Betws-y-Coed railway station

Infobox UK station
name = Betws-y-Coed
code = BYC


caption = Station entrance
manager = Arriva Trains Wales
locale = Betws-y-Coed
borough = Conwy
lowusage0405 = 26,206
lowusage0506 = 26,047
lowusage0607 = 26,032
platforms = 1
years =
events =

Betws-y-Coed railway station is a passenger station on the Conwy Valley Line from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

The passenger train service is operated by Arriva Trains Wales and is marketed as the Conwy Valley Railway ( _cy. Rheilffordd Dyffryn Conwy).

The railway station is also an important bus interchange station. It is used by the Snowdonia National Park Sherpa bus services to Capel Curig, Pen-y-Gwryd, Pen-y-Pass, Beddgelert, Porthmadog, Tryfan and Bethesda. Other connecting bus services operate to Penmachno, Corwen, Llangollen, Llanrwst, Trefriw, Dolgarrog, Conwy and Llandudno. The local bus timetables advertise the train services and the "Gwynedd Red Rover" day ticket is valid on Conwy Valley trains as well as the Sherpa and Conwy Valley bus services. There is also a coach park at the station, which is extensively used by tourist coach operators.

Station history

The Conwy Valley line was constructed by the London and North Western Railway with the primary aim of transporting dressed slate from the Blaenau Ffestiniog quarries to a specially built quay at Deganwy for export by sea. The original plans envisaged a railhead at Betws-y-Coed and a large goods yard was established with intended interchange to a proposed narrow gauge line (with a significant saving in construction costs) via the steeply graded Lledyr Valley to Blaenau Ffestiniog. Other entrepreneurs proposed narrow gauge lines from Corwen to Betws-y-Coed, Penmachno to Betws-y-Coed and from Beddgelert to Betws-y-Coed. In the event the line to Blaenau, which was not completed until 1879, was built to standard gauge and the other proposals were abandoned.

Extensive passenger and goods facilities were however provided at Betws-y-Coed, where the station, which was opened in 1868, adjoins the London to Holyhead A5 turnpike road and was thus ideally located to serve many isolated communities in Snowdonia and also the rapidly developing tourist industry. In the LMS timetables the station was listed as "Bettws-y-Coed - Station for Capel Curig".

There was originally a passing loop with full length up and down platforms. The loop was removed some years ago but the footbridge that previously gave access to the now removed down platform has been retained and provides access to the Conwy Valley Railway Museum, which runs a miniature railway and other attractions in the former goods yard.

The comprehensive range of passenger station buildings has been preserved and sympathetically adapted for use as cafes and tourist shops. The station now functions as an unstaffed halt.

Village and surrounding area

Betws-y-Coed is an important tourist village and the station is centrally located beside the large village green. The district has magnificent scenery and there are several spectacular waterfalls, including the much visited Swallow Falls, which are served by frequent Sherpa buses from Betws-y-Coed station. There are several large hotels in the village.

External links

* [http://www.conwyrailwaymuseum.co.uk/ Conwy Valley railway museum]
* [http://www.conwyvalleyrailway.co.uk/ Conwy Valley Railway]

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