Welsh Highland Railway Ffestiniog Railway

in 1988, festiniog railway company involved in controversial plan stop neighbouring welsh highland railway (whr) being rebuilt, concerned @ effect nearby heritage railway competitor have on fr business. initial plan have involved fr company buying original track bed of whr old company s receiver , giving gwynedd county council, provided no railway-related developments allowed on land. greeted dismay whr (1964) company, had been attempting preserve line since 1960s.

this action may have delayed start of rebuilding of welsh highland railway, although alternative plan dependent on continued co-operation of gwynedd county council ensure track bed used solely railway purposes. not guaranteed, pressure various groups objected rebuilding of railway significant , stated intention of council apply abandonment order on gaining track bed. have left track bed open seizure adverse possession ( squatters rights ) farmers, use in other ways such footpaths, road improvement schemes etc., statutory designation of track bed railway have been discontinued. on years, presence of plans footpaths , roads had indeed made difficult wishing rebuild line.

this led group form trackbed consolidation limited (tcl) and, after detective work, tcl managed trace , purchase shares , debentures in original whr company. felt alternative plan available, 1 original company brought out of receivership. intent of tcl provide track bed whr (1964) company rebuild line, refused offer.

tcl introduced fr , decided aims , objectives of tcl , fr similar thus, since 1988, fr company has been totally committed reopening of welsh highland railway. tcl-owned shares/debentures transferred fr on condition returned if railway not built.

the next few years marked protracted legal procedures before assets of old company transferred , before final consent rebuild railway given. first section caernarfon dinas, caernarfon light railway, opened , operated fr 11 october 1997. section not hampered these extended legal procedures , built light railway order, not part of original welsh highland railway route; site of dinas station had been sold off , not part of assets of old whr company. other powers under transport & works order enabled restoration waunfawr in 2000 , rhyd ddu in 2003. hafod y llyn reached in 2009 , pont croesor in 2010. 2010, tracks of whr , ffestiniog railway had been reconnected @ harbour station, linking caernarfon porthmadog , passenger services started in 2011.

the completed welsh highland railway or rheilffordd eryri (its welsh name) comprises parts of former london , north western railway (1867), north wales narrow gauge railways (1877–81), portmadoc, beddgelert , south snowdon railway , welsh highland (1922-3) railway. fr links whr (porthmadog) @ pen-y-mount station, north of porthmadog.