Steam!

[cmcmck]

We finally got back to travel after all the recent silliness and started to explore Wales just over the border from where we live in north Shropshire.

Wales is famous for its narrow gauge steam railways originally used in conjunction with the slate quarrying industry. It was said at one time that Wales 'roofed the world'.

We first visited the town of Tywyn on the Wesh coast. More years ago than I care to recall this was where I spent my first independent holiday at the age of fourteen and I'd aways wanted to go back. Fifty odd years later, I finally made it.

It's the home of the Talyllyn Railway (Rheilffordd Talyllyn in Welsh) and that was the first lot of steam:



On the same trip we visited the seaside town of Aberystwyth, home of the Vale of Rheidol Railway ((Rheilffordd Cwm Rheidol in Welsh) and there was more steam:



On a trip slightly later in the year we visited another seaside town in Wales- Porthmadog and there was yet another steam railway, The Ffestiniog Railway  (Rheilffordd Ffestiniog) and some slightly different steam with their double ended Fairlie patent engines:



We made a number of journeys on the various railways. The scenery in those parts is stunning!

If you'd like to see more go to my blog- I open post my photographs and if you flip back you'll find more!
 

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

I knew about Wales history with mining but didn't connect that to railroads, though that makes perfect sense. My partner would loooove these trips as he really likes trains. We've taken a few scenic railroad trips (designed for tourists) in the past and it's a great way to see areas that are not so accessible by other means.

[cmcmck]

A lot of these lines run up through the mountains so this really is the best way to see things!

[thenewbuzwuzz]

Very cool! 🚂

[cmcmck]

:o)

[pauraque]

Those are some excellent engines!

[cmcmck]

And some of them very old indeed.

[adafrog]

Cool.

[cmcmck]

:o)

[apachefirecat]

Thank you for sharing this! My Daddy was a big railroad buff. Always wanted to take him to see and climb aboard one in person, and never quite made it. I'm very glad you were able to make your dream come true!

[cmcmck]

I know at least one of these lines offers the chance to drive one of the locos.

[olivermoss]

That's cool that you got to ride on some historical railways!

[cmcmck]

There are just so many of them locally and we hope to visit more this year.

[dreamaastrid]

Thanks for sharing, I have a few family members really into Trains so this was cool to see.

[cmcmck]

Please feel free to share the pics with them! :o)

[lokifan]

Oh wow!

[cmcmck]

:o)