After a 9,971km journey from the Alishan Forest Railway in Taiwan, on Monday, 31st January, diesel locomotive DL-34 finally arrived safely at Llanfair Caereinion on the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway.

Last November, representatives of the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway travelled to Alishan in Taiwan to take part in an official handover ceremony before the 50-year-old DL-34 began its long journey to the UK where it will be on an initial three-year loan to the Welshpool & Llanfair.

Although the locomotive has the same gauge of 762mm (2ft. 6in.) as the Welshpool & Llanfair, it requires modifications to its coupling and braking systems to make it compatible with the railway’s existing rolling stock. The locomotive will then undergo a period of commissioning and is expected to be ready to be hauling trains during the first part of this year’s operating season.

The arrival of DL-34 is timely as several of the Welshpool & Llanfair’s home fleet of diesels are in need of overhaul, especially as it is capable of hauling passenger services and other duties. It will now allow 1949-built Baguley-Drewry No.7 Chattenden and Diema No.175, a former Taiwan Sugar Corporation locomotive, to be withdrawn from traffic so they can undergo major works.

As well as boosting the railway’s fleet, the arrival of DL-34 will strengthen the educational links between the Welshpool & Llanfair and the Alishan Forest Railway. Both railways have been affiliated since 2017, and hope that the loan of DL-34 will help further their educational and cultural co-operation in the future. The Welshpool & Llanfair will post further updates on its Facebook page, whilst further information about the railway can be obtained from its website at https://wllr.org.uk/

The Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway has expressed its thanks to the Alishan Forest Railway for its support, and to Active Freight for helping to facilitate the locomotive’s move from Taiwan.