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Ffestiniog Railway
Two trains passing at Tan-y-Bwlch, c. 1900
Location
Place Wales
Terminus Porthmadog
Commercial Operations
Name Festiniog Railway Company
Built by Festiniog Railway Company
Gauge 1 ft 11½ in (597 mm)
Preserved Operations
Operated by Festiniog Railway Company
Stations 10
Length 13. Porthmadog harbour station in North Wales is the southern passenger terminus of the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 5 miles (21. 7 km)
Gauge 1 ft 11½ in (597 mm)
Commercial History
Opened 1836
Closed 1 August 1946
Preservation History
1954 Restoration started at Boston Lodge works 20 September 1954. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Boston Lodge is situated at Penrhyn Isa Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, on the A487 road about 1 mile SE across the Afon Glaslyn Causeway Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar)
1955 Reopened to Boston Lodge 23 July 1955. Events 1632 - Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe France. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar)
1956 Reopened to Minffordd. Minffordd ( roadside in Welsh) is a Village within the village community of Penrhyndeudraeth in the County of Gwynedd in
1957 Reopened to Penrhyn. Penrhyn station (formerly Penrhyndeudraeth station on the Ffestiniog Railway is located on a restricted site at Pen-y-Bwlch above the town of Penrhyndeudraeth (Penrhyndeudraeth
1958 Reopened to Tan-y-Bwlch. For Tan-y-Bwlch near Aberystwyth go to Tan-y-Bwlch Aberystwyth Tan-y-Bwlch ( Welsh for Under the pass/gap) lies in the Snowdonia
1965 Start of the Deviation construction work.
1968 Reopened to Dduallt. Dduallt ( Welsh for black hill) is a Mountain in central Snowdonia, North Wales.
1974 Restoration of Rhiw Goch passing loop. Rhiw Goch is a passing point on the Ffestiniog Railway north of the village of Penrhyndeudraeth in Wales.
1977 Reopened to Llyn Ystradau.
1978 Reopened to Tanygrisiau. Tanygrisiau is a Village in the upper end of the Vale of Ffestiniog in the County of Gwynedd, north-west Wales (
1982 Reopened to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small Town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales.

The Ffestiniog Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Ffestiniog) is a narrow gauge heritage railway, located in North West Wales. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic A narrow gauge railway (or narrow gauge railroad) is a Railway that has a Track gauge narrower than the of Standard gauge railways A heritage railway ( United Kingdom) preserved railway ( United Kingdom) or tourist railroad ( United States and Canada) is a North Wales (Gogledd Cymru is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales and to the east by England. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the Snowdonia National Park. A tourist attraction is a place of interest where Tourists visit typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value historical significance natural or built beauty or Snowdonia (Eryri is a region of North Wales and a National park of in area

The railway is about 13½ miles (21. 5 km) long and runs from the harbour at Porthmadog to the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. Porthmadog, ˌpɒrθˈmædɒg and known locally as Port, is a small Coastal Town in the Dwyfor locality within Gwynedd in North The slate industry in Wales began during the Roman period when Slate was used to Roof the fort at Segontium, now Caernarfon. Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small Town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. The line travels through spectacular mountainous scenery and is single track with passing places. The track gauge is 1 ft 11½ in (597 mm). The first part of the line runs along a mile-long embankment called "the Cob", which is the dyke of the Traeth Mawr "polder". LeveeEmbankmentDitch A dike (or dyke) levee, levée, embankment, floodbank or stopbank is a natural or artificial The Traeth Mawr ( Welsh for "big sands" is a Polder near Porthmadog in Gwynedd in Wales. A polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments known as dikes, that forms an artificial hydrological entity meaning it has no connection with

Contents

History

The railway company is properly known as the "Festiniog Railway Company", and this contemporary anglicised spelling is still the official title of the company as defined by the Act (2 William IV cap. xlviii) that created the railway. It is the oldest surviving railway company in the world (although not the oldest working - a record which goes to the Middleton Railway), having been founded by the Act of Parliament on 23 May 1832 with capital mostly raised in Dublin by Henry Archer, the company's first secretary and managing director. The Middleton Steam Railway is the world's oldest continuously working railway An Act of Parliament is a Law enacted as Primary legislation by a national or sub-national Parliament. Events 1430 - Siege of Compiègne: Joan of Arc is captured by the Burgundians while leading an army to relieve Compiègne Year 1832 ( MDCCCXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Henry Archer (1806–1863 was the son of an Irish landowner and was educated at Trinity College Dublin. Most British railways were amalgamated into four large groups in 1921, and then into British Railways in 1948, but the Festiniog Railway Company, in common with most narrow gauge railways, remained independent: in 1921 this was due to political influence, whereas in 1947 it was left out of British Railways because it was closed for traffic despite vigorous local lobbying for it to be included. See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways"

Various important developments in the Railway's early history were celebrated by the firing of rock cannon at various points along the line. A rock cannon, also known in Welsh as a cerrig cannan, craig cannan, or in the 19th century craig fagnel (plural craig fagnelau; Cannon were fired, for instance, to mark the laying of the first stone at Creuau in 1832,[1] the railway's opening in 1836,[2] and the opening of the Moelwyn Tunnel in 1842. [3] The passing of the Festiniog Railway Bill through Parliament also saw cannon celebrations, but on this occasion a fitter at Boston Lodge, who was assisting with firing, lost the fingers of one hand in an accident. [4]

Horse and gravity operation

The line was constructed between 1833 and 1836 to transport slate from the quarries around the inland town of Blaenau Ffestiniog to the coastal town of Porthmadog, where it was loaded onto ships. Slate is a fine-grained foliated homogeneous, Metamorphic rock derived from an original Shale -type Sedimentary rock composed of Clay A town is a type of settlement ranging from a few to several thousand (occasionally hundreds of thousands inhabitants although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan A ship /ʃɪp/ is a large vessel that floats on water Ships are generally distinguished from Boats based on size The railway was graded so that loaded wagons could be run by gravity downhill all the way from Blaenau Ffestiniog to the port. Gravitation is a natural Phenomenon by which objects with Mass attract one another The empty wagons were hauled back up by horses, which travelled down in special 'dandy' wagons. The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. The dandy waggon is a type of Railroad car used to carry horses on gravity trains. To achieve this continuous grade (about 1 in 80 for much of the way), the line followed natural contours and employs cuttings and embankments built of slate blocks without mortar. In Civil engineering, a cutting or cut is where part of a hill or mountain is cut out to make way for a road or rail line To keep a Road or rail line straight and/or flat and where the comparative cost or practicality of alternate solutions (such as diversion is too prohibitive the land over Prior to the completion in 1844 of a long tunnel through a spur in the Moelwyn Mountain, the slate trains were worked over the top via inclines (designed by Robert Stephenson) the site of which can still be seen. A tunnel is an underground passageway The definition of what constitutes a tunnel is not universally agreed upon Moelwyn Bach is a Mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales and forms part of the Moelwynion. A cable railway (also known as an Incline or Inclined plane) is a steeply graded Railway that uses a cable or Robert Stephenson FRS (16 October 1803 &ndash 12 October 1859 was an English Civil engineer.

