Below: Having had the delights of the Ffestiniog Railway on the Tuesday, on the Thursday we embarked, again from Harbour Station, onto Welsh Highland Railway metals. Another articulated locomotive, this time Garratt No.87 of altogether greater size! The arrangement at the station sees the diesel locomotive pull the train onto the Cob (the line stretching into the distance) before No.87 hooks onto the back. The Garratts are too big to clear the canopy at Harbour Station, whence the need to attach after the train is reversed.

Below: A view from the open carriage showing 87 passing through the top end of the famous Aberglaslyn Pass.

Below: On the return run from Caernarfon with the train approaching Rhyd DDu as it surmounts the long climb up to the summit at this location. The line is long (about 25 miles) and steep with many reverse curves and spectacular views as it climbs from sea level to 650 feet then back down again.

Below: On a two train service the trains pass at Rhyd DDu an No.87 is seen awaiting its crossing with identical No.143…

Below: No.143 looms out of the gloom with its train from Porthmadog. The lower slopes of Snowdon are to the left.

Below: Final approach to Porthmadog – the highlight of this section of line is the flat crossing of the Network Rail Cambrian Coast line (standard gauge) and the street section into Harbour Station. Here No.87 carefully draws along the main road running through the town! It will pull up on the Cob, whilst the diesel seen earlier will hook on to draw the whole train (including No.87) back into the station and ‘out of secion’ in order that 87 can be released and run light engine to Boston Lodge works and sheds for disposal. Three of the four working Garratts on the WHR are now coal fired, with one remaining on the more expensive oil fired system (for droughts/dry weather periods – oil firing offering better combustion and therefore removing the danger of unburnt material being thrown out of the chimney). Another superb railway!

Below: Harbour Station has its own pub, complete with one of the line’s original locomotives, ‘Princess’, on display in the corner!