Lilla
Lilla is a medium sized quarry engine built by the Hunslet Engine Company in 1891 (number 554). She was built for the Cilgwyn Slate Co Quarry at Nantlle and was bought by the Penrhyn Quarry in 1928. From 1923, Cilgwyn slates used to be despatched by a link with the Fron Quarry which provided access to the Bryngwyn Incline Drum Head and so down the incline and on via the WHR to Dinas Junction. Lilla's move from Cilgwyn to Penrhyn in 1928 was via the same route ending with a transfer on an LMS standard gauge wagon from Dinas to Port Penrhyn where she was unloaded on 21st May 1928. Although of a reasonable size, and apparently bought as a standby for work on the Penrhyn mainline, Lilla spent most her working life at Penrhyn as a quarry engine.
Bernard Latham bought Lilla in 1963 and restored her in his garden. She came to the FR in 1993 for the Hunslet Hundred event and stayed. Lilla was bought by a consortium of members through the Festiniog Railway Trust, though technically she belongs to the FRCo. She has remained on the FR ever since, making occasional appearances elsewhere.
Lilla has been found very useful on the Slate Shunt experiences and on occasional shuttle trains. Lilla has also been known to deputise for the diesel shunters when the temptation is too much. She has raised her own operating funds by offering drives to the public during the main season and on special events. She is most useful at at Megabashes and Gigabashes for ferrying garden materials and at Kids' Week for all manner of excitements even to beach parties and barbecues; it is a rare Kid who has not ridden her by the end of the week. In short, she is a model of how a little locomotive can be useful around the house.
Lilla is lined out in Penrhyn Quarry livery matching sister Linda. Lilla has received a lot of TLC in the last couple of years. New pistons and rings along with a mechanical lubricator were fitted in winter 1998/99 and in 2000 the loco was fitted with a concealed vacuum ejector to allow occasional passenger workings, for instance on shuttle services. This ejector needs upgrading before she can be used as a pilot for RhE trains at Harbour.
Lilla visited the WHR(C) for the Vintage Weekend on 22-23 September 2001 and the WHR(P) on 19-20 June 2004, for the 40th Anniversary Gala.
In October 2004 Lilla's original boiler was pronounced life expired so her chassis underwent maintenance while a new all welded boiler was being designed and constructed by Boston Lodge, taking the serial number BLB1 (The original boiler is considered by the National Railway Museum at York as being one of the oldest and most original Hunslet boilers still in existence). Lilla returned to steam and was first used with Britomart and visiting engine Jerry M over May Day Bank Holiday 2008. The new boiler is pressed at a modest 140psi until her axleboxes and frame have been attended to. The boiler is good for a higher pressure
In 2009, Lilla spent some time from May at the National Trust's Penrhyn Castle near Bangor and after this travelled to England to attend the Tyseley Loco Works 'Open Weekend' on 27-28 June in Birmingham. The trip to Tyseley was repeated for the open day there on 26-27 June 2010, attended with Britomart. Lilla travelled with Britomart to Dinas Junction on the WHR in connection with Superpower Weekend in September 2011 and followed this with a visit to the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway for a gala.
The principal stated dimensions are: Cylinders: 8½" x 14", Nominal wheel diameter: 2' 2", Boiler pressure: 140psi, Rigid wheelbase 4' 6". Tractive Effort (85% BP): 4630lb, Weight: 10 tons 15cwt.
