Vale of Rheidol Railway.html |
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Welsh: Rheilffordd Dyffryn Rheidol |
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| Location | |
| Place | Ceredigion, Wales |
| Terminus | Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge |
| Commercial Operations | |
| Name | Rheilffordd Dyffryn Rheidol |
| Built by | Engineer: James Szlumper |
| Gauge | 1 ft 11¾ in (603 mm) |
| Preserved Operations | |
| Owned by | Trust Rheilffordd Dyffryn Rheidol |
| Operated by | Rheilffordd Dyffryn Rheidol Ltd. |
| Stations | 9 |
| Length | 11¾ miles |
| Gauge | 1 ft 11¾ in (603 mm) |
| Commercial History | |
| Opened | August 1902 Opened for passengers: 22 December 1902 Cambrian Railways: 1 July 1913 GWR Grouping: 1923 British Railways: 1948 Last BR Steam railway: from 1967 |
| Closed | Privatised |
| Preservation History | |
| 1989 | Privatised |
The Vale of Rheidol Railway (VoR, Welsh: Rheilffordd Dyffryn Rheidol ) is a narrow-gauge 1 ft 11¾ in (603 mm) gauge heritage railway that runs for 11¾ miles between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge in Wales, UK. It was the last line to be operated by steam as part of the nationalised British Railways network, until it was privatised in 1989.
Contents |
History
The originally-planned primary purpose of the line was to serve the mines in the Rheidol valley, carrying ore, especially lead, and timber (for pit props etc.) to the sea and the main line railway at Aberystwyth. But by the time that the railway was built, lead mining in Ceredigion was in steep decline, and unusually tourism was its greatest earner right from when it opened, although during World War I military camps in the valley and the need for timber for the war effort meant that freight did briefly take over as the main earner. A narrow gauge line for the area was proposed after the initial route planned for the Manchester and Milford Railway, from Llanidloes to Aberystwyth via Devil's Bridge, was altered (and indeed, ultimately abandoned before construction started).
Construction was begun in 1901 following an Act of Parliament in 1897. Rock was hand-hewn instead of being blasted in order to save money. The railway was unusual in that it developed its tourist potential by carrying passengers from its opening: the line opened for mineral traffic in August 1902 and for passengers on 22 December 1902.
In addition to the mainline, which still operates, there was originally a branch line which ran to Aberystwyth harbour. However, the branch line was intended principally for freight services, and became redundant with the predominance of tourist passenger operations. The branch line was closed and lifted, and little evidence of it remains today.1
On 1 July 1913, the line was absorbed by Cambrian Railways. It was subsequently grouped into the Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1923. The GWR turned it uniquely into a completely tourist based service, freight services being withdrawn and only a summer season of trains being operated from the 1930s. The entire line was closed for the duration of World War II, though maintained so that in 1946 it reopened, and in 1948 passed into the hands of British Railways. The line was finally privatised in 1989, sold to the Brecon Mountain Railway, who in 1996 sold it on to the Phyllis Rampton Trust. Today it still operates as a tourist railway offering an hour-long journey through spectacular mountain scenery, much of it at a gradient of 1 in 50. The headquarters of the railway are at Aberystwyth, where it shares a terminus with the standard gauge main line, trains leaving from the former Carmarthen bay platform. For many years, it was the sole steam-operated line on the British Rail network, steam traction having ceased in 1968 on all other parts of the system. Accordingly, Aberystwyth depot was a popular and significant request for engine crews to transfer tocitation needed.
- For details of the locomotives used on the line see: Vale of Rheidol Railway locomotives
The route
There are nine stations. Whilst all trains generally stop at block stations, for operational reasons, the other (smaller) stations are request stops.
- Aberystwyth - Block station, passing loop, and terminus.
- Llanbadarn
- Glanrafon
- Capel Bangor - Block station and passing loop.
- Nantyronen
- Aberffrwd - Block station and passing loop.
- Rheidol Falls
- Rhiwfron
- Devil's Bridge - Block station, passing loop, and terminus.
When the lead mines were being worked there was an aerial cableway linking them with Rhiwfron.
Gallery
 No 8 (like sister engines 7 and 9) had probably the oddest application of the rail blue livery during the 1970s |
 Train with No 7 leaving Aberystwyth station |
 No. 9 "Prince of Wales" rests at Devil's Bridge after arrival from Aberystwyth. |
 Front view of No. 9 |
See also
References
- ^ Parts of the route may be traced via the Geograph Project as here, for example.
External links
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