to purchase the station site in the town. While the whole cost of the extension is likely to be around £1.5 million, once the first £300,000 is raised, 40% of the route can be purchased and have track laid on it. While this is a lot of money, it is a very much more manageable step in order to make significant progress.
Please help us to get the message out to all who care about their railway heritage, and donate through JustGiving on the Bala Lake Railway Trust website”.
www.balalakerailwaytrust.org.uk
And finally……….
March 17th, as we mentioned last month, was the date of Winifred’s first post-overhaul run along the line, ever. April 13th was her first day of passenger duties, ever. While these dates are significant, they are also more so because, on both occasions, she was fired by a female, namely Liz Partridge, one of our keenest volunteers.
In the decades when Winifred was working at Penrhyn, one man operation was the order of the day, as quarry shunting duties allowed enough time for stoking the boiler, oiling around etc. Occasionally, a young lad would be rostered to assist on a difficult day. What makes the two dates significant, particularly March 17th, is that not only was it rare for there ever to be two people on the footplate, but on that occasion in March, Winifred was fired by a female, almost certainly the very first time ever.
There is history everywhere.