12th

– 14th

OCTOBER 2018

Souvenir Programme

“When so great an authority as John Ruskin left on

record his opinion that “the Vale of Llangollen is

one of the most beautiful spots in Wales or

anywhere else”, further praise of its countless

attractions would be simply supererogation.

And yet, charming as it may be, its loveliness only

furnishes a fit preface to the many and varied

beauties which are successively unfolded to the

traveller over the picturesque Royal Route by which

the Great Western Railway approaches Festiniog

and Barmouth. “

As a general rule the holiday tourist, with limited

time, is in search of much scenery within little

space. To such the Welsh territory of the Great

Western Railway will prove a veritable El Dorado of

scenic riches.

Within the eighty miles of railway west of Ruabon

are countless examples of typical Welsh landscape,

comprising verdant valleys and rugged mountains,

with endless choice bits through the woodlands, or

by the lakeside and the rivers. At its westward

extremity, overlooking Cardigan Bay, is Barmouth,

one of the fairest of the fair seaside watering-

places to be found in Wales”.

Extract from ‘The Official Guide to

the Great Western Railway’, 1913.”

.

Steaming

back in time

•

46521 Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-0

Our first confirmed guest is BR Ivatt 2MT No.

46521, courtesy of the Great Central Railway

in Leicestershire.

This steam locomotive was built at Swindon

Works and completed on 19th February

1953 at a cost of £13,756.

A total of 128 of these locomotives were

built to a design by H.G. Ivatt for the London,

Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS). The first

twenty were built by the LMS, whilst the

remaining 108 locomotives of the class

(including 46521) were built by British

Railways.

The class were designed for light mixed

traffic duties, finding themselves equally at

home hauling passenger and goods trains.

46521 is a former Royal Train engine spent

almost its entire working life in Wales and

was allocated to Oswestry, Brecon and

Machynlleth steam sheds during its career.

.

GUEST LOCO IN PROFILE 1:

Built: February 1953

Allocated new to Oswestry Shed (89A)

Reallocated to Brecon (89B): March 1953

Reallocated to Oswestry (89A): October 1959

Reallocated to Machynlleth (89C): March 1963

Withdrawn: October 1966

Workings over the Ruabon-Barmouth Route

Following the transfer of the route from BR’s

Western Region to the London Midland

Region in 1963, the Ivatt 2MT locomotives

became a regular sight on the line.

During 1963 and 1964, No. 46521 was

nominally allocated to Machynlleth but was

often to be found based at Penmaenpool for

working the Dolgellau to Barmouth shuttle

services.

On the last day of services, No. 46521 hauled

the final 2.55pm Barmouth to (Chester) Bala

train on 16th

January 1965.

The train consisted of just two coaches. At

Penmaenpool, a black flag fluttered at half

mast, and detonators were set off en-route

at Dolgellau and Bontnewydd stations as the

train passed through.

Did you know?

Members of the class gained the affectionate

nickname of ‘Mickey Mouse’

TICKETS

Tickets may be purchased directly from all the

station Booking Offices on the day or in advance on

our website. At times when our intermediate

stations are closed, tickets should be obtained from

the ticket inspection on board the train. Discount

tickets are available for children, senior citizens,

families and groups.

SOUVENIRS AND SALES

The railway’s main souvenir, models and book shop

is at Llangollen Station, stocking a wide range of our

own range of souvenirs, railway books, models and

DVDs at competitive prices.

Two carriage shops selling railwayana, books and

collectables are located at Carrog, with funds raised

supporting the restoration and operation of some of

the railway’s historic steam locomotives. The

stations along the line also have dedicated sales

areas open over the weekend.

REFRESHMENTS

The Station Café and Bar at Llangollen will be open

over the weekend offering a variety of fresh coffee,

teas, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages as well as

freshly prepared sandwiches, cakes, cream teas &

afternoon teas.

At Berwyn, Glyndyfrdwy and Carrog stations there

are small and friendly Tea Rooms offering Tea,

Coffee, freshly made sandwiches, pasties and

homemade cakes. A Buffet is available on-board

one of our trains (see timetable for details).

