Bala Lake Railway
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Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid |
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|---|---|
 |
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| Alice at Llanuwchllyn, 18 July 2004 | |
| Locale | Wales |
| Terminus | Llanuwchllyn |
| Commercial operations | |
| Name | Ruabon Barmouth Line |
| Built by | GWR |
| Original gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Preserved operations | |
| Operated by | Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid Ltd |
| Length | 4.5 miles (7.2 km) |
| Preserved gauge | 2 ft (610 mm) |
| Commercial history | |
| Opened | Between 1 December 1861 and 10 October 1867 |
| Closed to passengers | 18 January 1965 |
| Closed | 1968 |
| Preservation history | |
| Opened | 1972 |
The Bala Lake Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid) is a narrow gauge railway along the southern shore of Bala Lake in Gwynedd, North Wales. The line, which is 4 1⁄2 miles (7.2 km) long, is built on a section of the former standard gauge Ruabon - Barmouth GWR route, which was built by the Bala and Dolgelley Railway Company, and opened in August 1868. The line joined the Corwen & Bala Railway at Bala Junction and with the Cambrian Railways at Dolgellau. The line was absorbed in 1877 and then operated by the Great Western (GWR). In 1896 Llanuwchllyn station was redeveloped, with an extended building and a new signal box. A passing loop and second platform were also added.
Passenger services through Bala ceased on Monday 18 January 1965 as the line from Llangollen to Barmouth was closed. Originally earmarked for dieselisation by the Western Region of British Railways in the early 1960s, the Ruabon to Bala / Barmouth line was included in the infamous Beeching Report in 1963. From that time, the line was gradually run down, with the long distance holiday trains and through freight traffic being diverted to the Cambrian main line through Welshpool and other facilities rationalised. Goods traffic finally ceased running 1 January 1968, when the Pontcysyllte branch was closed. However, through rail services had effectively ceased December 1964 when the last Mail Train from Chester used the line.
Another section of the former permanent way is used by the Llangollen Railway. The Bala Lake Railway, which runs on 2 ft (610 mm)-gauge preserved rolling stock, is a member of the Great Little Trains of Wales.
By 1969 the track had been lifted but rebirth of the line as a narrow gauge railway came when local engineer, George Barnes, saw the potential of the lakeside section for both local and tourist traffic. With the help of the late Tom Jones CBE, then Chairman of Merioneth County Council's Finance Committee, named Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid Ltd, was the first company in Wales to be registered exclusively in the Welsh language.
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Wikipedia