Hi, I'm sure your comment will be appreciated by all those unsung heroes who keep the Welsh Highland Railway in good condition, making it not only safe, but visually appealing as well.
I loved visiting and photographing the rebirth of this railway, but riding it is the icing on the cake. Now I can hopefully witness the renaissance of the Lynton - Barnstaple railway. I would love to spend a week with the track laying gang when they get started.
Lets hope that really does begin soon. That will be an enormous task but so was bringing the Welsh Highland back to life. I did travel on this line and take video out of the window but seeing the whole view from the front of the loco is superb!
You will know from travelling over the line just how beautiful this part of Wales is. Having seen the overgrown deserted track bed that was the Welsh Highland Railway, transformed into the wonderful tourist magnet that exists today, makes me hopeful that the resurrection of the L&B really is possible.
With videos like this, showing such gorgeous country from a fairyland railroad terminating at a crenelated castle, tourism is bound to skyrocket. There is nothing like this in Texas outside of a theme park. Wonderful. Thank you.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Wales is a land of fairy-tales, myths, legends, dragons and real castles. It is a wonderful place with plenty to keep tourists busy.
ten out of ten for the dedicated team who keep this little gem of a railway in such good order . Not easy at certain times of the year ,I bet . Spellbinding stuff !
I used to drive through the Aberglaslyn Pass almost daily during the summers of 1969-71. It was so sad to see the dilapidated track-bed going through the empty tunnels just south of Beddgelert. - I haven't been back since. I didn't know that a restoration had taken place on that line, until earlier this year, when I saw your videos, on the Welsh Highland Railway and also your video on the Ffestiniog Railway. Your videos are a lasting tribute to all those who restore and maintain these valuable pieces of heritage and history. A great thank you to you for your hard work in recording their efforts. A trip on both lines are definitely on my "bucket list". Thank you for such inspirational videos. Please keep up the good work!
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed seeing trains in the Aberglaslyn Pass again. My Grandfather used to take me walking through the pass around the time you were driving through it. It was fun walking through the tunnels, back then it was inconceivable that trains would ever run again, it always seemed to be one of those things that would never really happen. All credit to the dreamers who refused to be beaten and made it happen. If you get the chance to visit again, I'm sure you'll really enjoy the experience.
Tim, I will (no doubt) be watching the latest improved version shortly. But that was a wonderful 50+ minute ride through stunning countryside, captured in your inimitable style. No fuss, no frills, just slow travel as needed. Thank you again. Peter
Hi Peter, I'm looking forward to re-visiting this railway in the near future when trains once again run the full length of the line. Hopefully I will be permitted to mount a camera again to benefit from the ever improving picture quality each new incarnation of the GoPro cameras produce.
Tim, I hope that day is sooner, rather than delayed by resurgence or 2nd spikes or whatever. Those undertakings that rely upon volunteers and public flocking to ride are so exposed by the disruption and even the uncertainty. Keep safe to you and yours. Peter
@@Pjs75 I'm with you on that, I have donated to the heritage railways I'm a a member of, but now they are asking again, many people like myself have been severely affected by the effect the virus has had on earnings, I am self employed and work is very schizophrenic resulting in a big drop in income, I don't think the railways will be as successful the second time of asking, they need to get trains running again and that requires a vaccine, at the moment it doesn't look as though one will be available for a while yet. I hope all the ventures that operate in a similar way to heritage railways survive because they are vital in attracting tourist to an area. We can only keep our fingers crossed and help out where we can. Take care. Tim.
It is a great video. My parents grew up in Pennsylvania in the Slate Belt, in Pen Argyl and Bangor. Pa. So just seeing the Slate Dumps at Ryd Ddu brought on a wave of Nostalgia.It had quite a wave of immigration from Wales and Cornwall. My mother sang in a Welsh choir, (though she's mostly German).
The Slate Belt is a slate that is almost black when first quarried and was preferred for blackboards for that color and because it easily formed flat smooth surfaces. For shingles it could simply be chopped with a cleaver-like knife. The slate belt parallels the main spine of the Appalachian's Blue Mountain from roughly Slate Hill, NY through Northwest NJ, into PA at Slateford on the Delaware, and ends near Slatington on the Lehigh River. The best slate and deepest quarrries are found near Bangor, Pen Argyl, and Wind Gap, Pa. where a very few are still active. One of the UK's food legacies there are Pasties. The principal railroad was the Lehigh & New England that actually made most of its money from Anthracite (a hard pure coal) and bulk cement (from the nearby cement belt). Other slate haulers were the Lehigh Valley, the Central of New Jersey, and the Delaware Lackawanna & Western. There's still plenty of slate there and it makes very long lasting roofs, but few want to pay the cost today. There's a small vein of an even better slate in Lancaster, York, and Baltimore counties, but those quarries shut down long ago. Those were served by the Pennsylvania railroad, and the Maryland & Pennsylvania - - known affectionally by its abbreviation as the "Ma and Pa" railroad.
Thank you for taking time to tell me a little more about slate mining in the the USA. Pasties are common throughout the UK, the original Cornish pastie was taken to work by tin miners for lunch - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasty . Slate is stilled quarried in Wales today although the industry is a fraction of what it was in its heyday. Please click on this link for an overview of the industry past and present - www.penmorfa.com/Slate/ Llechwedd Slate Caverns have been turned into a working museum where slate splitting and dressing is still practiced - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llechwedd_Slate_Caverns The industry has left its mark on the Welsh landscape and through museums and railways still contributes a significant sum to the Welsh economy today. My own house had a slate roof until 30 years ago when it was replaced with modern tiles.
This video and the first one have some of the most intriguing scenery ever. I love the craggy, twisted trees, and the open fields with sheep and cattle, and then the mountains rising straight up from the lakes - like a Norwegian fjord. And it's delivered with the steady heartbeat of the steam engine, really straining at one point pulling the train uphill.
Thanks. Did Porthmadog to Caernarfon when we were in the U.K. a few years back. To have this driver-view of the journey with these two videos is great. When my wife has time, she can recall one of her favourite things that she has done when visiting the UK.
Hi, I hope you enjoyed your visit to the UK, it's nice to know this video helped to bring back memories of your own trip through the beautiful Welsh scenery.
I have just watched both parts of this video of the Porthmadog -Caernarfon line . Back in the mid 60s I walked some of the trackbed thinking that it was a shame it was no longer a railway but thanks to railway enthusiasts and volunteers it has been resurrected .My admiration goes out to all those involved in this wonderful achievement .
Like you, I walked the line when it was just an abandoned track bed, trying to imagine how it must have been when trains were still running, never in my wildest dreams did I think trains would actually run again. We owe a big "thank you" to all the people who through their hard work and dedication bought this line back to life.
As I said in Part 1 I just couldn't wait.This is a trip I have taken 4 times.but never with the view ahead of the train. Many, Many thanks for your Video's they never fail to impress.
Thank you, I love the welsh scenery and there is no better way to enjoy it, the Pullman Observation carriage is a bit expensive, but well worth booking in advance to celebrate a special occasion, such as a milestone birthday or anniversary.
Really enjoyed part one of the journey, looking forward to part two now. What a wonderful way to spend an evening watching the world go by while travelling up on the plate. I will be looking out for more of these train rides on TH-cam around my favourite country, Wales. Thank you so much for sharing. :)
Hi Kim, I always look forward to visiting Wales, with is amazing coastline, scenic mountains and fascinating railways. I tend to watch TH-cam these days rather than TV, I like to just watch the view and draw my own opinions, my only real exception being Micheal Palin, he turns travel into an adventure about the country and people he visits in a way I really enjoy.
We were on holidays in North Wales with our 3 children when the railway was being built. Have since been on the train twice. Fantastic trip and views. Well worth a trip.
I spent many holidays in North Wales with my children, firstly walking the old track-bed, then watching the line being rebuilt and finally travelling over the whole length of the railway. It seemed like an impossible dream, now it is a wonderful testament to all those responsible for bringing it back to life, so that thousand can enjoy the view without harming the countryside. Its one of my all time favorite train rides.
Thank you Tim, I think that this is the best way I have seen to see the countryside. I go to Wales every week for a run out on my bike, and although I get to see some great views, it does not come close to this. Once again thank you. John
Hi John, it must be wonderful to see Wales in all seasons. The views from the roads are good, but it is not always possible to stop and enjoy the scenery, where as riding the train allows large numbers of people to enjoy the landscape without spoiling it. The scar left by the reopened railway is small compared to that left by an improved road.
