Bala Lake Railway

The Bala Lake Railway (Welsh: Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid) is a narrow-gauge railway along the southern shore of Bala Lake in Gwynedd, North Wales. The line, which is 4+1⁄2 miles (7.2 km) long, is built on a section of the former standard-gauge Ruabon–Barmouth GWR route that closed in 1965. Another section of the former permanent way is used by the Llangollen Railway. The Bala Lake Railway, which runs on 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in)-gauge preserved rolling stock, is a member of the Great Little Trains of Wales.

Bala Lake Railway
Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid
Alice at Llanuwchllyn, 18 July 2004
LocaleWales
TerminusLlanuwchllyn
Commercial operations
NameRuabon–Barmouth line
Built byGWR
Original gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Preserved operations
Operated byRheilffordd Llyn Tegid Ltd
Length4.5 miles (7.2 km)
Preserved gauge1 ft 11+5⁄8 in (600 mm)
Commercial history
OpenedBetween 1 December 1861
and 10 October 1867
Closed to passengers18 January 1965
Closed1968
Preservation history
Opened1972
Bala Lake Railway
Bala (Penybont)
(
originally
Bala Lake Halt
)
 Bryn Hynod Halt
(closed 2011)
 Llangower
 Glan Llyn Halt
 Pentrepiod Halt
 Llanuwchllyn

The railway now has the largest collection of historic narrow-gauge quarry locomotives built specifically for the slate industry in North Wales by the Hunslet Engine Company in Leeds.

History

Standard Gauge

The narrow-gauge Bala Lake railway uses the permanent way of the former standard-gauge GWR Ruabon–Barmouth line. The railway, which opened in August 1868, was built by the Bala and Dolgelley Railway Company. Its original 19 mi (31 km) route ran between the Corwen & Bala Railway at Bala Junction and Cambrian Railways' station at Dolgellau. In 1877 it became part of the network operated by Great Western (GWR). In 1896 Llanuwchllyn was redeveloped with the addition of a passing loop and second platform, extended building and a new signal box.

Passenger services through Bala Junction ceased on Monday 18 January 1965 when the line from Llangollen to Barmouth was closed. Although originally earmarked for dieselisation by the Western Region of British Railways in the early 1960s, the Ruabon to Bala–Barmouth line was included in the 1963 Beeching Report. Traffic on the line was gradually reduced and facilities rationalised; the last scheduled through-rail service was the mail train from Chester in December 1964. Long-distance holiday charter trains and through freight traffic were diverted on to the Cambrian main line via Welshpool. Goods traffic finally ceased on 1 January 1968 when the branch at Pontcysyllte was closed.

Narrow gauge

By 1969 the track had been lifted. Reuse of the line as a narrow-gauge railway began when local engineer, George Barnes, saw the potential of the lakeside section for both local and tourist traffic. With the help of Tom Jones CBE, then chairman of Merioneth County Council's Finance Committee, they established Rheilffordd Llyn Tegid Ltd, the first company in Wales to be registered exclusively in the Welsh language.

Bala Lake Railway opened on 13 August 1972. In its first season, it operated a small industrial diesel engine with two open carriages on 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) of track between Llanuwchllyn and Pentrepiod. Extension work continued throughout this period with the help of local ex-British Rail employees. The line was extended to Llangower by the start of 1973. In 1975 the line reached a new temporary station at Pant-yr-hen-felin.[1] The following year the line reached Bala (Llyn Tegid), now known as Bala (Penybont). There were expansion plans to extend the line into Bala's town centre by 1981 but these plans were abandoned early in that year.[2]

The canopy at Llanuwchllyn was built in 1979 with supports which were made for the Cambrian Railways station at Pwllheli, but were relocated to Aberdovey in 1907 when Pwllheli station was moved. The stations along the line are:

  • Llanuwchllyn, includes the main buildings, cafe, workshops and railway offices.
  • Pentrepiod Halt, an operational request stop.
  • Glan Llyn Halt, a limited-use station, open only during the Halloween and Santa Special train services.
  • Llangower, principal intermediate station that all trains stop at. It has a passing loop for two-train services.
  • Bryn Hynod Halt, a request stop that closed in 2011 (platform demolished in February 2012).
  • Bala (Penybont), terminus located near the town of Bala.

The company now has the largest collection of historic narrow-gauge quarry locomotives built by the West Yorkshire Hunslet Engine Company specifically for the North Wales' slate industry.

Llanuwchllyn Heritage Centre

The Llanuwchllyn Heritage Centre is a museum of Welsh narrow-gauge railway located at Llanuwchllyn railway station.[3] It won the 2020 Railway Heritage Association award for Outstanding Visitor Attraction.[4][5] Exhibits on display include Hunslet Engine Company locomotive Nesta and a replica of Lord Penrhyn's private carriage, both from the Penrhyn Quarry Railway.[3] It also houses locomitves that are not currently in use which frees up spaces in the running shed and has a variety of exhibits relating to the quarry industry. It also has its own dedicated website. https://heritage.bala-lake-railway.co.uk/

Developments and expansion

In 2010, the company revived plans to complete the final 0.75 miles (1.2 km) of the railway to Bala town centre. The Red Dragon Project, under the auspices of the Bala Lake Railway Trust, has been established to build the £2.5 million extension.[6]

The plans also include: a new engine shed, a visitor centre as well as rebuilding of the carriage shed, which was completed in 2019, and a new set of carriages.

