Welsh Highland Railway® Rheilffordd Ucheldir Cymru

Hunslet 901 "Russell"

Return Home, and Restoration

In 1961, the Welsh Highland Railway Soc. was formed with the intention of rebuilding the WHR, and in 1964, it was incorporated into a Limited company, the Welsh Highland Light Railway 1964 Ltd (Later to change its name to the Welsh Highland Railway Ltd.

The new company set about gathering suitable equipment together a depot at Kinnerly, in Shropshire. In 1965, The WHR came to an agreement with the Birmingham Locomotive Club, to acquire Russell, provided covered accommodation could be given. Russell has by now stood for 10 years in the open air at Tywyn, and was starting to detiorate. Russell moved to Kinnerly in April 1965.

In 1969 Russell returned to The Hunslet Engine Co in Leeds, where a new boiler was built by its manufactures, however the new boiler had a steel firebox, instead of the original copper one. This was the 2nd to last boiler that Hunslets built.

This was the start of Russell's 'wandering'. In the next few years Russell travailed from Leeds (1970), to Carnforth (1973), and Llamberis (1974), until at last Russell returned to Porthmadog in 1976, although in a partially dismantled condition.

At this time the WHR's main aim was to open the new railway between Porthmadog & Pen-Y-Mount, and then on rebuilding 'Karen' and so Russell sat at the back of the shed.

However in 1984, the rebuild started in earnest, and by the end of 1986, at the age of 80, Russell steamed again.

Awaiting a new boiler, Russell sits in its birth place, Hunslet Engine Works, Leeds.	Back in harness again, but still in grey undercoat Russell sits at Pen-Y-Mount ain 1987.