Bontnewydd
| Bontnewydd | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Prior to opening, looking towards Caernarfon. | |||||||||
| Type | Request Halt | ||||||||
| Status | Open | ||||||||
| Location | |||||||||
| Latitude | 53:06:54.15N | ||||||||
| Longitude | 04:16:25.16W | ||||||||
| Grid reference | SH479599 | ||||||||
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| Stations | Locations | Bridges | Tunnels | Map | |||||||||
Bontnewydd is a request halt on the Welsh Highland Railway at a distance of approximately 36.85km (22.9) miles from Porthmadog. [route 1][wikipedia 1]
Background[edit]
Bontnewydd, pronounced ''bont'new'ith'' and meaning 'New bridge' , lies at roughly 30m (99 ft) above sea level. The original Bont is that on the main road in the village, across Afon Gwyrfai, and is possibly of the late 18th century.
This halt, the first additional halt on the newly built line, was opened to traffic in May 1999. It had previously existed as a standard gauge halt, during LNWR and BR days.
Bontnewydd Viaduct[edit]
Just south of the Halt is the splendid three-arched viaduct over Afon Gwyrfai. This was designed by C. E. Spooner for the Carnarvonshire [sic] Railway which opened in 1867. The filling of the spandrels was taken out in 1997 and the viaduct arches were as good as the day they were turned.
300 yards upstream (east) is the arch of the Nantlle Railway bridge of c.1828, now an Ancient Monument but in poor condition. The Carnarvonshire Rly structures - bridges etc - were built to double-track standard-gauge structure gauge, but the cuttings were not completely mucked out and the line was worked as a single track. When this section was rebuilt for 2ft gauge, the 1867 cuttings were mucked out to allow for the adjacent Lôn Eifion cycle-track and footpath. The last shovel of the last cutting fitted perfectly into the last dip in the nearby embankment - Charles Easton Spooner knew about quantity surveying.
N.B. Certain place names are used frequently in the area. One example being this place: Bont Newydd is also a place referred in Boyd, said to be located near to Rhiw Plas/Minffordd Cemetery, some 15 miles south-east of here.
Company Access Statement[edit]
For general details see here
This halt is accessible from the adjacent Lôn Eifion cycle path. The path is tarmac and level in most places. There is no road access.
Trains will not normally stop here, as this location is classed as a halt, and not a scheduled stop.
Passengers on the train should notify the guard as soon as possible if they wish to alight at this location.
Passengers at the halt should hold out their hand to attract the attention of the driver, who will often give a short whistle to acknowledge that the train will stop.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
External Links[edit]
There are a number of local interest sites, amongst which is this site
The Official construction site has 2 pages covering this location,
one for an area description,
and
one for the rebuilding in the area