A REAL Locomotive!

[jlancasterd]

19 July 2006, Snowdonia (That's Snowdon in the background). Ex SAR NGG16 Beyer Garratt on the Welsh Highland Railway approaching Rhyd Ddu station with a midday service train. R8+DMR Vario-Elmar 21-35 at 21mm.

[elansprint72]

Very good shot, perfectly timed and a loco made in Manchester too!

Cheers,
Pete.

[stuny]

John -

If not for your capturing the heat waves in the exhaust I'd be certain that this was an exquisite miniature.

[pleeson]

Great shot with an old-time look.

[jlancasterd]

Originally Posted by stuny

John -

If not for your capturing the heat waves in the exhaust I'd be certain that this was an exquisite miniature.

Miniature it certainly isn't - these babies (the WHR currently has 4, 2 working and the other 2 under restoration) weigh in at over 60 tons and around 20,000lb tractive force - the most powerful 2' gauge steam locos ever built as far as we know. They will be expected to deal with 10-car trains on three miles of sharply curved 2.5% grades when the section from Rhyd Ddu to Beddgelert opens in 3 years' time

John

[norbertnl]

John,

A real loco indeed, and a nice picture! I didn't know there are ex-SAR machines in England.

Best,
Norbert

[elansprint72]

John,
Hope you don't mind me posting these here for Norbert- this big fellow is in the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, it was brought home at the end of its working life; you can judge the size of it from the person next to the cab.

Can't wait to ride the full WHR route, we have walked a good deal of it over the years.

Cheers,
Pete.

[norbertnl]

Pete,

That's nice, thanks a lot! SAR steam loco's are amazing. I found some interesting details in this book: The Red Devil and Other Tales from the Age of Steam. Unfortunately I never saw them operate. So I'll bookmark the WHR for my next trip to the UK.

Best,
Norbert

[jlancasterd]

Originally Posted by elansprint72

John,
Hope you don't mind me posting these here for Norbert- this big fellow is in the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry, it was brought home at the end of its working life; you can judge the size of it from the person next to the cab.

Can't wait to ride the full WHR route, we have walked a good deal of it over the years.

Cheers,
Pete.

Hi Pete

Yes, the GL is quite a beast for the 3'6" gauge - 215 tons in working order but with a maximum axle load of only 18.5 tons. They were capable of negotiating a 275' radius curve and pulling a 1,200 ton train up a 2% grade...

The WHR should open through to Porthmadog at Easter 2009 - the infrastructure contractors and track gangs have been working on the Rhyd Ddu to Beddgelert section for about a year. Over a mile of track is already laid and the bridge at Bryn y Felin in the Aberglaslyn Pass has been replaced.

John