Over the coming Bank Holiday Weekend (28-30th May) the Fairbourne Railway will be celebrating 100 Years of Steam with a fabulous ‘Centenary of Steam Gala’

Following the laying of a special section of track, in 12.25 and 15″, the railway is welcoming home three engines that between them span the first 70 years of the railway when it was a 15 gauge track.

Visiting Locomotives

Count Louis was built in 1924 for a racing driver named Count Louis Zborowski. This was for his private railway line at his home near Canterbury. After his death at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Count Louis was sold to the Fairbourne Railway in 1925. It was the sole steam locomotive on the railway. This will be Count Louis’ first trip back to the Fairbourne Railway.

Katie

Katie was built in 1956 for the Dudley Zoo Railway, and was at Fairbourne between 1965 and 1985.

Prince Edward of Wales

Prince Edward of Wales was built for the Fairbourne in 1916 by W.J.Bassett-Lowke.  In 1923 they swapped it for another engine and it moved to Llewelyn’s Miniature Railway at Southport, and during its life it was briefly used at the Lightwater Valley Railway. In 1994 its current owner began an extended restoration programme.

Additional Loco’s

All available 12.25″ engines will be running a special service along the line.

Timetable…

The first train will leave Fairbourne at 10:40 and Barmouth Ferry at 11:30, trains will then run roughly every 30 minutes until around 16:30, see the Fairbourne Railway website for more information.

The 3 visiting locos will be operating ‘top-and-tail’, giving short rides between service train.

At Barmouth Ferry there will be a miniature railway and model tent with displays, and a rally of miniature traction engines will be at Fairbourne Station.

PLEASE NOTE: Gift Aided Free Return Visits are not valid during any of the Gala days

We hope to be there on the Saturday, so keep a look out for a post and video!

• Visit the Fairbourne Railway Website
  For more information
• View other Fairbourne Railway Posts
  Here on the RailAdvent Website