Welsh Highland Railway.html



Welsh Highland Railway (Rheilffordd Eryri / Rheilffordd Ucheldir Cymru)
Locomotive No. 138 Millennium/Mileniwm and train, leaving Caernarfon station
Location
Place	Wales
Terminus	Caernarfon and Porthmadog
Commercial Operations
Name	Welsh Highland Railway Company
Built by	North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways (NWNGR) and the Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway (PBSSR)
Gauge	1 ft 11½ in (597 mm)
Preserved Operations
Operated by	Festiniog Railway Company and Welsh Highland Railway Limited
Stations	7 (northern end), and 3 (southern end)
Length	13 miles and 1 mile
Gauge	1 ft 11½ in (597 mm) WHR(C) 600 mm (1 ft 11⅝ in) WHR(P)
Commercial History
Opened	1922
Closed	1937
Preservation History
1961	Welsh Highland Railway Society formed
1964	WHR Society reformed as Welsh Highland Light Railway (1964) Limited
1980	WHR (Porthmadog) opened for passenger service
1987	Original locomotive Russell restored
1990	Ffestiniog railway became involved
1997	WHR (Caernarfon) opened from Caernarfon to Dinas
1998	Transport and Works order obtained for full restoration from Dinas to Porthmadog
2000	Reopened - Dinas to Waunfawr
2003	Reopened - Waunfawr to Rhyd Ddu
2005	WHR (Porthmadog) celebrates 25 years of passenger train service
2007	WHR (Porthmadog) extended to Traeth Mawr

The Welsh Highland Railway (WHR) is a narrow gauge railway in Wales, which originally ran from Dinas near Caernarfon to Porthmadog, with a branch line to Bryngwyn and the slate quarries at Moel Tryfan. The line is in the process of restoration as a heritage railway.

The line opened to passengars in 1923 but was never a commercial success and went into receivership in 1927^[1]. The service however continued, operated by the Festiniog Railway Company^[a] under a newly-signed 42-year lease, but only survived until 1937^[1]. Thus the WHR managed only fourteen years of operation, and the longest narrow gauge railway in Wales closed. The track was lifted during scrap collections in World War II.

The restored line is known as both Rheilffordd Ucheldir Cymru and Rheilffordd Eryri in Welsh. Rheilffordd Ucheldir Cymru - Welsh Highland Railway - has been used since 1980 by the Company operating the Porthmadog end of the line. Rheilffordd Eryri - literally Snowdonia Railway - is a brand name used by the Caernarfon end. The original Welsh Highland never had an official Welsh translation of its name, despite running through the heartland of the Welsh language. Locals tended to refer to it by informal names such as Y Lein Bach or Lein Bach Beddgelert (the little Beddgelert railway).

History

The Welsh Highland Railway was formed in 1922 from the merger of two companies - the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways (NWNGR) and the Portmadoc, Beddgelert and South Snowdon Railway (PBSSR)^[1] (successor to the Portmadoc, Croesor and Beddgelert Tram Railway).

Forerunners: 1863 - 1922

The Croesor tramway had run from Portmadoc since 1863 up into the Croesor Valley and the slate quarries in this area. This was a horse worked line laid to a nominal 2 foot gauge.

The NWNGR had originally built a 1 ft 11½ in (597 mm) gauge line from a junction with the standard gauge London and North Western Railway line at Dinas to Bryngwyn with a branch from Tryfan Junction via Waunfawr to Llyn Cwellyn (Snowdon Ranger). The line was opened in 1877 and was extended to South Snowdon (Rhyd Ddu) in 1881, a total of 9 miles. This closed to passengers in 1916, but goods traffic continued up to its absorption by the WHR in 1922.

In 1902, the newly-formed PBSSR took over the failed Portmadoc, Croesor and Beddgelert Tram Railway with the aim of extending it to South Snowdon slate quarry in the Nant Gwynant Pass. Work was abandoned by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, although the tunnels through the Aberglaslyn Pass were mostly complete. By 1921, the NWNGR, the PBSSR, the Snowdon Mountain Railway and the Ffestiniog Railway were in common ownership and controlled by the owners of the Aluminium Corporation and the North Wales Power and Traction Company with headquarters at Dolgarrog.

