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The Vale of Rheidol Railway (Rheilffordd Cwm Rheidol)

The Vale of Rheidol Railway (Rheilffordd Cwm Rheidol) is a 1 ft 11 ¾ in narrow gauge heritage railway that runs for 11 ¾ miles between the coast at Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge in the Cambrian Mountains.

The line opened in 1902 to carry lead ore, timber and passenger traffic. At the time of building, it was of the most up to date standard of narrow gauge construction, and passed through terrain where it would have been almost impossible to build a standard gauge line without prohibitive costs. The narrow track gauge allows the railway to follow the contours of the hillside with many sharp curves and steep gradients which add to the railway's charm.

At the height of the lines prosperity, in 1912, consideration was given to converting the line to electric traction, using hydro-electric power from the River Rheidol. However, control of the line passed to the Cambrian Railways in the same year and plans were shelved. Following the Great War, a decline in mine traffic was balanced somewhat by a growing tourist trade. In 1923 Cambrian Railways were themselves absorbed by the Great Western Railway and goods services were withdrawn completely, and the harbour branch at Aberystwyth closed. The winter passenger service was withdrawn in 1930, and the line closed completely from the end of the 1939 summer service for the duration of the Second World War. Ownership of the line passed to British Railways in 1948, and it survived through threats of closure to become the last sole steam-operated railway operated by British Rail; steam traction having ceased in 1968 on all other parts of the network.

The railway is now owned by a charitable trust. The locomotives and carriages currently in use were built for the line by the Great Western Railway between 1923 and 1938.

LinkExternal link Vale of Rheidol railway website
by David Dixon

Created: Mon, 18 Apr 2016, Updated: Mon, 18 Apr 2016


141 images use this description. Preview sample shown below:

SN5881 : Vale of Rheidol Railway, Goods Wagon at Aberystwyth by David Dixon
SN6878 : Vale of Rheidol Railway, Passing Loop at Aberffrwd by David Dixon
SN5881 : Drop of oil before departure by Richard Hoare
SN5881 : Aberystwyth Station, Vale of Rheidol Railway by David Dixon
SN7377 : Disused mines by Richard Hoare
SN7376 : Approaching Devil's Bridge by Gerald England
SN7078 : Vale of Rheidol Railway, Rheidol Falls Halt by David Dixon
SN6180 : Marsh and scrub between railway and river, Vale of Rheidol Railway by David Smith
SN6479 : Warning signs at Capel Bangor station by Richard Hoare
SN6479 : Passing the Modern Train Shed at Capel Bangor by David Dixon
SN5881 : Vale of Rheidol Railway Approaching Aberystwyth by David Dixon
SN5980 : Level crossing at Llanbadarn by Richard Hoare
SN5881 : Vale of Rheidol Railway, Aberystwyth Station by David Dixon
SN6878 : Aberffrwd Station, Water Tower by David Dixon
SN6778 : Nantyronen Halt by David Dixon
SN6878 : Aberffrwd station by David Smith
SN7376 : Devil's Bridge railway station, Pontarfynach by habiloid
SN5881 : Building construction, Vale of Rheidol Railway, Aberystwyth by David Smith
SN6778 : Vale of Rheidol Railway, Nantyronen Halt by David Dixon
SN5980 : Sign at Llanbadarn station, Vale of Rheidol Railway by David Smith
SN7376 : Water tower at Devil's Bridge by Richard Hoare
SN6479 : The driver collects the token for the next section of the line by Richard Hoare
SN6878 : Approaching Aberffrwd station by Richard Hoare
SN7178 : Vale of Rheidol Railway Passing a Foot Crossing by David Dixon
SN5881 : Railway carriages, Vale of Rheidol Railway by David Smith

... and 116 more images.

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