Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railway

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News (3/12/24)

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Star Picture

No.590 safely tucked away at Gelert's Farm depot WHHR after loaded test trains between the FR and Beddgelert. It was intended the loco would feature in a launch event at the WHHR and in the WHR100 event at the end of June but the loco developed a hot box after several days of testing. This image is courtesy WHHR and was taken on a digital camera. Image post processed and displayed at 96dpi.

Welcome to Version 4 of this website, launched on 8/9/04 with news about work on Phase 4 of the WHR scheme. In addition to this Stop Press page and a Phase 1/2 page, there are 9 location pages, covering the Phase 3 works between Waunfawr and Rhyd Ddu. There are a further 9 pages covering Phase 4, the full route through Beddgelert, the Aberglaslyn Pass and on to Porthmadog, including the Traeth Mawr to Pen-y-Mount works recently constructed by the WHHR with three regularly updated map links for this area by Laurence Armstrong.

Finally, there are pages covering 'Phase 5', Views from the Line, the history of the abandoned PBSSR works around Beddgelert, Archived News and a Contacts page for volunteers. Another page covers the current operation of the WHHR southwest from Pen-y-Mount.

The above OS map shows the route through the Aberglaslyn Pass and Beddgelert. Click on the image to enlarge. Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

Click here to use the free OS Get-a-map service.

Route section pages

Listed below are links to pages featuring progress on different sections of the line or archive views. Jump ahead to News section or follow the section links from page to page. Please note that access to the links below was restored on 2/9/04 at the new website www.isengard.co.uk

Phase 4 pages

Rhyd Ddu to Pont Cae'r Gors (updated 29/6/06)

Pont Cae'r Gors to Hafod Ruffydd Halt (new 8/10/06)

Hafod Ruffydd Halt to Beddgelert Forest Halt (updated 4/12/06)

Beddgelert Forest Halt to Beddgelert Station (updated 1/7/07)

Beddgelert Station Area (updated 30/6/07)

Beddgelert Station to Bryn-y-felin (updated 1/7/07)

Aberglaslyn Pass (updated 2/7/07)

Nantmor to Pont Croesor (updated 16/7/07)

Pont Croesor to Pen-y-Mount (updated 1/4/07)

WHHR (Porthmadog) (updated 1/4/07)

Porthmadog Cross Town Link (updated1/4/07)

Caernarfon Cross Town Link  (updated 10/10/10)

Other pages

Phase 1 images (Updated 8/9/23)

Railtours 2023 (Updated 15/12/23)

Click on the image to enlarge and click again to enlarge to full size where available. This image is courtesy the F&WHR. Image post processed and displayed at 96dpi.

To compare with the archived 2023 timetables click here for upper half or here for lower half of the timetable.

Works Visit Shuttle timings

The three coach rake consists of a bugbox, a bogie coach and the Sentrybox brakevan No.3. This changed to a two coach rake by

Mostly twice a day TThSX from 16/10/24

Times for the hour long Mini tours are shown with an M.

F&WHR events 2024

SuperPower will return for 2024 as a weekend event but not on the Friday even though the FR's Bygones Weekend will again be a three day event. This replaces the low key WHR Society Members' Weekend last September to match the Society AGM so appears to be aimed at the general public as well and might feature appearances by both No.590, the WHHR's Baldwin and Russell given the disappointment when No.590 failed just before the Centenary of the WHR event. The WHR Members' Weekend in September 2023 was relatively poorly attended but the F&WHR's promised Baldwin did turn up at Dinas for cab rides. As last year, it seems the Snowdonian Limited has been dropped from the schedule but a rerun of The Snowdonian does occur on Saturday 21/9/24.

F&WHR events 2025

Shown below is an early version of the F&WHR Events list for 2025. This is missing some previously regular WHR events such as SuperPower and a likely launch event for NG15 No.134 or the possible return of Baldwin No.590, which many supporters hold tickets for from the aborted launch in 2023. At the moment there is nothing planned for the WHR Society AGM  in September. Unfortunately the WHHR's Baldwin Russell will be out of ticket so is unlikely to appear alongside the Baldwin compounding the disappointment when No.590 failed just before the Centenary of the WHR event. As last year, it seems the Snowdonian Limited has been dropped from the schedule and so far there is no rerun of The Snowdonian planned.

Train services start a week later than last year and NO February Half Term holiday services are planned for the second year running despite running such services in pre-COVID timetables and the success of such services on other heritage railways. There do not seem to be any events to support Rail 200, the 200th Anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, which is being promoted by the government as a major opportunity to celebrate the success of railways across the country.

This table will be updated as new information is received. Items marked in black are currently either not mentioned at all or to be confirmed.

Christmas Timetables

Santa Special timetable

Runs 7-8/12/24, 14-15/12/24, 21-22/12/24

Passengers receive a complimentary food hamper. Children receive a present and adults a glass of sherry.

Christmas Mountain Spirit timetable

Runs 28/12/24-1/1/25

Phone Booking Office for availability of hop on-hop off fares. A return journey on the 11:40 from Blaenau Ffestiniog is bookable.

The Santa Grotto/Elf Express shuttle timetable will be amended when more information is received. Runs 7-8/12/24, 14-15/12/24 and 21-23/12/24 between 10:00 and 15:00 with a half hour return journey time.