Up to six trains daily were operated in each direction, and a printed timetable was published on September 16, 1856 by Charles Easton Spooner who, following his father, served as Manager and Clerk for 30 years. Events 1400 - Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers Year 1856 ( MDCCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year The Spooners of Porthmadog refers to the Spooner family of Porthmadog, North Wales who made important contributions to the development of narrow gauge railways It shows departures from the "Quarry Terminus" (at that time Dinas Junction) at 7:30, 9:28, 11:16, 1:14, 3:12 and 5:10. Trains waited ten minutes at the intermediate stations called "Tunnel", "Hafod y Llyn" and "Rhiw Goch". Rhiw Goch is a passing point on the Ffestiniog Railway north of the village of Penrhyndeudraeth in Wales. The fastest journey time from Quarry Terminus to Boston Lodge was 1 hour 32 minutes, including three stops. Boston Lodge is situated at Penrhyn Isa Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, on the A487 road about 1 mile SE across the Afon Glaslyn Causeway From Boston Lodge the slate wagons were hauled to and from Porthmadog harbour by horses. Up trains took nearly six hours from Boston Lodge to the Quarry Terminus, and each train ran in up to four sections, each hauled by a horse and comprising eight empty slate wagons plus a horse dandy. This timetable gave a maximum annual capacity of 70,000 tons of dressed slate. [5] Two brakesmen travelled on each down train, controlling the speed by the application of brakes as needed. At passing loops trains passed on the right and this continues to be a feature of Ffestiniog Railway operation.

There is evidence for tourist passengers being carried as early as 1850, without the blessing of the Board of Trade, but these journeys would also observe the timetable. The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government

Police force

The Railway employed just one Police Officer. Board of Trade Returns for 1884 show a Police Inspector was based at the Company's Head Office[6]

Steam and gravity operation

In October 1863 steam locomotives were introduced, to allow longer slate trains to be run, and this also enabled the official introduction of passenger trains in 1865: the Ffestiniog was the first narrow-gauge railway in Britain to carry passengers. A steam locomotive is a Locomotive powered by Steam. The term usually refers to its use on Railways but can also refer to a "road locomotive" In 1869 the line's first double Fairlie articulated locomotive was introduced, and these double-ended machines have since become one of the most widely recognised features of the railway. Articulated locomotive usually means a Steam locomotive with one or more engine units which can move relative to the main frame

Down trains continued to run entirely by gravity, but faster up journeys and longer trains increased line capacity. A new timetable dated October 1863 shows six departures daily from each terminus at two hour intervals, starting at 7:00 am and taking 1 hour 50 minutes including stops (totalling 20 minutes) at Tanygrisiau, Hafod-y-Llyn and Penrhyn. Tanygrisiau station ( is a passenger station on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog Penrhyn station (formerly Penrhyndeudraeth station on the Ffestiniog Railway is located on a restricted site at Pen-y-Bwlch above the town of Penrhyndeudraeth (Penrhyndeudraeth Trains passed only at Hafod-y-Llyn (from 1872 Tan-y-Bwlch). Tan-y-Bwlch station is the principal intermediate passenger station on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate When passenger services started, the usual practice was for locomotive hauled up trains to consist of loaded general goods and mineral wagons, followed by passenger carriages, followed by empty slate wagons with brakesmen. Down trains were run in up to four separate (uncoupled) portions: loaded slate wagons, goods wagons, passenger carriages and finally the locomotive running light. This unusual and labour intensive method of operation was short lived and eventually the passenger and goods portions were combined into a single train headed by the locomotive.

The loaded slate trains continued to operate by gravity until the end of passenger services in 1939. Slate trains eventually became very long - trains of less than eighty slate wagons carried two brakesmen, but over eighty wagons (and this became common) required three brakesmen. About one wagon in every six was equipped with a brake, the others were unbraked. Trains continued to pass at Tan-y-Bwlch and to a lesser extent at Minffordd. The Summer timetable for 1900 had nine trains daily in each direction, and trains had been accelerated to one hour from Porthmadog to Duffws including stops at Minffordd, Penrhyn, Tan-y-Bwlch, Dduallt (request), Tanygrisiau, Blaenau (LNWR) and Blaenau (GWR). Minffordd (translation Roadside, literally Lip of the Road) station is actually two adjacent stations operated entirely independently of each other Dduallt station (pronounced Thee-ahlt) is a passenger station on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway in northwest Wales, which was built in 1836 Speeds in excess of 40 mph (64 km/h) were then normal. [7]

The original passenger coaches (some of which still survive) were small four wheeled vehicles with a very low centre of gravity. In 1872 the FR introduced the first bogie carriages to operate in Britain. A bogie (ˈboʊgi (BŌ-gē is a Wheeled wagon or trolley In mechanics terms a bogie is a Chassis or framework carrying wheels attached to a vehicle The continuous vacuum brake was installed in 1893. The vacuum brake is a braking system used on Trains It was first introduced in the mid 1860s and a variant the automatic vacuum brake system became almost The line was fully signalled with electric telegraph and staff and ticket working. The electrical telegraph is a telegraph that uses electric signals The electromagnetic telegraph is a device for human-to-human transmission In Railway signalling, a token is a physical object which a locomotive driver is required to have or see before entering onto a particular section of single track Electric Train Staff instruments were introduced in 1912 and they continue in use to the present day.

Decline of slate and development of tourism

By the 1920s the demand for slate as a roofing material dropped owing to the advent of newer materials and to the loss of the overseas trade in World War I. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All As a result, the railway suffered a gradual decline in traffic.

In 1921 the Aluminium Corporation at Dolgarrog in the Conwy Valley bought for £40,000 a controlling interest in the FR and Henry Jack became Chairman, the FR company's financial administration moving to Dolgarrog. Dolgarrog is a small Village in the Conwy county borough in North Wales situated between Llanrwst and Conwy, very close to the The River Conwy ( Welsh: Afon Conwy) is a River in north Wales. Jack was also chairman of the new Welsh Highland Railway and was instrumental in getting government backing for its completion on the understanding that the FR and the WHR would be jointly managed from Porthmadog, with maintenance undertaken at Boston Lodge and with other economies of scale. The Welsh Highland Railway (WHR is a Narrow gauge railway in Wales, which originally ran from Dinas near Caernarfon to Porthmadog In 1923, the FR line was joined to the WHR line at a station called "Portmadoc New". The Welsh Highland line was almost totally dependent on tourism and this proved slow to develop.

To gain additional expertise in light railway operation which was being introduced on the FR and WHR to cut operating overheads, Colonel H. F. Stephens was in 1923 appointed part-time as Engineer to both companies. Colonel Holman Fred Stephens ( 1868 - 23 October 1931) was a British Light railway civil engineer and manager Stephens became Chairman and Managing Director of both companies in 1924. When the WHR was taken into receivership in 1927, Colonel Stephens was appointed as Receiver for the WHR and financial administration of both companies moved to Tonbridge in Kent. Tonbridge (historic spelling Tunbridge) is a Market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30340 in 2007 KENT (1400 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Adult Standards/MOR format The fortunes of the WHR, despite great efforts, failed to improve and it became bankrupt in 1933. Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their Creditors Creditors may file a bankruptcy petition against In order to protect their investments, the joint owners of both companies arranged for the WHR to be leased by the FR, but the WHR losses continued and it closed in 1937.

The FR continued to operate its slate traffic, a workmen's train on weekdays throughout the year and a summer tourist passenger service. Ordinary passenger services ceased on the FR on 15 September 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II. Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The workmen's passenger service ran for the last time on Saturday 16 September 1939. Events 1400 - Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Slate trains were from then onwards operated three days each week, but gravity operation was discontinued. Slate traffic ceased on 1 August 1946, apart from the section from Duffws to the North Western yard through Blaenau Ffestiniog town centre, which was leased on 7 October 1946 to the quarry owners. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 3761 BC - The epoch (origin of the modern Hebrew calendar ( Proleptic Julian calendar) Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This provided the railway company, which retained the services of a resident manager at Porthmadog, with a small income throughout the moribund years.

