Pont Croesor railway station

Pont Croesor
The station looking north towards Nantmor and Caernarfon
Location
Place Porthmadog
Area Gwynedd
Coordinates 52°57′02″N 4°05′49″W / 52.95058°N 4.09684°W / 52.95058; -4.09684Coordinates: 52°57′02″N 4°05′49″W / 52.95058°N 4.09684°W / 52.95058; -4.09684
Grid reference SH592413
Operations
Original company Croesor Tramway
Managed by Welsh Highland Railway
Owned by Festiniog Railway Company
Platforms 2
History
1923 first station opened
1936 first station closed
22 May 2010 First passenger trains at present station
26 May 2010 Official opening
30 October 2010 First crossing of passengers trains
8 January 2011 Start of timetabled services south of Pont Croesor[1]
Stations on heritage railways in the United Kingdom
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Pont Croesor is a railway halt in Wales, on the Welsh Highland Railway, which runs through the Snowdonia National Park from Caernarfon to Porthmadog. It is located on the section between the stations of Hafod y Llyn and Pen-y-Mount Junction.

Originally, as part of the Croesor Tramway, there was a siding at this location but no station. When the WHR was initially built in 1923 a small halt was provided however this closed with the railway in 1936 . All trace of this was removed when the line was lifted.

The line from Pont Croesor to Porthmadog Harbour has been connected since early 2009, being available for stock transfer purposes. The station was officially opened on 26 May 2010 and was the WHR's temporary terminus, having previously opened to passengers on 22 May 2010. The previous terminus at Hafod y Llyn is now closed.[2]

It opened to timetabled passenger services on 8 January 2011.[1]

When the station opened there was a full length platform on the west side of the loop only, but with the commencement of through services in both directions during 2011 a second platform was provided. The station site is adjacent to Pont Croesor bridge, which crosses the River Glaslyn, and is a hybrid road/rail bridge, as each uses the same piers.[3] The bridge was extensively modified in appearance recently to feature standard safety barriers. The new loop was finally completed, for operational purposes, on 13 March 2010.

During the 2010 and 2011 seasons the station has featured a manned booking office and gift shop, however with all trains terminating at Porthmadog for the 2012 season Pont Croesor is no longer a terminus, and has therefore been downgraded to an unstaffed halt. The station building has been removed to Blaenau Ffestiniog but the waiting room remains.

The station is adjacent to the Glaslyn Osprey Project viewing site,[4] from where the public can see the nesting place of a pair of ospreys[5] which have successfully raised chicks every year since 2005. The majority of the WHR's construction in this area has been carried out whilst the birds are abroad in the winter months, in order to keep disturbance to a minimum.[3]

Preceding station   Heritage railways Following station
Nantmor[6]   Welsh Highland Railway   Porthmadog Harbour
  Historical railways  
Ynysfor Halt   Welsh Highland Railway   Portmadoc New (1923) station
Portmadoc New (1933) station

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Ffestiniog Railway: Be the first to experience the completed Welsh Highland!". Retrieved 19 January 2011.
  2. ↑ "2010 Company Timetable". Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  3. 1 2 "WHR Project Phase 4: Pont Croesor". Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  4. ↑ WHR Project Phase 4: Pont Croesor - Traeth Mawr Archived 20 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ RSPB: Glaslyn osprey project Archived 9 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ Eryl Crump (22 March 2010). "New station on Welsh Highland Railway in memory of university lecturer". Daily Post (North Wales).
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