RD14938. SAMSON.
RD14938. The 2ft gauge Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway held a 'Quirks & Curiosities II” Gala over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend in 2017.
This culminated with a Grand Cavalcade of all the visiting quirks and curiosities at Porthmadog Harbour Station on the Monday and among the numerous weird and wonderful devices to be seen was SAMSOM, a recreation of the original 0-4-0 locomotive of this name built by Stephen Lewin in Poole in 1874. It was built for the London Lead Company's Cornish Hush lead mine in Co. Durham. It only had a short working life operating over a one mile long tramway until the mine closed in 1904.
It was of unusual design resembling a traction engine with crankshaft and flywheel drive. The original was 1ft 10in gauge, but this replica, built at the Beamish Openair Museum, is 2ft gauge which mean that it can make guest appearances on other railways.
The Beamish recreation was produced from one photograph and two engravings of the original. During most of the Festiniog's 'Q&CII' gala weekend it was on display and steaming up and down in Minffordd Yard.
In the background is Davenport 0-4-0 RYAM SUGAR COMPANY No.1, built in 1917 for a sugar company in India; when they had finished with the locomotive, they simply dumped it. It fell into dereliction with trees growing through the wheels and motion! However, it was imported from India in 2013 and, despite its deplorable condition, lovingly restored to its former glory at the private Statfold Barn Railway in Staffordshire.
Monday, 1st May, 2017. Copyright © Ron Fisher.
RD14938. SAMSON.
RD14938. The 2ft gauge Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway held a 'Quirks & Curiosities II” Gala over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend in 2017.
This culminated with a Grand Cavalcade of all the visiting quirks and curiosities at Porthmadog Harbour Station on the Monday and among the numerous weird and wonderful devices to be seen was SAMSOM, a recreation of the original 0-4-0 locomotive of this name built by Stephen Lewin in Poole in 1874. It was built for the London Lead Company's Cornish Hush lead mine in Co. Durham. It only had a short working life operating over a one mile long tramway until the mine closed in 1904.
It was of unusual design resembling a traction engine with crankshaft and flywheel drive. The original was 1ft 10in gauge, but this replica, built at the Beamish Openair Museum, is 2ft gauge which mean that it can make guest appearances on other railways.
The Beamish recreation was produced from one photograph and two engravings of the original. During most of the Festiniog's 'Q&CII' gala weekend it was on display and steaming up and down in Minffordd Yard.
In the background is Davenport 0-4-0 RYAM SUGAR COMPANY No.1, built in 1917 for a sugar company in India; when they had finished with the locomotive, they simply dumped it. It fell into dereliction with trees growing through the wheels and motion! However, it was imported from India in 2013 and, despite its deplorable condition, lovingly restored to its former glory at the private Statfold Barn Railway in Staffordshire.
Monday, 1st May, 2017. Copyright © Ron Fisher.