Suggested timings

News Section

F&WHR 3/12/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Tuesday was for a day of sunny periods with temperatures of 4 to 8C. Sunset is at 16:02 and temperatures are expected to become milder and damper mid week before returning to colder conditions at the weekend. There is no sign of snow around the F&WHR but Snowdon and the mountains should receive snow showers at the weekend  to make an alpine background for the Santa Specials. Work was visible at Tan-y-bwlch on the station master's cottage which is being prepared for rental next year. No works trains were observed.

A stop block has been positioned at the entrance to the FR platform which protects the Santa's Grotto set stabled nearer the Booking hall and under the protection of the platform awning. This means the Elf Express shuttle to Minffordd will probably depart from the WHR platform. At the moment the shuttle is advertised as operating between 10:00 and 15:00 but when booking the Santa's Grotto the final slot is shown as 16:20-16:30 with associated shuttle tickets referred to as 'No set time'. The timetable for the shuttle will be refined when more information is received but would appear to be half hourly between 10:00 and 15:00. It is likely the shuttle will return ECS to Boston Lodge shortly after 15:30.

Staff entered the signalbox at 13:00 and removed the stopblock from the FR platform bringing it nearer to the rear of the Santa's Grotto rake. This might allow the Elf Express to depart from the FR platform. Sunshine in the afternoon brought a considerable number of walkers to the Porthmadog platform who used it as a promenade.

Santa Specials sold out?

It appears that the Santa Specials sold out today three days in advance of services starting. It looks like more income could have been made for the F&WHR by running the trains on the first weekend of December additionally as have some of the other heritage railways. Maybe this will be considered next year?

Lineside weekend 7-8/12/24

The new Infrastructure Manager, Jack Blow, is looking for some assistance with clearing lineside vegetation, before he loses any more of his regular team of volunteers in the undergrowth!
--------------------
Hi all.
I just wanted to remind everyone of the up and coming lineside weekend on the FR this weekend, 7th / 8th December.
It would be great to get as many people as possible involved. The lineside weekends are always good fun - unfortunately I can't guarantee what the weather will be, although so far it's not looking too bad.
The planned worksites are at Llyn Ystradau (clearing some of the recent growth which is restricting views) and Rhiw Goch (clearing signal sight lines).
If you plan on attending please let myself know – jblow@ffwhr.com
All help is greatly appreciated. I hope to see you there.
Jack Blow

F&WHR 2/12/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Monday was for an improving day but overcast and showery at first with temperatures of 0 to 10C. Sunset is at 16:03 and temperatures are expected to remain mild with no sign of snow. Work was visible at Tan-y-bwlch on the station master's cottage which is being prepared for rental next year. No works trains were observed.

New WHRS website

The WHR Society's website is set to be revamped by 15/12/24. Unfortunately the Members' Area will not be accessible and WHRSoc members will need to make a new account once the new area goes live.

The Victorian Train and The Cwellyn mystery

The latest F&WHR advertising suggests that all train services operated in 2024 will be repeated in 2025 and indeed the initials VT for Victorian Train are displayed in the timetables as well as an explanation of what the train will offer in 2025. The Victorian Train will run to Woodland Wanderer timings from 6-23/5/25 and 28/9/25-17/10/25 excepting 3-5/10/25 and 8/10/25. See F&WHR whole year timetable.

CW stands for The Cwellyn service which operates between Caernarfon and Rhyd Ddu and follows the Gelert Explorer or Snowdonia Star out of Caernarfon in timetables C, E and F. The problem is that the base timetable does not show any days allocated to timetable C, E or F. The trains will be added later in the year when demand has been assessed. Last year The Cwellyn ran on TWThO in the peak season.

Medium range forecast predicts another 'wall of snow' (12/12/24)

North Wales is set to receive a dose of up to 20cm of snow by 12-13/12/24 if WX Charts prediction comes true. This might make for a magical experience for the Santa Specials to Rhyd Ddu on 14-15/12/24 if the snow persists a few days. See Daily Express story. More snow is anticipated for the following Thursday 17/12/24 and may last the weekend for the Santa Specials. The Santa Specials have booked well and there is only 1 train with availability as of 2/12/24 and only room for 5 family groups. Maybe the Santa Specials should have been started earlier on 31/11/24-1/12/24 as some other heritage railways did.

Click on the advert to see available Santa Specials.

F&WHR 1/12/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Sunday was for a mild but overcast day with temperatures of 4 to 14C. Sunset is at 16:04 and temperatures are predicted to drop back again to normal next week. No work was visible at Tan-y-bwlch on the station master's cottage which is being prepared for rental next year. No works trains were observed.

Christmas Fair at the Gweithdy but no shuttle! 30/11-1/12/24

There have been many events at the Gweithdy Minffordd this year and all seem to have had a shuttle link from Porthmadog except this Christmas Fair. Last year Blanche and Linda top and tailed the Minffordd Shuttle for this event on the weekend of 2-3/12/23. This year visitors were advised to drive and park nearby or catch a bus!

Click on the advert to enlarge.

First train over new Minffordd point 27/11/24

Click on the Facebook link to watch Upnor Castle on the works train using the new Minffordd Yard point for the first time.

