G. C. Spring

From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group

Major G. C. Spring was employed as a consultant to produce for the directors of the Festiniog and North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways a report on those railways. Published in 1921, at a time when on the NWNGR passenger traffic had ceased, and goods traffic was being carried only on an 'as required basis', it suggested that the FR be included with the WHR plans of Jack and group, though not without a word of caution.

The final paragraph states :

The completion of the system, i.e. the connection of the three systems, Festiniog, Croesor Branch, and North Wales Narrow Gauge, would doubtless open up a wonderful tourist route by rail through the heart of Snowdonia and would enable the proportionate cost of Rolling Stock maintenance to be lowered owing to the larger utilization of the Workshop facilities at Boston Lodge, but since the traffic over the uncompleted portion would be seasonal passenger traffic only, it is unlikely that this traffic alone could provide a reasonable return on the cost of completion of the Railway.

It is fairly obvious that before further extensions are considered the Festiniog Railway itself must be first placed in a paying condition.


Details of the 1921 FR report can be found in Portrait of the Festiniog, P. Johnson, 1992.
Details of the 1921 NWNGR report can be found in issue no. 14 of the Snowdon Ranger.

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