Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway

Last updated

Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway
Overview
Termini
Service
Operator(s) London and North Western Railway 1869-1923
London Midland and Scottish Railway 1923-1948
British Railways 1948-1964
History
Opened1 July 1869 (1869-07-01)
Closed20 October 1964 (1964-10-20)
Technical
Line length8 mi (13 km)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Route map

Contents

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Caernarvon
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Caernarfon
(WHR)
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Quay sidings
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Caernarvon (Morfa)
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Carnarvon (Pant)
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Pont Rug Halt
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Pontrhythallt
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Bontnewydd
(WHR)
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Cwm-y-Glo
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Llanberis Tunnel
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Padarn Halt
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Llanberis Gnome-searchtool.svg
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Dinas Junction
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Llanwnda
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Groeslon
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Penygroes
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Nantlle Branch Junction
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Nantlle
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summit
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Pant Glas
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Brynkir
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Ynys
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Llangybi
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Chwilog
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Afon Wen
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Caernarvon and Llanberis Railway Act 1864
Act of Parliament
Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (1837).svg
Citation 27 & 28 Vict. c. clxxxvi

The Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway', built under the Caernarvon and Llanberis Railway Act 1864 (27 & 28 Vict. c. clxxxvi), was an eight-mile branch line from the Carnarvonshire Railway running from Caernarfon to Llanberis, via Pont Rhythallt (for Llanrug), Cwm-y-Glo, and Padarn Halt.

History

The Carnarvon and Llanberis railway bill passed through Parliament in 1864. [1] The estimated cost of construction of the line 8 miles (13 km) long was £110,000 (equivalent to £13,661,426in 2023). [2]

Construction started on 15 September 1864 when the first sod was cut by the Hon. Emily Wynne of Glynllifon, daughter of Spencer Bulkeley Wynn, 3rd Baron Newborough. The event was marked with a procession of 700 children with the Llanrug Brass Band, and the Revd. W. Lloyd William, vicar of St Padarn's Church, Llanberis. [3] The plan was for the railway to be operated by the London and North Western Railway. [4]

The railway opened on 1 July 1869 [5] but was overshadowed by a nitro-glycerine explosion at a quarry near Cwm-y-Glo railway station which resulted in 5 deaths and 12 severe injuries.

The line from Llanberis to Caernarfon was built from Llanberis towards Caernarfon. For a while the railway terminated at Caernarvon (Morfa) railway station. When the "Caernarfon Town Line" [6] was built through a tunnel under the centre to join the various routes. Morfa station was closed on 5 July 1870, though it appears that formal paperwork was not concluded until the following January. [7]

In 1870 the London and North Western Railway took full ownership of the line, and the Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway Company was dissolved. [8]

The railway was initially built as a local link between villages, serving the local population. However tourist traffic increased hugely after the Snowdon Mountain Railway opened in 1897. [9] [ page needed ]

Accidents

On 25 August 1872 the market train from Llanberis was approaching Carnarvon when it was run into by a ballast engine. A second class carriage received the full shock of the ballast engine and was knocked to pieces. The two passengers aboard were uninjured. [10]

Closure and traces of the railway

The station closed for regular passenger services in 1930 but was still used by summer excursion trains [11] until 7 September 1962 and freight services until 3 September 1964. [12] [13]

The last fare-paying passenger service was an enthusiasts' special on 20 October 1964. [14] [15] The line was lifted in 1965. [16]

Some evidence of the railbed still exists. The site of the track in Llanberis now carries the A4086 road where it by-passes the village along the lakeshore, and the former station is occupied by a craft centre. An area known locally as the Sidings on the shores of Llyn Padarn also shows some evidence of its past. The next section of railbed runs alongside the lake and is now the Lon Las Peris ("Peris Green Lane") cycle path., There is also evidence of the former railway on bridges and a tunnel near Cwm-y-glo, near Llwyncoed Farm - mentioned in the song Tylluanod ("Owls") by the local band Hogia'r Wyddfa ("Snowdon Lads") in 1969. The railbed then follows the line of the A4086 through Cwm-y-glo past Y Fricsan Inn, the site of Cwm-y-Glo railway station. It then follows the River Seiont downstream for the rest of its route to Caernarfon.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caernarfon</span> Town in Gwynedd, Wales

Caernarfon is a royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales. It has a population of 9,852. It lies along the A487 road, on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait, opposite the island of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is 8.6 miles (13.8 km) to the north-east, while Snowdonia (Eryri) fringes Caernarfon to the east and south-east.

