Steam’s up.

What a contrast. Last night I was sitting here in sunshine and with a magnificent mountain view. Tonight it is blowing a gale, heavy rain showers and there’s not a mountain to be seen anywhere. It will be interesting to see if we get any sleep tonight with the motorhome rocking and rolling like nothing on earth. We already have sustained some damage with a roof vent shield being torn off in the wind. Manufacturers fault, they only glued it on, probably frightened to screw it in place as the holes might leak, haven’t they heard of silicone seal in this country? Hopefully the weather will improve overnight so I can get up on the roof and fix it, if not we will have to change our plans because we cannot travel without it being in place as wind pressure could damage the actual roof vent.

Caernarfon Castle.

Tortuous uphill grind but this loco made easy going of it.

Tail end Charlie.

However today has been a great day with us catching an early bus into Caernarfon. The main event of the day was a trip on the newly completed Welsh Highland Railway. Due to time restrictions we were only able to travel to the highest point of the railway at Rhyd Ddu station at the foothills of Mt Snowdon. The last time we were in Caernarfon the railway was running a short journey which we opted not to take as we had already done 3 other Welsh narrow gauge lines previously.

Stone Croft tucked away in the mountains.

Down hill run, he can afford to waste a bit of steam.

Disturbing my peace!

Llyn Cwellyn (reservoir) near Rhyd Ddu  on the Welsh Highland Railway.

It’s interesting reading the history of this line which began in 1864 and went into receivership in 1927, it was leased to the Ffestiniog Railway in 1934. In 1936 it closed for passengers closely followed in 1937 by closing it’s freight operation. In 1941 it was requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence. and finally wound up in 1944. For 17 years it languished leaving it to Mother Nature until the Welsh Highland Railway Society was started which latterly became the Welsh Highland Railway (1964) Co Ltd. The former is now the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway.

Open air carriage on the Welsh Highland Railway for avid photographers. Not many today.

Not much straight track on the Welsh Highland Railway.

If the pony borrowed a horn off the other fella he could be a Unicorn.

Welsh mountain village.

Again in 1989 the Ffestiniog Railway made a bid for the track bed and the WHR passed into FR hands and has been an ongoing success story when in 2009 the WHR finally made the full 25 miles from Caernarfon to Porthmadog. At present due to platform restrictions in Porthmadog the WHR terminates at Pont Croesor with only one train a day going right into Porthmadog but they hope eventually to be able to take all trains to Porthmadog.

Water tower at Waunfawr if the loco's have a hard climb out of Caernarfon.

Getting all steamed up.

Backing up to the train.

The loco’s in use today were 2 Beyer-Garratt’s NGG16’s originally designed in Manchester and shipped out to South Africa. They are the largest narrow gauge loco’s in the world. Number 138 is diesel fired and carries the Manchester builder’s plate whereas no;87 is coal fired and carries a Belguim makers plate. Both of them made light work of the 8 carriage trains through some magnificent scenery. After purchasing a coloured souvenir programme I can see that the most spectacular scenery is on the newest section between Rhyd Ddu and Porthmadog. Ah well, something to look forward to if the opportunity ever arises.

Caernarfon Castle's many turret's.

Caernarfon Castle and the harbour at high tide.

We won't fit through there.

This one's for Brent.