Formation and Construction: 1922 - 1923

In 1922 the order was made to create the Welsh Highland Railway (WHR), mainly funded by loans from the Ministry of Transport and Carnarvonshire County Council in the hope that it would help regenerate the area's economy and keep struggling quarries open^[1]. McAlpine & Sons were contracted to refurbish the existing lines and complete the link between Rhyd Ddu and Croesor Junction, thus creating a railway that ran from Dinas to join the Ffestiniog Railway at Porthmadog and which was opened in 1923^[1].

As the modern WHR includes an extension north to Caernarfon, it is worth mentioning that the section of line between Dinas and Caernarfon was constructed as standard gauge in the 1860s by the Caernarvonshire Railway (later the LNWR) on parts of the Nantlle tramway (a 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge horse drawn tramway, that survived, albeit truncated at Talysarn until the 1960s).

Decline: 1923 - 1937

The WHR venture was not a success and the hoped-for revenue from quarry traffic never materialised. When these hopes were dashed, the railway turned to another market; tourism. The owners tried to attract visitors by opening the first narrow gauge buffet car and by painting their carriages bright colours, including yellow and blue. However, these ideas did not work because the early tourist industry did not provide sufficient visitors to make the railway pay, especially during the Depression. The last passenger train ran on 5 September 1936 and the Welsh Highland Railway was formally closed on 1 June 1937^[1]. The majority of the track was removed for scrap during the Second World War.

Various legal manoeuvres followed this, including a serious application to turn the route into a long-distance footpath. Although these plans were ultimately unfruitful, they ensured that the trackbed was kept mainly intact, rather than sold off bit by bit, which would have made restoration much more difficult and potentially expensive. However, some parts such as the sites of Rhyd Ddu and Dinas stations were sold off.

Restoration

Main article: Welsh Highland Railway restoration

In 1961 a small group of railway enthusiasts, who had been inspired by the successful preservation of the Talyllyn Railway^[1], formed the Welsh Highland Railway Society to preserve and restore the line. Construction of the line started in the 1970s following the acquisition of the old slate exchange sidings from British Railways^[2]. Tourist passenger services started in 1980 and the restoration of Russell was complete in 1987.

Rolling Stock

Original locomotives

Two locomotives were inherited from the predecessor companies: Moel Tryfan and Russell. When these proved insufficient, Baldwin 590 was acquired by H.F. Stephens and several Ffestiniog Railway locomotives saw regular use on the Welsh Highland Railway throughout its entire pre-closure existence from 1923 to 1937. 590 was planned to be part of a larger fleet to replace Moel Tryfan and Russell but it gained so little popularity that Stephens never bought another. By 1936 Moel Tryfan was out of use at Boston Lodge. When Russell and 590 were withdrawn the following year, they were placed in Dinas shed, but when the Second World War broke out, the Ministry of War came to see about appropriating them for the war effort. After some examination of the engines and questionning of those who had worked them, Russell (regarded as a good engine) was removed for further use, and 590 (seen as an unreliable, rough rider with difficult controls and inadequate adhesion) was broken up at Dinas. Despite the unpopularity of 590, the WHR (Porthmadoc) is currently refurbishing a similar Baldwin to act as a replica.

During the ownership of the WHR by the FR, Moel Tryfan and Russell were cut down to allow them to traverse the FR to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Moel Tryfan proved suitable, but Russell, even in cut down form, was not low or narrow enough to fit the Ffestiniog's the loading gauge. It has now been restored to its original form. Notably, 590 retained its original form until its demise.

Current rolling stock - WHR (Porthmadog)

Main article: List of Welsh Highland Railway Ltd rolling stock

Current rolling stock - WHR (Caernarfon)

Main article: List of Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) rolling stock

