Suzie in Wales - The End

Fortunately the dreadful overnight weather had largely gone by the time we left the hotel and we had a good drive back with no significant holdups. We had considered stopping somewhere but, with work for me the next day, I didn’t want to be too late home. Here’s a few thoughts from the week. 

Considering it was fairly wet, with rain every day, we were incredibly lucky - other than some quick dashes to or from the car we always managed to be on trains or indoors when it rained heavily. 

Our hotel, Gwesty Tyn-Y-Cornel is highly recommended with friendly staff who go that bit further than basic service, such as taking the breakfast order from a family and adding two extra sausages for the dogs!

The Vitara behaved impeccably throughout and I’ll admit that on some of the twisting and climbing roads I was pleased to have an automatic, the constant gear changing would have put a strain on my left leg. We just had enough space for three of us, our luggage and Mandy’s scooter.

Doing five railways in five days was a bit excessive, even for me, but they varied considerably from the very narrow gauge Fairbourne tourist line, through the volunteer run Corris up to the larger operations such as the Welsh Highland. We did do other things as well of course such as visiting Portmeirion. 

Suzie in Wales - Day 6 (Nearly the end)

Today was the final full day of the trip and also the shortest railway. The day started with a very busy breakfast as there was a lake swimming event on - they were just getting ready to start as we headed out for the day. Apparently the hotel hosts these events a few times a year through different organisations. 

The Corris Railway is only about 3/4 of a mile at the moment, although they are working on an extension. To make up for this you do get the chance to hear about the railway and have a look at the engine and carriage sheds which proved interesting. It’s entirely volunteer run, unlike most that we’ve visited, and it shows, but they were very friendly. As with a few others here it started as a gravity slate line with horses pulling the wagons back up but later converted to steam haulage and introduced passenger services. 

Replica slate wagon in the workshops. 
 

The railway closed shortly after being taken over by British Rail in 1948 and unfortunately part of the track bed was taken over by the highway authority to widen the road. To save space at Corris the railway uses a small traverser to move the loco across to the run around loop, it looked hard work!

After the ride we had coffee, looked round the small museum, shopped and chatted then our next stop was the Corris Craft Centre which showed definite signs of being a bit dippy hippy! It’s also the location for King Arthur’s Labrynth, an outdoor maze and a slate mining experience - we didn’t fancy the first (it involves boat rides and AV), Mandy’s scooter bogged down in the gravel of the second and, whilst it’s have liked to try, I decided I couldn’t physically manage the third! We got an OK lunch though and some shopping so it was worth the visit. 

On the way back we decided to drive down the other side of Lake Talyllyn from our hotel. It was an interesting road - Steve was kept busy opening and closing the several gates and there was a substantial ford at the end. It was well worth it for the views though, both across the lake and of Cader Idris*. 

Our Hotel

*I’m using the spelling I know for Cader. The signs on the car park we passed use Cader Idris and Cadair Idris as well as Dol Idris which I think refers to the wider area. 

Suzie in Wales - Day 5 (Another day, another railway)

Today’s railway was the Talyllyn, the first preserved railway in the UK (probably). After yesterday’s tiny tourist railway it was back to 2’ 3” gauge and decent sized carriages! The first issue was finding the disabled parking, you literally go down the station drive, and in the end we dropped Mandy off and went back to the main car park as space is very limited.

The railway was built in the 1860’s, primarily to carry slate from the quarry at Bryn Eglwys, but when they obtained a parliamentary act, needed to acquire some parcels of land, it also included passenger traffic - the first time this had been authorised on a narrow gauge railway. Unfortunately the whole operation was heavily over-capitalised and uneconomic, struggling through to about 1950 when the quarry itself finally closed, which also seemed to be the end of the railway. 

Fortunately a Preservation Society was formed by a group which included Tom Rolt, an engineer and one of the founders of the Inland Waterways Association, and Lady Haydn, the widow of the last owner, handed over the railway which has now developed to the current successful operation. 

Dolgoch was our loco for the day. 



The falls, after which the loco was named. 



