Llanfair Caereinion Powys Wales United Kingdom - The Welshpool & Llanfair Railway (W&L) has announced that steam locomotive "Dougal" will be visiting the far east thanks to a new agreement between the W&L and the Taiwan Sugar Corporation (Taisugar).
"Dougal" was built in 1946 for the gasworks in Glasgow.
It was acquired by then general manager at the W&L in 1969.
The locomotive will be spending around six months in Taiwan, during which time it will be the star guest at a major festival in December.
The initiative is thanks to a twinning arrangement that has been agreed by the W&L and Taisugar.
This is similar to the agreement signed in 2017 by the narrow gauge railway and the Alishan Railway (another railway in Taiwan).
The twinning promotes a long-term mutual cooperation and exchange between the two railways.
The Taiwan Sugar Corporation once owned more than 40 mills around the country.
However, after production had declined, Taisugar now operates five short heritage railways at former mills that it owns.
Part of the agreement will see the W&L providing the benefits of experience to Taisugar thanks to more than 50 years of tourist railway operation.
In return, the benefits will include technical assistance, particularly in the maintenance of 1979 built Diema diesel loco number 17.
This locomotive was purchased by the narrow gauge railway in 2004 from Taisugar.
The W&L board has also agreed to Taisugar's request to send "Dougal" to Taiwan on a six-month loan, in order for the loco to appear at the annual Sugar Festival in December.
The theme of this year's Festival is "Taiwan and British Railway Culture Exchange"
While basically in working order, "Dougal" has not run on the W&L since 2013, when significant and expensive boiler work was deemed necessary.
A member of the W&L's engineering team will travel to Taiwan to oversee the locomotive's unloading and a technical inspection by Taisugar.
The sugar company has said that depending on the results of the inspection they may offer to carry out work on "Dougal" to bring it up to operating condition.
All costs of "Dougal's" visit to Taiwan will be paid for by Taisugar.
"Dougal" will depart for Taiwan later this month.
Michael Holden.
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