Afon Wen i Fangor Cledrau Coll

-888

-888

-

-888

-888

-This week on Cledrau Coll,

-we follow the line from Afonwen...

-..through Caernarfon

-and on to Bangor.

-The branch line was built to link

-the towns of Lleyn and Eifionydd...

-..to the main

-Chester-Holyhead line at Bangor.

-This branch was familiar to anyone

-who travelled Wales by train.

-Such names as Bryncir, Chwilog, Ynys

-and Llanwnda remain in the memory.

-Many look back longingly at

-the old railway stations of Wales...

-..but for many of us Afonwen

-occupies a special place of its own.

-The station stood on one of

-the most exposed sites in Wales...

-..facing the western winds

-that swept in from the sea.

-It could be cold on a summer's day,

-and it still is!

-The Rev Iorwerth Jones Owen

-has happy memories of Afonwen.

-What was your work here?

-What was your work here?

-

-I was a porter.

-I remember my first morning...

-..and an English chap called Jim

-lived in the terrace over there.

-I remember the booking office

-with its paraffin lamp.

-Every time I smell paraffin

-it takes me back...

-..to the booking office

-at Afonwen in 1942.

-It was busy during the War,

-especially at Afonwen...

-..because of the Glendower camp

-and all the trailers there.

-But it became even busier

-in the late 1940s...

-..when times improved after the War.

-How do you sum up Afonwen?

-What does it mean to you?

-The sound of the wind

-through the wires.

-The bells ringing in the signal box.

-The noise of the train and

-the trucks being pushed and pulled.

-The people alighting from the trains

-and walking over the two bridges...

-..often in the rain

-and strong winds.

-All of that is somehow contained

-in my picture of Afonwen.

-Gwyn, this journey will take us from

-Cardigan Bay to the Menai Straits.

-From the wind at Afonwen!

-How long is the journey?

-How long is the journey?

-

-It's about twenty miles.

-To the north of Afonwen

-the line leaves the coast...

-..bearing right

-on its way to Bangor.

-The Cambrian line to Pwllheli

-continues its way, bearing left.

-The first station after Afonwen

-was at Chwilog...

-..where the busy traffic is today

-confined to the main road.

-Ifor Pritchard remembers

-Chwilog station in its heyday.

-The Navy was there at the

-HMS Glendower camp during the War.

-I had made friends

-with some from the camp...

-..who had wandered to the village,

-knowing nothing about the place.

-They came regularly once every three

-nights after we got to know them...

-..and one was from Glasgow

-and the other from Liverpool.

-The day they completed

-their training at the camp...

-..there was a special train

-to take them from here at 6.30.

-My mother had made

-food and cakes for them...

-..and I came to see

-the train pass through at 6.30.

-The train didn't stop, but

-it slowed down to change staff...

-..and as it did so they leaned out

-and I handed them the basket.

-The station has long since

-disappeared...

-..but evidence remains to show us

-we're walking on the old platform.

-It's easy to follow

-the old line on a map...

-..though it wasn't always

-so easy on foot.

-But from the sky around Llangybi

-the line's route is clearly visible.

-There are no more trains

-running along here...

-..but thirty years ago that caravan

-would have been parked dangerously!

-It's certainly

-a blot on the landscape today.

-But the path of the old line

-is very clear here.

-I'm pretty sure we're approaching

-the site of the old Ynys station.

-Once we're past these weeds.

-Once we're past these weeds.

-

-The famous Japanese knotweed!

-There's no shortage of

-impressive views on this line...

-..with Snowdonia

-as a perfect backdrop.

-This looks an interesting building.

-Was it once a ganger's hut?

-Was it once a ganger's hut?

-

-Yes, it was.

-It's still in excellent condition.

-It's still in excellent condition.

-

-It's unusually built in brick.

-They more often used old sleepers

-with bricks for the chimney stack.

-It's interesting to look at the

-brickwork on an old hut like this.

-Every fourth row contains blue

-bricks in a different pattern.

-They went to the trouble of giving

-this simple hut some decoration.

-It's had a new roof put on it.

-I bet the old fireplace

-is still in there too.

-Forward to Bryncir,

-an agricultural centre...

