The Ffestiniog Railway - Part 2 - Tan y Bwlch to Blaenau Ffestiniog
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- Опубліковано 4 сер 2017
- In Part, 2 we leave the ancient woodland behind as our train meanders along the hillsides between dry stone walls with clear views to the stunning Llyn Mair (Mary’s Lake) far below. The unspoiled scenery and mountains stretch as far as the eye can see, this is Wales at its best. After a short tunnel, we are once again treated to kind of vista that would normally adorn a chocolate box lid, before passing under our line at Ddaultt where we leave the original alignment now flooded by the creation of Tanygrisiau Reaevoir to join a new alignment. We complete a spiral to cross over the line we have just traversed gaining enough height to take us along the banks of the man-made reservoir with glimpses of the abandoned track bed below. Over time the new lake has blended in to harmonise and even enhance the already stunning views from the train window. Regaining the original route at Tanygrisiau we run along a ledge hewn out of the rock face just wide enough for our narrow gauge train to pass. The pretty cottages either side of the line at this point are so close you could almost reach out and touch them. Journeys end is near as we approach Blaenau Ffestiniog surrounded by evidence of the once flourishing slate industry for which the line was built. Today the narrow gauge railway finishes in a new station it shares with the standard gauge Conwy Valley line. Blaenau Ffestiniog is a fascinating place brimming with railway history as the once independent companies all competed to transport the lucrative roofing slates to all parts of Britain and even other countries via the harbour at Porthmadog.
In this video we take a now and then look at the old GWR line to Bala as far as Trawsfynydd, mothballed today, but there are determined people striving to breathe new life into this highly scenic and desolate line. We wish them luck as it would be a wonderful experience to step off of a narrow gauge steam train to join a full size one destined for Trawsfynydd.
Finally I have included a few minutes of old cine film taken by my parents showing the Ffestiniog railway in 1963.
Music - ES_Easy in the City - Johan Hynynen - epidemicsound.com 31.37 & 37.40 - ES_Easy in the Neighbourhood 3 - Johan Hynynen - epidemicsound.co
Thanks for the video. Enjoyed like anything. No words to praise. Really it is a treat to the eyes. Old is gold. Very nice shooting.
Such a beautiful scenery from rear view camera. You've rightly mentioned as Wales at being at it's best. Got to see interiors of the carriages too. Old is gold. A small clip in the end proves not much difference in the engine & the surrounding region. You're truly a rail enthusiast. Thanks Tim for sharing the beautiful experience.
Hi Anjali, it is my pleasure to share this trip, through the wonderful Welsh scenery. The old cine film was taken by my parents on one of our many family holidays to Wales, it seems funny to see myself when I was only six or seven years old. The railway has grown, but it still retains its old world charm.
Another very fine edit for the return journey, really showcases the Ffestiniog railway so well. Brings back happy memories of holidays in Wales. Thank you Tim.
Thanks, I enjoyed editing this one as I looked back at my videos from various cameras, still photos and even old family cine film, all enabling me re-live many wonderful North Wales holidays from too young to remember to the present day. I'm glad it brought happy memories for you too.
never cease to amaze us Tim
cracking good presentation.
Cheers Kieth, I enjoyed your visit to Denmark Hill, especially that last freight. I love the Ffestiniog Railway, I've been lucky enough to visit it many times, right from the early days and I always look forward to the next visit, we are lucky here in the UK to have so many wonderful heritage lines to visit.
superb!
Thank you.
Very special esp the mix of new and historical
Thank you, I got a lot of pleasure from putting this video together because it gave me a reason to go through some of my old films and re-live past moments. I hope it is not too long before I can once again ride a train to Trawsfynydd.
I passed through Blenau FFestiniog by car, now nearly 40 years ago. But it was raining hard and foggy and apart from some mining equipment looming out of the mist I have few memories. I v. much enjoyed seeing the glorious Welsh countryside in what looks like beautiful summer weather.
