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Part 6 – Dolywern to Glyn Ceiriog From Dolywern to Glyn Ceiriog, except for a short deviation at five miles seven furlongs where Bridge No 2 took the line over the river, the tramway occupied it’s customary position at the roadside. On reaching Glyn Ceiriog, the track swung left away from the road, passed over a cattle grid and entered the station (six miles one and a half furlongs from Chirk). In this view, from right to left can be seen, the mineral line which continued along New Road to serve the Wynn and Cambrian Quarries, the large red brick engine shed, the GVT station building and at the platform a train waiting to depart for Chirk. Ironically, the engine shed owes its survival to the fact that, following the line’s closure; the station site was taken over by the local council for use as a highways depot. Looking back towards New Road in the direction of Chirk. Taken from the other side of the valley, this old photograph shows from right to left, the single storey station building, platform - complete with seat - and the engine shed. In the loop is what looks like one of the four wheel guards vans and some empty slate wagons, whilst to the right, partially obscured by trees is ‘Efrydfa’, the large house built in 1892. The Glyn Valley Tramway Group now lease the site from the council and are actively working to establish a heritage centre relating to the tramway and associated industries. http://www.glynvalleytramway.org.uk/ Work so far has included site clearance, refurbishment of the engine shed and laying down a short section of two foot four and a half inch gauge track. The group have also built a replica 1 Ton slate wagon: The Ruabon red brick built engine shed is probably the most impressive and certainly the largest of the surviving structures. Further details of the repair work can be found on the Tramway Group’s website: http://www.glynvalleytramway.org.uk/shedrebuild.html Unfortunately, unless the present owner either harbours a secret desire to become a station master, or decides to sell up, it may be some time before the old station building reverts back to railway use. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Glyn_Valley_Tramway_old.jpg Taken in 1875, this picture shows a typical mixed train shortly after arriving from Chirk. The positions of the name and builders plates suggest that the loco is most probably Dennis. A similar view taken in December 2011. The former station building can be seen in the foreground, whilst beyond the child’s swing and wooden fence, it is also possible to make out a part of the engine shed and behind that the front gable of ‘Efrydfa’. The mineral extension continued beyond the station, roughly along the line of the hedge, before crossing the Selattyn Road and entering the coal yard.

Part 5 – Pontfadog to Dolywern http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyn_Valley_Tramway The line climbed away from Pontfadog at 1 in 79 and by the time it reached Ty Isa (the building on the right) had once more reverted to it’s normal position on the roadside verge. At Dolywern, (four miles six and a half furlongs from Chirk), the original horse tramway had continued along the road and then passed through the centre of the village. However, the road was much too sharply curved for locomotives, so in 1888 a deviation was built to take the line around the back of the village in a series of sweeping bends. The entrance to this short section of dedicated right of way was protected by a fence and cattle grid, located in almost the same position as the gate seen in the previous photograph. The route of the original horse tramway ran alongside the carriageway, which was much narrower in those days, before turning sharp left to cross the River by means of a pre-existing road bridge. Having left the road behind, the new formation passed over this small stone built occupation bridge. The line then crossed the River Ceiriog on Bridge No 1, the first of three similar plate girder structures, before skirting the grounds of the Queens Hotel (now a Leonard Cheshire Home) to enter the station. http://ynys-gwyntog.blogspot.co.uk/ A contemporary postcard showing the course of the GVT around Dolywern To the centre right, beside the curving platform, the line can be seen emerging from behind the trees before passing the small station building and crossing over the road to Llwynmawr, where it is just possible to make out some wagons in the goods siding. Of similar construction to Pontfadog, the station building at Dolywern was able to boast both a clock and post box, although sadly the former no longer appears to be in working order. This also features as one of the drawings by Bécasse. In the background can be seen one of the bungalows, which the care home has constructed on the former trackbed. After leaving the station the line immediately crossed the Llwynmawr road beyond which, to the right of the track, was a siding and small goods yard, approximately where the red bus shelter stands today. The green wicket gate on the right used to provide direct access from the platform to the Queens Hotel.

