AN ORIGINAL locomotive from the Welsh Highland Railway’s illustrious history will return home next year.

Members of the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway in Porthmadog, working with colleagues from the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway announced this week that the only surviving Welsh Highland Railway steam locomotive, Russell, built by the Hunslet Engine Company in 1906 will be running on a section of the original Welsh Highland Railway in 2019.

Russell (pictured) successfully completed a gauging and inspection run on the 25 November along part of the original line of the Welsh Highland Railway.

This represents the first time the locomotive has travelled along this section since 1937, when it was on its way to Dinas to be locked away at the closing of the line.

The run was made possible owing to the close working relationship between the two railways in preparation for Russell to appear at a special event in 2019 to celebrate the heritage of the Welsh Highland Railway.

As part of the Welsh Highland Heritage Weekend between Friday, 21 and Sunday, 23 June 2019, Russell will be working between the replica 1920s WHR halt at Pen-y-mount, to Pont Croesor and on to Hafod y Llyn.

Russell ran on another section of the line in 2000 when it ran from Caernarfon to Waunfawr.

This will be the first opportunity for it to stretch its legs with a longer run since it was restored in 2014 to as close as possible the condition as-built in 1906, at a cost of over £350,000 all covered by private donations.

Mark Seale from the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway is project-managing the joint event on behalf of the WHHR and said: “It was important for us to make sure that Russell was fit and well before we made a final commitment to participating in the event.

“We are aware that many railway enthusiasts are very keen to see Russell running up the line and this is something that we ourselves have wished for, for some time.

“The inspection run went very well and we are very excited to be supporting the event; we believe that working together we can make a valuable contribution and make the event in June a spectacular weekend.”

“The primary goal for the inspection run was to ensure that Russell’s rather special design of pony truck and running gear will negotiate the curves of the re-instated railway and ensure that enough movement from the trucks is evident on the tightest curve.

“Whilst the inspection run took place Ffestiniog Railway engineers were invited to take a closer look at the locomotive.

“The locomotive team at the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway will now have the winter to prepare the locomotive.”

Graham Farr, the chairman at the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway added: “This is another important milestone in the evolving Welsh Highland Railway story.”