flyingsignalman Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 On 28 May 1973 I bought a week's Rover ticket and with a friend our first place to visit was Blaenau Ffestiniog. When we got there we crossed over to the site of the FR station opposite the BR one and this, more or less, was our first view of the site. Walking towards the water tower and turning around, another view of the station site with a piece of surviving pointwork in the turf. The platform edge and remains of Stesion Fain (where it formed the boundary wall) can also be seen. A closer view of the water tank, a casualty of the re-opening to Blaenau by the FR in 1982. Looking to Glan-y-Pwll crossing, a signal can just be made out against the back ground. A closer view showing the single spectacle plate. Moving along, the Junction of the old line to Dinas would have been in the foreground of this photo which is looking towards Tanygrisiau. Just south of there was the old line to Groby Quarry, which can be seen dropping away from the line. Indentations from the removed sleepers could still be seen. We got as far as the removed bridge just north of Tanygrisiau and on our walk back I took this photo of the old disc signal that acted as (I think) Distant for Dinas Jcn. Dave, my mate, holds the sarnies! Finaly for interest my Rover Ticket, well worth the £3. At the time the original line to Dinas and the "Loop Line" both replaced by 1899 Deviation were visible but unfortunately I didn't take any photos; next year they'd all been landscaped out of existence. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Garry D100 Posted January 29, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2013 Great pictures, thanks very much for posting them. Full of atmosphere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Super pictures and happy memories. Mary and I looked around this area in 1963 and got talking to a local who was glad to hear our accents as she had moved to Blaenau from Oldham! BRCW DMU back to Llandudno Junction afterwards. It was hard to imagine the line ever being reopened to slatetown in those days and oh so nostalgic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 Just remembered these photos taken by Dave the same day (and used with his permission). The DMU from Llandudno Junction. A class 24 waiting with a flask train for the DMU to clear Llanrwst A slightly different view of the water tank and surviving pointwork, platform edge to right. The footbridge and signal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 I was there in '71, but had arrived from the other direction. I and a friend had a week rover on the Cambrian, and caught the bus up to Blaenau. It was very odd visiting a place for the first time, yet knowing your way around it. Some pictures from that trip, including a visit to Llechwedd Quarry are in my gallery. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debs. Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Finaly for interest my Rover Ticket, well worth the £3. Rover Ticket 001.jpg Many`a railway enthusiast bloomed, enjoying the carefree delights and freedoms of a Rove-A-Way....... I do hope the imperative in the final two lines on the ticket aren`t still a concern?.........best`not answer the door, for a day or two, Keith! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted February 10, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2013 Wonderfully nostalgic photos, thanks very much for posting. There's something indefinably atmospheric and rather special about a place like that, which was still in it's disused and abandoned state, yet which would, in time, be swept away, not by some road scheme or housing estate, but by the very railway that it used to be, albeit 'adapted' to the modern age. The same could be argued to apply to the WHR, of course. I wouldn't want to actually turn the clock back on either line, but those are wonderful images nevertheless. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merfyn Jones Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Thanks for posting those. Very useful to me as I am modeling the station as it was in 1965, very little changed. Merf. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 You won't need much rolling stock then, Merf! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Many`a railway enthusiast bloomed, enjoying the carefree delights and freedoms of a Rove-A-Way....... I do hope the imperative in the final two lines on the ticket aren`t still a concern?.........best`not answer the door, for a day or two, Keith! It's all right - Keith hasn't expired yet! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neil Posted February 11, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 11, 2013 Fabulous photos; I well remember Blaenau in this era and if truth be told prefer it in this state with the Ffestiniog Railway dormant to the current state of affairs. Having said that I thoroughly enjoyed a journey fro Blaenau to Port, return to Ddaullt and a yomp back to Blaenau late last year, it's just that I found the old remains more fascinating than the new construction. Still with photos like these we almost have the best of both worlds. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phil Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Fabulous photos; I well remember Blaenau in this era and if truth be told prefer it in this state with the Ffestiniog Railway dormant to the current state of affairs. Having said that I thoroughly enjoyed a journey fro Blaenau to Port, return to Ddaullt and a yomp back to Blaenau late last year, it's just that I found the old remains more fascinating than the new construction. Still with photos like these we almost have the best of both worlds. Totally understand what you mean Neil, but I only partially agree with you. I prefer to see the railway operating with steam locos, than a rusty old, weed-infested example of a bygone era. I agree that preserved railways paint a very shiny and clinical picture with lots of "newness", concrete etc, but when you see steam and hear locos working, people talking - often in happy tones - it brings the place alive. I lived in Corris for 9 years as a kid and spent many an hour wandering around the damp old slate quarries. I walked some of the trackbed of the old Corris railway, but would much prefer a real running railway even with the modern day compromises. The Welsh Highland railway still has the "newness" about it, but in ten years time it will be well bedded in, and nature will have greened up a lot of those civil engineering earthy spots. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neil Posted February 11, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 11, 2013 Likewise understand and respect your point of view Phil. I think it's one of those examples where the merits or otherwise can only be a matter of personal preference. It's just struck me that at some stage the neglected, rusty and weedy may become so rare that they attract preservation attempts in their own right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingsignalman Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 In light of the recent replies, a couple of photos taken 16/2/1982, nearly nine years later. The loco is named Diana. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merfyn Jones Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 In light of the recent replies, a couple of photos taken 16/2/1982, nearly nine years later. 1476.jpg 1477.jpg 1479a.jpg The loco is named Diana. Facinating, not many pics about of the few months leading up to opening. I was busy working at Central station at the time and took very few. Merf. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 The sight of the old rails in the grass around Tanygrisiau and Blaenua looked nostalgic because we could try to imagine what it must have been like when trains were running. Then trains did run and still do and that is surely much better. As for the old track, I rode from Tan-y-Bwlch to Portmadoc in the early 1960s over bullhead rails and the journey was a bl**dy nightmare especially for my mother. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.