Hi, I am glad I was able to show you Wales on a sunny day, it was unfortunate you saw Blaenau Ffestiniog on a wet, dull day, it is rumored to be the wettest place in Wales, but more often than not, it has been fair weather for my visits. Even on a wet day the slate mining museum is well worth a visit as the mine tour is not affected by rain too much.
Very enjoyable. As was the bottle of Cwtch I consumed while viewing. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, I'm glad you enjoyed it. A good bottle of beer sounds like a good idea, think I'll open one now.
Beautyfull landscape !
It's a beautiful place and the train is a great way to see it.
Excellent video- track-work is superb! Great scenery- FINE!! One further comment- the crew running the engine know what they are doing!! CLEAN STACK= SUPERB FIRING!!
Hi, I'm glad you enjoyed it. The railway is kept in a good state of repair and I am sure the crew on the footplate will appreciate your observations.
Yes Tim! Let's smoke. It's wonderful. I hope, you had a beautiful journey. Hello from Hans in Mühlviertel.🚂🚂🚂👍
Hello Johann, I must visit Austria again, it is a beautiful place. I love to visit the Welsh narrow gauge lines and ride behind the fascinating little engines, there is nowhere else quite like North Wales,
Ok Tim, thank you for the answer. One Information for you. In Austria, we have 3 cogwheel lines. All with steam-mini-lokomotives. St. Wolfgang Schafberg Bahnhof to Schafbergspitze. Puchberg am Schneeberg to Hochschneeberg. And Jenbach to Achensee Seespitz. All 3 lines are wonderful. By by Hans.🚂
Thank you, the cogwheel lines you mention are on my bucket list of things to do. Bye for now. Tim.
Muito obrigado por este magnífico vídeo e os meus parabéns a quem o realizou. A viagem é muito bonita e a visualização do comboio através da mesma é surpreendente.
Obrigado, estou feliz que tenha gostado do passeio.Os voluntários que compraram esta ferrovia de volta à vida muitos anos depois que ela fechou merecem um grande obrigado por seu maravilhoso trabalho.
Thank you, I am pleased you enjoyed the ride. The volunteers who bought this railway back to life many years after it closed deserve a big thank you for their wonderful work.
Este caminho de ferro é por certo um tesouro nacional.
Fiquei até emocionado! Linda a viagem, gostaria de fazer uma viagem dessa. .. Parabéns pelo vídeo
Obrigado, fico satisfeito por você ter gostado.
Re 6.22 I volunteered on the FR deviation at Ddualt in 1971
Hi, I saw people working on the deviation in 1971, but I was too young at the time to volunteer myself. Reopening the Ffestiniog Railway to Blaenau was and still is one of the preservation movements greatest triumphs, I bet it feels good to see trains running over the deviation knowing you were one of the people who helped to make it happen. Enthusiasts owe a big debt of gratitude to all the people like yourself for all the work done and still being done to breath new life into abandoned railways all over the UK and beyond.
Another awesome videos series. I know I forgot to remark on Pt 1- I got in such a hurry to see Pt 2 I forgot. But that's okay I enjoyed them both. I still can't figure how you glided so softly to the ground while taping the train passing at 15:10. It was almost angel like or a bird gliding down. Awesome editing on your part. I wander if there's a Pt 3. I see a foward train driver's view so will watch it next. You do amaze me with your videos. Thanks for taking us along. Safe travels ahead. God bless.
Hi, I'm glad you enjoyed it. There is no Part 3 to this one, maybe I should have put "Part 2 of 2" in the title, although there is a separate "Drivers Eye View" version. The footage at 15:10 was filmed with a drone, hence the bird like view. I hope you enjoy the "Driver's Eye View".
Like the angel part better ha ha great filming.
:-)
Videos pretty, are photos forever
This is a very special railway, there is no other like it.
Fantastic trip and video, cheers! One question: it's turistic or passenger (regular) train?
P.S. @39:15+ When I was little boy I loved watching steam locomotives at station too... :)))
Hello Chuck, I just found this comment, only 2 years late, it is a tourist railway now. I hope you are keeping safe, Best wishes. Tim.