-..with a prosperous market

-close to the line.

-The livestock enjoyed better

-facilities than station workers...

-..who had to man the levers out

-in the open, whatever the weather.

-The platform on this side

-is lower than on the far side.

-Yes - this side is older

-than the platform to our left.

-The water pipe is still in place.

-That's unusual, because this kind

-of thing most often went for scrap.

-Well, I'm looking forward to

-the next stretch along Lon Eifion.

-Just a minute, Arfon. Look at this.

-Is that a half-mile post?

-Half a mile to where?

-A quarter of a mile to the

-previous post in one direction...

-..and in the other, to a post

-marked three-quarters of a mile.

-Let's go and look for

-the quarter-mile post!

-This is a well-kept path

-we're walking along now.

-All this walking

-is making me thirsty, Arfon.

-A definite hint from Gwyn

-that he could do with a cup of tea.

-The present occupiers at Pant Glas

-cater for thirsty travellers.

-Well, Gwyn, a cuppa in Pant Glas!

-Many before us have stood on

-this platform waiting for a train.

-And none could enjoy a cup of tea!

-What's behind us here?

-What's behind us here?

-

-I think this was a waiting room.

-Built around

-the time of the war, I'd say.

-The cat has the platform to herself.

-Where to next on the line?

-Where to next on the line?

-

-Penygroes.

-I've finished my tea.

-Let's see if the cat follows us!

-I think she's happy where she is.

-I think she's happy where she is.

-

-Waiting for the next train!

-Approaching Penygroes on

-the line from Afonwen to Bangor...

-..it's clear that this section of

-the old line is being transformed.

-The sight today is quite different

-to the days of steam.

-We're at Penygroes where we can

-again see where the platform was...

-..though the station buildings

-and the tracks have gone.

-Yes, the platform is still there

-for the time being...

-..but you can see the work

-going on here.

-In a very short time,

-this site will be transformed.

-While the tracks have disappeared...

-..today the path is being looked

-after and adapted for a new use.

-What is Sustrans, Richard?

-Sustrans is a charity

-with fifteen years' experience...

-..in the creation of cycle paths.

-The aim is to develop safe

-and attractive cycle paths.

-Recreational routes are popular

-with cyclists and with walkers...

-..offering impressive and beautiful

-scenery for those who use them.

-We welcome everyone

-to use these paths.

-We hope to extend the path

-in the future.

-As we approach, I'm reminded

-of a famous old photograph...

-..that shows a crowd standing

-around the platform with the engine.

-Penygroes is important historically.

-We're now walking along

-part of the Nantlle railway line.

-The slate industry was crucial to

-the success of North Wales lines...

-..as here, for example,

-on the special Llyn Padarn railway.

-Our next stop is Groeslon.

-Our next stop is Groeslon.

-

-On we go to Groeslon.

-One of the characteristic

-features at Groeslon, Gwyn...

-..is that the station is

-right in the middle of the village.

-Very convenient too,

-unlike so many other stations...

-..which can be a fair distance

-from the village.

-I can see the old railway gate posts

-are still standing...

-..almost as a memorial

-to the railway.

-They're solid - the wooden posts

-and the concrete pillars too.

-Imagine the trains that passed here.

-They even had the Royal Train

-come through here once.

-Along our walk, the excellent

-quality of the path is striking...

-..and makes walking so much easier.

-On we go towards

-the old Dinas junction...

-..as the old line threads its way

-between the trees.

-Though the wide gauge tracks

-disappeared long ago...

-..new tracks have been laid thanks

-to the Welsh Highland Railway.

-From the air,

-it looks like a model railway.

-One former worker on this line

-is Dennis Williams.

-What are your memories

-of Dinas station?

-I have a great many memories -

-and very happy memories too.

-I remember coming here

-as a signalman...

-..and the lines were very stringent

-in terms of sticking to regulations.

-The thought of trains today

-passing red signals...

-..makes me quake in my boots when I

-remember how stringent things were.

-The same rules applied in Dinas

-as in Manchester or Birmingham.

-The same rules applied everywhere.

-I spent a while in Llanwnda, which

-is only a mile or so from Dinas.

-I worked there as a porter.

