THE REVIVAL AND RESTORATION of the Welsh Highland Railway is one of the greatest heritage railway achievements of the 21st Century, yet its success followed more than one hundred years of failure.Supported by public loans, its first incarnation combined the moribund North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways, some of the abandoned works of the Portmadoc, Beddgelert & South Snowdon Railway and part of the horse-worked Croesor Tramway. Opened in 1923, it was closed in 1937 and the track was lifted in 1941.Serious talk of revival started in the 1960s but restoration did not start until 1997, with the neighbouring Ffestiniog Railway at the helm, supported by generous donors and benefactors, the Millennium Commission, the Welsh Government and teams of enthusiastic volunteers.Author Peter Johnson steers a course through the railways complicated pre-history before describing the events, including a court hearing, three public inquiries and a great deal of controversy, leading to the start of services between Caernarfon and Porthmadog in 2011. A postscript describes post-completion developments.
This is the story of the unique struggle to restore a railway lost to time in Snowdonia National Park.
In this paperback illustrated album, compiled by the East Anglian Group supporting the Welsh Highland Railway from the photographs and memories of their members, the changes and memorable events (both positive and negative) that have ...
All problems were eventually overcome and a 2 mile deviation saw services restored to Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1982.Along the way, the railway found its old entrepreneurial magic, building new steam locomotives and carriages, and rebuilding ...
This illustrated work provides a comprehensive and highly detailed account of one of the most important narrow gauge lines built in the British Isles.
The Festiniog Railway's pre-1921 history is covered in Peter Johnson's book, Festiniog Railway the Spooner era and after 1830-1920, also published by Pen & Sword Transport.
The Welsh Highland Railway
The first volume in this series was published in 1999 when the Welsh Highland Railway ran from Caernarfon only as far as Dinas, a mere 4 miles, on tracks officially re-opened in 1997.
Welsh Highland Railway: Locomotive and Rolling Stock Drawings
Portrait of the Welsh Highland Railway
Narrow Gauge Railways in South Caernarvonshire: The Welsh Highland Railway