Part 4 – Pontfaen to Pontfadog First off, if you’re interested in this part of North Wales, then the ‘Old Photos’ pages of the Chirk and Ceriog Valley website are a must: http://www.chirk.org.uk/index.html The route from Chirk to Pontfadog. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyn_Valley_Tramway From Pontfaen the line began to climb gradually at 1 in 466 and for the first time adopted the true character of a roadside tramway. In this view looking up the road towards Glyn Ceriog, the track originally ran along the grass verge to the left, which at that time was somewhat wider than it is today. To comply with tramway regulations the loco’s always ran cab first, as illustrated in this classic view of a train heading up the valley. To facilitate this requirement turntables were provided at both Chirk and Glyn Ceriog. The next station (one mile six furlongs from Chirk), was Castle Mill and once again consisted of just a name board and wooden bench beside the road. This is likely to be the location of the first real test for re-opening, as there is insufficient width for a verge at this point and the line ran along the main road, from right to left between cottages and hillside (beyond the give way sign). In the early days a horse worked siding ran up this lane to serve the lime-kilns at Bron-y-Garth. The valley narrows beyond Castle Mill and at this point river, tramway and road came close together. Since closure, the valley road has been widened to become the busy B4500 and all traces of the former trackbed have been obliterated, indeed the only thing now separating river and road is a galvanised crash barrier. The first ‘proper’ station was Pontfadog (three miles six furlongs from Chirk). Here, there was no room for a dedicated right of way, so trains simply stopped in the middle of the road. Passengers were better served than at the two previous stations and enjoyed the luxury of a small brick built waiting room, complete with fireplace, which is depicted in one of the drawings by Bécasse at the start of this thread. Like the majority GVT buildings it was solidly constructed in Red Ruabon bricks with a slate roof. The station ‘facilities’ again, this time looking towards Chirk, although trains actually stopped on the opposite side of the road, more or less at the point from which this photograph was taken. The GVT made quite a success of summer excursion traffic, so much so that at times, having run out of coaches, passengers would be conveyed in open wagons fitted with temporary wooden benches. Here, one such train appears to have made a photographic stop at Pontfadog on its way up the valley. Looking back down the road towards Chirk. On the right, the trees seen in the previous picture still stand, but whether trains will once again use this stretch of the highway remains to be seen.

Part 3 – Levers Bridge to Pontfaen At this point, apologies are due for the poor quality of some pictures. Unfortunately, only one opportunity presented itself and they had to be taken late in the day on a December afternoon - not really to be recommended when photographing in dense woodland. Immediately beyond Levers Bridge road and tramway came together for the first time, before descending separately to the valley floor below. At first the line was considerably lower than the highway, which was supported by a long and substantial stone retaining wall. The road drops down into the valley much more steeply than the tramway and within a hundred yards or so they are more or less level. The line continued to descend steadily at 1 in 73 through the Chirk Castle Estate before crossing a footpath leading up from the road below. Beyond here the ground is extremely marshy – the patch of green foliage in the centre consists of water reeds and other bog loving plants – and will require extensive excavation and drainage work. The white-topped peg marks the centre line of the formation and from this point on the route is fairly clear. With the road having already descended into the valley another long retaining wall was required to support the track bed, which despite the passage of time, remains in remarkably good condition. From this and some of the other photographs, it is quite clear one of the first tasks for the GVTT will be a comprehensive programme of tree felling. And some 80 years earlier Dennis pounds up the bank with a short mixed train bound for Chirk. The final approach to Pontfaen. Here the track passed between the two posts discernible in the centre of the picture, which mark the end of the dedicated right of way through the Chirk Castle Estate. A 1931 picture of the same area taken from across the road and looking back in the opposite direction. Beyond the ‘station’, consisting of no more than a bench and name board, can be seen the gateway through which the line gained access to the private estate. The way ahead, looking along the B4500 towards Glyn Ceiriog, although, initial plans will see trains running only as far as Pontfaen (seven and a half furlongs from Chirk). Was the GVT the only company to measure distances in miles and furlongs? Beyond this point, with no dedicated right of way, the line became a true tramway running either along the roadside verge, or in the carriageway itself. To the left of this view, taken 81 years earlier, it is possible to make out the long siding, which continued for some distance to terminate beside the road to Weston Rhyn. Further details of the proposed works associated with the initial re-opening can be found as part of the Design Study which is available on the Glyn Valley Tramway Trust Website. See: http://www.thegvt.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=62

