The construction of the new double fairlie James Spooner is reaching its final stages as the fire was lit for the first time at Boston Lodge on Friday 4th August, before then entering the paint shop for full lined out livery to be applied.
The Ffestiniog Railway Society sponsored the construction of the boiler and raised £63,500 in an appeal to avoid removing parts from the 1979 built Earl of Merioneth and enable it, potentially, to return to traffic one day.
It is expected to be unveiled during the Bygones weekend of 6-8 October but not expected to be hauling passenger trains.
The last double fairlie constructed at Boston Lodge was David Lloyd George in 1992. This saw its first steaming 31 years and a couple of weeks earlier in July 1992, in the adjacent road at Boston Lodge:
