After 50 years in Cornwall, Velinheli, a two-foot gauge steam locomotive built by Hunslet Locomotive Company of Leeds in 1886 for the Dinorwic Quarry, will be returning to North Wales. Velinheli actually has a unique place in history as she was built as the prototype for a new class of smaller locomotives (now known as the ‘Alice’ class), designed to be used in quarries where the standard locomotives were too large.

The locomotive is owned by James Evans, and after spending some years operating on the private railway in the Evans family’s garden, it was rebuilt by James at Launceston Steam Railway in 1980.

Velinheli is now in need of a new boiler, and this is to be built by the Ffestiniog Railway at its Boston Lodge workshops in Porthmadoc.

Velinheli will start the journey back to Wales on Friday of this week. She will not be heading straight for Wales though, as she will be joining another similar locomotive from the Ffestiniog Railway, Hugh Napier, together with a Victorian carriage, and will be on display at King’s Cross station, London, from February 10 to 18.

Managing Director of Launceston Steam Railway, Nigel Bowman, said:

‘Velinheli has been at the railway for more than 30 years so it will no doubt be an emotional moment when she leaves.

‘However, she has been to the Ffestiniog Railway before, and it will be good that she will be operational again.

‘Having built two new ‘Quarry Hunslet’ boilers ourselves, we have much useful experience which we have been very happy to share with our friends in Wales.’