Part 2 – Chirk to Levers Bridge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyn_Valley_Tramway After passing under Hand Lane Bridge, points gave access to a loop situated to the left of the running line. The route then began to climb at 1 in 112 through a shallow cutting and crossed over the Shropshire Union Canal, which passed beneath the line in a tunnel. Because of the proximity of the canal, the proposed reopening was the subject of discussions with British Waterways, as a result of which measures were put in place to monitor any effect on the tunnel. Following closure in 1935, some of the passenger coaches were stored in the loop here to await their fate. Whilst initially the track bed remains fairly clear, the same cannot be said for the level section at the summit of the climb, which is dominated by brambles. Anyone intending to walk the line would be well advised to give this section a miss. From here the line begins to descend at 1 in 63 towards Pontfaen. On 7th October 1931 a mineral train climbs up through the cutting by Ty Ririd (the large house to the right) on its way to Chirk. 80 years later and the GVT Trust’s official photographer was on hand to record volunteers at work clearing the track bed. Apart from the lack of creeper, Ty Ririd has changed very little with the passage of time. Levers Bridge, also known as Matchbox Bridge, takes a bridle-way over the line into Chirk Castle Estate . The original bridge lasted until March 2011, when it was replaced by the present structure. In fact, only the bridge deck was replaced and the original stone abutments remain, which explains the mature tree growth and instantly weathered appearance. And finally, looking towards Chirk, a view of the new bridge from above.

The Glyn Valley Tramway Today – Part 1 The following pictures show the state of the route in December 2011 and give some idea of the work that will be involved in re-opening the line. Thanks to the generosity of both Graham Greasley and the Glyn Valley Tramway Trust it has also been possible to include some older pictures to show how things used to be. For The Glyn Valley Tramway Trust see: https://glynvalleytramwaytrust.co.uk/ The Route: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyn_Valley_Tramway Perhaps Chirk’s best-known landmarks - looking west from the A5 towards the Shropshire Union Canal Aqueduct and Great Western Railway Viaduct across the Cerriog Valley. Chirk Bank, the original interchange between the GVT and Canal is off to the left of this picture. Looking down on the Aqueduct, a view taken from above the tunnel which took the canal under both the GWR main line and the GVT. The canal basin and tunnel entrance looking north towards Llangollen. Chirk Station looking north towards Wrexham. The original GVT station building was situated more or less where the modern waiting shelter stands today. The GVT transhipment sidings, yard, engine shed, goods shed, etc., were located on the site of the present day industrial estate which can be seen in the background. Chirk Station from Hand Lane Bridge on 7th October 1931, looking north towards what is now the Canal Wood Industrial Estate. In the center of the picture is the corrugated iron roofed carriage shed, whilst in the bottom right hand corner can be seen the roof of the GVT station building. Looking south towards Shrewsbury. The GVT platform and loop were to the right, behind the white fence. In the background, beyond the footbridge, is the bridge carrying Hand Lane over the railway. Behind the platform shelter a separate arch took the road over the GVT. Originally there was an adjacent set of steps leading down to the GVT platform. Chirk in BR Western Region days. This view, taken from the southbound platform, shows the GVT station building on the left and the wicket gate which allowed access to the narrow gauge platform. A view from the GVT side of the fence taken after the line closed. Although the rails have already gone the station building and other infrastructure remain intact. Particularly the bridge carrying Hand Lane over the line, which still stands today. Note the height of the stone arch and the absence of trees. Taken from the site of the former GVT platform, this is Hand Lane Bridge as it is today. The most striking changes are tree growth and the rise in ground level beneath the bridge, the latter caused by 75 years of accumulated leaf mould and other detritus. Indeed, until the area is excavated back to the level of the old formation, no one can be sure what might still be found in situ.