-It was quite something

-to work as a porter in Llanwnda.

-It's hard to imagine any need

-for a porter in Llanwnda.

-There was a stationmaster there

-as well - Mr Sullivan.

-The Queen came here on

-the Royal Train in 1963, I think.

-Mr Sullivan was due to retire

-on the Thursday...

-..and the Queen was coming

-on the Friday.

-He received a phonecall

-from the management in Chester.

-"John, the Queen's coming on Friday.

-Are you willing to stay on?"

-"Oh, good God, no. I'm retiring.

-I'm off!" he replied!

-"You'll be losing an honour,"

-they said...

-..but John said, "It's the Queen

-that's losing the honour!"

-It's good to know that this familiar

-sight towards Caernarfon Castle...

-..can once more be viewed

-from a train.

-Don't these coaches look wonderful?

-When the line ran from Afonwen...

-..the track ran beneath the Maes

-and along the shoreline.

-The tunnel has today been adapted

-for use by motor vehicles.

-Carrying all kinds of freight

-and hundreds of passengers...

-..Caernarfon station was very busy

-in its day, before closing in 1972.

-The Sunday School trip

-was the annual highlight.

-The Sunday School trip was always

-held on a Thursday, not a Saturday.

-The town clerk was asked to consider

-making the day a bank holiday...

-..to allow shops and schools

-to close.

-So there was this pilgrimage

-from here to Rhyl.

-We'd return home

-after a long and busy day.

-The mothers waited to collect the

-children outside the station here.

-Everyone used to say

-they'd never do it again...

-..but when next year came around,

-everyone got on the train!

-Why was this line closed making

-Caernarfon effectively isolated?

-The line from Bangor to Afonwen

-was a lifeline from north to west...

-..and I can't understand why

-nobody realised that at the time.

-It had local importance as

-local people made great use of it.

-Much use was made as a link between

-North Wales and Butlin's, Pwllheli.

-But the great loss

-was the missed opportunity...

-..to create a railway line

-for Wales.

-A line to travel from Anglesey

-to Carmarthen, for example...

-..without going through England.

-We leave Caernarfon for Griffiths

-Crossing and then Port Dinorwic...

-..and these stones here have

-some significance, don't they?

-Yes, they mark the Old Allotments.

-Many railway workers

-were given small plots of land...

-..where they grew vegetables

-close to the line.

-They were competitive too.

-There's a story about the

-stationmaster at Dovey Junction...

-..who grew potatoes in Merioneth,

-carrots in Cardiganshire...

-..and other veg in Montgomeryshire.

-He won prizes with

-his potatoes, Sharp Express...

-..but the stationmaster at Afonwen

-was tired of hearing about all this.

-He said, "Only the potatoes

-arrive on time at Dovey Junction!"

-On towards the old station at Port

-Dinorwic which closed in the '60s.

-The line now practically runs along

-the banks of the Menai Straits.

-From the air, it's easy

-to see the development...

-..around the old station

-at Port Dinorwic.

-The trees and litter have reclaimed

-the old railway tracks.

-Through the Faenol tunnel

-and out into the daylight...

-..passing Robert Stevenson's famous

-bridge, seen here as it once was.

-Here we met a former train driver.

-At the Bangor loop, we had

-to heat the four coaches...

-..and wait for the Holyhead

-train for London to arrive.

-Once it pulled in,

-we coupled the coaches to it.

-That gave us time

-to cook bacon and eggs...

-..and the smell of cooking

-filled the platform.

-That was great fun!

-If you opened the regulators...

-..you risked losing your

-bacon and eggs in the blast!

-We'd have great fun on the line!

-Bangor station

-is where our journey ends.

-I have memories of this place

-as an extremely busy station.

-There are still four tracks here,

-but it's changed so much.

-You're right,

-it was very busy here once.

-Local trains running to Llanberis,

-Bethesda, Anglesey, Afonwen...

-..not to mention the express trains

-running from Holyhead to Euston.

-It was particularly busy

-on Saturdays.

-I remember the old sheds

-with hundreds of steam trains...

-..at least it seemed to be hundreds.

-Today, you're lucky to see a

-solitary diesel engine run through.

-S4C subtitles by Testun Cyf