Ffestiniog in the 1960s…
Last week I shared a few photos and memories of recent and first trips on the Ffestiniog Railway. Regular reader Alan Sewell commented on that topic as well as emailing me some photographs which are too good not to share here…
“You are very lucky to be able to visit the Ffestiniog relatively easily. I have fond memories of first visiting the railway in the mid-1960’s. Having just gone and walked around Penrhyn quarries ( shut for their holidays) we had a family trip on the train to Tan-y-bwlch then the end of the line and saw both Linda and Blanche as well as Prince. A chance purchase from the bookshop at Portmadoc of the predecessor to Industrial Railway Society Handbooks and I started the journey down the rabbit hole of industrial railways. We had at least one other North wales holiday in the 1960’s and somehow I pursued my parents to ride the train again and even went to the then disused Blaenau FR station. There have been a few visits since and it still has a strong pull. I have some photos from my first trip which I will send and you can see the changes”.
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| Boston Lodge, August 1964, Prince and Blanche, prior to roof modifications and running with the small coal tender. She ran like this only for the 1964 season, so Alan must have visited in 1964. Photo Alan Sewell. |
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| Linda at Harbour Station, August 1964, with Princess just in shot and Prince’s steam behind. Linda was rebuilt with a cut down cab profile and Welsh Pony’s tender, widened, for the 1964 season. Photo Alan Sewell. |
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| Prince at Tan-y-bwlch, August 1964. No ugly signal box yet (not until 1971, hopefully one day the relays for he signals can be moved and it can be demolished). Prince had been the mainstay of the early preservation era, lasting in service until 1968 when he underwent another overhaul. Photo Alan Sewell. |
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| Dinas, Blaenau Ffestiniog, from what I can tell. The BR station had closed in 1961. Mid 1960s, photo Alan Sewell. |
Thank you to Alan for taking the time to share these with me, and allowing me to share them all with you. They are of course his property and if you wish to use them then you can contact me and I’ll pass on your details. What I really love is how this visit for him sparked his life long interest in industrial railways, and by sharing this story with us he is also sharing a little of the emotional back story to his own modelling.
I love the railway, and will continue to visit as often as I can. Until next time more soon…
I've never been to the Ffestiniog railway.
ReplyDeleteThere, I've said it...
I’m sure it’s not for everyone, but it is interesting that so many of us find it gets under her skin in a way we didn’t realise at the time. For many years I pushed back against it, rejecting its commercialisation and tending towards the Talyllyn and Corris but where those lines have many of their own charms and even more passionate followers, for me my heart will always be in Porthmadog.
DeleteJames
ReplyDeleteVery happy for you to publish these early photos of mine with your kind comments. The photos of Linda, Blanche and Prince were indeed taken in August 1964 and are among my earliest railway photos. The photo of the disused station was taken in 1965 and as I remember it the narrow gauge tracks on the left under the foot bridge ran from the one of mines ( Oakley? ) to the exchange yards.
In the photo of Linda the the loco in the background was Princess kept as a display at the station. The smoke is from Prince who was running round the service train seen at Tan-y-Bwlch in another photo
Best regards
Alan
Thanks Alan, I’m always happy to share your wonderful photographs, especially with your memories.
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