Holy War (locomotive)
Encyclopedia
Holy War is a preserved
narrow gauge steam locomotive
built in 1902, currently based at the Bala Lake Railway
in North Wales
. It was the last steam locomotive to operate in a Welsh slate quarry.
of Leeds, with works number 779.
, Red Damsel, Wild Aster, Alice
and Irish Mail. Holy War was named in 1908,, one of the quarry's locomotives with names commemorating racehorses which author and Member of Parliament Sir Gerald Nabarro
called "extraordinary" and "eccentric".
By 1967 Holy War was the last steam locomotive to remain in operation in a North Wales slate quarry, being withdrawn in November 1967. The quarry switched to lorries when Holy War was sold, and closed in 1969.
in March 1970, where it was the Quainton Railway Society's only narrow gauge locomotive. After being used in Buckinghamshire it was purchased by Rev Alan Cliff and returned to Wales in 1975, going to the Bala Lake Railway. Restoration of Holy War was completed in 1978 and the locomotive entered traffic on Good Friday 1979. It was out of service for boiler repairs in 1985-87. The Bala Lake Railway bought Holy War from Cliff in 1989. A gala was held in June 2002 to mark the locomotive's 100th anniversary.
Alice has also since been restored, and both locomotives now work on Bala Lake Railway.
Holy War appears in the children's book "Jack the Station Cat and the Great Little Trains Robbery".
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
narrow gauge steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
built in 1902, currently based at the Bala Lake Railway
Bala Lake Railway
The Bala Lake Railway is a preserved railway at Bala Lake, in Gwynedd, north Wales, which runs for a distance of using gauge rolling stock....
in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
. It was the last steam locomotive to operate in a Welsh slate quarry.
Construction
Holy War was built in 1902 by the Hunslet Engine CompanyHunslet Engine Company
The Hunslet Engine Company is a British locomotive-building company founded in 1864 at Jack Lane, Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by John Towlerton Leather, a civil engineering contractor, who appointed James Campbell as his Works Manager.In 1871, James Campbell bought the company for...
of Leeds, with works number 779.
Working Life
Holy War was delivered to the Dinorwic Slate Quarry in North Wales in May 1902. It spent its whole working life the quarry, alongside other Hunslet engines including Dolbadarn, George B, Maid MarianMaid Marian (locomotive)
Maid Marian is a preserved narrow-gauge steam locomotive built in 1903, currently based at on the Bala Lake Railway in North Wales.- Construction :...
, Red Damsel, Wild Aster, Alice
Alice (locomotive)
Alice, a Hunslet , used to work in the Dinorwic slate quarries at Llanberis, in North Wales. Built in 1902, as Works No. 780, the locomotive was originally called ‘No. 4’. There was an earlier Alice which was built in 1889 Alice, a Hunslet , used to work in the Dinorwic slate quarries at Llanberis,...
and Irish Mail. Holy War was named in 1908,, one of the quarry's locomotives with names commemorating racehorses which author and Member of Parliament Sir Gerald Nabarro
Gerald Nabarro
Sir Gerald David Nunes Nabarro was a Conservative Party politician of the 1950s and 1960s. Nabarro had a flamboyant public profile and a reputation for taking maverick political stances.-Early life:...
called "extraordinary" and "eccentric".
By 1967 Holy War was the last steam locomotive to remain in operation in a North Wales slate quarry, being withdrawn in November 1967. The quarry switched to lorries when Holy War was sold, and closed in 1969.
Preservation
When steam operations ended at the quarry Holy War was sold to J Marshfield-Hutchings. Along with parts of Alice which had been bought for spares, Holy War went to the Buckinghamshire Railway CentreBuckinghamshire Railway Centre
Buckinghamshire Railway Centre is a railway museum operated by the Quainton Railway Society Ltd. at Quainton Road railway station, in the far depths of "Metro-land", about 5 miles west of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire. The site is divided into two halves which are joined by two foot-bridges, one of...
in March 1970, where it was the Quainton Railway Society's only narrow gauge locomotive. After being used in Buckinghamshire it was purchased by Rev Alan Cliff and returned to Wales in 1975, going to the Bala Lake Railway. Restoration of Holy War was completed in 1978 and the locomotive entered traffic on Good Friday 1979. It was out of service for boiler repairs in 1985-87. The Bala Lake Railway bought Holy War from Cliff in 1989. A gala was held in June 2002 to mark the locomotive's 100th anniversary.
Alice has also since been restored, and both locomotives now work on Bala Lake Railway.
Holy War appears in the children's book "Jack the Station Cat and the Great Little Trains Robbery".
External Links
- Holy War HE 779 current B.L.Rly fleet, Bala Lake Railway Society