With the Welsh Highland Super-Power weekend gradually approaching, a couple who now live in California have shared their wedding day memories, and family connections to the original K1 Garrett.
Last month Angharad Rees-Jones and Miles Goodman returned to the Welsh Highland Railway from the US state of California to celebrate 10 years since they travelled behind the K1, which was the motive power of their wedding train.
This time, accompanied by their children Bryn and Arwen, they retraced the same journey to Rhyd Ddu.
“As a little girl, I had grown up spending summer holidays up here in North Wales, as my parents volunteered with one of the original railway groups in Porthmadog. We would even help with track bed surveys when the railway was opening from Caernarfon. It was my special, happy place.”
When Miles and I were choosing somewhere to get married, we found out we could have our ceremony nearby at Plas Brondanw and then we could come here and celebrate on the train and have ‘K1' pull us, which was the engine that Dad helped rebuild! It was the most magical day.”
“Everyone who came along said it was the best wedding they had ever been to, the crew decorated the train in teal for us, so it matched the Portmeirion colours for our ceremony, we even stopped at Rhyd Ddu station to have the speeches.”
Angharad Rees-Jones
Angharad's father, Robin Rees-Jones, was the fireman on the last day the K1 was in service before it was withdrawn for its 10-year overhaul.
Robin is one of the original members of the group which was directed by Mike Hart, that brought the Garrett out of the NRM to return it to steam in North Wales.
“We spent 14 years doing it up at Tyseley and Boston Lodge and then it ran for 10 years on this railway. I was on the committee leading the restoration of K1, so it became part of the girls' lives coming up to fundraising events and Open Days.”
Robin Rees-Jones
Angharad's mother also recalls how her daughters grew up alongside the narrow-gauge railway
“They would be sitting on the front carriage, of the now WHHR, as kids do, saying ‘that is my daddy driving', loud enough for everyone else to hear, before becoming volunteers themselves on the WHR, which is why being able to get married on the railway was so special. The volunteers who had worked with Robin on the restoration also crewed the train for Angharad and Miles' big day.”
Lyndsay Rees-Jones
The ‘K1' is to return to steam after its overhaul on the 14th – 15th of September for the Super-Power weekend event, with Robin being one of the special guests on board the train when the Garret returns to steam.
Details of the Super-Power event will be released shortly. With the main event focusing at Dinas, it promises to be a great weekend showcasing the railways powerful Garratt locomotives with a few additional surprises.
