Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway No.1 The Earl and No.2 Countess

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Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway No.1 The Earl and No.2 Countess - Wikipedia

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W&LLR 1 The Earl & 2 Countess

The Earl at Llanfair Caereinion

Type and origin
Power type	Steam
Builder	Beyer, Peacock & Co. Ltd.
Serial number	3496–3497
Build date	1902
Total produced	2

Specifications
Configuration:
• Whyte	0-6-0 T
Gauge	2 ft 6 in (762 mm)
Driver dia.	2 ft 9 in (0.838 m)
Loco weight	19 long tons 18 cwt (44,600 lb or 20.2 t) (22.3 short tons)
Boiler pressure	150 lbf/in² (1.03 MPa)
Cylinders	Two, outside
Cylinder size	11+1⁄2 in × 16 in (292 mm × 406 mm)

Performance figures
Tractive effort	8,175 lbf (36.36 kN)

Career
Operators	Cambrian Railways Great Western Railway British Railways Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
Numbers	CAM: 1–2 GWR/BR: 822–823 W&LLR: 1–2
Disposition	In service

Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway No. 1 The Earl and No. 2 Countess are narrow gauge steam locomotives. They were built by Beyer Peacock & Co. Ltd. at the Gorton Foundry, Manchester in 1902.^[1] They were delivered new to the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway in 1902, as No.1 The Earl and No.2 The Countess, where they continue to run today.

History

Original Operations

The 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway was opened on 4 April 1903 to aid economic development in a remote area, never making a profit. It was originally operated by the Cambrian Railways, connecting with it at the former Oswestry and Newtown Railway station in the town of Welshpool. The line was built through difficult country, having a great number of curves in order to reach the summit of 600 ft (180 m). This meant that the engines had to be built to a compact and sturdy design capable of handling trains on the steep gradients.

The engines built to these specifications were No.1 The Earl and No.2 The Countess. They were both delivered new, to the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway.

The locomotives were named in honour of the Earl and Countess of Powys as the Earl did much to support the construction of the railway. In the Great Western era, The Countess had its name shortened to Countess.

The Earl and Countess ran the line from 1903 until closure of the railway in 1956. The engines were overhauled at Oswestry Works^[when?] and were sent there on closure of the railway.

Preservation

By 1959, negotiations had begun with British Railways and the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway Preservation Company had leased the line from British Railways by the end of 1962. On 28 July 1961, The Earl returned after storage and overhaul at Oswestry Works, with Countess following not long after. They have continued to work on the line ever since.

Design

The two locomotives are almost identical 0-6-0 T engines with side tanks and Walschaerts valve gear.

During their lifetime they have had many modifications, particularly after the takeover of the Great Western. During this period they were fitted with a larger cab, handles on the smokebox door, rather than the original wheel, a larger dome, a much larger and more sophisticated safety valve and two different funnels. They were painted in Great Western green.

When taken over by British Railways, their shunting bells and chopper couplings were removed, and were repainted black.

From 1997 to 2001, the locomotives were fully overhauled at Llanfair, which included the fitting of new boilers and cylinders.

They are currently the same design as the BR era, but have been worn different liveries in preservation. Currently, The Earl is BR condition and Countess in Great Western livery.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Earl.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Countess.

v t e Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
Main articles	Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
Locomotives	The Earl Countess Monarch Dougal 764.423 764.425
Locations	Welshpool Welshpool Raven Square Golfa Bank Sylfaen Castle Caereinion Cyfronydd Heniarth Llanfair Caereinion
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Great Western Railway locomotives

Swindon
broad gauge

Brunel (1833–1837)	Haigh Foundry Mather, Dixon Sharp, Roberts Charles Tayleur Hurricane Thunderer
Gooch (1837–1864)	Ariadne Banking Bogie Caesar Firefly Hercules Iron Duke Leo Metropolitan Premier Prince Pyracmon Star Sun Victoria Waverley
J. Armstrong (1864–1877)	Hawthorn Rover Sir Watkin Standard Goods Swindon 1076
Dean (1877–1902)	Experimental locomotives (8, 14, 16) 3001 3501 3521

Wolverhampton
standard gauge

J. Armstrong (1854–1864)	7/8/30/110 17 111 302
G. Armstrong (1864–1897)	34 108 119 322 (tank) 517 633 645 655 850 1016 1501 1901 3571

Swindon
standard gauge

Gooch (1855–1864)	57 69 77/167 79 91 93 131/310 149 England/Chancellor 157 Sharps 320 322 Beyer
J. Armstrong (1864–1877)	55 Queen/Sir Alexander 455 Metro Tank 56/717 927 Coal Goods 360 378 Sir Daniel 388 Standard Goods 439 Bicycle 481 806 1076
Dean (1877–1902)	Experimental locomotives (1, 7, 9, 10, 13, 34, 35, 1490, 1833) Armstrong 36 69 River 157 Sharpies/Cobham 1661 1813 1854 2021 2201 2301 2361 2600 Aberdare 2602 Kruger 2721 3031 Dean Single 3201 3206 3232 3252 Duke 3300 Bulldog 3521 3600 4100 Badminton Crane tanks
Churchward (1902–1921)	101 102 La France 103 President 111 The Great Bear 1361 2221 County Tank 2800 2900 Saint 3100 (later 5100) 3150 3700 City 3800 County 3901 4000 Star 4200 4300 4400 4500 4600 4700 Petrol-electric railcar Rail motors
Collett (1922–1941)	12 1101 1366 2251 2884 3000 (ex-ROD 2-8-0) 3100 3200 (later 9000) Earl 4073 Castle 4575 4800 (later 1400) 4900 Hall 5101 5205 5400 5600 5700 5800 6000 King 6100 6400 6800 Grange 7200 7400 7800 Manor 8100 Diesel railcars Diesel shunters 2
Hawksworth (1941–1947)	1000 County 1500 1600 6959 Modified Hall 9400 Gas turbine-electric 18000 18100
Proposed designs	8000 Cathedral

Absorbed
locomotives

Barry Railway	A B B1 C D E F G H K J L
Rhymney Railway	A AP B I K L L1 M P P1 R S S1
Taff Vale Railway	A C D E H K L M1 N O O1 O2 O3 O4 S T U U1 V
Other	Other absorbed locomotives

Narrow gauge
locomotives

Corris Railway	3 4
Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway	822–823
Vale of Rheidol Railway	1198 7–9

By wheel
arrangement

General

Notes

^ Smith, Roger (26 March 2022). "Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway announces a second visitor for its Beyer Bash". RailAdvent. Retrieved 4 February 2024.

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