Russell

This announcement was made by WHHR earlier:

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The Board of Directors of the WHR Ltd met on Saturday 17th at Gelert’s Farm to discuss proposals to complete the overhaul/restoration of our Flagship Locomotive RUSSELL . The outcome of the meeting was that the Board approved the proposal put forward by ALAN KEEF ENGINEERING Ltd to complete the overhaul/restoration of the locomotive , and the contract to do this has now been awarded to them . Discussions will now take place with Keef’s in order to transfer the locomotive to their works at Ross-on-Wye as soon as is convenient in order for work to commence as soon as possible .

Martyn Owen

On behalf of WHR Ltd Board of Directors .

 

Good news, a wonderful loco, sorry for being cheeky but is there any chance of her being dual brake fitted, air&vac so she can run with ffestiniog/whr stock?

 

(I don't work at WHHR any more, but) That would be difficult as it had a new boiler in the 1970s, and the dome under the shiny cover is taller than it should be.

Don't know what WHHR current policy on dual brakes is. The vacuum kit used to be in the driver's side coal bunker from 1987-2003, but that would probably be needed for coal if the loco was to run on the whole line.

CHRIS

 

Having been under restoration for so long at Gelert's Farm what's prompted the contracting of the overhaul to Alan Keef?

 

Probably precious time ticking away on Gelert's boiler ticket among other things.

 

A way to support the restoration of RUSSELL and have a good time

For those of you who sampled the delights of “Sunday Night at the Farm” in 2011, you will be delighted and enraptured to know the event returns in 2012! I am giving plenty of advanced warning so you can sort your diary, clear your planner and get permission to be out after dark!!!

You will be warmly welcomed to the WHHR on Sunday 6th May, to enjoy Beer, BBQ and live music while sampling the delights of Narrow Gauge steam late into the evening.

You are invited to the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway in Porthmadog to join an evening celebrating all things Narrow Gauge. As part of our May bank holiday Gala on Sunday 6th May, we will be running an intensive evening service between Porthmadog and Pen-Y-Mount, from 6.30pm till 10.30pm with all trains stopping at Gelert’s Farm, where you can view our museum, while enjoying a beer and a burger (other food types will be available.) Or just travel up and down the line enjoying “First Class” travel in our superbly restored Buffet Car. The engine shed will be filled with the sounds of a live band. So why not join us for the evening?

Entry to this event is by means of a £5 donation to the RUSSELL Fund. (Discounted entry if purchased in conjunction with a daytime Gala ticket) This covers unlimited train travel during the evening and entry to the shed and Museum. Food and drink charges will apply.

If this is not enough and your appetite has not been filled you can do it all again on Saturday 2nd June. The music will be different, but the welcome will be equally warm.

 

Its not something i've admitted in public before... but i agree. I dont dislike the cut down version of Russell at all, and would love to see it replicated at some point. In Moel Tryfan's case i even think the mods for FR running were an improvement, but dont tell anyone i said it...

Chris

 

Actually, I agree with you on Moel Tryfan - though I strongly disagree on Russell...

 

Re: Russell/WHHR Theft

I wouldn't imagine so; the WHHR is run by a charity, and as such the shop is run by a trading subsidiary company (called Cwmni Rheilffordd Beddgelert if anyone's interested). The Russell fund is administered financially by the main company's Finance Director, a man of considerable integrity.

Irrespective of recent issues at Gelerts Farm, the main issue for Russell at present is probably going to be money. I'm sure the WHHR would welcome donations to the restoration fund.

Have fun,

CHRIS

(Chris Dearden, former Vice Chairman at WHHR, though no longer directly involved.)

 

I have said it before and I will say it again...

 

At Norden (Dorset) we are busy building track (and an engine shed) on which Russell will be invited back for a short time, for photo opportunitys with a M7 (or even a Bullied) beneath the Skew Arch Bridge over which Russell used to cross. The Bridge has to have remedial work done to it first but the expected timescale could be 3 years depending upon finance and activities on the Swanage Branch. DO not worry - we will not be asking for a cut down version.

 

A bump for an old thread with the latest news from Gelert's Farm

Russell is the only surviving steam locomotive from the original Welsh Highland Railway. In April 2012 the Board of the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway, Porthmadog, decided to send Russell’s rolling chassis, boiler and fabricated components to Alan Keef Ltd, Ross-on-Wye, to continue the restoration work. In June 2012 we made an appeal for £125,000 to complete the work. We have received a terrific response from our Russell donors, WHHR members, Welsh Highland Railway Society members and readers of Heritage Railway and Narrow Gauge World magazines. To complete the work and have Russell back in steam on the WHHR at the beginning of next season we still needed £65,000 at the end of January.

In mid-February we received a single donation of £25,000 from one of our longstanding donors. The donor wishes to remain anonymous. However, our donor has offered to match other donations we receive before the end of May 2013 pound for pound up to another £25,000. WOW! This is a fantastic opportunity - please consider making a donation now.

And it goes without saying, a huge thank you to the mystery donor. Please visit: Russell Appeal for further information/to donate.

 

Is it true that Russell is the only surviving steam loco? Rumour has it that there are another six !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

The other 6 were not owned by the WHR..................

 

Lets not split hairs over it - we all understand what the WHHR means by that statement without having to dig out our James Boyd books to see the stock list of the WHR (1922) Company.

If it gets a few more quid in the tin and gets "Russell" in steam, who cares.

Gareth

 

I don't think the original WHR ever had six locos of it's own.

From memory, in order of disapearance there was:
Bedgelert (scrapped as worn out by NWNGR about the time Russell was built)
Gowrie (sold by NWNGR before the whr was completed)
Snowdon Ranger (best bits used to rebuild Moel Tryfan - worst bits of both scrapped)
590 (scrapped at dinas at closure)
Moel Tryfan (scrapped by FR early in FR preservation)
Russell (still around today!)

Beddgelert and Gowrie were both off the scene before the advent of the full WHR. I don't think any of the companies ever had more than 4 locos on the books at any one time.

As an asside - I reckon a Beddgelert replica would be a powerful beast - the pictures that survive certainly make it look that way.

 

Gowrie replica too, please