SAFETY DURING YOUR VISIT

Steam locomotives are used throughout the year and the smoke from them adds to the

heritage ambience of our historic railway. Please take care when close to the locomotives,

especially when trains are leaving the stations.

Please take the following simple precautions during your visit:

• Don’t lean out of train windows or open doors whilst the train is in motion.

• Don’t cross railway lines unless authorised.

• Don’t drop litter from the train.

The Llangollen Railway welcomes visitors to

come and take advantage of some of the

unique photographic opportunities our

railway provides. The railway buildings and

infrastructure provide historical Great

Western Railway & BR (Western Region)

settings between the 1930’s and 1960’s.

Visitors are permitted to film and/or

photograph at the Llangollen Railway for

personal use only. Filming and photography

for commercial gain is strictly prohibited

unless pre-approved by the Railway.

We ask that all of our visitors please respect

the railway and its environment; please do

not trespass on the railway line or any of the

private property adjoining the railway. At

stations, tripod legs should be kept away from

platform edges.

The line between Llangollen and Corwen

generally runs East to West, with the ambient

light keeping to the South site of the line. The

following list details just some of the great

photo locations available from publically

accessible areas along the 10 mile line.

Preserving Memories

Photography & Locations

Llangollen Station and area, LL20 8SN

(OS Grid Ref: SJ 21430 42195)

The main hub of our activities, where visitors can relax between trips in the Station Café & Bar. The station

itself has been lovingly rebuilt to capture the 1950s era and its location beside the historic Dee Bridge in

Llangollen offers excellent access for cafes, pubs, restaurants, ATMs and shops.

The station itself offers some excellent opportunities for photography, with its platform canopy, covered

footbridge and long curved (12 coach length) platforms flanked by overbridges. Locomotives can be seen

taking water from the GWR water column on platform 2. The station was originally opened by the

Llangollen & Corwen Railway in 1865 as an intermediate station and closed to passenger traffic in 1965.

Llangollen Goods Junction, LL20 8SN

(OS Grid Ref: SJ 21007 42530)

Departures from Llangollen can be observed from the roadside along the A542 (Abbey Road) on the

approach to Llangollen Goods Junction. The viewpoint is located opposite the International Eisteddfod car

parking and overlooks the main running line, River Siding and the inclined access line to Llangollen shed yard.

Berwyn Overbridge

(OS Grid Ref: SJ 19666 43186)

Situated to the west of Berwyn station, this

double-track width road bridge offers some

first class opportunities to record trains

approaching and departing the station. A

minor lane runs parallel with the line as far as

Berwyn Tunnel (approx. ½ mile).

Berwyn Tunnel Lineside Viewing Area

(OS Grid Ref: SJ 18953 43133)

A dedicated lineside viewing area on the

approach to Berwyn tunnel was opened in

2015 and is a popular location to photograph

trains climbing up the 1-in-80 gradient. Access

is possible only on foot from Berwyn station,

following the minor lane from Berwyn

Overbridge parallel with the railway.

Deeside Loop & Halt

(OS Grid Ref: SJ 17449 42436)

The passing loop at Deeside is commonly used

during gala events to enable two trains to

pass on the otherwise single track section

between Llangollen Goods Junction and

Glyndyfrdwy. The halt is an excellent example

of an idyllic wayside country halt, boasting a

single track platform, wooden waiting shelter

and signal box.

The halt is not commonly in use so please

check the appropriate timetable if considering

using the train. Access to the station is via a

grassed (and sometimes very muddy)

footpath from the nearby A5 road.

Berwyn Station & Viaduct, LL20 8AN

(OS Grid Ref: SJ 19840 43167)

Probably one of our most popular photographic locations, Berwyn station itself offers some

good opportunities for photographs, particularly of trains approaching up the 1-in-80

Berwyn bank from the east. A public footpath heads down to the historic Chain Bridge over

the River Dee via an underpass at the Llangollen end of the single platform.

