Vale of Rheidol Railway
Park Avenue,
Aberystwyth,
Cardiganshire,
SY23 1PG
Telephone 01970 625819
Fax 01970 623769

Web:http://www.rheidolrailway.co.uk
Email:: info@rheidolrailway.co.uk
Map Link: Here

A blast of the whistle and the hiss of steam and you're away! Sit back, relax and let us take you on a nostalgic journey through some of Wales' most spectacular scenery ...

Travelling on the Vale of Rheidol Railway is the finest way to see the stunning Rheidol Valley. Opened in 1902, the railway has been delighting passengers young and old for over a century.

From the comfort of your carriage watch the scenery passing by. See the countryside change as you travel through wide open fields, woodland and rugged mountain scenery, the line twisting and turning as it clings to the hillside. Listen to the sound of a powerful narrow gauge steam locomotive working hard to climb 700ft (200m) in the 11 ¾ miles from Aberystwyth to Devil's Bridge.

Birds of prey such as Red Kite and Buzzards are regularly seen soaring high above the valley floor and breathtaking views can be enjoyed by all.

The line is a masterpiece of engineering, opened in 1902 to carry lead ore, timber and passenger traffic. The narrow track gauge allows the railway to follow the contours of the terrain with many sharp curves and steep gradients which add to the railway's charm.

Our vintage steam engines and carriages were built for the line by the Great Western Railway in the 1920s and 30s. Now restored, they are still operating the trains today.

The 11¾ mile journey takes approximately one hour in each direction. Trains normally wait for one hour at Devil's Bridge before returning to Aberystwyth.
If you need more time to explore, you may return by a later train. If in doubt ask the Guard.

The original carriages used on the railway were not designed to carry wheelchairs and therefore access at present is only possible if wheelchair users can climb two steps from the platform into the carriage. An access statement is available on request.

Your GLTW Discount Card also entitles you to discounts at the following accommodation providers.Please Note: You must disclose that you are a GLTW card holder at the time of booking and show your card on arrival.

Brynarth Country Guesthouse Lledrod, Aberystwyth 01974 261367 www.brynarth.co.uk 10% off two nights or more B&B
Carno House B&B Aberaeron, Ceredigion 01545 571 862 www.carnohouse.com 10% off three nights or more B&B

Whilst you are in the area, why not visit some of the other nearby places of interest:

• Among the holdings of The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, there are several hundred archives, some of them created by prominent individuals, others created by institutions, societies and national bodies. They relate to a wide variety of subjects relating to Wales and the Celtic countries – history, literature, religion and politics in particular – and range in date from the Middle Ages to the present day. At the same venue is The National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales - home to a comprehensive and unequalled collection of films, television programmes, videos, sound recordings and music relating to Wales and the Welsh.

• Also in Aberystwyth, the Ceredigion Museum is housed in a restored Edwardian Theatre. It has been described as 'one of the most beautiful museum interiors in Britain'. The museum displays objects of all ages from the county of Ceredigion (Cardiganshire). Most of the displays are of the Victorian period and later, including infomation on local lead mining and the seafaring tradition of the area. . The museum has a lively programme of temporary exhibitions in the Coliseum auditorium and the gallery.

 

• The first camera obscura was built in Aberystwyth in 1880 in the grounds of the castle, at the opposite end of the promenade, and was later re-located to Constitution Hill to give a better viewpoint. By the 1920's it had gone - a casualty of the public's changing demand for entertainment. This popular re-creation was completed in 1985. The massive 14 inch lens makes it the worlds largest camera obscura and visitors can view the moving colour pictures that fascinated our forefathers. Visitors benefit from a level of precision and clarity that the Victorians could barely have dreamed of, and the delightful camera obscura of the present day was almost entirely designed and manufactured in Wales. It provides a fascinating learning experience for the entire family, whether you wish to understand more about optical technology or simply spy on friends on the beach!
  

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