Welsh Highland Railway (Caenarfon)

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Address: Harbour Station, Porthmadog, Gwynedd LL49 9NF
Telephone: 01766 516000  Email: enquiries@festrail.co.uk
Line Length: 22 miles  Gauge: 1ft 11½ inches
Route: Caenarfon to Pont Croesor  Journey Time: 2 hours 
Service: 27 March - 31 March / most days except some Mondays, Fridays - April, May, June, October / every day 1 July - 30 September 
Tickets: Adult £28.00 one child travels free with an adult, extra children half price
Parking: Caenarfon railway LL55 2YD, Dinas Station free LL54 5UP, Rhyd Ddu Station pay & display LL54 6TN
Website: www.welshhighlandrailway.net    YouTubevideo    location map

 

Caenarfon Station: Refreshments, gifts, souvenirs


The West Highland Railway (WHR) was planned by Caernarfonshire local authorities to run between the harbour towns of Carnarvon and Porthmadoc (the English names were used at this time). Permission was delayed by the 1914-18 war but was granted in 1922. A train service started on 31 July 1922 with the line being completed by 1 June 1923. Unfortunately the railway was not a success, in 1927 it was declared bankrupt. The WHR carried on for a further ten years, passenger trains stopped in 1936 with freight service ending a year later. In 1941 the Ministry of Supply requisitioned the remains of the line for the war effort.

 

In 1960 a group of enthusiasts formed a society with object of restoring part of the WHR line. Negotiations were difficult with some local authorities not wishing the project to go ahead. In the meantime WHR (Portmadog) was established on a one mile of track at Porthmadog in 1980.

 

The Gwyndd County Council applied in 1988 to be granted a Light Railway Order to re-instate the track from Pen y Mount to Port Croesor. At this time a mystery bidder put in a competing offer, this turned out to be the Ffestiniog Railway (FR). Initially the reason for the FR wanting to take over the WHR track was to stop it progressing and so rid itself  of a potential competitor on its doorstep. Later, new directors at the FR changed direction with plans to build WHR starting from Caernarfon.  

 

There were still many obstacles to overcome but eventually work started on the railway in 1997.  A service from Dinas to Waunfawr began on 30 June 2000, Rhyd Ddu was reached on 18 June 2003, at present trains go to Hafod Llyn a distance of 19 miles.

 

Volunteers have laid all the railway track, it took three years to lay the first 12 miles. All the track is now in place including at Porthmadog, at present there is no opening date for the complete line. The WHR is an outstanding achievement, to build a 28 mile long steam railway in modern times is simply amazing.

 

At the time the WHR were looking for locomotives many South African narrow gauge railways were closing or being converted to diesel operation. So this was an ideal opportunity, the railway acquired four Beyer-Garrat NGG16 (2-6-2 + 2-6-2) engines they are numbered 138, 143, 140 and 87. Powerful locomotives are essential because of the steep gradients of up to 1 in 40 and the fact that the route was so long that trains would be required to travel as near to the 25 mph maximum to provide a reasonable timetable. Despite being narrow gauge these locomotives are impressive being over 48 feet long and weighing 62 tons.


Llanberis Lake Railway


Address: Rheilffordd, Llyn Padam, Gilfach Ddu, Llanberis, Caenarfon, Gwynedd LL55 4TY
Telephone: 01286 870549  Email: info@lake-railway.co.uk
Line Length: 2½ miles  Gauge: 1ft 11½ inches 
Route: Penilyn to Llanberis  Journey Time: 1 hour (round trip)
Service: some days - March, November, December / evey day except some Saturdays - April, May, September / every day 1 June - 31 August / every day except some Fridays, Saturdays - October
Tickets: Adult £7.20, Child £4.50, Family saver example £19.40 (2 adults and 2 children) return tickets
Parking: Gilfach Ddu Station LL55 4TY
Website: www.lake-railway.co.uk    YouTubevideo     location map

 

Gilfach Ddu Station: Refreshments, souvenirs, gifts, slate museum

 

Slate quarrying in North Wales expanded in the 19th century with various railway systems being used for the movement of slate, some worked by gravity others were horse drawn.

 

In 1849 the Padarn Railway which ran from Gilfach Ddu to Penscoins acquired their first steam engines supplied by L.A. Horlock of Northfleet Kent. They were later replaced by three Hunslet 0-6-0 locomotives. The railway had 80 slate waggons, it also carried the workers to the quarries.

 

There was a slow decline in the demand for slate and in 1961 the Padarn Railway was shut down. By 1969 all the quarries had closed with 300 men losing their jobs.

 

The abandoned Padarn Railway was an ideal opportunity for a narrow gauge tourist line as it followed an attractive route along Lake Padarn. Trains ran on the new Llanberis Lake Railway in 1971 to Cei Llydan, the following year they reached Penllyn. A further extension from Gilfach Ddu to Llanberis was completed in 2003.