F&WHR 30/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Saturday was for a mild  but overcast day with temperatures of 10 to 16C. Sunset is at 16:04 and temperatures are predicted to drop back again to normal next week. Work continued at Tan-y-bwlch presumably on the station master's cottage. No works trains were observed.

'How's it all Going 2024'

The 2024 edition of 'How's it all Going/the Diamond Jubilee Appeal/Sustainable Railway booklet dropped in late November. There is much interesting information in the glossy booklet about buildings, infrastructure projects and loco restoration projects but what is also interesting is what it misses out. There is little mention of the proposed Beddgelert station building. This building has become essential since the station became a 'frontier station' with both Gelert Explorer and Aberglaslyn services terminating there and laying over for at least an hour.  Better toilets and at lease some shelter are needed given the occasionally poor weather conditions at Beddgelert. A cafe to provide refreshments is also advisable.

F&WHR 29/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Friday was for a mild day of sunny periods with showers later and temperatures of 10 to 16C. Sunset is at 16:05 and temperatures are predicted to rise towards the weekend before dropping back again to normal next week. Work continued at Tan-y-bwlch presumably on the station master's cottage. No works trains were observed.

The north loop point at Dinas and access to the yard are scheduled for replacement between Santa Specials on weekdays in December. Other WHR works sees the badger damage to track at Portreuddyn being rectified and track in the Aberglaslyn tunnels T2/3 being relaid with plastic sleepers. After Xmas PW attention moves to the FR with extension of recently relaid section from Tan-y-bwlch further towards Plas Halt.

Moving Pictures No.101 (28/11/24)

Click on the YouTube link to watch 18 minutes 12 seconds of video covering infrastructure matters now that trains are not operating.  This video is copyright F&WHR and was published on 18/11/24. It is best viewed at 1080p with Chrome and was videod on a 4K camcorder by John Wooden (F&WHR).

2025 Tickets on Sale now!

Tickets for the 2025 services are NOW ON SALE and trains start running on 29/3/25. This year the F&WHR are running all the journey options that they made available last year, offering something to suit everyone! A trip on the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways makes the perfect Christmas gift so why not book your 2025 visit now?! Full details on all our services, along with booking links for tickets, are available here. The countdown to the new season at the F&WHR is now officially underway!

Dates are bookable right up to 31/10/25, the proposed end of the 2025 season. The season kicks off on Saturday 29/3/25 with The Mountain Spirit and The Harbourmaster from Porthmadog with the Snowdonia Star starting from Caernarfon. The Easter weekend is quite late this year at 18-21/4/25 and most schools are taking their 2 week break 12-27/4/24.

Having run a full year of 'Disneyfied' services, the F&WHR seems much more confident this year in putting the full year's up in advance compared to last year. In comparison in 2023 (the most recent full year figures) 43% of seats were empty where with the timetables of 2019 pre-Covid, the figure was 64%. Having said that, the F&WHR operates fewer trains now that 2019. The pattern of services is largely the same as last year but the early season The Victorian has been replaced by the standard Woodland Wanderer it seems. It is not certain if the early 09:45 Woodland Wanderer ever operated in 2024. It will be interesting to see if it has been dropped from the full timetable when this is published as opposed to the Calendar view available at the moment. 

F&WHR 28/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Thursday was for a day of sunny periods and temperatures of 6 to 11C. Sunset is at 16:06 and temperatures are predicted to rise towards the weekend before dropping back again to normal next week. Work continued at Tan-y-bwlch presumably on the station master's cottage. No works trains were observed.

Book Review-'Aberystwyth to Carmarthen'

Aberystwyth to Carmarthen by Geraint Roberts published by Lightwood Press (304pp A4 hardback £40) is a well illustrated account of this long lost rural branch line that connected North to Mid and South Wales as an offshoot of the Cambrian Coast Line. The TRAWS campaign is trying to reopen the line. The book also covers the Newcastle Emlyn and Aberaeron Branches and might make an ideal Xmas present for someone interested in Welsh railway history. Born from the aborted Manchester and Milford Llanidloes-Carmarthen route via Llangurig. The Aberystwyth to Strata Florida section was an afterthought after the mountain section was abandoned by the engineer David Davies as being too expensive with its long tunnel under the Cambrian range and high viaducts over the Ystwyth and other gorges. Before amalgamation with the GWR the railway was in Chancery for much of its life as it was saddled with the debt of a share of Llanidloes station costs on the never completed mountain section.

Advert image courtesy Amazon.

The railway operated from the short bay platform on the south side of Aberystwyth station but was closed after flooding cut the line in the Ystwyth Valley near Llanilar in December 1964. The bay was used by the Vale of Rheidol from 1970 after demolition of the line was completed in the late 1960s. The line south of Strata Florida was closed in February 1965 and lifted after milk traffic ceased in 1970.

The book has extensive text with newspaper extracts featuring contemporary reports and over 1000 illustrations, mostly photographs, with the minority in colour. There are signalling diagrams and map extracts to show station layouts. Traction is shown including freight, passenger, milk trains and excursions. The popular Manor steam locos are well covered as are the Hymeks, Class 37s and DMUs from the later diesel years.