The original Act of Parliament which permitted the building of the line made no specific provision for its closure or abandonment. The term abandonment has a multitude of uses legal and extra-legal Although the main line had ceased functioning, the company could not dismantle the railway, so the track and infrastructure were left in place. Another Act of Parliament could have been sought to cancel the old one, but the Company did not have the money for such an action. However, without maintenance it soon became overgrown and unusable.

Restoration

From 1949, various groups of rail enthusiasts attempted to revitalise the railway. Eventually, on 24 June 1954 a group of volunteers funded by Alan Pegler purchased the company to run it as a tourist attraction, and gradually restored the line to working order. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) Alan Francis Pegler OBE FRSA is a British railway preservationist best known for saving LNER Class A3 4472 ''Flying Scotsman'' and This was not helped by a decision by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) in 1954 to build the Ffestiniog Pumped Storage Scheme, including the Tanygrisiau reservoir (Llyn Ystradau), which flooded part of the northern end of the line. The Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB was the cornerstone of the British electricity industry for almost 40 years from 1957 to Privatisation in the Ffestiniog power station is a 360MW pumped storage hydroelectric scheme near Ffestiniog, in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. The Festiniog Railway Company was able to obtain compensation in 1972, after the second-longest legal battle in British legal history, having taken eighteen years and two months. Two years later, as a result of the case, the British Parliament passed the Land Occupancy Act 1973. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories

On 18 August 1954, prior to commencing the restoration, in an inspection, the first of many, Colonel McMullen of the Ministry of Transport, Railways Inspectorate, accompanied by Alan Pegler, several directors and other supporters walked the line from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog. Events 293 BC - The oldest known Roman temple to Venus is founded starting the institution of Vinalia Rustica. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport (or DfT) ( Welsh: Adran am Drafnidiaeth) is the government department The work of restoration began on 20 September 1954 when Morris Jones, the foreman fitter who had last worked for the railway in March 1947, rejoined the staff to complete the rebuilding of the locomotive 'Prince' on which he had been engaged when the works closed. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) He was joined at Boston Lodge works by two volunteers, Bill Harvey and Allan Garraway. Boston Lodge is situated at Penrhyn Isa Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, on the A487 road about 1 mile SE across the Afon Glaslyn Causeway [8] 6 November 1954 marked the completion of sixty years service with the FR of Robert Evans (for almost 25 years as Manager) and a special train was run (with difficulty) from Minffordd to Porthmadog to celebrate the occasion and convey Mr Evans, his wife, Alan Pegler (Company Chairman) and guests en route to a clock presentation ceremony. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 1954 ( MCMLIV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1954 Gregorian calendar) [9] Mr Evans continued in service as Manager until his retirement on 1 June 1955 when Allan Garraway was appointed as Manager. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar)

The first public passenger train from Porthmadog to Boston Lodge ran on 23 July 1955. Porthmadog harbour station in North Wales is the southern passenger terminus of the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 Boston Lodge Halt in North Wales is an unstaffed halt on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate from Blaenau Events 1632 - Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe France. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Prince returned to service on 3 August 1955 and, following extensive boiler repairs, Taliesin, then the latest of the FR Fairlie articulated engines, returned to service on 4 September 1956. Events 8 - Roman Empire General Tiberius defeats Dalmatians on the river Bathinus. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar) Events 476 - Romulus Augustus, last emperor of the Western Roman Empire, is deposed when Odoacer proclaims himself Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The passenger service was extended to Minffordd on 19 May 1956, to Penrhyn on 5 June 1957 and to Tan-y-Bwlch on 5 April 1958. Minffordd (translation Roadside, literally Lip of the Road) station is actually two adjacent stations operated entirely independently of each other Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Penrhyn station (formerly Penrhyndeudraeth station on the Ffestiniog Railway is located on a restricted site at Pen-y-Bwlch above the town of Penrhyndeudraeth (Penrhyndeudraeth Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Tan-y-Bwlch station is the principal intermediate passenger station on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Increasing traffic was putting severe demands on the track - over seven miles (11 km) had been reopened in four years. A long period of consolidation, rolling stock restoration and track renewal followed before the extension to Dduallt on 6 April 1968. Dduallt station (pronounced Thee-ahlt) is a passenger station on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway in northwest Wales, which was built in 1836 Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Extension to Dduallt was celebrated on 28 May 1968 by the re-introduction of the Ffestiniog Railway Letter Service. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Ffestiniog Railway Letter Service is an officially authorised service within the United Kingdom railway system for posting and transmission of letters and under certain

The Llyn Ystradau Deviation

Tanygrisiau reservoir seen from the deviation. The original route of the Ffestiniog Railway is beneath the waters in the foreground
Tanygrisiau reservoir seen from the deviation. The original route of the Ffestiniog Railway is beneath the waters in the foreground

Between 1965 and 1978, the Ffestiniog Railway Deviation, a 2½ mile (4km) long diversionary route was constructed between Dduallt and Tanygrisiau in order to avoid the works of Tanygrisiau hydro-electric power station and its reservoir (Llyn Ystradau). Hydro-storage redirects here For storage of water for other purposes see Reservoir. The Deviation (this is the conventional name for such railway works) was built mostly by volunteers. At the southern end is the spectacular Dduallt spiral formation (unique on a public railway in the United Kingdom). A spiral (sometimes called a spiral loop or just loop) is a technique employed by Railways to ascend steep hills The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located It was constructed with its bridge entirely by volunteers and gains an initial height rise of 35 feet (11 m) in order (after a further mile of new volunteer built railway and a new tunnel) to clear the flooded track bed north of the former Moelwyn tunnel, which is plugged near its normally submerged northern end. Parts of the trackless former route can be clearly seen below the new route between Dduallt and the old tunnel.

The new 310-yard (280 m) long tunnel was constructed between 1975 and 1977 by three Cornish tin mining engineers with a small team of employees. Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar It had to be blasted through a granite spur of the Moelwyn mountain. An explosive material is a material that either is chemically or otherwise Energetically unstable or produces a sudden expansion of the material usually accompanied Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. The tunnel plant included stone crushing and grading plant to produce track ballast and other aggregates from the spoil for use on the railway. Track ballast forms the trackbed upon which Railroad ties (US or railway sleepers (UK are laid Following completion the new tunnel first had to be lined throughout its length with liquid cement reinforced with steel mesh in a process called 'shotcreting'. Shotcrete and gunite are two commonly used terms for substances applied via Pressure hoses Shotcrete is mortar or (usually Concrete conveyed

A pull and push service officially called The Shuttle and powered by diesel locomotive Moel Hebog with carriage 110 was operated from Dduallt to Gelliwiog from 26 May 1975, during two summers, to enable tourists to experience the Deviation route in advance of the opening of the new Moelwyn Tunnel. Push-pull is a mode of operation for Locomotive -hauled Trains allowing them to be driven from either end Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

North of the new tunnel is a long stretch along the west bank of the new reservoir. Full-length passenger trains first ran from Dduallt through the new tunnel to a temporary terminus known as 'Llyn Ystradau (now dismantled) on 25 June 1977. Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays This station was alongside the Tanygrisiau reservoir, but passengers could not leave the station other than by train as it was on Central Electricity Generating Board land without public access.