Sir Haydn, another of the locos, being coaled and watered. 

After a late lunch in the Refreshment Rooms we drove up some fairly narrow and twisty roads to visit Mary Jones’ Monument. At the age of 15 Mary walked 26 miles, barefoot, to Bala, to buy a copy of the Welsh Bible as she couldn’t obtain one elsewhere. This prompted the foundation of The British and Foreign Bible Society. 

Suzie in Wales -Day 4 (Oops!)

Confession time, we’d got about 10 miles down the road from the hotel this morning when I realised I’d left my camera behind. Fortunately Steve had both his with him, one of which I passed in to him a while back when I upgraded so he kindly leant it back for the day. 

We visited the Fairbourne Railway today which runs alongside Barmouth Estuary. Originally it started in the 1890s as a horse drawn 2’ gauge tram line carrying building materials for local development as Fairbourne was an upper class resort. Later it was extended to meet the ferry from Barmouth, still horse drawn though. In 1916 it was converted into a 15” gauge steam railway and at one point had dual gauge track as an 18” gauge loco had been purchased. 

After being closed throughout the war the railway enjoyed its heyday in the 60s and 70s but inevitably competition from the other local narrow gauge railways, which had more to offer the visitor, and the advent of cheap foreign holidays, impacted considerably. From 1984 the railway was redeveloped again at 12 1/4” gauge and later transferred to a charitable trust. So over about 100 years the Railway had four different gauges and still has some mixed gauge 12 1/4” and 15” track. The current locos are largely 1/2 size replicas of other narrow gauge engines. 

Another lady guard talking to the driver at the Estuary end of the line. Barmouth Bridge is in the background. 

Yeo passed us at the loop, we saw the prototype of this in Porth Madog yesterday!

After completing our journey we had coffee and cake before having a look round the railway’s museum. Just as we were leaving the level crossing barriers on the main  railway closed, instead of the expected multiple unit it turned out to be two yellow Network Rail Class 37s (or 97s as they are now) hauling a special. I didn’t get a chance of a decent photo but here’s the nose of one of them!

The drive around to Barmouth involved a fairly rickety toll bridge (it only cost £1) and we managed to find space in the car park by the promenade so we could have a wander. It’s very touristy of course and I can imagine in high summer it’s  absolute chaos but we managed. I tried an arty farty shot of the bridge but I’m not sure if it worked. 

After an ice cream we just timed things nicely, getting back to the car just as it was starting to get chilly and rain was coming on, plus Mandy’s scooter was down to the Red on the battery meter. I needed petrol so we didn’t go back across the toll bridge but headed towards Dolgellau where I filled up before driving back to the hotel. 

Final sight of the day, right opposite my bedroom window a group of ladies have gone swimming in Tallylyn Lake! It’s cold and wet out there but I guess it’s a regular thing for them - they are wearing wetsuits. 

Suzie in Wales - Day 3 (Unexpected trains)

Today, according to the original plan, was supposed to be the Fairbourne Railway and Barmouth but an error in arrangements meant we went to Port Meirion instead as Mandy had arranged to meet an old friend in Porth Madog. The weather wasn’t great, but was manageable, however it did mean we didn’t spend as much time there as we may have done if it had been fine. It didn’t matter, we saw everything and enjoyed coffee and cake (Bara Brith in my case) followed not long later by some lovely ice cream.

This belly pump caught my eye!

 The real plus point throughout the visit was the helpfulness and friendliness of the staff who went out of their way to assist people. I know they’re in a tourist/hospitality business and it’s “part of the job” but going the extra mile makes a huge difference to the visitor experience. I’m sure everyone is aware of the connection with The Prisoner (and if you’re not you would be by the end of the visit) so here’s the iconic chessboard. 

We decided to head straight to Porth Madog for the afternoon and, although they weren’t on the itinerary for this visit, see if we could get a trip on either the Ffestiniog or Welsh Highland railways, we could have gone on either but as Steve hadn’t been on the latter that was an easy decision. It was too late to go the whole way to Caernarfon but the trip ran to Beddgelert (a place I’ve been visiting for over 50 years) and back. 

