Ffestiniog Railway closes until March to catch up on winter maintenance
FFESTINIOG Railway trains will not run again until March while engineers and volunteers carry out extensive maintenance work as part of a major catch-up exercise caused by delays due to pandemic restrictions.
The most labour intensive task will be the rerailing and re-sleepering of stretches of track between the halfway station of Tan y Bwlch and Rhiw Goch, which has an important passing loop, and also between Rhiwplas Bridge, where the main road between Porthmadog and Dolgellau passes over the railway, and Boston Lodge.
The sleepers being used are plastic, largely made from recycled plastic milk bottles, which last far longer than conventional ones and are difficult to distinguish from wooden ones. They can be recycled if necessary and save the use of valuable hardwoods.
The signal and telegraph department is working at Tan y Bwlch to make running round much easier, based around improvements at the Porthmadog end of the station to allow a safe run round without having to use the token, the installation of a wrong line departure signal and improvements to the track circuiting.
At Rhiw Goch, the department will install a mains electrical cable from Rhiw Goch Farm Crossing to improve the power supply and a fibre optic cable to upgrade the signalbox's IT capability.
At Porthmadog Harbour station, the buildings department will be tackling water leaks.
While the FR will be closed completely between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Harbour station, limited Welsh Highland Railway services will operate from Porthmadog and Caernarfon.
‘Christmas Glaslyn' services from Porthmadog to Beddgelert will run on December 18/19, 22, 30/31 and January 1, and ‘Christmas Cwellyn' services from Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu on December 29-31 and January 1. Also, dates to visit the Christmas Carriage Grotto at Porthmadog Harbour station featuring Santa were still available on December 18/19 and 22 as we closed for press.