Our railway is a rich environment for varied locomotives, rolling stock and all manner of engineering, much of it dating back to Victorian times.
Come along to meet experts to learn more about the details (as in all the details you could ever want!) behind our engineering marvels. These experiences will be a mixture of talks/theory and practical hands-on demonstrations in our historic workshops at Boston Lodge.
Workshops are provided free of charge. Thanks to the Interpretation & Boston Lodge Project, made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Ffestiniog Railway Society and FfWHR Trust.
If you’re interested in these workshops – either for yourself or your group – but cannot attend at the publicised times, please do get in touch as we can probably accommodate some training at another suitable time.
A Day with Wol
Our Chief Mechanical Engineer, Jon ‘Wol’ Whalley, will take you on a detailed journey through a myriad of aspects of engineering behind our locomotives and carriages.
Have you ever wondered how our ancient train braking system works? Want to know more about steam loco boiler design? How do live steam injectors work? Booking this workshop will give you the chance to request specific areas that you’d like to learn more about.
Duration: 4 Hours
Location: Boston Lodge Works
Kerr Stuart 4415: Diesel Pioneer
A combination of talks/theory intermingled with the chance to pore over the locomotive, engine and other components at Boston Lodge.
It says it on the tin ‘KERR STUART DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE’. Built in 1927, Diesel Pioneer Kerr Stuart 4415 is the one of the most historically important locomotives in Britain. Never heard of it? Not interested in Diesels? This event is not for you! As its painstaking restoration enters the final stages there is no better time to both see progress and hear the remarkable story of the Diesel from the dawn of time and the care being taken to restore it.
The price is of course a suggested donation of £44.15. All proceeds to the locomotive restoration. A free copy of IRS reproduction of the fascinating Kerr Stuart brochure 15 Shillings Change to all members of the FR Heritage Group enrolling. Want to join the FR Heritage Group to take advantage of this offer?
Please get in touch to bbe the first to know about future dates. Details of how to make a suggested donation will be given. This workshop will be run by KS4415 Project Leader David High.
Provisional programme
09:30 – 10:15 History
10:15 – 11:00 The Kerr Stuart bit
11:00 – 11:45 Meet the machine
11:45- 12:00 Tea
12:00 -12:45 The McLaren Bit
12:45 – 13:00 Meet the engine
Duration: 4 Hours
Location: Boston Lodge Works
Quarry Hunslets: ‘they’re all the same!’
Have you ever wanted to learn more about the iconic ‘Quarry Hunslet’ locomotives which worked at quarries across Gwynedd? Luckily we have five such locomotives to pore/paw over and an expert who knows every small feature better than most. We even have two larger Hunslet sisters, one of which should be around to make an appearance.
Rob Coulson, custodian of Hunslet Britomart, will show you ‘every last nut and bolt’ on several locos to demonstrate how the Hunslet design was constantly evolving all those years ago. They are far from ‘all the same’!
This will be a technical walk and talk concentrating on the engineering details on the locos themselves, not a historical powerpoint presentation.
Please get in touch if this is something that interests you and if you would like to be the first to hear about forthcoming dates.
Duration: 4 hours
Location: Boston Lodge Works
What do I need to know before I come?
Boston Lodge is a working engineering site with rails and uneven surfaces throughout, often muddy in places and this is combined with frequent vehicle and train movements. For safety reasons it is therefore only suitable for people who are fully mobile without assistance and who’s sight is sufficient for them to see dangers themselves. Please watch this safety briefing before booking as it will help you understand what the site is like.
PPE will be provided as required for all workshops. Stout shoes (and ideally safety boots) are compulsory, along with sensible clothing for a workshop environment.
There is no catering on site but tea/coffee and soft drinks are provided (in limitless amounts!).
Accommodation
If you need local accommodation, please try our Volunteer Hostel which provides great value and a chance to meet other volunteers. Please make these bookings yourself. Details can be found here.
