Ffestiniog Railway - James Spooner's First Day in Service (and 3 Double Fairlie Line Up)
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Published 2023-10-28
Friday 27th October 2023
"The Square", Earl of Merioneth, was worn out and the Ffestiniog Railway was faced with a choice, a decision was made to construct a replace it with a new Double Fairlie, which would run using its bogies. In 2016 work started at Boston Lodge on this new locomotive, taking the name and number of a previously scrapped Double Fairlie, No. 8 James Spooner.
The original James Spooner had been built by Avonside Engine Company in 1872 and was withdrawn circa 1930. This new locomotive was built at Boston Lodge, and design wise is very similar to Merddin Emrys, and the locomotive features a removable cab roof as Merddin did originally. One feature the locomotive shares with its original namesake is the two bells under the whistles.
The locomotive first steamed on 4th August 2023 and made its official public debut during the Bygones Weekend, before being officially named by Liz Saville-Roberts MP in a ceremony at Blaenau Ffestiniog Station on 20 October.
This video takes a look a week later as James Spooner hauled its first public service train on 27 October. James Spooner took charge of two Woodlander Wanderer service from Porthmadog Harbour to Tanybwlch, we rode on the 11:10am service, with lineside footage being from the 2:35pm service.
On return to Porthmadog after the first service of the day, the opportunity was taken for a 'family portrait' and the three Double Fairlies in the current fleet were lined up (although Merddin was not in steam). After a short photo shoot, 1992 built David Lloyd George took Merddin Emrys and a works train back over the cob to Boston Lodge.
We see at the end of the day James Spooner returning its train over the cob in silhouette, before taking the empty coaching stock back over the cob to Boston Lodge. Our final shot is over Britain's newest steam locomotive at its birthplace as it was disposed.
Pictures from the day: preservedrailway.wixsite.com/fwhr/jamesspooner1std…
www.preservedrailway.co.uk
(C) Lee Andrew Davies 2023
All Comments (11)
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This is a cool railroad over here in Wales. Great video of Ffestiniog Railway.
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Good to see our newest loco finally in revenue earning service! Looks beautiful and sounds great. Hope it will have a long and productive service life. Mr. Fairley had one heck of a good idea when he designed his double engine as their work over all the years has shown.
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5:27 - It's testament to how well Merddin Emrys has been kept given that there it's next to a locomotive nearly 150 years younger than it, and honestly looks about the same age
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Man, what would I give to fly out to Wales and visit a railway like that while I'm still young and curious to travel the world? I like to often think that there are references of the many railways in Wales and England put in each of Wilbert Awdry's books than there are in Christopher Awdry's books of The Railway Series.
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All beautiful engines. The line up of all three was stunning. Lovely video...great to see our newest engine working the line.
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Nice engine, what a great job they did building it.
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Lovely vid, thank you .... That's the first time I've heard No.8's bells. 🙂 Query: Does anyone please know how No.8's dimensions compare with Nos. 10.and 12? Somehow, it looks a tad 'meatier'.
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Great video :)
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Glorious! What teething troubles? How does it compare with the siblings? That's what should have hit the rails in 79. Love the split cab. To what extent is it a replica of the original or really a 21stC interpretation?
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double locomotive.
