Earl Of Merioneth II
From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group
This 0-4-4-0 Double Fairlie was the third locomotive to be built by the Festiniog Railway Company in its own workshops at Boston Lodge. Construction began in 1972 and was completed in 1979. It carries its name Earl of Merioneth in English on one side and in Welsh Iarll Meirionnydd on the other. It was built as a replacement (incorporating the power bogies and some other parts) for No. 3 Livingston Thompson. The superheated boiler was made by Hunslet Engine Company, Leeds. New steel wheels were cast by British Rail Engineering at Crewe and the axles and wheels were machined by J.I.P. Engineering Ltd. of Willenhall, Staffs. for assembly at Boston Lodge.
The new Earl of Merioneth made her first trip across the Cob on 12th June 1979, followed by modifications and running-in turns. On Saturday 23rd June she was formally named by the General Manager - Allan Garraway - in a short ceremony at Harbour Station, with Merddin Emrys alongside sporting an 1879-1979 headboard, and on the 28th she took a 12-coach trial train through the gloom to Tanygrisiau on a damp evening, highlighting some regulator problems which were soon sorted out afterwards. Press and TV coverage was arranged for the inaugural passenger turn on 19th July, after which she settled down into a regular roster involving two trips daily. The light trains of the peak service hardly put her abilities to the test, although a loco failure on Saturday 25th August resulted in Earl whisking 12 coaches up the line in effortless style.
[Sources: FRM 86; page 5 and Immortal Rails Vol II].
The principal stated dimensions are: Cylinders (4): 9" x 14", Nominal wheel diameter: 2' 8", Boiler pressure: 160 psi., Length over couplers 32' 71⁄2", Width over tanks 6' 61⁄2", Height to cab top 8' 61⁄2", Bogie wheelbase 4' 8", Weight 31 tons, Water capacity 450 gallons, Fuel oil capacity 400 gallons, Heating surface area 533 sq. ft., Tractive effort 9277 lbs.
[Tractive Effort source: FR Company press release of July 1979 which was reproduced in FR Magazine 87].
The Ffestiniog converted to oil-firing in the early 1970's (starting with Linda in October 1970) to limit the number of line-side fires in the Snowdonia National Park (and the fines plus increased insurance premiums that could result from them). Recent oil price rises have forced the railway to reassess the situation, leading to trials during 2005 with Taliesin as it was built to be changable between oil and coal firing. Trials with Taliesin on winter and Santa services were highly successful and the decision was taken to convert a double Fairlie for the main 2006 season. Earl Of Merioneth was converted in early 2006 and following trails during May, entered service on coal on the 27th of May and has continued to work, very regularly, through the peak season. This was the first time the locomotive had run on coal, having been built by the railway at its Boston Lodge works as an oil burner in 1979.
The trials with Taliesin and Earl Of Merioneth have shown fuel cost savings of 50%-60%; higher than expected. An average days work for a double Fairlie burning oil costs £370, compared with around £170 when burning coal. (Two years ago the oil costs would have been around £170 too!). For more details on the conversion of loco's to coal firing and the fuel diversification programme, please see Ffestiniog Goes Back To Coal.
Poor weather, but worth recording the event! Note the minor changes in appearance made to the Earl for coal firing (comparing this picture with the one above taken at the same place). The brass domes have been swapped for the original 'dustbins' which have now been painted green and the chimney caps have been painted black. Both the domes and the caps would have been a challenge for crews to keep clean now that the loco is burning coal.
The Earl was withdrawn from service at the end of 2006 for a boiler overhaul. The opportunity was also taken to repair the original tanks rather than try and convert the new rounded tanks for coal firing. The Earl returned to service in August 2007 and appeared with the brass domes and in a plain black livery. The nameplates were also repainted with mauve lettering!.
New firehole doors were fitted with vertically opening doors as below.
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 Boston Lodge *1983 |
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 Passing Boston Lodge *2nd May 2005 Martin Ellis |
 First passenger train on coal *May 2006 Tim Goodspeed |
 At Boston Lodge * August 2007 Chris Jones |
 New firehole door * August 2007 Chris Jones |
 Coal burning on Tank Curve. * Sept 2007 Jeremy Laytham |
 On the Cob * Sept 2007 Chris Jones |
The locomotive was repainted back into its usual lined green and retaining the brass domes and chimney caps in early 2008, re-entering service on the 1600 departure on the 21st March.