Welsh Highland Railway (C) - History - Part 5

Part 5 – The Future

The tunnels at Aberglaslyn (Colin Lea)

In September 2004, the FR announced that funding of £5m had been forthcoming from the Welsh Assembly and the EU. This, together with funds from a hugely successful public appeal, finally meant that the full project would come to fruition.

Phase 4 entails the rebuilding of the railway from Rhyd Ddu through Beddgelert and Aberglaslyn to Porthmadog in one go. This final phase includes street running across Britannia Bridge to link with the FR at Harbour Station, four tunnels, three large river bridges, a crossing of the standard gauge Cambrian coast line on the level and over 12 miles of track.

Work started in summer 2005 with the completion of Rhyd Ddu station (with two new water towers, an extended platform and a small yard) in early 2006. Since then, and following clearance, drainage and ballasting works by contractors, volunteer tracklayers have already laid track into Beddgelert Forest, the Bryn y Felin river bridge has been replaced and plans are well in hand for the other missing bridges and Cambrian crossing.

The necessary rail, sleepers and associated parts have been delivered to Dinas, where a new crane has been installed to load track onto specially converted wagons for delivery to the volunteer tracklaying teams.

On the locomotive front, a further NGG16 Beyer-Garratt No 87 was delivered after a private donation covering the costs of purchase and restoration was forthcoming. Work has already begun at Boston Lodge, including the stripping down of both power bogies. Three new coaches are also under construction at Boston Lodge and work has started on NGG16 (No 140) at Dinas.

The new Bryn-y-Felin bridge, ready to take trains from 2009 (Colin Lea)

The world’s first Garratt Locomotive (K1) was bought by the FR in the 1960s and it's overhaul, involving a new boiler, is nearing completion at Dinas; it is expected to be a major draw when it starts to haul passenger trains.

The new Welsh Highland Railway is being developed on a much sounder financial and engineering basis and promises to make an environmentally-sensitive contribution to the economy of the area. We are now entering the final exciting chapters in the history of the fall and rise again of this most extraordinary railway - against all odds, it just refused to die.

To be continued!