Ffestiniog Railway

The Ffestiniog Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Ffestiniog) is a heritage railway based on a 1 ft 11.5 inch narrow-gauge. The railway is roughly 13.5 miles long and runs from the harbour at Porthmadog to the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, travelling through the forested Vale of Ffestiniog and upwards through shattered, mountainous terrain. It is single track throughout with intermediate passing places. The first mile of the line out of Porthmadog to Boston Lodge runs on an embankment called the Cob, which is the dyke of the polder known as Traeth Mawr. On my journey, the steam locomotive Mountain Spirit pulled the train frontwards. 

Once I left Porthmadog the train crossed over the estuary on the Cob embankment before climbing up the valley through the sheep pastures and entering the naturally wooded slopes. After the picturesque Tan-y-Bwlch Station, the train left the trees behind and clung to the steep side of the valley. After rounding the spiral at Dduallt and passing through the tunnel, the train emerged beside the man-made Llyn Ystradau reservoir. 

The slate tips around Blaenau reinforced the feeling of an artificial landscape. Trains remain at Blaenau for approximately 50 minutes. Should you wish to stretch your legs after taking pictures of the steam locomotive, the town centre is only a five-minute walk away, where there are a few cafes and shops. The station shop has a small selection of gifts and snacks.

My new book is available here.

The book covers not only the Great Little Trains of Wales but also other methods of transport in the UK.

I was eight years old when my interest in steam trains began. My parents and I lived close to someone who worked at Doncaster train station. The Flying Scotsman was the most famous train of the time, and for some reason it was at Doncaster for a few days. I was asked whether I’d like to see the train and go on the footplate. Of course I did. What I remember most was the enormous size of the train and that the driver’s cab seemed as big as my bedroom. Everything about the train, the colours, the gleaming metal, the gorgeous carriages, the mountain of coal, made a lasting impression – I wanted to go to places, and I wanted to go on a train like this one.

My father wanted to travel, and the plan was for my parents to see the world when he retired. Cancer cut short his life and their plan died with him. Once I had the finances, I felt duty bound to travel to the places he wanted to go, and if possible, go by steam train. This book is what I found.