Welsh Narrow Gauge
 

I'm planning to spend a week in north Wales this summer. The campsite I intend to stay at is right next to the Welsh Highland so I'll obviously visit that, but can anyone recommend any other lines near by which are worth a visit?

If Welsh Highland then Ffestinog. Depends on your transport and time you have to spend on railways but try the Talyllyn out of Tywyn.

If you can make it down to Aberystwyth, The Vale of Rheidol Railway is well worth a visit. Spectacular ride upto Devils Bridge and a 23 miles round trip!

Yeah, the Talyllyn is certainly worth a visit. And there is a campsite in Towyn as well.

Enjoy your holiday!!

Also Welsh Highland (Caernforn) [sorry Welsh memebrs], Lanberis Lake Railway, Snowdain Mountain Railway.

I'm now back from my holiday. I took a friend with me, but he has no interest in railways, so I only went on one. It was the Welsh Highland (Caernarfon) and we only did the journey from Waunfawr to Dinas. I thought it was very good and I was pretty impressed with the carriages with the open sides. I knew that it was operated by the Ffestiniog but I didn't realise that the staff wore FR uniforms.

The rebuiling is cracking on. The rail head, Monday 18th September, was at Hafod Ruffydd Isaf (OS570501). The ballast underlay head was outside Beddgelert (OS585482).

Northbound this sector, comprises just 1·9km long, a lift between 60m and 180m above sea level and five hairpins, will be interesting for the Garrats. Their 21ftsq grates will be quite busy.

L. E.

Welsh Highland
 

Try the Corris for the oddest of the lot.
A round trip between Aberystwyth and Pwthelli is a good day out.

Walk the route between the Ffestiniog and the Welsh Highland in Portmadog.

L. E.

I must admit to being a bit confused about all the doings in Snowdonia. When the Welsh Highland is completed, will it be possible to travel from Caernarfon right through to Blaneau?

Yes the WHR (Caernarfon) are going to operate trains from Caernarfon all the way through to Blaneau crossing the mainline with a mixed guaged junction and running down the street from Portmadog mainline station connecting to the Ffestiniog Railway on the 'Cob'. Thats the plan anyway.

Personally I dont see how it is going to be viable as I cant see many people going all the way from Caernarfon right through to Blaneau or vise vers Becuase it will cost at least £20 return and by the time youve done one round trip it will be time to go home again thus givining you no time at either end. It would be a loverly ride but would probably take you ac ouple of hours in each direction!!!:eek: :eek:

Have they actually been given permission to do this or is it wishful thinking? It doesn't sound like the sort of thing that would be allowed in the U.K. I shudder to think what safety precautions Network Rail and the local authorities would insist on.:(
John.

Would there be a path for it on the mainline, if it goes at low speeds it could delay mainline rail services, sounds a very strange but interesting route.

How will they get it from Caernarfon to the main line?

David,
The Welsh Highland railway are in the process of laying 2' gauge track from Caernarfon to Porthmadog where they would like to physically link it to the existing Ffestiniog Railway. In Porthmadog the 2' gauge tracks will need to cross the NR Barmouth - Pwllheli line. This is the only point where narrow and standard gauges come together.

I can see what you mean, but then tourists will go on scenic coach tours with just a couple of stops for food/ toilet/ and leg stretching. My Mum and Dad do trips like that quite often and if they find themselves in Snowdonia then I'm pretty sure that they'd take the train. I'm certain, to be honest, my Mum loves trains and anyway, as soon as I found out that they were going to be in the area, I would insist that they took the ride.

Didn't know about that mixed gauge stuff though.

I think Network Rail have agreed to it but it is a case of getting finance in place to enable them to do so.

I thought it was all a done deal with all the finance, permisions etc. in position.

I was reading in this months Steam Railway that the nessecary track has now been manufactured.

Adam

It still surprises me that the project is going ahead but it looks like the new flat crossing at Porthmadog is about to be installed within the next week.
The WHR have set up a webcam at the work site:

Page 15 of The Railway Herald (issue 59) has a photo of the crossing. Built by Cours Rail, it is a unique crossing.
http://www.railwayherald.co.uk/BackIssues/Issue59.pdf
Syd

Looking at the pictures from the webcam the crossing appears to have been installed today.

Does anyone know if the Rhyl minature railway has been running this year?
I never see it since I went to Rhyl at the middle of July last year and a bit later in July this year, and when I last saw it there was a lot of grass near the tracks so I wouldn't have been suprised if a train couldn't run on it.

David, your post has jogged a memory for me. I'd forgotten all about the miniature railway in Rhyl. I've got a very vague memory of riding on it in the mid 60's. :)

A friend who lives near to Rhyl says that the miniature railway has been running this year. However, he thinks that it only ran at weekends and is now probably closed for the winter.

The Rhyl Miniature Railway have a website here
It gives details of running days in 2007.

If it ran at weekends then it would explain it as I don't visit at the weekend so I would not have seen it running.

A bit of news about the Rhyl Minature Railway picked up from the North Wales Coast Railway website.


"Rhyl Miniature Railway's new 'Central Station' was handed over from builders Wynne Construction to Rhyl Steam Preservation Trust on Friday 2 March. The official opening day is planned for Saturday, 26 May, and a 3-day gala event is to run from that date, with five locos in steam, subject to availability. More information from the RMR website."

Good link that John.

I can only guess then that I must have enjoyed a journey behind 'Joan', as I last had a holiday in Rhyl in the early 60's. It was before my brother was born so I reckon it would've been 1963. Nice memories jogged! Thanks! :) Just wish Id've been into spotting then (I was only six). :(

I don't remember much about the Miniature Railway but I spent many a happy hour trainspotting at Rhyl in the 50's and 60's:)