The book could have benefitted from an index. One area that could have been better covered is the never completed route cross the mountains, between Llanidloes, Llangurig and Strata Florida including the mile long Myherin Tunnel, the approach cuttings for which were actually started. Nevertheless there is a short 3 page chapter on the Llangurig Branch which carried one stone train so that the Mid-Wales railway could bill the M&MR for their share of Llanidloes station! The book incorrectly states there are no earthworks west of Llangurig. In fact the route crosses the A44 just west of Pont Aber Bidno and the embankments are present to this day that would have offered a skew bridge like Gethin's Bridge on the Conwy Valley.

F&WHR 27/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Wednesday was for a day of sunny periods and temperatures of -1 to 9C. Sunset is at 16:07 and temperatures are predicted to rise towards the weekend. Now the weather has calmed down there may be some need for inspection trains after Storm Bert which could have caused obstructions on the line. A works train was stabled on the Mineral Line at Minffordd at 09:00 no doubt to ballast and  tamp the new point fitted yesterday that gives access to Minffordd Yard. At 09:27 Upnor Castle propelled the train out of the Mineral Line into the station and shunted the train onto the main line.

By the end of the day the point was ballasted and tamped and Upnor Castle hauled the first train over the point into the yard. See video of Facebook Festrail Insider webpage.

Santa's Grotto ready for action

The conversion of Harbour Station into Santa's Grotto is complete. See Facebook video.
The F&WHR is looking forward to another wonderful festive December here in Porthmadog. There is going to be so much to see and enjoy during the run up to Christmas, with Santa waiting to meet your family in his magical Christmas Carriage Grotto on 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22 and 23 December..!
⛄ The Booking Hall has been transformed into yet another fantastically decorated Winter Wonderland, complete with memories of Christmas' Past and our now traditional seasonal 'Kevin the Carrot' display!
But that is just the start of a visit to see Santa in Harbour Station. After you have had the chance to look through all the delights of the winter wonderland (feel free to take photos, of course), you venture through the Gift Shop and out onto the platform.
Here you will see a beautifully decorated steam loco standing at the front of Santa's special carriages. Take a close look at the Elves workshop, then the Arctic Animals standing beneath the Northern Lights, before taking your turn to enter the breath-taking delights of Santa's Grotto.
It is a real treat to see the reaction of young children when they are taken into the Grotto to meet Santa in his cosy living room. There's time for a chat, to take photos - and to receive presents from Santa, of course.
But there is still more to enjoy during your time at Harbour Station - before or after meeting Santa.
One of our small steam locos will be in action, providing footplate rides through the station for all of our visitors - young and old. There will also be Elf Express shuttle trains running between Porthmadog and Minffordd during the day, so you can have a scenic ride across the Cob behind one of our larger steam locos...
The Gift Shop is open every day for Christmas shopping. The F&WHR has a wide range of items - local gifts and souvenirs, books, DVDs, games, toys, models etc - to suit all tastes and ages. Pop in when you are in town or shop online at festrail.co.uk/shop
♨ Spooner's Cafe-Bar is also open every day from 09:00, offering hot food until 20:00 - alongside its cafe counter service of sandwiches, cakes and other treats.
✳ So, why not come along and enjoy a family 'Christmas Treat' - staff would love to see you here.
Tickets to see Santa (as well as tickets for the Elf Express trains) should be bought in advance wherever possible, to avoid unnecessary queuing - go to festrail.co.uk/christmas for more details and to book your visit.

F&WHR 26/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Tuesday was for a day of sunshine and temperatures of 2 to 11C. Sunset is at 16:08 and a  short cold snap is expected  in the mid week. Now the weather has calmed down there may be some need for inspection trains after Storm Bert which could have caused obstructions on the line. However, there did not appear to be any works trains on the F&WHR for the sixth day running. Views of the Cob show the floodwaters slowly dispersing. On Tuesday evening another low pressure system will cross Wales and there is the chance of snow on the mountains as the moist air hits the cold air mass to the north. Santa Specials are still 10 days away though!

PW work continued with the fitting of a new turnout at Minffordd.

This westerly view (26/11/24) shows the new point fitted in the Mineral Line to give access to Minffordd Yard. This point uses recycled plastic bearers. Click on the image to enlarge and click again to expand fully where available. Image copyright F&WHR taken on a digital camera.

TfW train tracker

TfW's train tracker shows the location of train and the direction of movement (defaults to north if stationary). As it is live the train symbols move slowly across the map. Coloured symbols are TfW trains with green symbols representing on time trains, amber, those delayed up to 10 minutes and red, those more than 10 minutes late. There is a search function and an automatic 'Find my Train' function. Clicking on a train shows its route and opens a panel showing the train's timetable. Click on the TfW link to try the Train Tracker app.

F&WHR 25/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Monday was for a day of sunny periods and temperatures of 2 to 11C. Sunset is at 16:09 with showers likely in the evening and a cold snap later in the mid week. There may be some need for inspection trains after Storm Bert which could have caused obstructions on the line. but there was no sign of works trains on the F&WHR for the fifth day running. Views of the Cob show an inland sea as the waters of the Afon Glaslyn pool behind the tidal gates from the storm and thaw. There was over 10cm of rain in a day at Capel Curig. GWR advised its passengers not to travel as several key routes are blocked until NR has a chance to inspect and clear the railways later today.

