Bala Ffestiniog Line
Encyclopedia
The Bala and Ffestiniog Railway was a , standard gauge
, railway backed by the Great Western Railway
(GWR) railway in North Wales
which connected Bala
with Blaenau Ffestiniog
.
with Llan Ffestiniog
and was incorporated on 28 July 1873, and opened on 1 November 1882. In 1883 the line was extended by converting
the existing Festiniog and Blaenau Railway
between Llan Ffestiniog and Blaenau Ffestiniog from gauge to standard gauge. The line terminated at Blaenau Ffestiniog (GWR)
where until 1939 it connected with the Ffestiniog Railway
to Porthmadog
. At , the line connected with the Ruabon Barmouth GWR line
.
The line closed to passengers in 1960 and to freight in 1961. An unusual feature of freight operation on the line was the carriage of gauge slate wagons (provided by the GWR) on standard gauge transporter wagon
s between Manod and Blaenau Ffestiniog where the wagons were off-loaded in the large station yard and their loads of dressed slate transferred to standard gauge GWR wagons for onward carriage via Manod and Bala.
The building of the Llyn Celyn
reservoir necessitated the flooding of the line. A diversion was considered but never built. A short section from to remained opened but was eventually closed in 1965.
The summit of the line was at which lay at 1278 feet (390 m) above sea level. The line served an extremely remote area of North Wales, most of which was not served by a main road until the A4212 road
opened in the early 1960s.
In 1964, a connection was made through Blaenau to the Conwy Valley Line
at Blaenau Ffestiniog North allowing access as far as the nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd
; a loading facility for nuclear flasks was constructed a hundred yards north of the closed .
In 1982, the Ffestiniog Railway was reopened to Blaenau Ffestiniog Central when the former GWR
station was re-opened to passenger traffic and Blaenau Ffestiniog North (LNWR) was closed.
and some sections used to improve the A4212 road
. Several other sections are open as permissive paths
.
Many of the former stations are now in use as private residences.
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
, railway backed by the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(GWR) railway in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
which connected Bala
Bala, Gwynedd
Bala is a market town and community in Gwynedd, Wales, and formerly an urban district of the historic county of Merionethshire. It lies at the north end of Bala Lake , 17 miles north-east of Dolgellau, with a population of 1,980...
with Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog is a town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It has a population of 5,000, including Llan Ffestiniog, which makes it the third largest town in Gwynedd, behind Caernarfon & Porthmadog. Although the population reached 12,000 at the peak of the slate industry, the population fell due to...
.
History
The railway originally connected BalaBala, Gwynedd
Bala is a market town and community in Gwynedd, Wales, and formerly an urban district of the historic county of Merionethshire. It lies at the north end of Bala Lake , 17 miles north-east of Dolgellau, with a population of 1,980...
with Llan Ffestiniog
Llan Ffestiniog
Llan Ffestiniog, also known as Ffestiniog or simply Llan is a village in Gwynedd , north Wales, lying south of Blaenau Ffestiniog....
and was incorporated on 28 July 1873, and opened on 1 November 1882. In 1883 the line was extended by converting
Gauge conversion
In rail transport, gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one rail gauge to another, through the alteration of the railway tracks...
the existing Festiniog and Blaenau Railway
Festiniog and Blaenau Railway
The Festiniog & Blaenau Railway was a narrow gauge railway built in 1868 to connect the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog with the slate quarries around Tanymanod and the smaller town of Llan Ffestiniog. At Blaenau Ffestiniog it made a direct connection with the Ffestiniog Railway with which it was...
between Llan Ffestiniog and Blaenau Ffestiniog from gauge to standard gauge. The line terminated at Blaenau Ffestiniog (GWR)
Blaenau Ffestiniog railway 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 Llandudno Junction. Arriva Trains Wales operate through services to Llandudno Junction and Llandudno...
where until 1939 it connected with the Ffestiniog Railway
Ffestiniog Railway
The Ffestiniog Railway is a narrow gauge heritage railway, located in Gwynedd, Wales. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the Snowdonia National Park....
to Porthmadog
Porthmadog
Porthmadog , known locally as "Port", and historically rendered into English as Portmadoc, is a small coastal town and community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd, in Wales. Prior to the Local Government Act 1972 it was in the administrative county of Caernarfonshire. The town lies east of...
