NGG16s

NGG16 No.143 - Worksplate

The WHR will be mainly operated by a set of four Beyer-Garratt NGG16 (2-6-2 + 2-6-2) locomotives formerly from South Africa. These are probably the most powerful 2 foot gauge engines in the world. This power is necessary to cope with the hard gradients of up to 1 in 40 along the line pulling up to 12 coaches, whilst also being able to operate at as close to 25mph as possible so that a sensible journey time can be achieved.

Following the closure of many narrow gauge lines in South Africa and the conversion of others to diesel operation, a significant quantity of stock became available, just at the right time for the WHR.

The first two NGG16s to arrive (No.s 138 and 143) were sourced via the Alfred County Railway in South Africa.

Click here for more information on No.138
Click here for more information on No.143

A third NGG16 (No. 140) was donated to the WHR by a group of German and Swiss enthusiasts. The engine arrived in a bright red Alfred County livery and has been nicknamed “The red devil” and is currently under restoration at Dinas.

Click here for more information on No. 140

In early 2006, a fourth NGG16 (No. 87) was acquired for the WHR. A grant to cover the cost of purchase plus a full overhaul by FR staff at Boston Lodge works was made available from the Ffestiniog Railway Trust, following a donation from a private sponsor for this project.

Click here for more information on No. 87

Some facts about our NGG16s:

• They are over 48 feet long.
• They can carry over 1,500 gallons of water and over 4 tons of coal.
• Because they have two power bogies, should one slip in wet conditions the locomotive can still grip using the other bogie, meaning it performs well in all weathers.
• Each weighs 62 tons.

K1

This historically important locomotive was the first to be built to the Garratt patent and represents an important milestone in the development of articulated locomotives. She is now closer than ever to being passed for passenger service, but testing is ongoing and a definite date for here entry into passenger service has not yet been set.

Click here for more information on K1

Funkey Diesel – “Castell Caernarfon”

Two 'Funkey' diesels were purchased from South Africa (from the Pretoria Portland Cement Ltd in Port Elizabeth) in 1993, one for the WHR, which became ‘Castell Caernarfon’ on the WHR and the other, which was significantly rebuilt, became ‘Vale of Ffestiniog’ on the FR.

She is a 27-ton two-bogie diesel-hydraulic built by CH Funkey & Co of Johannesburg, for a diamond mine in Namibia and is powered by a turbocharged 335 horsepower engine, That makes her one of the most powerful narrow gauge diesels in the UK.

Overhauled at Boston Lodge 1995/6, she became the first locomotive to be moved to Dinas (January 1997), taking part in the project launch ceremony. She works off-season and early/late workings on the WHR and is currently the only diesel in the fleet capable of such work.