Welsh Tourist tax bombshell

The BBC has revealed the thinking of Welsh Labour/Plaid Cymru over the suggested Tourist Tax. A £1.25 per person per night is envisaged at hotels/B&Bs/self-catered accommodation (chalets) Hostels and campsites world be 75p per person per night. so a family of 2 adults and two children staying for a fortnight would find their bill rise by £84. AirB&Bs would have to register. If passed the new taxes could be implemented council by council from 2027 and councils could increase the charge after a year following consultation. The aim of the charge is to promote the Welsh language (a Plaid Cymru aim), Tourism and infrastructure/services used by holidaymakers. This might inevitably hit numbers visiting the F&WHR and even volunteers who stay at the Dinas, Minffordd and Penrhyndeudraeth hostels. The Tories and Liberal Democrats have concerns that the charge may stifle tourism. See BBC News story.

F&WHR 24/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Sunday was for an overcast day with showers and temperatures of 4 to 13C with a gusts from Storm Bert of up to 50mph in the morning. Sunset is at 16:10 and the storm fades on Monday although the possibility of disruption still exits. Weather warnings for wind and rain were issued by the Met Office for rain from 06:00 Saturday to 06:00 Sunday and for wind from 05:00 to 19:00 today. There was no sign of works trains on the F&WHR for the fourth day running.

The Brecon Mountain Railway was hit by a landslip caused by water running along the side of the track then spilling down the mountainside shelf. This has brought a temporary closure to the line just before the important Santa Season.

F&WHR 23/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Saturday was for an overcast day with heavy showers and temperatures of 9 to 16C with a gusts of up to 60mph in the morning. Sunset is at 16:11. There was a dusting of snow at Tan-y-bwlch in the morning and  the weekend ahead shows the current cold snap fading with more snow showers turning to rain, strong winds and the possibility of disruption. Weather warnings for wind and rain were issued by the Met Office for rain from 06:00 Saturday to 06:00 Sunday and for wind from 05:00 to 19:00 today.

There was no sign of any activity on the F&WHR today. Platform steps had been blown onto the line at Porthmadog. Deciduous trees seemed to have been stripped of their last Autumn leaves.

Santa Specials filling fast!

Click on the advert to enlarge. Advert copyright F&WHR.

There are just two weeks to go till the first Santa Train of the season and seats are selling fast!
 GOLD seats in FIRST CLASS are already completely SOLD OUT for all 12 Santa Trains this year.
 The four Santa Trains on 21st and 22nd December are all FULLY BOOKED
 STANDARD CLASS seats are currently still available on all Santa Trains over the first two weekends in December, but some will soon fill.
 The trains with most spaces available are:
 7th December - 13:40
 8th December - 10:00
 15th December - 10:00
✅ So, if you are looking to bring your family for a ride on a Santa Train, do not delay in booking your tickets - Santa and his Elves will be here, staff hope you will be too!
ℹ More information and link to online ticket sales: festrail.co.uk/christmas

Chocolate Delight at Spooners!

Click on the advert to enlarge. Advert copyright F&WHR.

It may be grey and miserable outside, but Spooners has the perfect antidote for you. Come along and treat yourself to a mouth-smacking, belly-warming, milky hot chocolate delight - topped with cream, chocolate sauce and sprinkles - accompanied by a delicious iced doughnut. Only £4.50 for a truly tasty winter treat!

F&WHR 22/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Friday was for showers and sunny periods and snow showers on the mountains with temperatures of 1 to 9C with a biting wind. Sunset is at 16:12. There was a dusting of snow at Tan-y-bwlch in the morning and  the weekend ahead shows the current cold snap fading with more snow showers turning to rain, strong winds and the possibility of disruption. A weather warning for snow and ice was issued by the Met Office for ice from midday Thursday to 10:00 Friday. The Rhinogs still displayed the dusting of snow they showed on Tuesday but it was slowly fading. Further snowfall was forecast for higher ground over 100m and snow flurries were noted at Tan-y-bwlch where workers continued on the stationmaster's house. No works trains were observed.

The forecast for Saturday featured yellow warnings for heavy rain and wind as storm Bert hit Porthmadog. Gusts of up to a damaging 58mph were predicted.

John Prescott RIP

John Prescott passed away on 20/11/24 aged 85. He was born in Prestatyn but spent most of his life in the Humberside area where he worked as a steward on a cruise ship for a couple or years. He became an ardent trade unionist and Labour MP for Hull in 1970, rising to become Deputy PM in Blair's 1997 New Labour administration and healing rifts between right and left within the party.

At a time when opposition was growing to the extension of the WHR through the Aberglaslyn Pass and the Millennium Grant was in question John Prescott took a pivotal role in securing the future of the WHR by approving the WHR Order 1999 on 28/6/99 against the advice of the Inspector's Report and after 17 months of delay at the DoETR. It was his final action as Secretary before responsibility for T&W Orders passed to the Welsh Assembly who had said they would call in the scheme in view of the opposition of farmers, the SNPA and National Trust. See Ben Fisher's 1999 News Archive.

F&WHR wins Go award

On 21/11/24he F&WHR won the Go Attraction of the Year North Wales Tourism Award on 21/11/24 sponsored by SF Parks which runs 5 holiday camps in North Wales.