The remaining section included some specialised engineering work at its summit where the new line passes over the power station pipelines. This was followed by two public road crossings with automatic signalling, during a fall in height to rejoin the old route in Tanygrisiau station, which was reopened on 24 June 1978. Tanygrisiau station ( is a passenger station on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar)

The largely volunteer group building the Deviation was officially called the Civil Engineering Group, but its members were popularly known (and are still remembered) as the Deviationists who completed an enormous task over 13 years. In Stalinist Communism a deviationism is an expressed belief which is not in accordance with official party doctrine for the time and area

Project Blaenau

Steam locomotive Mountaineer at Blaenau Ffestiniog station.
Steam locomotive Mountaineer at Blaenau Ffestiniog station. Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station serves the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales, and is the passenger terminus of the Conwy Valley Line from
Double Fairlie locomotive David Lloyd George at Blaenau Ffestiniog station.
Double Fairlie locomotive David Lloyd George at Blaenau Ffestiniog station. Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station serves the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales, and is the passenger terminus of the Conwy Valley Line from
Steam locomotive Taliesin at Porthmadog.
Steam locomotive Taliesin at Porthmadog. Porthmadog harbour station in North Wales is the southern passenger terminus of the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836

The completion of the railway through to Tanygrisiau left the FR with just one and a half miles to go to its goal of Blaenau Ffestiniog but the complexities of reconstructing that unique but very derelict urban section of narrow gauge railway took a further four years. As well as 1½ miles (2. 4km) of new track and its formation, which was the responsibility of the FR permanent way department and its volunteers, much other work needed to be done. Most of the work, like the deviation itself, was undertaken by volunteers who in many cases assumed full responsibility for the design as well as the execution of discrete projects, each under a volunteer project leader. There were four decrepit footbridges each needing to be demolished and rebuilt to the new FR loading gauge. A loading gauge is the envelope or contoured shape within which all Railroad cars, Locomotives coaches Buses Trucks and other The primitive railway bridge across the Afon Barlwyd required total replacement but in similar form. Walls and fences throughout had to be repaired or replaced. These and the many other varied tasks formed Project Blaenau.

One major task near Tanygrisiau was the responsibility of Gwynedd County Council, which had at some time after 1955 taken advantage of the absence of trains to demolish what was probably Britain's lowest road under railway bridge. Creation of the Authority The present local government area of Gwynedd is made up of the ancient counties of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire. In early 1980, therefore, they replaced Dolrhedyn bridge and even managed to give it a few inches extra headroom for road vehicles.

Civil engineering contractors were employed in conjunction with British Rail and Gwynedd County Council for the new route with its bridges and roadworks and the new joint station on the former Great Western Railway station site. See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" The Great Western Railway ( GWR) was a British railway company and a notable example of Civil engineering, linking London with the West British Rail commenced using the new station on 22 March 1982. Events 238 - Gordian I and his son Gordian II are proclaimed Roman emperor. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Ffestiniog trains returned to Blaenau on Tuesday, 25 May 1982, thus marking the 150th Anniversary of Royal Assent to the Festiniog Railway Act of 1832. Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) The new joint station with British Rail at Blaenau Ffestiniog was officially opened on 30 April 1983 by George Thomas, Speaker of the House of Commons, who unveiled a plaque that records his visit. See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station serves the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales, and is the passenger terminus of the Conwy Valley Line from Events 313 - Roman emperor Licinius unifies the entire Eastern Roman Empire under his rule Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) Thomas George Thomas 1st Viscount Tonypandy PC ( 29 January 1909 &ndash 22 September 1997) was a British Labour The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords

With the major project of track restoration to Blaenau finally complete, attention could be turned to other matters. More Fairlie locomotives were built or restored, and new carriages were built. At Minffordd a new hostel was built for volunteers, who support the permanent staff by working in every department of the railway. Stations were given new buildings, canopies and platforms, often replacing the previous temporary structures, and improving the image of the railway for the future.

Welsh Highland Railway

main article Welsh Highland Railway

In 1988 the Festiniog Railway Company was involved in a controversial plan to stop the neighbouring Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) being rebuilt, as it was concerned at the effect a nearby heritage railway competitor could have on the FR business. The Welsh Highland Railway (WHR is a Narrow gauge railway in Wales, which originally ran from Dinas near Caernarfon to Porthmadog The initial plan would have involved the FR Company buying the original track bed of the WHR from the old company's receiver and giving it to Gwynedd County Council, provided no railway-related developments were allowed on the land. This was greeted with dismay by the WHR (1964) Company, which had been attempting to preserve the line since the 1960s.

This action may have delayed the start of rebuilding of the Welsh Highland Railway, although the alternative plan was dependent on the continued co-operation of Gwynedd County Council to ensure that the track bed was used solely for railway purposes. This was not guaranteed, as pressure from various groups who objected to the rebuilding of the railway was significant, and it was the stated intention of the council to apply for an abandonment order on gaining the track bed. This would have left the track bed open for use in other ways such as footpaths, road improvement schemes etc. , as the statutory designation of the track bed as a railway would have been discontinued. Over the years, the presence of plans for footpaths and roads had indeed made it difficult for anyone wishing to rebuild the line.

This led a group to form called 'Trackbed Consolidation Limited' (TCL) and, after some detective work, TCL managed to trace and purchase shares and debentures in the original WHR company. They felt that an alternative plan was available, one where the original company could be brought out of receivership. It was originally the intent of TCL to provide the track bed to the WHR (1964) Company to rebuild the line.

TCL were introduced to the FR and decided that the aims and objectives of TCL and the FR were similar, thus since 1990 the FR company has been totally committed to the reopening of the Welsh Highland Railway. The Welsh Highland Railway (WHR is a Narrow gauge railway in Wales, which originally ran from Dinas near Caernarfon to Porthmadog All TCL-owned shares/debentures were transferred to the FR.

The next few years were marked by protracted legal procedures before the assets of the old company could be transferred and before final consent to rebuild the railway was given. The first section from Caernarfon to Dinas was opened and operated by the FR on 11 October 1997. Caernarfon is the new northern terminus of the extended narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway from Dinas and the station was opened on 11 October Dinas is a station on the narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway, which was built in 1877 as the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Moel Tryfan Undertaking Events 1138 - A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, Syria. 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli is killed Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar This section was not hampered by these extended legal procedures and was built as a Light Railway Order, as it was not part of the original Welsh Highland Railway route and the site of Dinas station had been sold off and thus was not part of the assets of the old WHR company.

Restoration to Waunfawr was completed in 2000 and to Rhyd Ddu in 2003. Waunfawr is a station on the narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway, which was built in 1877 as the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Moel Tryfan Rhyd Ddu is a station on the narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway, which was built in 1881 as the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Moel Tryfan Reconstruction of the remaining section through to Porthmadog is in progress from both ends, and track has reached Pont Croesor from the north.

The completed Welsh Highland Railway, or Rheilffordd Eryri (its Welsh name), will comprise parts of the former London and North Western Railway (1867), North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways (1877-81), Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway and Welsh Highland (1922-3) Railway. The London and North Western Railway (LNWR L&NWR was a Railway company of the United Kingdom which existed between 1846 and 1922 The North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways (Moel Tryfan Undertaking (to give it its full name was a gauge railway running from Dinas to Bryngwyn, Wales, which was The Porthmadog Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway ( PB&SSR) was a Narrow gauge Railway intended to connect Porthmadog with the North In 2009 the Ffestiniog Railway intends to reconnect with the rebuilt Welsh Highland Railway at Harbour Station, linking Caernarfon to Porthmadog. Caernarfon (the original Welsh spelling is now almost always used in preference to the anglicised forms "Caernarvon" or "Carnarvon" is a Porthmadog, ˌpɒrθˈmædɒg and known locally as Port, is a small Coastal Town in the Dwyfor locality within Gwynedd in North The FR will also link with the WHR (Porthmadog) at Pen-y-Mount Station, north of Porthmadog.

Tourism and heritage

One of the earliest references to tourism is in the LNWR Tourist Guide for 1876, which waxed lyrical about the Ffestiniog Railway, which it illustrated with a drawing of a lady in Welsh national dress (then still in regular local use) travelling on an FR up train (since many empty slate wagons – with two standing brakesmen – were attached at the rear) with the caption "On the Ffestiniog Railway". National costume, also known as national dress, regional costume or folk dress, expresses an identity through Costume which usually The guide uses the "double F" spelling throughout. [10] It was, however, in the inter-war years from 1919 to 1939 that tourism, though always valued, came to acquire a major importance.

