Ffestiniog Railway Virtual Ride

This page is a "virtual ride" on the Ffestiniog Railway, from Porthmadog up to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Porthmadog Harbour Station, The Cob and Boston Lodge

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  Porthmadog Harbour railway station is located on the east side of Porthmadog, on the Lleyn Peninsula in Wales.
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  The station was opened in 1865, although the Ffestiniog Railway (FR) itself was built almost thirty years previously.
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  On display at the station is Princess, the railway's first locomotive.
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  The station is built at the end of The Cob, an embankment built across the Traeth Mawr.
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  The Cob was originally built to reclaim the land of Traeth Mawr, and the FR has used it since 1836.
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  The Harbour Station is the control centre for the FR, although the locomotives and rolling stock are stored at Boston Lodge.
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  The locomotives refuel and take on water at the station. The steam engines used to use oil, but have now been mostly converted to coal.
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  The FR is home to the famous Double Fairlie locomotives, designed specially for the twisting track.
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  Each train is made up of restored and replica carriages, ending with an observation car.
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  Most services are hauled by steam trains, with the Fairlies hauling the longer trains. Diesel services are run off-peak.
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  Departing the Harbour Station, hauled by Double Fairlie David Lloyd George.
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  David Lloyd George traverses the Cob with Porthmadog in the background.
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  The seaward side of the Cob at high tide.
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  And at low tide.
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  View inland from the Cob, across the marshes.
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  The Cob was widened when the FR came into being, and the A487 still runs along it.
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  The FR's main depot, Boston Lodge, is at the far end of the cob from Porthmadog.
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  Other locomotives can often be seen being prepared for their own trains at Boston Lodge.
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  The train rounds the corner at the end of the Cob, to begin the ascent to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Boston Lodge to Tan-y-Bwlch

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  The railway goes under the A487 shortly after Boston Lodge.
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  At Minffordd, the railway crosses the Cambrian Coast line.
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  Minffordd is also the home of the Maenofferen slate yards where slate was transferred from the FR to the main line.
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  Minffordd station.
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  Arriving at Minffordd.
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  Minffordd station is the first point on the line where two trains can pass.
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  Beyond Minffordd, the railway goes along a long stone embankment.
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  On the embankment, heading to Penrhyndeudraeth.
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  Penrhyn railway station is a single-track halt in the village of Penrhyndeudraeth.
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  The railway crosses the A4085 at a level crossing shortly after Penrhyn station (down-train pictured).
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  After Penrhyn comes Rhiw Goch, an old passing loop now mostly unused.
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  Shortly after Rhiw Goch, the train goes over Cei Mawr, a 60ft high stone embankment.
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  Cei Mawr can be seen better in this old postcard.
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  The FR passes through heavily wooded terrain and crosses several footpaths.
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  Occasionally, views of the Vale of Ffestiniog are visible between the trees.
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  As the railway approaches Maentwrog, it turns back on itself, passing Plas Halt, following the curve of the hills.
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  Reflections in the windows of the carriages.
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  Between Plas Halt and Tan-y-Bwlch, the railway crosses numerous tracks and paths, including the B4410.
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  Entering Tan-y-Bwlch from the east, the train takes the right hand track, and pulls up by the water tower.
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  Tan-y-Bwlch is the main stop between Blaenau and Porthmadog, and has a café and shop, as well as being a starting place for many walks in the nearby hills.
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  By Tan-y-Bwlch, trains headed to Blaenau need to refill with water. Trains to Porthmadog can handle the trip on a single tank.
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  Tan-y-Bwlch is the first station since Minffordd where trains can pass.

Tan-y-Bwlch to Dduallt

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  After leaving Tan-y-Bwlch, the train again heads east, and goes through a short tunnel.
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  The end of the tunnel.
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  As the train approaches Campbell's Platform, it crosses another embankment.
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  Campbell's Platform was named after Colonel Campbell, friend of the FR, who lived nearby at Plas y Dduallt.
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  Campbell's Platform was the Colonel's private station.
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  After Campbell's Platform, views of the Vale of Ffestiniog are again briefly visible.
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  The run-in to Dduallt.
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  Dduallt had a rarely-used engineers passing loop.
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  The house next to the station was once inhabited by Welsh poet Gwilym Deudraeth.
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  Dduallt has the only railway spiral in the UK, due to the creation of Llyn Ystradau.
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  When Llyn Ystradau was created for the Ffestiniog power station, the old FR track was flooded.
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  To get past the lake, the line has to climb higher, and the only way to do this was with a spiral.

The Llyn Ystradau Deviation and Tanygrisiau

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  Beyond Dduallt, the old trackbed is still visible.
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  In many cases, the walls created by the cutting of the original track are still intact.
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  The embankment for the old track, leading to the Moelwyn Tunnel.
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  The entrance to the old Moelwyn Tunnel.
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  After exiting the new Moelwyn Tunnel, the train comes out above Llyn Ystradau.
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  Llyn Ystradau - the old trackbed can be seen at the bottom of the picture.
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  Here the construction of the deviation can be seen in 1976.
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  View towards the dam.
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  The run-in to Tanygrisiau has many level crossings over minor roads.
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  Just beyond the level crossing.
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  View back towards the level crossing.
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  Just before Tanygrisiau is the Cwmorthin waterfall.
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  Tanygrisiau station is used as a passing point, but is rarely visited by tourists.
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  Arriving at Tanygrisiau.
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  View from the station back towards the Ffestiniog power station.
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  Footbridge over the line just beyond Tanygrisiau.

Tanygrisiau to Blaenau Ffestiniog

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  Beyond Tanygrisiau, the railway returns to its original course above Tanygrisiau and Blaenau Ffestiniog.
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  View down towards the track from one of the slate inclines.
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  Bridge over Cwmorthin Road in Tanygrisiau.
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  Blanche above Tanygrisiau.
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  The approach to Blaenau Ffestiniog.
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  Blanche arrives at Blaenau Ffestiniog.
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  The station has a small shop for passengers to purchase refreshments while the locomotive takes on water.
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  The current station at Blaenau was built in the 1980s, but the Ffestiniog side was built in a style similar to Porthmadog Harbour station.
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  Looking down at the FR station from the footbridge.
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  The FR shares the station with the mainline railway.
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  Looking down the station.
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  The locomotive runs round the train to take on water.
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  Coupled to the other end of the train, and ready to return to Porthmadog.