Rhyd Ddu railway station
Encyclopedia
Rhyd Ddu is a station on the narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway
, which was built in 1881 as the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways
Moel Tryfan Undertaking to carry dressed slate to Dinas Junction
on the LNWR. The railway was extended southwards to Beddgelert and Porthmadog in 1923, and in its lifetime the station was variously also named "South Snowdon" and "Snowdon". Passenger services ceased to the old station site on 26 September 1936, and the station was reopened to passengers on 18 August 2003 on a new site slightly to the east (the car park occupies the original site) following the complete reconstruction of the railway from Waunfawr
to Rhyd Ddu. The train services are operated by the Festiniog Railway Company's Welsh Highland Railway
subsidiary.
station is the starting point of the 'Rhyd Ddu' footpath to the summit of Snowdon
.
There are public toilets and a car park adjoining the station. The Snowdonia Sherpa bus service to Beddgelert and Porthmadog or Pen-y-Pass
calls at the station.
on 30 July 2003. Prince Charles travelled from Waunfawr to Snowdon Ranger
in the replica of a North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways
coach and from there to Rhyd Ddu on the footplate of the Ffestiniog Railway locomotive "Prince", built in 1863, which hauled the special train. Public passenger services commenced on 18 August 2003 and an honoured guest that day was Mr Richard Williams of Beddgelert who had travelled on the first train in 1923.
, started at Rhyd Ddu in 2005.
In February and March, 2006, the station underwent a large extenstion to allow through running trains to Porthmadog. These include two water towers for trains running in both directions, a "Rhyd Ddu Yard" with two sidings, one capable of stabling a train, and building a new southerly extension to the platform that extends it to the 200 m standard length platform of this route. There is also a waiting shelter and occasional ticket office. Trackwork modifications were completed to permit right-hand running (normal WHR and FR practice) into and through the station. Unfortunately for the 2006 reopening of the station on 8 April, the trackwork for the Up loop had not been consolidated sufficiently to allow carriages to use the Porthmadog bound platform, due to a mechanical failure of the tamper. For the period between the reopening and 1 June 2006, when right hand running commenced, temporary operating instructions were in place whilst trains continued to run into the left hand line.
Image:S7 BWH26-5-03A.JPG|Northerly view of Rhyd Ddu station in the final stages of construction on 26 May 2003. Diesel loco Conway Castle hauls a PW train with a tamping machine in the background.
Image:Bodysgallen-atRhydDdu.jpg|The Bodysgallen Pullman Car at Rhyd Ddu on the afternoon of 18 August 2003
Image:Rhyd-Ddu Station.JPG|Looking south the evening (7 April 2006) before re-opening after major rebuilding in 2006
File:WHR Rhyd Ddu.jpg|A train with NG143 heading for Beddgelert, May 2009
Welsh Highland Railway
The Welsh Highland Railway is a long restored narrow gauge heritage railway in North Wales, operating from Caernarfon to Porthmadog, and passing through a number of popular tourist destinations including Beddgelert and the Aberglaslyn Pass. At Porthmadog it connects with the Ffestiniog Railway...
, which was built in 1881 as the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways
North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways
The North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways was a gauge railway running from Dinas to Bryngwyn, Wales, which was authorised by Act of Parliament 1872. The same act authorised a branch from Tryfan Junction to South Snowdon...
Moel Tryfan Undertaking to carry dressed slate to Dinas Junction
Dinas railway station
Dinas is a station on the narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway, which was built in 1877 as the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Moel Tryfan Undertaking to carry dressed slate for trans-shipment to the LNWR. Passenger services ceased on 26 September 1936 until which time Dinas had been a joint...
on the LNWR. The railway was extended southwards to Beddgelert and Porthmadog in 1923, and in its lifetime the station was variously also named "South Snowdon" and "Snowdon". Passenger services ceased to the old station site on 26 September 1936, and the station was reopened to passengers on 18 August 2003 on a new site slightly to the east (the car park occupies the original site) following the complete reconstruction of the railway from Waunfawr
Waunfawr railway station
Waunfawr is a station on the narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway, which was built in 1877 as the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Moel Tryfan Undertaking to carry dressed slate to Dinas Junction on the LNWR. Passenger services ceased on 26 September 1936 and the station was reopened on 7 August...
to Rhyd Ddu. The train services are operated by the Festiniog Railway Company's Welsh Highland Railway
Welsh Highland Railway
The Welsh Highland Railway is a long restored narrow gauge heritage railway in North Wales, operating from Caernarfon to Porthmadog, and passing through a number of popular tourist destinations including Beddgelert and the Aberglaslyn Pass. At Porthmadog it connects with the Ffestiniog Railway...
subsidiary.