Excellent part 2 especially running past Llyn Cwellyn reservoir and the approach to Dinas junction sidings and workshop where some operative is carrying repairs oblivious to "just another train" passing-by! Caernarfon Station looked a little "unloved" which is a shame, but perhaps the view of the Castle will improve once the new development is completed. Probably is now 2 years on?
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. For me it has been a real pleasure to witness the rebirth of the WHR, a lot has happened in 19 years, the railway has gone from being an overgrown track-bed to a fully functioning railway and video cameras have upgraded from Pal 4:3 analogue to 4K 16:9 digital widescreen. The station at Caernarfon has also been transformed with new modern buildings including a cafe, gift shop and all the amenities associated with a prestigious tourist attraction, there has never been a better time to visit the "Great Little Railways" of Wales.
Amazing scenery! Thanks for sharing 2 more great videos. And once you entered Caernarfon and pass that water tower, the castle just takes your breathe away! Spectacular!
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it, to think this line had been little more than a memory seen only through old photographs, until people with a seemingly impossible dream bought it back to life.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Driver's view has got to be the best view . . . is there a rear-end panorama view car ? The scenery is absolutely outstanding.
Hi, the driver certainly has the best view. Some of the trains run with a Pullman observation carriage at the rear, offering the chance to sit in a sumptuous arm chair, enjoying tea and cakes or may be a beer. Please click on these links to see the view from one of these wonderful carriages - th-cam.com/video/FK2-k9mpK8g/w-d-xo.html - th-cam.com/video/teyuzqwVEUo/w-d-xo.html Over the years I visited the railway to see the reconstruction work, covered in these three videos - th-cam.com/video/_qwmYHPQ6tk/w-d-xo.html - th-cam.com/video/EtKiyuOlruU/w-d-xo.html - th-cam.com/video/aKkKhL5INd8/w-d-xo.html
I doubt that I will ever visit Wales or see this line ( or the Ffestiniog or Vale of Rheidol and others) Yet via this clip I can almost feel as if I have been there. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.
Hi tim,What a beautiful railway,Love the ending with that wonderful old castle in the background,In a past life was this a regular passenger and freight line, If you come to melbourne next year the best way to puffing billy is a train from flinders st station to belgrave station and do a tour of the melbourne cricket ground its the best sporting arena in the world,Cheers bob and may the force be with you always.
Hi Robert, the castle is so typically Welsh, it is amazing that it has survived in such good condition for so long. The line was built to carry slate from the quarries of North Wales, it was not very successful, although tourist trains were run, it was before mass tourism as we know it today. You might find this link interesting - www.festrail.co.uk/whr_history_1.htm Melbourne cricket ground often features on British TV, if I get a chance I'll have a lot round. We are intending to catch the train from Flinders Street to Belgrave, which reminds I'd better book my accommodation in Belgrave soon.
yep was on the path between the Royal Car shown elsewhere on the clip and the entrance to the graveyard. We were just visiting and did not know what was going to happen until a few moments before. Also visited Trawsfynydd powerstation as dad was in that industry. that's why the Denault loop was built.
I saw Trawsfynydd power station being built and now it is just an empty shell that no one really knows what to do with. Now there is a bunch of windmills generating electricity along the South Coast of England where I live, I can't help wondering what sort of mess they will be in in 50 years time.
38:00 I had no Idea this line had more than one diesel! 39:03 this is a pretty big station to be a halt! 39:17 and that engine doesn't have a train! I thought it did for a moment! 41:53 i'm surprised this railway has a non-garratt steam engine! I thouight they just had five NGG16 class garrats an an old K class! It would be nice to be able to take a train from Porthmadog to the snowdon Mountain Railway!
I used to visit the railway regularly whilst it was being rebuilt and a number of the diesels seen in the video were used on the works trains. At Dinas the original British Rail station was used, it was also the end of the line for a while, now it is used as a loco depot. I love the Garratts but it will be nice to see more variety in future.
This is my Existy.??.. I am on a high with amazement and wonder at this Railway Line... WHEN and WHY was it built ?? BUT no matter WHY I am so delighted that it was built whenever.. MAGNIFICENT.. How many miles was that trip into the end of the world ? Where were the Slate Quarries from here? The line seemed to be on a fall from the start so HOW did the Gravity work with loads of Slate if this is the low spot of the line.. With all the Buildings on the line it sure looks like a proper Railroad line with Maintenance sheds and all that. .. Fair play to the workers of 200 years ago or so. It is an extraordinary facility to have in your area and a massive tourist attraction. God bless all people associated with the upkeep operation and maintenance of a brilliant facility... HOW did anyone figure out the complicated route ?? I don't know yet how to get access to the 2nd Video ?? I will find it somehow. ??
Hi, I upload both these videos again recently, taking advantage of modern software to improve the picture quality, please click on these links - th-cam.com/video/pT0mKjwTXUw/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/pg34JpOIC4M/w-d-xo.html I have also created a series of three videos showing the rebuilding of the line - th-cam.com/video/_qwmYHPQ6tk/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/EtKiyuOlruU/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/aKkKhL5INd8/w-d-xo.html There is also a video showing the original volunteer site, now home to the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway - th-cam.com/video/UO0LAjM9ECw/w-d-xo.html
And so back to Caernarfon from Rhyd Ddu, round trip completed. Noticed a few of the circular signs facing away from the driver on this run(in the other direction we had the view from the rear). The driver of the train would only see those signs when travelling from Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu.
Ach aye, me laddie! That'd go down well! Don't mind me, Tim, just letting a bit of my Scottish(well, half-Scottish) heritage get a bit of airing! LOL.....aaaahhh why was talking with a Scots accent when this was Welsh?
Have you visited the home of you ancestors, its a beautiful place, not so many railways these days, but those that are left are well worth taking a ride on.
Linha bem limpa,bonita paisagem,muitas árvores,túneis,viadutos,estações bem conservadas,muito bonito o trajeto,linha bem firme trilhos no nível uma viagem tranquila!
Meu pai foi ferroviário meus avôs tbém,eu nasci perto da ferrovia,sempre gostei de ferrovias,mas no Brasil temos poucas ferrovias deveria ter muitas pra gente poder viajar grandes distâncias numa cabine c/todo o conforto e segurança.
Você tem ferrovias em seu sangue, com seu pai e seu avô trabalhando neles. É uma pena que o Brasil tenha poucas ferrovias, pois seria uma ótima maneira de os turistas verem o país.
Well clean line, beautiful landscape, lots of trees, tunnels, viaducts, well maintained stations, very beautiful path, very steady rails on the level a quiet journey! ( portuguese ) brazilian
That is slate waste, it is unlikely to slip because water drains easily through it, unlike slag heaps created by the waste from coal mines that can become unstable during periods of high rainfall.
These railways would be open to any suggestions that might increase ridership; innovation is one of the reasons for their success. I’ll be sure to look both ways before crossing.
that's what I remember. We walked on the line bed at Bethgelert for a fair way. I was 15! We went on the Festinog but only as far as the start of the Denalt loop that they were construction after the flooding of the lake for the Power Station, as I remember my Dad saying...
Hi, I don't know if you have seen this, at the end of the video is a cine film of the Ffestiniog railway taken by my parents in 1963 - th-cam.com/video/3XfO9659GtA/w-d-xo.html
just watched it Tim. great video. Dad took some transparencies. I have them some where me thinks. We were there , but cant remember the date. The Queen was visiting Lloyd George's grave. and she walked right pass us on the path up to the graveyard. No security! I remember that well.
Wow, to be that close to the Queen must have been an interesting experience. This video clip shows the Queen visiting Wales in 1963 - th-cam.com/video/oyIsqyyndIo/w-d-xo.html
Paradise land and this landscapes! Many thanks again, dear Tim, for filming. Hmm... I think, this Snowdon mountain place and around land can be used as 'source image' to 'painting' Hobbiton land and its mountain of LOTR of J.R.Tolkin bock, is not it? :-) P.S. Afternoon we have cloudly and rainy weather again!.. /Devil's work! (tm)/ Damned current climate!
Hi, I'm pleased you enjoyed this ride through the beautiful Welsh scenery, it has inspired many artists over the years. It is a long way from the real Hobbiton, but the scenery is very similar.
Of course, I did not mean the literal landscape similarity, but the spirit itself, as it is customary to be expressed... :-) And correspondence to that unity with the man's nature of that legendary epoch, which is pivotal moment in the novel ...