Blanche arriving with a Ffestiniog train. 

The weather still wasn’t great but we were at least in the dry on the train! We had about an hour at Beddgelert but unless you walk down into the village there’s not much there so we stayed on the train, apart from a wee break. The lady providing the buffet service to the “posh” Pullman coach kindly brought us some hot chocolate, another unexpected kindness (I did say to keep the change). 

The railways are definitely equal opportunities these days, this picture shows the lady guard and the lady fireman talking to the driver as they swapped locos. 

To explain, a crew brings one train up from Porth Madog whilst another crew brings one up from Caernarfon. At Beddgelert they swap the locos over between the two trains ready to return to their starting points but the crew stay with the train so they end up back where they need to be at the end of the day’s work. 

The observant among you may spot that the loco is another of my favourite Garratts, this time a Beyer built in the UK and exported to South Africa. When the Welsh Highland was being reopened it was realised these locos would be needed to provide sufficient power and traction on the steep sections so they went shopping in SA and bought three of them. Just as we were getting off the train I had a phone call from our hotel, “Are you having dinner tonight?” I explained we were dining out with friends but that’s a level of service you don’t get even at a Premier Inn! 

Suzie in Wales - Day 2 (46 Years later)

Today was our first actual railway of the trip, the Vale of Rheidol - I last visited this in 1978! On that occasion we were stopping with the caravan on a farm* at Devil’s Bridge so the Brother, our cousin and I rode the line down to Aberystwyth and back one day. I don’t think the top has changed much but the bottom terminus has been fully rebuilt in the last 15 years or so, and very impressive it is too. 

To the right of the train is the new museum, which only opened on Friday, more of that later, but this was our motive power for the day, No. 7, Owain Glyndwr, although it doesn’t currently have the name plates on. Last time I visited the locos were in BR Blue with the double arrow logo but this time the train was in GWR colours (the other train operating was hauled by Llewelyn which is currently painted in the earlier BR Black and with “Blood and Custard” painted stock). 

The engines certainly have to work hard on the uphill run and, as we’d chosen to sit in an open carriage, we got sprayed with quite a bit of ash and soot. Fortunately the weather was pretty good, if a bit chilly, and there were plenty of opportunities for photos. Both Steve and I were looking out for pics to help with our modelling efforts and I spotted this unusual water tank. 

Most tanks are square edged so we think that either this one was repurposed from elsewhere or was built by a boiler maker - either way it’ll appear somewhere on a model in the future as it wouldn’t be too difficult to draw and 3D print. 

At Devil’s Bridge we had about an hour before the return train which gave us time for a hot chocolate and some delicious home made cake. The return train was a lot emptier as clearly people had gone to visit the famous waterfalls and other attractions so we actually had the whole carriage to ourselves. The return journey is quicker (and less smutty) so we were soon back at the start. 

I mentioned the new museum earlier,  having fetched Mandy’s scooter from the car we went for a look round. It’s very well done, but with a dire lack of information signs at the moment. They’ve used loose block flooring which can be taken in and out as required to suit the locos that are in there with one road being triple gauge (the VoR gauge of 1’ 11 3/4”, 4’ and 4’ 8 3/4” standard gauge). Exhibits range from a converted Ford Model A up to a standard gauge loco on loan from the Bluebell Railway but two of my favourites are Margaret, a Quarry Hunslet, and Drakensberg, a 60cm gauge Hanomag built Garratt that originally served in South Africa. There’s quite a contrast between two locos at the extremes of size for narrow gauge. 

I did end up explaining the Garratt concept to some other visitors - it’s two articulated 2-6-2 drive units with a central boiler to give incredible traction and power in a loco that can negotiate tight bends. To help with weight on the driving wheels one end has the coal bunker and the other has the water tank. 

