IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Llwyn Gell Industrial Estate, BLAENAU FFESTINIOG, LL41 3NE

View NW, towards Llandudno Junction, also Porthmadog by Ffestiniog Railway; ex-LNW terminus of Conwy Valley line from Llandudno Junction, to where the DMU is ready to leave. This station closed 25/5/82 when it was replaced by a new station ¼-mile east on site of former Central (ex-GWR) station, the connecting link having been opened (to serve Trawsfynydd Nuclear Power Station) on 20/4/64. A former station of the original Ffestiniog narrow-gauge Railway from Porthmadog, which closed to passengers on 18/9/39 (goods 1/8/46), had been on the left. The restored Ffestiniog Railway now also runs to the new 1982 station, having been gradually rebuilt in stages (with deviations) from Porthmadog starting on 23/7/55.

From roundabout at Blaenau Ffestiniog

Taken from road alongside the then terminus (on left), the majestic goods yard buildings on right still remained. Compare this to Image] 7 years later - so different, yet the spoil heaps from Ffestiniog Slate Quarry in the background remain. The clearly definied diagonal line up the spoil in background and the fainter zig-zag line to the right are both clearly visible on a google earth map. Use 52°59'56.33"N and 3°56'43.37"W, eye altitude 1.08km (or thereabouts). Took me an hour and half, and 30 years :), to work these directions out.

The former LNWR station building at the terminus of the Conwy valley line from Llandudno Junction. The station closed in 1982, when it was replaced with a new station nearer to the centre of town.

The landscape in this area has radically changed and the railway station has been relocated.

A road off the A470 to various units.

Looking in the reverse direction to Image from the other side of the water tower. When this picture was taken on 1981 the restoration of the final stage of the Ffestiniog Railway into Blaenau Ffestiniog was well under way as can be seen from the excavations and presence of machinery.

The ex-LNWR station only had a single passenger platform; however there were extensive interchange wharves with the 2 foot gauge quarry railway network to the right. These also included a substantial Goods Shed, visible in Image but sadly demolished before this picture was taken. The link line from the end of the platform towards the bottom left of the picture was installed in the 1960s to provide a through connection to the former GWR line from Bala in order to service the Nuclear Power Station at Trawsfynydd. Subsequently, with the opening of the new Blaenau central stations for both BR and the Ffestiniog Railway on the site of the ex-GWR station in 1982 the ex-LNWR station was closed and passenger services extended over this link line. Compare the picture with the more recent view in Image