Penrhyn Railway Preservation Aims

Heartening progress reported on the Penrhyn Quarry Railway website. Phase 1 (which I understand is to reach St Anns) seems nearly complete.
The website, however, doesn't specify what the ultimate aim of the Society is. In other words, how much further along the old trackbed is the Society aiming to go? How much of the trackbed do they own, how much has been built over, etc.?
Of course, it would be nice to have a run of several miles (to give all the Penrhyn locos a good length of line when they start returning!), but I realize this may not be possible in the short term.

Do any PQR members have information on this point?

 

I am not a member myself but my brother in law is and l have seen the latest society journal which surprised me somewhat. I regularly follow progress via the website but I was quite surprised by the lack of information regarding the restoration in the journal, it is extremely sparse. Out of possibly fifty historic photographs and articles, there is just the one thumbnail photo of the restoration and a short paragraph that states that progress is so rapid that it is impossible to document!
I may be wrong but I get the feeling that those carrying out the restoration and the PR society are two very different groups.

 

The next stage of the trackbed, heading North, is from St Anns to just short of Hendurnpike. This is available for rebuilding. It's just replacing St Anns bridge which is the problem. At Hendurnpike, the trackbed has been taken over by the residents as rear access to their houses. What the legal situation is, I have no idea. Reinstating the level crossing at Hendurnpuke and the trackbed for about 50 yards which was swept away when the road was lowered and widened, would be a major undertaking. That would be very long term or impossible.

The next major obstacle would be a filled-in cutting just south of the road in Tregarth village by the bridge where a bungalow has been built. Next problem would be at Felin Hen where, again, a major road widening has completely changed the trackbed (it's gone!).

Penrhynman

 

I asked the editor of the PQRS journal, Y Llechen/The Slate, about this and he said that it's always a balance to know how much space to use to repeat what's on the website and developing much faster than a printed publication could keep up with. As so much other content was available and mostly topical, this was used instead.

Penrhynman

 

Is there any recent news? The website kept coming with vírus warnings and now has a '403' error message! Thanks, Will

 

Penrhyn Quarries Limited seems to work.

 

Thanks. Don't know why google took me elsewhere! Saved in favorites now!

Will

 

After reading the News report from 26th September I am begining to wish I hadn't found the site... :-(

Will

 

According to the Ogwen River Festival site at G?yl Afon Ogwen River Festival Bethesda "the Penrhyn Railway site at Felin Fawr will also be open for an afternoon for visitors to catch up with developments." The programme says this will be from 1pm to 5pm on Sat Oct 6th.

 

BBC News - Penrhyn Quarry: Slate mine expansion 'to add 15 years'

Quarry has been under threat for some time, now resolved.

 

A recent update with an interesting statement:

"We will have some exciting plans to announce soon and at this early stage we can confirm that we intend to extend the current railway by quite some length."

Penrhyn Quarries Limited

Best wishes for 2013
Will