Diana's Debut

99-year-old new girl on Bala Lake Railway

Diana’s Debut

Geoff’s Rail Diaries

14 May 2016

I spotted this event quite by chance, a week or two beforehand. Kerr, Stuart “Sirdar” class no 1158 of 1917 “Diana” would be hauling her first public passenger trains. We’d better go and have a look... Diana has an interesting history. Originally supplied to the Kerry Forest tramway, she later found her way to the north Wales slate quarries, ending her working career at Pen-yr-Orsedd as long ago as 1950. Her rusty remains were bought for preservation in 1963, and after nore than one change of ownership, moved to the Vale of

Rheidol workshops at Aberystwyth. The result was the lovely little machine trundling along beside the lake, looking good and appearing to be entirely capable of the task in hand. We arrived beside the line after an enjoyable drive up the Tanat valley and over the mountain road. After our first sighting near Bala, confirming the timetable and Diana’s presence, we followed her back to Llanuwchllyn, taking the odd snap along the way, before joining the train and taking a pleasant and scenic ride along the line. The mountain road towards Dinas Mawddwy, and the descent to Lake Vyrnwy, provided an attractive return journey, and we would not retrace our steps until we came to Shrewsbury. A most enjoyable day out! Link: Bala Lake Railway