Lyd: coal-fired with a nine coach train. Worth seeing!

New build L&B loco Lyd, has recently been converted to burn coal instead of oil. Steamed for the first time as a coal burner on Monday 12th December 2011- the first time for 75 years that a coal-fired L&B loco has been seen in operation since Lew hauled the L&B's last demolition train in the summer of 1936.

12/12/2011: LYD's first movements under coal-fired steam

On Tuesday 13th December Lyd took a test train of nine carriages all the way to Blaenau.

13/12/2011: LYD with a nine coach train

For more on this story and photos CLICK HERE

Our thanks to the FRs' Andrew Thomas for keeping us all up to-date and to Festshopman (F&WHR Official Videos) for posting these videos on YouTube. All that is needed now is smell!

The FR's General Manager Paul Lewin (that's him on the footplate) has provided the following insightful comments:

Lyd's firebox is much bigger than a quarry Hunslet and a squarer shape.

She pulls at the back of the grate which slopes to the front. Therefore we use front damper to even the flow a bit.

A double layer on the back quarter or third of the box and thin & bright all over the rest. With this kind of fire pulling nine cars she needed a second feed at times.

The ash pan needs to be damped down before getting down between the driving wheels to push the ash out - whilst over a pit of course.

On the test train all the coal in the Fireman's bunker was used. On the normal run today there was still some coal left.

A thermocouple mounted on the superheater dry header reflects a combination of smokebox temperature and delivered steam temperature. Maximum superheater header temperature was 440 degrees C. Typical running produced around 350 degrees C.

The spark arrestor will need a char breaker added as currently the screen blocks if pushed too hard and we had to stop and give it a quick clean. Char breaker to be fitted Thursday and hopefully this will help a lot.

The original engines had neither superheat nor a brick arch.

We have a small cost overrun to pay off so I am thinking of doing some Guest Driving turns with Lyd to include a run through Aberglaslyn Pass. How much do you reckon folk would pay for one of these?

Paul LewinGuest Driving Lyd

If you are interested in applying for a Guest Driving turn on Lyd - a once in a lifetime treat and an ideal Christmas Present please email Paul at paul.lewin@festrail.co.uk.