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Blaenau branch

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by steamdream, May 12, 2011.

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  1. M59137

    M59137 Well-Known Member

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    With the (fantastic) Ffestiniog railway already at Blaenau and other preserved lines elsewhere why would you need another one?

    Sent from my HTC Desire 620 using Tapatalk
     
    M59137, Sep 8, 2016
    #61
  2. marshall5

    marshall5 Well-Known Member

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    Exactly! It's just another case of someone having to be "The big fish in the little pond" and have their own railway to play with - no matter how impractical it may be.
    Ray.
     
    marshall5, Sep 8, 2016
    #62
  3. Miff

    Miff Part of the furniture Friend

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    Porthmadog has three.
     
    Miff, Sep 8, 2016
    #63
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  4. Steve B

    Steve B Well-Known Member

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    2 of which are run by the same organisation, and the other is a much smaller, shorter line with a museum and other attractions - none of them really a threat to the others, indeed the WHHR could be seen as complementary to the others. Blaenau to Trawsfynydd is of a substantial project and I can't help but feel that it is overloading an already well providd for market too much.

    Steve B
     
    Steve B, Sep 8, 2016
    #64
  5. js5646

    js5646 New Member

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    One has to wonder what the line's USP will be. The velo-rail idea might have been it but without it what really is the point of it?
     
    js5646, Sep 8, 2016
    #65
  6. sycamore

    sycamore Member

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    How many existing Heritage Railways have USP's? Looking at pictures on their FB page, I'd have thought the scenery alone would be something to work in its favour, once you leave Blaenau of cause! ;)
     
    sycamore, Sep 8, 2016
    #66
  7. Miff

    Miff Part of the furniture Friend

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    Yes. One of the reasons the FfR first got interested in the WHR revival was because of the perceived risk of a competitor.
     
    Miff, Sep 8, 2016
    #67
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  8. sycamore

    sycamore Member

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    Next FR extension to Trawsfynydd then???!!!
     
    sycamore, Sep 9, 2016
    #68
  9. Miff

    Miff Part of the furniture Friend

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    Why not? :) After all, the Festiniog & Blaenau Railway was built originally as a narrow gauge line.
     
    Miff, Sep 9, 2016
    #69
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  10. GWR Man.

    GWR Man. Well-Known Member

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    And then down to the Bala Lake railway to stop the LLangollen railway reaching it and converting it back to standard gauge. :D
     
    GWR Man., Sep 9, 2016
    #70
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  11. Steve B

    Steve B Well-Known Member

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    Why stop there? Carry on down to the coast and dual gauge the line through Barmouth up to Minffordd and you have a circular narrow gauge experience! I think I'm right in thinking that the way the standard and narrow gauge lines are arranged at Minffordd it would result in another spiral as well...

    Then, of course, you could link up the Llanberis Lake Railway with the WHR at Caernarfon, and extend the WHR to Bangor, and the F&WHR could rule NW Wales!

    Steve B
     
    Steve B, Sep 9, 2016
    #71
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  12. Jamessquared

    Jamessquared Nat Pres stalwart

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    Shouldn't that be Ffantastic? :confused:

    Tom
     
    Jamessquared, Sep 9, 2016
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  13. richards

    richards Part of the furniture

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    Nno!
     
    richards, Sep 9, 2016
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  14. sycamore

    sycamore Member

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    I
    It would be like Switzerland where the major towns have Standard Gauge and the villages have narrow (metre In their case?) gauge railways
     
    sycamore, Sep 9, 2016
    #74
  15. NBDR Lock

    NBDR Lock New Member

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    NBDR Lock, Sep 26, 2016
    #75
  16. John Stewart

    John Stewart Part of the furniture

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    All the way to Corwen Interchange.:)
     
    John Stewart, Sep 26, 2016
    #76
  17. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    Don't hold your breath ... On second thoughts, it might be wise to do so for part of the journey :)
     
    Martin Perry, Sep 26, 2016
    #77
  18. John Stewart

    John Stewart Part of the furniture

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    Don't worry; I've run along the south side of Llyn Celyn to an S-bend deviation below the dam at no more than 1 in 50. Adds about 1km with 150m minimum curvature.:)
     
    John Stewart, Sep 26, 2016
    #78
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