Penrhyn Railway website

Are there any pictures of the current state of the trackbed? I can find St. Annes Hill but the google images do not help me to see where an overbridge would go. What I thought was the trackbed looks more appropriate for a level crossing.

 

In reply to ilvaporista:

Yes, there are photos of the trackbed and some have been published in Y Llechen, the journal of the Penrhyn Quarry Railway Society. Other than what is on our website, none are available on-line as far as I know. With permission (and I stress "with permission" as the land is private) members of the PQRS have walked the first mile of the tarckbed - stages 1 and 2 of the restoration scheme. One of the benefits of membership is agreed access to the trackbed. Another is their acclaimed quarterly journal.

What appears to be a good site for a level crossing on St Anns Hill was a level crossing for the original Penrhyn tramway before the various deviations for the steam line were built c1870. The bridge site is difficult to see on aerial photos as the area is heavily populated with trees but is slightly to the east of half way between the "level crossing" and the main B4409 road. The best I can do is to suggest you find map ref SH 61404 66640 on Where's the path ?. Entering the Felin Fawr postcode of LL57 4YY gets you quite close.

Even walking up St Anns Hill it's difficult to see the bridge site as slate waste has been piled up high either side of the road obscuring the trackbed, presumably when the bridge supporting walls were demolished and the road widened. Yes, it was even narrower! If anyone knows of the dates when the bridge was removed or the bridge supporting walls were demolished, I'd be very interested to hear from you.

Penrhynman

 

Penryhnman, many thanks for that helpful reply. I enjoy spending time tracing old lines on google earth/maps and street view.
Adrian

 

I have mentioned it on here before I know, but the quality of Y Llechen really is very high indeed. I have been a member for a number of years and really enjoy the features and content including area maps and plans etc when required.

I hope I can get back over again, having not managed it since a mate and I managed to help with breaking up the Trecwn track panels a few years back now.

A very friendly and informative bunch of people to work with and one of the most interesting sites I have visited, with massive potential for the future.

I am looking forward to seeng trains there one day soon!

All the best,

Rich.

 

When you get to Hendurnpike, will I be able to recreate this picture? :

R716 BLANCHE PQR LC Aug1961 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

If the promised update to the website adds back in a Paypal facility, then those of us without a UK bank account (as we are overseas) might be able to join and take advantage of the lauded magazine Y Llechen! C'mon guys !

 

Is this the St. Anns Hill bridge mentioned by Penrhynman in a previous post? :

R1227 PQR near Bethesda 20 Oct 1963 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Ah Ron Fisher's lovely photo of Hendurnpike.

In the future, who knows...

There are several problems, ignoring the fact that the road in the photo (which heads south from Tregarth) is now 4 times the width and about 3 feet lower and hence a major rebuild would be needed, the trackbed that the photographer is standing on is now used as rear access by the cotatges near the crossing site. Quite what the legal status of that is I have no idea but it sounds tricky.

Stage 2 stops just south of here.

Penrhynman

 

No, I'm not too sure where that bridge but I think is is just North of Hendurnpike after the line has turned sharply to the west. The line crossed a N-S minor road and then the LNWR mainline. I think it is the LNWR bridge.

The St Anns Hill bridge is totally different. The only published photos I know of it are in Dick Blenkinsop's book; Linda and Blanche, Penrhyn to Festiniog.

Imagine a road about 10ft (3 metres) wide with vertical slate block walls about 20 ft (6 metres) either side of the road. The sides of the bridge are wooden matchboarding. It's quite unusual.

Penrhynman

 

We do have the means of joining by PayPal but it's not on the website yet. I don't have details to hand but will post them here soon.

Penrhynman

 

Actually, I was riding on the train and was hoping that I could do so again!

 

I've just had a look in Dick Blenkinsop's book and, as you say, it is totally different.

How likely is it that you will be able to re-build it?

 

OK, here's how to join on-line:

Send an email to:
sales@penrhyn-railway-society.co.uk with your name and address with a note of which category of membership you are in (Full, Senior, Junior or Overseas & Foreign).

Please send the appropriate amount by PayPal to this same email address. If you would like to make a donation at the same time, please add that to the subscription. Thank you.

Subscription rates are:

Full:£13.00
Senior (65 and over on 1st January 2012):£11.00
Junior (16 and under on 1st January 2012):£11.00
Overseas & foreign: £16.00

Penrhynman

 

Yes, Ron, you will be able to ride on a Penrhyn railway train again. It will take us a while to get as far as Hendurnpike because of the missing bridge at St Anns Hill. We believe that we will be able to build a bridge across this road. Due to the changes there - road wider & the abutment walls now sloping back at 45 degrees rather than being vertical - it'll be longer than the original. The will is there. All we need is the money.

Apart from the bridge, the rest of the trackbed as far as Hendurnpike is available to us and in good condition, just a bit of drainage and 2 small bridges over footpaths to replace.

Penrhynman

 

Dear Penrhynman,

I think that I have identified the location of the bridge in the picture as being Felin Hen. See picture 19 in Dick Blenkinsop's book mentioned in a previous post.

You'll have a job to rebuild this one judging by the 1993 picture on the same page!

By the way, I think that I might have just twigged who you are!!

 

No moaning about updates - Three this week.

Looks like the boys & girls up there have started on phase one!

 

Certainly have. It's all GO.

There are more pictures on the Felin Fawr Cyf Facebook page. The captions are Welsh as it's really intended for the local area where Welsh is the first language.

Penrhynman

 

For the latest pictures, see : Penrhyn Quarry Railway

Click on the link for Latest News on the left hand side.

 

Some absolutely superb Penrhyn-related news will break soon - can say no more right now but it will become clear before very long...

Andrew Charman
Narrow Gauge World

 

Ooh, sounds interesting!