Conway and Llanrwst Railway
Encyclopedia
The Conway and Llanrwst Railway was a standard gauge
railway built to connect the Welsh
coastal town of Conway, nowadays addressed by its Welsh name of Conwy
, with the inland towns of Llanrwst
and Betws y Coed. It opened in 1863 and was eventually absorbed into the lines operated by the London and North Western Railway
. In 2008 it continues to operate as part of the Conwy Valley Line
.
(CHR) planned a branch from its mainline at Conway along the Conwy valley
to Llanrwst. Although this plan did not result in a railway, in 1853 a proposal for the Conway and Llanrwst Railway was laid before Parliament
. This first bill was withdrawn following a proposal for an alternative route from the CHR. A third attempt for a railway along the valley came from the engineer Edmund Sharpe
who worked for the CHR. He proposed a narrow gauge
line of gauge along the west side of the valley. This proposal was rejected by the CHR in 1858. Sharpe then joined the promoters of the original Conway and Llanrwst Railway who at a second attempt gained official approval for their railway in July 1860.
Construction of the railway began in August 1860. By this time the CHR had become part of the London and North Western Railway
(LNWR), and the board of the LNWR decided to purchase the Conway and Llanrwst Railway Company and run the railway as a branch of their main line to Holyhead. By 1863 the railway was a part of the LNWR.
The line opened on 16 June 1863. In July 1865, the LNWR gained a further Act enabling an extension of the line to Betws y Coed, which was then becoming a favoured tourist attraction. This extension was opened in 1868.
The Conway and Llanwrst Railway continues to operate in 2008, as part of the Conwy Valley Line.
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
railway built to connect the Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
coastal town of Conway, nowadays addressed by its Welsh name of Conwy
Conwy
Conwy is a walled market town and community in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales. The town, which faces Deganwy across the River Conwy, formerly lay in Gwynedd and prior to that in Caernarfonshire. Conwy has a population of 14,208...
, with the inland towns of Llanrwst
Llanrwst
Llanrwst is a small town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It takes its name from the 5th century to 6th century Saint Grwst, and the original parish church in Cae Llan was replaced by the 12th-century church....
and Betws y Coed. It opened in 1863 and was eventually absorbed into the lines operated by the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
. In 2008 it continues to operate as part of the Conwy Valley Line
Conwy Valley Line
The Conwy Valley Line is a railway line in north Wales. It runs from Llandudno via Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog, and was originally part of the London and North Western Railway, being opened in stages to 1879...
.
History
As early as 1846, the Chester and Holyhead RailwayChester and Holyhead Railway
The Chester and Holyhead Railway was incorporated out of a proposal to link Holyhead, the traditional port for the Irish Mail, with London by way of the existing Chester and Crewe Railway, and what is now the West Coast Main Line...
(CHR) planned a branch from its mainline at Conway along the Conwy valley
River Conwy
The River Conwy is a river in north Wales. From its source to its discharge in Conwy Bay it is a little over long. "Conwy" is sometimes Anglicized as "Conway."...
to Llanrwst. Although this plan did not result in a railway, in 1853 a proposal for the Conway and Llanrwst Railway was laid before Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. This first bill was withdrawn following a proposal for an alternative route from the CHR. A third attempt for a railway along the valley came from the engineer Edmund Sharpe
Edmund Sharpe
Edmund Sharpe was an English architect and engineer. He started his career as an architect, initially on his own, then in partnership with Edward Paley, designing mainly churches but also some secular buildings...
who worked for the CHR. He proposed a narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
line of gauge along the west side of the valley. This proposal was rejected by the CHR in 1858. Sharpe then joined the promoters of the original Conway and Llanrwst Railway who at a second attempt gained official approval for their railway in July 1860.
Construction of the railway began in August 1860. By this time the CHR had become part of the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
(LNWR), and the board of the LNWR decided to purchase the Conway and Llanrwst Railway Company and run the railway as a branch of their main line to Holyhead. By 1863 the railway was a part of the LNWR.
The line opened on 16 June 1863. In July 1865, the LNWR gained a further Act enabling an extension of the line to Betws y Coed, which was then becoming a favoured tourist attraction. This extension was opened in 1868.
The Conway and Llanwrst Railway continues to operate in 2008, as part of the Conwy Valley Line.