2017-06 UK 7. FfFFF - DLG

Ffestiniog's Fantastic Fairlie Four: David Lloyd George
During our UK holiday we spent a week close to Porthmadog's Harbour Station where the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways meet.
I made many photos over the week and rather than per day I grouped these photos in an album per locomotive.

1 I was photographing Taliesin (right) when suddenly a double Fairlie emerged. I knew Merddin Emrys to be elsewhere "up" with a train so this could be none other than David Lloyd George.	2 I watched the unexpected visitor approach while Taliesin moved away.	3	4
5	6	7 I was extremely lucky getting DLG before the lens. It was up for its annual boiler examination and it only came to Harbour Station for coaling. And I simply happened to be there. This chance encounter however fulfilled my wish to see and hug all four Fairlies.	8
9	10 One conspicous difference with ME is that DLG has a far wider cab opening, leaving the crew far more exposed, especially on the Cob where a passage can be unpleasant with the prevailing wind and weather conditions. To quote the driver "you can get a horizontal shower right through the cab".	11	12
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33	34 After coaling DLG headed back to the station. I took this shot from the coaling stage.	35 I quickly went back to Harbour Station and much to my delight I found DLG backing up (if ever you can say that of a Fairlie) towards Garratt no 87 on the WHR track.	36 Closing in
37 and coupling up	38 There was quite some interest and so it was difficult to get a free shot of the pair. Funnily the real steam buffs weren't the problem but the occasional tourists. They are simply unaware of the uniqueness of the occasion and of the needs and desires of photographers. Oh well, it all worked out.	39	40
41 The pair pulling away towards Boston Lodge. A truly unique sight.	42 The difference in size is huge.	43	44
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