Here are a selection of holiday photos, each with a short caption. Whilst this blog is, for the most part, about horses and riding - well, I do allow myself the occasional digression.
Here's a train arriving over the tramway section through Porthmadog. The locomotive dates from 1879.
Here's a very small carriage dating from 1863 and still in use.
This replica of an 1873 van is designated for "Dogs, Luggage and Guards".
Here's another view of the rather peculiar locomotive, a Fairlie-type with one long boiler (which has two chimneys) and two powered trucks. It's still running well after 132 years of operation on the Festiniog Railway.
I took a train powered by this rather unusual locomotive, an ex-South African Railways Beyer-Garratt articulated type built in 1958 and recently imported into Britain.
The route took us across flat then for a few miles then suddenly uphill through three tunnels and alongside a clear river in the Pass of Aberglasyn.
We climbed until a bleak mountain pass was reached. I took this photo from on board the rear of the train. The route has a lot of curves.
It's a rugged landscape up there. Once this was a route used by pack-horse trains, then by the railway, finally a metalled road was built. After an absence of over seven decades the railway is back.
After a sharp descent to the coastal plains the journey ended at the gates of Caernarfon Castle. The castle was completed in 1330 and last saw action in 1646.
Here's a shot of the castle interior. It's an impressive place even though the former interior buildings have long disappeared.
Wow, i haven't been to that castle in ages, lovely memories comming back from the picture. I am yet to take my children on the railways in wales but can't wait! i am planning my trip to Wales next year.
Posted by: www.haircarehelp.co.uk | October 12, 2011 at 01:21 PM
It is a splendid journey - I'm sure that you will enjoy it.
Posted by: White Horse Pilgrim | October 14, 2011 at 11:05 PM