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| ADVENTURES IN WALES 
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What
makes a great railway journey? A modern train with comfortable spaces, big, clean windows,
a personable, attentive crew, sleepers, a lounge, a dining car with picture windows, cut
flowers, and a chef? How about a cramped old wooden car on a slow, bumpy one-hour journey
to a remote 19th century industrial town known for cutting roof slates?
Unlikely? Yes, but in Wales, the unlikely is often the norm, and the surprise can make for
great experiences. |
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SNOW AT MINFFORDD STATION |
The
scenery doesn’t quite rate "spectacular", but it is ever changing along its
steep route from Porthmadog harbor up the flanks of the Snowdonia mountains to Blaenau
Ffestiniog.
Despite frequencies of up to 10 trains a day in each direction on summer weekdays, trains
are often filled to capacity. Expect some passengers to be overeager
"enthusiasts"—steam buffs, narrow gauge junkies, brass kissers, and
others—who appear like get-a-lifers on their way to a Star Trek convention. |
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No. What makes a great rail journey is simply this: departing with
anticipation from one interesting place; arriving exhilarated and
refreshed in another. The Ffestiniog Railway qualifies. Here’s why:
It’s fun.
The full round-trip is as much an antique Rube Goldberg amusement park
ride as anything. It lasts just long enough to fill your nose with coal
steam and valve grease, and your ears with locomotive sounds ranging
from impatient sighs in the station to urgent tries on the steep uphill
gradients. Although the line averages a manageable 1% incline over its
13-mile profile from the sea at Porthmadog to 710 feet high at Blaenau
Ffestiniog, there are some steep sections where the tiny engines are
tested. There’s time for a picnic or a restaurant/café stop, if you
wish, at Blaenau Ffestiniog, an hour above Porthmadog. Walkers have the
option of traveling only to the half-way mark
(Tan y Bwlch station), where nature trails lead to
Llyn Mair lake and |
LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD |
| other destinations. |
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— WELSH STEAM — |
It’s historic. The line traces its roots (and
route) to a horse-and-gravity railway chartered in 1832 to haul slate
from Blaenau Ffestiniog down to the new harbor at Porthmadog. A two-foot
(almost) gauge was built—less than half the width of standard
railways—so the line could handle the curves and hills the challenging
topography provided. In 1863 the railway changed over to steam
locomotion, and a year later the railway added passenger service. |
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While slate continued to be hauled down of Blaenau Ffestiniog, a new
commodity—tourists— began to be hauled up. By the 1920’s tourism was as
important as slate to the railway. But the coming of the automobile and
the decline of the roof slate market closed the line suddenly in 1946.
The decaying line was pillaged for the remainder of the decade. Starting
in 1951, however, it was rescued by a group of amateurs, whose
creativity, volunteer labor, and non-profit passion has restored the old
line and even built a new section around an area where the old line had
been flooded by a water power station. They have done an outstanding
job. The equipment—some of it almost 140 years old—is exquisitely cared
for. BritRail—which connects to the "amateur" Ffestiniog Railway at
Minffordd (near Porthmadog) and at Blaenau Ffestiniog—should take notes
on how to run a railroad. |
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| It’s
quirky. The trains feel like toys. The passengers are
like children. The landscape itself seems somehow compacted— trains
scrape through the forest and step over dozens of tiny rills along the
way. Although the train averages less than 13 miles an hour, the scenery
changes often and suddenly. And then there are the special theme
excursions, dozens of them, cleverly drawing back the faithful frequent
Ffestiniogers for Fish & Chips trains, Jazz trains, Bangers & Mash
trains, Halloween trains, Easter Bunny trains, Santa trains,
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"THOMAS
THE TANK ENGINE" DAY |
Double-header trains,
Vintage trains, Classic Car Rally trains, Railway Anniversary trains,
St. David’s Weekend trains, and Kids’ Week trains.
Our favorite new idea is
for "Interactive" trains, billed this way: "Another world first from the
Ffestiniog Railway. At most railway events you get to watch from the
sidelines but not with Ffestiniog Interactive. In the first ever event
of its kind guests can select from a menu of activities: ride the foot
plate, help the guard, be the signalman, run control, be part of the
prep crew, walk the track with the track inspector. You name it you can
do it or you can simply watch as the extravaganza unfolds before your
very eyes." Sounds to us like Tom Sawyer’s interactive fence painting
scheme. |
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NEARING BLAENAU FFESTINIOG |
It’s a
great day out in northwest Wales. Getting there—and
getting home again—can be much of the fun. Coming from
Home At First lodgings in the Snowdonia region,
drive (or take the BritRail train) from Betws-y-Coed up to Blaenau
Ffestiniog for the round-trip downhill to Porthmadog and back. Once back
in Blaenau Ffestiniog, if you brought your car you can explore some of
the highest roads in Britain in this part of Snowdonia National Park
with extensive over the wildest territory south of the Scottish
Highlands. |
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Coming from
Home At First lodgings in Mid-Wales,
guests can drive as far as Machynlleth or Minffordd and park. Catch the
BritRail train at Machynlleth for the pleasant run to its interchange
with the Ffestiniog Railway at Minffordd. Along the way pass the
outstanding Harlech Castle and neighboring
Royal St. David’s Golf Course
links along the beach. There are more great castles and great walks and
great train rides in this region than anywhere else in Wales (and than
most places in Britain!). But these are tales for other adventure
columns.
More Information: For fares, schedule, events calendar,
detailed history, and other comprehensive information about the
Ffestiniog Railway, the "Oldest Independent Railway Company in the
World", visit the
Ffestiniog Railway web site.
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— HOME AT FIRST — |
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Learn more about travel
with HOME AT FIRST
to:
NORTHWESTERN WALES |
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