Dinas Junction. A LNWR (standard gauge) train awaits its departure for Afon Wen. The narrow gauge WHR platform is empty.

WHR Collection #107

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Snowdon Ranger at Dinas Junction, 23rd June 1909.

WHR Collection #6

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The Baldwin 590 is seen at Dinas Junction, 1923, shortly after being delivered to the railway. The England-built Little Giant (left) shows the diminutive size of the Festiniog engines which had been imposed on them by restrictive tunnels on that line.

During the time when it was facing south towards Portmadoc (as seen here), the Baldwin had a black livery. In 1934, it was turned to face Dinas and its livery was changed to red (sometimes reported as reddish-brown).

Locomotive Publishing Company, WHR Collection #38

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The Baldwin 590 is seen at Dinas Junction, 1923, shortly after being delivered to the railway.

WHR Collection

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Russell, only 3 years old, and Gowrie, just one, are seen at Dinas, 1909.

WHR Collection

827x481, 74KiB

The few surviving photographs of Tryfan Junction show a simple but tidy station, but very much a living place. Here we see a train of FR stock hauled by Palmerston at Tryfan Junction in the 1924.

P. Johnson Collection

467x152, 28KiB

Russell was mainly used on freight services in the Bryngwyn Branch during NWNGR days. This picture is one of the few that exist of those services. Notice that it has already lost the sand box on top of the boiler. Also, the poor loco hasn't seen a can of brasso for a long time: look at the dome and plates, compared to the brass strip on top of the boiler.

WHR Collection

796x490, 76KiB

An eastward view of Palmerston and train Waenfawr Station, 1923. The NWNGR signalbox (on the right) was redundant in WHR days.

WHR Collection #159

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Moel Tryfan and train at South Snowdon, 1909. The train is a typical 'no-two-alike' collection of carriages. Behind stands the currugated iron refreshment room and stone station buildings.

Locomotive Publishing Company, WHR Collection #33

800x379, 59KiB

Enlargement of the previous photograph: Moel Tryfan at South Snowdon, 1909.

Locomotive Publishing Company, WHR Collection #33

800x606, 71KiB

Gowrie is shown just completing its run-around at the Rhyd-Ddu terminus, prior to returning north to Dinas. The photograph was taken in June 1909, less than a year after Gowrie had been delivered to the railway.

WHR Collection #5

800x508, 74KiB

Single Fairlie Moel Tryfan draws its train into South Snowdon Station (Rhyd Ddu) from the north. From October 1922 the station was misleadingly named just "Snowdon"; a year later, the prefix "South" was added. The station had a passing loop and a coal siding, and had significant timber traffic in NWNGR years.

WHR Collection #66

573x361, 38KiB

Russell at Beddgelert station with train from Dinas, 1923. Before the Festiniog Railway laid hands on Russell regrettably to butcher it, the engine ran the whole Welsh Highland system for a while, still fitted with the Westinghouse brake pump, and with the inevitable sandbox on the front.

Locomotive Publishing Company, WHR Collection #20

800x534, 79KiB

Beddgelert Station, 1925. On the left is Russell, in its cut-down form, and on the right the Baldwin 590. The partially glazed tourist coach adjacent to Russell is similar to the now-restored Gladstone Coach.

In later years, cutbacks in the timetable meant there were no through trains - passengers had to change at Beddgelert.

800x505, 84KiB

Beddgelert station, 1932. On the left, Stationmistress Miriam Jones talks to the driver of Welsh Pony, with a train of FR stock. Russell waits on the right with a train of WHR stock. Hudson bogie wagons hold a store of coal for the local merchant. These wagons were acquired ex-WD after WW-I.

WHR Collection #37

1264x801, 133KiB

One of the George England engines pulling FR Coach No.10 and a train of FR stock at Beddgelert in 1923. Coach No.10 was originally built in 1873 as a bogie luggage brake van, apparently to a design by G.P.Spooner, and at the time numbered as No.2. In 1921 it was rebuilt at Boston Lodge Works on the Festiniog, with a new body incorporating a guard's compartment and two 3rd class compartments. Thereafter, it was used on the Welsh Highland Railway on many occasions.

358x199, 27KiB

The Baldwin 590 is seen at Beddgelert, 1923.

Joe Hughill
(now WHR Collection)

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Russell in un-cut down form at Beddgelert. Note that although the Westinghouse air pump has been removed (and vacuum brakes added), the cab, dome & chimney have yet to me cut down.

WHR Collection

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Russell and the Baldwin at Beddgelert.