F&WHR 21/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Thursday was for sunny periods and snow showers later with temperatures of 0 to 7C with a biting northerly wind. Sunset is at 16:13 and the week ahead shows the current cold snap continuing with more snow showers, freezing night time temperatures and the possibility of disruption. A weather warning for snow and ice was issued by the Met Office for ice from midday Thursday to 10:00 Friday. The Rhinogs still displayed the dusting of snow they showed on Tuesday but it was slowly fading. Further snowfall was forecast for higher ground over 100m.

There were snow flurries at midday at Porthmadog and staff were at work at Tan-y-bwlch today. Storm Bert was forecast for the weekend bringing heavy rain and gales but with snow on the leading edge then a warming. No works trains were noted today.

Santa Specials booking well

Santa Specials begin in two weeks and must be booked in advantage, as must the Santa's Grotto at Porthmadog. There will be local music groups and singers providing entertainment at Caernarfon Station, with time to browse the shop or enjoy a tasty treat from Caffi de Winton. The Gold tickets are fully booked and the Standard tickets for the final day 22/12/24 are also fully booked.

F&WHR 20/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Wednesday was for a brighter showery day after initial hail with temperatures of -1 to 5C with a biting northerly wind. Sunset is at 16:14 and the week ahead shows the current cold snap continuing with more snow showers, freezing night time temperatures and the possibility of disruption. A weather warning was issued by the Met Office for snow and ice until 10am Wednesday. The Rhinogs still displayed the dusting of snow they showed on Tuesday. Tan-y-bwlch was deserted but had a dusting of snow and ice.

This easterly view (20/11/24) shows Harlech Castle with a fully laden ballast wagon departing for the WHR work site at 09:16 with the Rhinogs still dusted with snow above 200m contour experiencing further snow showers. Click on the image to enlarge and click again to expand fully where available. Image copyright F&WHR taken on a webcam.

The train returned to Porthmadog at about 15:00 with an empty ballast wagon and headed for Minffordd Yard, reversing into the Mineral Line at 15:14.

This westerly view (20/11/24) shows Harlech Castle with empty ballast wagon arriving wrong line at Minffordd at 15:12 before reversing into the yard. Click on the image to enlarge and click again to expand fully where available. Image copyright F&WHR taken on a webcam.

F&WHR 19/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Tuesday was for a brighter day after snow showers with temperatures of -2 to 7C .Sunset is at 16:15 and the week ahead shows the current cold snap continuing with more snow showers, freezing night time temperatures and the possibility of disruption. A weather warning has been issued by the Met Office and certain main roads were closed today by snow or, more surprisingly, fallen trees. Over 100 schools were closed and there were power cuts in several areas for a few hours. The Conwy Valley line was bustituted on Monday and Tuesday. Snow was noted falling at Tan-y-bwlch early on Tuesday morning.  F&WHR appears largely shut down this week except for works trains with no staff present at Tan-y-bwlch. All three webcams were working today and showed the Rhinogs dusted with snow.

This easterly view (19/11/24) shows a first taste of Winter at Porthmadog with the Rhinogs dusted with snow above 200m contour at midday. Further unsettled weather with snow and cold temperatures has been forecast for the rest of the week. Click on the image to enlarge and click again to expand fully where available. Image copyright F&WHR taken on a webcam

Thank you from the F&WHR 19/11/24

A short 25 second video thanking the NLHF for their support on the 30th birthday of the organisation.

Dinas progress 18/11/24

This southerly view (18/11/24) shows the new turnout ar Dinas under the road bridge that will give access to the new Carriage Shed in the North Yard. The loop point has been repositioned slightly to the north. The boarded crossing will also need rebuilding. Click on the image to enlarge and click again to expand fully where available. Image copyright Keith Holland taken on a iPhone camera.

This southerly view (18/11/24) shows the area between the road bridge and the access gate being reduced to the new level and slate fines added to form a new sub base for the track that leads to the new Carriage Shed. The gradient on this short section will be 1 in 50. The F&WHR has hired plant from local company W.H.Jones of Penisarwaun. This is the location where the 91cm gauge De Winton coffee pot loco Llanfair was displayed until October. Click on the image to enlarge and click again to expand fully where available. Image copyright Keith Holland taken on a iPhone camera.

Painting workshop

'HAVE A GO' SKILLS WORKSHOPS - PAINTING...
Come and try a new skill..! These free workshops will give you a chance to learn and practice skills in the F&WHR's historic workshops.
Our expert staff will start with some theory and explanations about what lies ahead but these events are very much about being hands on, giving you the opportunity to practice your new skills in a safe and constructive environment.
Workshops are provided free of charge. Thanks to the Interpretation & Boston Lodge Project, made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Ffestiniog Railway Society and FfWHR Trust.
➡ PAINTING - The ultimate transferrable skill - come along and learn how to 'properly' paint ahead of your next decorating session at home!
All the F&WHR locomotives and carriages are hand-painted. While staff may start you off on some practice pieces you will learn from the highly-skilled painters who provide the mirror-like finishes on the railway's award-winning locos and carriages.
Workshop includes:
▪ Preparation
▪ Surface finishes
▪ Brush techniques
Dates:
▫ November 23rd/24th
▫ December 7th/8th
▫ January 4th/5th
Location:
▫ Boston Lodge Works
The staff love to share their skills - and, you never know, staff might even interest you in volunteering with them in the future. You would certainly be very welcome...
Interested in 'Having a Go'?
Head to https://www.festrail.co.uk/have-a-go-skills-workshops/ - then click the 'Enquire' button to email the F&WHR with your details and preferred workshop. Staff look forward to hearing from you!