Booking
If you’re interested in these workshops – either for yourself or your group – but cannot attend at the publicised times, please do get in touch (Iain Wilkinson) as we may be able to accommodate other dates. To book your workshop place, please email Iain Wilkinson stating which workshop you would like to book.
Mae ein rheilffordd yn amgylchedd â chyfoeth o locomotifau amrywiol, cerbydau a phob math o waith peirianneg, llawer ohono’n dyddio’n ôl i oes Fictoria.
Dewch draw i gwrdd â’r arbenigwyr i ddysgu mwy am y manylion (yr holl fanylion y gallech chi erioed fod eu hangen!) y tu ôl i’n rhyfeddodau peirianyddol. Bydd y profiadau hyn yn gymysgedd o sgyrsiau/theori ac arddangosiadau ymarferol yn ein safleoedd gwaith hanesyddol yn Boston Lodge.
Darperir gweithdai yn rhad ac am ddim. Diolch i’r Prosiect Dehongli a Boston Lodge, a wnaed yn bosibl gan Gronfa Dreftadaeth y Loteri Genedlaethol, Cymdeithas Rheilffordd Ffestiniog ac Ymddiriedolaeth FfWHR.
Os oes gennych ddiddordeb yn y gweithdai hyn – naill ai i chi’ch hun neu i’ch grŵp – ond na allwch fynychu ar yr adegau a nodir, cysylltwch â ni gan y gallwn o bosibl ddarparu rhywfaint o hyfforddiant ar adeg arall sy’n addas i chi.
Diwrnod gyda Wol
Bydd ein Prif Beiriannydd Mecanyddol, Jon ‘Wol’ Whalley, yn mynd â chi ar daith fanwl drwy lu o agweddau ar beirianneg y tu ôl i’n locomotifau a’n cerbydau.
Ydych chi erioed wedi meddwl sut mae ein system frecio hynafol yn gweithio? Ydych chi eisiau gwybod mwy am foeler y locomotifau stêm? Sut mae chwistrellwyr stêm yn gweithio? Bydd archebu lle ar y gweithdy hwn yn rhoi cyfle i chi ofyn cwestiynau am feysydd penodol yr hoffech ddysgu mwy amdanynt.
Hyd: 4 awr
Dyddiadau: 11eg/12fed o Hydref
Lleoliad: Safle Gwaith Boston Lodge
Kerr Stuart 4415: Arloeswr Diesel
Cyfuniad o sgyrsiau/theori yn ogystal â’r cyfle i edrych dros y locomotif, yr injan a chydrannau eraill yn Boston Lodge.
Mae’n dweud yn blwmp ac yn blaen ‘LOCOMOTIF DIESEL KERR STUART’. Wedi’i adeiladu ym 1927, yr arloeswr diesel Kerr Stuart 4415 yw un o’r locomotifau hanesyddol pwysicaf ym Mhrydain. Heb glywed amdano? Dim diddordeb mewn Diesels? Nid yw’r digwyddiad hwn ar eich cyfer chi! Wrth i’r gwaith adfer gofalus gyrraedd y camau olaf nid oes amser gwell i weld cynnydd a chlywed stori ryfeddol y locomotif Diesel hwn, o’i gychwyniad a’r gofal sy’n cael ei gymryd i’w adfer.
Y pris, wrth gwrs, yw rhodd awgrymedig o £44.15. Mae’r holl elw yn mynd tuag at adfer y locomotif. Rhoddir copi am ddim o atgynhyrchiad IRS o lyfryn diddorol Kerr Stuart, 15 Shillings Change i holl aelodau Grŵp Treftadaeth FR sy’n cofrestru. Ydych chi eisiau ymuno â Grŵp Treftadaeth FR i fanteisio ar y cynnig hwn?
Cysylltwch â ni i archebu eich lle a rhoddir manylion i chi bryd hynny am sut i wneud y rhodd awgrymedig. Bydd y gweithdy hwn yn cael ei gynnal gan Arweinydd Prosiect KS4415, David High.
