The Great Little Trains of Wales
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Last Updated: April 23, 2008
Copyright © 2007 Bruce Yarborough. All rights reserved.
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http://www.festrail.co.uk The Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) is the latest member of Great Little Trains of Wales and is one of Snowdonia’s newest tourist attractions. This railway has a chequered history. It was part of a proposed network of eight narrow gauge lines across North Wales in the late 1800s. However, only two of these were built and although the line was opened right through to Porthmadog by 1923, it was never very successful and the line was officially closed in 1937. By 1941, most of the equipment had been removed for the war effort and the line was dead. In 1960 efforts were started to revive it, but it was not until the late 1980s - when the trackbed was acquired by the Ffestiniog Railway - that rebuilding was able to start in earnest and the first section of the new Welsh Highland was opened from Caernarfon to Dinas in 1997. Since then, this exciting restoration project to restore the line back to Porthmadog has attracted significant funding from bodies such as the Millennium Commission and The Welsh Assembly Government.
From Caernarfon, the train runs along the old LMS trackbed as far as Dinas, sharing the route with the Lôn Eifion cycle path. From Dinas, the line turns sharply inland and heads for the hills of Snowdonia. Waunfawr station, approximately halfway along the line, has a friendly pub and campsite beside it and there is a craft village a few minutes walk away. The section beyond Waunfawr, as far as Rhyd Ddu, was opened in 2003. The scenery on this section is awesome as the valley opens up and Snowdon beckons. This is mountain walking country with one of the footpaths to Snowdon’s summit starting from Snowdon Ranger Halt and another from Rhyd Ddu station.
We have an annual beer festival in May and an enthusiast weekend in September each year, as well as smaller events throughout the year. The Welsh Highland is easily accessible by public transport. The nearest main line station is at Bangor with regular bus connections to Caernarfon. Many of the other stations are served by the Snowdon Sherpa bus routes. For more information on how to find us, what is happening, and how to make the most of your visit, please visit our website www.festrail.co.uk 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.
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Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon),
The line today starts its journey from beside Caernarfon’s famous castle in St Helen’s Road. The town is only 15 minutes off the A55, ten miles south of Bangor. There is plenty to do and a wide choice of places to eat within a few minutes walk of the station.
Beyond Rhyd Ddu, work is in full swing to complete the last section of line to Porthmadog. There is much to be seen and what better way to do it than from an open top bus? Buses run during the summer months and at bank holidays.
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