The points system used on the WHRailway are called Spring Points and can be found sparingly on Standard Gauge too but at one time they were more common than they are now as explained they save the use of Points Motors and Signaling Equipment but care is needed or Derailment occurs,Oh Dear!
Hello Geoff, the first time I saw a train running through points that appeared to be set for the wrong track, I was expecting the train to derail, I was a kid watching a goods train shunting wagons in a local freight yard and the points weren't even spring loaded. I now realise it is a common practice on narrow gauge railways and as you say to a lesser extent on the standard gauge network.
Hello Geoff, I don't know where your recent comment disappeared to!!! I hope your other half appreciated receiving your undivided attention in the West Country. The wrong side of twenty one and still driving steam on rail-tours, that's quite some achievement on its own. I enjoyed reading your accounts of tours to little used lines and industrial complexes. I've done similar tours in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, on one tour the driver had to take a chain saw to some of the trees and check that there were still rails through the undergrowth. Trap points is a perfect description. I once filmed the rear carriage of train derail in the carriage sidings at the Bluebell Railway when a train was pushed clear of the running lines to allow a service train to pass, the driver hadn't realised the last coach had pushed through a set of points set for the wrong direction, as the train pulled forward the inevitable happened, one of the staff looked at me and said "did you film that", I nodded and he said "please don't post it to TH-cam", I obeyed his request. You must have some wonderful memories from your railway adventures 😊.
Hello Geoff, your wife and my wife sound very similar, in wanting train free holidays and Salcombe is the place my wife would choose to live in if it was down to her. Thankfully derailments are rare, I've only seen two in all the time I've been filming railways and I caught both on camera. Your incident with an A4 and the teak carriages reminds me of a similar incident where distraction nearly resulted in extreme embarrassment for me, I was arriving home with a touring caravan in tow, I dropped my wife off of a few yards before reaching my drive to stop the traffic so that I could reverse the caravan onto my drive. I started reversing and noticed my wife holding and stroking our cat, paying no attention to the traffic, I got out and went to the back of the caravan to find a car trapped between the back of my caravan and the car behind him with only inches to spare. I apologised to the driver and drove round the block to have another go, this time my wife did stop the traffic, proving that even before mobile phones people were easily distracted. A telephoto lens does enable a photographer to take photos from some distance away. I haven't visited the NYMR for a few years, I must visit again, it's a top class railway. Take care. Tim.
@@geoffhunter7704 Hello Geoff my daughter is a signaller at Crediton, she was at Exmouth junction, she sends me plenty of lovely photographs. In a previous life she trained horses at a farm north of Inverurie, she often tells me she'd like to return north as a signaller on the Highland mainline. She has a TH-cam channel featuring her Duck Toller dog and two pet cats, she often features walks along the trackbed of the old North Devon railway line. When I first visited the NYMR the Fylingdales balls dominated the skyline and an 0-6-0 ex Longmoor Sadle tank was struggling to haul our 6 coach train on a very wet day, plenty of noise and wheel slipping. There are some wonderful heritage lines in Devon, but I won't mention them as you are on a train free holiday. As for politicians I sometimes wonder if they are just a bad dream, non of them seem to understand that your average man doesn't want to change the world, he's happy with the way things were when women were women and men were man and we call the football referee every name under the sun, it was a great way to get rid of the weeks frustrations. I didn't only play football, latterly I became a referee on the receiving end of the name calling, it made me smile, after all it was me calling out the names a few years earlier. Scotland is awesome and the people are really friendly, I never noticed any of the media generated animosity. You have some great tours lined up, I must make a real effort to visit the North soon. My next rail adventure is in 10 days time to Hungary, the Czech Republic and Austria to see and ride behind steam both on the main line and on heritage railways with the Railway Touring Company. Happy touring, all the best. Tim.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Well Tim back in Choo Choo Land again after a week of keeping my better half content and fulfilled our journey back home last Sunday was Sunshine all the way and some Cl 17 news apparantly there are two preserved one for the NRM? and another in the South of England in blue and yellow livery with a D number in full working order as it was seen on the Swanage Railway last week hauling a train (fingers Xed) she does not break down.Hope all is well with you!
That clattering is not the track, the camera was mounted on the steam locomotive where it picked up the sound of the mechanical oil pump, motion gear and connecting rods, all sounds not normally heard by passengers.
It is a bit alarming the first time you see a train run through a switch set for the other line. The train pushes the point blade over as it passes, the switch then returns to the other line by means of a spring mechanism so that the next train in the opposite direction will take the other line, this ensures that up and down trains always take opposite tracks allowing them to pass each other without the need for the switch to be operated either manually or from a signal box.
Train Operated Trailable Points. The stations on the WHR run without fixed signalling and starter signals. The points will always send you down the right hand road. Should you need to go into the left hand road. A point lever is provided in a cabinet to force the point over, for someone else to clamp the point in place for a train to pass.
Indeed I wonder too. Dad said it was only supposed to have a life of 25 years. Think they got more like 35 years out of it. Cheers Andrew - South Australia
Next time you have the chance could the camera be located closer to the stack such as on the cab roof? Or even have a microphone located closer to it at the very least? I started playing this while cleaning my apartment, and not much cleaning has been completed!
Hi, sorry this stopped you cleaning your apartment, I hope you enjoyed the video. Please click on the links below to watch videos where I was able to mount the camera near the smoke stack. Seasons Greetings. Tim th-cam.com/video/8HmBfo5LfYk/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/-69m92hWweE/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/ZaGtLEzI_YI/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/1o8YJsVOH58/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/u-E_umvzXYk/w-d-xo.html
It was very kind of the driver and yourself to let me place a camera on the front. I have visited the line many times over the years to photograph its rebirth, but this was the first time I have ridden the full length. It's hard to believe that it was not that long ago the track bed through the Aberglaslyn pass was a footpath and the long tunnel was a scary place to walk through, it didn't seen possible that it would once again echo to the sound of a steam engine. The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland railways are in a league of their own, not just because of the amazing scenery, but also because of the friendly staff and volunteers who help make visiting both lines such a rewarding experience. Thanks to you and the driver for your part in making my trip a really memorable experience.
It's a beautiful route, and I have recommended your videos to our trainees to help them learn the route. If you have any stills of me on the engine, any chance you could send them over?
Hi Michael, thanks for recommending this video to new trainees. I looked through my stills, but I didn't find anything. I spent a couple of days filming the trains at various locations along the line, if you were working any of those days, there is a chance I caught you on camera. I will start editing a line side video next week, if you are in any of the shots I will let you know. If you are working next time I visit I'll make sure I get some nice photos of you with one of the engines.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was filmed a few years ago with a GoPro Hero 3 Black edition, if the opportunity crops up again, I'll film it with latest GoPro.
Hi, there are waste tips as a result of quarrying for slate. The only coal carried was either for the locomotives or domestic household use.The line was originally built to carry slate to the ports at Porthmadog and Caernarfon with an eye on potential tourist traffic and some local freight.
Notice how he ran through a pair of points at the beginning ? These are spring points , designed to be ran through , in the trailing position . Not many of those about any more .
Hi, a number of people have commented expressing alarm at the train running through points set against it, yet it is normal practice in many countries where speed is low to keep the cost of operating passing loops down. It only goes wrong when the driver forgets and reverses without having cleared the points first.
Thanks for this excellent driver’s eye view video. Am I correct in noting that on going out of the station the points were not set correctly for the train’s track?
Thank you, I am pleased you enjoyed it. The points do appear to be set for the wrong track, they are held in position by a spring mechanism, this is a question that crops up a lot, so I' ll add an explanation to the video description. I have copied and pasted the explanation from the video description here - The switches at either end on the passing loop are set to allow trains to pass without the need for railway personnel to set them, in this case the train will always take the right hand track in the direction of travel, when the train reaches the end of the loop the switch appears to be set incorrectly. The switch blades are held in place by a spring mechanism that allows them to be pushed over by the weight of a train passing through them. Once the train is clear they are automatically set to allow a train in the opposite direction to take the right hand track, thus making the passing loop automatic. The system works well so long as a train never reverses before clearing the switch as that will de-rail the train. The first time this system is seen in operation it looks wrong, but it is common practice on many lines where speed is low and costs need to be kept to a minimum.