Rhaglen arfaethedig
09:30 – 10:15 Hanes
10:15 – 11:00 Y Kerr Stuart
11:00 – 11:45 Gweld y peiriant
11:45- 12:00 Te
12:00 -12:45 Y McLaren
12:45 – 13:00 Gweld yr injan
Hyd: 4 Awr
Dyddiadau: I’w gadarnhau
Lleoliad: Safle Gwaith Boston Lodge
Quarry Hunslets: 'maen nhw i gyd yr un fath!'
Ydych chi erioed wedi bod eisiau dysgu mwy am y locomotifau eiconig ‘Quarry Hunslet’ a oedd yn gweithredu mewn chwareli ar draws Gwynedd? Yn ffodus iawn, mae gennym bum locomotif o’r fath i chi gael golwg arnynt ac arbenigwr sy’n gwybod am bob nodwedd fach yn well na’r rhan fwyaf. Mae gennym hyd yn oed ddwy ‘sister’ Hunslet fwy, a dylai un ohonynt fod o gwmpas i chi ei weld.
Bydd Rob Coulson, ceidwad Hunslet Britomart, yn dangos pob rhan nodweddiadol i chi ar sawl locomotif i ddangos sut roedd dyluniad yr Hunslet yn esblygu’n gyson yr holl flynyddoedd hynny yn ôl. Maent yn bell o fod ‘yr un fath’ â’i gilydd!
Taith gerdded â sgwrs fydd hon yn canolbwyntio ar fanylion peirianneg y locomotifau, nid cyflwyniad powerpoint yn sôn am yr hanes.
Cysylltwch â ni os yw hyn yn rhywbeth sydd o ddiddordeb i chi ac os hoffech chi fod y cyntaf i wybod am y dyddiadau sydd i ddod.
Hyd: 4 awr
Dyddiadau: Dydd Sadwrn y 12fed o Hydref
Lleoliad: Safle Gwaith Boston Lodge
Beth sydd angen i mi ei wybod cyn i mi gyrraedd?
Mae Boston Lodge yn safle peirianneg gweithredol gyda chledrau ac arwynebau anwastad ac yn aml mae’n fwdlyd mewn rhai llefydd. Mae hyn yn ogystal â symudiadau cerbydau a threnau sy’n digwydd yn aml. Am resymau diogelwch, dim ond ar gyfer pobl sy’n gallu symud o gwmpas heb gymorth ac sy’n gallu gweld peryglon eu hunain y mae’n addas. Gwyliwch y briff diogelwch hwn cyn archebu lle gan y bydd yn eich helpu i ddeall sut le yw’r safle.
Darperir PPE yn ôl yr angen ar gyfer pob gweithdy. Mae esgidiau cadarn (ac esgidiau diogelwch yn ddelfrydol) yn orfodol, ynghyd â dillad addas ar gyfer bod mewn safle gwaith.
Nid oes cyfleusterau arlwyo ar y safle ond darperir digonedd o de/coffi a diodydd meddal.
Llety
Os oes angen llety lleol arnoch, ystyriwch ein Hostel i Wirfoddolwyr sy’n rhoi gwerth gwych am arian ac yn rhoi’r cyfle ichi gwrdd â gwirfoddolwyr eraill. Dylech archebu lle eich hun yn yr Hostel. Gellir dod o hyd i’r manylion yma.
Archebu Lle
Os oes gennych ddiddordeb yn y gweithdai hyn – naill ai i chi’ch hun neu eich grŵp – ond na allwch fynychu ar yr adegau a nodir, cysylltwch â ni (Iain Wilkinson) gan y gallwn o bosibl ddarparu ar gyfer dyddiadau eraill. I archebu lle ar weithdy, anfonwch e-bost at Iain Wilkinson yn nodi pa weithdy yr hoffech chi archebu lle arno.