F&WHR 18/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Monday was for a showery day with temperatures of -1 to 11C .Sunset is at 16:17 and the week ahead shows a cold snap with freezing night time temperatures and the possibility of snow on the mountains from Tuesday. The F&WHR appears largely shut down this week except for works trains with no staff present at Tan-y-bwlch. All three webcams were working today.

In the afternoon several S&T technicians came out to maintain the Harbour Station signals until sunset. The first parts of the National Grid Tunnel Boring Machine for the Dwyryd Estuary high voltage line visual improvement programme arrived on 18/11/21, no doubt to beat the disruption expected from the snow! See Glen Williams Facebook page images. For full details on this story see below.

NLHF Boston Lodge works complete 18/11/24

Click on the YouTube link to watch 0 minutes 35 seconds of video announcing the completion of the NLHF Boston Lodge rebuild project.  This video is copyright F&WHR and was published on 18/11/24. It is best viewed at 1080p with Chrome and was videod on a 4K camcorder by John Wooden (F&WHR).

Autumn Operational problems

Reported delays in WHR services in recent weeks seem to be down to poor steaming/fuel. Recently No.130 had to stop three times en route for a blow up!

KS4415 progress 15/11/24

This week volunteers reached a bit of a milestone for the engine rebuild - they are ready to start building it up. The engine was assembled earlier in the year so they could remind themselves how it all goes together, but that was only a test fit. So this week volunteers dismantled everything and started to get ready for putting it together properly. The plan is to build all the components onto the engine over this winter (including newly made components like the fuel pump and water pump-Ed). Then the team will be able to concentrate their efforts on the missing bits until it is finished.
One job they did before dismantling was take some measurements for push rod lengths. One of the volunteers is overhauling a set of push rods as a homework project, but as most of the originals had rusted right through they needed to confirm the overall length of them. To achieve this the team will put the cam and cambox and one set of valve rockers in place and then measured between them.
Once volunteers had measured the push rod length they dismantled the block and sump and started getting ready for fitting the cylinder liners. A dry run showed that the tool they have made for aligning the liners seems to work and the sealing O rings will be a good fit. So the team should be able to fit the liners on their next working party. During the working party the volunteers had to endure the power being off in Boston Lodge and the stove was lit for heat explaining the unusual sight of smoke emerging from the chimney last week. For images see KS4415 Facebook page.

National Grid Dwyryd Estuary Tunnel 18/11/24

In order to reduce the visual impact of the existing 3km of National Grid lines suspended across the Dwyryd estuary close to the new Pont Briwet a tunnel is to be bored. The tunnel boring machine is coming from Germany and will be transported by lorry along the A55/A487/A497 to the assembly compound close to Y Garth Quarry, Penrhyndeudraeth. The tunnel will emerge near Llandecwyn before the cable route rejoins the existing National Grid line to the site of the closed Trawsfynydd Nuclear Power Station. The main difficulty is bringing the giant load the narrow section of the A487 at Penmorfa on the approach to Porthmadog, a location sorely calling out for a bypass!! At the end of the Porthmadog bypass the Convoi Exceptionnel will turn right at the roundabout then past Minffordd station. Temporary alternations to signage at the roundabout will be required. The lorry will then reverse down the lane from Britannia Terrace to the Garth substation. Work will start following delivery in early 2025 and be complete in mid 2026. For more details see National Grid press release.

F&WHR 17/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Sunday was for a largely showery day with a few sunny periods later and temperatures of 2-12C .Sunset is at 16:18 and the week ahead shows a cold snap with freezing night time temperatures and the possibility of snow from Tuesday. The F&WHR appears largely shut down this week except for works trains. All three webcams were working today.

10,000 subscribers to F&WHR YouTube channel 17/11/24

The F&WHR YouTube channel is celebrating reaching 10,000 subscribers with a special short video featuring excerpts from recent content. There are over 15 years of content in John Wooden's F&WHR Official YouTube Channel. Recently the descriptors have been expanded to include helpful chapter times and a Welsh translation of same.

Click on the YouTube link to watch 4 minutes 13 seconds of video showing excerpts from recent YouTubes published on this channel.  This video is copyright F&WHR and was published on 17/11/24. It is best viewed at 1080p with Chrome and was videod on a 4K camcorder by John Wooden (F&WHR).

F&WHR 16/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Saturday was for a largely showery day with a few sunny periods later and temperatures of 2-13C .Sunset is at 16:19. The F&WHR appears largely shut down this week except for works trains. The two failed webcam were restored to use by Saturday morning. There was some attention given to the Harbour Station signalling.

Santa's grotto set 12/11/24

Click on the YouTube link to watch 26 seconds of video which features Criccieth Castle propelling the Santa's Grotto rake into the FR platform on 12/11/24.  This video is copyright F&WHR and was published on 17/11/24. It is best viewed at 1080p with Chrome and was videod on an iPhone (copyright F&WHR).