In March 2017, the Trust announced that it had acquired land required in Bala for the new railway terminus.[7] In October 2019, the Trust purchased land from Bala Rugby Club for the extension of the line.[8] A further area of land adjacent to the new station site was acquired in 2022 and will be used for sidings.[9]


Over the weekend of the 12th and 13th June 2021 the 'Bala Rerailed' event was held on the site of the new station in Bala using Winifred and a Penrhyn coach to provide rides to the public.

The railway turns 50 in 2022 and will have a variety of events. This includes 'Bala at 50' over the May Day Bank Holiday complete with the launch of a pictorial album "Bala Lake Railway, The First 50 Years, 1972 - 2022", the '50th Anniversary' on the 13th August and a 'Gala' over August Bank Holiday.

Rolling stock
Maid Marian waiting with a train at Bala station in the rain.
Holy War seen in its red livery as it heads to Llanwchlyn in 1993; it is now painted blue.

Steam locomotives currently in use or stored on the line are:

  • 'Maid Marian', works number 822 (in use). Arrived on the line 1975. It has twice undergone overhaul supported by her owners, the Maid Marian Locomotive Fund.[10]
  • 'Holy War', works number 779 (under overhaul). Arrived on the line 1975, serviceable 1979.
  • 'Alice', works number 780 (under overhaul). Bought initially for spares for Holy War, restored to its own right in 1994.
  • 'Winifred', works number 364 (in use). It was repatriated to the UK from a warehouse at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the US in April 2012.[11] It was restored to working condition in 2015.[12]
  • 'George B', works number 680 (in use). Entered service in April 2017.[13]
  • Avonside, works number 1909 (pending restoration). Arrived from Queensland Australia Oct 2020
  • 'Dorothy', works number 1568 (pending restoration). Arrived July 2021

Most of the locos were built by the Hunslet Engine Company for the Dinorwic and Penrhyn Quarries. The numerous Hunslet slate quarry steam locomotives have led the railway to market itself as the home of the Hunslet.[14]

Until late 2011, ex Southam Cement Works Peckett 'Triassic' was stored on the Bala Lake Railway, was relocated to the Statfold Barn Railway during the overhauls of Winifred and George B due to storage space issues, but returned in Summer 2016.[15]

The four main diesel locomotives are:[16]

  • 'Meirionydd', a Bo-Bo diesel-hydrostatic locomotive built by Severn Lamb of Stratford-upon-Avon in 1973, and based on a Western class standard-gauge locomotive outline.
  • Trigger ('Bob Davies'), a Baguley Drewery, works no. 780, which is the railway's main standby diesel, used to haul out of season trains, for yard shunting and goods or works train haulage, which was built as 2 ft 6in gauge for the Royal Navy at Fishguard, purchased by Pete Briddon's Yorkshire Engine Company, regauged to 600mm gauge, and named 'Bob Davies' in honour of a remarkable local railwayman.
  • 'Chilmark', Ruston & Hornsby, works no. 194771, the oldest of the railway's diesels (a 40DL diesel mechanical 3-speed built in 1939 for the Air Ministry), used by the Royal Air Force for hauling explosives and ammunition at RAF Chilmark , Wiltshire.
  • 'Lady Madcap', a Ruston & Hornsby 20DL, which sees only occasional use for light shunting and ballast ploughing.

A new addition to the fleet is a track maintenance trolley in the style of a standard-gauge Wickham trolley.

