TWO new-build North Wales narrow gauge locomotive projects are forging ahead and are now at key stages.
A Gowrie Locomotive Trust supporter has offered match funding sponsorship towards specific elements of the project to construct a near-replica Hunslet 0-6-4T Single-Fairlie Gowrie.
The first item identified is machining the wheelsets for the power bogie which will cost £15,000, the trust therefore needs to raise £7,500 to make use of a slot available for the work.
Costs
A provisional price of £3,000 has been obtained for the platework needed for the tanks, cab and bunker and match funding will also be available for this to enable placing an order as soon as possible. The third area of expenditure needing to be addressed quickly is the purchase of rivets to fasten the frame structures together, 550 rivets of various sizes being required in total. The urgency is that work has already commenced to utilise the contractors’ availability.
When the project was launched in August 2019 the cost was estimated at about £600,000. Subsequent reviews have revised the figure to nearer £480,000. The reduction in overall costs is largely attributable to donations of work in kind, suppliers offering reduced prices and registration of the trust for VAT. Against this, steel prices have recently climbed, hence the urgency in placing orders for a number of items. The trust anticipates steaming Gowrie during 2026.
Meanwhile, 1863 Mountaineer Locomotive Ltd has launched a new appeal towards construction of its replica Ffestiniog Railway George England. This needs £8,000 to finance coupling and connecting rods – within 24 hours of launching the appeal a donor had sponsored the first rod.
