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ARRIVAL AT MINFFORDD

A special train hauled by "Taliesin” (built in 1885), will be waiting at Minffordd to take passengers to Tan-y-Bwlch, some 5¼ miles away in the hills. The section of the line from Penrhyn to Tan-y-Bwlch has just been put into operation and is the greatest single step forward so far attempted by the Railway. Tan-y-Bwlch, delightfully situated in the hills is a well-known beauty spot and the special train will stay there for 30 minutes.

On the return journey a stop will be made at Boston Lodge Works to give visitors an opportunity to inspect some of the work of repair in progress.

Light refreshments, publications etc., may be obtained from the Festiniog Railway buffet car. You may be interested to know that this vehicle was reconstructed in our own workshops as was also the observation car. Both these vehicles were originally constructed in 1880/1881.

Timetable:

Please make certain that your special Festiniog Railway ticket is available for inspection at Minffordd before departure for Tan-y-Bwlch.

Warning—

You are reminded that due to the restricted clearances on parts of the Festiniog Railway it is particularly dangerous to lean out of the windows.

At Portmadoc

For the benefit of non-members of the Society, there will be a film show in colour on Narrow Gauge Railways at 8 p.m. in the Commercial Café (Commercial Hotel), High Street, Portmadoc.

In addition to several hostelries where you may be sure of a warm welcome, there is the usual Saturday night dance at the Town Hall, and the cinema will be found near the Western Region Station.

Members will find full details of the time and place of the Annual General Meeting in the Annual Report of the Directors.

NOTES ON THE FESTINIOG RAILWAY

The Festiniog Railway, authorized by an Act of Parliament in 1832 and completed in 1836 was from its inception a forerunner in the narrow-gauge held. Constructed to a gauge of 60 cm. (1 ft. 11 5/8 ins.), 13¼ miles long, it was used principally for the carriage of slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog to the seaport of Portmadoc and was originally horse-drawn. This form of motive power was found to be inadequate and in 1863 steam locomotives were introduced and proved extremely successful (for the first time on any narrow-gauge railway) in spite of the forebodings of Brunel, Stephenson and other such eminent engineers of the time.

This pioneer railway was to capture public imagination yet again by adopting the double-engine (Fairlie’s Patent) and by building the first bogie passenger coaches in Britain. The railway’s operating efficiency was enhanced by the introduction of the vacuum brake on passenger vehicles and electric signalling, and at one stage it carried 150,000 tons of freight and 150,000 passengers in one year—a considerable achievement on 13¼ miles of single track with only two major passing loops.

However the fortunes of this once prosperous line began to diminish with the gradual decline of the slate industry upon which it was founded and in 1946 the railway ceased operating.

With such a history as this the railway could not be left to rot. In 1954 a group of enthusiasts gained control of the Company and so began the enormous task of rehabilitation. Since then the Festiniog Railway Company, assisted by a large number of volunteers, has overhauled 2 steam locomotives, 1 diesel locomotive, 1 petrol locomotive, 7 bogie passenger coaches, miles of track, a number of service vehicles and 3½ miles of telephone and telegraph circuits.

Great though this achievement is, much more remains to be done—for example: 3 steam locomotives, 4 bogie passenger coaches, 5½ miles of track, 9½ miles of telecommunication circuits, and sundry goods vehicles, station buildings still await overhauling. Unskilled as well as skilled volunteers are urgently needed for these tasks. If YOU would like to help please write to the Manager, Festiniog Railway Coy., Portmadoc, Caerns.

The Directors and Officers of the Festiniog Railway Society Limited extend their grateful thanks to the Chief Commercial Officer and his staff at Paddington, the Running and Maintenance Officer at Paddington, and the Public Relations and Publicity Officer and his staff at Paddington and the Directors and Officers of the Festiniog Railway Company without whose splendid co-operation this excursion could not take place.