 

Three steam locomotives are used by the railway they are No.1 'Elidir' built 1899, No.2 'Wild Aster' built 1904 and No.3 'Dolbarn' built 1922. All of them worked in the local area hauling slate.

 

Further photos of the Llanberis Lake Railway can be found in the Photo Gallery 

 

Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog)

  

Address: Tremadog Road, Porthmadog, Gwynedd LL49 9DY
Telephone: 01766 513402  Email: info@whr.co.uk
Line Length: 1 mile  Gauge: 1ft 11½ inches
Route: Porthmadog to Pen-Y-Mount  Journey Time: 45 minutes (round trip)
Service: Every day 27 March - 30 September / every day except some Mondays & Fridays - October - Note diesel locomotives are used on many days
Tickets: Adult £6.00, Child £3.00, Family £15.00 (2 adults and 2 children) unlimited travel on day of issue
Parking: Opposite Porthmadog main line railway station LL49 9DY
Website: www.whr.co.uk    YouTubevideo   location map

Portmadog Station: Refreshments, gifts, souvenirs, bookshop


Engine Sheds: Museum, miniature railway

 

The history of the Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) is detailed at the top of this page.

 

This short line was originally the standard gauge siding at Pothmadog, the land was purchased in 1973.  A Light Railway Order was obtained and trains began to run in 1980.

 

There are five locomotives on the railway, two are currently being rebuilt. 'Russell' deserves a special mention as this engine worked on the original WHR. Dating from 1906 it returned to service on the line in 1987, at present it is undergoing major repairs. 

 

Ffestiniog Railway


 

Address: Harbour Station, Porthmadog, Gwynedd LL49 9NF
Telephone: 01766 516000  Email:@festrail.co.uk
Line Length: 13½  miles  Gauge: 1ft 11½ inches
Route: Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog  Journey Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Service: Daily from 28 March until 31 October
Tickets: Adult £17.95 one child travels free with an adult, extra children half price
Parking: Portmadog Station limited parking LL49 9NF, Portmadog council pay & display LL49 9PG, Minfford Station limited free LL48 6HF, Tan-y-Bwlch Station free LL41 2AQ, Tanygrisiau Station free  LL41 3AQ, Blaenau Ffestiniog council pay & display
Website: www.ffestiniograilway.co.uk    YouTubevideo    location map

 

Porthmadog Station: Refreshments, bar, gifts, souvenirs, shop adjacent to mainline railway


Tan-y-Bwlych Station: Refreshments, picnic tables, children's play area

Blaenau Ffestiniog Station: Gift and souvenir shop, next to mainline railway

 

The Festiniog Railway Company was formed in 1832 to transport slate from nearby mines to Port Madoc. At this time the English spelling was used for Festiniog and Port Madoc.

 

Wagons loaded with slate came down the line by force of gravity with a brakesman on one of the wagons to keep everything under control. Horses would pull the empty wagons back up the incline to the mines.


Two steam engines replaced the horses in 1863, a year later the Ffestiniog Railway (FR) became the first narrow gauge railway with permission to carry passengers. In 1869 with large quantities of slate being transported plans were made to make the railway double track. This was abandoned  because of the cost, instead more powerful locomotives were employed.


By the 1920s slate was not in such demand, so the FR was relying on passenger traffic, which was mainly tourists. Although the line continued with a passenger service when World War II commenced this stopped and all they had was a minimal amount of freight business. When 1946 came the line was closed. 

 

Five years after the railway closed a group of steam enthusiasts got together to form a preservation society. Had it been formed a few months earlier it would have been the first railway preservation society in the world but the honour for that goes to the Talyllan Railway.

 

The track was slowly restored to a usable condition and by 1958 they had reached Tan-y-Bwlych. Unfortunately in the meantime the Electricity Board had gained permission to flood the valley which provided access to the terminus at Ffestiniog. This meant that the last three miles of rail would be under water with no possibility of reaching the town that the railway took its name from.Not to be overcome the enthusiasts came up with a new route to Ffestiniog. The organisation was helped with its finances by compensation from the Electricity Board plus a grant from the Common Market. In May 1982 the first train for 36 years made the complete journey from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

 

A unique type of steam locomotive is resident at the FR, it was designed by Robert Fairlie to provide the extra power required to haul longer slate trains. The Fairlie engines have two boilers with a cab in between, a very unusual looking locomotive which produces over twice the driving force of an ordinary engine. Three Fairlie 0-4-4-0 locomotives are in use they are 'David Lloyd George', 'Earl of Merioneth' and 'Meradin Emrys' other operational engines include 'Blanche' 0-4-0, 'Palmerston' 0-4-0, 'Prince' 0-4-0 and 'Taliesin' 0-4-0.

 

The railway runs through Snowdon National Park with delightful views all along the line, even the reservoir that caused so many problems has its appeal.