Bethesda Branch - last train, October,1963.

Afternoon All,

Some of you might be interested to see a couple of pictures of the last ever train on the Bethesda Branch in North Wales on the 20th October, 1963. They are recent additions to my Flickr site are in the 'Latest Pictures' Collection in the Set dated 21st April. Here's a link :

Collection: Stop Press! Latest Pictures!! (Updated : 21st April)

This is a temporary collection where all the lastest pictures go for the first month or two. However, they are also in the 'B.R. Steamdays' Collection in the ex. LNWR Lines Set : B.R. Steamdays - 3.1 : London Midland Region, ex. LNWR lines. - a set on Flickr

Someone who was actually on that last train has added some additional information in the comments boxes below the pictures.

Hope that they are of interest.

 

Wow! What a treasure trove these photos are! My late Father and both my Grandfathers were drivers at Bangor. I never rode the Bethesda branch but can just about remember the odd train on it - probably freight or maybe even tracklifting (I was very young).
I also loved the photo of Blaenau tunnel from a dmu. I loved the dmus on that line and also to Amlwch and Caernarfon. You've brought back some exceptionally happy memories! Thanks for going to the trouble of sharing them on Flickr.

 

My pleasure!

The Bethesda Branch was freight only prior to closure so the odd trains that you remember would have been freight trains. I understand that that the tracklifting was done using road vehicles so, if that is correct, you could not have seen any tracklifting trains unless they were used on part of the line.

 

Thanks for that additional information. I was 5 years old when that last train ran.
We had family in Glasinfryn and used to go for a wander down towards the track from time to time. I can definitely remember the excitement of seeing a train on the Bethesda line at least once, but the memory is incredibly vague. Having read your post, I'll assume it was freight! I also remember seeing a train on the Penrhyn line near the ford on the Cegin. My parents used to walk for miles - we lived in Glanadda!