Penrhyn Quarry Railway
The Penrhyn Quarry Railway first opened in 1798 as the Llandegai Tramway; it became the Penrhyn Railway in 1801 although on a different route. Constructed to transport slate from Lord Penrhyns' slate quarries at Bethesda to Port Penrhyn at Bangor, Wales. The railway was around six miles long and used a gauge of Vorlage:1ft10.75in. It is said to be the oldest narrow gauge railway in the world; and it was closed in 1962.
The Penrhyn Railway Heritage Trust are currently attempting to reopen a small length at Bethesda.
History
Llandegai Tramway (1798-1831)
The earliest predecessor to the Penrhyn Quarry Railway was the mile long Llandegai tramway which was built in 1798. The tramway was connected to a local flint mill that ground clay and chert into flints. These were transported to Porth Penrhyn on the coast by the tramway, which was one of the earliest overground railways in Britain. It included two balanced gravity inclines one from the floor of the Cegin valley near Llandegai to the hills above Bangor, the other dropping from there to the mill. Both inclines used vertically mounted winding drums.
Penrhyn Railroad (1801-1879)
The success of the Llandegai Tramway encouraged the owners of the Penrhyn quarry to consider a similar tramway from their slate quarry to Porth Penrhyn. The plan subsumed the existing tramway into a longer railroad that connected Bethesda to the sea.
Construction started on 2nd. September 1800, relaying and extending the Llandegai Tramway, with the first slate train traveling on 25th. June 1801. The connection to the Llandegai flint mill continued to be used until 1831. The railroad was operated by horse power along with balanced inclines and gravity.
Locomotives
| No. | Name | Builder | Type | Date built | Disposal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronllwyd | Valley Foundry | 0-4-0VB | 1875 | Scrapped 1906 | Used in the construction of the railway by contractor Richard Parry | |
| 3 | George Sholto | Stephen Lewin | 0-4-2WT | 1875 | Scrapped 1880 | |
| Edward Sholto | De Winton | 0-4-0ST | 1876 | Scrapped 1907 | ||
| Hilda | De Winton | 0-4-0T | 1878 | Scrapped 1911 | ||
| Violet | De Winton | 0-4-0T | 1879 | Scrapped 1911 | ||
| Charles | Hunslet | 0-4-0ST | 1882 | Preserved at Penrhyn Castle, Bangor | ||
| Linda | Hunslet | 1893 | 0-4-0ST | Running on the Ffestiniog Railway | ||
| Blanche | Hunslet | 0-4-0ST | 1893 | Running on the Ffestiniog Railway | ||
| 1 | Llandegai | Baldwin | 2-6-2T | 1916 | Converted to stationary engine scrapped 1940 | ex-War Department Light Railways |
| 2 | Felin Hen | Baldwin | 2-6-2T | 1916 | Sold 1940 Austrailia, now privately owned France | ex-War Department Light Railways |
| 3 | Tregarth | Baldwin | 2-6-2T | 1916 | Scrapped 1940 | ex-War Department Light Railways |
See also
References
- Boyd, James I.C.: Narrow Gauge Railways in North Caernarvonshire, Volume 2: The Penrhyn Quarry Railways. 1985, ISBN 0853613125.