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WHHR - Spring Newsletter 2011

Discussion in 'Narrow Gauge Railways' started by ChrisD, Apr 20, 2011.

  1. ChrisD

    ChrisD New Member

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    It’s nearly gala weekend, and you’re invited to an evening of narrow gauge steam, live music and beer over the May Bank Holiday.

    There’s also details of our new online photo gallery, plus the news that one of our locos is going on a world tour of Birmingham.

    And at the moment, the weather is wonderful here in Porthmadog. Come and visit us soon while it lasts......

    ** Elidir for Bank Holiday Gala

    Quarry Hunslet “Elidir” (493 of 1899) will be visiting the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway for a gala weekend over the bank holiday weekend, 29th April – 2nd May.

    The locomotive, which is based at the Llanberis Lake Railway, will be operating alongside resident steam locomotives “Gelert” (Bagnall 3050 of 1953) and “Gertrude” (Barclay 1578 of 1918). All three will form part of an intensive two-train service on Saturday 30th April, Sunday 1st May and Monday 2nd May.

    The enormous Polish LYd2 diesel locomotive, No.60 “Eryri” will also be operating on the Saturday and Sunday only. Locos will swap at Porthmadog (WHR) and trains will pass at Pen-y-Mount.

    The event is called “The Royal Gala” because we’ll be treating our visitors like royalty (who needs an invitation to the wedding anyway.) You can walk along the red carpet and travel first class for no extra charge. One person per trip will also get chance to be king or queen of the railway and ride on the engine.

    In the Engine Sheds, there’s model railway layouts, including “Llandudwen”, an imaginary location based on what might have happened if the Cambrian Coast Line had extended beyond Pwllheli. The historic World War I Simplex petrol tractor will be in operation on Sunday, and chance to have a go at driving an engine on the Saturday.

    Normal fares apply – more details here:
    - http://www.whr.co.uk/index.php?pid=38

    ** Invitation to a gathering: 1st May

    Beer, barbecue, steam trains, and live music could there be a better combination?

    You are invited to the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway in Porthmadog to join an evening celebrating all things narrow gauge over the gala weekend. On Sunday 1st May we will be running an intensive evening service from 6.30pm till 10pm with all trains stopping at Gelerts Farm, where you can view our museum while enjoying a beer and a burger (other food types will be available).

    We will also have a vintage Super-8 film show, covering the early days of WHR and FR preservation plus some other early railway restoration activities. The Engine Sheds will be filled with the sounds of our in house jazz band, made up of local railway volunteers, and there’ll be chance to ride the footplate of visiting Quarry Hunslet “Elidir” in the yard.

    Entry to this event is by means of a £3 donation to the Russell Fund, raising money to restore the only surviving original Welsh Highland steam locomotive. This covers unlimited train travel during the evening and entry to the Engine Sheds. Food and drink charges will apply.

    This evening event is open to all card carrying members of any heritage railway.

    ** New gallery now online

    The WHHR now has a new photo gallery online. Pictures include work on our latest historic carriage project, the 1891 observation car used by Prime Minister Gladstone, as well as trains, chains and paper flowers in the spring sunshine.
    - http://whhr.smugmug.com/

    (This replaces our old gallery with the Fotopic website, whose service ceased at the start of March).

    ** Gertrude at the NEC

    Barclay 0-6-0T “Gertrude”, currently resident at the Welsh Highland Heriatge Railway, is to star at the NEC in Birmingham. She will be the centrepiece of a narrow gauge themed area at this November’s Warley Model Railway Show on 19th & 20th November. Gertrude will be accompanied with displays about Bilston Steelworks near Wolverhampton, where she spent most of her industrial working life, and information about the WHHR. The weekend will be the first time that Gertrude will be on display in the area where she used to work.

    More information here: - http://www.gertrude1578.co.uk/archives/258

    Our website also has a list of which steam locomotives are running on which days:
    - http://www.whr.co.uk/index.php?pid=47
     

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