Current and former locomotives
Locomotive name Locomotive type Year built Builder Works number Notes
Current steam locomotives
Winifred 0-4-0ST 1885 Hunslet Engine Co 364 In service. Relaunched 13 April 2015, by Pete Waterman.[17]
George B / Wellington 0-4-0ST 1898 Hunslet Engine Co 680 In service. Underwent an extensive restoration that was completed in 2017.
Holy War 0-4-0ST 1902 Hunslet Engine Co 779 At Bala since 1975, first worked 1979. Overhaul 2018–22.
Alice 0-4-0ST 1902 Hunslet Engine Co 780 In service. Overhauled in 2010. Withdrawn for overhaul 2020
Maid Marian 0-4-0ST 1903 Hunslet Engine Co 822 At Bala since 1975. In service. Overhauled in May 2017 and was returned to original open-cab form for the season.
Triassic 0-6-0ST 1911 Peckett 1270 At Bala from 1992. In service from 2008. Left Bala 2011. Returned 2016. Stored.
0-4-0T 1922 Avonside 1909 Arrived from Queensland Australia Oct 2020. Pending Overhaul
Dorothy 0-4-0ST 1899 Bagnall 1568 Arrived July 2021 for restoration
Former steam locomotives
Diana 0-4-0T 1917 Kerr Stuart 1158 In service for the 2016 season.
Lilla 0-4-0ST 1891 Hunslet Engine Co 554 Sold to Ffestiniog Railway in 1997.
Jonathan / Bernstein 0-4-0ST 1898 Hunslet Engine Co 678 Left Bala in 1986.
Dryw Bach / Ashover 0-4-0ST 1918 Kerr Stuart 3114 Built for the RAF for the aerodrome at Eastburn near Driffield. Worked on five reservoir construction projects across the UK. In 1942 purchased for the Woodthorpe Hall colliery, connected to the Ashover Light Railway. Purchased for private use by J. L. Baker of Erdington at his farm at Brockamin. Sold to Alan Maund who restored it to working order. Sold on to Rich Morris in 1971. Moved to Gloddfa Ganol in March 1978. Loaned to the Bala Lake Railway from 1982 to 1985. Sold to Allen Civil in 1978. Ran on the Amerton Railway in 2002. Now part of the Vale of Rheidol Railway collection.[18]
Helen Kathryn 0-4-0T 1948 Kassel, Germany 28035 At Bala from first opening until 1975.[19] Moved to Llanberis Lake Railway, then South Tynedale Railway now at Threlkeld in Cumbria.
Current diesel locomotives
Bob Davies 4wDM Baguley Drewery 780 Built for the Royal Navy. Passenger & engineers' locomotive.
Chilmark 4wDM 1939 Ruston & Hornsby 194771 Built for the Air Ministry. Passenger & engineers' locomotive.
Lady Madcap 4wDM 1949 Ruston & Hornsby 283512 Light shunting and engineering duties.
Merionnydd Bo-Bo 1973 Severn-Lamb 22 Diesel hydrostatic double-cabbed passenger locomotive, built for Bala Lake.
Wickham trolley 4W trolley 1976 D Wickham & Co 10943 A Wickham track inspection trolley, originally a RNLI crew transport on the Southend Pier Railway.
Murphy 2001 Schoma LM30 Donated by J Murphy & Sons after completion of work on London Crossrail
Former diesel locomotives
Goofy 4wDM 1930 Hudson 38384
"No 2" 4wDM 1936 Ruston & Hornsby 182137
4wDM 1938 Ruston & Hornsby 189972
Indian Runner "No 3" 4wDM 1940 Ruston & Hornsby 200744 Built for gravel works. Moved to Bala in 1977. Left Bala in 2004. (Named Invicta until 1981.)
Cernyw "No 11" 4wDM 1940 Ruston & Hornsby 200748
Flaxen 4wDM 1942 Ruston & Hornsby 209430
4wDM 1949 Ruston & Hornsby 283512
4wDM 1934 Motor Rail 5821
4wDM 1939 Hunslet Engine Co 1974
4wDM 1942 Hibberd 2544
4wDM 1949 Lister-Blackstone 34025 Left Bala in 2001 (to Devon Railway Centre).
Alister "No 2" 4wDM 1958 Lister-Blackstone 44052 Moved to London Museum of Water & Steam

See also

References
  1. Steam '82 directory, edited by Roger Crombleholme and Terry Kirtland, published 1981 by Allen & Unwin (London), ISBN 0-04-385091-X, entry 304.
  2. Statement of G H Barnes (General Manager) in Steam '81 directory, edited by Roger Crombleholme and Terry Kirtland, published 1981 by Allen & Unwin (London), ISBN 978-0-04-385082-4, entry 304.
  3. "Destination Bala!". The Railway Magazine. December 2020. p. 35.
  4. "2020 HRA Awards". Heritage Railway Association. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  5. "An array of winners celebrated at heritage awards dinner". The Railway Magazine. March 2020. p. 12.
  6. "Proposed Route for the Bala Town Extension". Bala Lake Railway Trust. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  7. "Railway station plan takes next step". Cambrian News. 3 March 2017. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  8. "Bala Lake Railway Trust unveils extension plans after purchase of land". www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk. 30 October 2019. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  9. Thompson, Victoria (12 April 2022). "Bala Lake Railway takes major step forward in extension project". RailAdvent. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  10. "The Maid Marian Locomotive Fund". maidmarianlocomotivefund.org.uk. Archived from the original on 23 May 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  11. "Winifred Returns to Wales From Across the Atlantic Ocean". Rail.co.uk. 18 May 2012. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  12. "Welcome to the Bala Lake Railway". Bala-lake-railway.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 November 2004. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  13. "All aboard for steam engine's first journey for 50 years". BBC News. 22 April 2017. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  14. See the full list at this Archived 4 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine supporters' society webpage.
  15. "Triassic moves to Statfold". Railways.national-preservation.com. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  16. See data and illustrations at the official webpage Archived 17 August 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
  17. Eryl Grump: Bala Lake Railway steaming ahead with more visitors in 2015. Archived 2 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine Daily Post, Trinity Mirror Merseyside, 5 June 2015.
  18. Quine, Dan (March 2015). "Private railways of the West Midlands in the 1960s". Narrow Gauge World.
  19. "Bala Lake Railway" (PDF). Narrow Gauge News. No. 95. The Narrow Gauge Railway Society. June 1975. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.

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