A viewing area on the adjacent A5 road overlooks the station beside the lamp hut. Some

interesting side-on shots of trains in the station can be gained from the B5103 roadway

which passes under the platform and then over the Kings Bridge.

Garthydwr Area (OS Grid Ref: SJ 15743

42513)

The minor lane towards Garthydwr joins the

A5 on the eastern approach to Glyndyfrdwy

village, next to the Original Butterfly Man.

Limited parking is available in the laybys on

the A5. The lane and adjacent public

footpaths offer a great vantage point of

trains approaching and leaving

Glyndyfrdwy.

Glyndyfrdwy Station & Area

(OS Grid Ref: SJ 15070 42896)

A genuine GWR signal box (from Leaton on

the Shrewsbury to Chester line) controls the

station area and level crossing, whilst the

Grade II listed former ‘Barmouth South’ box

is open to the public and offers an elevated

vantage point over the station throat.

Playing fields and to the east of the station

are publically accessible adjacent to the

lineside.

Concrete Road

(OS Grid Ref: SJ 14153 42836)

An occupation crossing approximately

1/2m mile west of Glyndyfrdwy station

offers an interesting vantage point from

which to photograph trains passing the

station’s distant signal. The concrete

surfaced access track joins the A5 a few

hundred yards west of the Berwyn Arms

pub.

Carrog Station & Area

(OS Grid Ref: SJ 11776 43518)

Carrog station has been restored to its BR

Western Region 1950s condition and

boasts a restored cattle dock, original

1865-built station building and replica

GWR platform-mounted signal box. Wood

post signalling typical of the 1950s has

been installed within the station area.

A minor lane crosses the line immediately

to the west by means of a stone

overbridge, providing a superb vantage

point over the station. Further west of the

station, a public footpath crosses the line

near the Up Distant signal and is

accessible across a field from beside

Carrog’s 17th Century stone river bridge.

Bonwm Halt

(OS Grid Ref: SJ 09838 43414)

The former station site at Bonwm Halt

offers a location from the pavement of

the adjacent A5 road. Remnants of the

original wooden platform remains are still

in situ; however they lie within the

railway’s boundary and are therefore out

of bounds.

Please take care when photographing

around Bonwm; the A5 is a fast, busy and

twisty road and although the pavement is

on the railway side, it is not particularly

wide. There is no car parking available at

this location; access being on foot from

Corwen town.

Dyrain Corwen East

(OS Grid Ref: SJ 08312 43519)

The railway officially reopened to the

temporary station at Corwen East on 1st

March 2015, serving the picturesque

market town of Corwen. The area around

our present Western terminus offers

plenty of photographic opportunities for

visitors.

A nature reserve bounds the station to the

north along the banks of the River Dee,

whilst to the south is a large communal

field. The line’s approach to Corwen is

marked by Overbridge 28A, with some

interesting views of trains arriving and

departing being possible from the

pavement of the A5.

Please Remember:

Visitors are permitted to film and/or

photograph at the Llangollen Railway for

personal use only.

Filming and photography for commercial

gain is strictly prohibited unless pre-

approved by the Company.

Drones must not be operated on or

within 50m of Llangollen Railway

property.

Situated in a prominent position beside

the A5 road, Berwyn station is instantly

recognisable because of its distinctive

appearance. The architect, Samuel

Pountney Smith, headed his original

drawings for the station in 1864 as a

“design for a 2nd class station”, but as

can be seen, this was anything but!

Today the station is located within a

wooded gorge with only a handful of

houses and a riverside hotel nearby. Back

in the Victorian era, it was surrounded by

a vibrant community including a post

office and Methodist chapel.

However it was the local gentry who were

the main reason for the station’s

existence. The Chairman of the Llangollen

& Corwen Railway lived just up the road at

Plas Berwyn and in an agreement from

1861 it was announced that:

“A station to be called The Berwyn Station

shall be built in ornamental style and

contain a first class waiting room in

addition to the general waiting room. All

passenger trains shall stop at Berwyn if

and when required by the owner or

occupier of, or visitors to, Plas Berwyn

mansion”.

