Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway
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The original James Spooner had been built by Avonside Engine Company in 1872 and was withdrawn circa 1930.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: https://preservedrailway.wixsite.com/fwhr/jamesspooner1stday
www.preservedrailway.co.uk
(C) Lee Andrew Davies 2023