Since restoration commenced in 1954, tourism has been the only significant source of income. The role of the Ffestiniog Railway in the promotion and fulfilment of tourism and in preserving railway heritage has been recognised many times, and notable mentions have included:

Recognition of the railway’s importance to tourism and heritage has been increasingly marked by financial assistance given to the company towards capital expenditure. Prior to September 1987, the FR had received £1,273,127 in gifts and grants. Of this: £450,476 was Gifts from the FR Society and FR Trust and other supporters; £379,335 from Wales Tourist Board; £134,320 from EEC Grants and £308,996 from other public sources. [15]

Major grants received subsequently have been: In 1989 a grant of £430,000 mainly from The EEC (National Programme of Community Interest for the promoting of tourism in Dyfed, Gwynedd and Powys);[16] in 1995 a grant of £500,000 to promote work in Blaenau Ffestiniog[17] and in 1998 a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £375,000 for the construction of workshops to facilitate the restoration of historic vehicles. The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992 The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc [18]

Rolling stock

main article Ffestiniog Railway rolling stock

Stations and halts

The Ffestiniog Railway route, 2006
The Ffestiniog Railway route, 2006
Station Place Image Opened Closed Distance from Porthmadog Notes
Porthmadog Harbour Porthmadog 1865 Open 0 Junction with the original line from across the Britannia bridge (see note at the end of this table)
Pen Cob Halt Boston Lodge Aerial view of Boston Lodge 1956 1967 70 chains (1. The locomotives carriages and wagons of the Ffestiniog Railway. Porthmadog harbour station in North Wales is the southern passenger terminus of the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 Porthmadog, ˌpɒrθˈmædɒg and known locally as Port, is a small Coastal Town in the Dwyfor locality within Gwynedd in North Boston Lodge is situated at Penrhyn Isa Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, on the A487 road about 1 mile SE across the Afon Glaslyn Causeway 41 km) opened 19 May 1956 used regularly only until 5 November 1957. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar)
Boston Lodge Boston Lodge 1928 Open 1 mile 5 chains (1. Boston Lodge Halt in North Wales is an unstaffed halt on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate from Blaenau Boston Lodge is situated at Penrhyn Isa Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, on the A487 road about 1 mile SE across the Afon Glaslyn Causeway 71 km) temporary terminus 23 July 1955 to end of 1955 season. Events 1632 - Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe France. Year 1955 ( MCMLV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar)
Minffordd Minffordd (near Portmeirion) 1872 Open 2 miles 5 chains (3. Minffordd (translation Roadside, literally Lip of the Road) station is actually two adjacent stations operated entirely independently of each other Minffordd ( roadside in Welsh) is a Village within the village community of Penrhyndeudraeth in the County of Gwynedd in Portmeirion is an Italianate resort Village in Gwynedd, on the coast of Snowdonia in Wales. 32 km) Joint station with the Cambrian Line. The Cambrian Line is a railway from Shrewsbury (in Shropshire, England) to Welshpool, Aberystwyth and Pwllheli. Temporary FR terminus 19 May 1956 to end of 1956 season. Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Cae Ednyfed Minffordd (near Portmeirion) 1836 1863 2 miles 7 chains (3. Minffordd (translation Roadside, literally Lip of the Road) station is actually two adjacent stations operated entirely independently of each other Minffordd ( roadside in Welsh) is a Village within the village community of Penrhyndeudraeth in the County of Gwynedd in Portmeirion is an Italianate resort Village in Gwynedd, on the coast of Snowdonia in Wales. 36 km)? There were stables here between 1836 and 1863 and this was a horse stage station.
Pen y Bryn Halt Penrhyndeudraeth 1957 1967 2 miles 63 chains (4. Penrhyndeudraeth ( peninsula with two beaches in Welsh) is a Village in Gwynedd, Wales. 49 km) opened 20 April 1957 used regularly only until 5 November 1957. Events 1303 - The University of Rome La Sapienza is instituted by Pope Boniface VIII. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar)
Penrhyn Penrhyndeudraeth 1865 Open 3 miles 8 chains (4. Penrhyn station (formerly Penrhyndeudraeth station on the Ffestiniog Railway is located on a restricted site at Pen-y-Bwlch above the town of Penrhyndeudraeth (Penrhyndeudraeth Penrhyndeudraeth ( peninsula with two beaches in Welsh) is a Village in Gwynedd, Wales. 99 km) temporary terminus 20 April 1957 to 5 November 1957. Events 1303 - The University of Rome La Sapienza is instituted by Pope Boniface VIII. Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar) Events 1499 - Publication of the Catholicon in Treguier ( Brittany) Year 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar)
Rhiw Goch Penrhyndeudraeth 1836 Open 4 miles 16 chains (6. Rhiw Goch is a passing point on the Ffestiniog Railway north of the village of Penrhyndeudraeth in Wales. Penrhyndeudraeth ( peninsula with two beaches in Welsh) is a Village in Gwynedd, Wales. 76 km) Passing loop for horse-drawn trains until 1863. Re-instated as a passing loop in 1975.
Plas (private) Station Tan-y-Bwlch 1865 c. For Tan-y-Bwlch near Aberystwyth go to Tan-y-Bwlch Aberystwyth Tan-y-Bwlch ( Welsh for Under the pass/gap) lies in the Snowdonia 1920 6 miles 2 chains (9. 70 km) used only by the Oakeley household at Plas Tan y Bwlch.
Plas Halt Tan-y-Bwlch 1963 Open 6 miles 19 chains (10. Plas Halt is an unstaffed halt on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway in Wales, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate from For Tan-y-Bwlch near Aberystwyth go to Tan-y-Bwlch Aberystwyth Tan-y-Bwlch ( Welsh for Under the pass/gap) lies in the Snowdonia 04 km) opened 31 May 1963. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Hafod y Llyn Tan-y-Bwlch 1836 1873 Approx. For Tan-y-Bwlch near Aberystwyth go to Tan-y-Bwlch Aberystwyth Tan-y-Bwlch ( Welsh for Under the pass/gap) lies in the Snowdonia 7 miles 5 chains (11. 37 km) used for passing slate trains until 1865 and as passenger station 1865 to 1873.
Tan-y-Bwlch Tan-y-Bwlch 1873 Open 7 miles 35 chains (11. Tan-y-Bwlch station is the principal intermediate passenger station on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate For Tan-y-Bwlch near Aberystwyth go to Tan-y-Bwlch Aberystwyth Tan-y-Bwlch ( Welsh for Under the pass/gap) lies in the Snowdonia 97 km)) temporary terminus 5 April 1958 to 5 April 1968. Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Year 1958 ( MCMLVIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Coed y Bleiddiau Coed y Bleiddiau 1865? Open Approx. 8 miles 40 chains (13. 68 km) private platform serving Coed y Bleiddiau cottage which is only accessible by rail or footpath.
Campbell's Platform Y Dduallt 1968 Open 9 miles 7 chains (14. Campbell's Platform ( is an unstaffed halt on the Welsh narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog 62 km)) Private halt serving Plas y Dduallt, a 15th century Welsh Manor House.
Dduallt Moel Dduallt 1880? Open 9 miles 44 chains (15. Dduallt station (pronounced Thee-ahlt) is a passenger station on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway in northwest Wales, which was built in 1836 37 km) temporary terminus 6 April 1968 to 24 June 1977. Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato in the Battle of Thapsus Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays
Tunnel South loop Moelwyn Mawr 1842 c1865 Approx. |} Moelwyn Mawr is a Mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales and forms part of the Moelwynion. 10 miles (16. 09 km) (on former track alignment) used for passing horse drawn trains and early steam trains.
Tunnel Halt Moelwyn Mawr 1920s? 1939 10 miles 60 chains (17. |} Moelwyn Mawr is a Mountain in Snowdonia, North Wales and forms part of the Moelwynion. 30 km) (on former track alignment) at the northern end of the old Moelwyn tunnel.
Gelliwiog Moel Dduallt 1975 1977 10 miles 32 chains (16. 74 km) temporary terminus of push-pull shuttle trains from Dduallt 26 May 1975 to 24 June 1977. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays
Llyn Ystradau Tanygrisiau reservoir 1977 1978 Approx. 11 miles 30 chains (18. 31 km) temporary terminus 25 June 1977 to 23 June 1978. Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays Events 1180 - First Battle of Uji, starting the Genpei War in Japan 1305 - The Flemish Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar)
Tanygrisiau Tanygrisiau 1866 Open 12 miles 10 chains (19. Tanygrisiau station ( is a passenger station on the narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway, which was built in 1836 to carry dressed slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog Tanygrisiau is a Village in the upper end of the Vale of Ffestiniog in the County of Gwynedd, north-west Wales ( 51 km)) Temporary terminus 24 June 1978 to 24 May 1982. Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Events 1218 - The Fifth Crusade leaves Acre for Egypt. 1276 - Magnus Ladulås is crowned Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Now used as a passing place.
Dinas Blaenau Ffestiniog 1865 1870 13 miles 30 chains (21. Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small Town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. 52 km) (on branch from current line) the original northern terminus, opened 6 January 1865. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King Year 1865 ( MDCCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year From the opening of Duffws in 1866 until the closure of Dinas in 1870, alternate trains ran along the Dinas and Duffws branches.
Blaenau Ffestiniog (LNWR) Blaenau Ffestiniog 1881 1939 13 miles 25 chains (21. Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small Town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. 42 km) ‘Stesion Fein’ (narrow station) - transit station for LNWR/LMS.
Blaenau Ffestiniog (GWR) Blaenau Ffestiniog 1883 1939 13 miles 50 chains (21. Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small Town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. 93 km) (on a different alignment) joint station with GWR. Terminus from 31 May 1931 until 1939. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Duffws Blaenau Ffestiniog 1866 1931 13 miles 60 chains (22. Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small Town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. 13 km) (on a different alignment) only alternate trains ran to Duffws until 1870 when Dinas was closed to passengers. Terminus until 1931.
Blaenau Ffestiniog Blaenau Ffestiniog 1982 Open 13 miles 50 chains (21. Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station serves the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales, and is the passenger terminus of the Conwy Valley Line from Blaenau Ffestiniog is a small Town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. 93 km) current terminus; joint station with British Rail (Conwy Valley Line) opened 25 May 1982; roughly on site of Blaenau Ffestiniog (GWR) station listed above. See also Rail transport in Great Britain, National Rail, Network Rail This article is about the defunct entity "British Railways" History The first section from Llandudno Junction to Llanrwst (now called North Llanrwst) was built as the Conway and Llanrwst Railway and opened in 1863 Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar)

