Llangollen Railway: Difference between revisions

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{{Main|Vale of Llangollen Railway|Ruabon to Barmouth Line}}
{{Main|Vale of Llangollen Railway|Ruabon to Barmouth Line}}
===Commercial Service: 1865–1962===
===Commercial Service: 1865–1962===
Llangollen was already a popular place for [[Victorian era]] [[tourist]]s by the 1840s. Travel upto this point had been by horse drawn carriage, but by the 1840's the [[Shrewsbury to Chester line]] had been completed, allowing passengers to alight at {{stnlnk|Llangollen Road}} (later known as Whitehurst Halt), and then take a [[Coach (vehicle)|coach]] towards [[Holyhead]].<ref>Clinker, C.R., (1979) ''GWR Register of Halts & Platforms,'' Avon Anglia ISBN 0-905466-29-2</ref>
The railway was originally opened as the [[Ruabon]] to Llangollen line (see also [[Ruabon to Barmouth Line]]) in 1862, as a way for passengers to travel to ''Llangollen Road'' (then the nearest railway station, later known as Whitehurst Halt) and then board a [[Coach (vehicle)|coach]] to Llangollen.<ref name="hist1">{{Citation|url=http://llanrailarchive.llangollen-railway.co.uk/historyoftheline.html|title=History of the Line|accessdate=2008-08-27}}</ref> The line was a success and plans were put forward for a line from Llangollen to [[Corwen]], a market town ten miles (16&nbsp;km) past Llangollen. Work started shortly after the opening of the Ruabon to Llangollen line and the line accepted its first traffic on 18 May 1865.<ref name="hist1"/>

However, the commercial development of the local mining industry meant that the development of a railway became essential to the regions economic development. A number of schemes were proposed, including one by the [[LNWR]], but it not until 1 August 1859 that scheme engineered by Henry Robertson received [[Royal Assent]]. The {{convert|5.25|mile}} [[Vale of Llangollen Railway]] left the Shrewsbury to Chester main line {{convert|.5|mile}} south of {{stnlnk|Ruabon}}, and built as a single track line on a double track route proceeded via {{stnlnk|Acrefair}} to the new station at Llangollen. The line opened to freight on 1st December 1861, and to passengers on 2nd June 1862 at a temporary terminus on the towns eastern outskirts.<ref name="hist1">{{Citation|url=http://llanrailarchive.llangollen-railway.co.uk/historyoftheline.html|title=History of the Line|accessdate=2008-08-27}}</ref>

The extension to {{stnlnk|Corwen}} was undertaken by the associated but seperate [[Llangollen and Corwen Railway]] company, and involved constructing a long tunnel under the local [[Berwyn Mountains]]. It, together with the new centrally positioned and larger station in Llangollen, opened for service on 1 May 1865.<ref name="hist1"/>


===Reopening: 1972–1975===
===Reopening: 1972–1975===

Revision as of 01:58, 27 December 2013

Llangollen Railway
Rheilffordd Llangollen
Llangollen Station from across the River Dee
LocaleWales Wales uk
TerminusCarrog soon to be
Corwen
Commercial operations
NameLlangollen Railway
Original gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Preserved operations
Operated byLlangollen Railway Trust
Stations4, and 1 halt
Length9.5 miles (15.3 km)
Preserved gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
1862Opened
1877Absorbed by Great Western Railway
1964Closed
Preservation history
1975Llangollen railway station taken over by the Preservation Society & full restoration work and reconstrution begins
1980Llangollen Railway, Granted Light Railway Order
1981Pentrefelin reached as Line extended first time (but re-opened)
1986Re-opening of extension to and Berwyn Re-opens
1990Deeside Halt opens, line extended
1993Glyndyfrdwy Reopens, line extended
1996Opening of extension to and Carrog Re-opens
2011Work starts on extension to Corwen
2013Bonwm halt site reached (as part of Corwen extension)
HeadquartersLlangollen
Llangollen Railway
Legend
mi-ch
Ruabon–Barmouth line
5-44
 Llangollen
Llangollen Loco Shed
Pentrefelin Yard
6-35
Dee Bridge
7-05
 Berwyn
Berwyn Viaduct
8-00
Berwyn Tunnel
689 yd
630 m
8-64
 Deeside Halt
 
 
(closed)
10-57
 Glyndyfrdwy
12-66
 Carrog
Bonwm Halt (closed)
Corwen East
Corwen (present station opened 2023)
15-50
 Corwen( original station closed 1964)
Ruabon–Barmouth line

The Llangollen Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Llangollen) is a volunteer-run preserved railway in Denbighshire, Wales, which currently operates between Llangollen and a point to the west of the site of Bonwm halt.

At 9.5 miles (15.3 km) long, [citation needed] it is currently the longest preserved standard gauge railway in Wales. It operates daily in summer as well as weekends throughout the winter months, using a variety of steam and diesel locomotives, as well as diesel multiple units (DMUs).

