Steam & Excursion > The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways last week

Some shots from the first week of the 2026 season

1: On March 30th at Beddgelert no.134, a former South African Railways NG15 2-8-2, built by Belgian builder SAFB in 1952. It was the power for Monday's Gelert Explorer train from Caernarfon to Beddgelert and back.
2: The empty stock of the Gelert Explorer leaving Caernarfon for the sheds at Dinas.
3: On March 31st NGG16 Beyer Garratt 2-6-2 + 2-6-2 no.130 on the Snowdonia Star from Caernarfon to Porthmadog at Plas y nant. 
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/26 04:12 by 86235.

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4: Double Fairlie David Lloyd George (DLG) on the opposite working to the Snowdonia Star - the Harbourmaster - from Porthmadog to Caernarfon, on the return from Caernarfon in the Aberglaslyn Pass. It's not usual to see one of the Ffestiniog Fairlies on a through Welsh Highland Railway service, but loadings are quite light at the moment.
5: On April 2nd DLG (again) pulling away from Tanygrisiau on the Mountain Spirit returning to Porthmadog from Blaenau Ffestiniog
6: NGG16 130 leaving Porthmadog on the Snowdonia Star back to Caernarfon



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/26 07:16 by 86235.

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Great scenes, Nick... like another world.  Thanks for your post.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

Wonderful views!
Bob

Great locos in great scenery.  Thanks for posting these.

Beautiful engines!

Looks wonderfule--would love to go see this area! 

What guage are those rails--pretty narrow!

Rails look rusty--does this line only run on select dates?

Nice pics!!

coach Wrote:
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> Looks wonderfule--would love to go see this
> area! 
>
> What guage are those rails--pretty narrow!
>
> Rails look rusty--does this line only run on
> select dates?


The gauge is 2'. This year's daily operations started on March 28th, we were there from March 30th to April 2nd so I guess there's still the winter's rust to lose. Daily service continues until October 31st. No service in November, Santa trains on part of the route in December and then nothing except works trains until March 2027.