Tubize No 5 on the Golfa

The Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway

"Tubize 2369 - loco number 5"

Here we see No 5 near the summit of the 1:29 climb on the Golfa Bank after leaving Welshpool (Raven Square) Station in June 2000 with barely a wisp of smoke showing from the stack she seems to take little effort in this long climb.

A wet Welsh arrival at Llanfair Caereinion station in June 2000

Built 1948 in Belgium for the Jokiosten Railway in Finland, where it ran as number 5, this loco was acquired by the W&LLR in 1983 and after a major overhaul entered regular service on 2nd June 2000. Although on the books as W&L number 15 the loco seems to be more commonly referred to by its original number 5.

This engine is quite large by W&L standards weighing some 34 tons and with a tractive effort of 11,935lbs (a little less than the 0-8-0 699.01), combined with large driving wheels (37") it makes for a very fast and powerful loco. Working the loco is in many ways easier than the others, with mechanical fire dropper grate, brick arch and 11 element superheater, this is a modern loco. The only tricky bits are keeping the water level just right for the switch back line we run, avoiding slipping too much (as with the other 2-6-2) and remembering that this is a big loco and you are quite high up so your speed can creep up quickly to more than you want!

Llanfair Station yard and number 5 sits in the sun awaiting it's next turn of duty.

W & L Gala 2001 and No 5 stands next to the Showman's Engine both trying to see who could out smoke the other.

For the full SP on the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway you can Visit the official W&LLR site.

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