Carnarvon and Caernarvon are forms of the name Caernarfon which are no longer used for the town in north Wales, but remain in use in other contexts. The first two forms are in English orthography and the third is the Welsh spelling, adopted in English since the 1970s. Most places and things named after Caernarfon use one of the former spellings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinas railway station</span> Heritage railway station in Wales

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Criccieth railway station</span> Railway station in Gwynedd, Wales

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pontrhythallt railway station</span> Former railway station in Gwynedd, Wales

Pontrhythallt was a railway station in the village of Pont Rhythallt, Gwynedd, Wales. This station opened in 1869 and closed for regular passenger services in 1930, but trains continued to pass through until the last goods train of all on 3 September 1964, which delivered a panel of lap fencing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brynkir railway station</span> Closed railway station in Gwynedd, Wales

Brynkir railway station was opened by the Carnarvonshire Railway on the western edge of the village of Bryncir, Gwynedd, Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penygroes railway station</span> Former railway station in Gwynedd, Wales

Penygroes railway station was located in Penygroes, Gwynedd, Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Groeslon railway station</span> Former railway station in Wales

Groeslon railway station served the village of Groeslon, Gwynedd, Wales. It operated first as part of the Nantlle Tramway and afterwards as a railway under the auspices of several different companies. The station and line closed on 7 December 1964 as recommended in the Beeching Report.

Llanberis railway station was located in Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales. It was a short walk from the Llanberis station of the Snowdon Mountain Railway. It opened 1 July 1869, and closed for regular passenger services in 1930. But it was still used by summer excursion trains until 7 September 1962 and freight services until 3 September 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cwm-y-Glo railway station</span> Former railway station in Gwynedd, Wales

Cwm-y-Glo railway station served the village of Cwm-y-glo, Gwynedd, Wales, at the north-west end of Llyn Padarn. The station was closed for regular passenger services in 1930 but trains passed through until September 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Afon Rhythallt</span> River in Gwynedd, Wales

The River Rhythallt is a river in Gwynedd, North Wales whose source is Llyn Padarn. It flows in a northwesterly direction past the village of Brynrefail, Gwynedd and changes its name to Afon Seiont downstream of Pont Rhythallt in Llanrug. The Afon Seiont eventually reaches the sea at Caernarfon. The river has a broad flood plain which occasionally threatens homes in the village of Cwm-y-glo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llanrug</span> Human settlement in Wales

Llanrug is a medium-sized village and community in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It lies about 4 miles (6.4 km) to the east of Caernarfon, 7 miles (11 km) south of Bangor and 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Llanberis. It is the largest populated village in the Arfon area of Gwynedd, Wales. The old name of the village was Llanfihangel-yn-y-grug, derived from Eglwys Sant Mihangel, which is situated about half a mile west of the village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cwm-y-glo</span> Human settlement in Wales

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Padarn Halt was a passenger only railway station located in Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales, on the western shore of Llyn Padarn. It opened on 21 November 1936 and closed on the outbreak of the Second World War. The line through the station remained in use for excursions until 1962 and for freight until 1964; it was lifted in 1965.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nantlle railway station</span> Former railway station in Wales

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnarvon Castle railway station</span> Disused railway station in Wales

Carnarvon Castle railway station was opened in 1856 by the narrow gauge Nantlle Railway near the foot of what is today the Allt Y Castell which slopes down to Caernarfon's harbour area. It was the line's northern terminus and was the closest of Caernarfon's ultimately five stations to the historic town centre.

References

  1. "Carnarvon & Llanberis Railway" . North Wales Chronicle . Wales. 2 April 1864. Retrieved 22 October 2016 via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth . Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  3. "Cutting of the First Sod of the Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway" . North Wales Chronicle . Wales. 17 September 1864. Retrieved 22 October 2016 via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway" . Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian, Glamorgan, Monmouth and Brecon Gazette . Wales. 29 September 1865. Retrieved 22 October 2016 via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "The Terrible Accident near Carnarvon" . Bolton Evening News . England. 2 July 1869. Retrieved 22 October 2016 via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. Town line history, via Disused Stations
  7. Quick 2009, p. 110.
  8. "Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway" . Aberystwyth Times . Wales. 21 May 1870. Retrieved 22 October 2016 via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. Baughan, Peter E. (1988). The North Wales Coast Railway. ISBN   0-9510302-9-9.
  10. "Alarming railway accident near Carnarvon" . South Wales Daily News . Wales. 27 August 1872. Retrieved 22 October 2016 via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. Johnson 1995, p. 71.
  12. Shannon & Hillmer 1999, p. 18.
  13. Kneale 1980, Plate 129.
  14. 20 October 1963 railtour record, via Six Bells Junction
  15. Rear 2012, p. 71.
  16. Rear 1979, pp. 87 & 89.

Sources