Unfortunately the cafe wasn’t open today or we’d probably had more coffee and cake but instead we decided to head for our hotel, following the coast for the first part of the journey - and wow, we were treated to some spectacular views! The only nuisance was the speed limits which often would go from “national speed limit applies” to 30mph to 20 and then back up again in the space of a couple of hundred yards. The speed limiter on Suzie was invaluable but I can’t help thinking the gear changing, acceleration and deceleration involved will outdo the supposed emissions reduction from the lowered limits. 

Our hotel is “interesting”, our rooms are in an annexe but have been very well done - it’s not often you get a round window (shades of Playschool) with a lake view!

 Given that it’s between the road and the hillside they’ve done their best with the land available but that does mean it’s a bit of a hike between the car and the rooms. I’m sat writing this in the bar which, miracles do happen, actually has a choice of Bitters! Too often these days you get several choices of IPA and Stout and very little else. 

*When I first planned this trip back in 2020 I was going to take the campervan back to the same site but of course like so many plans then it didn’t happen. 

Suzie in Wales -Day 1 (It’ll be nice when it’s finished)

The only real aim for today was to get from Milton Keynes to Aberystwyth to start a few days holiday, mainly visiting the Little Trains of mid-Wales. I’d stopped with my friends Steve and Mandy overnight to get a reasonably early start and we were actually away about 30 minutes earlier than we’d targeted. For quite a while it looked like we’d have a clear run, a miracle for a Back Holiday, albeit partly because the satnav had avoided some potential problem areas. Sadly it didn’t last, we got caught up in a traffic jam of vehicles going to a motorcycle hill climb* which basically cost us the 30 minutes we’d gained at the start of the day. 

We stopped for a quick break at Woofferton Wharf Services (we never did work out why it’s called Wharf as the nearest waterway is the River Teme which is a fair distance and wasn’t a working navigation). It’s also adjacent to the last short wave broadcast transmitter station in the UK which was privatised from the BBC in the 1990s but still transmits the World Service. The original hope has been to get to the hotel about 2pm but it was pretty much 3pm when we arrived so we checked in straight away before going for a wander. 

It was fairly bracing on the sea front but it was great to get out in some fresh air. We had hoped to have time to do the Cliff Railway and Camera Obscura but by the time we got there the latter was closed and it was tight for the last trains up and down - we’ll see how the timings are tomorrow. We were also looking for somewhere for dinner and ended up in the White Horse, a fairly standard pub with fairly standard pub grub but the food was good quality and the service was friendly so an all round good choice. 

Aberystwyth itself is undergoing quite a bit of regeneration with plenty of scaffolding around some of the older buildings, based on the signs this is thanks to Levelling Up funding but also prompted the comment in the title! Tomorrow it’s the Vale of Rheidol railway which I last did in  1978 when it the only remaining steam on British Rail. 

*We were only about 5 miles away from the famous, and historic, Shelsey Walsh hill climb but this was one of those muddy climbs up an impossibly steep hill that usually ends up with the rider and bike separated and sliding downward! 

The Adventures of Suzie Too

Although I started this blog for trips away in the Berlingo campervan I’ve now got a second vehicle, a Suzuki Vitara (the second one I’ve had, hence it’s called Suzie Too!) 

Rather than set up a second blog, if I’m away for holidays in the Vitara I will post the reports on here both for my own memories and in case anyone is interested. 

That Time of Year

It was MOT time for the Berlingo this week, always a bit of a concern with an older vehicle. The first question was whether the ‘van would start at all, after the previous year’s woes. I did add a small solar panel to trickle charge the battery, although I’m not sure how effective it is, so the engine turned over OK. After a bit of screeching from the drive belt and a few attempts it finally decided to run on four cylinders, not just two! A few miles drive at high revs and mashing the brake pedal a few times largely blew the cobwebs away. 

The MOT and service went as well as could be expected, the only issue being a cracked front coil spring (almost a routine issue) which then also meant changing the shock absorber as well, overall I was happy with the final bill. I’ve had a significant amount of water ingress through the roof vents over the winter, I’m not sure how much is leakage and how much was just blown in but I need to tackle the problem. I’ll drop the headlining to investigate and I’ve got some ideas.