reposted from IanVisits

Just over 150 years ago a little steam train left London, and later this month, it makes its first ever return visit to the city.

The locomotive, called Palmerston was built at George England’s Hatcham Iron Works in East London, and was completed in March 1864. The locomotive was named after Viscount Palmerston, Liberal Prime Minister and Chairman of the Welsh Slate, Copper & Lead Mining Company’s quarry at Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Having been in Wales since it was delivered, for just one week, Palmerston will be on display in the ticket hall at Kings Cross station.

The locomotive saw extensive use on both the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways until withdrawal from service in 1937. Despite being deemed ‘beyond repair’, Palmerston was the subject of a long restoration, and eventually re-entered service on the railway in 1993.

The locomotive will be rolled into King’s Cross at 1am on Saturday February 18th, and will be on display until Sunday February 26th.

For the duration of the visit, Ffestiniog railway staff and volunteers will be joined by colleagues from the other ‘Great Little Trains of Wales’ to promote ‘Big Train meets Little Train’ – the recently published free guide to Welsh narrow gauge railways and how to visit them by rail.

You can follow IanVisits:  https://www.ianvisits.co.uk  and @ianvisits