Blaenau Ffestiniog
From Festipedia, hosted by the FR Heritage Group
| Blaenau Ffestiniog | |
 | |
|---|---|
| Blanche at BF Photo: Cyril Perrier | |
| Previous Station | Tanygrisiau |
| Previous Location | Glanypwll |
| Previous Location | Stesion Fein |
| Status | Terminus Station - Open |
| Next Location | Duffws |
| Next Station | Terminus |
| Latitude | 52:59:40.58N |
| Longitude | 03:56:17.03W |
| Grid Reference | SH700458 |
| Harbour Station | |
OSGrid:SH700458 Latt / Long :52.9946 / -3.93834
(Meaning 'Heads of Ffestiniog; ffestin = a fortification' )
For such a small town, Blaenau Ffestiniog has had quite a number of different stations. See Blaenau Stations for the full list and more detail for the ones not covered on this page
The Festiniog Railway main line to Portmadoc ran from the foot of the Oakeley quarry inclines at Dinas with a branch line from the foot of the Maenofferen Quarry incline at FR Duffws (meaning precipice), both locations in Blaenau Ffestiniog. The priorities of the termini became reversed, with operations being centred at Duffws although there was initially a loco shed at Dinas.
When the public passenger service was introduced on 6th January 1865, trains from Portmadoc ran at first to Dinas (passenger station closed in 1870) and only from 1866 to Duffws (closed to passengers from 1923 to 1925, and again, permanently, in October 1930, when the public winter passenger service ceased). The old Duffws station building can be found in the car park across the road from the current FR station - it now houses public toilets.
With the opening of the standard gauge lines to Blaenau Ffestiniog, exchange stations were established adjacent to the LNWR Junction station in 1881 Stesion Fain (narrow station), and at the GWR Exchange station in 1883. The latter became the terminus for passengers on 31st May 1931. Both stations closed to passenger traffic on 15th September 1939. Prior to the reopening of the FR line to Blaenau Ffestiniog, there was much consideration given to the location of the terminus. Various sites were considered before the present joint station was agreed.
The new Ffestiniog Railway/British Rail Joint Station was built on the site of the Festiniog Railway/Great Western Railway joint station of 1883. Prior to its opening, this new station was usually called Blaenau Ffestiniog Central by which name the former GWR Exchange station had been known from 1948 until its closure. The Bala line was closed because of the construction of the Tryweryn reservoir (Llyn Celyn) from 1958 onwards, which severed the line between Bala and Trawsfynydd, although it would have been a target for closure in any event. The line from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Trawsfynydd was retained to serve the CEGB nuclear power station there and in 1963 was linked to the former LNWR line by using the FR route between these points. This link line, which was never approved for passenger services, was realigned to accommodate the FR station and a new standard gauge platform with loop. The new station, simply called Blaenau Ffestiniog, is located at a height of 710 feet and at a distance of 13 miles 50 chains from the datum at Porthmadog Harbour Station. BR commenced operation to the new station on 22nd March 1982 and the FR passenger service was extended to Blaenau Ffestiniog on 25 May 1982, thus marking 150th Anniversary of Royal Assent of the Festiniog Railway Act.
Photo:NLoW
*Date June, 1962 *Photo: Ron Fisher ref R793
*Date June, 1962 *Photo: Ron Fisher ref R794
*Date: June 1962 *Photo: Ron Fisher ref r795
*Date: 26th June 2001 *Photo: Cyril Perrier
*Date: 28th January 2006 *Photo: Keith C. Bradbury