Narrow Gauge
FFESTINIOG RAILWAY-BASED Hunslet 0 ‐ 4‐0STT Linda returned to steam in late November following the completion of its ‘ten-year’ overhaul.
The 1893-built locomotive’s boiler ‘ticket’ expired in March 2021; over £80,000 has been spent on returning to Linda to traffic – funded thanks to a Ffestiniog Railway Society appeal – including the creation of patterns for a new set of slide-valve cylinders ready for its next overhaul. The castings from the new patterns are on order and will be machined ready to fit during the next overhaul. Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways general manager Paul Lewin said: “Getting the ball rolling with the new cylinders for Linda allows us to get ahead of the game and ensure that replacements are available in good time.”
Other work has focused on overhauling the locomotive’s 1935-built boiler – the oldest in the current FR operational fleet – and its tender. Once coupled behind ‘Large England’ Welsh Pony, the tender was rebuilt for use behind Linda following its arrival on the FR in 1962. Now over 60 years old in its current form, the tender has been heavily rebuilt again, with only the wheelsets, rear end, and some of the sides retained, although these have had new steel plates inserted.
Lewin said: “Here at the railway we all love our Hunslets, and Linda is the favourite of many people. Linda’s overhaul was made possible by the generosity of our members, and, of course, we are eternally grateful to them for their support.”
Since the completion of its steam test on November 29, Linda has provided footplate rides in the sidings at Porthmadog Harbour over the Christmas period, but won’t formally