It's nice to get lucky, I was even able to book the seats at the rear of the Pullman. The train was carrying a good number of passengers, with the open carriage proving to be the most popular.
oh yes the open carriage ,,was in it when we got into the long tunnel in the pass did not go all the way then just past the tunnel and it was near the back ,oh the smoke on the return
Now the line is complete, it has to be one of the best rail trips to had anywhere in the UK. The tunnel is still a bit smokey, but the drivers keep it to a minimum. As time permits I will edit and upload a video with "then and now" shots to show the line before it was relaid and how it looks today.
the smell of the smoke mixed with the steam, is like incense to my nostrils, we don't get that, on film or video, yep, i was around before they decided, wouldn't it be great, to make a few bob on scrap metal, were never going to need these tracks again, and we think, the vikings were vandals, ? it doesn't even come close to what those short sighted morons did, nowadays a few inches of snow or leaves on the line will bring a whole network to a standstill, and they call that progress
For a small country , it packs a punch . Just as thought it was safe to go back in the water . a small choir breaks into LAND OF MY FATHERS . not a dry eye in the house . brill .
Hi, this is a forward view and the points/switches cause a lot comments, so much so that I added a description about how they work to the video description. To save you looking I have copied and pasted it here - The switches at either end on the passing loop are set to allow trains to pass without the need for railway personnel to set them, in this case the train will always take the right hand track in the direction of travel, when the train reaches the end of the loop the switch appears to be set incorrectly. The switch blades are held in place by a spring mechanism that allows them to be pushed over by the weight of a train passing through them. Once the train is clear they are automatically set to allow a train in the opposite direction to take the right hand track, thus making the passing loop automatic. The system works well so long as a train never reverses before clearing the switch as that will de-rail the train. The first time this system is seen in operation it looks wrong, but it is common practice on many lines where speed is low and costs need to be kept to a minimum.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Many tourist lines in the US have spring switches. They always have a little sign, "SS", so the crews remember which ones can be run through.
Shame about the colour balance. The first part was just right for the conditions but part 2 was a bit off. Well there is always the return run. Nice to see a well presented road bed and clean ballast. Well it could be considered a new(ish) railway.
Hi, sorry about the colour problem, GoPro cameras are great, but they do experience problems with colour balance in changing light. I corrected it and posted it to TH-cam, I checked the video before making it live and the playback was awful using the You Tube player which was a pity because it plays well on my computer. I tried the original file and the playback was much better, hence the slight colour problem. The guards eye view videos were shot using Sony's latest action camera - Sony FDR-X3000 - they are a bit better, but there is little choose between GoPro and Sony. The railway is well looked after, a real credit to the volunteers and staff who look after it.
Yes the technology is great but when things go wrong there's not a lot you can do. Unless you sit with it like early cab rides. This video seems to have the camera mounted on the buffer beam light bracket? impossible with early video or film cameras. One of the strangest 'shots' I have seen is with the camera just above rail level over one of the rails. BLS north route in 6 parts. Was OK as it was only in 2 to 3 minute sections with the cab mounted camera. Liked your BLS route videos.
Hi Brian, the camera was mounted on a hand rail at the front of the locomotive. These small action cameras make it possible to take shots that would have been almost impossible a few years ago. The colour can be corrected, but for some reason the colour green can cause the You Tube player to pixalate, where as I have no such problem when I play the clips directly on my computer. I have no idea what the cause is, but I noticed the You Tube player was OK when playing this video without colour correction. I also use a drone and that really can take shots that would have been impossible 10 years ago. I have seen shots taken at rail height or filming the motion gear on a steam locomotive, they can be very effective. I'm glad you enjoyed my BLS videos.
I wish I was sitting in the warm summer sun enjoying a Welsh tea cake in one of Beddgelert's wonderful tea room gardens, with the sound of a steam train working through the Aberglaslyn Pass in the background, I'll have to make do with a coffee at my workbench for now, but I'm looking forward to my next trip to North Wales.
Hi, I'm pretty sure the noise you can hear is the mechanical lubricator, it was close the camera. Generally the FHR and WHR keep their locos in pretty good order, although they do work hard lifting heavy trains up significant gradients.
The work crews maintaining the rail bed, crossings, bridges, tunnels and stations are to be congratulated for their excellent work.
Hi, I'm sure your comment will be appreciated by all those unsung heroes who keep the Welsh Highland Railway in good condition, making it not only safe, but visually appealing as well.
Hi Tim’s railway’s thanks for showing me video of the Wales country side and amazing little railway 🚃 very enjoyed David 🙏🇬🇧❤️👍🚃
Hello David, I'm pleased you enjoyed the ride, Wales is home to some wonderful narrow gauge railways.
I could spend hours just watching and re watching this magnificent video. Thank you Tim!
I loved visiting and photographing the rebirth of this railway, but riding it is the icing on the cake. Now I can hopefully witness the renaissance of the Lynton - Barnstaple railway. I would love to spend a week with the track laying gang when they get started.
Lets hope that really does begin soon. That will be an enormous task but so was bringing the Welsh Highland back to life. I did travel on this line and take video out of the window but seeing the whole view from the front of the loco is superb!
You will know from travelling over the line just how beautiful this part of Wales is. Having seen the overgrown deserted track bed that was the Welsh Highland Railway, transformed into the wonderful tourist magnet that exists today, makes me hopeful that the resurrection of the L&B really is possible.
🙏
With videos like this, showing such gorgeous country from a fairyland railroad terminating at a crenelated castle, tourism is bound to skyrocket. There is nothing like this in Texas outside of a theme park. Wonderful. Thank you.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Wales is a land of fairy-tales, myths, legends, dragons and real castles. It is a wonderful place with plenty to keep tourists busy.
ten out of ten for the dedicated team who keep this little gem of a railway in such good order . Not easy at certain times of the year ,I bet . Spellbinding stuff !
Hi Burt, these guys deserve your 10 out of 10 rating, they have done a wonderful job restoring and running this line for us all to enjoy.
I used to drive through the Aberglaslyn Pass almost daily during the summers of 1969-71. It was so sad to see the dilapidated track-bed going through the empty tunnels just south of Beddgelert. - I haven't been back since.
I didn't know that a restoration had taken place on that line, until earlier this year, when I saw your videos, on the Welsh Highland Railway and also your video on the Ffestiniog Railway.
Your videos are a lasting tribute to all those who restore and maintain these valuable pieces of heritage and history. A great thank you to you for your hard work in recording their efforts.
A trip on both lines are definitely on my "bucket list".
Thank you for such inspirational videos. Please keep up the good work!
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed seeing trains in the Aberglaslyn Pass again. My Grandfather used to take me walking through the pass around the time you were driving through it. It was fun walking through the tunnels, back then it was inconceivable that trains would ever run again, it always seemed to be one of those things that would never really happen. All credit to the dreamers who refused to be beaten and made it happen. If you get the chance to visit again, I'm sure you'll really enjoy the experience.
Beatiful cloudy but green landscape, nothing seems so nice that a train respecting nature...great work!
I'm just discovering Wales with the WHR.
Hi, i'm glad you've discovered this little bit of Wales, it is a beautiful place with a fascinating industrial history.
Thanks for the best seat on the Train...From Kentucky USA...!
Cheers, I'm pleased you enjoyed the ride.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Yes thank you once again...!
Tim, I will (no doubt) be watching the latest improved version shortly. But that was a wonderful 50+ minute ride through stunning countryside, captured in your inimitable style. No fuss, no frills, just slow travel as needed. Thank you again. Peter
Hi Peter, I'm looking forward to re-visiting this railway in the near future when trains once again run the full length of the line. Hopefully I will be permitted to mount a camera again to benefit from the ever improving picture quality each new incarnation of the GoPro cameras produce.
Tim, I hope that day is sooner, rather than delayed by resurgence or 2nd spikes or whatever. Those undertakings that rely upon volunteers and public flocking to ride are so exposed by the disruption and even the uncertainty. Keep safe to you and yours. Peter
@@Pjs75 I'm with you on that, I have donated to the heritage railways I'm a a member of, but now they are asking again, many people like myself have been severely affected by the effect the virus has had on earnings, I am self employed and work is very schizophrenic resulting in a big drop in income, I don't think the railways will be as successful the second time of asking, they need to get trains running again and that requires a vaccine, at the moment it doesn't look as though one will be available for a while yet. I hope all the ventures that operate in a similar way to heritage railways survive because they are vital in attracting tourist to an area. We can only keep our fingers crossed and help out where we can. Take care. Tim.
