Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog)

Heritage Railway
name = Welsh Highland Railway (Rheilffordd Ucheldir Cymru)


caption = Lyd2 No. 60 awaits work in Gelerts Farm Works yard
locale = Wales
terminus = Porthmadog and Traeth Mawr Loop|
linename = Welsh Highland Railway Ltd
builtby = Welsh Highland Railway Ltd
originalgauge = RailGauge|600mm
preservedgauge = RailGauge|600mm
era =
owned =
operator = Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog)
stations = 3
length = 1 mile
originalopen = 1980
stageyears = 1961
stage = Welsh Highland Railway Society formed
years = 1964
events = WHR Society reformed as Welsh Highland Light Railway (1964) Limited
years1 = 1980
events1 = WHR (Porthmadog) opened for passenger service
years2 = 1987
events2 = Original locomotive Russell restored
years3 = 2005
events3 = WHR (Porthmadog) celebrates 25 years of passenger train service
years4 = 2007
events4 = WHR (Porthmadog) extended to Traeth Mawr

The Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog) is the operating name for the railway and registered charity that operates a tourist line towards the north eastern corner of Porthmadog.

History

The origins of the WHR(P) lie in a small group of railway enthusiasts forming the Welsh Highland Railway Society in 1961 to preserve and rebuild the original WHR which operated from 1922 to 1936. Construction of the line started in the 1970s following the acquisition of land from British Railways running alongside the Cambrian Coast at a location known as Beddgelert Sidings. A substantial works and engineering facility has been constructed on the site of the former farm that was situated in the triangle of land between the Beddgelert Siding and the Cambrian Coast Railway. The works have been expanded with newly constructed shed accommodation in addition to the utilisation of some of the original farm buildings, which include one of the oldest buildings in Porthmadog.

The original Welsh Highland Railway is currently (as of 2008) being reconstructed the Festiniog Railway Company and the Welsh Highland Railway Limited. Both companies will have running rights over the WHR main line from stnlnk|Caernarfon to stnlnk|Porthmadog Harbour and the WHR(P) branch from stnlnk|Pen-y-Mount to the existing WHR(P) station in Porthmadog.

Operations

The railway currently operates a frequent service from March to November from the main station opposite the Network Rail station in Porthmadog, to a location just short of the former Traeth Mawr Loop

Stations

*Porthmadog (WHR) railway station
*Gelerts Farm Works Halt
*Pen-y-Mount railway station
*Traeth Mawr Loop (no passenger access)

Rolling Stock

"See main article : List of Welsh Highland Railway Ltd rolling stock"

References

*
*
*
*
*
*
*

ee also

*Welsh Highland Railway
*List of Welsh Highland Railway Ltd rolling stock
*British narrow gauge railways
*Worsley Works produces kits of many WHR coaches

External links

* [http://www.whr.co.uk Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog) - official site]
* [http://www.welshhighlandrailway.net/ Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) - official site]
* [http://whr.bangor.ac.uk Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) - official construction site]
* [http://www.isengard.co.uk/ Rebuilding the Welsh Highland Railway - unofficial site - updated almost daily!]
* [http://www.pontcroesor.co.uk The Pont Croesor Extension]
* [http://www.frheritage.org.uk./cgi-bin/wiki.pl?Home_Page Ffestiniog Railway's Heritage Group Wiki - contains further WHR information]
* [http://www.welshhighlandrailway.net/history1.htm Welsh Highland Railway History]
* [http://maps.live.com/?v=2&cid=230D1A79E4437B66!1161 Live.com map of route]

Videos

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAqUVjrWjJ8 Train going through Cynfal Crossing]
* Opening of Traeth Mawr [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tyLkzmNG6c Part 1] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9eUv6xT5W8 Part 2] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeaZoiB9LJ4 Part 3] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJbiGVjZqOI Part 4] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcH1aTdrblg Part 5]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pk0yqISS5A Pen-y-Mount]