Gowrie II
The new Gowrie is a replica of an original NWNGR locomotive currently under construction. It is being built by the Gowrie Locomotive Trust, an independent group not directly connected to the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways, however the project is supported by the railways. The locomotive is expected to be based at the Statfold Barn Railway.
History[edit]
Origins[edit]
By 2018, a group had been formed which planned to build a replica of Gowrie. The group is made up of engineers who have previously worked on Edward Sholto, the Moseley Railway Trust's 0-6-0T Hudswell Clarke 1238, and War Department LR 303, 4-6-0T Hunslet 1215. The group have become registered with the Charity Commission as a CIO and anticipate the cost to be in the region of £600,000. In order to prevent a recurrence of the original locomotive's steaming problems a new boiler is being designed and once approved construction will go out to tender. To improve the steaming of the new locomotive the firebox will be 4 inches longer which will result in the length of the complete locomotive being extended by that amount. The new locomotive will be fitted with both air and vacuum brakes for train operation and a proportionally applied steam brake to allow it to work on both the F&WHR and WHHR as well as other heritage lines.[1][2]
Construction[edit]
By the end of 2020 various parts for the frames had been procured. Construction was slower than expected due to Covid-19, but by the end of 2021 the main carrier frames had been assembled and a number of other parts were being worked on.[3] Progress continued throughout 2022 and 2023 with further assembly of frame components as well as the procurement of metal work for the tanks and cabs plus a variety of other smaller components.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ "Last Welsh Highland Fairlie to be Resurrected". Steam Railway (477): 17. 3 March 2018.
- ^ Jones, Robin (9 March 2018). "Welsh Highland single Fairlie Gowrie to be recreated from new". Heritage Railway (239): 27.
- ^ "Autumn Update". Gowrie Locomotive Trust. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ "Summer 2023 Update". Gowrie Locomotive Trust. Retrieved 26 September 2023.