It is a great video. My parents grew up in Pennsylvania in the Slate Belt, in Pen Argyl and Bangor. Pa. So just seeing the Slate Dumps at Ryd Ddu brought on a wave of Nostalgia.It had quite a wave of immigration from Wales and Cornwall. My mother sang in a Welsh choir, (though she's mostly German).
I've learnt something new today, I didn't know about the Pennsylvania Slate Belt, now I'm curious to know more.
The Slate Belt is a slate that is almost black when first quarried and was preferred for blackboards for that color and because it easily formed flat smooth surfaces. For shingles it could simply be chopped with a cleaver-like knife. The slate belt parallels the main spine of the Appalachian's Blue Mountain from roughly Slate Hill, NY through Northwest NJ, into PA at Slateford on the Delaware, and ends near Slatington on the Lehigh River. The best slate and deepest quarrries are found near Bangor, Pen Argyl, and Wind Gap, Pa. where a very few are still active. One of the UK's food legacies there are Pasties. The principal railroad was the Lehigh & New England that actually made most of its money from Anthracite (a hard pure coal) and bulk cement (from the nearby cement belt). Other slate haulers were the Lehigh Valley, the Central of New Jersey, and the Delaware Lackawanna & Western. There's still plenty of slate there and it makes very long lasting roofs, but few want to pay the cost today. There's a small vein of an even better slate in Lancaster, York, and Baltimore counties, but those quarries shut down long ago. Those were served by the Pennsylvania railroad, and the Maryland & Pennsylvania - - known affectionally by its abbreviation as the "Ma and Pa" railroad.
Thank you for taking time to tell me a little more about slate mining in the the USA. Pasties are common throughout the UK, the original Cornish pastie was taken to work by tin miners for lunch - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasty . Slate is stilled quarried in Wales today although the industry is a fraction of what it was in its heyday. Please click on this link for an overview of the industry past and present - www.penmorfa.com/Slate/ Llechwedd Slate Caverns have been turned into a working museum where slate splitting and dressing is still practiced - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llechwedd_Slate_Caverns
The industry has left its mark on the Welsh landscape and through museums and railways still contributes a significant sum to the Welsh economy today. My own house had a slate roof until 30 years ago when it was replaced with modern tiles.
This video and the first one have some of the most intriguing scenery ever. I love the craggy, twisted trees, and the open fields with sheep and cattle, and then the mountains rising straight up from the lakes - like a Norwegian fjord. And it's delivered with the steady heartbeat of the steam engine, really straining at one point pulling the train uphill.
Hi John, the North Wales scenery is beautiful and there is no better way of enjoying it than watching it pass by from a train window.
Thanks.
Did Porthmadog to Caernarfon when we were in the U.K. a few years back.
To have this driver-view of the journey with these two videos is great.
When my wife has time, she can recall one of her favourite things that she has done when visiting the UK.
Hi, I hope you enjoyed your visit to the UK, it's nice to know this video helped to bring back memories of your own trip through the beautiful Welsh scenery.
I have just watched both parts of this video of the Porthmadog -Caernarfon line . Back in the mid 60s I walked some of the trackbed thinking that it was a shame it was no longer a railway but thanks to railway enthusiasts and volunteers it has been resurrected .My admiration goes out to all those involved in this wonderful achievement .
Like you, I walked the line when it was just an abandoned track bed, trying to imagine how it must have been when trains were still running, never in my wildest dreams did I think trains would actually run again. We owe a big "thank you" to all the people who through their hard work and dedication bought this line back to life.
As I said in Part 1 I just couldn't wait.This is a trip I have taken 4 times.but never with the view ahead of the train. Many, Many thanks for your Video's they never fail to impress.
Thank you, I love the welsh scenery and there is no better way to enjoy it, the Pullman Observation carriage is a bit expensive, but well worth booking in advance to celebrate a special occasion, such as a milestone birthday or anniversary.
Very beautiful. Cheers, Tim
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.
@@Timsvideochannel1 😀
Just watched both parts 1 & 2. The WHR runs through some stunning scenery.
Thanks for uploading. :-)
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed this wonderful little railway.
Really enjoyed part one of the journey, looking forward to part two now. What a wonderful way to spend an evening watching the world go by while travelling up on the plate. I will be looking out for more of these train rides on TH-cam around my favourite country, Wales. Thank you so much for sharing. :)
Hi Kim, I always look forward to visiting Wales, with is amazing coastline, scenic mountains and fascinating railways. I tend to watch TH-cam these days rather than TV, I like to just watch the view and draw my own opinions, my only real exception being Micheal Palin, he turns travel into an adventure about the country and people he visits in a way I really enjoy.
What a Brilliant Showcase. What a Wonderful Railway.
Well Done.
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.
Thank You so much for the upload. Very beautiful scenery. Shared the link in my Facebook wall.
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it and thanks for sharing it on your Facebook wall.
We were on holidays in North Wales with our 3 children when the railway was being built. Have since been on the train twice. Fantastic trip and views. Well worth a trip.
I spent many holidays in North Wales with my children, firstly walking the old track-bed, then watching the line being rebuilt and finally travelling over the whole length of the railway. It seemed like an impossible dream, now it is a wonderful testament to all those responsible for bringing it back to life, so that thousand can enjoy the view without harming the countryside. Its one of my all time favorite train rides.
@@Timsvideochannel1 certainly is, well worth a visit.
Very enjoyable, thank you.
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.
Brilliant the iron horse on the track countryside work shop's best way to see Wales love it
It's got to be the best way to Wales, sitting in a comfortable seat with a cup of tea and a welsh cake.
Thank you Tim, I think that this is the best way I have seen to see the countryside. I go to Wales every week for a run out on my bike, and although I get to see some great views, it does not come close to this. Once again thank you.
John
Hi John, it must be wonderful to see Wales in all seasons. The views from the roads are good, but it is not always possible to stop and enjoy the scenery, where as riding the train allows large numbers of people to enjoy the landscape without spoiling it. The scar left by the reopened railway is small compared to that left by an improved road.
Nice touch showing us the runround at the end. Thanks!
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed the ride.
Incredible scenery!!! I also look for animals...the most I've ever seen on a railway, Birds, sheep, cows and horses!! No lack!! Enjoyed my ride!!!
Hi, I'm pleased you enjoyed the ride. Wales is one of my favorite places, I visit as often as I can.
Beautiful scenery. Great trip. Safe travels ahead. God bless.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Great journey, really enjoyed, thanks.
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.
Superb video. I rode on this section a few years ago in the opposite directiuon and return. Great little railway.
Cheers Keith, this is one of my all time favourite railways. I visited regularly during its rebirth, but this was my first trip over the entire line.
This is wonderful. Many thanks for posting.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Wonderful Tim - thanks for making this video... Very relaxing to watch.... I look forward to seeing more...
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.
Thank you ,this is so nice. The vivid colors of green are just beautiful. Such a lovely ride through the Welch countryside.
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed the ride.
full of natural beauty train journey
Excellent part 2 especially running past Llyn Cwellyn reservoir and the approach to Dinas junction sidings and workshop where some operative is carrying repairs oblivious to "just another train" passing-by! Caernarfon Station looked a little "unloved" which is a shame, but perhaps the view of the Castle will improve once the new development is completed. Probably is now 2 years on?
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. For me it has been a real pleasure to witness the rebirth of the WHR, a lot has happened in 19 years, the railway has gone from being an overgrown track-bed to a fully functioning railway and video cameras have upgraded from Pal 4:3 analogue to 4K 16:9 digital widescreen. The station at Caernarfon has also been transformed with new modern buildings including a cafe, gift shop and all the amenities associated with a prestigious tourist attraction, there has never been a better time to visit the "Great Little Railways" of Wales.
Amazing scenery! Thanks for sharing 2 more great videos. And once you entered Caernarfon and pass that water tower, the castle just takes your breathe away! Spectacular!
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it, to think this line had been little more than a memory seen only through old photographs, until people with a seemingly impossible dream bought it back to life.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Driver's view has got to be the best view . . . is there a rear-end panorama view car ? The scenery is absolutely outstanding.