The central part of Berwyn station

comprises the General Waiting Room,

with an adjoining Booking Office. The

elaborate lamps on the interior walls

recall a time when the station was lit by

oil and paraffin only; the station being too

remote for gas pipes to be installed to it.

Tickets Please!

The term booking office – which is still

used today – is adopted from the old

coaching practice of

issuing tickets from a

book. Originally these

tickets on the early

railways were

handwritten and the

process was very

laborious. In 1837 a

stationmaster and trained cabinet maker

named Thomas Edmondson introduced

Station in the Spotlight 1: The Station In the Gorge

Berwyn Station

the Edmondson railway ticket. These pre-

printed tickets were all individually

numbered and date-stamped by a

machine upon issue.

Special souvenir Edmondson tickets are

still issued to passengers from Berwyn’s

booking office in the traditional way.

First Class Waiting Room

The station’s tea room is now located

within the former First Class Waiting

Room. During the Victorian period, the

station boasted a separate waiting room

for the men and women travelling first

class. The room had comfortable seats

and a roaring fire in winter, whilst those in

the General Waiting room would have had

to settle for bench seats.

The Role of the Station Master

From 1865 until the mid-1950s, the

station master was the key authority

figure at Berwyn railway station. The

station master was a well-respected figure

with significant social standing in the local

community. His role would have included

selling tickets, handling parcels, tending to

the station’s coal fires and making sure all

passengers were safe. In his spare time,

the station master also looked after the

station’s floral and vegetable gardens.

Milk

The railways created a regular supply of

fresh milk from the countryside. The milk

was transported in tall conical metal

churns, being taken by a delivery cart

from the local farms to the nearest

railway station.

The churns, generally with a capacity of

seventeen gallons, were very heavy.

Handles enabled two men to lift one when

necessary, but more commonly they were

rolled along on their bottom rims by one

man, making a distinctive rattling noise.

Two milk churns would arrive at Berwyn

every day from the nearby Llantysilio

Farm for transporting on to the Corwen

Creamery.

Station Master’s House

This is the mock-Tudor part of the station

building, which is where Berwyn’s station

master and his family would have lived.

Although the house came with the job,

the Station Master still had to pay rent to

the GWR; in 1924 this would have cost

him 7 shillings and sixpence a week.

The House has recently been tastefully

converted into the Llangollen Railway’s

own self-catered holiday let.

Right Top: Awaiting the arrival of the milk train

Right Bottom: The exterior of Berwyn from the road

Carrog station, 7½ miles from Llangollen,

is an archetypal country station and has

been rebuilt to its mid-fifties condition as

closely as possible. It is set close to the

village of Carrog with its 17th Century

river bridge, mountain vistas and

traditional Inn.

Livestock on the Line

The station's restored cattle dock can be

found halfway along Platform 1 and was

once an important source of revenue. A

cattle dock is a loading platform designed

to facilitate the loading and unloading of

livestock, such as sheep and pigs. Specially

designed cattle wagons would then be

used to move the livestock around the

railway network.

The metal livestock pens still extent at

Carrog would have been used to keep the

animals together and to prevent them

escaping and causing havoc!

Before the development of the railways,

cattle had to be moved from the local

farms to market on foot, which meant

that they lost weight and therefore their

value.

The coming of the railway to Carrog in

1865 brought new opportunities for the

local farmers, offering a much faster and

more efficient mechanism for transporting

cattle to market. It also meant that

animals could be traded further afield

than had previously been the case.

Signalling for Safety

The safety of passengers has been one of

the most important aspects of the line's

history since the railway opened in 1865.

The earliest railway signalmen were in fact

police officers who were employed to

keep order on the railway, to set the road

and to make sure that the line was clear

for the arrival of trains. Indeed it is still

Station in the Spotlight 2: A Frozen Moment in Time

Carrog Station

possible to hear signalmen being referred

to as 'bobbies' today.

Inside the signal box, the main operating

room has a mechanical lever frame in the

centre of the floor, whilst the large glazed

windows enables the signalman to see all

the train movements around the station.

