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.