Upnor Castle

From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group

This locomotive was built as a 102hp FC Hibberd "Planet" 4wDM (Builder's number 3687 of 1954, Model SCN). It arrived from the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway on 12 February 1968 and was regauged from 2ft 6ins at Boston Lodge. It had been used up to early 1962 at the Royal Navy's Lodge Hill and Upnor Railway in Kent.

This locomotive was the first diesel on the FR able to haul anything like a normal service train. In 1971 it received a Gardner 6LW engine at the same time as the wheelbase was extended to improve its ride. It was later upgraded to a 180hp Gardner 6LX.

Engine noise within the cab proved to be unacceptable (hence its nickname of Uproar), so when a similar locomotive Conway Castle, was obtained in 1981, it was completely rebuilt to deal with this problem. There have been proposals to rebuild Upnor Castle in similar fashion but it was transferred to the WHR(C) in 1997 after being fitted with a reconditioned engine. It has seen limited use on WHR passenger trains and extensive use on construction trains.

It should be noted that the FR has purchased a number of standard gauge Hibberd locomotives for spare parts at various times. These have not come to the railway.

Reference: Festiniog Railway Locomotives - Rodney Weaver; and the WHR(C) site.

[edit]See also

• Locomotives Index
• WHR(C) Locomotives