NG143

To get to the focal point of the centenary celebrations, I took the 10:00 train from Caernarfon, hauled by the legendary NG143. The last Beyer-Peacock garrat built in Manchester in the late 50's for South African Railways, it's the most powerful narrow-gauge steam locomotive in the world (It's essentially two 2-6-2 locomotives articulated under a single frame). The sights, sounds and smells - I rode in a windowless carriage - were amazing, as we climbed up 200m and then dropped back down to Portmadoc.

Unfortunately, that was the least bad weather of the day and, after watching some of the exhibition events and seeing NG143 steam back past me, my priority was soon to find a waterproof phone case and a jacket that was waterproof. My trusty lightweight shell was demonstrating what happens when waterproof fabric delaminates!

I explored a few more corners of Portmadoc that are dear to my childhood memories, and then took a vintage train to Pont Croesor and back. What made it vintage were the coaches, most of the locomotives are 150 years old! See extras from the day.