The new season is well underway with Holy War and Alice currently running the service. However, the overhaul of Maid Marian (complete with new boiler) is now completed and she will be relaunched in to traffic on May 28th. Please see this announcement for further details.
As the season continues, the service trains are being handled by Holy War and Alice. Work progresses well on Triassic and pictures are now available on-line of her overhaul. Steady work continues on George B and the new boiler for Maid Marian is expected sometime this month.
The 2006 season starts today with Holy War and Alice expected to share the train services for at least the first few months; please refer to the 2006 timetable for details of train times and fares.
In the workshop, work continues on Maid Marian (it is hoped that her boiler will return to the railway later this year for re-assembly to begin), Triassic and George B.
The 2005 season is underway on the line, after a successful Easter weekend; please review the timetable for details of the train service. The service will be handled by Holy War and Alice this year. Work progresses on George B and Triassic.
Santa Specials 2004 proved to be the most successful ever, with attendance up almost 40% on the previous year and virtually all trains running to capacity. Rostered for the event were Holy War and Alice, and both engines performed superbly.
The railway now looks forward to the 2005 season, which will be handled by the same two engines. The boiler from Maid Marian has now been sent away to act as a pattern for a brand-new one to be constructed (the current one is life-expired). In the meantime, work progresses on the frames of George B and Triassic continues to make steady progess.
The new season gets underways tomorrow with plenty of news from the railway.
Alice, which arrived for Santas Specials last year, has had her boiler lifted, some routine maintainence performed and has been repainted in to a black livery. She is due to spend 5 weeks touring European railways but will be back in time for the height of the summer season.
It has recently been announced that George B, another open-cab Quarry Hunslet, is being moved to Llanuwchllyn for completion of her overhaul, which started over 30 years ago after she left Dinorwic. Currently a kit of parts, it is expected to take up to 2 years before she can steam again.
Work has progressed on Triassic; the saddle tank and cab have been removed, ready for a boiler lift.
With the prospect of both George B and Triassic being returned to steam in two years' time, there is a possibility that the railway will have no fewer than five serviceable steam locomotives.
Elsewhere, spot re-sleepering has taken place, including the loop at Bala. Other usual winter tasks, such as bush-whacking, have progressed and the line is looking great.
Finally, after a very generous donation by Shell, the workshop at Llanuwchllyn now has several new items of heavy machinary.
The railway operated another very successful "Santa Specials" weekend in December. The trains were filled almost to capacity on both days and the event saw the line's new locomotive, Alice, running her first revenue-earning trains on the Sunday.
Alice has returned to the line where her overhaul first started in 1980. Owned by a regular volunteer on the line, she is a very welcome addition to the railway's fleet. Whilst of the same class as Holy War and Maid Marian, Alice is still in her original design with an open cab; no luxeries for the crew on this engine! For more details, please refer to the locos page.
The railway finished it's main running season on September 28th after a very successful year. Passenger numbers are up almost 10% up on the previous year and it looks highly likely that Alice, from the same class as the railway's resident engines Holy War and Maid Marian, will be coming to the line on a long-term loan agreement. In addition, agreement has now been secured with the owner of Triassic for a heavy overhaul and an extension to the long-term loan agreement.
The railway will be operating Santa Specials over the weekend of December 6th and 7th. If you are planning to come to this popular event, please book early to avoid disappointment.
The birthday celebrations held for Maid Marian and Irish Mail proved to be a superb weekend, blessed with bright sunshine on both days and a good number of visitors to the line. Pictures from the event can be found on the Railway Photo Gallery.
The details of Maid Marian's 100th Birthday are now available. Irish Mail from the West Lancashire Light Railway will definitely be visiting the line and double-headed trains will feature on both days of the weekend. Please visit the Special Events page for more information.