Note: A different zero point was formerly used in Porthmadog (see below), and the Deviation between Dduallt and Tanygrisiau added half a mile to the line. Mileages have therefore changed. The old mileage to the Duffws terminus, the original start of the line, was 13 miles 32 chains (21. 57 km).

At Porthmadog, the original line came via the streets and across the Britannia bridge from the 1836 terminus at the northernmost end of the Welsh Slate Company’s Wharf where the FR officially started. This was the datum point for all pre-1954 mileage calculations. The line over the bridge also connected with the Gorseddau and Croesor Tramways and was used by Welsh Highland Railway passenger trains from 1923 to 1936. The Welsh Highland Railway (WHR is a Narrow gauge railway in Wales, which originally ran from Dinas near Caernarfon to Porthmadog The line over the bridge was last used in 1958.

The Cob

Between Porthmadog Harbour station and Boston Lodge, the railway runs on the Cob, the dyke of the Traeth Mawr "polder". LeveeEmbankmentDitch A dike (or dyke) levee, levée, embankment, floodbank or stopbank is a natural or artificial The Traeth Mawr ( Welsh for "big sands" is a Polder near Porthmadog in Gwynedd in Wales. A polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments known as dikes, that forms an artificial hydrological entity meaning it has no connection with The Cob was built between 1807 and 1811 by William Madocks and in addition to its land reclamation function in conjunction with sluice gates at the Britannia bridge, serves also as a roadway (since 1836 this has been at a lower level on the landward side) and a bridge across the Afon Glaslyn. William Alexander Madocks ( June 17 1773 &ndashSeptember 1828 was a landowner and Member of Parliament for the town of Boston, Lincolnshire Tolls were charged with a tollgate at Boston Lodge until 2003, when the rights were purchased by the National Assembly for Wales. Boston Lodge is situated at Penrhyn Isa Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, on the A487 road about 1 mile SE across the Afon Glaslyn Causeway The National Assembly for Wales (Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The higher, original, section of the Cob carries, in addition to the railway, a public footpath throughout virtually its entire length. There is no fencing between the footpath and the railway.

Quarries served by the railway

Narrow gauge quarry tramways around Blaenau Ffestiniog. Not all lines shown, not all lines existed at the same time
Narrow gauge quarry tramways around Blaenau Ffestiniog. Not all lines shown, not all lines existed at the same time
Llechwedd and Oakeley quarries seen from the north. Llechwedd is on the left, the slate tips on the right are Oakeley
Llechwedd and Oakeley quarries seen from the north. Llechwedd is on the left, the slate tips on the right are Oakeley
The incline connecting the Wrysgan quarry the to railway at Tanygrisiau
The incline connecting the Wrysgan quarry the to railway at Tanygrisiau
The remains of Diphwys Casson mill above the Maenofferen pit
The remains of Diphwys Casson mill above the Maenofferen pit
The inclines leading down from Maenofferen into Votty & Bowydd
The inclines leading down from Maenofferen into Votty & Bowydd

The Festiniog Railway served a cluster of quarries around the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. Most of these were slate quarries, although granite quarries and zinc mines were also connected by narrow gauge tramways to the railway. Slate is a fine-grained foliated homogeneous, Metamorphic rock derived from an original Shale -type Sedimentary rock composed of Clay Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 [19]