(32:30( Hi Tim, you know at former time cars rolled alone by gravity from hills to port of Porthmadog and steam locos followed separately. Dangerous but what a (last?) view! - Heinz
p.s. fascinating stories of railway and its history as well as steam loco developments
p.p.s.- at another video lots of quirks and curiositis at rolling stock watched - Ffestiniog Railway must be at an enchanted wonderland
p.p.p.s. the Kiwi solution!
In the past the wagons descended under their own weight with a horse riding in a dandy wagon, the horse was used to pull the wagons back up the hill. On special event days they still demonstrate the gravity trains. The steam engines used on this line were very innovative, especially the Double Fairlie locomotives. I haven't yet visited the line when a Quirks and Curiosity event is taking place, I will be looking out for the next one as it looks a lot of fun.
North Wales is a fascinating place with many myths and legends involving dragons, knights and damsels in distress, not to mention the sad story about Gellert the dog - www.beddgelerttourism.com/gelert/
The Welsh narrow gauge railways are well worth visiting if ever you get a chance, as are the museums about the industries Wales was once renowned for.
Thanks for link. Unfortunately Gelert belonged to prince who acted first and thought afterwards. Seems still be valid...
The king must have felt dreadful when he realized his mistake.
This appeared on YT today and I have watched a fair amount. Is it my imagination, o do the forward looking shots appeared sharper than the rear facing ones? But am enjoying the ride!
Hi Chris, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Most of the forward facing shots were taken with a Sony 4K video camera whilst the rear facing ones were taken with a GoPro camera set at 1080. I set the GoPro to 1080 because there is little point setting in to 4K. For a tiny camera it does a good job, but it can't match a good camcorder. I also used a Sony action camera for some shots. It is the use of different cameras that has resulted in the clarity change from forward to backward facing shots. I uploaded it in 4K as a good proportion of the video is 4K.
The station at Llandudno reminds me of a now-demolished and replaced station which used to be near where I live. The train used to have to pull in, then the engine change ends and pull out again onto a different track in order to continue its journey. Nowadays, the line just goes straight through the new station so the train only needs to pause long enough for passengers before setting out again.
Hi, is that Llandudno Town or Junction station? The town used to have an impressive station with plenty of holiday trains in the summer when I was young. It is still there today, but it's a shadow of what it was. A station is far more interesting to those of us who enjoy railways when there are shunting operations, but to everyone else reversing a train and running the engine to the opposite end is a pain in the backside. I guess moving the station to avoid shunting was the logical thing to do. Is the new station in a better or worse position for passengers travelling to the town?
I was speaking of the station shown in the still at 31:46.
The new station is in a worse position for passengers since it's now at the edge of town whereas before, the station was in the heart of the town. But on the other hand at least most people these days have cars, and the train no longer holds up traffic in the heart of town.
The old station is actually still there, but converted to a shopping centre so for all intents and purposes, it's been demolished at least in my opinion. I doubt there are many people these days who even remember that it used to be the train station.
The station at 31:46 is Llandudno Town. I live the UK where many towns have at a "station road", unfortunately in many cases it is only the road name that reminds us a railway once passed through the town as all other traces have disappeared under urban sprawl and shopping centres.
I know what you mean. There's another town not too far from me where the tracks have been pulled up and the station is just the stumps on which it used to stand. No shopping centre. It's just all abandoned and rather sad-looking.
The crazy thing is that some of the long closed railways in the UK have or are being reinstated at vast cost, because the roads can't cope. The best examples being the Borders Railway in Scotland and the impending re-opening of the Oxford to Cambridge line.
The Fairlies must be difficult to balance coal feed!
There isn't much room in the cab either. You might find this article interesting - www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Ffestiniog_Goes_Back_To_Coal
fideo gwych :)
No Front Cam :(
This was the return trip from the front - ua-cam.com/video/1o8YJsVOH58/v-deo.html
Timsvideochannel1 Thank You.