Blanche was built by the Hunslet Engine Company in Leeds for the Penrhyn Quarry Railway (PQR) in 1893 for the princely sum of £800. She is named after Blanche Georgina Fitzroy (1865-1944) the wife of the owner of the PQR.

Blanche came to the FR in 1963, the year after her sister Linda, and the pair of them quickly became the mainstay of the fleet. Originally an 0-4-0 she has been rebuilt as a 2-4-0, fitted with a tender, new piston valve cylinders and been superheated, most of this being done in a 1972 overhaul. She then ran consistently until withdrawn for overhaul in 1989. A major volunteer led overhaul returned Blanche to traffic just in time for her 100th birthday celebrations which starred Linda, Blanche and their older brother Charles.

During the next ten years Blanche worked steadily on the FR and spent a time on the first stage of the WHR. During this time recurring minor boiler troubles started to indicate that the boiler was approaching the end of its working life. Blanche ended this ten year boiler ticket on March 1st 2003 with a special evening train with the “last gasp” chalked on her smokebox. She was stored for two years whilst funds were raised and a new boiler acquired.

Blanche returned to service in May 2005 and has been in regular service since. She is due for an overhaul to her running gear during the winter of 2006-7 but should be a regular performer through the 2007 season.

Blanche has the nickname of “Ricket” and is supported by a group of volunteers who originally got together to rebuild her in time for her 100th birthday and have looked after her since including playing a major part in both funding and designing her new boiler. Blanche has her own website, www.ricketrescue.co.uk where you will find more about her and an explanation of why she’s known as Ricket.
 

Gallery:

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June 18th 2005, and Blanche has just left Penrhyn with an up train for Blaenau Ffestiniog.