Yesterday, the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways invited RailAdvent to see the official unveiling of the redevelopment over at Boston Lodge Works.

The project cost around £5m, which has seen the historic buildings revived into usable buildings that will be fit for the next 100 years.

Boston Lodge Works has built locomotives in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, and it is the only locomotive works to have achieved this feat.

Our day started at Porthmadog Harbour Station, where we were greeted by the team at the Ffestiniog Railway before Taliesin appeared, which was the locomotive assigned to shuttles across the cob for the day.

A toot of the whistle and a steam from the draincocks meant we were soon on our way, it was a beautiful day for a trip across the cob, Snowdon was in full view, and the view out of the harbour meant Harlech Castle was also in view!

After our arrival at Boston Lodge, we were shown around a few parts of the project. We were a little delayed due to an issue further up the line, but it was soon time for speeches.

Paul Lewin, General Manager of the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways, opened up the speeches by saying the railway is a special place to so many people and that the project has been funded through the railway’s supporting companies and societies, as well as the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Paul continued and said that the pilot scheme last year to open up Boston Lodge Works was a major success, allowing the general public to see behind the scenes and get interested in what goes on to make trains run throughout the year.

Tours are happening again this year, and hundreds of people have already booked on a tour.

There were three components to the project: building work, outreach to the local community and extra volunteers.

Local contractors helped complete the work, alongside nearly 600 volunteers, amassing nearly 40,000 hours of time.

Paul Lewin, Director and General Manager of Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways commented: “After 70 consistent years as a leading attraction and caring for a large collection of rolling stock, buildings and infrastructure of National historic importance, the railway really needed help to refresh the offer to visitors and to make the original workshops atBoston Lodge fit for the next seventy years.

With the speeches complete, it was then announced that the winner of the 2025 Merddin Emrys Shield had been awarded to the NLHF and Boston Lodge Team.

With the speeches finished, it was then time to finish a look around the small engine shed and running shed.

In the running shed were Merddin Emrys and David Lloyd George, the former recently being unveiled in a striking green livery in time for the 70th Anniversary year.

In the small engine shed were Sybil, Lilla and Mary Ann alongside K1 and Prince, the former also being unveiled in a heritage green livery, complete with wooden nameplates.

Outside the works, and it was like a gala. Velinheli and Hugh Napier were in steam giving footplate rides, and Chaloner, a visiting vertical boiler loco from the Leighton Buzzard Railway, was also in steam running up and down the various lines.

Britomart was also in steam, posed outside the Top Shed with a slate waggon.

It was soon time for home, and James Spooner joined Taliesin for a hop back across the cob. A simply stunning day celebrating the very best in Welsh narrow gauge.

Thanks to the team from the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways for inviting us down to help celebrate their special day.