- Porthmadog Harbour railway station
Infobox UK station
name = Porthmadog Harbour
code =
caption = Porthmadog Harbour railway station
manager =Ffestiniog Railway
locale =Porthmadog
borough =Gwynedd
owner =Ffestiniog Railway
latitude = 52.9239
longitude = -4.1270
gridref = SH571384
start = 1865
platforms = 1
years =
events =Porthmadog harbour station in
North Wales is the southern passenger terminus of the narrow gaugeFfestiniog Railway , which was built in1836 to carry dressed slate fromBlaenau Ffestiniog toPorthmadog for export by sea.History
The station is built at the western end of the Cob, the great embankment across the
Traeth Mawr , on a peninsula from Ynys Madoc constructed in 1842 to form a slate wharf and a harbour wall. It was opened for passenger service on6 January 1865 and was closed to passengers on15 September 1939 but continued in use as the principal offices of the Ffestiniog Railway Company and the home of the Manager (Mr Robert Evans) including throughout the years of almost total closure from1 August 1946 to24 September 1954 . The station reopened for passengers on23 July 1955 .Buildings
The present stone buildings, replacing earlier wooden buildings dismantled and reused elsewhere on the railway, date from 1878/79 and the Goods Shed was added in 1880. They were linked to the former
goods shed by way of a major extension in 1975. Passenger facilities include a booking and enquiry office, a large tourist and hobby shop, and a large cafeteria with licensed bar. The erection of the platform awning was completed in 1988.The harbour station is the operational headquarters of both the Ffestiniog and the Welsh Highland Railways, and in 2009 it is planned to link the station to the entirely rebuilt
Welsh Highland Railway , as it was before that railway was closed to passenger traffic in 1936. This will allow through trains toBeddgelert ,Rhyd Ddu ,Waunfawr ,Dinas andCaernarfon .Operations
With the resumption of services in 1955, all traffic on the line has been controlled from an office in Harbour Station, known simply as "Control". With the exception of some early morning, and late night movements by works trains, this office is manned constantly when passenger carrying services are in operation. Its remit was expanded in
1997 with the commencement of public services on theWelsh Highland Railway betweenCaernarfon and Dinas, and its subsequent expansion south towards Porthmadog. Additionally, from 2007, when a connecton was made with theWHR(P) , there is a requirement to liase with its operations.Welsh Highland Railway
From 2009, the station will be linked through Porthmadog to the
Welsh Highland Railway , also owned by the Festiniog Railway Company. Welsh Highland Railway trains will have a terminus at the harbour station.References
*
*External links
* [http://www.ffestiniograilway.co.uk/index.asp The Ffestiniog Railway Company's website]
* [http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=52.962693~-3.98009&style=h&lvl=14&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=4268586&cid=230D1A79E4437B66!156 Interactive Route Map on Live.com]
* [http://www.ffestiniograilway.co.uk/timetable.htm Ffestiniog Railway Timetables]
* [http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&db=pc&cidr_client=none&lang=&pc=LL499NF&advanced=&scale=25000public&addr2=&quicksearch=LL499NF&addr3=&addr1 Multimap Map of Porthmadog Harbour station]
* [http://www.frheritage.org.uk/wiki/Harbour_Station FR Heritage Group Wiki: Porthmadog Harbour]
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