Work is in the later stages of being carried out on 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of extension from the current terminus at Carrog to a new station on the outskirts of Corwen,[1] which will bring the railways total operating length to 10 miles (16 km).[citation needed]

History

Main articles: Vale of Llangollen Railway and Ruabon to Barmouth Line

Commercial Service: 1865–1962

Llangollen was already a popular place for Victorian era tourists by the 1840s. Travel upto this point had been by horse drawn carriage, but by the 1840's the Shrewsbury to Chester line had been completed, allowing passengers to alight at Llangollen Road (later known as Whitehurst Halt), and then take a coach towards Holyhead.[2]

However, the commercial development of the local mining industry meant that the development of a railway became essential to the regions economic development. A number of schemes were proposed, including one by the LNWR, but it not until 1 August 1859 that scheme engineered by Henry Robertson received Royal Assent. The 5.25 miles (8.45 km) Vale of Llangollen Railway left the Shrewsbury to Chester main line .5 miles (0.80 km) south of Ruabon, and built as a single track line on a double track route proceeded via Acrefair to the new station at Llangollen. The line opened to freight on 1st December 1861, and to passengers on 2nd June 1862 at a temporary terminus on the towns eastern outskirts.[3]

The extension to Corwen was undertaken by the associated but seperate Llangollen and Corwen Railway company, and involved constructing a long tunnel under the local Berwyn Mountains. It, together with the new centrally positioned and larger station in Llangollen, opened for service on 1 May 1865.[3]

Reopening: 1972–1975

After the Beeching Axe, the Flint and Deeside Railway Preservation Society was founded in 1972 with the aim of preserving one of the "axed" railways. Originally the society was interested in preserving the Dyserth to Prestatyn line; however that line was deemed unsuitable because a small amount of freight traffic was still using it.[4] The society refocused its attention on the Llangollen to Corwen section of the Ruabon to Barmouth line. The local council granted a lease of the Llangollen railway station building, as well as 3 miles (4.8 km) of track to the society, with the hope that the railway would improve the local economy and bring more tourists to Llangollen. The station reopened on 13 September 1975, with just 60 feet (18.3 m) of track.[1]

Rebuilding and Resurrection: 1975–1996

Early progress was slow due to a lack of funding, though in 1977 Shell Oil donated a mile of unused track. Volunteers started laying the track with an aim of reaching Pentrefelin, 0.75 miles (1.21 km) from Llangollen. Work finished in July 1981 with the remaining quarter mile of track used to lay sidings at the old Llangollen Goods Junction to form a home for the railway's growing fleet of rolling stock.

The working railway attracted the interest of many private companies, as well as the local council who renewed the lease of the land to the railway for a further 21 years. The Llangollen Railway Trust was gifted significant amounts of track allowing for the next extension of the line to Berwyn. This involved a £30,000 refurbishment of the Dee Bridge by the local council, which had fallen into disrepair during the period following the commercial closure of the line. The first trains operated over the newly extended 1.75 mile (2.82 km) line to Berwyn in March 1986.[1] As rebuilding work progressed train services were later extended (via the 689yd long Berwyn Tunnel) to Deeside Halt (in 1990), Glyndyfrdwy (in 1993) and finally into Carrog on 2 May 1996.

Rebuilding and Resurrection: 2011– ?

In 2011, work finally started on rebuilding the section between Carrog and Corwen. The site of Plas Bonwm Farm was finally reached in 2013.

Locomotives and rolling stock

Full listing of locos is now available from the link opposite.

See also: List of Llangollen Railway rolling stock

GWR 6880 Betton Grange Project

Main article: GWR 6800 Class 6880 Betton Grange

GWR steam locomotive no. 6880 Betton Grange is a 4-6-0 Grange Class locomotive, known as "the 81st Grange". As of October 2011 it is still under construction. When British Rail stopped using steam locomotives in 1968 none of the Grange Class locomotives were preserved, so the 6880 Society was formed in 1998 with the purpose of eventually completing an operational Grange Class steam locomotive for Heritage Railway work and Mainline Operation.[5] Work is still ongoing on the locomotive but progress has been made on several major components, with some smaller parts being made to order. Other parts have been taken from similar, unrestored steam locomotives to aid the construction of the locomotive. The 6880 Society organised three successful "Steel Steam & Stars" once every 3 years. With SSS in 2007, SSSII in 2009 & SSSIII in 2012, held on the railway, which raised awareness of the Society and generated funds for the build. The next gala (Steel, Steam & Stars IV) should be taking place in 2015.

LMS 45551 The Unknown Warrior Project

LMS steam locomotive no 45551 The Unknown Warrior is a 4-6-0 LMS Patriot Class locomotive. None of the class survived, so the LMS Patriot project was formed in 2008 with the purpose of rebuilding an original Baby Scot known as the 52nd or 53rd Patriot. Work is still ongoing on the locomotive but progress has been made on several major components, with some smaller parts being made to order. Other parts have been taken from similar, unrestored steam locomotives to aid the construction of the locomotive. An original Fowler Tender, as used with this class, still exists at Barry, and is to be used with this locomotive.

In June 2011, The LMS-Patriot Project were offered a 3'3½” diameter bogie wheelset from the Churchill 8F Locomotive Group. 'The Unknown Warrior' already has the other bogie wheelset from Barry Scrapyard 8F number 48518, and with the offer of the second 8F wheelset this is the final set of wheels that are needed to complete the new build 4-6-0 'Patriot' locomotive. Six new driving wheels have already been cast and the tender wheelsets from the ex Barry Scrapyard 'Fowler' tender have now been taken from Barry to Tyesley where repairs are underway

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Green, Les (2006), A Visitor's Guide to the Llangollen Railway and the Dee Valley, Steam at Llangollen
  2. ^ Clinker, C.R., (1979) GWR Register of Halts & Platforms, Avon Anglia ISBN 0-905466-29-2
  3. ^ a b History of the Line, retrieved 2008-08-27
  4. ^ Dyserth—Prestatyn Railway, retrieved 2008-08-27
  5. ^ 6880, retrieved 2008-08-27

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Llangollen Railway.


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