Ffestiniog Railway Rheilffordd Ffestiniog | |
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![]() Two trains passing at Tan-y-Bwlch, c. 1900 | |
Locale | Wales |
Terminus | Porthmadog |
Commercial operations | |
Name | Festiniog Railway Company |
Built by | Festiniog Railway Company |
Original gauge | 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) |
Preserved operations | |
Operated by | Festiniog Railway Company |
Stations | 10 |
Length | 13.5 miles (21.7 km) |
Preserved gauge | 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) |
Commercial history | |
Opened | 20 April 1836 |
Closed | 1 August 1946 |
Preservation history | |
1954 | Restoration started at Boston Lodge works 20 September 1954 |
1955 | Reopened from Portmadoc Harbour to Boston Lodge – 23 July |
1956 | Reopened to Minffordd |
1957 | Reopened to Penrhyn |
1958 | Reopened to Tan-y-Bwlch |
1965 | Start of the Deviation construction work |
1968 | Reopened to Dduallt |
1974 | Restoration of Rhiw Goch passing loop |
1977 | Reopened to Llyn Ystradau |
1978 | Reopened to Tanygrisiau |
1982 | Reopened to Blaenau Ffestiniog |
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The Ffestiniog Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Ffestiniog) is a heritage railway based on 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in (597 mm) narrow-gauge, located in Gwynedd, Wales. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the Snowdonia National Park.
The railway is roughly 13+1⁄2 miles (21.7 km) long and runs from the harbour at Porthmadog to the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, travelling through forested and mountainous terrain. The line is single track throughout with four intermediate passing places. The first mile of the line out of Porthmadog runs atop an embankment called the Cob, which is the dyke of the polder known as Traeth Mawr.
The Festiniog Railway Company, which owns the railway, is the oldest surviving railway company in the world. It also owns the Welsh Highland Railway, which was re-opened fully in 2011. The two railways share the same track gauge and meet at Porthmadog station, with occasional trains working the entire 40-mile (64 km) route from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Caernarfon.