A Swiss steam engine and carriage which is visiting the Snowdon Mountain Railway for a month has already carried 2,000 people.

The locomotive is from the Brienz Rothorn Bahn, a mountain railway near Interlaken.

Mike Ellis of the Swiss railway said: “This visit has been very successful and we have been overwhelmed by the number of people coming. We are now on day 11 and we are just about to hit our 2,000th passenger which isn’t bad for a coach which holds 40 people.

North Wales Pioneer:

Swiss steam engine from the Brienz Rothorn Bahn is currently visiting Snowdon Mountain Railway

“We’ve come here primarily to promote Switzerland as a tourist destination.”

Mike explained why the locomotive tilts forward, he said: “The reason is that we run on a steep mountain railway with a gradient of one in four and the boiler water has to be kept level, so the locomotive is inclined to compensate for the gradient.”

Videos and images by Allan George

In addition Mike and the engine’s fireman have brought another Swiss delight, accordion playing. Mike said: “The fireman is a dab hand at accordion playing, and amuses himself and passengers while the train is in the station.”

“The crew has really taken to Wales, both are enjoying the trip immensely. The driver has discovered Welsh cakes and heats them on a shovel put into the firebox.”

North Wales Pioneer:

Vince Hughes, Snowdon Mountain Railway’s commercial manager said: “We are so pleased We’ve had these visitors from our sister railway in Switzerland come here, it has caused enormous interest which is good for our railway.”

He added the Snowdon Mountain Railway’s steam engines were built in the same factory in Winterthur in Switzerland as the visiting Swiss locomotive.