Dinas works progress

One of the earliest Advance Works was the examination of all the drainage inspection chambers by the North Wales Track Gang. this was followed up by a CCTV survey GEWS (Penrhyndeudraeth) who discovered sewer blockages by tree roots, collapsed drains etc. These will be cleared this winter. Unwanted material/scrap from the infrastructure area has been cleared away including the rail unloading gantry crane which has been sold for reuse. Construction company records have also been archived. The old Phase 4 Construction Office has been demolished including the main electrical distribution board so a new board has been set up and rewired by volunteers. The old office space will be used to reposition some of the containers.

Changes were necessary around the entrance gate to allow for the new southern exit to the new Carriage Shed. The steel fence has been removed and the de Winton coffeepot quarry loco has been moved to the opposite side of the access road. On 7/10/24 the Up loop in the station was taken OOU and the trailable point units disconnected/ These have been in use since 1997, over 25 years and are in need of refurbishment. It is likely the loop wont be restored until Marsh when the new season begins. The points are clamped and set for the DOWN line only which is the easterly line through the platforms. Five new points have been ordered from K G Price of Caerphilly who provided the previous turnouts. Two were due late October and the remaining three mid November.  The replaced points may be reused in the North Yard layout however a section of defective sewer must be replaced first. The loop point will be re-sited further south and a catch-point in the yard will lead to a headshunt. As MicroETS is being extended to Dinas, some 330m of new cable ducting will be required and several signal poles. See plan for details. There will be a 1 in 50 gradient from the platform area up to the area between the station building and the Goods Shed as the rail head will be level with the yard surface to continue to allow vehicular access to the station building and Goods Shed.

Click on the image to enlarge. Image copyright F&WHR.

F&WHR 15/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Friday was for a largely overcast day with a few sunny periods and temperatures of 8-14C .Sunset is at 16:21. The F&WHR appears largely shut down this week except for works trains. Only the Porthmadog webcam was active from the morning.

Signalling staff were present on the Porthmadog platform from 09:00 checking the signalling system. Several signalling technicians were noted checking and completing annual maintenance of the Harbour Station system for the rest of the day.

F&WHR 14/11/24

The Met Office forecast for Porthmadog for Thursday was for a day of sunny periods with temperatures of 5-16C and sunset at 16:22. The F&WHR appears largely shut down this week except for works trains. Only the Porthmadog webcam was active from the morning.

The new walkway platform for Porthmadog water tank was craned onto the support columns and the tank added today. The galvanised steel will be painted in due course.

This westerly view (14/11/24) shows the water tank erected by Brunswick Ironworks team. Note the new safety fencing around the access walkway. Click on the image to enlarge and click again to expand fully where available. Image copyright F&WHR taken on a digital camera.

What? No 2025 SuperPower??

Surely there must be some kind of error? The events list for 2025, just published, shows THREE major events on the FR increasing to 8 days of gala, Friends of Ffestiniog (2 days), FR Society 70th Anniversary (3 days) and the usual Bygones October Gala (3 days) but NO SuperPower Gala on the WHR! While there is a Spring Rail-Ale beer festival gala, which this year will be based at Waunfawr due to work underway at Dinas, there is no sign of a WHR event in September. At the very least there should surely be a launch event for NG15 No.134!

WHR supporters are likely to be upset by this development. While understanding that work at Dinas may have precluded the use of that location, surely there are other possibilities, including basing a WHR Gala out of Porthmadog and moving the WHR locos and rolling stock to Boston Lodge for a few days? Tracks have already been plain-lined through Dinas station so operation to Caernarfon would still be possible.

Advert copyright F&WHR.

The F&WHR may still add a SuperPower event as they note: 'We still have decisions to make on a number of other activities (and a lot of planning to complete). Other events may be added to our calendar - sometimes at short notice. Further details will be published as plans are finalised, on Facebook and our website 'Events' page - festrail.co.uk/events'

December Railtours

10/12/24 Edinburgh Christmas Pullman    Holyhead and station to Preston-Edinburgh    Loco Services Blue Pullman

14/12/24 Christmas Cracker    Wolverhampton Stafford Crewe-Blaenau Ffestiniog    40012/45116 InterCity

The Statesman rake, frequently used for North Wales railtours, is stopped for most of 2025 for maintenance.

North Wales mainline 7-11/11/24

No.66652 in DB livery was on the Dee Marsh-Margam steel train on 7/11/24

No.66777 Annette was noted on a light engine move from Pen-y-ffordd Cement Works to Bardon Hill (via Dee Marsh reverse) presumably after dropping cement empties at Padeswood Sidings.

No.70802 hauled the 13:56 Penmaenmawr-Longport stone train on 11/11/24.

Britannic Explorer Cambrian Coast Specials from 21/7/25

Belmont has launched a series of 7 new extended railtours for 2025 which will feature the Cambrian Coast Line as part of their itinerary with a luxury dining/sleeper set over 3 days from 21/7/25. The train runs from Paddington to Haverford West, then via the Central Wales line to Shrewsbury. The next leg features the Cambrian Coast Line to Porthmadog  where the train stables overnight. Return to Paddington is via a final night at Moreton-in-the-Marsh. Tuesdays will see the train run from Haverfordwest to Porthmadog (this would be so much easier if the TRAWS route was reopened from Carmarthen to Aberystwyth!) and Wednesdays, Porthmadog to Moreton-in-the-Marsh. The inclusive price is £5,800 but suites are available up to £14,000. See Belmond website for full details and booking.