Hi, the driver certainly has the best view. Some of the trains run with a Pullman observation carriage at the rear, offering the chance to sit in a sumptuous arm chair, enjoying tea and cakes or may be a beer. Please click on these links to see the view from one of these wonderful carriages - th-cam.com/video/FK2-k9mpK8g/w-d-xo.html - th-cam.com/video/teyuzqwVEUo/w-d-xo.html
Over the years I visited the railway to see the reconstruction work, covered in these three videos - th-cam.com/video/_qwmYHPQ6tk/w-d-xo.html - th-cam.com/video/EtKiyuOlruU/w-d-xo.html - th-cam.com/video/aKkKhL5INd8/w-d-xo.html
I doubt that I will ever visit Wales or see this line ( or the Ffestiniog or Vale of Rheidol and others) Yet via this clip I can almost feel as if I have been there. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity.
Wales is a small country with an amazing variety of steam operated railways. I am glad I was able to show you one of them via TH-cam
Thank you Tim...Excellent job!!!!
Thank you, I'm pleased you enjoyed it.
Beautiful line, it give me some idears for a next trip.
Autumn is a great time to ride the Welsh Highland and Ffestiniog Railways, the colours are wonderful.
Hi tim,What a beautiful railway,Love the ending with that wonderful old castle in the background,In a past life was this a regular passenger and freight line, If you come to melbourne next year the best way to puffing billy is a train from flinders st station to belgrave station and do a tour of the melbourne cricket ground its the best sporting arena in the world,Cheers bob and may the force be with you always.
Hi Robert, the castle is so typically Welsh, it is amazing that it has survived in such good condition for so long. The line was built to carry slate from the quarries of North Wales, it was not very successful, although tourist trains were run, it was before mass tourism as we know it today. You might find this link interesting - www.festrail.co.uk/whr_history_1.htm
Melbourne cricket ground often features on British TV, if I get a chance I'll have a lot round. We are intending to catch the train from Flinders Street to Belgrave, which reminds I'd better book my accommodation in Belgrave soon.
At 40:19, I was thinking "only one bucket full for that entire trip?", then noticed the tractor magically appeared on the hill.
Those Welsh tractors have special powers 😉
@@Timsvideochannel1 Pixies, I suppose.
yep was on the path between the Royal Car shown elsewhere on the clip and the entrance to the graveyard. We were just visiting and did not know what was going to happen until a few moments before. Also visited Trawsfynydd powerstation as dad was in that industry. that's why the Denault loop was built.
I saw Trawsfynydd power station being built and now it is just an empty shell that no one really knows what to do with. Now there is a bunch of windmills generating electricity along the South Coast of England where I live, I can't help wondering what sort of mess they will be in in 50 years time.
2 great video's many thanks
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Amazing series
What a beautiful sky ang green mountains
Hi, I'm glad you enjoyed this wonderful journey through the wonderful Welsh countryside.
38:00 I had no Idea this line had more than one diesel!
39:03 this is a pretty big station to be a halt!
39:17 and that engine doesn't have a train! I thought it did for a moment!
41:53 i'm surprised this railway has a non-garratt steam engine! I thouight they just had five NGG16 class garrats an an old K class!
It would be nice to be able to take a train from Porthmadog to the snowdon Mountain Railway!
I used to visit the railway regularly whilst it was being rebuilt and a number of the diesels seen in the video were used on the works trains. At Dinas the original British Rail station was used, it was also the end of the line for a while, now it is used as a loco depot. I love the Garratts but it will be nice to see more variety in future.
This is so beautiful, andbI love it!!!
Wales is a beautiful place and riding the wonderful narrow gauge railways is the best way to enjoy the scenery.
I kept bonking my head on the side of the tunnels and was smacked in the face by numerous bushes 😉👍 I'm gonna play this backwards and head back!
Sorry to cause you so much pain, but I hope the ride was worth it :-)
This is my Existy.??.. I am on a high with amazement and wonder at this Railway Line... WHEN and WHY was it built ?? BUT no matter WHY I am so delighted that it was built whenever.. MAGNIFICENT.. How many miles was that trip into the end of the world ? Where were the Slate Quarries from here? The line seemed to be on a fall from the start so HOW did the Gravity work with loads of Slate if this is the low spot of the line.. With all the Buildings on the line it sure looks like a proper Railroad line with Maintenance sheds and all that. .. Fair play to the workers of 200 years ago or so. It is an extraordinary facility to have in your area and a massive tourist attraction. God bless all people associated with the upkeep operation and maintenance of a brilliant facility... HOW did anyone figure out the complicated route ?? I don't know yet how to get access to the 2nd Video ?? I will find it somehow. ??
Hi, I upload both these videos again recently, taking advantage of modern software to improve the picture quality, please click on these links - th-cam.com/video/pT0mKjwTXUw/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/pg34JpOIC4M/w-d-xo.html
I have also created a series of three videos showing the rebuilding of the line - th-cam.com/video/_qwmYHPQ6tk/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/EtKiyuOlruU/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/aKkKhL5INd8/w-d-xo.html
There is also a video showing the original volunteer site, now home to the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway - th-cam.com/video/UO0LAjM9ECw/w-d-xo.html
Pretty Countryside 🇨🇦
Hi, I'm pleased you enjoyed the ride.
Did this in 14...It's a long trip from Portmadoc to Caernarfon. ...Unbelievable scenery
I hope you enjoyed re-living your own experience, it's one of my favourite train rides.
Caught bus to Bangor and train all the way back to Shrewsbury
That sounds like an interesting day out. I spent many happy hours as a child watching trains at Chester station, when I stayed with my Grandparents
खूप छान
And so back to Caernarfon from Rhyd Ddu, round trip completed. Noticed a few of the circular signs facing away from the driver on this run(in the other direction we had the view from the rear). The driver of the train would only see those signs when travelling from Caernarfon to Rhyd Ddu.
Hi Neil, you deserve a beer after watching the entire trip. Those round signs are a modern interpretation of the original signals.
Ach aye, me laddie! That'd go down well! Don't mind me, Tim, just letting a bit of my Scottish(well, half-Scottish) heritage get a bit of airing! LOL.....aaaahhh why was talking with a Scots accent when this was Welsh?
Have you visited the home of you ancestors, its a beautiful place, not so many railways these days, but those that are left are well worth taking a ride on.
👋 HI thanks 🙏 TH-cam for a fantastic product last year enjoyed everything i watched looking forward to202O DAVEYONE
TH-cam is a fun way to share and watch videos.
Linha bem limpa,bonita paisagem,muitas árvores,túneis,viadutos,estações bem conservadas,muito bonito o trajeto,linha bem firme trilhos no nível uma viagem tranquila!
Olá, fico satisfeito por ter desfrutado este passeio maravilhoso pelo verde e agradável campo de galês.
Meu pai foi ferroviário meus avôs tbém,eu nasci perto da ferrovia,sempre gostei de ferrovias,mas no Brasil temos poucas ferrovias deveria ter muitas pra gente poder viajar grandes distâncias numa cabine c/todo o conforto e segurança.
Você tem ferrovias em seu sangue, com seu pai e seu avô trabalhando neles. É uma pena que o Brasil tenha poucas ferrovias, pois seria uma ótima maneira de os turistas verem o país.
Well clean line, beautiful landscape, lots of trees, tunnels, viaducts, well maintained stations, very beautiful path, very steady rails on the level a quiet journey! ( portuguese ) brazilian
@@Timsvideochannel1 Hello, I am pleased to have enjoyed this wonderful walk through the green and pleasant Welsh countryside.
That big spoil heap at 4:35. Is that tin or slate. I hope that thing is stable.
That is slate waste, it is unlikely to slip because water drains easily through it, unlike slag heaps created by the waste from coal mines that can become unstable during periods of high rainfall.
I see no machinery indicative of current mining. Why didn't they shove the waste back into the quarry?
I wonder if either of these two rail companies could provide integrated walking and cycling services? Thanks for the video. STOP LOOK AND LISTEN.
These railways would be open to any suggestions that might increase ridership; innovation is one of the reasons for their success. I’ll be sure to look both ways before crossing.
stunning countryside
love it. dont think it was running when I was there in 1963
I'm glad you enjoyed it, back in 1963 it was an abandoned track bed.
that's what I remember. We walked on the line bed at Bethgelert for a fair way. I was 15! We went on the Festinog but only as far as the start of the Denalt loop that they were construction after the flooding of the lake for the Power Station, as I remember my Dad saying...
Hi, I don't know if you have seen this, at the end of the video is a cine film of the Ffestiniog railway taken by my parents in 1963 - th-cam.com/video/3XfO9659GtA/w-d-xo.html
just watched it Tim. great video. Dad took some transparencies. I have them some where me thinks. We were there , but cant remember the date. The Queen was visiting Lloyd George's grave. and she walked right pass us on the path up to the graveyard. No security! I remember that well.