Generally, the red coloured levers operate

all the signals, whilst the blue and black

levers operate the track points. A white

coloured lever indicates that this is spare

(unused).

The signalman on duty at Carrog

communicates with other signal boxes on

the line through a bell codes and

mechanical instruments displayed on a

shelf above the lever frame. When a train

from Llangollen is due, listen out for the

series of bells ringing out as the Carrog

signalman chats with his counterpart at

Glyndyfrdwy.

The current signal box is an award-

winning replica of the original Victorian

version which was demolished after the

railway closed in the 1960s. The rebuilt

signal box was made operational on 3rd

March 2007 and won the national

Westinghouse Signalling Award in 2008.

Waiting Room

During the late Victorian era, a second

platform and waiting room were installed

at Carrog to handle the increase

passenger traffic using the railway.

Passengers wishing to travel towards Bala

and the Cambrian Coast would have

particularly glad of the comfortable and

warm waiting room during periods of

inclement weather. The small coal fire in

the corner of the room would have been

tended to by the Station Master.

After the railway closed in the 1960s, the

waiting room and urinal on Platform 2

were demolished. Fortunately, thanks to

the hard work and efforts of volunteers,

the building was painstakingly rebuilt on

its original foundations in the early 1990s.

A similar waiting room building was found

to still survive on a closed GWR railway in

Gloucestershire and was carefully

dismantled brick-by-brick over the course

of three days in readiness for its

rebuilding at Carrog.

Inside the waiting room, a dedicated

museum on the former Ruabon to

Barmouth railway has been created,

displaying many historic artefacts from

the days of steam.

Right Top: Classic cars, camping and Carrog

Right Centre: The reconstructed waiting room

Right Bottom: The 17th

Century river bridge over the Dee

Right Top: The reconstructed waiting room

Right Bottom: Classic cars, camping and Carrog

We are excited to announce details of this year's Railway Poster

Competition, which is a brand new feature for 2018!

The theme of this year's competition is Steam Trains to the Seaside.

This theme links in with Visit Wales' Year of the Sea 2018 and our very

special Autumn Steam Gala on 12th – 14th October.

The Llangollen Railway invites children of all

ages to parti ipate i our Stea Trai s to the Seaside poster o petitio .

www.llangollen-railway.co.uk

01978 860 979

Free to enter. Fabulous Prizes available!

Experience rail travel how it used to be!

What s It All About?

During the first half of the 1900s, the historic Great Western Railway and later British Railways displayed

large colourful posters at its stations to promote the scenery and attractions that its railway network served.

Many featured beach scenes, as well as the mountains, cliffs, estuaries and railway stations.

The Llangollen Railway invites children of all ages to participate in our Stea Trai s to the Seaside poster

competition.

We have some great prizes lined up for the top three entries:

• FIRST PRIZE: Family ticket on any A or B service and a Llangollen Railway goodie bag

• SECOND PRIZE: Family ticket on any A or B service

• THIRD PRIZE: Llangollen Railway goodie bag

The winning and other commended posters will be put into a special display in Llangollen Station during the

Autumn Steam Gala. For more details, visit our website: www.llangollen-railway.co.uk.

Posters should be A4 size, portrait or landscape. Put the child's name and age on the back of the poster – as

the posters will be displayed publicly please do not put your name on the front.

All entries must be received by 17:00 on Saturday 22nd September 2018.

Please include full name, age and contact details to info@llangollen-railway.co.uk or post to:

Poster Competition - Llangollen Railway, The Station, Abbey Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire, LL20 8SN

The judges will select winners ased o the reativity of the su issio . Judges de isio is fi al.

Winners will be informed by Sunday 30th September 2018 and arrangements made to deliver their prizes to

them. The winning and other commended posters will be on display in Llangollen Station during the Autumn

Steam Gala on 12th, 13th and 14th October 2018.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to return any of the submitted posters.

The Prizes

Further Information

Where Do I Send My Entry?

Choosing The Winners

Are Posters Returned?

www.llangollen-railway.co.uk