A LOCOMOTIVE has helped raised over £3,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance before being retired.

On the evening of Sunday, 8 April, staff and volunteers of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways took Double-Fairlie ‘Earl of Merioneth’ out for one last run before it was put into storage.

This steam locomotive was built ‘in-house’ by the railway and first entered service in 1979.

After a long career, pulling passenger trains for nearly 40 years, it needs to have a full rebuild and is being retired for the foreseeable future.

Everyone who travelled on the train gave donations to the Wales Air Ambulance and filled in Gift Aid envelopes to maximize the amount raised.

In addition, a special ‘Farewell to the Earl of Merioneth’ headboard was designed and carried by the locomotive on the night – this was auctioned after the event to further boost funds.

The total raised for the Wales Air Ambulance was £3,200 - which includes £1,800 from Peter and Alison Richardson of Bridlington, Yorkshire, who won the headboard auction. They have been supporters of the railway for many years and wanted to help towards the cause, albeit from a distance.