Stations

Welsh Highland Railway

Legend Caernarfon Bontnewydd Dinas Braich / Moel Tryfan slate quarries Alexandra (Crown) / Fron slate quarries Bryngwyn Rhostryfan Tryfan Junction (derelict station building)    Bryngwyn Branch Waunfawr Betws Garmon (derelict station building) Plas-y-Nant Snowdon Ranger Glanyrarfon (derelict station building) Rhyd Ddu End of current operational line from Caernarfon Pitt's Head Summit Meillionen Beddgelert Goat Tunnel (T1) Afon Glaslyn Aberglaslyn Tunnel (T2) Aberglaslyn Tunnel (T3) The Long Tunnel (T4) Nantmor    Croesor Tramway Afon Glaslyn Pont Croesor Traeth Mawr Loop (2007 season only WHR(P)) Start of CTRL Pen-y-Mount Gelert's Farm Porthmadog, WHR(P), Portmadoc New (1933) station Porthmadog    Cambrian Line    Portmadoc New (1923) station Snowdon St Road Section Britannia Bridge Section Porthmadog Harbour End of CTRL and Junction with Ffestiniog Railway    Ffestiniog Railway Boston Lodge depot

Original

• Dinas^[3]
• Tryfan Junction ^[3]
• Waunfawr^[3]
• Bettws Garmon^[3]
• Salem Halt^[3]
• Plas-y-Nant^[3]
• Quellyn Lake^[3]
• South Snowdon^[3]
• Hafod Ruffydd Halt^[3]
• Beddgelert^[3]
• Nantmor^[3]
• Hafod-y-Llyn Halt^[3]
• Hafod Garregog Halt^[3]
• Croesor Junction^[3]
• Ynysfor Halt^[3]
• Pont Croesor Halt^[3]
• Portmadoc New (1933) station^[3]
• Portmadoc New (1923) station^[3]
• Porthmadog Harbour

WHR (Porthmadog)

• Traeth Mawr Loop
• Pen-y-Mount
• Gelert's Farm halt
• Porthmadog

WHR (Caernarfon)

• Caernarfon
• Bontnewydd
• Dinas
• Waunfawr
• Plas-y-Nant
• Snowdon Ranger
• Rhyd Ddu
• Meillionen^[4] (under construction)
• Beddgelert (under construction)
• Nantmor (possible station. Originally the local residents rejected a station, however a recent local ballot has supported the provision of a halt.)
• Pont Croesor (under construction)
• Pen-y-Mount
• Porthmadog Harbour

Notes

^ a: Welsh names have changed much over the past 50 years, as more and more use of the proper Welsh language and spelling has gained ground. For example, the name "Ffestiniog" is the correct Welsh spelling, where as the widely, and previously accepted "Festiniog", is actually an English spelling, originating, possibly, in the eighteenth century when English gentry moved into Wales. The company is legally known as the Festiniog Railway Company, and as such conducts its official business. It has, since the mid 1980's, promoted itself as the Ffestiniog Railway, in keeping with other local trades. This convention (Ff), albeit slightly incorrect, is used throughout the article.

References

Bibliography

• Boyd, James I.C. [1972] (1988). Narrow Gauge Railways in South Caernarvonshire - Volume 1. Headington, Oxford: The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-8536-1365-6. OCLC 20417464. 

• Boyd, James I.C. [1972] (1989). Narrow Gauge Railways in South Caernarvonshire - Volume 2: The Welsh Highland Railway. Headington, Oxford: The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-8536-1383-4. OCLC 145018679. 

• Hopkins, John C. (2003). Rheilffordd Eryri/The Welsh Highland Railway: 1991 to 2003, 4th edition 388pp. The author. 
• Johnson, Peter (1999). Portrait of the Welsh Highland Railway. Ian Allan Publishing Lts. 
• Johnson, Peter (2003). An Illustrated History of the Welsh Highland Railway. Oxford Publishing Company. ISBN 0-86093-565-5. 
• Turner, Alun (2003). The Welsh Righland Railway: a History, 4th edition. Stenlak Publishing. ISBN 1-84033-263-8. 

See also

• Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog)
• British narrow gauge railways
• Worsley Works produces kits of many WHR coaches and Diesel Locomotive Castell Caernarfon
• SAR NGG 16 Class

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Welsh Highland Railway

• Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog) - official site
• Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) - official site
• Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) - official construction site
• Rebuilding the Welsh Highland Railway - unofficial site - updated almost daily!
• The Pont Croesor Extension
• Festiniog Railway's Heritage Group Wiki - contains further WHR information
• Welsh Highland Railway History

Videos

• Train going through Cynfal Crossing
• Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Opening of Traeth Mawr
• Pen-y-Mount

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