The search for a suitable boiler for 'Irish Mail' continued, when it was learnt that an enthusiast who had purchased a similar locomotive from Dinorwic Quarries was in the process of dismantling a second locomotive for spares. However on enquiring it was discovered that the second locomotive was in fact located at the top of Dinorwic Quarries. However the owner was prepared to sell the remains of the loco which included a boiler at a nominal sum, provided the group undertook to remove it from the top of the quarry themselves.

Being unable to locate any other boilers which were suitable they were left with no alternative but to purchase the loco remains and attempt to transport them to Hesketh Bank. The Locomotive was formerly named 'Alice' and was considered by most enthusiasts to be in an un-retrievable position, high on the notorious 'Dinorwic Mountain in a quarry, the top of which half had been derelict for some years.

However the Group persevered with their task and in five and a half months through the summer of 1972 they managed to move the locomotive into a position where it could be collected by a lorry, and so on the 23rd November 1972, the remains of 'Alice' were finally delivered to Hesketh Bank

The boiler was examined and it was found that although the outer shell was sound, the boiler was in need of a new inner firebox and so work commenced on what is quite a major job for a steam locomotive, and for the group, the removal and fitting of a new inner firebox. In order to finance this work to be carried out the Railway disposed of the frames of the Hunslet locomotive 'Alice' to the Bala Lake Railway

In 1980 the Railway saw steam operating over its tracks for the first time, with the completion of the overhaul of 'Irish Mail".