Wow, to be that close to the Queen must have been an interesting experience. This video clip shows the Queen visiting Wales in 1963 - th-cam.com/video/oyIsqyyndIo/w-d-xo.html
Ty from Dallas Tx
Thank you, I hope you enjoyed it.
Paradise land and this landscapes! Many thanks again, dear Tim, for filming.
Hmm... I think, this Snowdon mountain place and around land can be used as 'source image' to 'painting' Hobbiton land and its mountain of LOTR of J.R.Tolkin bock, is not it? :-)
P.S. Afternoon we have cloudly and rainy weather again!.. /Devil's work! (tm)/ Damned current climate!
Hi, I'm pleased you enjoyed this ride through the beautiful Welsh scenery, it has inspired many artists over the years. It is a long way from the real Hobbiton, but the scenery is very similar.
Of course, I did not mean the literal landscape similarity, but the spirit itself, as it is customary to be expressed... :-) And correspondence to that unity with the man's nature of that legendary epoch, which is pivotal moment in the novel ...
The points system used on the WHRailway are called Spring Points and can be found sparingly on Standard Gauge too but at one time they were more common than they are now as explained they save the use of Points Motors and Signaling Equipment but care is needed or Derailment occurs,Oh Dear!
Hello Geoff, the first time I saw a train running through points that appeared to be set for the wrong track, I was expecting the train to derail, I was a kid watching a goods train shunting wagons in a local freight yard and the points weren't even spring loaded. I now realise it is a common practice on narrow gauge railways and as you say to a lesser extent on the standard gauge network.
Hello Geoff, I don't know where your recent comment disappeared to!!! I hope your other half appreciated receiving your undivided attention in the West Country. The wrong side of twenty one and still driving steam on rail-tours, that's quite some achievement on its own. I enjoyed reading your accounts of tours to little used lines and industrial complexes. I've done similar tours in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, on one tour the driver had to take a chain saw to some of the trees and check that there were still rails through the undergrowth. Trap points is a perfect description. I once filmed the rear carriage of train derail in the carriage sidings at the Bluebell Railway when a train was pushed clear of the running lines to allow a service train to pass, the driver hadn't realised the last coach had pushed through a set of points set for the wrong direction, as the train pulled forward the inevitable happened, one of the staff looked at me and said "did you film that", I nodded and he said "please don't post it to TH-cam", I obeyed his request. You must have some wonderful memories from your railway adventures 😊.
Hello Geoff, your wife and my wife sound very similar, in wanting train free holidays and Salcombe is the place my wife would choose to live in if it was down to her. Thankfully derailments are rare, I've only seen two in all the time I've been filming railways and I caught both on camera. Your incident with an A4 and the teak carriages reminds me of a similar incident where distraction nearly resulted in extreme embarrassment for me, I was arriving home with a touring caravan in tow, I dropped my wife off of a few yards before reaching my drive to stop the traffic so that I could reverse the caravan onto my drive. I started reversing and noticed my wife holding and stroking our cat, paying no attention to the traffic, I got out and went to the back of the caravan to find a car trapped between the back of my caravan and the car behind him with only inches to spare. I apologised to the driver and drove round the block to have another go, this time my wife did stop the traffic, proving that even before mobile phones people were easily distracted. A telephoto lens does enable a photographer to take photos from some distance away. I haven't visited the NYMR for a few years, I must visit again, it's a top class railway. Take care. Tim.
@@geoffhunter7704 Hello Geoff my daughter is a signaller at Crediton, she was at Exmouth junction, she sends me plenty of lovely photographs. In a previous life she trained horses at a farm north of Inverurie, she often tells me she'd like to return north as a signaller on the Highland mainline. She has a TH-cam channel featuring her Duck Toller dog and two pet cats, she often features walks along the trackbed of the old North Devon railway line. When I first visited the NYMR the Fylingdales balls dominated the skyline and an 0-6-0 ex Longmoor Sadle tank was struggling to haul our 6 coach train on a very wet day, plenty of noise and wheel slipping. There are some wonderful heritage lines in Devon, but I won't mention them as you are on a train free holiday. As for politicians I sometimes wonder if they are just a bad dream, non of them seem to understand that your average man doesn't want to change the world, he's happy with the way things were when women were women and men were man and we call the football referee every name under the sun, it was a great way to get rid of the weeks frustrations. I didn't only play football, latterly I became a referee on the receiving end of the name calling, it made me smile, after all it was me calling out the names a few years earlier. Scotland is awesome and the people are really friendly, I never noticed any of the media generated animosity. You have some great tours lined up, I must make a real effort to visit the North soon. My next rail adventure is in 10 days time to Hungary, the Czech Republic and Austria to see and ride behind steam both on the main line and on heritage railways with the Railway Touring Company. Happy touring, all the best. Tim.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Well Tim back in Choo Choo Land again after a week of keeping my better half content and fulfilled our journey back home last Sunday was Sunshine all the way and some Cl 17 news apparantly there are two preserved one for the NRM? and another in the South of England in blue and yellow livery with a D number in full working order as it was seen on the Swanage Railway last week hauling a train (fingers Xed) she does not break down.Hope all is well with you!
Would continuously welded track not be an option here? The clatter is quite tiring.
That clattering is not the track, the camera was mounted on the steam locomotive where it picked up the sound of the mechanical oil pump, motion gear and connecting rods, all sounds not normally heard by passengers.
Many thanks.
.
At 1:00, the switch appears to be in the wrong position. Why didnt this train derail?
Spring loaded points, so trains will always take the right-hand path into the loop.
It is a bit alarming the first time you see a train run through a switch set for the other line. The train pushes the point blade over as it passes, the switch then returns to the other line by means of a spring mechanism so that the next train in the opposite direction will take the other line, this ensures that up and down trains always take opposite tracks allowing them to pass each other without the need for the switch to be operated either manually or from a signal box.
Train Operated Trailable Points. The stations on the WHR run without fixed signalling and starter signals. The points will always send you down the right hand road. Should you need to go into the left hand road. A point lever is provided in a cabinet to force the point over, for someone else to clamp the point in place for a train to pass.
eeer, what happens if the spring jams, freezes or breaks ?
There is a white light as a point indicator. In the event of a trailable point failing, the light would not show, therefore, we cannot pass.
Indeed I wonder too. Dad said it was only supposed to have a life of 25 years. Think they got more like 35 years out of it.
Cheers Andrew - South Australia
Hi Andrew, it seems like an aweful lot of effort for a competitively short working life.
thats because, people took a pride in what they built back then, unlike now, throw away goods, throw away people
Next time you have the chance could the camera be located closer to the stack such as on the cab roof? Or even have a microphone located closer to it at the very least? I started playing this while cleaning my apartment, and not much cleaning has been completed!
Hi, sorry this stopped you cleaning your apartment, I hope you enjoyed the video. Please click on the links below to watch videos where I was able to mount the camera near the smoke stack. Seasons Greetings. Tim
th-cam.com/video/8HmBfo5LfYk/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/-69m92hWweE/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/ZaGtLEzI_YI/w-d-xo.html th-cam.com/video/1o8YJsVOH58/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/u-E_umvzXYk/w-d-xo.html
Nice little cameo of me at 51:43 :)
Hi Michael, you could be one of five people, did you travel on this train?
You could say that. I was your fireman!
It was very kind of the driver and yourself to let me place a camera on the front. I have visited the line many times over the years to photograph its rebirth, but this was the first time I have ridden the full length. It's hard to believe that it was not that long ago the track bed through the Aberglaslyn pass was a footpath and the long tunnel was a scary place to walk through, it didn't seen possible that it would once again echo to the sound of a steam engine. The Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland railways are in a league of their own, not just because of the amazing scenery, but also because of the friendly staff and volunteers who help make visiting both lines such a rewarding experience. Thanks to you and the driver for your part in making my trip a really memorable experience.
It's a beautiful route, and I have recommended your videos to our trainees to help them learn the route.
If you have any stills of me on the engine, any chance you could send them over?
Hi Michael, thanks for recommending this video to new trainees. I looked through my stills, but I didn't find anything. I spent a couple of days filming the trains at various locations along the line, if you were working any of those days, there is a chance I caught you on camera. I will start editing a line side video next week, if you are in any of the shots I will let you know. If you are working next time I visit I'll make sure I get some nice photos of you with one of the engines.
love love love as the beatles said
Absolutely amazing scenery. Awe inspiring. It would be nice to see this re-done, but with a better quality camera?