Facilities
Rhyd DduRhyd Ddu
Rhyd Ddu is small village in Snowdonia, North Wales.Rhyd Ddu is well known as a popular starting point for walks up Snowdon , Moel Hebog, Yr Aran and the Nantlle Ridge....
station is the starting point of the 'Rhyd Ddu' footpath to the summit of Snowdon
Snowdon
Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain"...
.
There are public toilets and a car park adjoining the station. The Snowdonia Sherpa bus service to Beddgelert and Porthmadog or Pen-y-Pass
Pen-y-Pass
Pen-y-Pass is a mountain pass in Snowdonia, Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It is a popular location from which to walk up Snowdon, as three of the popular routes can be started here...
calls at the station.
2003 re-opening
Following reconstruction, the section from Waunfawr to Rhyd Ddu was formally reopened by HRH the Prince of WalesPrince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
on 30 July 2003. Prince Charles travelled from Waunfawr to Snowdon Ranger
Snowdon Ranger railway station
Snowdon Ranger is a station on the narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway, which was built in 1878 as the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways Moel Tryfan Undertaking to carry dressed slate to Dinas Junction on the LNWR....
in the replica of a North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways
North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways
The North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways was a gauge railway running from Dinas to Bryngwyn, Wales, which was authorised by Act of Parliament 1872. The same act authorised a branch from Tryfan Junction to South Snowdon...
coach and from there to Rhyd Ddu on the footplate of the Ffestiniog Railway locomotive "Prince", built in 1863, which hauled the special train. Public passenger services commenced on 18 August 2003 and an honoured guest that day was Mr Richard Williams of Beddgelert who had travelled on the first train in 1923.
Welsh Highland Railway Phase 4 and 2006 reconstruction
Work on Phase 4, the long final section of the Welsh Highland Railway from Rhyd Ddu to PorthmadogPorthmadog
Porthmadog , known locally as "Port", and historically rendered into English as Portmadoc, is a small coastal town and community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd, in Wales. Prior to the Local Government Act 1972 it was in the administrative county of Caernarfonshire. The town lies east of...
, started at Rhyd Ddu in 2005.
In February and March, 2006, the station underwent a large extenstion to allow through running trains to Porthmadog. These include two water towers for trains running in both directions, a "Rhyd Ddu Yard" with two sidings, one capable of stabling a train, and building a new southerly extension to the platform that extends it to the 200 m standard length platform of this route. There is also a waiting shelter and occasional ticket office. Trackwork modifications were completed to permit right-hand running (normal WHR and FR practice) into and through the station. Unfortunately for the 2006 reopening of the station on 8 April, the trackwork for the Up loop had not been consolidated sufficiently to allow carriages to use the Porthmadog bound platform, due to a mechanical failure of the tamper. For the period between the reopening and 1 June 2006, when right hand running commenced, temporary operating instructions were in place whilst trains continued to run into the left hand line.
Gallery
Image:S7 BWH26-5-03A.JPG|Northerly view of Rhyd Ddu station in the final stages of construction on 26 May 2003. Diesel loco Conway Castle hauls a PW train with a tamping machine in the background.
Image:Bodysgallen-atRhydDdu.jpg|The Bodysgallen Pullman Car at Rhyd Ddu on the afternoon of 18 August 2003
Image:Rhyd-Ddu Station.JPG|Looking south the evening (7 April 2006) before re-opening after major rebuilding in 2006
File:WHR Rhyd Ddu.jpg|A train with NG143 heading for Beddgelert, May 2009
External links
- The Welsh Highland Railway Project - official reconstruction site
- Welsh Highland Railway (Caernarfon)
- Rebuilding The Welsh Highland Railway - an independent site
- The Royal re-opening to Rhyd Ddu 2003
- Welsh Highland Railway Timetables
- Multimap Map of Rhyd Ddu