'DAVID LLOYD GEORGE' AT BLAENAU FFESTINIOG (12/13)

David Lloyd George (#12) is a 1992 replica of an original locomotive of the narrow gauge (1 ft 11 1⁄2 in - 597 mm) Ffestiniog Railway (Rheiffordd Festiniog), now a preservation tourist line which runs between Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog (Gwynedd, North Wales).

We visited the line for its 'Quirks and Curiosities' weekend (though this loco, while highly unusual by global standards, is an integral and native part of the FR). Blaenau Ffestiniog is the upper terminus of the Ffestiniog Railway and a junction with the standard gauge national network line from Llandudno. The loco here has left the far end of our train and has picked up water. It is now just completing its run-round to join the new leading end of our train for the return to Porthmadog.

The view looks W to the Moelwyns whose peaks loom over this side of Blaenau Ffestiniog. The nearest cliffs belong to Craig Nyth-y-gigfran. From R to L the summits beyond belong to Moel-yr-hydd (647m) Moelwyn Mawr (770 m) and Moelwyn Bach (710 m).

DOUBLE FAIRLIES

David Lloyd George (0-4-4-0T Double Fairlie) was built in the railway's own workshops at Boston Lodge in 1992 to the innovative 'double-ended' design (1864) invented and patented by the Scottish engineer Robert Francis Fairlie in 1864. As well as the double-ended design, there are Single Fairlies too. In both cases, each set of driving wheels is a driving bogie which unlike standard driving wheel arrangements on most steam locomotives, swivels to accommodate the tight curves of the railway. The Double Fairlie design in David Lloyd George incorporates a large single long boiler with the cab sitting astride it, a pair of central fireboxes and a smoke box at each end. Although looking completely different from modern diesel and electric designs, the Double Fairlie principle of a double-ended loco running on a pair of powered bogies applies to many of them too.

The Double Fairlies are fine-looking iconic and powerful little locomotives, and a great favourite in our family and with many rail fans. The design is often used a logo for the Ffestiniog Railway.

For Ffestiniog Railway:
--- www.festrail.co.uk/index.htm
--- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ffestiniog_Railway
--- www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Festiniog_Railway_Company

--- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ffestiniog_Railway_rolling_stock
--- www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Merddin_Emrys
www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Double_Fairlie

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Photo
Brian Roy Rosen
Uploaded to Flickr May 28th, 2017
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Taken in: United Kingdom / Wales / Glanypwll (show map)

Taken on: April 28, 2017

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Sets appears in: • Wales: North Wales • Steam Locomotives more » • British Trains and Rail Scenes « less

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