Croeso i Reilffordd Cwmcoediog (Welcome to the Cwmcoediog Railway) |
The Cwmcoediog Railway is built on a steeply-sloping site (1 in 4). It runs from Penybanc ("Hilltop")at the top (a village with a market and nearby quarries) down through Brynamlwg ("Prominent Hill") to a harbour (Cei Bach) at Troedyrhiw ("Hillfoot". Thanks to a large spiral in the middle, the gradient was kept to around 1 in 45. The line is currently (Dec 2005) being re-laid to improve the gradient to 1 in 48.6.
Sorry if you have difficulty in following the line in the photo: the same confusion occurs when you are standing in the garden watching trains - they keep disappearing and re-appearing.
Cei Bach/Troedyrhiw Station, the lower terminus, is raised up about 7 feet by retaining walls, so it is "only" 3 feet below the height of the top end of the line. The track here is was unfinished in the left-hand photo (April 2005). By September there were sidings and two branches.
Dave Rowbotham's meths-fired Lady Anne emerges from the quarry branch tunnel (Oct 2005).
Some visiting engines (Steve Thorpe's 'Dylan' and Dave Rowbotham's 'Lady Anne' climbing up towards the halfway station (Oct 2005)
Steve Thorpe stokes a coal-fired Roundhouse/Shawe 'Jack' by the school (Sept 2005)
The train continues up towards Ynys Hir halt, and on to the terminus at Penybanc (Sept 2005).
Steve Clarke prepares to head back down the line from Penybanc (Aug 2005).
Below Troedyrhiw is "Gardd y Ddraig" (the Dragon Garden), which has Welsh and Japanese features. The koshikake (waiting bench) is a good place to sit and enjoy some peace and quiet.