David Lloyd George is the railway's newest and most powerful Double Fairlie. It is named after the famous Liberal Prime Minister, who was a local solicitor and travelled on the railway regularly. It carries its name 'David Lloyd George' in English on one side and in Welsh 'Dafydd Lloyd George' on the other side.

The engine was financed through the INCA (INcreased CApacity) programme of investment and built between 1989 and 1992. Originally the proposal was just to build a new boiler for the Earl of Merioneth - but it grew a bit!

The appearance externally is that of an 1880s loco with tall domes and smaller smokebox handrails. Underneath however is an all welded, 200psi superheated boiler (built by Bloomfield Steel Construction Co, Tipton) which is the source of its power.

It can stroll away with 12 cars but also is the most economical of the double engines as well. Because the boiler is designed to operate at a higher pressure and has a greater degree of superheat than any other double engine boiler David Lloyd George is the most powerful steam locomotive ever to run in normal service on the Ffestiniog Railway.

The colour of the paint and its similarity to a well known brand of tomato soup gave it one of its nicknames - 'The Soup Dragon'!, otherwise it is known as DLG or 'The Dave'.

You can view some small video clips of David Lloyd George here.

Gallery:

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During are rare double headed outing with Earl Of Merioneth, David Lloyd George takes water at Blaenau Ffestiniog.