The Dinorwic Alice Class is a class of eleven narrow-gauge steam locomotives built specifically for the Dinorwic quarry, Gwynedd. These locomotives were built by the Hunslet Engine Company between 1886 and 1904, and were designed and supplied specifically to work the many galleries of the quarry at Llanberis, North Wales.
History
After earlier experiences with vertical boilered De Winton locomotives, the quarry company decided they needed more powerful locomotives to run on heavier, double-headed rail in chaired track on its more intensively worked quarry galleries. To improve transport of cut slate to the mills and waste to the slag tips, a standard locomotive design that was powerful, lightweight and had a short wheelbase was required.
In 1870, the quarry placed an order with the Hunslet Engine Company of Leeds for a prototype locomotive. They produced Dinorwic (works number 51 of 1870), which is a clear precursor to the Alice class. This locomotive proved a success and two further locomotives were ordered in 1877 to an improved design.
Hunslet continued to evolve the design, and when the quarry ordered a fourth locomotive in 1886, Hunslet delivered the first of the Alice Class engines, named Velinheli (No. 409 of 1886). The class name was derived from the second example of this class of engine to be built, named Alice later King Of The Scarlets (No. 492 of 1889). This was done to avoid confusion with the Port organisation (Port Dinorwic or Y Felinheli) which was separate from the quarry operation.
11 locomotives of this class were built for the Dinorwic Slate Quarry, with all surviving into some form of preservation. Hunslet allocated the telegraphic codename VELIN to this class, named after the first locomotive.
Locomotive information First name / No.Second nameYear builtWorks numberWorking location at Dinorwic (Gallery name or Port)ImageDisposalCurrent location Velinheli ~ 1886 409 Ponc-Fawr 1928 Dyffryn 1935 Gilfach Ddu 1950 Village Line 1952 Hafod Owen 1959 Gilfach Ddu 1962 Sold May 1965 Ffestiniog Railway Alice King Of The Scarlets 1889 492 Dyffryn 1947 Gilfach Ddu 1965 Sold June 1965 Statfold Barn Railway Enid Red Damsel / Elidir 1889 493 New York, Gilfach Ddu 1931 Lernion 1950 Gilfach Ddu 1957 Dismantled, parts sold 1969 Llanberis Lake Railway No.1 Rough Pup 1891 541 Dyffryn, Pen Garret, Gilfach Ddu 1960 Moved To NGRM, 1968 Narrow Gauge Railway Museum at Tywyn No.2 Cloister 1892 542 New York 1932 Gilfach Ddu 1933 Dyffryn 1934 Ponc-Fawr, Gilfach Ddu 1961 Sold August 1962 Statfold Barn Railway Wellington George B 1898 680 The Port 1898 Dyffryn 1929 Gilfach Ddu 1935 Sold October 1965 Bala Lake Railway No.3 Holy War 1902 779 Lernion, Penrhydd-Bach, Gilfach Ddu 1969 Sold November 1969 Bala Lake Railway No.4 Alice 1902 780 Australia Sold January 1969 Bala Lake Railway No.5 Maid Marian 1903 822 Village Line 1903 Gilfach Ddu 1931 Padarn-Peris Tram Line 1956 Pen-Garret, Gilfach Ddu 1966 Sold 1965 Bala Lake Railway No.6 Irish Mail 1903 823 Pen-Garret 1903 Sinc-Fawr 1929 Australia 1936 Gilfach Ddu 1959 Motion parts sold 1969 West Lancashire Light Railway No.7 Wild Aster / Thomas Bach 1904 849 Pen-Garret 1904 Gilfach Ddu 1934 Ponc-Fawr 1935 Penrhydd-Bach 1950 Gilfach Ddu 1962 Dismantled, parts sold 1969 Llanberis Lake Railway
References
Bibliography
See also British narrow-gauge railways List of preserved Hunslet narrow-gauge locomotives
External links
The Quarry Hunslet Website Official Launceston Steam Railway Website Official Llanberis Lake Railway Website Official Narrow Gauge Railway Museum, Tywyn Official Kew Bridge Steam Museum Website Official Bala Lake Railway Website