Ffestiniog Railway Platinum Jubilee Gala Weekend - June 2025

Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway Platinum Jubilee Gala Weekend 19th to 22nd June 2025 The highly-anticipated 'Platinum Jubilee Weekend' celebrated the Seventieth Anniversary of restored passenger services on the ‪@FfestiniogWelshHighland‬. It was chance to look back at some of the earliest trains run as the railway reopened and began the arduous task of getting back to Blaenau. It was a celebration of the whole seventy years of operation since 1955, highlighting some of the fantastic things achieved during that time. Finally, the event also linked in with the international '200th anniversary of the modern railway' celebrations as well..! #Rail200 The event kicked off on the evening of Thursday 19th June, with a Sunset Special hauled by Prince and Blanche in matching "Garraway" green livery. Also on the evening the Simplex, Mary Ann, ran recreates of the first trains of preservation, look out for footage of the First Train recreations on the anniversary day itself of 23rd July. The event was in full swing on Friday 20th June. The day started with Upnor Castle seen approaching Dduallt with an early bird for Blaenau, followed by Vans 11 and 12 in the very fetching ‘Woolworths’ livery of green and cream hauled by Quarry Hunslets Britomart and Hugh Napier. Back climbing Gwyndy Bank with the 'Flying Flea' bug box set was George England steam locomotive No. 4 Palmerston. Baldwin 'Moelwyn', recently repainted into green is then seen leaving Minffordd and Tan-y-bwlch with a recreation of one of the regular clearance trains to get the line up to scratch and reopened to Tan-y-Bwlch with Van 2 and some slate waggons. Over on the Welsh Highland Railway in its first few weeks of operating passenger trains South African Railways NG15 134 hauled an 'Gelert Explorer' from Caernarfon to Beddgelert, connection with 'The Aberglaslyn' hauled by a Garratt pairing of the Pioneer K1 and 130. We then take a look at activties at Boston Lodge were there was plenty to see including four varietys of Quarry Hunslets, vertical boilered Chanoler, Ffestiniog No. 1 Princess, historic & replica waggons and Welsh Highland Railway Russell. Lynton & Barnstaple Railway replica 190 Lyd is captured arriving and leaving Boston Lodge Halt. Moving to Cei Mawr we see Taliesin on a service train set and Moelwyn on an inspection train before moving to the exit of the New Moelwyn Tunnel on the deviation with Prince and Merddin Emrys double heading a Sunset Special. Moving onto Saturday 21st June, Funkey diesel Vale of Ffestiniog joined Single Fairlie Taliesin for an early bird run to Blaenau Ffestiniog, seen first crossing the Cob. Additional double headed (some steam, some diesel) trains ran throughout the weekend due to the heat and fire risk issues (with Thursday and Friday's timetable being disrupted due to fires. Merrdin Emrys hauled the @Railway200 200 Wheels Goods train as seen at Dduallt and climbing up to the new Moelwyn tunnel. The train was hauled up to Blaenau Ffestiniog and back to Dduallt, where the loco and goods waggons were shunted into the siding before it was "Brakes off" and the slate waggons returned. At Whistling Curve we see Upnor Castle and Prince double head (this train always scheduled to be double headed steam/diesel) and Linda. Taliesin joined James Spooner for a trip to Blaenau Ffestiniog, before we move to Dduallt during the afternoon for double headed Penrhyn Ladies, Linda and Blanche heading around the spiral. Prince is captured round Tanks Curve on a train of RAF wagons representing the works trains that ran while the Deviation was being built. Moving onto Sunday 22nd June, and the weather was in strong contrast to the previous days with winds, rain and lower temperatures. We take a look at some of the morning runs around Rhiw Goch with Lyd on the first Early Bird, followed by Linda and Prince and Merddin Emrys double headed (also seen departing TYB). The entire F&WHR steam loco fleet took part in a Grand Cavalcade finale, while the steam fleet paraded across the Cob, Vale of Ffestiniog and Upnor Castle ran the FR service. A separate video following the '200 WHEELS CAVALCADE' will follow, but for now we see all FR locomotives heading off to Minffordd and then all locos lined up on the Cob and whistling in order. The order of locomotives, in order of them being restored in preservation order: Prince • Merddin Emrys • Linda • Blanche • Britomart • Mountaineer • Chaloner • Earl of Merioneth • David Lloyd George • Palmerston • Velinheli • Lilla • NG/G16 No.143 • Taliesin • Russell • K1 • NG/G16 No.87 • Lyd • Hugh Napier • Princess • Welsh Pony • NG/G16 No.130 • James Spooner • NG15 No.134 • Chinese C2 Dahuichang 4 Further videos from the weekend 200 Wheels Cavalcade -    • 200 Wheels on the Cob - Ffestiniog Railway...   The First Trains Recreation - coming 23rd July 2025 Cutting Room Floor (unused footage) - coming soon www.preservedrailway.co.uk (C) Lee Andrew Davies 2025 #train #steam