Welsh Highland steam photo charters in springtime

The Welsh Highland Railway will be operating a series of photo charters during a special charter weekend on 26th and 27th March.

Photo charters are a great opportunity for rail enthusiasts and enthusiastic photographers to access areas of the railway that cannot usually, or easily, be reached at other times of the year.

The two days of early-season steam will feature the original K1 Garratt and Welsh Pony.

Welsh Pony is a large England saddle tank built in 1867 for the Ffestiniog Railway, and is the only large England loco to survive.

K1 was in 1909 by Beyer Peacock in Manchester constructed for use on the North East Dundalk Tramway in Tasmania. Restoration to working order was undertaken by the K1 Group and was completed at Boston Lodge Works in 2004 after which the locomotive entered revenue-earning service on the Birst section of the new Welsh Highland Railway.

The charters will feature multiple run-pasts, at scenic locations, and provide plenty of opportunities for photographers to capture images that will be the envy of others. Photographs of previous charter events are regularly seen online or in railway magazines, showcasing the WHR’s heritage trains against a backdrop of the stunning landscape of Snowdonia.

David Lloyd George departs Porthmadog with the 13.15 to Tan-y-Bwlch

For anyone with a love of the railway, this is an opportunity not to be missed as K1 will shortly be returning to the Statfold Barn Railway in Staffordshire. This should be a memorable weekend in the company a group of like-minded photographers and enthusiasts and will provide memories for a long time to come.

The cost of joining the charter is £100 for either day, or £180 for both days. However, spaces are limited, so intending participants should book their place as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

The event is being organised by David Williams, who has produced an information sheet with booking details and contact information you can find out more information over on the Ffestiniog Railway website here.