Over the long weekend of 9-11 October 2015 the Ffestiniog Railway continued the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the introduction of passenger trains.
Two vintage trains were in use, along with a freight train. These were hauled by a selection of double Fairlie David Lloyd George, single Fairlie Taliesin and Englands Prince and Palmerston. Palmerston had just returned to service following mandatory ten-yearly boiler lift and retubing. The service trains were in the vintage hands of sisters Linda and Blanche, themselves dating from 1893.
David Lloyd George on Cei Mawr
Hauling the slate train up to the summit on Sunday morning prior to the gravity working return
David Lloyd George on Cei Mawr
David Lloyd George in the woods
Running light engine following the gravity train, David Lloyd George heads past Gysgfa cutting (Dave Thurlow)
David Lloyd George in the woods
David Lloyd George departing TYB
On Creuau Bank, just above Tan y Bwlch station, the slate train continues towards Dduallt
David Lloyd George departing TYB
Gravity Approach
The gravity train approaches (Dave Thurlow)
Gravity Approach
Gravity Train
Head brakesman David High sits on the lead wagon (Dave Thurlow)
Gravity Train
Prince below Rhiw Goch
With the seven 4-wheelers of the Victorian train in tow, Prince heads from Rhiw Goch towards Penrhyn on Saturday afternoon
Prince below Rhiw Goch
Cei Mawr
The 60-foot dry stone embankment of Cei Mawr is truly impressive, with the scale of the train clear, as Prince leads the four wheelers down towards Rhiw Goch
Cei Mawr
Tan y Bwlch Vintage
With a bit of black and white and costume characters on the platform, a passable vintage scene is achieved on Saturday morning as David Lloyd George waits in the up line and Prince exchanges passengers in the down line
Tan y Bwlch Vintage
Taliesin at Tan y Bwlch
Taliesin shows off its new livery as it heads out from Tan y Bwlch on Sunday afternoon
Taliesin at Tan y Bwlch
Taliesin Tan y Bwlch arrival
With the dark liveried vintage train in tow, Taliesin enters Tan y Bwlch station
Taliesin Tan y Bwlch arrival
Carriage 19 Tan y Bwlch
A peaceful scene at Tan y Bwlch. Smoke billows from the chimney in the old station building as the signalman keeps warm. Bowsider carriage 19 sits in the foreground
Carriage 19 Tan y Bwlch
Tan y Bwlch garden
David Lloyd George waits by the station building at Tan y Bwlch as Prince enters Tan y Bwlch with the 4-wheeler train
Tan y Bwlch garden
Gravity Train pass
Taliesin waits at the water tower at Tan y Bwlch as the gravity slate train passes. On the lead wagon the driver, David High, exchanges the single line tokens with signalman, and Ffestiniog Railway Society director, Graham Cole
Gravity Train pass
Carriages 15 and 19
The peaceful scene at Tan y Bwlch with the vintage carriages and
Carriages 15 and 19
Taliesin
Taliesin heads a vintage up train, heading for Tan y Bwlch (Dave Thurlow)
Taliesin
Blanche and Linda
A close lineside view of Blanche's tender as the ladies pass on a down train (Dave Thurlow)
Blanche and Linda
The Ladies, Tryn y Garnedd
Linda leads Blanche on the 1010 service train on Sunday morning
The Ladies, Tryn y Garnedd
Gysgfa Curves
Around Gysgfa curves, Linda leads Blanche on the 1335 up train on Sunday (Dave Thurlow)
Gysgfa Curves
The Ladies Penrhyn
Linda and Blanche head towards Porthmadog on Saturday afternoon, crossing Bakehouse Crossing at the bottom end of Penrhyn Station
The Ladies Penrhyn
Gysgfa Ladies
Passing again on a down train, Blanche leading Linda at Gysgfa (Dave Thurlow)
Gysgfa Ladies
David Lloyd George Boston Lodge
In 'toned' colours, David Lloyd George heads towards Porthmadog with the returning Victorian train with the Curly Roof Van behind the loco
David Lloyd George Boston Lodge
Palmerston and David Lloyd George
Palmerston returned to traffic a couple of days before the weekend following mandatory retubing. After twenty years, the paintwork required a tidy up and it was repainted in plain unlined livery - lining is to be applied in the coming weeks
Palmerston and David Lloyd George
Three shades of Red, Porthmadog
Three shades of red are present at Porthmadog as Prince and David Lloyd George await their next duties on Sunday afternoon. Palmerston is in the platform ready to depart
Three shades of Red, Porthmadog
The Boat at Porthmadog
Arriving under wind power, the railway's unique Boat heads through the sidings at Porthmadog under sail, having crossed the Cob
The Boat at Porthmadog
Prince and the Boat
Having arrived in Porthmadog, the Boat sits next to Prince
Prince and the Boat
Bowsider carriage 19
Forming part of the short vintage train, bowsider carriage 19 presents a pleasant sight in its dark livery
Bowsider carriage 19
Porthmadog Carousel
A most welcome feature of the Victorian weekend was the reappearance of the Carousel in the car park, providing entertainment for young and old alike
Porthmadog Carousel
