GARRATT 138 "MILLENNIUM"

The Welsh Highland Railway re-opened in three stages. From Caernarfon to Dinas in 1997 (2½ miles), Dinas to Waunfawr in 2000 (3½ miles) and finally Waunfawr to Rhyd Ddu (6 miles).

The original line was known as the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways and was first opened to Rhyd Ddu (then called South Snowdon) in 1881. The 13 mile section from Rhyd Ddu to Beddgelert, Pont Croesor and Porthmadog first opened for passengers in 1923.

"Prince" waits for the road to Porthmadog on the Festiniog at Minfford in 1969, being only 106 years old at the time

The three coaches and 'Prince' ( still composed of some original parts ) were chosen to form the lightest available train for this special day, although it was realised early on in the rebirth of the Welsh Highland Railway that steam locomotives even more powerful than the Double Fairlies of the Festiniog would be needed to haul heavy peak-season trains over the foothills of Snowdon between the ports of Caernarfon and Porthmadog.

Closure of some 2' gauge lines in South Africa, together with dieselisation of others, meant that a considerable quantity of rolling stock and other material came onto the market there. The contract to supply and overhaul the first two NGG16s for the WHR, Nos. 138 and 143, went to the Alfred County Railway in South Africa. No. 143 was also the last Garratt built by the Gorton, Manchester, firm. The NGG16s in service so far have been converted from coal to oil firing, in line with general FR practice. However there may be a future change back to coal firing in light of the rising costs of fuel oil.

The technical details of the Class NGG16 Garratts are as follows:

Even the Welsh Highland Railway numberplate is bilingual around the original South African class data

Although 138 was restored to working order before leaving South Africa, arriving at the Ffestiniog Railway in January 1997, it became clear that further work was needed to bring this loco and No.
143 up to the engineering standards expected by the FR, in addition to the anticipated cosmetic work needed after a sea journey in open-sided containers.

The volunteer Mission: Beyer-Garratt team promptly stepped in to assist. Unfortunately, and as so often happens with steam engines, stripping of the boilers for inspection and testing revealed further unwelcome surprises but boilersmiths from the Severn Valley Railway gave valuable assistance in bringing No. 138's boiler up to the required standard.

The completed power units of no. 138 were towed up the FR to Glan y Pwll in early April 1997, soon after the boiler was successfully tested there, and the loco was reassembled for steam testing. The loco was the star attraction at the FR's May 1997 Gala, with members of the public having the opportunity to drive the loco at Glan-y-Pwll depot.

The exquisitely cast nameplates on the 1:19 scale model are mounted on the boilerside access grid.

This image captures both the Welsh language "Mileniwm" nameplate and the oval Beyer Peacock worksplate beneath

The Sunburst logo of Edison Mission Energy is located just above the Walschaerts valve gear on the front bogie

Prior to returning to regular service in August 2001 the loco was repainted in a much lighter shade of green, lined out with a black border and thin yellow dividing line. 138 was named Mileniwm/ Millennium on March 1st 2002 in the usual Ffestiniog style, Welsh on one side and English on the other.

The name commemorates the WHR Project's status as North Wales's largest Millennium Project, and the participation of sponsors The Millennium Commission and Edison Mission Energy; the latter's corporate colours are represented by the loco's livery. In preparation for the naming the loco was repainted once more, in a slightly darker green, as it proved that the shade of green applied in 2001 was not the intended one.

Jason's model was accurate down to the leaf springing on the lead pony wheel and the cast Timken bearing cover

Advance work started in the summer, and with reboring of the valves complete by 27 October 2003. Work then proceeded with completion of the valve heads as a homework project. By 27 October too the rear unit had been more or less fully stripped down, with the frames lifted high and all wheelsets released, for the first time since the loco's overhaul in South Africa.

By the end of the month the front power unit had received the same treatment. Also, various new pins and other fittings were made up in the machine shop at Dinas. By 22 January 2004 the driving wheels had been reprofiled at Boston Lodge and awaited transport back to Dinas, where the rebuild of the pony trucks was complete.

The vacuum brake cylinder rods had been sent to an engineering company in Birkenhead for re-chroming. They were returned in February 2004 and fitted to No. 143, from which the same parts then went for re-chroming and fitting to 138. Both power units were back on their wheels by 6 April 2004, and the front one had been run out of the loco shed in order to bring the boiler module back inside. This was then lifted high above the power bogies on the Welsh Highland Railway's ex Channel Tunnel power jacks. 138 was starting to look like a loco again instead of a kit of parts.

A novel feature of Jason's 2-6-2 + 2-6-2 was a water bath to keep the pressurised gas fuel at optimum temperature

Another change was to the fuel tank, and was only visible from bridges over the line. The sheet steel tank fabricated and fitted in South Africa had proved liable to recurrent leaks, and was replaced temporarily by a smaller commercial plastic tank. The steel tank went to Boston Lodge, where it was fully re-welded with strengthened seams and corners, and internal cross-bracing. It was also reduced in height, now being flush with the top of the original coal bunker, giving improved rearward visibility for footplate crews. The tank was fitted back in place on 22 July 2004.

Even the smokebox door opens!