. At , the line connected with the Ruabon Barmouth GWR line
Ruabon Barmouth Line
The Ruabon to Barmouth Line was a standard gauge branch line of the Great Western Railway across the north of Wales which connected Ruabon, in the east, with Barmouth on the west coast.-Connections:...
.
The line closed to passengers in 1960 and to freight in 1961. An unusual feature of freight operation on the line was the carriage of gauge slate wagons (provided by the GWR) on standard gauge transporter wagon
Transporter wagon
A transporter wagon, in railway terminology, is a wagon or railroad car designed to carry other railway equipment. Normally, it is used to transport equipment of a different rail gauge...
s between Manod and Blaenau Ffestiniog where the wagons were off-loaded in the large station yard and their loads of dressed slate transferred to standard gauge GWR wagons for onward carriage via Manod and Bala.
The building of the Llyn Celyn
Llyn Celyn
Llyn Celyn is a large reservoir constructed between 1960 and 1965 in the valley of the River Tryweryn in Gwynedd, North Wales. It measures roughly 2½ miles long by a mile wide, and has a maximum depth of...
reservoir necessitated the flooding of the line. A diversion was considered but never built. A short section from to remained opened but was eventually closed in 1965.
The summit of the line was at which lay at 1278 feet (390 m) above sea level. The line served an extremely remote area of North Wales, most of which was not served by a main road until the A4212 road
A4212 road
The A4212 is a 17 mile road between Bala and Trawsfynydd in North Wales, by way of a 401m summit at Llyn Tryweryn. There are many straight sections on this road and only one short 40mph speed limit at Frongoch...
opened in the early 1960s.
In 1964, a connection was made through Blaenau to the Conwy Valley Line
Conwy Valley Line
The Conwy Valley Line is a railway line in north Wales. It runs from Llandudno via Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog, and was originally part of the London and North Western Railway, being opened in stages to 1879...
at Blaenau Ffestiniog North allowing access as far as the nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd
Trawsfynydd
Trawsfynydd is a village in Gwynedd, North Wales, adjacent to the A470 north of Dolgellau near Blaenau Ffestiniog....
; a loading facility for nuclear flasks was constructed a hundred yards north of the closed .
In 1982, the Ffestiniog Railway was reopened to Blaenau Ffestiniog Central when the former GWR
GWR
GWR is an acronym that can stand for:* Great Western Railway , the name of several different railway operators* The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway — a heritage railway that has taken the initials of the former Great Western Railway Company* Great Whipsnade Railway* GWR Group, former...
station was re-opened to passenger traffic and Blaenau Ffestiniog North (LNWR) was closed.
Current status
The only part of the line in use today is the very short section between the two stations in Blaenau Ffestiniog. The section of line between Blaenau (GWR) and Trawsfynydd power station closed in 1998, although the track has remained in situ for several years. Much of the trackbed remains intact except for the section flooded by Llyn CelynLlyn Celyn
Llyn Celyn is a large reservoir constructed between 1960 and 1965 in the valley of the River Tryweryn in Gwynedd, North Wales. It measures roughly 2½ miles long by a mile wide, and has a maximum depth of...
and some sections used to improve the A4212 road
A4212 road
The A4212 is a 17 mile road between Bala and Trawsfynydd in North Wales, by way of a 401m summit at Llyn Tryweryn. There are many straight sections on this road and only one short 40mph speed limit at Frongoch...
. Several other sections are open as permissive paths
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
.
Many of the former stations are now in use as private residences.