Name Opened Closed Years connected Notes
Blaen-y-Cwm 1820 1911 1876-1911 Connected to the FfR via the Rhiwbach Tramway
Bowydd 1800 1870 1854-1870 Merged with Votty to form Votty & Bowydd quarry
Bwlch-y-Slater 1824 1960 1866-1956 Connected via the Rhiwbach Tramway
Cesail 1827 1877 1836-1877 Became part of the Oakeley Quarry
Conclog 1872 1920? 1874-1920 Remote quarry connected by the Cwmorthin Tramway
Cwm Orthin 1810 1937 1850-1937 Connected via the Cwmorthin Tramway; became part of the Oakeley quarry in 1900, the two quarries were connected underground
Cwt-y-Bugail 1835 1972 1867-1961 Last quarry using the (by then partly lifted) Rhiwbach Tramway
Diphyws (Diphwys Casson) 1760 1972 1860-1955 Last of the major quarries to be connected to the Ffestiniog Railway
Glan-y-Pwll 1840s 1882 1867-1882 Became part of the Oakeley Quarry
Groby Granite Quarry Circa 1932 1914-1932(?) Connected via a short branch worked by FfR locomotives. The Rhiwbach Tramway was a British industrial Narrow gauge railway connecting the remote slate quarries east of the Blaenau Ffestiniog with the The Rhiwbach Tramway was a British industrial Narrow gauge railway connecting the remote slate quarries east of the Blaenau Ffestiniog with the Oakley Quarry is a slate mine in the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, north Wales History Oakeley Quarry originated in 1818 when Samuel Holland The Cwt y Bugail Quarry was a slate quarry located east of Blaenau Ffestiniog in Wales.
Hafodty (Votty) 1801 1870 1851-1870 Joined with Bowydd quarry to form Votty & Bowydd
Llechwedd 1846 Present 1848-1980s Currently worked on a small scale and the site of the Llechwedd Slate Caverns tourist attraction
Maenofferen 1848 Present 1848-1975 Became the major owner of quarries connected via inclines at Duffws station, continued to use the stub of the FfR through Blaenau into the mid 1970s. Llechwedd quarry is a major slate quarry in the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, north Wales. Llechwedd Slate Caverns is a visitor attraction in Blaenau Ffestiniog North Wales Maenofferen Quarry is a major slate quarry in the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, north Wales and one of the major users of the Ffestiniog Railway Untopping operations continue in 2007.
Matthews (Rhiwbryfdir) 1825 1871 1842-1871 Became part of the Oakeley quarry
Moelwyn 1826 1900 1867-1900 Remote quarry connected to the FfR by a series of seven inclines; worked intermittently and never successfully. Oakley Quarry is a slate mine in the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, north Wales History Oakeley Quarry originated in 1818 when Samuel Holland
Oakeley 1878 Present 1878-1950s Formed by the amalgamation of the Cesail, Matthews and Glan-y-Pwll quarries. Oakley Quarry is a slate mine in the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, north Wales History Oakeley Quarry originated in 1818 when Samuel Holland Was the largest single quarry in Blaenau Ffestiniog. Was the home of the Glodfa Ganol tourist attraction in the 1980s and 1990s. Now worked as an open pit by Alfred McApline Ltd.
Rhiwbach 1812 1953 1860-1953 Remote quarry situated 4 miles (6. 4 km) east of Duffws station and connected via the Rhiwbach Tramway
Votty & Bowydd 1870 1964 1870-1962 Formed by the amalgamation of the Hafodty and Bowydd quarries.
Wrysgan 1830s 1946 1844-1946 Connected to the railway near Tanygrisiau via a single long incline ending in a tunnel.

Train operation since 1955

Infrastructure

As the line was extended, passing loops were brought into operation at Minffordd, Penrhyn and Tan-y-Bwlch. Due to the restrictions to the length of trains that could be passed at Penrhyn, Rhiw Goch was opened on 14 May 1975. Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Penrhyn loop remained in service for several more years before it was closed. By the end of the 1970s, the passing loops were at Minffordd, Rhiw Goch, Tan-y-Bwlch and Dduallt, and an intensive service was run in the peak summer seasons (although there were empty "slots" in the timetable which could be used by works trains). From the early 1980s, the peak summer timetable had three train sets in operation, generally passing at Rhiw Goch and Dduallt. Automatic signalling was installed at Tan-y-Bwlch in 1986.

As of the 1988 season, in part due to the challenges in maintenance of the top end points at Dduallt, and the planned automation of Minffordd, Dduallt and Rhiw Goch were taken out of service for crossing trains. At the end of May 1988, Dduallt ceased to be a token station and Dduallt loop was taken out of service altogether and became a siding. Rhiw Goch ceased to be used except on odd occasions, and was taken out of use as a means to cross passenger trains in 1989. The short section token instruments and the signal heads were removed, although the loop could still be used as a refuge for engineers trains.

In the late 1990s Rhiw Goch was recommissioned as a passing loop. From the 2005 season, the box has been regularly manned during the summer to provide additional operational flexibility. In 2006 an appeal was launched, through the FR Society, for funds to replace the life-expired signal box with a building of more traditional appearance. Fundraising has gone well and work was completed during the closed season of 2006/7.

Elsewhere, Tanygrisiau had been provided with a run-round loop whilst it had been the terminus between June 1978 and May 1982. This loop was removed when the line was re-opened to Blaenau Ffestiniog. In the mid-1990s a project was launched to install a fully signalled passing loop. This proceeded as a volunteer project, including the building of a signal box. However, prior to commissioning, the project was abandoned in 2001. However the trackwork (apart for the siding off the Up Loop) remained in situ. In June 2002, the loop was once again used to run-round trains as part of the 2002 Gala to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the restoration of services to Blaenau Ffestiniog. The intended platform starter signals (posts, brackets and arms) have been recovered and are now in use on the Isle of Man Railway. In 2004 with new disc starter signals and spring loaded points installed, Tanygrisiau became a passing loop for the first time.

Train control and regulation

The Festiniog Railway operates on the Electronic Token System (ETS) using a mixture of miniature and large train staffs, under the overall control of the Duty Controller based at Porthmadog. In Railway signalling, a token is a physical object which a locomotive driver is required to have or see before entering onto a particular section of single track

Miniature train staffs are provided for:-

Large train staffs are provided for:-

The Short Section train staffs are brought into service by opening Rhiw Goch Signalbox, hence trapping the Minffordd to Tanybwlch Long Section Miniature train staff in the lever frame, when the signal box is opened and manned by a signalman.

The signalling and ETS equipment is primarily designed for train crew operation. To obtain permission to withdraw a train staff to enter a single line section, Control has to be contacted.

The Control Office regulates train running, giving permission for trains to enter the single line sections, recording train movements on the Train Graph, ensuring trains are formed of an appropriate number of carriages (depending on the expected train loadings), acting as the single point of contact in the rare event of a failure occurring with rolling stock, and making station announcements at Porthmadog

The Control Office also is responsible for the Train Operation on the Welsh Highland Railway between Caernarfon and Rhyd Ddu. The Welsh Highland Railway (WHR is a Narrow gauge railway in Wales, which originally ran from Dinas near Caernarfon to Porthmadog

Images

Double Fairlie Merddyn Emrys with train

Double Fairlie Earl of Merioneth at Tanybwlch

At Blaenau Ffestiniog

Historic coaches at Tanybwlch

Taliesin shunting at the old Boston Lodge loco shed

Merddin Emrys at Porthmadog

Taliesin and train crossing Cei Mawr

Linda approaching Blaenau Ffestiniog station

References

  1. ^ Carnarvon Herald, March 2nd, 1833
  2. ^ Carnarvon Herald, April 23rd, 1836
  3. ^ Carnarvon and Denbigh Herald, June 4th, 1842
  4. ^ North Wales Chronicle, July 17th, 1869
  5. ^ Festiniog Railway Gravity Trains ed. Peter Johnson (Festiniog Railway Heritage Group, 1986) ISBN 0-949022-00-4 page 4
  6. ^ Festiniog Railway Police. British Transport Police. Retrieved on 2008-04-05. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 456 - St Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary bishop
  7. ^ The Festiniog Railway, James I. C. Boyd, 1959, Volume II (page 372)
  8. ^ Ffestiniog Railway Magazine (FR Society), No. James Ian Craig Boyd is an Author and Narrow gauge railway Historian. 86, Page 32.
  9. ^ Ffestiniog Railway Magazine (FR Society), No. 85, Page 22.
  10. ^ Ffestiniog Railway Magazine (FR Society), No. 90, Page 2
  11. ^ Ffestiniog Railway Magazine (FR Society), No. 90, Page 6
  12. ^ Ffestiniog Railway Magazine (FR Society), No. 58, Page 18
  13. ^ Ffestiniog Railway Magazine (FR Society), No. 87, Page 13
  14. ^ Ffestiniog Railway Magazine (FR Society), No. 119, Page 13
  15. ^ Ffestiniog Railway Company - Offer for Subscription(Prospectus) Ocean Asset Management Ltd, 1987, Page 24
  16. ^ Ffestiniog Railway Magazine (FR Society), No. 125, Page 191
  17. ^ Ffestiniog Railway Magazine (FR Society), No. 148, Page 135
  18. ^ Ffestiniog Railway Magazine (FR Society), No. 163, Page 285
  19. ^ James I. C. Boyd (1975). James Ian Craig Boyd is an Author and Narrow gauge railway Historian. The Festiniog Railway: Volume 2. The Oakwood Press.  