WHR Collection

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Russell at Beddgelert, with the Gladstone Car. The effects of cutting down by the FR can be clearly seen. Note also the back sheet has been removed. This is still done in fine weather, to get some air into the cab. However, crews don't appreciate this if it start to rain!

WHR Collection

829x519, 90KiB

Russell hauls a train across the Glaslyn river bridge at Bryn-Y-Felin, thence southwards into the Aberglaslyn Pass, c. 1935.

F. Frith & Co. Ltd, WHR Collection #1

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The Aberglaslyn Pass has two short tunnels and a long one (see the route description by Alun Turner). They were cut to generous dimensions and were unlined.

F. Frith & Co. Ltd, WHR Collection #9

800x509, 111KiB

South of the Aberglaslyn Pass, the line spans Cwm Bychan on a substantial embankment then plunges into a deep cutting before Nantmor. Here approaching Nantmor is Russell and the usual short train.

F. Frith & Co. Ltd

512x383, 61KiB (large file: 1280x959, 322KiB )

Just on from the previous photo, Nantmor cutting opens out, still falling at 1 in 40 throughout. This view is northward (back towards the Aberglaslyn Pass) with Nantmor station behind the photographer.

WHR Collection #185

572x362, 66KiB

Welsh Pony and train heading south across Pont Croesor towards Portmadoc in 1934, and the same bridge in 1995. Cnicht, the Welsh Matterhorn, glowers under the clouds. Welsh Pony is now on static display in the Ffestiniog Railway Harbour Station car park.

Left: R.W.Kidner.
Right: R.D.Beton

1280x960, 240KiB

Russell heads north from Portmadoc New Station across the Cambrian Coast main line (Great Western Railway). 8th July 1936. The 1923 signal box had six levers, two for narrow gauge trap points and four for main line signals. Use of this crossing had been suspended between 1932 and 1935 because of the exorbitant rental charged by the GWR of over £150 per annum, without any legal justification.

WHR Collection #122

800x508, 72KiB

Portmadog's original WHR station was 'Porthmadog New'. Opened in 1923, it was located just across the Cambrian (later GWR) main line. The photograph shows it shortly after opening.

1933 saw more financial problems for the WHR, and the new GWR imposed huge prices for manning and upkeep of the WHR/GWR crossing. As a cost cutting measure, a smaller station was built a few yards away beyond the other side of the GWR, and trains terminated at that station.

Porthmadog New survived a remarkably long time, up until 1990, when it sadly went the same way as the Britannia Bridge to Anglsey, falling victim to children playing with matches.

In the background, just behind the lamp post, the photo shows the buildings of Gelerts Farm, now the Machine Shops of the WHR's Gelert's Farm Works.

Nowadays, the base of the water tower still stands but otherwise the scene has changed - high fences hem in the old trackbed.

WHR Collection #209

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The Baldwin 590 about to leave Portmadoc New Station in 1936, heading north. The train includes a mixture of WHR and FR carriages.

WH Heritage Group

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At Portmadoc Harbour Station, probably circa 1923, Russell heads the 10:45 for Dinas, and Taliesin is on the 10:20 for Blaenau Ffestiniog. On departure, Russell would draw its train onto the Cob, then immediately halt, run around, and pass along the lines in the foreground which crossed Brittania Bridge and thence through the town to Portmadoc New Station on the W.H.R.

WHR Collection #125

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The Baldwin 590 is seen at Harbour Station, Portmadoc, in 1934. In these later years, it faced north and carried a reddish livery. Britannia Foundry is in the background.

WHR Collection

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Coaches being marshalled for auction, Dinas yard, 1941. Arthur Rimmer visited the WHR in 1938, only to be disappointed to discover that it had ceased running the previous year. He returned in 1941 to photograph the demolition and the rake of caoches line up for auction. Serving with the RAF during the war, he photographed Dinas Junction from the air, and also, during his posting to West Africa, was able to photograph the railways of Sierra Leone and the Gold Coast (Ghana).

Arthur Rimmer, now WHR Archive

524x355, 41KiB (large file: 1048x711, 134KiB )

Demolition of WHR track, 1941 or 1942.
More in Alun Turner's
History of the Welsh Highland Railway.

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Baldwin 590 being cut up for scrap in Dinas yard, 1942.

406x254, 116KiB

Goronwy Roberts was one of Russell's drivers on the Welsh Highland Railway. He left in 1935, two years before the closure of the WHR, to work for the LMS. He is pictured here in the cab of the newly restored Russell in the early '80s.
(Obituary)

Dave Allan

360x500, 19KiB