Dinorwic Alice Class

The Dinorwic Alice Class is a class of eleven narrow-gauge 0-4-0ST steam locomotives built specifically for the Dinorwic Slate Quarry. 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.

Hunslet Alice Class
No. 3 Holy War on the Bala Lake Railway, August 1981
Type and origin
Power typeSteam
BuilderHunslet Engine Company
Build date1886–1904
Total produced11
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte0-4-0ST
 • UICB n2t
Gauge1 ft 10+3⁄4 in (578 mm)
Driver dia.1 ft 8 in (508 mm)
Fuel typeCoal
Water cap.100 imp gal (450 L; 120 US gal)
Boiler pressure140 lbf/in2 (970 kPa)
CylindersTwo
Career
OperatorsDinorwic Slate Quarry
Withdrawn1957–1967
DispositionAll preserved

History
Dinorwic the forerunner of the Alice class

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. In order to improve transport of cut slate to the mills and waste to the slag tips a standard design of locomotive which was powerful, lightweight and with a short wheelbase was required.[1]

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 so as to avoid confusion with the Port organisation (Port Dinorwic or Y Felinheli) which was separate from the quarry operation.[1]

In total 11 separate locomotives of this class were built for the Dinorwic Slate Quarry with all surviving into some form of preservation. Hunslet's allocated the telegraphic codename VELIN to this class, named after the first locomotive.[1]

Locomotive Information
First Name / No. Second Name Year Built Works Number Working location at Dinorwic (Gallery name or Port) Image Disposal Current 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[2]
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

[1] [3]

  1. Thomas, Cliff (2001). Quarry Hunslets Of North Wales. Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-575-6.
  2. O'Mahoney, Charlie (19 February 2018). "A new boiler for Velinheli". Launceston Steam Railway.
  3. Boyd, James I.C. (1986). Narrow Gauge Railways in North Caernarvonshire, Volume Three: The Dinorwic Quarry and Railways, The Great Orme Tramway and Other Rail Systems. Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-85361-328-1.
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