User:Baldopeter

Changes to the layout.

In the 1920's the layout at Porthmadog was still dominated by sidings to serve the slate wharves. Harbour station was just a small part of the overall scheme. Three roads went past the station building, terminated by a three way stub point to the headshunt. Off the seaward line a spur led through the turreted gate onto the extensive private sidings and turntables of The New Wharf, later known as South Snowdon Wharf.[1] there was one additional siding laid to the seaward side.

By the late 1930's this area had fallen into disuse and the connection removed. [Confirmation needed].

When the new administration took over they inherited the four road layout going past the station building. All the trackwork was laid in bullhead, or double head rail in chairs. The platform line had considerable cant ( or super elevation) on it. During the war all these lines were used to store many different sorts of rolling stock, all of which suffered due to the exposed location. There was a raised bank with spiked railings on the seaward side.

In late 1956 some of these lines were relayed due to frequent derailments, it appears that some of the cant on the curve was also removed at the same time.[2].

On the landward side there was also a siding into the goods shed, and the remains of the line to connect to the Welsh Highland and the wharves crossing the west side of Britannia Bridge was still usable in 1957, but was lifted at the end of 1958. [3]

This layout remained, after clearance, re-sleepering, and a general tidy up until the three way stub point was removed in 1964, first being moved to Boston lodge, and is now in situ in the yard at Minfordd, serving roads adjacent to the Maenofferen Shed. It was replaced by normal turnouts, and the end of southern siding had been raised to allow coal wagons to unload onto the coaling stage.

The general environs of the station site were to change dramatically with the development of two storey dwellings on the rest of South Snowdon Wharf by Bourne developments. There was some dispute over access to the site, eventually a link span was erected to take the access road past the headshunt. The boundaries were now well defined, and rather closed in at this end of the site.

Negotiations took place with the owners of the site of the station, Tremadoc Estates, by 1974 these were concluded and the railway was able to expand seaward, resulting in a new yard layout. By 1975 space was available for six roads, and with oil firing dominant the coaling facilities had been removed. Initially one line was laid to the seaward side, leaving a considerable space between that road and the previous four roads.

In the winter of 1984-5 the throat layout was rebuilt with turnouts constructed from 75lb flat bottom rail.[4]. No 3 road became the main run round road, and the new FB point at the throat was changed from a R.H one to a L.H one. The removal of the connection that used to go across the bridge, and the line into the goods shed being done at the same time. This allowed for a new platform surface to be made.[5]

Six roads now ran in front of the station building, No 3 road also had a locomotive servicing pit built under it, replacing the one on the platform road, this being later used for part of the toilet disposal system.

This layout remained for over twenty years until the arrival of the new ( temporary) Welsh Highland connection, being made in approximately the same position as the line to the goods shed and the old Welsh Highland beyond. The point on the main running line was installed in March 2008, the connection being celebrated at the ‘Golden bolts’ ceremony in February 2009. [6]

In late 2011 the initial works were carried out to start the ‘Cob widening project’ to makeup new land to build a second platform for Harbour Station.

1. Boyd The Festiniog Railway Vol 1, 1965, map between P 42 and 43.

2. Boyd The Festiniog Railway Vol 2, 1962, P351

3. Johnson, Immortal Rails, Vol 1, 2004, Picture P93 , P 111

4. Festiniog Railway Magazine, No 107, P11.

5. Festiniog Railway Magazine, No 108, P12.