Snowdon & Penny

For the last three years I have tried every year to get penny up snowden, without much success as for some reason they have a ban on dogs! Despite this I will try again this year as I have always wanted to make a film on the railway, my plan is simple, ride up early morning and walk down. Becasue of the Ban, my only option is to hope there is a service train that goes up ealy and I can catch a lift on that. Unfortunetly official contact methods have failed me, so I was wondering if any one could drop me line or have a suggestion other than leave penny behind which I will not do, we go everywhere together and without her it would not be the same, secondly leaving a dog in car in high summer for several hours is without doubt a none starter.

Yes, I can guess the so called official reaso, but no one ever made applied such a reason to anything other than dogs. Some children do a lot of damage to railways but you wouldn't suggest a blanket ban on children. Secondly despite all the rules a large dog for blind person can ride and yet a small dog carried by myself can not!

 

Re: Snowden & Penny

Given that you can take dogs in beautifully restored coaches on other railways it's shocking that they're not allowed in the tin shells they use on Snowdon. Good luck with trying!

 

It's been quite a while since I've travelled on the SMR, but they certainly haven't always operated a ban on dogs - indeed I can remember them putting out dog water bowls outside their Llanberis station cafe as a courtesy.

In my experience the thing about the service car being the first train of the day up the mountain has long been a bit of a myth (probably since the high pressure water feed to the summit was installed some decades ago) - second or third train could often be more like it. The pattern of its use might also change when Hafod Eryri (the new summit building) opens this Spring - its storage capacity for food and drink (uphill load) and rubbish (downhill) might well determine how often the service train needs to run.

 

Re: Snowden & Penny

Could you also let me know how you get on.
I plan to climb snowden on a day off from the Gala.

 

Re: Snowden & Penny

Don't plan on doing anything the next day if I was you, I did ben Nevis a few years ago and boy did I know about it the next day. Oh, Yes Penny came along as well.

 

Re: Snowden & Penny

Wow SMR don't allow dogs on their trains!? Thats a disgrace! I hope you get on well!!!

 

Re: Snowden & Penny

So you won't be doing the Three Peaks Challenge then?! :-D

 

Re: Snowden & Penny

We need a campaign: Let the Dog on the Cog!! \/

 

Re: Snowden & Penny

If you contact the SMR it might help if you spell SnowdOn correctly!

 

Re: Snowden & Penny

Ia - Eryri!

Actually, Snowden isn't as common as 'Barnstable' which is *really* annoying.

 

...or the WEST Highland Railway when someone's referring to a Welsh Railway...

](*,)

 

... or the GarrEtts which many people believe run on it...

 

My wife and I travelled on the SMR last year for the first time in 3 decades.
I have ridden in restored heritage coaches on many railways in Wales and elsewhere, not the most comfortable transport maybe, but usually they are nice looking soundly constructed vehicles
Sadly the ride on the SMR was to be crammed in a horrible rickety coach which looked as if it had very little done to it in the last 50 years and was about to fall apart at any minute.
If they won't take a dog, I can only think maybe the SMR coaches are not fit to carry animals in the 21st century, they certainly didn't impress us as fit transport for humans anymore.
Perhaps they should have spent a bit more on the coaches and less on concrete on the top of the mountain.
Cheers Bernard

 

The more I hear about the state of coaches the more I suspect this is just the decision of some one who doesn't like dogs, probably was brought in under the back of the foot and mouth out brake and never repeal, despite the connect was never there and has any way long since gone. Once you have owned a dog for a while you soon notice the policy from some people, no justification and hide behind any excuse.

 

I personlly find the return cost of the SMR too much for my pocket, i would prefer to walk anyway. If I did the last thing i would want beside me in those crampted conditions is someone holding a dog. [-(

 

or maybe a crying baby, child who will not shut up, or any annoying person. As I said why do some people single out dogs on a strange assumption that they are all the same when they are not, it is clearly unfair. While your comment is well intended this just sums up the whole issue.

I would also doubt every coach is jam packed, again the people the assumption is so ban the dog and the dog owner!

Finaly if was blind that would be perfectly ok, despite the fact I can't see that the dog sat on you lap, licking your face etc!

 

just turn up with a white stick and a pair of sun glasses on, no problem, then when you get off at the top throw the sun glasses and the white stick at them giving them the two fingered salute

 

I've been on a 7 1/4" railway with a dog on it! I wouldn't complain about being in a carriage with a dog, its not cramped at all! If almost every other heritage railway in the country can accept dogs, what makes the SMR think they're any better?

 

Maybe the rule was set up because they don't want the top of Snowdon covered in dog poo? Unfortunately, this also prevents thoughtful, pooper-scooping owners from taking their dogs.

Richard

 

or somone who thinks they're a 'realist'. \/