A rather special photo opportunity presented itself this weekend when a group of volunteers gave Double Fairlie ‘Earl of Merioneth’ some much needed TLC!
The loco had recently been on display in the Old Engine Shed in grubby, distressed ‘as withdrawn’ condition. However, over the past few days it was moved to the Erecting Shop, where a group of volunteers removed dust and grime that had built up over the past six years, cleaning the paintwork and polishing brass, as well as attending to areas of rust.
David, who works in the Carriage Works said: “A team of volunteers was assembled over the August Bank holiday weekend to bring the Earl of Merioneth up to a condition more suitable for display in its new role as part of the NLHF Boston Lodge Heritage Tours. This work included a thorough clean of the paintwork. Brass work was then polished and a protective coating applied to maintain its clean appearance. We also treated the rust on the smokeboxes which had developed on the locomotive during storage was also treated and repainted. The cylinder lagging sheets on the bogies which were formerly under the loco ‘David Lloyd George’ were also repainted with Green and Red lining reapplied.”
Before the loco was returned to the Old Engine Shed, the opportunity was taken to line-up of all four of our Ffestiniog Railway based Double Fairlies – ‘James Spooner’, ‘David Lloyd George’, ‘Earl of Merioneth’ and ‘Merddin Emrys’… resulting in a very special photograph!
Unfortunately ‘Livingston Thompson’, which is currently on display at the National Railway Museum, couldn’t join the party..!
‘James Spooner’, ‘David Lloyd George’ and ‘Merddin Emrys’ have been busy this Summer, usually on our ‘Mountain Spirit’ or ‘Woodland Wanderer’ services… book your next visit to the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways here.
Daeth cyfle arbennig i dynnu llun y penwythnos hwn pan wnaeth criw o wirfoddolwyr a staff lanhau Fairlie Dwbl ‘Iarll Meirionydd’!
Roedd y loco wedi’i arddangos yn ddiweddar yn yr Hen Sied Injans mewn cyflwr diflas, trallodus ‘fel wedi’i dynnu’n ôl’. Fodd bynnag, yn ystod y dyddiau diwethaf fe’i symudwyd i’r Siop Codi, lle bu grŵp o wirfoddolwyr yn cael gwared ar lwch a budreddi a oedd wedi cronni dros y chwe blynedd diwethaf, gan lanhau’r gwaith paent a chaboli pres, yn ogystal â rhoi sylw i fannau o rwd.
Dywedodd David, sy’n gweithio yn ein Gweithdai Cerbydau: “Cafodd tîm o wirfoddolwyr ei ymgynnull dros benwythnos Gŵyl y Banc mis Awst i ddod ag Iarll Meirionnydd i gyflwr mwy addas i’w arddangos yn ei rôl newydd fel rhan o Deithiau Treftadaeth CTLG Boston Lodge. Roedd y gwaith hwn yn cynnwys glanhau’r paent yn drylwyr. Yna cafodd y gwaith pres ei sgleinio a gosodwyd gorchudd amddiffynnol i gadw ei olwg lân. Buom hefyd yn trin y rhwd ar y blychau mwg a oedd wedi datblygu ar y locomotif yn ystod y cyfnod storio, hefyd yn cael ei drin a’i ail-baentio. Cafodd y dalennau lagin silindr ar y bogies a oedd gynt o dan y locomotif ‘David Lloyd George’ hefyd eu hail-baentio gyda leinin Gwyrdd a Choch wedi’u hail-gymhwyso.”
Cyn dychwelyd y loco i’r Hen Sied Injans, manteisiwyd ar y cyfle i leinio ein pedwar ‘Fairlie’ Dwbl o Rheilffordd Ffestiniog – ‘James Spooner’, ‘David Lloyd George’, ‘Iarll of Merioneth’ a ‘Myrddin Emrys’ … gan gyflwynio siawns am lun arbennig iawn!
Yn anffodus ni allai ‘Livingston Thompson’, sy’n cael ei arddangos ar hyn o bryd yn yr Amgueddfa Reilffordd Genedlaethol, ymuno â’r parti..!
Mae ‘James Spooner’, ‘David Lloyd George’ a ‘Myrddin Emrys’ wedi bod yn brysur yr haf yma, fel arfer ar ddyletswyddau ein gwasanaethau ‘Ysbryd y Mynydd’ neu ‘Crwydrwr y Goedwig’… archebwch eich ymweliad nesaf â Rheilffyrdd Ffestiniog ac Eryri yma.