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was filmed a few years ago with a GoPro Hero 3 Black edition, if the opportunity crops up again, I'll film it with latest GoPro.
@@Timsvideochannel1 I look at content, not the camera you had available at the time. The content is fantastic!
@@SteamCrane Cheers.
Wow you did an amazing job your prize is I will subscribe to you
Thank you and it's nice to have you on board, I hope you find more videos to watch 😊.
@@Timsvideochannel1 your welcome I’m so happy of your hard work
Noticed what appeared to be two coal gob piles after leaving the station. Did this railroad carry coal to market at one time?
Hi, there are waste tips as a result of quarrying for slate. The only coal carried was either for the locomotives or domestic household use.The line was originally built to carry slate to the ports at Porthmadog and Caernarfon with an eye on potential tourist traffic and some local freight.
Nice video
Thank you.
Notice how he ran through a pair of points at the beginning ? These are spring points , designed to be ran through , in the trailing position . Not many of those about any more .
Hi, a number of people have commented expressing alarm at the train running through points set against it, yet it is normal practice in many countries where speed is low to keep the cost of operating passing loops down. It only goes wrong when the driver forgets and reverses without having cleared the points first.
Thanks for this excellent driver’s eye view video. Am I correct in noting that on going out of the station the points were not set correctly for the train’s track?
Thank you, I am pleased you enjoyed it. The points do appear to be set for the wrong track, they are held in position by a spring mechanism, this is a question that crops up a lot, so I' ll add an explanation to the video description. I have copied and pasted the explanation from the video description here -
The switches at either end on the passing loop are set to allow trains to pass without the need for railway personnel to set them, in this case the train will always take the right hand track in the direction of travel, when the train reaches the end of the loop the switch appears to be set incorrectly. The switch blades are held in place by a spring mechanism that allows them to be pushed over by the weight of a train passing through them. Once the train is clear they are automatically set to allow a train in the opposite direction to take the right hand track, thus making the passing loop automatic. The system works well so long as a train never reverses before clearing the switch as that will de-rail the train. The first time this system is seen in operation it looks wrong, but it is common practice on many lines where speed is low and costs need to be kept to a minimum.
you had a quiet day when you did that ,its usually very busy
It's nice to get lucky, I was even able to book the seats at the rear of the Pullman. The train was carrying a good number of passengers, with the open carriage proving to be the most popular.
oh yes the open carriage ,,was in it when we got into the long tunnel in the pass did not go all the way then just past the tunnel and it was near the back ,oh the smoke on the return
Now the line is complete, it has to be one of the best rail trips to had anywhere in the UK. The tunnel is still a bit smokey, but the drivers keep it to a minimum. As time permits I will edit and upload a video with "then and now" shots to show the line before it was relaid and how it looks today.
the smell of the smoke mixed with the steam, is like incense to my nostrils, we don't get that, on film or video, yep, i was around before they decided, wouldn't it be great, to make a few bob on scrap metal, were never going to need these tracks again, and we think, the vikings were vandals, ? it doesn't even come close to what those short sighted morons did, nowadays a few inches of snow or leaves on the line will bring a whole network to a standstill, and they call that progress
Excellent , captions as well. WHERE was the camera mounted ? Regards
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it, the camera was attached to a handle on the front of the locomotive
Jeśli podróż jest zdaniem to mosty są przecinkami. Tunele to kropki. A wykrzykniki?
If the journey is a sentence then bridges are commas. Tunnels are dots. And exclamation marks? ( polish )
For a small country , it packs a punch . Just as thought it was safe to go back in the water . a small choir breaks into LAND OF MY FATHERS . not a dry eye in the house . brill .
Wales is hard to beat when it comes to railways, folklore and an abundance of industrial history.
I've just realised from looking at the points setting that this is played in reverse, but maybe like the train I'm just a bit slow.
Hi, this is a forward view and the points/switches cause a lot comments, so much so that I added a description about how they work to the video description. To save you looking I have copied and pasted it here - The switches at either end on the passing loop are set to allow trains to pass without the need for railway personnel to set them, in this case the train will always take the right hand track in the direction of travel, when the train reaches the end of the loop the switch appears to be set incorrectly. The switch blades are held in place by a spring mechanism that allows them to be pushed over by the weight of a train passing through them. Once the train is clear they are automatically set to allow a train in the opposite direction to take the right hand track, thus making the passing loop automatic. The system works well so long as a train never reverses before clearing the switch as that will de-rail the train. The first time this system is seen in operation it looks wrong, but it is common practice on many lines where speed is low and costs need to be kept to a minimum.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Fair enough; running through points here was very much 'emergency only'.
@@Swaggerlot I was alarmed the first time I saw a train running through a switch set for the other line.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Many tourist lines in the US have spring switches. They always have a little sign, "SS", so the crews remember which ones can be run through.
@@SteamCrane Spring switches make good sense to keep running costs down.
Lugar muito bonito mesmo
Estou contente que tenha gostado.
What happened too #24?
it would be more amazing with 360 view
That would be wonderful, I wish I had the equipment to do it, maybe one day.
it does indeed Tim.
At end of video watching of
th-cam.com/video/FK2-k9mpK8g/w-d-xo.html
is strongly recommended. - Heinz
Shame about the colour balance. The first part was just right for the conditions but part 2 was a bit off. Well there is always the return run. Nice to see a well presented road bed and clean ballast. Well it could be considered a new(ish) railway.
Hi, sorry about the colour problem, GoPro cameras are great, but they do experience problems with colour balance in changing light. I corrected it and posted it to TH-cam, I checked the video before making it live and the playback was awful using the You Tube player which was a pity because it plays well on my computer. I tried the original file and the playback was much better, hence the slight colour problem. The guards eye view videos were shot using Sony's latest action camera - Sony FDR-X3000 - they are a bit better, but there is little choose between GoPro and Sony.
The railway is well looked after, a real credit to the volunteers and staff who look after it.
Yes the technology is great but when things go wrong there's not a lot you can do. Unless you sit with it like early cab rides. This video seems to have the camera mounted on the buffer beam light bracket? impossible with early video or film cameras.
One of the strangest 'shots' I have seen is with the camera just above rail level over one of the rails. BLS north route in 6 parts. Was OK as it was only in 2 to 3 minute sections with the cab mounted camera. Liked your BLS route videos.
Hi Brian, the camera was mounted on a hand rail at the front of the locomotive. These small action cameras make it possible to take shots that would have been almost impossible a few years ago. The colour can be corrected, but for some reason the colour green can cause the You Tube player to pixalate, where as I have no such problem when I play the clips directly on my computer. I have no idea what the cause is, but I noticed the You Tube player was OK when playing this video without colour correction. I also use a drone and that really can take shots that would have been impossible 10 years ago. I have seen shots taken at rail height or filming the motion gear on a steam locomotive, they can be very effective. I'm glad you enjoyed my BLS videos.
And onwards to Bangor 🤔
I'd like see that happen 😉
We'll have to make do with the 5C.
Same mistake on the spelling of Rhyd Ddu
Oops, sorry about that, I'll try to correct it this week.
@@Timsvideochannel1 OK.
@@rhobatbrynjones7374 Part 1 corrected - th-cam.com/video/pT0mKjwTXUw/w-d-xo.html
@@Timsvideochannel1 Appreciate it.
@@Timsvideochannel1 Diolch.
aye that twere grand, warmed the cockles of me old heart, so it did, put tu kettle on mother, and wee'l tuck in tu sum buttred crumpets
I wish I was sitting in the warm summer sun enjoying a Welsh tea cake in one of Beddgelert's wonderful tea room gardens, with the sound of a steam train working through the Aberglaslyn Pass in the background, I'll have to make do with a coffee at my workbench for now, but I'm looking forward to my next trip to North Wales.
SOME TIME IN AUGUST 1963
Poor old thing!, this is mechanical cruelty; It’s knocking it’s nuts off! Hammer, hammer, smash bang.
Hi, I'm pretty sure the noise you can hear is the mechanical lubricator, it was close the camera. Generally the FHR and WHR keep their locos in pretty good order, although they do work hard lifting heavy trains up significant gradients.
Not much new in old part two.
It is hard to believe that around ten years ago this railway was little more than a memory or some old photos in a nostalgic book.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻😄😄😄🙏🏻🙏🏻