Ffestiniog Railway
Region North Wales Mid Wales South Wales National Network Route Sections Gazetteer of Stations About Wales	Harbour Station, PORTHMADOG, Gwynedd. LL49 9NF Tel: +44 01766 516000; Fax: +44 01766 516006 Location Caernarfon: 53 08N 4 17W United Kingdom National Grid Ref SH 481624 Dinas: 53 06N 4 17W  UK National Grid Ref SH 476586 Waunfawr: 53 06N 4 13W UK National Grid Ref SH 526 590 Scroll down the page to read the entire article, or select subject headings to move directly to topics. History.......The railway today........Welsh Highland Railway Days and times ....... How to get there Search WalesRails .......... Message Board	Preserved: Standard gauge Narrow gauge WalesRails: The Grand Tour Official Websites What's New Back to Welcome page

The Ffestiniog Railway is one of the Great Little Trains of Wales, a group of eight narrow gauge railways which offers bargain travel through its Wanderer Ticket scheme. The Ffestiniog operates over a 13½ mile of track, linking with the national network at Minffordd, and at Blaenau Ffestiniog.
At Caernarfon, it also operates the Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon), a first stage of a scheme which, when completed, will result in a 26-mile narrow gauge through the heart of Snowdonia.

In 2005,  the railway celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the first trains to operate on the line.
Of 1ft 11½in gauge, the Ffestiniog Railway was opened as a horse-drawn tramway in 1836 to transport slate from the Blaenau Ffestiniog quarries to the harbour at Porthmadog, the horses hauling the empty wagons to the top of the line, then riding down on the 'Dandy' wagon at the rear of the train.
The increase in cargoes (100,000 tons by the 1890s) led to the introduction of steam locomotives from the middle of the 19th century.
The decline of demand for slate brought freight traffic to an end, and although the line survived for a decade or so by carrying passengers, complete closure came in 1946.
The track was lifted piecemeal until, in 1954, a group of enthusiasts, buoyed by the initiative shown by pioneers of the railway preservation movement on the Talyllyn Railway, stepped in to rebuild the line. In m October, Livingston Thompson, a Double Fairlie 0-4-0 + 0-4-0 Tank locomotive, one of the original trains to operate over the line was released from the National Railway Museum to take part in the celebrations.

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With twisting turns and steep gradients - and even a complete spiral - the Ffestiniog is one of the most spectacular narrow-gauge lines in the UK. Using the Ffestiniog Railway and its links to the national network, it is possible to complete a figure-of-eight circumnavigation of Wales by rail, duplicating only a short piece of track between Shrewsbury and Craven Arms on the Marches Line.
The Ffestiniog itself has a number of stations en route, and it is possible to get off at many of the stations and walk to the next to catch the returning train.
The coastal station is at Porthmadog Harbour, after which the line crosses The Cob, an embankment across the mouth of the River Glaslyn. At Boston Halt is the FR's main workshops after which the track passes through a tunnel on its way to Minffordd, the interchange with trains on the national network. Soon after leaving the next station, Penrhyn, the line enters the Snowdonia National Park, and the gradients get steeper as the train proceeds. Plas Halt is within walking distance of the Maentwrog Field Study Centre. Tan-y-Bwlch has several trails leading down to Llyn Mair and other lakes in the vicinity. Dduallt Halt is set in the loop of the spiral, after which the line travels through Moelwyn Tunnel onto the western shore of Llyn Ystradau. Soon after, Tanygrisiau with its visitor centre is reached, before the final climb to the terminus at Blaenau Ffestiniog, 710 vertical feet above our starting point.
From Blaenau Ffestiniog there are bus connections to the Llechwedd Slate Quarries to which the railway owes its existence.

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Days and times 2007 (D = Diesel hauled)

May 5th, 6th, 7th and 28th are Special Event days, when a special timetable will apply.
October 7th, 14th and 28th 1600 train terminates at Blaenau Ffestiniog; 1735 from Blaenau Ffestiniog does not run
October 13th and 17th Extra diesel-hauled train departs Blaenau Ffestiniog at 1015 arriving at Porthmadog at 1130
November 1st Extra diesel-hauled train departs Blaenau Ffestiniog at 1735 arriving at Porthmadog at 1845

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Special Events 2007

• May 5th, 6th and 7th Interactive IV

• May 28 175th anniversary celebrations

• July 31 and Tuesdays and Wednesdays in August Food on the Move trains

• Other Special dates will be posted shortly

A wide range of short- and long-distance fares are available. Sample fares (Third Class) are;
All Day Rover (round trip Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog or vice versa), Adult £16.50; Concessions £13.20;
Half-way trip (To/from Tan-y-Bwlch from Porthmadog or Blaenau Ffestiniog) Adult £10.00, Concessions £8.00
Travel First Class in Observation Car or traditional vintage carriage compartments for additional charge of £3.00 (single), £6.00 (return), (Concessions £2.40 Single, £4.80 Return)
Early Bird and Sunset Fares Valid on the 0840am and 6.20pm departures from Porthmadog. £12.50 (Adult); £10.00 (Concessions)

There is also a 'Three-in-One' ticket giving one return journey on any three days in seven on the Ffestiniog Railway, the Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) and the Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog). The fares are £30.00 Adults and £24.00 Concessions. Children £15.00.

Children under 3 travel free, One child 3-15 years travels free with each paying adult, while additional children travel half-fare.
There is a special rate for parties of 20 or more (details from the railway), while dogs and bicycles are carried at a flat fare of £3.00.
Disabled Passengers Carriages on some trains have extra wide doors for standard width wheelchairs. Advance notice is required, and special discounts apply for parties.

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Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu or vice versa, fares are £16.50 (Adult), £13.20 (Concessions)
Half-way returns (Caernarfon or Rhyd Ddu to or from Waunfawr £9.30 (Adult), £7.45 (Concessions)
Pullman Luxury On some trains, Bodysgallen, the Pullman carriage will be attached offering an extra level of comfort. A supplement of £3.00 single (Concessions £2.40) or £6.00 return (Concessions) per seat  is payable.
There is also a 'Three-in-One' ticket giving one return journey on any three days in seven on the Ffestiniog Railway, the Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon) and the Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog). The fares are £30.00 Adults and £24.00 Concessions. Children £15.00.

Children under 3 travel free, One child 3-15 years travels free with each paying adult, while additional children travel half-fare.
There is a special rate for parties of 20 or more (details from the railway), while dogs and bicycles are carried at a flat fare of £2.50.
Disabled Passengers Carriages on some trains have extra wide doors for standard width wheelchairs. Advance notice is required, and special discounts apply for parties.
Seat reservations are available for a supplement of 50p per seat.

Groups of 20 (10 if disabled) travel at reduced rates with no booking fee.

• October 31 Halloween Special. (Leaves Caernarfon 1815, back at 2100. Finger bites at Snowdonia Parc Brewpub, Waunfawr)
• Other Special Events will be posted shortly

Blaenau Ffestiniog is on the A470, the main trunk road between North and South Wales, and is served by buses from Llandudno and Dolgellau.
Porthmadog, Caernarfon and Dinas are located on the A487, the latter served by buses between Caernarfon and Pwllheli.
Waunfawr and Rhyd Ddu are on the  A4086, served by buses between Caernarfon and Beddgelert.

By train, there are links with Arriva Trains Wales' Cambrian Coast services at Porthmadog and Minffordd, while Blaenau Ffestiniog is served by Arriva Trains Wales' Conway Valley Line from Llandudno Junction.
Buses link Caernarfon with the mainline station at Bangor.

For details of connecting services, including travel planner and timetables, visit the Traveline Cymru website.