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Blaenau branch

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

  1. kscanes

    kscanes Resident of Nat Pres

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    Congratulations, you win today's most unhelpful reply competition.
     
  2. kscanes

    kscanes Resident of Nat Pres

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    I've watched numerous youtube videos about the French velorail lines, and on all of the videos they never meet anyone coming the other way - so maybe, as garth manor suggests, it's all about group fun rather than individual families turning up and expecting to set off immediately. On no videos did I see a vehicle being lifted off the track.

    A couple of the videos did answer my issue about turning at the end - fairly simple turntables fitted between the rails, that lift the vehicle and allow it to be turned.
     
  3. paulhitch

    paulhitch Guest

    Of course you are entitled to your thoughts. So am I.
     
  4. simon

    simon Resident of Nat Pres

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    Having been on a couple of vilorails, I can assure you you do meet people coming the other way. But I've never met people who weren't co-operative.

    they are great fun, but its amazing how even a slight gradient can slow you down
     
  5. pete2hogs

    pete2hogs Member

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    Isn't most of the Blaneau line at 1 in 50? That'll slow you down. I can't help feeling our elf'n'safety will wet themselves over this, regardless of what is acceptable in France.
     
  6. Christopher125

    Christopher125 Part of the furniture

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    I'll believe it when i see it - they certainly arent missing any opportunities to get in the news, but as NR made quite clear they still havent agreed a lease.

    Chris
     
  7. Christopher125

    Christopher125 Part of the furniture

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  8. TonyMay

    TonyMay Member

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    for that sort of money why not extend the Festiniog to the actual place it's named after? Blaneua is a hole.
     
  9. SpudUk

    SpudUk Well-Known Member

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    It seems like a pretty pointless idea to me, but what do I know
     
  10. TonyMay

    TonyMay Member

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    And what's wrong with conventional bikes? you know, with tyres? The Tissington Trail does awfully well on an ex-railway line with those.
     
  11. steamdream

    steamdream Member

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    30 years or so it was considered by FR managment!
    About the same time some of LLangollen rly members considered an extension to Bala..
    passed away pipedreams! really?
    regards
    Noel
     
  12. GeoffH

    GeoffH New Member

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    There isn't much there either. Would the FR gain much by going en extra couple of miles?
     
  13. RA & FC

    RA & FC Well-Known Member

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    That extra couple of miles away from a decent transport interchange, and towards the middle of nowhere.

    I do agree that Blaenau is a hole, but with the main line interchange and reasonable sized town, it seams a natural place to stop.
     
  14. meeee

    meeee Member

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    The railway is named after the Vale of Ffestiniog through which it runs rather than the towns of Llan Ffestiniog or Blaenau Ffestiniog. There is no town just called just Ffestiniog.
     
  15. TonyMay

    TonyMay Member

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    well I'm not saying it's a particularly good idea but it surely is better than the madcap schemes to use it as a velorail or standard gauge preserved lline.
     
  16. Woodster21

    Woodster21 Member

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    I see that it's been 4 years since the last post on the Trawsfynydd line - it appears that something embryonic is starting. It appears that there is group talking to NR about clearing the trackbed from Blaenau Ffestinog toward Trawsfynydd
     
  17. Thompson1706

    Thompson1706 Part of the furniture

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    The last thing that North Wales needs is another heritage railway. This is too close to existing railways & goes from one depressing place to the middle of nowhere.
    What has happened to the other scheme to reopen the Amlwch branch ? - answer-very little. These sort of schemes are too late & ill thought-out.

    Bob.
     
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  18. crantock

    crantock Member

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    I think this is doomed. The days of an austerity plus a coach are gone and the surviving railways come with proper infrastructure, volunteers etc. I would have thought a far better opportunity is to cyclepath this. Even if that means, o heresy, ripping up existing track. The welsh mountains lack an easily graded cyclepath and with the WHR restoration the opportunity was lost. Obviously the interesting bits are beyond Trawsfynydd but a cyclepath is easier to extend than a railway.

    Blaneau has failed to make it for Restaurants and hotels but has now got mountain bike trails, zipwires and slate caverns. It is becoming an activity centre and a cyclepath would be a good addition. The problem is the gradient is downhill from Blaenau and it is always best to cycle uphill to a destination and then cruise down.
     
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  19. Martin Perry

    Martin Perry Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator Friend

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    Easy; all the cyclist has to do is to drive his 4x4 to the lower end of the ride and start from there, simples! :)
     
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  20. Christopher125

    Christopher125 Part of the furniture

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    Facebook - The Trawsfynydd & Blaenau Ffestiniog Community Railway Company

    Website: http://www.traws-railway.co.uk/

    They've apparently reached an agreement to start clearance work, according to the unofficial WHR site Colin Dale from the previous scheme is involved in this too.
     

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