A table of key events in the history of the Festiniog Railway 1863 - 1889
| Year |
Day |
Month |
Event |
Source |
| 1863 |
28 |
Jul |
Two England steam locomotives delivered - Mountaineer and The Princess |
Winton |
| 1863 |
4 |
Aug |
First (unsuccessful) steam trial of The Princess |
Winton |
| 1863 |
23 |
Oct |
Celebration of opening of the line for traffic hauled by steam |
Winton |
| 1864 |
. |
Jan |
The third locomotive - The Prince - arrives |
wiki |
| 1864 |
. |
Mar |
The fourth locomotive - Palmerston - arrives |
wiki |
| 1864 |
. |
Jun |
FR give notice to the Board of Trade of its intention of operating a passenger service |
Winton |
| 1864 |
27 |
Oct |
Captain H. W. Tyler carries out Board of Trade Inspection |
Winton |
| 1864 |
28 |
Dec |
Board of Trade approval granted |
Winton |
| 1865 |
5 |
Jan |
Official opening for passenger carrying trains (& fatality of engine cleaner John Roberts) |
Winton |
| 1866 |
. |
. |
Quarrymen's Traffic commences "about the end of 1866" |
Winton |
| 1866 |
. |
. |
Tanygrisiau station opens |
Winton |
| 1867 |
. |
. |
Two larger locomotives - Welsh Pony and Little Giant - built and delivered |
Winton |
| 1868 |
. |
. |
Company pays half yearly dividend of 6% |
Winton |
| 1869 |
. |
Jul |
Double Fairlie Little Wonder delivered |
Winton |
| 1869 |
18 |
Sep |
Little Wonder trial for Board of Trade Inpector |
Winton |
| 1870 |
. |
Feb |
Series of trials and demonstrations for 40 international guests |
Winton |
| 1872 |
. |
. |
Minffordd station opens |
Winton |
| 1872 |
. |
. |
Carriage 15, the first revenue-earning bogie carriage in the British Isles enters service |
Boyd |
| 1872 |
. |
Dec |
Double Fairlie James Spooner starts work |
Winton |
| 1873 |
. |
. |
Tan-y-Bwlch station opens |
Winton |
| 1876 |
17 |
Aug |
Single Fairlie locomotive Taliesin enters service |
Winton |
| 1878 |
. |
Dec |
American 'Travelling Reporter' William H. Bishop visits the FR. Subsequent article appears in August 1879 edition of 'Scribner's Monthly' |
Winton |
| 1879 |
21 |
Jul |
Double Fairlie Merddin Emrys built at Boston Lodge and enters service |
Boyd |
| 1879 |
. |
. |
Original locomotive Mountaineer officially withdrawn and subsequently used for spare parts |
wiki |
| 1882 |
6 |
Dec |
Little Wonder condemned |
. |
| 1886 |
29 |
Jun |
Double Fairlie Livingston Thompson enters service - built at Boston Lodge 1885-1886 |
Boyd |
| 1886 |
12 |
Feb |
The original Boat "smashed to pieces" |
Boyd |
| 1887 |
. |
Aug |
R.H.Bleasdale visits twice to take photographs that will survive as The Spooner Album |
ACG |