REBUILDING theentireWelshHighland Railway (and adding a bit more to the north) is undoubtedly one of preservation’s greatest accomplishments – but in this crowning achievement, the jewel was missing.
In the 11 years since the full reopening of the WHR, the line’s onlysurviving original locomotive, Hunslet 2-6-2T No. 901 of 1906 Russell, was notably absent, restricted by the lack of an access agreement, even though it was rail connected and operating at the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway at Porthmadog.
Today’s Ffestiniog Railway is now rich in wonderful heritage recreations, with beautifully-lined carriages in many recreated liveries, and soon there will be no less than seven working locomotives in heritage format, when the new-build double Fairlie is completed. However, the rich WHR narrowgauge heritage
