A few years ago I ran this poll http://www.009society.com/forum/index.php?topic=1443.0;viewResults (http://www.009society.com/forum/index.php?topic=1443.0;viewResults) to learn which were the best narrow gauge railways to visit in Wales. The results were interesting and varied. In the end I never went, but this summer I expect to have a week to inspect half a dozen or so of them. I'll have a hire car. Where should I stay? Note, there should be a good pub.
Somewhere on the coast, Barmouth way, I'd have thought if you just want one base. You could do the VoR, Tallylyn, WHR and Ffestiniog easily from there and it has plenty of places to stay, self catering or B&B as well as pubs!
Do the Welshpool as you drive across or back, it's on the way in/out of Central Wales if you are coming from the Midlands and South of England...
BTW since that was put up I've visited the Brecon Mountain and it's also worth a visit if you can squeeze it in!
We stayed in an apartment in Porthmadog literally across the carpark from the Ffr/WHR station earlier this year (for my birthday -- we took observation coach trips on both lines which totally paid back the Great Little Trains card) which was fabulous for those two and WHHR. Would also have been good for Llanberis & Snowdon, but I'm inclined to agree with previous poll: Llanberis isn't that interesting, and the interesting bits of Snowdon have been submerged by the "getting visitors to the summit" aspect. So the suggestion of basing somewhere further down the coast so that Talyllyn and VoR (and Corris, and also Fairbourne for a bit of variety) are in easy striking distance is good. If you're OK with inland, I'd say look for somewhere around Machynlleth. Also, although we found some good restaurants and, of course, the Purple Moose brewery shop in Porthmadog, we didn't track down any good pubs.
Brecon (our local) is massively out of the way, and not worth the detour unless you're driving up from SW England or using the motorway. Bala falls into the same category as Llanberis. I've not done L&C for years (despite keeping driving past Welshpool visiting family) so can't comment on whether it's worth a special visit, but it certainly is if you're passing that way.
Finally, if you're after "non-standard railways" rather than "heritage steam" and you are at the northern end of things, the Great Orme Tramway might be of interest.
I can highly recommend staying in Porthmadog town within walking distance of the railways. FR/WHR and WHHR.
We did this for many years when our friends owned a
Quote from: S Arrowsmith on January 25, 2018, 10:29
We stayed in an apartment in Porthmadog literally across the carpark from the Ffr/WHR station earlier this year (for my birthday -- we took observation coach trips on both lines which totally paid back the Great Little Trains card) which was fabulous for those two and WHHR. Would also have been good for Llanberis & Snowdon, but I'm inclined to agree with previous poll: Llanberis isn't that interesting, and the interesting bits of Snowdon have been submerged by the "getting visitors to the summit" aspect. So the suggestion of basing somewhere further down the coast so that Talyllyn and VoR (and Corris, and also Fairbourne for a bit of variety) are in easy striking distance is good. If you're OK with inland, I'd say look for somewhere around Machynlleth. Also, although we found some good restaurants and, of course, the Purple Moose brewery shop in Porthmadog, we didn't track down any good pubs.
Brecon (our local) is massively out of the way, and not worth the detour unless you're driving up from SW England or using the motorway. Bala falls into the same category as Llanberis. I've not done L&C for years (despite keeping driving past Welshpool visiting family) so can't comment on whether it's worth a special visit, but it certainly is if you're passing that way.
Finally, if you're after "non-standard railways" rather than "heritage steam" and you are at the northern end of things, the Great Orme Tramway might be of interest.
I've often been near Bala on the way to visit family in North Wales but never visited as it's usually too late by the time I get near. The Great Orme is an interesting line in two sections and the walk around the top of the Orme (not steep, the top bit is fairly flat) is nice as well. I haven't done Snowdon for several years (when I went last time they still had the red and cream old coaches) mainly due to the prices going up, but I also understand from some of the other forums that getting tickets is sometimes difficult with trains increasingly block-booked for coach parties, and steam-hauled trains are now more expensive but at least you can guarantee steam by paying the extra. Llanberis is still interesting though with the Lake Railway and Slate Museum. I am thinking about doing a quick trip at some point using the Cambrian line to access Ffestiniog, Talyllyn, Fairbourne, Rheidol etc which all have direct or close connections to it.
If you fancy doing something a bit out of the ordinary and want a day of NG railway overload, then it will be possible to do a complete return trip on now less than four of the Welsh NG lines, Bala Lake, Corris, VOR and TR on one day, Saturday August 25th.
But the TR train will be in the dark!
Brian Meldon
The railways are rather more spread out than it appears on a map. If you stay near one the others are going to be a considerable distance away. I always think of Barmouth as a good central base, it, undeservedly, gets bad comments to my mind. Alternatively, Tywyn is fairly central whilst being on the Talyllyn and you would only have to pay the tolls at that wonderful bridge at Penmaenpool when going to Portmadoc.
Rod is correct about the travel times. For example it will take about 1h 45 mins to drive from Porthmadog to Aberystwyth.
Brian Meldon
Barmouth to:
Portmadog 50 mins
Tywyn 50 mins
Aberystwyth 1hr 22mins
Welshpool 1hr 45mins
All by car. However you can also get from Barmouth to any of the four by Rail but add 10/20minutes... At least you can have a drink, though!
It really depends on where you intend to visit, if the Bala, Great Orme, Snowdon are your priorities then Portmadog makes more sense, though you'll be better driving to most of them! If the Tallylyn, WLLR, VoR and WHR/FR the basing around Barmouth or Tywyn makes more sense... The reason I chose Barmouth over Tywyn is that there's more choice!
Just my thoughts on taking in all the Little Rlys of Wales.
I happen to have a caravan that is 3 miles from llanberis and Snowden Mountain Rly. The WHR is only 10minutes away and the Great Orme Tramway
just 30 minutes away.
Portmadog is a 22 mile drive for the FR & WHHR
But to visit the Talyllyn is a 90 to a 120 minute drive and the V of R further again.
I would be more inclined to split the holiday and stay in a couple of places.
You will also find that Tywyn is fairly light on eating out in the evening, but can also say the same about Portmadog.
Barmouth in the high season can be crowded in the evenings and you are best to book a meal otherwise you can be left with the dross.
Maybe I am a bit picky when eating out, but I would certainly research where you are going.
Stan.