Bibliography

  1. Ove Arup & Partners; Report on a Rock Fall at Penlan, Ffestiniog Railway, 1979
  2. E. Beazley; Madocks and the Wonder of Wales, 1967
  3. R. F. Bleasdale; Spooner Album, 1887, also repub. with commentary by A. Gray, 2003
  4. D. Blenkinsop; Linda & Blanche 1993
  5. J. I. C. Boyd; Narrow Gauge Rails to Portmadoc, 1949
  6. J. I. C. Boyd; On the Welsh Narrow Gauge, no date (1970s)
  7. Boyd, James I.C. [1959] (1975). James Ian Craig Boyd is an Author and Narrow gauge railway Historian. The Festininog Railway 1800 - 1974; Vol. 1 - History and Route. Blandford: The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-8536-1167-X. OCLC 2074549. The OCLC Online Computer Library Center is according to its website a "nonprofit membership computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purpose  
  1. Boyd, James I.C. [1959] (1975). James Ian Craig Boyd is an Author and Narrow gauge railway Historian. The Festininog Railway 1800 - 1974; Vol. 2 - Locomotives and Rolling Stock; Quarries and Branches: Rebirth 1954-74. Blandford: The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-8536-1168-8.  
  1. J. Buck; Discovering Narrow Gauge Railways, 1972
  2. D. J. Charlton; FR Spotter's Guide; 2001
  3. C. F. Cliffe; Book of North Wales, 1850
  4. W. J. K. Davies; Narrow Gauge Railways, 1962
  5. R. Edwards & P. Moss (eds); Festiniog Railway Historic Drawings, 1997
  6. R. F. Fairlie; Battle of the Gauges renewed, 1872
  7. R. F. Fairlie; Locomotive Engines, what they are and what they should be, 1881, reprint 1969
  8. Ffestiniog Railway Co. ; Share prospectus, Traveller's Guides, Stock Books, Guide Books (about 40 in all), 1957-2005
  9. Festiniog Railway Society; Newsletters 1954-7;
  10. Ffestiniog Railway Society; FR Magazine, quarterly since 1958
  11. A. Gray; The Spooner Album, 2003. See also Bleasdale.
  12. N. F. Gurley; Narrow Gauge Steam out of Portmadoc, 1980
  13. L. Heath-Humphrys; letter to Railway Gazette , 27 July 1951
  14. G. Railway Gazette International is a monthly business journal covering the Railway, metro, Light rail and Tram industries worldwide Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January T. Heavyside; Narrow Gauge into the 80s, 1980
  15. B. Hollingsworth; Ffestiniog Adventure, 1981
  16. F. H. Howson; Narrow Gauge Railways of Britain, 1948
  17. P. N. Jarvis; Adeiladu Muriau Cerrig Sych - dry stone walling on the Ffestiniog Railway, 1993, revised edn 1995
  18. P. Johnson; Ffestiniog Railway - a View from the Past, 1997
  19. P. Johnson; An Illustrated History of the Festiniog Railway 1832-1954, 2007
  20. P. Johnson; Immortal Rails; the Story of the Closure and Revival of the Ffestiniog Railway 1939-1983 Vol. I 2004, 2004, ISBN 1-900622-08-4 £35; Vol. II 2005 ISBN 1-900622-09-2 £35. Rail Romances, Chester.
  21. P. Johnson; Portrait of the Ffestiniog, 1992
  22. P. Johnson; Welsh Narrow gauge; a view from the past, 1992
  23. P. Johnson; Welsh Narrow Gauge in colour, 1992
  24. P. Johnson & C. M. Whitehouse; Ffestiniog mewn lliw, 1995
  25. J. R. Jones & A. Pritchard; Great Little Steam Railways of Wales, 1991
  26. F. Jux; British Narrow gauge Steam, 1960
  27. R. W. Kidner; Narrow Gauge Railways of Wales, 1947
  28. M. Kington; Steaming through Britain, 1990
  29. C. E. Lee; Narrow Gauge Railways in North Wales, 1945
  30. M. J. T. Lewis; How Ffestiniog got its Railway, 1965, revised edn 1968
  31. J. G. V. Mitchell & A. G. W. Garraway; Ffestiniog in the Fifties, 1997
  32. J. G. V. Mitchell & A. G. W. Garraway; Ffestiniog in the Sixties, 1997
  33. J. G. V. Mitchell & A. G. W. Garraway; Return to Blaenau 1970-82, 2001
  34. J. C. V. Mitchell, Smith, Seymour, Gray; Branch lines around Porthmadog, 2 vols, 1993
  35. F. H. Pole (ed); Welsh Mountain Railways, 1924, reprint 1985
  36. J. D. C. A. Prideaux; Welsh Narrow Gauge Railway, 1976
  37. P. J. G. Ransom; Narrow Gauge Steam, 1996
  38. P. J. G. Ransom; Locomotion, 2001
  39. A. Roberts; Gossiping Guide to North Wales, 1879 (the 5/- version is much superior to the 6d edition)
  40. L. J. Roberts; Festiniog & Welsh Highland Holiday book, 1923
  41. H. R. Schwabe; Mit Volldampf nach Ffestiniog, 1978
  42. C. E. Spooner; Narrow Gauge Railways, 1871, revised edn 1879
  43. H. Stretton; Past & Present Companion; Ffestiniog Railway, 1998
  44. M. J. Stretton; Festiniog Railway in Camera, 1971-1971, revised edn 1999
  45. 'Taliesin' (C. R. Weaver et al. ); Festiniog Railway locomotives, 1988
  46. J. Timpson; Little Trains of Britain, 1992
  47. E. Vignes; Étude technique sur le chemin de fer Festiniog, 1878, English translation by Don Boreham 1986
  48. F. T. Wayne; "When Accounts become misleading Nonsense", Accountancy, November 1961
  49. P. B. Whitehouse; Festiniog Railway Revival, 1963
  50. P. B. Whitehouse; Welsh Narrow Gauge Album, 1969
  51. P. B. Whitehouse & P. C. Allen; Round the World on Narrow Gauge, 1966
  52. P. B. Whitehouse & P. C. Allen; Narrow Gauge the World over, 1976
  53. C. Winchester & C. J. Allen,(eds. ); Railway Wonders of the World, Vol 2, pp. 1224-28. c. 1938.
  54. J. Winton; Little Wonder, 1975, revised edn 1986

See also

External links

History The first section from Llandudno Junction to Llanrwst (now called North Llanrwst) was built as the Conway and Llanrwst Railway and opened in 1863 The Welsh Highland Railway (WHR is a Narrow gauge railway in Wales, which originally ran from Dinas near Caernarfon to Porthmadog The Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog is the operating name for the railway and registered charity that operates a tourist line towards the north eastern corner of Porthmadog There were more than a thousand British narrow gauge railways ranging from large historically significant Common carriers Worsley Works, is a manufacturer of kits for Model railway Carriages and Locomotives owned and run from Worsley, UK, by Allen Doherty
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